Bajio (Mexico)

Map of economic division shows the limits of the Bajío and the municipalities that make up it, according to CIDE.

Map of approximate location of the Bajío.

The Bajío is a geographic, historical, economic, and cultural region of North-Central-Western Mexico, mostly located in the Lerma-Chapala basin. This region comprises part of the States of Aguascalientes, Jalisco (Altos and Oriente), Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Michoacán (Northern Strip) and Zacatecas.

It has been developed throughout this territory that includes the metropolitan areas and regions of Guadalajara, Altos de Jalisco, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, La Piedad-Pénjamo, León, Irapuato-Salamanca, Celaya, Zamora and from Santiago de Querétaro to the southeastern tip of San Juan del Río, an important industrial corridor that today houses national and multinational corporations and their auxiliary industry.

Great Chichimeca.

History

This region has been the protagonist of the main events that marked the life of the country.

The first peoples to inhabit the Bajío region were the Chichimeca nations, a name given by the Mexica to a group of indigenous peoples who inhabited the center and north of the country.

In colonial times, El Bajío was a very prosperous region, thanks to the agricultural-cattle ranches and its large mining area.

In September 1810, the Bajío became the cradle of the Mexican Independence movement. In Morelia, Michoacán, José María Morelos and Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez were born, among other main characters of independence. On September 13, Epigmenio González, who had an arsenal of weapons destined for the insurgency, was taken prisoner. On the 15th, the corregidor of Querétaro, Don Miguel Domínguez, was arrested; and his wife, Mrs. Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. Some historians affirm that she managed to send a message to Captain Ignacio Allende and Miguel Hidalgo, through Ignacio Pérez, a member of his militia who rode to San Miguel el Grande, today San Miguel de Allende, to communicate to those who would start the War of Independence of Mexico that the conspiracy had been discovered. The event that is most remembered occurred on the morning of September 16, 1810. In a small town called Dolores (today Dolores Hidalgo, Cradle of National Independence), where the priest Miguel Hidalgo and his independentist colleagues rose up in arms against the viceregal regime, launching the famous Grito de Dolores. Being the Father of the Nation a Guanajuato son, too, since he was born in Pénjamo.

In 1847, Querétaro was named the capital of Mexico, when it was invaded by US forces. On May 30, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, which put an end to the US invasion and where Mexico lost the northern half of its territory.

In 1867, two battles were fought between the Republican and Imperial armies on the Cerro de las Campanas, during the Siege of Querétaro. Maximiliano de Habsburgo was captured, tried and sentenced, being shot on June 19 at Cerro de las Campanas, along with the Mexican generals Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía.

Aguascalientes Convention

The Convention of Aguascalientes was a meeting that took place during the process of the Mexican Revolution, convened on October 1, 1914 by Venustiano Carranza, first chief of the Constitutionalist Army, under the name of Great Convention of Military Chiefs with command of forces and governors of the States^{[citation required]}, and whose initial sessions took place in the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico City. Although, later, they were transferred to Aguascalientes, which gave its name to the Convention, which was held from October 10 to November 9, 1914. The Zapatistas did not enter the Convention from the beginning, but from the October 26, when they staged the famous Flag Incident, which almost cost the life of one of their delegates.

Cristiada or Cristero War

Map with regions where there were outbreaks.

The Cristero War took place mainly in the Bajío, in areas of the states of Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Querétaro and Aguascalientes. The leadership of the movement, close but autonomous with respect to the Mexican bishops, believed that a military solution to the conflict was viable. In January 1927, the collection of weapons began. The first guerrillas were made up of peasants. Support for armed groups was growing. More and more people joined the proclamations of Long live Christ the King! and Long live Santa María de Guadalupe! launched by what became known as the Cristeros.

The origin of the noun cristero is disputed. There are those who consider that they themselves used the name, first, to identify themselves. But there are researchers of the phenomenon, such as Jean Meyer, who consider that, originally, it was a derogatory expression, used by federal government agents, derived from Christian.

