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Irapuato, Guanajuato

Irapuato
Ciudad de Irapuato
Flag of Irapuato
Flag
Official seal of Irapuato
Seal
Nickname(s): Ciudad de las Fresas
Motto: Ad Augusta Per Angusta
Location of Irapuato in Mexico
Location of Irapuato in Mexico
Coordinates: 20°40′N 101°21′W / 20.667°N 101.350°W / 20.667; -101.350Coordinates: 20°40′N 101°21′W / 20.667°N 101.350°W / 20.667; -101.350
Country  Mexico
State  Guanajuato
County Bandera Irapuato.pngIrapuato
Founded (officially) 1547 (by Vasco de Quiroga)
Government
 • Municipal President Ricardo Ortiz Gutiérrez
Area
 • Total 845.16 km2 (326.32 sq mi)
Elevation 1,724 m (5 676 ft)
Population (2010)
 • Total 380,941 city; 529,440 municipality
 • Density 626.44/km2 (1,622.5/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Irapuatense, Fresero
Time zone Central Standard Time (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) Central Daylight Time (UTC-5)
ZIP code 36590 - 36899
Area code(s) 462
Website Official Website of the City of Irapuato
Average temperature 21°C

Irapuato is a Mexican town (and municipality) located at the foot of the Arandas Hill (in Spanish: cerro de Arandas), in the south central region of the state of Guanajuato. It lies between the Silao River and the Guanajuato River, a tributary of the Lerma River, at 1,724 m (5,656 ft) above sea level. It is located at 20°40′N 101°21′W / 20.667°N 101.350°W / 20.667; -101.350. The city is the second-largest in the state (only behind León), with a population of 342,561 according to the 2005 census, while its municipality has a population of 529,440. The municipality has an area of 845.16 km² (326.32 sq mi) and includes numerous smaller outlying communities. The city's main industry is agriculture and it is famous for its strawberries and the raising of pigs and cattle. The fruits and flowers of Irapuato's luxurious gardens are well known throughout Mexico.

In the pre-Hispanic era, the site was inhabited by the Chichimecas (c. 1200 AD), a group of semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers. Later on, the Purépechas conquered the region and initiated the establishment of a permanent settlement. They constructed buildings in the Purépecha architectural style, produced pottery, and practiced agriculture. They called the settlement Xiriquitzio (or Iriquitzio), which the Spanish conquerors pronounced "Jiricuato" (or Jiricuicho), which meant "the place with houses (or low dwellings)". The initial growth period, however, was short lived. The downfall of the Purépecha Empire led to the abandonment of the settlement, at which point it was once again inhabited by the Chichimecas.


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