State (pop., 2000: 3,079,649), southwestern Mexico.
It covers 24,819 sq mi (64,281 sq km), and its capital is Chilpancingo . Bounded by the Pacific Ocean, it lies almost entirely
except for a narrow coastal plain
within the Sierra Madre del Sur, the valleys of which are fertile but difficult to access. Its principal river is the Balsas. Named after the independence leader Vicente Guerrero (17831831), the region became a state in 1849. Its best-known cities are Acapulco and Taxco, a preserved colonial town. It derives its income from agriculture, mining, and tourism.