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139-539: The Cascajal Block was discovered by road builders in the late 1990s in a pile of debris in the village of Lomas de Tacamichapan in the Veracruz lowlands in the ancient Olmec heartland on the southeastern coast of Mexico. The block was found amidst ceramic shards and clay figurines and from these the block is dated to the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán phase, which ended c.  900 BCE , preceding

278-519: A tropical savanna climate ( Koppen : Aw ). The wet season typically lasts from June to October, when a vast majority of the yearly precipitation falls. Large tropical thunderstorms occur nearly daily in the late afternoon, originating in the moist atmosphere above the Gulf of Mexico. The wet season has slightly hotter temperatures and is more humid than other seasons; the dewpoint can easily exceed 25 °C (77.0 °F). It has fewer foggy days than

417-481: A considerable breach had been made in the wall surrounding the city. Upon this General Morales, who was Governor of both the city and of San Juan de Ulúa, commenced a correspondence with General Winfield Scott looking to the surrender of the town, forts and garrison. On the 29th Vera Cruz and San Juan de Ulúa were occupied by Scott's army. About five thousand prisoners and four hundred pieces of artillery, in addition to large amounts of small arms and ammunition, fell into

556-566: A fire nearly reduced much of the city to ashes. In 1640, the Barlovento Armada was stationed here for additional defense against pirates. The pirates, led by Spain's rival nations, Nicholas van Hoorn , Laurens de Graaf and Michel de Grammont attacked Vera Cruz in 1683 . During the 18th century Veracruz's defence was improved with the construction of a wall around it (1790), bastions Baluarte de Santiago and gates, and San Juan de Ulua's renovation to today's appearance. The reason

695-466: A large fishing industry, producing one-fifth of Mexico's catch. Most of the country's mojarra , oysters and shrimp come from here. Other major fish catches include crab, sea bass and red snapper . Veracruz (city) Veracruz ( Latin American Spanish pronunciation: [beɾaˈkɾus] ), also known as Heroica Veracruz , is a major port city and municipal seat for

834-1129: A large mixture of climates, from cold, snow-topped mountain peaks to hot, humid tropical areas on the coast. 32% of the state is classified as hot and humid, 52% as hot and semi humid, 9% is warm and humid, 6% as temperate and humid and 1% is classified as cold. Hot and humid and hot and semi-humid climates dominate from sea level to about 1,000 m (3,281 ft) above sea level. Average annual temperature ranges from 22 to 26 °C (72 to 79 °F) with precipitation varying from 2,000 mm (79 in) to just over 3,500 mm (138 in) per year. Cooler and humid climates are found at elevations between 1,000 and 1,600 m (3,281 and 5,249 ft). These have an average temperature of between 18 and 22 °C (64 and 72 °F) with precipitation varying between 2,000 and 2,500 mm (79 and 98 in). Temperate climates are found at higher altitudes, between 1,600 and 2,800 m (5,249 and 9,186 ft). Temperatures here vary from 12 to 18 °C (54 to 64 °F) with precipitation varying more, between 500 and 2,500 mm (20 and 98 in). Cold climates are found at

973-408: A long coastline and forest containing a wide variety of trees and other plants. There is about 1 million hectares of cultivable land, half of which is in private hands and 43% is ejido or communal land. The rest is occupied by human settlements. There are 3,620 ejidos parceled out to 270,000 ejido members. 52.5% of agricultural land is used for the growing of crops or used as pasture and 43.1%

1112-478: A natural break. In the pre-Hispanic era, this island was a sanctuary dedicated to the god Tezcatlipoca. The site where the Spanish first landed has been developed over the centuries and today serves as the container ship terminal of the port. Most of the island is occupied by the fort. This fort was built where the Spanish first landed to conquer Mexico City. They used it for their last defense during and just after

1251-501: A number of times, but early on came under the direct control of the Spanish crown rather than individual encomenderos . During the colonial era, Veracruz was the main port of entry for immigrants from Spain, African slaves , and all types of luxury goods for import and export. The first group of Franciscans arrived in Veracruz in 1524, walking barefoot to the capital of the Spanish colony of New Spain . The route between Veracruz and

1390-461: A plan to land a few miles south of Veracruz, which surrendered after a 20-day siege , defeated General Santa Anna 's forces at the Battle of Cerro Gordo , and marched inland through Xalapa towards Mexico City, led by General Winfield Scott . Mexico surrendered shortly after. The municipalities of Tuxpan and Chicontepec belonged to Puebla until 1853, when they were annexed to Veracruz to give

1529-404: A regressor. Global spatial autocorrelation is found especially literacy at the macro-regional level which is an area for further research beyond this study. Improved literacy bolsters both the informal and formal economies in Veracruz indicating policies designed to further literacy are vital for growing the regional economy. While indigenous people are relatively poor, little evidence was found that

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1668-459: A reputation for being lively, with many people out in the squares listening to music late into the night. In the morning, they frequent sidewalk cafes for their morning coffee. Veracruz has become a popular location for filming. The government has supported the development of filmmaking in the municipality. The song " La Bamba ", made famous by Ritchie Valens , has its roots in the Veracruz "son" style of music, which originated in southern part of

1807-498: A series of dungeons with walls 24-feet thick in some places. Those cells which were darker and hotter were reserved for those charged with more serious crimes. A few of the most dreaded dungeons were nicknamed "Heaven", "Purgatory" and "Hell". Some of prison's more famous prisoners include Fray Servando Teresa de Mier and Benito Juárez, both political prisoners. But the most famous is Jesús Arriaga, better known as " Chucho el Roto ". Most people visit San Juan de Ulúa out of attraction to

1946-779: A tourist destination, emphasizing new attractions such as the Veracruz Aquarium and the City Museum, and the renovation of historic ones, such as Fort San Juan de Ulúa and the Naval Academy. The cultural center of the city is its main plaza, officially named Plaza de las Armas but commonly called the Zócalo. This tree-shaded square, in which a number of foreign invading armies have camped, is occupied from morning to night with people playing dominos, selling food, cigars, etc. playing music, dancing and other activities. It

2085-544: A variety of seafood and caldo de mariscos , a seafood soup reputed to cure hangovers . Coffeehouses are a center of social life in the city, and the Gran Café del Portal and the Café de la Parroquia are the two best-known establishments. To request a refill, customers clink the sides of their glasses (not cups) with their spoons. This clinking can be heard from the early morning to late at night. The story behind this custom

