La Barca is a city and
municipality in the
Mexican state
The states of Mexico are first-level administrative territorial entities of the country of Mexico, which is officially named Mexico, United Mexican States. There are 32 federal entities in Mexico (31 states and the capital, Mexico City, as a sepa ...
of
Jalisco
Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...
. It is one of twenty five municipalities that make up the state of Jalisco. It's located in the
Ciénega region, and encompasses 37,948 kilometers squared. The 2020 Census counted 67,937 inhabitants.
It is located on the north banks of the
Lerma River, on the state border between Jalisco and
Michoacán
Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...
.
During pre-hispanic times, the region carried the name ''Chicunahutenco'', meaning the edge of the nine waters. Being located on the road to
Guadalajara
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...
, travelers during colonial times had to cross a ferry at this site, in order to cross the Lerma River. In order to accommodate travelers, the establishment of a settlement was thus decreed by the Spanish authorities.
References
La Barca at GeoNet names server
Municipalities of Jalisco
{{Jalisco-geo-stub