city, capital of Colima estado (state), west-central Mexico. It lies along the Colima River in the northeastern part of the state, in the Sierra Madre foothills some 1,700 feet (520 metres) above sea level. Founded close to the coast in 1523 by an envoy sent by the conquistador Hernán Cortés (Cortés, Hernán, marqués del Valle de Oaxaca), Colima was later moved to its present location. It was an early base for the Spanish conquest of the Pacific coastal plain, although it was subsequently overshadowed by Acapulco. In the 19th century it was connected by rail to Guadalajara and the port of Manzanillo. It is now also linked by highway. Industries centre on the processing of local agricultural products—cotton, rice, coconuts, bananas, and corn (maize)—together with salt refining, alcohol distilling, and the manufacture of shoes and leather goods. Tourists are attracted by the city's well-preserved colonial centre, by its lush tropical setting, and by its proximity to Nevado de Colima National Park, 25 miles (40 km) north. The city is the site of the University of Colima (founded 1940; reorganized 1962). Pop. (2000) city, 119,639; urban agglom., 210,766.

Most of Colima lies on a hot, humid coastal plain, but conditions are drier and cooler in the northeast, where the Armería and Coahuayana rivers descend from the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental and Nevado de Colima National Park, which the state shares with Jalisco. Colima also administers the Revillagigedo Islands, lying about 500 miles (800 km) off the coast.

At the time of Spanish contact in 1522, Colima had been inhabited for several thousand years by indigenous populations. In 1523 the conquistador Hernán Cortés (Cortés, Hernán, marqués del Valle de Oaxaca) sent one of his captains to conquer the region, and he founded a town that was called Colima; it was later moved to its present location. The region of Colima became a state in 1823, two years after Mexico achieved independence.

Colima is one of the smallest and least-populous Mexican states, but its population density is high. The vast majority of its residents live in the capital city and other urban areas, including Tecomán and coastal Manzanillo, a resort and fishing port. Agriculture is less important to the economy than it was in the past, although some communities still depend on cattle, rice, corn (maize), coffee, and other crops. Nearly one-fourth of the state's income derives from salt and food processing and other light manufacturing. A large share of the state's income and employment depends on the service sector, including banking, retail trade, tourism, and the government. The executive branch of state government is led by a governor, who is elected to a single term of six years. Members of the unicameral legislature, the State Congress, are elected to three-year terms. Colima is divided into local governmental units called municipios (municipalities), each of which is headquartered in a prominent city, town, or village.

A railroad and a highway traverse the state, leading from Guadalajara and Mexico City through Colima city to Manzanillo. The state's cultural institutions include the University of Colima (founded 1940; reorganized 1962). Area 2,004 square miles (5,191 square km). Pop. (2000) 542,627; (2005) 567,996.