In any case, those who were known as Cristeros were able to quickly articulate a series of local discontents with the consequences of the Mexican Revolution. As well as uniting around him groups that, for different reasons, were opposed to what by then was known as the "Grupo Sonora", a name created by the Sonoran origin of the presidents Adolfo de la Huerta, Álvaro Obregón and Plutarco Elías Calles. Not only that: the Cristiada, as it is also known, made very effective use of religious symbols deeply rooted in collective practices in Mexico such as the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Geography

The Bajío is settled on large plateaus, plains, valleys and/or highlands limited by hills and mountains (as in the case of the Sierra Fría in Aguascalientes).

These plateaus do not rise above 2000 m s. no. m., in the states of Querétaro, Michoacán de Ocampo, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes and Jalisco. There are parts of the Bajío that are geographically higher and others that are lower.

In Querétaro most of the area is above 1900 m s. no. m. But after crossing the city of Santiago de Querétaro, it begins to descend, giving rise to average altitudes of 1816 to 1840 m s. no. m.

In the state of Guanajuato the zone is in a range of 1700 to 1850 m s. no. m.

In the Bajío de Jalisco there are notable altitude differences, there are areas that are below 1800 m s. no. m. and others above 1900 m s. no. m.

Lastly, in the state of Aguascalientes, El Bajío has an average altitude of 1800 m a.s.l. no. m.

Throughout the Bajío there are hills and low hills. At the limits, on the other hand, there are large mountain ranges that can exceed 3000 m s. no. m. Such are:

• Sierra Madre Oriental,
• Sierra Gorda,
• Sierra de Amealco,
• Sierra de Huimilpan,
• Sierra de los Agustinos,
• Sierra de Puroagua,
• Sierra de Guanajuato Central,
• Sierra de Pénjamo,
• Sierra de Lobos y
• Sierra de Aguascalientes.

Bajío-Occidente Alliance

Bajío-West Alliance.

The Bajío-Occidente Alliance is a region that works together and has established a work plan and solutions in matters of the environment, social development, economy and education. It groups the 5 states with the highest economic growth in Mexico. Its goal is to become the region with the highest Human Development Index in Latin America.

It is a geographic, cultural, historical, and economic region of North-Central-West Mexico, mostly north of the Lerma River. This region is made up of the states of Aguascalientes, Michoacán (north), Jalisco (east), Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí and Querétaro.

States

The states that make up El Bajío are:

Aguascalientes	Guanajuato	Jalisco	Michoacán	Querétaro	San Luis Potosí	Zacatecas

Municipalities by state

State of Aguascalientes

• Aguascalientes
• Jesus
• Calvillo
• Arteaga Pavilion
• Rincón de Romos
• San Francisco de los Romo
• Cos
• The Llano
• Tepezalá
• Seats
• San José de Gracia

State of Guanajuato

• Abasolo
• Amber
• I pass the High
• I pass the Great
• Celaya
• Comonfort
• Cortázar
• Coroneo
• Horn
• Guanajuato
• Huanímaro
• Irapuato
• Jaral del Progreso
• Jerécuaro
• León
• Manuel Doblado
• Moroleon
• Pénjamo
• Pueblo Nuevo
• Purest of the Rincon
• Romita
• Salamanca
• Salvatierra
• San Francisco del Rincón
• Santa Cruz de Juventino Rosas
• Santiago Maravatío
• Silao
• Tarandacuao
• Tarimoro
• Uriangato
• Valle Santiago
• Villagrán
• Yuriria

