Dolores Hidalgo

Dolores Hidalgo (Spanish  [dolo'res ida'lgo] ) (in full, Dolores Hidalgo Cuna de la Independencia Nacional (English: Dolores Hidalgo Cradle of National Independence) is the name of a city and the surrounding municipality in the north-central part of the Mexican state of Guanajuato.

It is located at 21°10′N 100°56′W / 21.17°N 100.93°W / 21.17; -100.93, at an elevation of about 1,980 meters (6,480 feet) above sea level. In the census of 2005 the city had a population of 54,843 people, while the municipality had 134,641 inhabitants. The city lies directly in the center of the municipality, which is 1,590 km² (613.9 sq mi) in area and includes numerous small outlying communities, the largest of which is Río Laja. Dolores Hidalgo is the 9th most populated municipality in Guanajuato. The city is very highly visited in September and December. September plays host to Dolores Hidalgo's Fiestas Patrias at the town plaza and the fair. December welcomes thousands of immigrants that return for the holidays. Most of the people visiting for the holidays are from the US States of Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas, California and Oklahoma.