page_title: Morelia
section_title: The municipality
hierarchical_section_title: Morelia / The municipality
caption_attribution_description: This is a photo of a monument in Mexico, identified by ID EXCONVENTO LAS MONJAS
context_page_description: Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital and largest city of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the Purépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the valley during this time. The Spanish took control of the area in the 1520s. The Spanish under Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza founded a settlement here in 1541 with the name of Valladolid, which became rival to the nearby city of Pátzcuaro for dominance in Michoacán. In 1580, this rivalry ended in Valladolid's favor and it became the capital of the colonial province. After the Mexican War of Independence, the city was renamed Morelia in honor of José María Morelos, who hailed from the city. In 1991, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved colonial buildings and layout of the historic center.
context_section_description: As the municipal seat, Morelia is the governing authority of 423 other communities, almost all of which are small communities of between three and 1,000 people, with 89% of the municipality's population of 684,145 people within the city itself. The municipality covers a territory of 1,199.02 square kilometres (462.94 sq mi) and borders the municipalities of Tarímbaro, Chucándiro, Huaniqueo, Charo, Tzitzío, Villa Madero, Acuitzio, Lagunillas, Coeneo, Tzintzuntzan and Quiroga.
  Much of the municipality is in the Guayangareo Valley between two rivers: the El Grande and the El Chiquito. Guayangareo means "large hill with a flat side." The municipality's territory is rugged and dominated by peaks such as Punhuato, El Zapote and the Otzumatlán mountain range, with the highest peak being Quinceo with an elevation of 2,787 metres (9,144 ft). The municipality belongs to the Lerma-Santiago river hydraulic region, with the main rivers being the El Grande and the El Chiquito. There are a number of streams including the Zarza and Pitaya. The most important dam here is Cointzio, with other smaller ones being Umécuaro, Laja Caliente and La Mintzita.
  Vegetation outside the city varies based on elevation and the type of soil. Mountainous areas are mostly covered in conifers while lower and drier areas have trees such as mesquite. To the south of the city is the Lázaro Cárdenas Forest, which is an ecological reserve. Animal life mostly consists of small mammals, with coyotes being the largest, birds of prey and some reptiles.
  The growth of the city of Morelia is having a negative impact on the surrounding forested area. This is particularly problematic in the area north of the city, which belongs to the Lake Cuitzeo basin, and is a main recharge area for the city's aquifer. The forested areas around the city are also important for the city's air quality and as a breeding place for pollinating insects needed for agriculture. UNAM has been documenting the species in these forests with the aim of getting them declared as biological reserves.
  One industrial area is the Ciudad Industrial de Morelia, which mostly houses small and medium-sized enterprises. Some of the products manufactured here include cooking oil, flour, cement, plastics, bottling and candies. Tourism is a rising component of the economy, taking advantage of area's colonial heritage, smaller traditional communities, natural areas and archeological zones such as Santa María de Guido in the city, Barranca de los Lobos in Teremendo, Nahuatl Sanctuary and Catrina in Capula. However, it has not been developed sufficiently to be a major contributor. Tourism accounts for the main economic activity in Morelia. Morelia contains many ecological areas, such as the Rio Bodoquero, which attracts majority of tourists and local residents. Unfortunately, due to Mexico's rising crime in drug trafficking within the cartels, this can provide a grave disincentive in the tourism sector for Morelia.
  According to Standard & Poor's report for November 2009, the government of Morelia maintains an adequate development budget, backed by relatively high income and low debt. It is rated on a national scale for Mexico as A+. The economy is projected to be stable with the government keeping control of expenses.
caption: Federal Palace of Morelia. It was built in the 18th century as the building of the Dominican convent[35]
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