Uruapan

With a population of over 356,700, the city is the second most populous and the second in economic importance in the state of Michoacán. The city is located at the western edge of the Purépecha highlands of the state at 1,620 meters above sea level. The city's center has colonial architecture which contain Plateresque and Moorish elements. Each of these neighborhoods have their own festival: San José on March 19, El Vergel on the third Friday in June, San Juan Quemado on June 24, San Pedro on June 29, La Magdalena on July 22, Santiago on July 25, San Miguel on September 29, San Francisco de Asis on October 4. The patron saints' days of these neighborhoods are celebrated with colorful dances such as Los Negritos. The center of the city is marked by the very large and long Plaza de Martires de Uruapan. Facing this plaza are two commercial portals as well as some of the city's most important landmarks. On the north side, there is the La Huatápera Museum, officially called the Museo de los Cuatro Pueblos Indios. Huatápera is a Purépecha word, meaning "meeting place," and according to tradition, it was built over a pre Hispanic platform, obtaining its social importance from this. According to local myth, Juan de San Miguel forced the Devil to bow before the Cross, with the Devil's knee making an indentation in the rock from which the first spring emerges. The land was private until the 1930s when the federal government bought it to create the park. The ravine has various waterfalls such as La Yerbabuena and El Golgota, bridges and fountains that take advantage of natural water supply. There is also a mural called Erédira by local artist Manuel Pérez Coronado, but it is almost completely deteriorated. ==The municipality==

The city of the Uruapan is the seat of a municipality and serves as the local government for surrounding communities that extend over . Outside of the Uruapan proper, the main communities are Capacuaro, Angahuan, San, Caltzontzin, Jucutacato, Santa, Corupo and Nuevo, all of which are dedicated to agriculture and/or forestry. The municipality borders those of Charapan, Paracho, Nahuatzen, Tingambato, Ziracuaretiro, Taretan, Gabriel Zamora, Nuevo Parangaricutiro, Peribán and Los Reyes. The municipal government consists of a municipal president, a syndic, and 12 representatives called regidors. The municipality has a population of over 315,000, of which 18,020 speak an indigenous language, mostly Purépecha. Traditional music is mostly influenced by the Purépecha culture with pirecuas and sons, as well as those played by wind instruments. The El Sabino Zoocriadero is home to various exotic species. It is 17 km outside the city in an area that has a warmer climate. Its main attraction is its crocodiles but it also has lions, badgers, deer, ostriches and turtles. ==Socioeconomics==

Since the colonial period, the area has been an agricultural center growing bananas, chicozapote, mamey, limes, oranges, lemons, avocados and more. Native to Australia, macadamias have been grown in the Uruapan area since the late 20th century. The city makes a number of products from the nut such as nuts flavored with garlic, chili peppers, soy sauce or salt. They are also made into brittle, cookies, candies and oil. Since the colonial period, the city has been a center of the production of maque, an indigenous form of lacquer, used to wooden items such as plates, platters, boxes, chests and dried gourds. Other handcrafts produced here include masks, papel picado, and textiles. ==Geography==

Climate The municipality has a humid subtropical climate (Cwa in the Köppen climate classification) with very wet summers, dry winters and lush forests. It is part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and mountainous. Principal peaks include Charanda, La Cruz, Jicalán and Magdalena. The climate is between temperate and tropical, with most rain falling in the summer. Average annual rainfall is 1,759.3 mm and average annual temperatures are between 8 and 37.5 C. Flora and fauna The flora is mostly mixed forest, with pine, oak and deciduous tropical rainforest. Logging includes pine, oak and oyamel fir. Areas without trees mostly consist of scrub of various kinds. Notable fauna includes coyote, skunks, deer, foxes, cacomixtle, hares, opossums, ducks and other birds. Hydrography The municipality contains numerous small rivers that belongs to the Tepalcatepec basin. The main river is the Cupatitzio. Other important bodies of water include the Caltzontzin Reservoir (also known as the Santa Barbara or Santa Catarina) and waterfalls such as Salto Escondido, Cupatitzio and La Tzaráracua. The La Tzararacua Ecotourism Center is located 10 km south of the city proper, centered on a 40-meter high waterfall of the same name. Next to this is the Tzararcuita (Little Tzararacua), at 16 meters high. ==History==

Designation The name comes from the Purépecha word uruapani which means plants that flower and fruit at the same time or those which are always giving fruit. The coat of arms was designed by Luis Valencia Madrigal and represents the history of the area since the pre Hispanic period as well as its natural resources. In 2014, the city was taken over briefly by the Grupos de Autodefensa Comunitaria or "autodefensas", an armed civilian movement trying to counter the power of the cartels, unsupported by the local and state government. In August 2019, 19 people were murdered by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. On November 1, 2025, its municipal president Carlos Manzo was assassinated during the Day of the Dead celebration after speaking out against the Cartels. ==Transportation==

• Uruapan International Airport ==References==