2224-702: Is 11,700 hectares of pine and oyamel forest, which was created in 1937. The Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve covers the municipalities of Ángel R. Cabada , Santiago Tuxtla , San Andres Tuxtla , Catemaco , Soteapan , Mecayapan , Pajapan and Tatahuicapan for a total of 155,122 ha (383,314.8 acres). It contains various volcanos such as San Martín and Santa Marta and rich biodiversity as it stretches from sea level to higher elevations, with 16 climate regions groups into four climate types. Forest types range from evergreen tropical rainforest to pine. 75% of species here are also found in Central America and there

2363-554: Is May to August. The mainland has several beaches. Playa Martí is located between the city of Veracruz and Boca del Río. The Playa de Hornos is located next to the Veracruz Aquarium. There are also boats that take tourist to the Isla Canuncito. Villa del Mar is just south of Playa de Hornos. Like the majority of the coastal part of the state of Veracruz and southern parts of Tamaulipas , the city of Veracruz has

2502-445: Is a total of 2,368 plant species. Some, such as Costus dirzoi , Daphnopsis megacarpa , Eugenia sotoesparzae , Inga sinacae , Miconia ibarrae , Mormodes tuxtlensis , and Thelypteris rachyflexuosa , are native only to this area. Wildlife includes 102 mammal species, 49 amphibian, 109 reptilian, 561 bird species and more. Species in danger of extinction include the jaguar, spider monkey and anteater . The Veracruz Reef System

2641-606: Is also considered to be a national park and is mostly off the coast of Veracruz city, Boca del Río and Alvarado . The area includes coral reefs, seaweed beds and other marine vegetation, covering an area of 52,239 ha (129,085.4 acres). There are seventeen reefs in total, some of which jut above the surface to form small islands. This system links with the reef systems of Campeche and Yucatán . Veracruz has one of Mexico's leading economies, based on agriculture and petroleum. Using relatively recent night light data and electricity consumption in comparison with Gross County Product,

2780-536: Is also located on the Zócalo. This cathedral was begun in the 17th century and finished in 1731. It was modified in the 19th century but was not designated as a cathedral until 1963. The building has five naves , with an octagonal cupola covered in Puebla tiles . The tower was begun in the early 20th century and has its own small cupola. The main façade is Neoclassic with two levels and a crest. The lower level contains an arched entrance flanked by two Doric columns and

2919-735: Is also the native region of the vanilla bean . Clay sculptures with smiling faces are indicative of this culture. The major site is El Tajín , located near Papantla , but the culture reached its apogee in Cempoala (about five miles (8.0 km) inland from the current port of Veracruz), when it was conquered by the Aztecs. When the Spaniards arrived in 1519, the territory was still home to a population of about 250,000 people living in fifty population centers and speaking four Totonac dialects. 25,000 were living in Cempoala alone. The Huastecs are in

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3058-414: Is also unusual because the symbols apparently run in horizontal rows and "there is no strong evidence of overall organization. The sequences appear to be conceived as independent units of information". All other known Mesoamerican scripts typically use vertical rows. Some archaeologists are skeptical of the tablet: The most comprehensive criticism was published in the journal Science , the publisher of

3197-653: Is best seen in the food and music of the area, which has strong Spanish, Caribbean and African influences. The name Veracruz (originally Vera Cruz ), derives from the Latin Vera Crux ( True Cross ). Having established the settlement of Villa Rica (Rich Village) on Good Friday , 22 April 1519, Cortés dedicated the place to the True Cross as an offering . The Spanish captain Juan de Grijalva , along with Bernal Díaz del Castillo , first arrived in 1518 at

3336-522: Is forest or rainforest. Chief agricultural products include coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, tobacco, bananas, coconuts, and vegetables, but local farmers depend mainly on corn and beans. Two corn crops per year are generally produced, planted on 644,936 hectares with a production of 1,114,325 tons. The state is the leading national producer of coffee, sugarcane, corn, and rice. Coffee is grown on 152,993 hectares producing 400,575 tons. Export earnings from this crop are about US$ 232 million annually. Most coffee

3475-400: Is grown in the mountain areas of Córdoba-Huatusco, Coatepec-Teocelo-Cosautlán and Misantla-Tlapacoyan-Atzalan. Sugarcane is cultivated on 254,000 hectares, producing 16,867,958 tons annually. Veracruz is the largest producer of rice with 24,000 hectares producing 120,000 tons. Much is this crop is protected by import bans from Asia. The state grows half of the country's citrus fruit and grows

3614-511: Is informal. Programs in the past that might move economic activity from the informal to the formal sector have not succeeded suggesting public finance issues such as tax evasion will continue to plague the state with low government revenues. The primary sector of the economy (agriculture, forestry and fishing) has been important since pre-Hispanic times and continues to be important both as a source of income as well as culturally. The state has abundant rainfall and extremely fertile soils, as well as

3753-701: Is left of these city walls is the Baluarte , a small fortress. The 1635 structure has thick, sturdy walls with cannons directed to cover sea approaches. Inside is a small museum featuring a collection of high-quality pre-Hispanic jewelry discovered in the 1970s by a fisherman. The Veracruz Aquarium was built in 1992 and is the largest and most important in Latin America. The Freshwater Gallery consists of thirteen exhibitions containing 562,177 liters of water. These exhibitions contain aquatic species from Asia, Africa, South America as well as Mexico. The Reef Tank

3892-415: Is more crowded in the evening, when nearly every night the danzón is danced. This dance was brought over to Mexico from Cuba by refugees in the 1870s. It was originally restricted to the lower classes but eventually gained accepted by all levels of society. The danzón is sponsored by several dance schools dedicated to keeping the tradition alive. Around the plaza are numerous shops and restaurants, as well as

4031-574: Is now Mexican territory on 22 April 1519, he founded a city, which he named Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz , referring to the area's gold and dedicated to the " True Cross ", because he landed on the Christian holy day of Good Friday , the day of the Crucifixion . It was the first Spanish settlement on the mainland of the Americas to receive a coat-of-arms. During the colonial period, this city had

4170-516: Is of great importance for many plant and animal species. It is a center of plant endemism and has two separate endemic bird areas. The northern part of the state as well as the higher mountain areas, are convergence zones between lowland evergreen tropical forests and more temperate flora and fauna. It is also the northernmost occurrence of subhumid tropical forest in Mexico, although little of this remains, mostly on steep slopes. The tropical forests of

