Bajío

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The Bajío (lowlands) is a region of Central Mexico that includes the plains south of the Sierra de Guanajuato, in the state of Guanajuato, as well as parts of the states of Querétaro (the Valley of Querétaro) and Michoacán (particularly the surroundings of Zamora).

In general parlance, it is usually associated with the States of Guanajuato and Querétaro, although it only forms a part of them. It is characterized by its highly technified agriculture, with annual precipitation on the order of 700 mm on average (one of the highest in the country). During the Viceroyalty, the area was known as the breadbasket of the country.

The Bajío is known for being one of the most conservative bastions of Mexican Catholicism.

The Bajío is where in April 1915, during the Mexican Revolution, Gen. Álvaro Obregón provoked decisive battles against Pancho Villa. Villa's troops lost in June outside of León.

Recent archaeological studies of the Bajío have discovered an extensive, prehispanic cultural tradition unique to the region, particularly along the flood plains of the Lerma and Laja rivers. The Bajío culture flourished from 300 to 650 A.D., with cultural centers ranging from the far north of Guanajuato (e.g., El Cóporo) to the far southwest (e.g., Plazuelas). Over 1400 sites have been discovered throughout the state of Guanajuato, with only the sites of Cañada de la Virgen, El Cóporo, Peralta, and Plazuelas having had extensive study.