La Barca is a city and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in the
Mexican state
A Mexican State (), officially the Free and Sovereign State (), is a constituent federative entity of Mexico according to the Constitution of Mexico. Currently there are 31 states, each with its own constitution, government, state governor, a ...
of
Jalisco
Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
. 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
The Lerma River () is Mexico's second longest river.
It is a river in west-central Mexico that begins in Mexican Plateau at an altitude over above sea level, and ends where it empties into Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest lake, near Guadalajara, ...
, on the state border between Jalisco and
Michoacán
Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo, is one of the 31 states which, together with Mexico City, compose the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The stat ...
.
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 the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...
, 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