Arandas is a municipality of the Altos Sur region of the state of Jalisco in Mexico. Arandas is also the name of the municipality's main township and the center of the municipal government. It is approximately 2 hours east of Guadalajara. The population of the town of Arandas was 46,099 as of the census of 2005. The town's main plaza is named Plaza Hidalgo after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, known as the father ofMexico's war of independence. The municipality's population as of the census of 2005 was 80,193 and its area was 1,238.02 km² ; however, both of these figures have been significantly reduced since 2007 with the creation of the municipality of San Ignacio Cerro Gordo from the western part of what was formerly part of the Arandas municipality. San IgnacioCerro Gordo was the second-largest community in the municipality before the split, with a population of 9,485 inhabitants, but the largest remaining community besides the city of Arandas is Santa María del Valle, with a population of 3,902 inhabitants.
Local toponymy
The name is derived from the original name the existing population received during the 17th century: Santa María de Guadalupe de los Aranda, which was derived from the last name Aranada, one of the founding families; along with Camarena, Hernández Gamiño and Hernández Rull.
History
Originally, the region was inhabited by the Chichimeca and the Purépecha people. To show the origin of this community more extensively, the past was excavated and information was linked together until reaching its institutional origin that dates to July 2, 1544, the year that both the viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza, as the governor of Jalisco Francisco Vasquez de Colorado, leased out a series of land bonds to Spanish captain Juan Villaseñor y Orozco, which by its vast land area became a large estate. On November 14, 1824, Arandas became part of the Atotonilco department. On April 8, 1844, the council was established. On July 9, 1875, Arandas became elevated to municipality status and on September 17, it was raised to town status, but belonged to La Barca department. On August 23, 1969, Arandas became recognized as a city by then governor of Jalisco, Francisco Medina Ascencio. From 1926 to 1929, the Cristero War took place and Arandas was a focal during the war because of the strong religious sentiments of the population. The crater Arandas, on planet Mars, was named after the city since 1976, when the International Astronomical Union agreed to put it in honor of the city.
Demography
According to the Second Count of Population and Housing, city has 80,193 inhabitants, of which 38,171 are males and 42,022 are women; 0.56% of the population are of Indigenous backgrounds. Around 60% of the population is of European origin mostly of Spanish and French descent.
Arandas is the main tequila production center in the Los Altos region, one of the two main tequila producing regions in the state of Jalisco: the other being the municipality of Tequila, Jalisco. Arandas is home to the Cazadores, one of the most recognized brands of tequila. At the entrance of the town there is a landmark monument that signals the entrance to the Centinela Distillery. Organically grown agave for tequila is produced in the village of Agua Negra, about 16 miles from Arandas.