4309-414: Is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City , comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico . Located in eastern Mexico, Veracruz is bordered by seven states, which are Tamaulipas , San Luis Potosí , Hidalgo , Puebla , Oaxaca , Chiapas , and Tabasco . Veracruz is divided into 212 municipalities , and its capital city is Xalapa-Enríquez . Veracruz has a significant share of the coastline of

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4448-441: Is only one significant lake, called Lake Catemaco . Off the coast are the islands of Isla de Lobos, Isla de los Burros, Isla de Sacrificios , Isla de Salmendina, Isla del Idolo, Isladel Toro, Isla Frijoles, Isla Juan A Ramirez, Isla Pajaros and Isla Terrón and the ocean reefs called Blanquilla, Medio, Tangüillo, Tuxpan, Gualleguilla, Gallega, Anegada de Adento Anegada de Afuera and Cabezo. The large variation of altitude results in

4587-481: Is that a trolley driver used to ring his bell when he was a block away from the Gran Café del Portal to let the waiters know he was coming. When the driver died, his casket was borne on the trolley and when it passed the establishment, the customers and waiters tapped their glasses in his honor. Veracruz is not as popular a tourist destination as many other resort areas. But the city has been promoting an identity as

4726-422: Is the largest celebration in the country. Sugar and rum production have been mainstays as commodities; during colonial times they were produced by slave labor and later, immigrants often entered labor and industrial jobs. Together these ethnic groups have created rich cultures. The Naval Academy attracts both Mexican and international sailors and officers, adding to the cosmopolitan mix of the city. The city has

4865-443: Is the manila variety, which is preferred in Mexico. 95% of this crop is consumed fresh within Mexico although exports to Canada have begun. Vanilla beans are native to the state, which is the primary producer for Mexico. Most of this crop is grown in an area known as Totonacapan in and around Papantla. Livestock raising is an important activity. There are over 300,000 units of production most of which raise cattle, with Veracruz being

5004-609: The Aztecs came to dominate much of the state and dividing it into tributary provinces, of Tochtepec, Cuetlaxtlan, Cempoallan, Quauhtochco, Jalapa, Misantla, and Tlatlauhquitepec. The Aztecs were interested in the area's vegetation and crops such as cedars, fruit, cotton, cacao, corn, beans and vanilla. However, the Totonacs chafed under Aztec rule, with Aztec rulers from Axayacatl to Moctezuma II having to send soldiers to quell rebellions. The Huastecs were subjugated more successfully by

5143-614: The Coatzacoalcos River region and it became the center of Olmec culture. The main ceremonial center here was San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán. Other major centers in the state include Tres Zapotes in the city of Veracruz and La Venta in Tabasco. The culture reached its height about 2600 years ago, with its best-known artistic expression being the colossal stone heads . These ceremonial sites were the most complex of that early time period. For this reason, many anthropologists consider

5282-484: The Gulf of Mexico on the east of the state. The state is noted for its mixed ethnic and indigenous populations. Its cuisine reflects the many cultural influences that have come through the state because of the importance of the port of Veracruz . In addition to the capital city, the state's largest cities include Veracruz, Coatzacoalcos , Córdoba , Minatitlán , Poza Rica , Boca Del Río and Orizaba . The full name of

5421-548: The Gulf of Mexico to the northeast, and has an average altitude of ten meters above sea level. The area is flat with little in the way of elevations and is crossed by the Medio, Grande and Tonayán Rivers. There are also beaches here such as the Sacrificios and Verde. Its climate is tropical with an average temperature of 25.3 °C (77.5 °F). Vegetation is mostly of the rainforest type, with many trees losing leaves during

5560-881: The Mexican Drug War . Within the state the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas have battled for control. Additionally, this has led to journalists being targeted and killed within the state. The state is a crescent-shaped strip of land wedged between the Sierra Madre Oriental to the west and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Its total area is 78,815 km (30,431 sq mi), accounting for about 3.7% of Mexico's total territory. It stretches about 650 km (403.9 mi) north to south, but its width varies from between 212 and 36 km (132 and 22 mi), with an average of about 100 km (62 mi) in width. Veracruz shares common borders with

5699-587: The Mexican Revolution (1910–1920), the US attacked and occupied the port in an effort to try to preserve trade in the dispute with President Victoriano Huerta . The city gained its fourth title of "Heroic City". After the Revolution, most port workers became unionized. Through most of the 20th century, federal and state legal and political initiatives intended to better workers' lives had effects on

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5838-523: The Sierra de Los Tuxtlas . Major peaks include Pico de Orizaba (5,636 m; 18,491 ft), Cofre de Perote (4,282 m; 14,048.6 ft), Cerro de Tecomates (3,227 m; 10,587 ft), Cerro del Vigía Alta (3,055 m; 10,023 ft) and Cerro de 3 Tortas (2,997 m; 9,833 ft). The Pico de Orizaba is covered in snow year round; the Cofre de Perote is covered in winter. Major valleys include

5977-858: The Tuxtlas Region, the Central Region, the Laguna del Castillo Region, the Pueblo Viejo-Tamiahua Region and the Laguna de Alvarado Region. The topography changes drastically, rising from the narrow coastal plains to the highlands of the eastern Sierra Madre. Elevation varies from sea level to the Pico de Orizaba , Mexico's highest peak at 5,636 m (18,491 ft) above sea level. The coast consists of low sandy strips interspersed with tidewater streams and lagoons. Most of

6116-572: The Veracruz Reef System , which is protected as a national park. Visitors can kayak to the Isla de Sacrificios to observe seagulls, pelicans and the fish that inhabit the coral reef. In 1983, a study and initial cleanup project was undertaken at the island, which collected fifty tons of trash. Shortly thereafter, the island was closed to the public and since then, there has been a struggle among authorities, tour operators and fisherman as to

6255-493: The Veracruz moist forests ecoregion are situated in the northeastern coastal plain and extend into southern Tamaulipas state, on the east side of the Sierra Madre Oriental . The soils here are volcanic and shallow, but with rich organic matter. Species that predominate include Mayan breadnut ( Brosimum alicastrum ), sapodilla ( Manilkara zapota ), rosadillo ( Celtis monoica ), Bursera simaruba , Dendropanax arboreus , and Sideroxylon capiri . This ecoregion extends into

