Tepic

Capital of the state of Nayarit, 180 km/112 mi northwest of Guadalajara, Mexico; population (1995) 292,800. Tepic is the commercial centre of an agricultural and cattle-raising region, and its industries include cotton spinning and weaving, and sugar refining. There are also distilleries.

Situated at an altitude of 2,700 m/8,858 ft in the Tepic valley, the town is close to the extinct volcano Sangangüey, and is on the Southern Pacific railway and the Pacific Highway. Founded in 1531, Tepic still retains some fine period buildings, despite recent modernization. Most of the architecture is from the late 19th century. Pollution is a problem in the town.

The Huichol and Cora peoples live in the surrounding mountainous areas, and their craftwork of bags, scarves, necklaces and wall-hangings are sold in the town. The original Cora name for the town was Tepique, meaning ‘place between the hills’.