Culiacán

Culiacán Rosales
Nickname(s): 
La Perla del Humaya
(The Pearl of the Humaya)
Motto(s): 
Counter-Clockwise, from upper left:Panoramic view of Culiacán, Culiacán Botanical Garden, Culiacán Cathedral, Tres Ríos District, Culiacán letters, Tomateros de Culiacán ball monument, Sunset at Culiacán.
Culiacán Rosales
Location in Sinaloa
Culiacán Rosales
Location in Mexico
Coordinates: 24°48′25″N 107°23′38″W / 24.80694°N 107.39389°W / 24.80694; -107.39389
Country Mexico
StateSinaloa
MunicipalityCuliacán
Foundation1531
  Municipal President(Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil)
Area
  City
65 km2 (25 sq mi)
Elevation
71 m (233 ft)
Population
 (2020)
  City
860,500
  Density13,000/km2 (34,000/sq mi)
  Metro
1,003,530
  Demonym
Culiacanense / "culichi"
GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)
  Year2023
  Total (Metro area)$17.8 billion
  Per capita$20,000
Time zoneUTC−7 (MST)
WaterwaysTamazula River, Humaya River, Culiacán River
AirportsFederal de Bachigualato International Airport
Public transitRedPlus
RailroadsFerromex Culiacán Station
Websitewww.culiacan.gob.mx

Culiacán, officially Culiacán Rosales, is a city in northwestern Mexico, the capital and largest city of both Culiacán Municipality and the state of Sinaloa. The city was founded on 29 September 1531 by the Spanish conquistadors Lázaro de Cebreros and Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán under the name "Villa de San Miguel", referring to its patron saint, Michael the Archangel.

As of the 2020 INEGI census, Culiacán had an estimated population of 808,416, making it the 21st most populous city in Mexico. Its metropolitan area, with a population of 1,003,530, was the 17th most populous metropolitan area in Mexico.

The city is in a valley on the slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental, at the confluence of the Tamazula and Humaya Rivers, where both join to form the Culiacán River 55 m above sea level.