6394-744: The cathedral (1731), the Military Hospital of San Carlos (1731) or modern water supply and sewerage systems. In 1804 the Balmis Expedition arrived at Veracruz with the smallpox vaccine, which was from here transported to the whole of New Spain. The 19th century was marked by armed conflicts. During the Mexican War of Independence , Spain placed troops here to maintain Mexico City's sea link with Spain. In 1816, Antonio López de Santa Anna commanded royalist troops countering

6533-651: The " mestizo " or mixed European/indigenous ethnicities began, which is a large part of Mexican cultural identity. Arriving with the Spanish conquerors, new diseases made their first appearance in the continent. European diseases decimated the native population of the province, prompting the importation of African slaves during the colonial period, starting in the 16th century. The Spanish imported between 500,000 and 1,000,000 West African slaves into Mexico between 1535 and 1767 ( miscegenation between indigenous and African populations began almost immediately). New Spain did not have any laws prohibiting interracial marriage, hence

6672-618: The 15 September 2006 issue of the journal Science . The Olmec flourished on the Gulf Coast of Mexico c.  1250–400 BCE . The evidence for the Cascajal writing system is based solely on the text on the Cascajal Block, but existence of a system of Olmec hieroglyphs has been postulated independently from the Cascajal Block on the basis of previous discoveries of glyphs individually or in small groups. Their relation with

6811-451: The 16th century, the Spanish had constructed roads to link Veracruz with other cities such as Córdoba , Orizaba , Puebla , Xalapa and Perote . Their gold and silver were the principal exports. This caused the city problems with pirates, prompting the construction of Fort San Juan de Ulúa on the island where Grijalva had landed in the mid-16th century. In 1600, when large-scale smuggling of goods took place to avoid customs officials,

6950-493: The 1920s, passenger traffic was such that the station had its own hotel. The Juárez Hemicycle Monument stands in front of the Civil Registry Building, which contains the first birth certificate issued in the country. The malecón (boardwalk) stretches for kilometers along the Gulf of Mexico, leading from the city center into the suburbs. This area is popular at night, when people stroll and exercise, enjoying

7089-427: The 20th century, the production of petroleum was most important for the state's economy but, in the latter 20th century and into the 21st, the port has re-emerged as the main economic engine. It has become the principal port for most of Mexico's imports and exports, especially for the automotive industry. Veracruz has a blend of cultures, mostly indigenous , Spanish and Afro-Caribbean . The influence of these three

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7228-936: The Acultzingo, Córdoba, Maltrata, Orizaba and San Andrés. More than 40 rivers and tributaries provide water for irrigation and hydroelectric power; they also carry rich silt down from the eroding highlands, which is deposited in the valleys and coastal areas. All of the rivers and streams that cross the state begin in the Sierra Madre Oriental or in the Central Mesa, flowing east to the Gulf of Mexico. The important ones include: Actopan River , Acuatempan river, Río Blanco , Cazones River , Coatzacoalcos River , Río de La Antigua, Ayyappan River, Jamapa River , Nautla River, Pánuco River , Papaloapan River , Tecolutla River , Tonalá River , Tuxpan River and Xoloapa River . The largest in terms of water discharge are

7367-591: The Aztecs and relegated to the provinces of Atlan and Tochpan. Veracruz played an important part in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire by Hernán Cortés and his expedition members. They founded Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz on May 18, 1519, as the first Spanish town in what is now Mexico. By doing so, Cortés threw off the authority of the Governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez , claiming authority directly from

7506-530: The Cascajal Block is unclear. The block holds a total of 62 glyphs, some of which resemble plants such as maize and pineapple , or animals such as insects and fish. Many of the symbols are more abstract boxes or blobs. The symbols on the Cascajal block are unlike those of any other writing system in Mesoamerica, such as in Mayan languages or Isthmian , another extinct Mesoamerican script. The Cascajal block

7645-459: The French pushed on to establish the reign of Maximilian I of Mexico . However, this was short-lived and the French were expelled through Veracruz in 1866/67. In 1863, the state was officially named Veracruz-Llave. After the French were expelled, the state government was in the port of Veracruz. In 1878, the capital was transferred to Orizaba. It was later moved to Xalapa in 1885. By the end of

7784-601: The Mexican War of Independence. Between these periods, the fort helped defend the city against piracy and later was used for prisoners and interrogations of the Mexican Inquisition . The fort was begun here in 1582 to protect the city from pirates and was enlarged in 1635 during the period of frequent pirate raids. It was finished in 1707. After the War of Independence ended in 1821, the Spanish kept control of

7923-694: The Olmec civilization to be the mother culture of the many Mesoamerican cultures that followed it. By 300 BCE, this culture was eclipsed by other emerging civilizations in Mesoamerica. Another major group was the Totonacs, who have survived to the present day. Their region, called Totonacapan , is centered between the Cazones River and the Papaloapan River in the north of the state. Pre-Columbian Totonacs lived from hunting, fishing and agriculture, mostly of corn, beans, chili peppers and squash. This

8062-731: The Pánuco, Tuxpan, Papaloapan, Coazocoalcos and Uxpanapa . The Panuco, Tuxpan, Papaloapan and Coatzacoalcos are navigable. Two of Mexico's most polluted rivers, the Coatzacoalcos and the Río Blanco are located in the state. Much of the pollution comes from industrial sources, but the discharge of sewerage and uncontrolled garbage disposal are also major contributors. The state has very few sewage treatment plants, with only 10% of sewage being treated before discharge. The state also has ten major waterfalls and ten major coastal lagoons. There

8201-516: The Revolution, agrarian reform, including the redistribution of land and the creation of ejidos took place here. The oil companies in the north of the state were nationalized and consolidated into PEMEX in the 1930s by Lázaro Cárdenas . In the 1950s, more road construction, such as the Mexico City- Poza Rica, Veracruz-Alvarado- Coatzacoalco and Tinajas-Ciudad Aleman-Tlacoatalpan highways were constructed. The Universidad Veracruzana

8340-597: The Rio Blanco area. However, the gravest of these occurred in the Orizaba area, where there were about 500 fugitive slaves. In 1609, a leader named Gaspar Yanga led an insurrection against the Spanish but was defeated in battle. Unrest continued, eventually forcing the government to sign an amnesty pact and giving the Africans the right to form their own community, exacting as a condition that bandits be suppressed. This

