Irapuato, a city in Mexico's central region, in the state of Guanajuato, and near the city of León. It is the seat of the local government, and is located at an altitude of 1,724 m. It was founded in 1547 as San Marcos Iricuato; its indigenous name is from the Tarascan language and means a 'marshy place.' It was officially recognized as a city in 1893. It is an important commercial and industrial center, with especially noteworthy industries in textiles, food processing, treatment of chemical substances, and furniture-making. In addition, it is located in an important agricultural and livestock region. It is known nationally for the strawberries grown there. It has a train station and airport. It has buildings representative of the eighteenth century, and it is close to an archaeological zone of Toltecan and Tarascan influence. Population (1995) 412,639.
