| Tanhuato | |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Pushpin Map: | Mexico |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Tanhuato in Mexico |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Mexico |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Seat Type: | Seat |
| Seat: | Tanhuato de Guerrero |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Héctor Daniel Aranda Pérez |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 10 December 1831 |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 228.732 |
| Population As Of: | 2010 Census |
| Population Total: | 15176 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2015 Intercensal Survey |
| Pop Est Footnotes: | [3] |
| Population Est: | 15352 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Seat |
| Population Blank1: | 9546 |
| Timezone: | Central |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | Central |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Coordinates: | 20.2819°N -102.3319°W |
| Coordinates Footnotes: | [4] |
| Elevation Point: | of seat |
| Elevation M: | 1543 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal codes |
| Postal Code: | 59230–59244[5] |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 356 |
| Website: | Official website |
Tanhuato is a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is located approximately northwest of the state capital of Morelia.
The municipality of Tanhuato is located at an elevation between 1600and(-) in the Bajío region in northwestern Michoacán. It borders the Michoacanese municipalities of Yurécuaro to the east, Ecuandureo to the southeast, Ixtlán to the southwest, and Vista Hermosa to the west.[6] Additionally, the Lerma River forms the border between Tanhuato and the Jaliscan municipalities of Ayotlán to the northeast and La Barca to the northwest. The municipality covers an area of [2] and comprises 0.39% of the state's area.[6]
As of 2009, the land cover in Tanhuato consists of tropical forest (31%) and grassland (9%). More than half (57%) of the land is used for agriculture and 1.9% consists of urban areas. The main soil types are vertisols (74%) and phaeozems (23%).[6] The Gonzalo Reservoir lies on the border between Tanhuato and Vista Hermosa and has a total capacity of and a useful capacity of .[7]
Tanhuato has a temperate climate with rain in the summer.[1] Average temperatures in the municipality range between 18and(-), and average annual precipitation ranges between 700and(-).[6]
The place name Tanhuato is of Chichimeca origin, meaning "near the hill". In pre-Hispanic times the area was part of the Tarascan state.[1]
Tanhuato was one of the original municipalities established in Michoacán in 1831.[1] The municipality was disestablished and incorporated into Yurécuaro at various periods in the 19th century (1856–1861, 1863–1868, and 1874–1877).[8] In 1902, the municipal seat was renamed Tanhuato de Guerrero in honour of former Mexican president Vicente Guerrero.[1]
The municipal government of Tanhuato comprises a president, a councillor (Spanish: síndico), and seven trustees (regidores), four elected by relative majority and three by proportional representation.[1] The current president of the municipality is Héctor Daniel Aranda Pérez.[9]
In the 2010 Mexican Census, the municipality of Tanhuato recorded a population of 15,176 inhabitants living in 3767 households.[10] The 2015 Intercensal Survey estimated a population of 15,352 inhabitants in Tanhuato.[3]
INEGI lists 18 localities in the municipality,[4] of which only the municipal seat Tanhuato de Guerrero is classified as urban. It recorded a population of 9546 inhabitants in the 2010 Census.[10]
Agriculture is the main economic activity in Tanhuato. Major crops grown include wheat, sorghum, corn, vegetables (e.g., chiles[11] and hydroponically grown tomatoes), blue agave and beans. Tanhuato is particularly known for its alfalfa and chickpea production. Livestock raised include cattle, pigs, goats, poultry and bees.[12]
The toll expressway Federal Highway 15D runs through the municipality, as does Federal Highway 110.