8479-539: The Spanish Crown ordered the settlement returned to its original site to cut down on that traffic. Docks and an observation tower were constructed on the island to ensure that goods went through customs officials. Major public buildings were constructed at the beginning of the 17th century: the municipal palace, the monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Merced , and the Hospital de Nuestra Señora de Loreto . In 1618,

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8618-566: The Spanish capital of Mexico City, built on the site of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan , was the key trade route during the colonial era. Much of the history of the state is involved with the port city that Cortés founded in 1519. Veracruz became the principal and often only port to export and import goods between the colony of New Spain and Spain itself. To ensure the port's monopoly, it came to have control over almost all of New Spain's Gulf coastline. New Spain's silver and cochineal red dye, were

8757-577: The Spanish crown. A small contingent of the expedition remained at Veracruz, while the main body of conquerors moved inland. The Totonacs were some of the first people with whom the Spanish had contact on the American mainland. The very first contact was with Captain Juan de Grijalva on the coastline north of the present-day city of Veracruz. Still chafing under Aztec rule, Totonac ruler Tlacochcalcatl welcomed Hernán Cortés and promised 50,000 warriors to help defeat Tenochtitlan . The Spanish helped

8896-611: The Totonacs expel Aztec tribute collectors and seize control of some Aztec outposts. The Spanish founded the port city of Veracruz on the coast, as the first municipality under the direct control of the king of Spain. Cortés then began his march inland to Tenochtitlan. During the Conquest , the rest of the Totonac peoples allied themselves with the Spanish, but the Huastecs, despite also being under Aztec rule, fought against them. After

9035-723: The United States under the Monroe Doctrine , however, that nation was occupied with a Civil War at the time, and the European powers believed that the Americans could not act. In December, Spanish troops commanded by general Manuel Gasset occupied the port of Veracruz, without any local resistance, followed a month later by French and British forces. The Spanish and the British withdrew after making deals with Juárez, but

9174-522: The attack earned its first title of "Heroic City". During the Pastry War in 1837, the city mounted a defense against a French attack, and earned its second title of "Heroic City." In 1847 during the Mexican–American War , United States forces invaded the city. It was defended by generals Juan Morales and José Juan de Landero. The siege continued with brisk firing until 27 March, by which time

9313-555: The block as an Olmec-age artifact based on several qualities: Veracruz Veracruz ( Latin American Spanish: [beɾaˈkɾus] ), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( Latin American Spanish: [beɾaˈkɾus ðejɣˈnasjo ðe la ˈʝaβe] ), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (English: Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ),

9452-422: The building of the fort of San Juan de Ulúa , a site Juan de Grijalva visited in 1518, and the fortification of the city overall. Much of Totonac and Huastec culture have survived the colonial period into the present day. Much of the reason for this is that the north of Veracruz is rugged with thick vegetation and relatively little of the resources the Spanish were looking for. Veracruz is considered to be where

9591-533: The central part of the state, with vegetation changing to include mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla ), sapodilla ( Manilkara zapota ), Bernoullia flammea , and Astronium graveolens . In the central part of the state, the Veracruz dry forests extend from the Sierra to the coast, south of the Sierra de Chiconquiaco . The Petén–Veracruz moist forests occupy the southern part of the state, and extend eastwards through neighboring Chiapas and Tabasco states into Guatemala. Veracruz has been described as having one of

9730-478: The century, many infrastructure improvements, such as roads and railways (especially the Ferrocarril Interoceánico ) had been completed with the major cities being Veracruz, Orizaba, Xalapa, Córdoba, Jalacingo , Chicontepec and Tantoyuca . The discovery of oil in the north of the state attracted foreign firms, which brought machinery needed for its extraction. These companies included Huasteca Company Petroleum and El Aguila along with American and English firms. During

9869-410: The city such as the main theater. While the events were officially held at these locations, many residents took advantage of the celebration on the streets near these sites. Eventually, the event became based in the historic center of the city and focused on the Carnaval Parade of Veracruz. Today, the event begins with the "Burning of Bad Humor" and ends with the "Burial of Juan Carnaval". Carnaval here

10008-425: The city there are a number of industrial sites producing paints and solvents, food products, plastics, petrochemicals and metals. Veracruz has many beaches and off coast islands. Controversy has accompanied the clean-up of the island called Isla de Sacrificios , which lies just off the coast of the city and measures 450 meters long and 198 meters wide. The island is part of a system of twenty-three coral reefs called

10147-435: The city when the emperor and his wife Carlota of Belgium arrived in 1864. The conflicts and damaged trade relations with Europe took its toll on the port of Veracruz. By 1902, the port facilities had deteriorated, and it was considered one of the most dangerous on the American coast. President Porfirio Díaz contracted with foreign enterprises to modernize the port's infrastructure. Between April and November 1914, during

10286-437: The colonial period, African slaves were imported to work in the fields and shipyards. Following Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, immigrants from Italy and Cuba settled in the city. The Veracruz Carnaval has been celebrated every year since 1866, during the empire of Maximilian I . At that time, a request was made to sponsor a "Festival of Masks", which would consist of dances at the principal social gathering sites of

10425-433: The correct term is Afro-Mestizo, which includes all 3 ethnicities: Indigenous, African, and Spanish. Runaway slaves ( cimarrones ) became problematic to public order since they frequently formed robber bands that attacked travelers on highways. Crown efforts against these groups began in earnest in the late sixteenth century, but a major rebellion broke out in 1606 in the areas of Villa Rica, Nueva Veracruz, Antón Lizardo, and

10564-450: The deterioration of the forest areas, it is still an important stopover for migratory birds as well. Many endangered mammal species can be found here including two endemic rodents ( Peromyscus ochraventer and Neotoma angustapalata ), the jaguar ( Panthera onca ), ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis ), jaguarundi ( Herpailurus yaguarondi ) and white-nosed coati ( Nasua narica ). The endangered Baird's tapir may occasionally be spotted in

10703-400: The dry season (averaging around 4-7 foggy days). The dry season of the year spans from November to May, with slightly cooler temperatures and less humid days; making it the much more desirable part of the year for visiting tourists as opposed to the stormy, humid wet season. Despite the dryness, winters are foggy and cloudy, averaging 10-17 overcast days and 11-17 foggy days per month during

