Jalisco

Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and is bordered by the states of Nayarit to the northwest, Zacatecas to the north, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato to the east, Michoacán to the south, and Colima to the southwest. To the west, Jalisco has a significant coastline on the Pacific Ocean.

The state is known for being the origin of several distinctly Mexican cultural elements, including tequila, mariachi music, and charrería (Mexican rodeo). Its capital and largest city is Guadalajara, which is also a major industrial and cultural center.

Jalisco's geography is diverse, ranging from coastal plains to the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. The state's economy is diverse as well, with agriculture, industry, tourism, and services all contributing. Key agricultural products include corn, beans, sugarcane, and livestock. Manufacturing industries are concentrated in the Guadalajara metropolitan area and include electronics, textiles, and food processing. Tourism is significant, particularly in Guadalajara and the coastal resorts of Puerto Vallarta and the Costa Alegre.

The name "Jalisco" is believed to derive from the Nahuatl words "xalli" (sand), "ixco" (face), and "co" (place), meaning "place of sand" or "sandy place." The area was inhabited by various indigenous groups before the arrival of the Spanish, including the Caxcanes, the Coca, the Guachichiles, and the Nahua. The Spanish conquest of the region began in the 16th century, and the area was incorporated into the Viceroyalty of New Spain. After Mexican independence, Jalisco became one of the original states of the Mexican Republic.