In 2020, the city of Morelia, the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name in the north-central part of Michoacán in central Mexico, had a population of 743,275 inhabitants. This is part of the larger Metropolitan Area, which also includes Tarímbaro and Charo, and has a total population of 988,704, as seen in the XIV Census. The main pre-Hispanic cultures in the area were the Purépecha and the Matlatzinca, and the Spanish took control of the region in the 1520s. They established the settlement of Valladolid in 1541, which competed with the nearby city of Pátzcuaro for dominance in Michoacán. Valladolid was eventually successful and became the capital of the viceregal province. After the Mexican War of Independence, the city was renamed Morelia in honor of José María Morelos, who hailed from the city. In 1991, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved historical buildings and layout of the historic center. It is a tradition to name people born on September 30 after the city.