10842-455: The dry season. Many tourists visit Veracruz during Christmas and March break, in the midst of the winter's comfortably warm dry season. Veracruz receives an average of 1,564 mm (61.6 in) of precipitation annually. The wettest month of the year is July with an average monthly total of 385 mm (15.2 in) of rainfall, while the driest month of the year is March with an only 13 mm (0.51 in) of rainfall. Temperature-wise,

10981-420: The fall of Tenochtitlan, Cortés sent a regiment to subdue the Huastecs. During the early conquest era, Cortés distributed the labor of indigenous settlements to particular conquerors in an institution known as encomienda . The indigenous ruler of the settlement was charged with mobilization labor and tribute that was due to the holder of the encomienda . Veracruz had a number of encomiendas that changed hands

11120-477: The far north of the Veracruz and extend into parts of Tamaulipas, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro and Puebla. The language and agricultural techniques of these people and the Maya are similar; however, only a few buildings and ceramics remain from the early Huastec culture. This culture also reached its peak between 1200 and 1519, when it was conquered by the Spanish. During the 15th and very early 16th century,

11259-702: The fate and uses of the island. However, access to the island has been restricted to research, teaching and the occasional sporting event. Other small islands and shoals off the coast include: Isla de Enmedio , Isla Verde , Anegada de Adentro , Santiaguillo and Anegada de Afuera , the last two next to Antón Lizardo beach. All of them are included within the Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano national park and make fine sites for SCUBA diving. Several operators in Veracruz and in Boca del Rio offer scuba equipment and tours. The best season for scuba diving

11398-545: The federal government to take control over important ports such as Veracruz. The federal government modernized the port, adopting automation of loading and unloading. This resulted in a reduction of 80% of the port's jobs and labor resistance through strikes. The dockworkers' unions unified, negotiating for members to have a stake in a new company to manage the port's functions, named the Empresa de Servicios Portuarios de Veracruz, S.A. de C.V . The old Compañia Terminal de Veracruz

11537-458: The first time in the 1838, in what became the Pastry War . The port was blockaded. Efforts to defend the country were coordinated from Xalapa. The port was bombarded, but eventually a settlement was reached. During the Mexican–American War , the port was blockaded again, this time by the Americans. Initial American attempts in 1847 to land in Alvarado were checked, but the Americans then made

11676-526: The hands of the victorious invaders. The casualties on the US side during the siege amounted to sixty-four officers and men, killed and wounded. Ten years later, civil war between liberals and conservatives forced Benito Juárez 's government to flee Mexico City. Juárez went to Veracruz and governed from there in 1857. In 1861 Spain sent its troops to occupy the port in an effort to secure payment of debts, which Juárez had suspended. French military forces accompanied them to prepare for Maximiliano I and occupied

11815-642: The highest elevations, reaching up to the Cofre de Perote and the Pico de Orizaba. There is a small semiarid region around the city of Perote and the west of the Huasteca area. This is due to a rain shadow caused by the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Sierra Madre Oriental , which do not permit the flow of moist Gulf air to this region. Various types of forest cover the state, but evergreen tropical forest dominate. The state's ecology

11954-435: The hottest months of the year are June and August, both sharing mean temperatures of 28 °C (82.4 °F), while the coolest month of the year is January with a mean temperature of 21.2 °C (70.2 °F). Because of its importance as Mexico's principal Caribbean and Atlantic sea port, Veracruz has always been a locus for the mixture of different cultures, particularly Spanish , Native Mexican , and African . During

12093-445: The independence movement in 1824. During the Mexican War of Independence , there was support for the insurgents in many parts of the state, with skirmishes erupting in various parts as early as 1811. A major conspiracy against the colonial government was discovered in the port in 1812, with rebels taking Ayahualulco and Ixhuacán during the same year. This forced royalist troops to withdraw to Xalapa. Eventually, this city along with

12232-408: The informal economy is a higher percentage of total economic activity in a municipio with a high share of indigenous people. While the formal economy might have been expanding relative to the informal economy in 2000, by 2006 this process had been reversed with growing informality. While rural municipios have smaller economies, they are not different from urban municipios in the share of the economy that

12371-577: The informal sector of the local economy in Veracruz state is shown to have grown during the period of the Fox Administration though the regional government remained PRI. The assumption that the informal economy of Mexico is a constant 30% of total economic activity is not supported at the local level. The small amount of local spatial autocorrelation that was found suggests a few clusters of high and low literacy rates amongst municipios in Veracruz but not enough to warrant including an I-statistic as

12510-509: The insurgency. In 1820, insurgents took the city, despite Santa Anna's attempts to stop them. The last viceroy of New Spain, Juan O'Donojú , arrived here in 1821, where he signed the Treaty of Córdoba with Agustín de Iturbide at Fort San Juan de Ulúa. In 1823, Spanish troops remaining at Fort San Juan de Ulúa fired on the newly independent Mexican city of Veracruz. In 1825 the last Spanish troops left San Juan de Ulúa. The city's defense against

12649-556: The island and fort, and occasionally bombarded Mexican forces on land. They finally transferred this area to Mexico in 1825. The fort was used in 1838 during the Pastry War with the French. In 1847, it was used for an unsuccessful defense of the port when United States forces invaded during the Mexican–American War. In the 19th century, the fort was converted into a military prison. The fort's narrow stone passageways lead to

12788-454: The island later known as San Juan de Ulúa . The Spanish gave it that name because they landed on the Christian feast of John the Baptist (24 June), and in honor of the captain. De Ulúa is derived from the local name for the Aztecs, coluha or acolhua. The word for Aztec evolved into Ulúa. While Veracruz itself was founded by Hernán Cortés who arrived in 1519, the area at the time

12927-556: The job. The governor, Teodora A. Dehesa, unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a settlement. The strike went on for months until the strikers won. This victory encouraged more actions, until strikes at the factories in Rio Blanco, Nogales, Santa Rosa and Contón de Orizaba resulted in dramatic violence in January 1907 . No major battles of the Mexican Revolution were fought in the state, though there were skirmishes and attacks on

13066-439: The largest mercantile class and was at times wealthier than the capital, Mexico City. Its wealth attracted the raids of 17th-century pirates, against which fortifications such as Fort San Juan de Ulúa were built. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Veracruz was invaded on different occasions by France and the United States; in the aftermath of the 1914 Tampico Affair , US troops occupied the city for seven months . For much of

