San Luis Potosí

Silver-mining city and capital of San Luis Potosí state, central Mexico; population (1995 est) 625,500. It lies northwest of Mexico City at an altitude of 1877 m/6158 ft. Industries include tanning, footwear, clothing, and the refining of silver, lead, copper, and arsenic. Founded in 1586 as a Franciscan mission, it became the colonial administrative headquarters and has fine buildings of the period.

Notable buildings include the cathedral, the Palacio de Gobierno, and the Church of San Francisco, all dating from Spanish colonial times, and the Casa de la Cultura. The Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí was founded in 1826.

San Luis Potosí

State of central Mexico; area 62,848 sq km/24,266 sq mi; population (2000 est) 2,296,400. Its capital is San Luis Potosí. The state occupies a plateau area with an average height of 1,800 m/6,000 ft. Agriculture is hampered by low rainfall and poor drainage, but pastoral farming is an important occupation and there are significant exports of hides and wool. The main occupations are silver-mining, smelting and refining metal, and farming coffee and tobacco.