State of Jalisco

• Guadalajara
• Lagos de Moreno
• Arandas
• San Juan de los Lagos
• Atotonilco the High
• San Julián
• San Miguel el Alto
• Jalostotitlán
• Diaz Incarnation
• Teocaltiche
• Guadalupe Chapel
• Yahualica de González Gallo
• Ojuelos
• San Diego de Alejandría
• Union de San Antonio
• Villa Hidalgo
• Acatic
• Cañadas de Obregón
• Jesus
• Mexticacan
• Tepatitlán de Morelos
• Guadalupe Valley
• San Ignacio Cerro Gordo
• Smell
• Santa Maria de los Angeles
• Colotlán
• Zapopan

State of Michoacán

• Álvaro Obregón
• Angamacutiro
• Briseñas
• Cojumatlán de Régules
• Coeneo
• Contepec
• Charo
• Chavinda
• Chilchota
• Chucándiro
• Churintzio
• Cuitzeo
• Copándaro
• Ecuandureo
• Epitacio Huerta
• Huandacareo
• Huaniqueo
• Indaparape
• Ixtlán
• Jacona
• Jiménez
• Jiquilpan
• José Sixto Verduzco
• Maravatius
• Marcos Castellanos
• Morelia
• Morelos
• Numaran
• Lagunillas
• The Pity
• Pajacuarán
• Panindíuaro
• Penjamillo
• Purépero
• Puruándiro
• Queréndaro
• Sahuayo
• Santa Ana Maya
• Tangamandapio
• Tangancicuaro
• Tanhuato
• Tarimbar
• Tlazazalca
• Venustiano Carranza
• Beautiful View
• Yurécuaro
• Zacapu
• Zamora
• Zináparo
• Zinapécuaro

State of Querétaro

• Amealco de Bonfil
• Pinal de Amoles
• Arroyo Seco
• Cadereyta de Montes
• Columbus
• Correction
• Ezequiel Montes
• Huimilpan
• Jalpan de Serra
• Landa de Matamoros
• The Marquis
• Pedro Escobedo
• Peñamiller
• Santiago de Querétaro
• San Joaquín
• San Juan del Río
• Tequisquiapan
• Tolimán

State of San Luis Potosí

• Villa de Ramos
• Salinas
• Ahualulco
• Mexquitic de Carmona S.L.P.
• Villa de Arriaga
• Villa de Reyes
• San Luis Potosí
• Soledad de Graciano Sánchez
• Cerro de San Pedro
• Villa of Zaragoza
• Santa María del Río
• New Earth
• St. Nicholas Tolentino
• Ciudad Fernández
• Rioverde
• San Ciro de Acosta
• Ray
• Lagunillas
• Tamasopo
• Santa Catarina
• Ciudad Valles
• Acquismon
• Huehuetlán
• Xilitla
• Tancanhuitz
• Axtla de Terrazas

State of Zacatecas

• Trinidad García de la Cadena
• Gold Mezquital
• Moyahua de Estrada
• Teúl de González Ortega
• Juchipila
• Nochistlán de Mejía
• Apulco
• Apozol
• Holy Mary of Peace
• Tepechitlán
• Jalpa
• Tlaltenango de Sánchez Román
• Huanusco
• Momex
• Tabasco
• The Plated of Joaquín Amaro
• Villanueva
• I will
• Jerez
• Fresnillo
• General Enrique Estrada
• Calera
• Morelos
• Zacatecas
• Grandpa
• Guadalupe
• Trancoso
• Genaro Codina
• Cuauhtémoc
• Luis Moya
• Ojocaliente
• General Pánfilo Natera
• Villa González Ortega
• Noria de Angeles
• Loreto
• Villa García
• Villa Hidalgo
• Pinos

Demographics

Buildings in Zapopan, located in the Metropolitan Zone of Guadalajara.

Madero Street, in Aguascalientes, Ags.