13205-528: The last of the Spanish held on in San Juan de Ulúa, Agustín de Iturbide had been declared the emperor of Mexico in 1822. However, his reign quickly encountered resistance from those favoring a republican form of government, including from Antonio López de Santa Anna from his stronghold in Veracruz state. Months later, Iturbide would go into exile and Santa Anna would eventually hold nine terms as president. The French intervened in Mexico through Veracruz for

13344-454: The legend of this 19th-century bandit. Jesús Arriaga, better known as Chucho el Roto , was held at Fort San Juan de Ulúa where he died. It is not known whether he died of natural causes, as a result of a fight with other prisoners or by other means. Chucho was a Robin Hood figure who lived during the 19th century. He stole from the rich and gave to the poor, inspiring songs and poetry such as

13483-421: The lengthy colonial period and international port, these ingredients are used more widely here than in other parts of the country. A signature dish of the area, Huachinango a la Veracruzana ( red snapper Veracruz-style), uses local fruits and vegetables (tomatoes, chili peppers) and Spanish ingredients (olive oil, garlic and capers). Other popular dishes include arroz a la tumbada , a rice dish baked with

13622-594: The logging is due to commercial timber, search for tropical hardwoods and the clearing of land for local farmers, especially for cattle grazing. Only 20% of Veracruz's original ecosystem remains, with 64% transformed by human exploitation. Despite some efforts at conservation and reclamation, exploitation continues to put pressure on remaining wild areas. The state has 31 environmentally protected areas in 21 different municipalities. Nine are urban parks, three are national parks ( Pico de Orizaba , Cofre de Perote and San José de los Molinos ). The Cofre de Perote National Park

13761-464: The long coastline is narrow and sandy with unstable dunes, small shifting lagoons, and points. The mountains are of the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt . Mountain ranges include the Sierra de Topila, Sierra de Otontepec, Sierra de Huayacocotla, Sierra de Coxquihui, Sierra de Chiconquiaco , Sierra de Jalacingo, Sierra de Axocuapan, Sierra de Huatusco, Sierra de Zongolica , and

13900-600: The main beef producer for the country at 14% of the total. In addition to beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, domestic fowl, and bees are raised. From the tropical forests of the inland regions come dyewoods , hardwoods, and rubber. About 20% of the state's territory is forested, with 220,000 of temperate forest and 1,200,000 hectares of tropical forests. Logging in the state produces 128,254 m3 of wood products per year. The most exploited species include pine, oyamel, cypress and oak. Some tropical hardwoods are harvested as well. Veracruz's long coastline supports

14039-572: The main plaza (Zócalo) Veracruz recipes use corn, beans and squash as staples, a practice dating to the indigenous peoples. Local diets also include indigenous tropical foods such as chili peppers , tomatoes, avocados , pineapples , papaya , mamey , sweet potatoes , peanuts and sapote fruit, all of which have been cultivated since pre-Columbian times. The Spanish introduced the use of herbs such as parsley , thyme , marjoram , bay laurel and coriander , as well as saffron , wheat, rice, almonds, olives/olive oil, garlic and capers . Because of

14178-406: The most kinds. This occupies 180,577 hectares and produces 2,575,140 tons annually. Varieties include oranges, tangerines, mandarins , limes and grapefruit. Most citrus is grown in the north of the state, and much of the lime crop is exported, supporting a packing and shipping industry. Veracruz is the largest mango producer in the country, grown on 31,640 hectares producing 287,000 tons. Most of this

14317-511: The municipal palace and the cathedral. The Municipal Palace was built for the city council in 1608. The building was extensively remodeled in the 18th century. Its architectural style is a sober Baroque with a tower at one of the corners. Lookouts used this tower to keep watch on the ships entering and leaving the port. It has a large courtyard surrounded by wide arches and is the oldest city government building in Mexico. The Cathedral of Veracruz , named Catedral de la Virgen de la Asunción ,

14456-495: The municipal seat, the city of Veracruz is the governing authority for 128 other named localities during the 2010 census, forming a municipality with a territory of 241 km (93 sq mi). The population of the municipality is 552,156 inhabitants, of whom 428,323 or approximately 77.6% live in municipality's portion of the city proper. The municipality is bordered by the municipalities of La Antigua , Boca del Río, Manlio Fabio Altamirano , Medellín, and Paso de Ovejas, with

14595-448: The neighboring municipality of Boca del Río . At the 2020 census, Veracruz Municipality had a population of 607,209 inhabitants. The city of Veracruz had a population of 537,952 inhabitants, 405,952 in Veracruz municipality and 132,011 in Boca del Río municipality. Developed during Spanish colonization, Veracruz is Mexico's oldest, largest, and historically most significant port. When the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés arrived in what

14734-494: The ocean breezes. Near the city center, the malecón is crowded with merchants selling knick-knacks, souvenirs, jewelry made with seashells, and T-shirts. Fort San Juan de Ulúa is located on an island, now connected to land of the same name. The island is part of the La Gallega coral reef and has about 2,500 meters of beach. The full reef covers about 100 hectares and varies in depth between sixty and ninety centimeters, forming

14873-504: The oldest Zapotec writing dated to c.  500 BCE . Archaeologists Carmen Rodriguez and Ponciano Ortiz of the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico examined and registered it with government historical authorities. It weighs about 11.5 kilograms (25 lb) and measures 36 by 21 by 13 centimetres (14.2 in × 8.3 in × 5.1 in). Details of the find were published by researchers in

15012-474: The oldest cultures in the Americas, became dominant in the southern part of Veracruz. Remains of these past civilizations can be found in archeological sites such as Pánuco, Castillo de Teayo , El Zapotal, Las Higueras, Quiahuiztlán, El Tajín , Cempoala , Tres Zapotes and San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán . The first major civilization in the territory of the current state was that of the Olmecs. The Olmecs lived in

15151-475: The one used for the port of Veracruz and created by the Spanish in the early colonial days of the 16th century. The history of the native peoples of the state of Veracruz is complex. In the pre-Columbian period, the modern-day state of Veracruz was inhabited primarily by four indigenous cultures. The Huastecs and Otomis occupied the north, while the Totonacs resided in the north-center. The Olmecs , one of

