Current Time in Chihuahua, Mexico

Chihuahua is the capital city of the state of Chihuahua, the largest state in Mexico by area, located in the northwestern part of the country on the high desert plateau known as the Chihuahuan Desert. With a population of approximately 925,000, it is the largest city in Chihuahua State and an important industrial, commercial, and administrative center in northern Mexico. The city's name, which predates the Spanish conquest, has also given its name to a globally recognized breed of dog — the Chihuahua, the world's smallest dog breed, which originated in Mexico.

The history of Chihuahua city stretches back to the early 18th century, when the Spanish established a mining camp that grew into a town due to the rich silver and gold deposits discovered in the surrounding region. The city was formally founded in 1709 and grew as a center for the colonial mining economy of northern New Spain. During Mexico's turbulent 19th century, Chihuahua City played important roles in both the Mexican War of Independence and the Reform War, serving at various times as a refuge for Mexican government leaders.

Chihuahua holds a prominent place in the history of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920). The legendary revolutionary leader Pancho Villa, one of the most colorful and controversial figures of the revolution, operated extensively in Chihuahua State and briefly controlled the city. The Quinta Luz, the mansion that served as the home of Villa and his wife Luz Corral, is now the Museum of the Revolution in the North (Museo de la Revolución en la Norte) and is one of the city's most important historical attractions, housing an extraordinary collection of Villa's personal belongings, weapons, photographs, and the bullet-riddled car in which he was assassinated in 1923.

The Cathedral of Chihuahua, begun in 1726 and completed in 1789, is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in northern Mexico, with an ornate façade that dominates the main Plaza de Armas. The Government Palace (Palacio de Gobierno) features dramatic murals depicting the history of Chihuahua State by the artist Aarón Piña Mora. The nearby Chihuahua Dueling Site and various 18th and 19th-century buildings around the historic center form an appealing historic district.

Chihuahua is the headquarters of the Chihuahua al Pacífico Railway, popularly known as El Chepe (for ChiPacífico), one of the world's great rail journeys. This railway descends from the high desert plateau through the spectacular Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre), a canyon system larger and deeper in places than the Grand Canyon, passing through dramatic mountain scenery and indigenous Rarámuri (Tarahumara) communities before reaching the Pacific coast at Los Mochis.

The city's economy is strongly oriented toward manufacturing, particularly in the maquiladora sector — export-oriented assembly plants — producing electronics, auto parts, and other goods for the North American market. Good road and air connections to the United States border and to other major Mexican cities support this industrial activity. With its rich revolutionary history, spectacular railway gateway to the Copper Canyon, colonial architecture, and industrial dynamism, Chihuahua is a compelling destination in northern Mexico.