| Settlement Type: | City |
| Total Type: | City |
| Official Name: | Silao de la Victoria |
| Nickname: | Silao |
| State: | Guanajuato, Mexico |
| Pushpin Map: | Mexico Guanajuato#Mexico |
| Pushpin Label: | Silao |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within Guanajuato##Location within Mexico |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Guanajuato |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Carlos García Villaseñor |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | February 3, 1833 |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 12.1 |
| Area Blank1 Title: | Municipality |
| Area Blank1 Km2: | 538.5 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 census |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 83352 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Municipality |
| Population Blank1: | 203556 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Density Blank1 Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | silaoense |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Coordinates: | 20.9478°N -101.4281°W |
| Elevation M: | 1780 |
| Elevation Ft: | 5840 |
| Website: | http://www.silao.gob.mx |
| Postal Code Type: | Mexican Postal Code |
| Postal Code: | 36100 |
| Area Code: | 472 |
Silao (pronounced as /es/), officially Silao de la Victoria, is a city in the west-central part of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico. It is the seat of the municipality with the same name. As of the 2005 census, the city had a population of 66,485,[1] [2] making it the seventh-largest city in the state. Silao is a center of agricultural and industrial activity.
This city is served by the Del Bajío International Airport. It functions as the central airport for the cities of Irapuato, Guanajuato, León, Salamanca and San Miguel de Allende.
In its original Otomi language, the area was called Tsinäkua by both the Otomi and Purépecha natives. In the Otomi language its name Tsinäkua means 'place of dense fog,' as a result of the columns of water vapor rising from thermal springs in the area of Comanjilla. The name evolved to 'Sinaua', 'Silagua' and finally 'Silao' after the Spanish conquest of the region.
In the place where Silao now sits, there was an Otomí settlement that was conquered by the Purépecha empire. The name of the area remained Tsinäkua under Purepecha rule. The name evolved to 'Sinaua', 'Silagua' and finally 'Silao' after the region was later conquered by Spain.
Silao is located in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. It is situated 100° 25´ 59´´ longitude west of the Greenwich meridian and 20° 56' 24 latitude north. Its altitude is 1,780 meters above sea level.
The municipality of Silao has an area of 538.5 km2, equivalent to 1.76% of the total state area. The city of Guanajuato lies to the east and north of Silao; to the south lies Irapuato; to the west is Romita; to the northwest is León.
The territory of Silao is almost planar formed in by the Bajío, between its few important elevations, one can find the 'Cerro del Cubilete' whose altitude is 2,570 meters above sea level and is considered the geographic center of the country.
The Silao River, crosses the major part of the municipal territory. It is fed by the Magueyes, Pascuales, Hondo, and Tigre streams, as well as the Gigante River, which is its major tributary. Within the municipality are some streams of importance, like those of the Agua Zarca, San Francisco, El Paraíso, Pabileros, and Aguas Buenas.
The climate of the city is semi-arid in the majority of the territory, with rains in the summer and an average annual temperature of 28 °C. Temperatures can rise as high as 34 °C in the month of June, and a minimum of 0 °C has been reached in the months of December and January. However, in the northeastern zone the climate varies to semi-dry with a temperature predominantly in excess of 28 °C. Precipitation varies between 600 and 800 millimeters per year.
Silao is a center of agricultural and industrial activity in the area, with a wide variety of farm crops, produce and dairy packing plants. A General Motors truck and SUV assembly plant which as of 2016 makes one third[3] of Chevrolet and GMC Full-size Pickups.[4] Volkswagen has an engine plant,[5] and Pirelli makes tires.[6]
According to the results presented by the second 'Conteo de Población y Vivienda' (census) of 2005, the municipality counts a total of 147,123 inhabitants.
The indigenous population of Silao is limited to 203 inhabitants that represent 0.15% of the total municipal population. The principal native languages are Mazahua and Nahuatl.
According to the second 'Conteo de Población y Vivienda' (Census) of 2005, there are a total of 187 persons who speak some indigenous language.
The municipality has a density of 250 persons per square kilometer and an average population increase of 1.6%.
95.8% of the population of Silao (as of 2000) are Roman Catholic. Approximately 1.8% are Protestants and Evangelicals, and 1.4% are other religions. The last 1% either stated they don't have a religion or it wasn't specified.
Some of the attractions in Silao are:
Silao is also central to other cities and towns of interest to tourists. The cities of Guanajuato and Romita are approximately 25 minutes by highway. León and Irapuato are about 35 minutes by highway.
This District is located at Guanajuato Puerto InteriorThe business district is development at this time. This District is designed to lodge: hotels, financial and commercial buildings