GUANAJUATO or GUANAXUATO, an inland State of Mexico; area, 11,8o8 sq. miles. It is one of the most densely populated States of the republic ; pop. (1910) I,o81,651; (193o) 987,801. The State lies wholly within the limits of the great cen tral plateau of Mexico, and has an average elevation of about 6,000 feet. The surface of its northern half is broken by the Sierra Gorda and that of the centre by the Sierra de Guanajuato, but its southern half is covered by fertile plains, called the "Bajio," largely devoted to agriculture. It is drained by the Rio Grande de Lerma and its tributaries, which in places flow through deeply eroded gorges. The climate is semi-tropical and healthy, and the rainfall, 20 to 3oin., and coming in the summer, is suffi cient to ensure good results in agriculture and stock-raising. Indian corn, beans, barley and wheat are grown. The principal industry of the State is mining, the mineral wealth being enormous. Among its mineral products are silver, gold, tin, lead, mercury, copper and opals. Silver has been extracted since the early days of the Spanish conquest, over $800,000,000 having been taken from the mines during the subsequent three and a half centuries. Some of the more productive of these mines, or groups of mines, are the Veta Madre (mother lode), the San Bernabe lode, and the Rayas mines of Guanajuato, and the La Valenciana mine, the output of which is said to have been $226,000,00o between 1766 and 1826. The industrial establishments include flour mills, tan neries and leather factories, cotton and woollen mills, distilleries, foundries and potteries. The Mexican Central and the Mexican National railway lines cross the State from north to south, and the former operates a short branch from Silao to the State capital and another westward from Irapuato to Guadalajara. The capital is Guanajuato, and other important cities and towns are Leon or Leon de las Aldamas (pop. [ 99,457) ; Celaya (pop. [ 1910] 23,062; [1921] 24,035), an important railway junction 22m. by rail W. from Queretaro, and known for its manufactures of broad cloth, saddlery, soap and sweetmeats; Irapuato (pop. [1g1o] 21,469; [1921] 2o,6S7), a railway junction and commercial cen tre, 2Im. S. by W. of Guanajuato; Silao (pop. [1910] 14,059; [1921] , a railway junction and manufacturing town (woollens and cottons), 14m. S.W. of Guanajuato; Salamanca (Poe. [ ,497 ; [1921] 9,922) on the Mexican Central rail way and Lerma river, 25m. S. by E. of Guanajuato, with manu factures of cottons and porcelain; and Acambaro (pop. [ 1910] [1921] 15,317), a prosperous town of the plain, 76m. S.S.E. of Guanajuato.