The following is the population of the most populated cities in El Bajío, according to the census of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) in 2020:

Main Cities

Position	City	State	Population
1	Guadalajara	Jalisco	5 268 642
2	León	Guanajuato	1 924 771
3	Santiago de Querétaro	Querétaro	1 594 212
4	San Luis Potosí	San Luis Potosí	1 243 980
5	Aguascalientes	Aguascalientes	1 140 916
6	Morelia	Michoacán	988 704
7	Irapuato	Guanajuato	592 953
8	Celaya	Guanajuato	521 169
9	Zacatecas	Zacatecas	405 285
10	San Juan del Río	Querétaro	297 804
11	Zamora	Michoacán	273 641
12	Salamanca	Guanajuato	273 417
13	The Pity	Michoacán	261 450
14	Guanajuato	Guanajuato	194 500
15	Ocotlán	Jalisco	184 603
16	Moroleon	Guanajuato	182 901
17	Lagos de Moreno	Jalisco	172 403
18	Dolores Hidalgo	Guanajuato	163 038
19	Tepatitlán de Morelos	Jalisco	150 190
20	Valle de Santiago	Guanajuato	150 054
21	Sahuayo de Morelos	Michoacán	114 635
22	San Juan de Los Lagos	Jalisco	97 432
23	Arandas	Jalisco	80 609
24	Maravatío de Ocampo	Michoacán	89 311
25	The boat	Jalisco	79 618
26	Zacapu	Michoacán	76.829
27	Yurécuaro	Michoacán	73 855
28	Tequisquiapan	Querétaro	72 201
29	Puruándiro	Michoacán	69 260
30	Cadereyta de Montes	Querétaro	69 075

It is the most complex and balanced system of urban centers in the country. The most populated region is the Guadalajara metropolitan area, the third most populous city in Mexico with more than 5,268,642 inhabitants, followed by León, considered the seventh metropolitan area in the country, with more than 1,924,771 inhabitants, then Santiago de Querétaro, with 1,594,212 inhabitants. (the tenth metropolitan area of Mexico). And in fourth place, San Luis Potosí, with about 1,243,980.

Economy

Accelerated growth of El Bajío

The economic dynamism of the region is already known as the “El Bajío boom” or the “new Mexican miracle”. The strategic geographical position of El Bajío has transcended borders, to insert it within a one of the most important international trade routes in the world, which comes from the main ports of Asia, to supply the eastern region of the United States, Mexico and Central America.

It has a strategic geographic location, right in the center of the country (within the industrial triangle of the three largest cities in Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey). Within a radius of 400 km is 80% of the Mexican market, 70% of the industrial establishment, 70% of international trade, 70% of exports, and 60% of the total population of the country.

Education

Human Development Index by state (before adjusting to levels of inequality). 2015.

Catholicism in Mexico.

The region has top-level universities:

Public universities

• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Campus ENES León y Campus ENES Morelia)
• Autonomous University of Zacatecas
• Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Campus Guanajuato (UPIIG), Campus Jiquilpan (CIIDIR) and Campus Zacatecas (UPIIZ)
• University of Guanajuato
• Engineering Division Campus Irapuato Salamanca (DICIS formerly FIME) (Salamanca)
• Celaya Technological Institute
• Technological Institute of Morelia
• Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo
• Instituto Tecnológico de Roque
• Instituto Tecnológico de Aguascalientes
• Technological Institute of La Piedad
• Instituto Tecnológico de León
• Technological Institute of Queretaro
• Instituto Tecnológico de San Juan del Río
• Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Irapuato
• Instituto Tecnológico de Zamora
• Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro (Campus Querétaro and Campus San Juan del Río)
• Autonomous University of Aguascalientes
• Universidad de Guadalajara (Campus Guadalajara, Campus Lagos de Moreno and Campus Tepatitlán de Morelos)
• Colegio Nuevo Continente Campus Querétaro
• Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Campus Guanajuato Puerto Interior)
• Polytechnic University of Aguascalientes
• Polytechnic University of Pénjamo
• Aeronautics University in Querétaro
• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Campus León y Campus Querétaro)
• Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (Campus Aguascalientes)
• Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (Unidades Guadalajara, Irapuato y Querétaro)
• Technological University of Aguascalientes
• Technological University of Calvillo
• Technological University of León
• Technological University of Querétaro
• Technological University of San Juan del Río
• Technological University of San Miguel de Allende
• Universidad Tecnológica del Norte de Aguascalientes
• Universidad Tecnológica del Norte de Guanajuato
• Universidad Tecnológica El Retoño

