Sahuayo
Sahuayo
Tzacuātlayotl (Nahuatl languages) | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of Sahuayo | |
| Nickname: Ciudad de los Huaraches | |
| Motto: Nation, Justice, Progress | |
| Coordinates: 20°3′N 102°44′W / 20.050°N 102.733°W | |
| Country | |
| State | Michoacán |
| Boroughs | La Yerbabuena Rincón de San Andrés La Puntita Cerrito Pelon Forestal La Limonera San Isidro Valle Verde San Onofre |
| Foundation | 1530 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| Area | |
• Total | 128.05 km2 (49.44 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,561 m (5,121 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 78,477 (2020 census) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Zona Centro) |
| Postal code | 59000 |
| Area code | 353 |
Sahuayo (Nahuatl: Tzacuātlayotl) is a city in the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico, near the southern shore of Lake Chapala. It serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. Sahuayo is an important center for industry and is the center of commerce for the Chapala lake region, specializing in crafts, sandals (huaraches), and hats (sombreros), which are made by Sahuayenses. It is home to the largest huarache in the world measuring 7.45 meters long and 3.09 meters wide. The name means "turtle shaped pot". It has been called the Athens of Michoacán because of the number of important poets, writers, and painters residing there. It is currently the seat of the Arts Propositions Association. In 2005, the census population was 59,316, with the municipality being 61,965. The size of the municipality is 128.05 km2 (49.44 sq mi).[1]
As of the Census of 2020, Sahuayo has a population of 78,477.[2]
Geography
Location

Sahuayo is located to the northwest of the state, at the coordinates 20º03' north latitude and 102º44' west longitude, 1,530 meters above sea level. To the north of the Sahuayo border one finds Venustiano Carranza Michoacán (also known as San Pedro), to the east Villamar, to the south Jiquilpan, and Cojumatlán de Régules to the northwest. Its distance to the State Capital, Morelia.
Etymology
The name Sahuayo comes from the Nahuatl language and is interpreted in many ways. According to Dr. Antonio Peñafiel, the word is made up of two elements: tzacuātl and ayotl, where tzacuātl (pot) is a vase formed by one half of a coconut and "ayotl," which translates into "turtle"; hence vessel turtle or vessel that has the aspect of a turtle.
Seal

On the seal of Sahuayo, there is a turtle on the stone in the first field, which represents the foundation of Sahuayo in 1530. In the background are three hills, which symbolize the three towns that gave origin to Sahuayo, in the second half of the 16th century. These hills can also be considered to represent the three governments: federal, state, and municipal. In the third field, a plumed serpent or Quetzalcoatl god fights with the cross, symbolizing the conquest of Sahuayo by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán. In the fourth field of the municipal shield is a tree and a star. “Patria, Justicia y Progreso” (Nation, Justice, and Progress) are written in the contour of the shield.
Notable people
- Hector Fajardo – Ex-Major League Baseball player
- Lilia Prado – actress
- Saint José "Joselito" Sánchez del Río – martyr of the Cristero War, canonized by Pope Francis on 16 October 2016
Sister City
Santa Ana, California, United States[3]
References
- ^ "Reseña Histórica de Sahuayo – Sitio Oficial del Gobierno de Sahuayo Michoacán". gob.sahuayomich.gob.mx. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- ^ "Sahuayo: Economy, employment, equity, quality of life, education, health and public safety". Data México. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
- ^ "Santa Ana establishes sister city partnership with Sahuayo, Mexico - City of Santa Ana". www.santa-ana.org. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
- Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
- Michoacán Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
External links
Government pages
- Negotiating Extra-Territorial Citizenship: Mexican Migrants and the Transborder Politics of Community
- (in Spanish) Government Page
- Sahuayo: Economy, employment, equity, quality of life, education, health and public safety{link}
City information
- Semanario Tribuna Sahuayo's Newspaper
20°03′N 102°44′W / 20.050°N 102.733°W