City (pop., 2000: 265,817), capital of Nayarit state, west-central Mexico.
It lies along the Tepic River, at the foot of an extinct volcano. Founded in 1542, much of the city retains a Spanish colonial atmosphere. Its isolation limited its growth until construction of the railroad in 1912; since then it has become a commercial, industrial, and agricultural centre. Nearby are Toltec ruins.