city, northwestern Guanajuato estado (“state”), central Mexico. It stands in a fertile plain on the Turbio River, 6,182 feet (1,884 metres) above sea level. Although León was first settled in 1552, it was not formally founded until 1576 and was given city status in 1830. At that time the words de los Aldamas were added to its name, in honour of Juan Aldama, a leader in the struggle for Mexican independence.

Once subject to disastrous floods, the city is now protected by a large dam. León has developed into an important industrial city and commercial centre for the surrounding hinterland, part of the Bajio (“lowland”), one of Mexico's most important cereal-producing districts (wheat, corn 【maize】, beans). The city's industries produce steel products and textiles, in addition to food products and leather goods. León is especially known for its production of leather shoes.

León, northwest of Mexico City and northeast of Guanajuato, can be reached by highway and rail, and it is the site of the regional international airport. Pop. (2000 prelim.) 1,133,576.

city situated in western Nicaragua. The city of León was founded on the edge of Lake Managua in 1524, but after an earthquake it was moved in 1610 to the site of the old Indian capital and shrine of Sutiaba. León was the capital of the Spanish province and of the Republic of Nicaragua until 1855, although its great political and commercial rival, Granada, long disputed the honour. The rivalry brought on civil wars that resulted in the coming of William Walker, the American filibuster, who was expelled in 1857. León was a scene of heavy fighting between Sandinista guerrillas and government troops in 1978–79, leaving much of the centre of the city in ruins.

León long has been noted as a liberal political and intellectual centre of Nicaragua. In 1952 the University of León (founded in 1812) became part of the National University of Nicaragua. Rubén Darío, one of the greatest Spanish-American poets, lived and was educated there. Nicaragua's second largest city, León is the centre of an important agricultural and commercial region: cotton, sugarcane, and rice are the principal crops; cattle are raised for export; and manufactures include processed cotton, cigars, shoes, and saddlery. León is linked to Managua, the national capital, and other cities by the Pacific Railway and a paved road. León was severely affected by Hurricane Mitch (Mitch, Hurricane) in October 1998. Pop. (2005) urban area, 139,433.

city, capital of León provincia (province) in Castile-León comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), northwestern Spain. It lies on the northwestern part of the northern Meseta Central (plateau), at the confluence of the Bernesga and Torío rivers.

The city developed from the camp of the Roman 7th Gemina Legion; its modern name is a corruption of the Latin legio. It was held by the Goths during the 6th and 7th centuries and fell to the Moors, who held it until 850. In the 10th century León became the capital of the kingdom of Asturias and Leon when García I transferred his court there from Oviedo. On the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, León exercised considerable political, cultural, and economic influence during the Middle Ages. It was an important commercial centre, with many craft guilds and well-known fairs and markets. The economic life of the city declined in the 16th century and did not revive until the 19th with the development of mining. By the mid-20th century, León was resurgent, with a thriving industrial sector.

A monumental city with a wealth of artistic interest, León attracts large numbers of tourists. Especially notable are the Gothic cathedral of Santa María de Regla (founded 1199), known as the Pulchra Leonina, with its fine stained-glass windows; the Romanesque collegiate church of San Isidoro (11th century); and the Renaissance-style church and monastery of San Marcos, converted into a state-run inn.

Dairy and food processing as well as the chemical and pharmaceutical industries are economic staples in León. Metalworking and automotive factories, along with other regional manufactures, are concentrated along the route from León to Madrid. Public services and local commerce are increasing the importance of León as a regional centre. Pop. (2006 est.) 130,178.

provincia (province) in the Castile-León comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), northwestern Spain, consisting of the northern part of the former kingdom of León. In the north are the lofty Cantabrian Mountains, the highest peak of which is the Torrecerredo (8,688 feet 【2,648 metres】). The natural regions are El Bierzo, a lowland in the northwest drained by the Sil River, where mining has replaced agriculture; La Montaña; and the Meseta Central (plateau), a dry desert with fertile strips, as along the Orbigo River. The main catchment is the basin of the Esla River, a tributary of the Duero River and site of a large dam at Ricobayo.

León is the leading producer of hops in Spain; other main crops include corn (maize), rye, potatoes, sugar beets, alfalfa (lucerne), and flax. The province also has timber resources (oak, beech, and chestnut), and cattle and sheep are bred. Mineral resources are considerable and include deposits of anthracite, iron, bituminous coal, and mica; Ponferrada is a major coal- and iron-mining area. Factories in León city, the provincial capital, manufacture antibiotics and foodstuffs. Services make up a significant portion of the economy. Area 6,016 square miles (15,581 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 497,387.