Private universities

Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara

• Tecnológico de Monterrey (Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, León, Morelia, Irapuato, Celaya and Querétaro)
• ITESO (Tlaquepaque)
• Universidad Iberoamericana León
• Inter-American University for Development (Morelia, Sahuayo, Uruapan, Guadalajara, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas)
• Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (Zapopan)
• Anáhuac University (El Marqués)
• Universidad Panamericana (Aguascalientes and Guadalajara)
• University of La Salle (Leon, Morelia and Salamanca)
• University of the Incarnate Word (Irapuato)
• Franciscan University of Mexico (Leon)
• Irapuato Institute
• Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Lagos, La Piedad, León and Querétaro)
• Universidad del Valle de México (Guadalajara y Querétaro)
• Banking and Commercial School (Leon and Queretaro)
• Universidad Latinoamericana (León y Querétaro)
• Technological University of Mexico (Leon)
• International University of Professions (Leon)
• Inter-American University for Development (Aguascalientes)
• Millennium Tec (Correcter)
• Icon University (Leon)
• Arkansas State University (Querétaro)
• University of León (Aguascalientes, Lagos, León, Silao, Irapuato, Salamana, Celaya and Querétaro)

Bajio Fast Train

The continuation of the Querétaro-Mexico City fast train to the city of Guadalajara is planned. For this, a backbone will be created throughout the region of El Bajío and its main capitals. However, due to the corruption scandal of the White House of Peña Nieto and having assigned the work to the same builder who gave him the house, in 2015 it was reported that the Secretary of Finance, Luis Videgaray, announced a cut of 124.3 billion pesos in the 2015 budget. The federal government announced that the project to build a high-speed train between Mexico and Querétaro is postponed until further notice, while the Yucatán-Quintana Roo Transpeninsular train is permanently cancelled.

Communication of El Bajío with the rest of Mexico

Roads

El Bajío is a key point in Mexico's highway network. Federal Highway 57 passes through this region, connecting the city of Querétaro with part of El Bajío with the capital, Mexico City, and with San Luis Potosí and Monterrey.

Federal Highway 45 also passes through, it is better known as part of the Pan-American Highway. It unites within El Bajío important cities such as León, Querétaro, Aguascalientes, Celaya and Irapuato. It also connects with Mexico City and with the north, especially Zacatecas, Torreón, Chihuahua, and El Paso in the United States via Ciudad Juárez.

Federal highway 110 joins the cradle of National Independence, Dolores Hidalgo, with the city of Guadalajara, passing through cities such as Guanajuato, Irapuato, (here it meets federal highway 45), La Piedad, and Chapala.

Federal Highway 43 connects the city of Salamanca, with the state of Michoacán, passing through places such as the seven lights of Valle de Santiago, La Laguna de Yuriria, Uriangato, La Laguna de Cuitzeo and, the capital of Michoacán, Morelia.

Also one of the main highways is the federal highway 15D which connects Guadalajara with Morelia and finally Mexico City.

Railway

El Bajío is important for the railroad in Mexico, since the two main railway companies pass through here: Ferromex and Kansas City Southern de México. In Querétaro is the old railway station, where the Mexico-Querétaro electric train ended. In Celaya, a railway crossing (one of the most important in Mexico) where the two largest railway companies are located. In Irapuato, a large Ferromex maneuver yard and the intersection with the road to Guadalajara, the company's most important cruise ship. In the limits of León and Silao is the intermodal terminal of Ferromex in Guanajuato Puerto Interior, with direct services to cities such as Detroit and Chicago, in the United States. In Acámbaro there is a museum where they used to make locomotives in the days of the National Railways of Mexico.

