Guadalajara

Guadalajara 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 this state and in the western-Pacific area of Mexico, and has a population of 1,600,940. The Metropolitan area of Guadalajara includes other adjacent municipalities, and has a population of 4.1 million inhabitants, making it the second most populated metropolitan area in Mexico. The city is situated at an altitude of 1600 meters (5200 feet), favoring it with a mild, spring-like climate. Guadalajara is one of the principal centers of culture, economy, history, industry and religion in the country, influencing the rest of Mexico by its culture and folklore. The city is birthplace of mariachi music, charreadas, and Tequila. Guadalajara is known as "La Perla Tapatia" ("Pearl of the West") and Ciudad de las Rosas (City of the Roses) for its architecture and environment. The city is named after the Spanish city of Guadalajara, whose name originates from the Arabic wadii al-Hajara, which means "river of sewage". Due to the fact that this meaning could be offensive for some people, some agree to say that the best translation is "River of Stones".