Guadalajara is the capital city of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of the state and in the western-Pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,600,940 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality. The Guadalajara Metropolitan Area includes other adjacent municipalities and has a population of 4,112,332 inhabitants, making it the second most populous metropolitan area in Mexico, behind Mexico City, and the 23rd largest metropolitan area of the Americas. The municipality is the most densely populated in Mexico after the Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl in the State of Mexico..

Guadalajara is situated at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,200 ft), favouring it with a mild, spring-like climate.

Guadalajara is one of the main centers of culture, economy, history, industry and religion in the country and exerts significant influence on the rest of Mexico.

The city is named after the Spanish city of Guadalajara, whose name originates from the Arabic phrase meaning "valley of stones" or "river than runs among stones".

The Municipality of Guadalajara has the largest population of any city in the state of Jalisco with 1,600,940 inhabitants, according to the 2005 Census. However, the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area also includes the municipalities of Zapopan, Tlaquepaque, Tonalá, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, and El Salto, which together totaled 3,967,252 inhabitants in 2005. Guadalajara is the second most populous metropolitan area in Mexico after Mexico City. People from Guadalajara are known by the Mexican Spanish colloquial name tapatío.

Guadalajara's ethnic composition is primarily made up of Criollos (people of European descent), and Mestizos (mixed people, mainly of Amerindian and European descent). There is also a small population of Amerindians (mainly from neighboring states).

The state of Jalisco (particularly Guadalajara and areas to the east) is one of the states of Mexico with a large European descended population, while cultural Amerindians form a small percentage of the population.

The tertiary activities of Guadalajara are based on tourism: the academic, entertainment, sport and cultural tourism. With an expectation for high growth within the next five years, tourism is now one of the most important sectors in the Guadalajaran economy. It is an important tourist destination center in itself and serves as an axis of an array of nearby tourist destinations (Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Mazatlan).

Guadalajara is well connected by modern highways to Mexico City, to the Northwest and to the major beach resorts of Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Guadalajara's airport is the third most active of the country (after Mexico City and Cancún) with direct flights to many Mexican and American cities. It also has a lively and distinctive network of car-free streets.

Guadalajara is also one of the world's favorite places for Americans and Canadians to retire due to its calm and secure enviroments, most living in the Chapala lake's sorroundings.

Commerce is another of the most dynamic activities of the city. National product transactions, growth and investment in commercial centers, commercial expositions and fairs, transportation, and communications have all contributed to the growth of commerce in Guadalajara. The geographical location of the city makes it strategic for commerce. Services in the city are of all types: financiers, professionals, communal, social, personal technicians, maintenance, and tourism.