Airports

There are two international airports in El Bajío: the Querétaro Intercontinental Airport on Federal Highway 57 in the municipality of El Marqués and the Bajío International Airport on Federal Highway 45 in the Silao-León section. This airport received the visit of the then Pope Benedict XVI in March 2012, after his visit to Guanajuato.

Culture

It has an impressive historical and cultural legacy, considered one of the most important in the country, housing five World Heritage cities in just a few square kilometers: Guanajuato, Morelia, Santiago de Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende and Zacatecas. The Bajío has an architectural and cultural wealth in its colonial cities that make it the third tourist destination in the country, after Quintana Roo (Cancun and Rivera Maya) and Mexico City.

El Bajío is famous for being the cradle of the Mexican Independence movement, since important events took place in Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende in the State of Guanajuato and Santiago in the State of Querétaro

In general terms, it is a society with a great sense of Mexican history and traditions. In addition, it is one of the strongest bastions of Catholicism, where religion maintains a great influence on the way of life.

San Marcos National Fair.

Festivities

There is a long tradition that includes fairs and festivals, such as the following:

• León Fair: It is held in January, in the city of León. It includes artistic events, family and adult entertainment, industrial and commercial exhibition, and taurino serial. The patron saint is San Sebastian, which coincides with the date of its foundation.

• San Marcos National Fair: Mexico's largest fair. It is organized by the Patronato de la Feria, a body belonging to the State Public Administration of Aguascalientes. It is held in the last two weeks of April and the first of May in the neighborhood of San Marcos, in the city of Aguascalientes. When Lent is extended in April, it does not begin before Good Friday. The patron saint is the Apostle St. Mark. As is the “national” character, this fair is generally inaugurated with the presence of a federal government authority. The festivities include taurino serial, rooster fight, casino, livestock, industrial and commercial exhibition, entertainment for children, families and adults, cultural activities (including the Ferial) and the National Poetry Contest “Salvador Gallardo Dávalos”.

• Cervantino International Festival: It is held in the colonial city of Guanajuato in October. It is a festival that celebrates the cultural wealth of humanity, although its origin was writing, celebrating Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (applies already for other beautiful arts). During that month, the city of Guanajuato receives thousands of visitors from other countries, among participants and tourists, as well as thousands of visitors and tourists from other states of the Mexican Republic.

• International Globe Festival: It receives approximately 400 thousand people each year. It takes place in the Metropolitan Park of the City of León. The balloons make their appearance in the lioness sky at 7am and there is a nocturnal spectacle in which the balloons fly above the waters of the metropolitan park. In 2011 the Globo Festival was the most profitable tourist event in León. With the participation of 200 aerostatic balloons, coming from the United States, Brazil, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Mexico, this festival became the largest in Latin America and the second most important in the world, only after that which takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where 537 balloons fly. In the 2013 edition, it had an influx of just over 500 000 people, from all over Mexico and abroad, 200 balloons flew through the sky of León.

Sports

Leon Stadium.

The region has the infrastructure for any sport, although soccer is the most popular. Their teams in the 3 professional divisions are:

• Chivas
• León
• Atlas
• Atletico Morelia
• Querétaro
• Atletico San Luis
• Celaya
• Irapuato
• Union of Curators
• Necaxa
• Club Deportivo De Los Altos
• Miners of Zacatecas
• Aguascalientes
• Black Lions
• CD Tepatitlán
• Tecos
• Reboceros de La Piedad

Baseball is also played at a professional level, although it is not as popular as it is in the northern region of the country. In the lowlands, the professional teams that currently exist in both the LMP, the LMB and the LIM are:

• Charros de Jalisco
• Rieleros de Aguascalientes
• Bravos de León
• Cajeteros de Celaya
• Lions Purépechas de Maravatío
• Petroleros de Salamanca
• Bravo Bulls of Moroleon