This situation has improved the quality of life in Uriangato, most of whose emigrants live in California, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania and New York.

At the beginning of the 15th century Uriangato and its environs were a territory between the Chichimecas and Purépechas whose opposing three kingdoms (señoríos) were located in what is today the State of Michoacán.

The Spanish conquest of the New World left an indelible mark with the establishment of an indigenous population in the region.

San Miguel Uriangato was founded in 1549 with the aim of improving natives' quality of life under the guidance of Fray Diego de Chávez.

On June 3, 1701 the Spanish Virrey (Viceroy) granted protection to the Mayor and the settlers of San Miguel Uriangato.

Subsequently, new lands were annexed when the citizens of Yuriria observed the advantages of belonging to nearby San Miguel Uriangato.

On December 10, 1908 the town of Uriangato officially became a Villa, by Decree Number 6 of XXIII, the Congress of the State.

By the end of 1908 the Kiosco of the Main Garden was constructed, and a year later street cars linked the Towns of Uriangato and Moroleón.

Up until that time Uriangato's perimeter consisted of the following streets: 16 of September, Insurgente Olivares, Salvador Urrutia and Lerdo.

On June 24, 1918 the Heroic Defense of Uriangato was carried out against the notorious local bandit J. Inés Chávez García.

In 1919 a clock was added to the tower of San Miguel Arcángel church, whose construction was completed on November 10, 1923.

The production of rebozos (shawls) energized the textile industry by the middle of the 20th century in Uriangato and Moroleón.

In 2003 the Congress of the State issued Decree 204, which ordered that Moroleón return to Uriangato 160 hectares (400 acres) of land located from the present borderline to the community of "El Salto."

This decree was vetoed on August 7, 2003 by the Governor of Guanajuato Juan Carlos Romero Hicks with the aim of avoiding social unrest.

The festivities were accompanied by a light and sound show, as well as a folkloric ballet presentation directed by Amalia Hernandez.

On July 17, 2008 the first mall in the region opened: Metropolitan Galleries, including a supermarket (Soriana), a 7-part movie theater (Cinepolis), a fast-food court, bank, and several stores providing a variety of services and merchandise—as well as a large parking lot.

On the east and the north Uriangato shares borders with Yuriria, on the west with Moroleón, and on the south with the municipalities of Cuitzeo and Santa Ana Maya in Michoacán state.

The underground hydraulic resources belong to Sub-region Middle Lerma, which includes more of 80% of the municipality surface in Uriangato.

The weather is temperate (semiwarm and subhumid) pretty much all year, with moderate rains in summer and winter.

Uriangato isn't affected by extreme meteorological phenomena (snow, hurricanes) because it is located between two mountain ranges.

Vegetation in Uriangato includes mezquite, along with other species like encino, cazahuate, huizache, nopal, palobebo, palodulce, guamuchil, apulinillo, papelillo, penknife, zacatón, tresbarbas, flechilla of amor, buffalo, diente de león.

Nowadays some species introduced from other regions grow in the urban zone; most abundant is the laurel de la India, followed by eucalyptus, laurel, ash, willow, camelina, hueledenoche, rubber tree, jacaranda, pine, palm, date palm, organ and such fruit trees as lemon, naranjo, avocado, handle, guayabo and the grenade.

Although some species have fled from urban growth, the following birds can still be found: the sparrow, the dove huilota, the cardinal, the calandria, petirrojo, the quail, zenzontle, the crow, the correcaminos and aguililla—not to mention mammals like the rabbit, the squirrel, tejón, opossum, coyote, zorrillo and tuza.

Within the corral are mammals such as the hen, guajolote, the ostrich, torcaza, the rooster, the pig, the horse, the burro, goats and lambs.

(Source: Demographic basic indicators CONAPO 2005) Tourism in Uriangato has a mainly commercial character; the city isn't visited because of its monuments or their colonial beauty.

On the contrary, people from all over Mexico visit Uriangato to buy clothes, as well as traditional ocote pine–burning lamps.

Moreover, every October during the Festival of their local patron saint, San Miguel Arcángel, Uriangatenses lay down homemade colorful religious carpets in their city's streets.