Guadalajara Mexico Map


View Larger Map

Guadalajara Mexico Weather

Guadalajara Mexico Info

Guadalajara (pronounced /ˌgwɑːdləˈhɑːrə/;[1] Spanish pronunciation [ɡwað̞alaˈxaɾa]) is the capital city of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of the state and in the western-Pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,579,174 it is Mexico’s second most populous municipality.[2] The Guadalajara Metropolitan Area includes seven other adjacent municipalities and has a population of 4,298,715 in 2008, making it the second most populous in the metropolitan area in Mexico, behind Mexico City.[2][3] The municipality is the most densely populated in Mexico after Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl in the State of Mexico.[4]
Guadalajara is situated at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,200 ft), favouring it with a mild, spring-like climate.
The city is named after the Spanish city of Guadalajara, with the name originating from the Arabic Wadi-al-Hajara (وادي الحجارة), meaning “Valley of Stones”; the literal translation of the Iberian name (Arriaca), meaning “Stony River”..
Guadalajara is Mexico’s second biggest city and a major force in Mexico’s economy, culture and religion. It exerts significant influence on the rest of the country, and has the most significant and ambitious infrastructural projects in Mexico.
The city has hosted several international events, such as the first Cumbre Iberoamericana in 1991, the Cumbre América Latina, El Caribe-Unión Europea in 2004, the Encuentro Internacional de Promotores y Gestores Culturales in 2005, and will be the host city of the 2011 Panamerican Games. It was also named the American Capital of Culture in 2005, Ciudad Educadora (Educator City) in 2006 and the first Smart City in Mexico due to its use of technology in development.[5]
Guadalajara is also known as Mexico’s silicon valley due to its strong electronics industry,[6] and is also considered Mexico’s high tech capital due to its leadership in software and informatics development.[6]
According to FDi magazine, Guadalajara is ranked “city of the future”, higher than other Mexican cities, and has the second strongest economic potential of any major North American city behind Chicago. It was also rated among the top five most business-friendly Latin American cities in 2007.[7]

The tertiary activities of Guadalajara are based on tourism: the academic, entertainment, sport and cultural tourism. With an expectation for high growth within the next five years, tourism is now one of the most important sectors in the Guadalajaran economy. It is an important tourist destination center in itself and serves as an axis of an array of nearby tourist destinations (Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Mazatlan).
Guadalajara is well connected by modern highways to Mexico City, to the Northwest and to the major beach resorts of Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Guadalajara’s airport is the third most active of the country (after Mexico City and Cancún) with direct flights to many Mexican and American cities. It also has a lively and distinctive network of car-free streets.
Guadalajara is also one of the world’s favorite places for Americans and Canadians to retire due to its calm and secure environments, most living in the Chapala lake’s surroundings.