15290-459: The operations of the port. Eventually, unions came to have great power over the operations and tariffs charged. By the latter part of the 20th century, competing unions made the operations of the port difficult. Some blocked access to the port from federal roads and financial corruption was a problem. In the 1970s, a federal commission was established to design a new administrative system for the ports of Mexico. The legislature passed laws authorizing

15429-412: The original study, on 9 March 2007. In a letter, archaeologists Karen Bruhns and Nancy Kelker raise five points of concern: A rebuttal to the criticism by the authors of the original study was published directly following the letter: A 2019 study by Joshua D. Englehardt et al. made an effort to establish the origin of the block via archaeometric techniques. Their findings supported the authenticity of

15568-469: The population after contact. The Portuguese Empire began to import African slaves via the port of Veracruz. In the 16th century, the state had more slaves than any other in Mexico. Before the slave trade was abolished, Mexico had the second-highest population of African slaves in the Americas, following Brazil. Veracruz was the most important port in New Spain , with a large wealthy merchant class that

15707-400: The port more important than it had been, and led to increased prosperity for the inhabitants. Outside of the port, in other areas of the province, the economy was based on agriculture, livestock, and commerce. In 1720, Xalapa organized the first trade fair, making it the center for trade between inland Mexican goods and those from abroad. This would lead to its eventual status as the capital of

15846-491: The port were cut off from Mexico City. Most of the state remained in rebel hands during the rest of the war although the commercial class of the port did not support the effort. In 1821, Juan de O'Donojú , the last viceroy of New Spain, came to the port to leave for Spain. However, until 1823, Spanish troops continued to occupy San Juan de Ulúa Fort. In 1826, the city would receive the first of its four titles of "heroic city" for confronting these remaining Spanish troops. While

15985-470: The port. By 1914 rebel Cándido Agular occupied a number of municipalities in the state and in 1917, Venustiano Carranza transferred the federal government here temporarily. On April 21, 1914, an incident involving U.S. sailors in Tampico led President Woodrow Wilson to land American troops in Veracruz, where they remained for six months. Mexico later responded by severing diplomatic relations. After

16124-594: The purely indigenous population continued to fall to a fraction of pre-Conquest levels (due now to mixing, rather than disease). Almost all trade in and out of New Spain had to be with Spain except for some limited trade authorized with England and other Spanish colonies. This would stay in place until 1778, when the Decreto de Libre Comercio , allowing a limited free trade within Spanish-held realms, lifted many of these restrictions on trade with Europe. This would make

16263-667: The richest varieties of wildlife in the western hemisphere. There is an especially diverse array of endemic insects like the conspicuous Arsenura armida . As well as insects, the state is known for its many arachnids, and features over 25 species of tarantula (Theraphosidae), of which many are endemic. The state is part of Birdlife International ’s Endemic Bird Area(EBA) project due to the number of endemic birds here. Some of these include green-cheeked amazon ( Amazona viridigenalis ), Tamaulipas crow ( Corvus imparatus ), Altamira yellowthroat ( Geothlypis flavovelata ) and crimson-collared grosbeak ( Rhodothraupis celaeno ). Despite much of

16402-468: The same time period, uprisings against the government under Porfirio Díaz in the agricultural south of the state were brutally repressed. Unrest against the Díaz regime continued until the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution ousted him from power. The major event leading up to this war in Veracruz was the cigar-makers strike of 1905, when more than 5,000 workers of the "El Valle Nacional" company walked off

16541-543: The state but were repelled from both the port and Xalapa. The Reform War wrecked Mexico's economy and it found itself unable to pay debts it owed to Europe. As a result, Juárez cancelled Mexico's foreign debt. Spain, Britain and France, all outraged by this action, decided in October 1861 to force repayment of their loans by the occupation of the Mexican Gulf Coast. Normally, this move would have been blocked by

16680-518: The state is Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave. Veracruz was named after the city of Veracruz (From Latin Vera Crux , " True Cross "), which was originally called the Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz . The suffix is in honor of Ignacio de la Llave y Segura Zevallos (1818–1863), who was the governor of Veracruz from 1861 to 1862. The state's seal was authorized by the state legislature in 1954, adapting

16819-662: The state its final form. In 1855, the State Government Palace was constructed. During the Reform War , the major player was Ignacio de la Llave whose name is part of the state's official designation. In 1858, the port became the site for the liberal government under Benito Juárez after he was forced out of Mexico City during the Reform War. Their control of this port and its customs duties allowed liberal forces to gather resources. Conservative forces attacked

16958-517: The state of Veracruz. It has African and Caribbean influence and is popular throughout Mexico, Latin America and the United States. Traditional Veracruzian music is called " Son Jarocho ". Although there are many types of son music found in Mexico, the Son Jarocho is typically associated with the city of Veracruz. Other types of son include "Son Comercial". This style is faster and flashier than

17097-435: The state's southern jungle regions, such as Biósfera Los Tuxtlas . This region is also the northernmost extent of the primate Alouatta palliata , or mantled howler . Most of Veracruz's native forests have been destroyed and replaced by scrub and secondary communities of trees. From 1900 to 1987, over 18,553 km (7,163.4 sq mi) of forest had been logged, resulting in the loss of habitat and biodiversity. Much of

17236-420: The state. In 1746, the state was divided into the civil jurisdictions of Pánuco, Tampico, Huayacocotla, Huauchinango, Papantla, Misantla, Xalapa, Jalacingo, Veracruz, Córdoba, Orizaba, Cosamaloapan, Tuxtla, and Cotaxtla. The port city of Veracruz, and the fort of San Juan de Ulúa, where Cortés landed three hundred years earlier, was where the loyalist soldiers of the Spanish Crown made their last stand against

17375-609: The states of Tamaulipas (to the north), Oaxaca and Chiapas (to the south), Tabasco (to the southeast), and Puebla , Hidalgo , and San Luis Potosí (on the west). Veracruz has 690 km (429 mi) of coastline with the Gulf of Mexico. The natural geography can be categorized into nine regions: The Sierra de Zongolica , the Tecolutla Region, the Huayacocotla Region, the Metlac River area,

17514-478: The surrounding municipality of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico and the most populous city in the Mexican state of Veracruz . The city is located along the coast in the central part of the state, 90 km (56 mi) southeast of the state capital Xalapa . It is the state's most populous city, with a population that is greater than the municipality's population, as part of the city of Veracruz extends into

17653-444: The traditional Son Jarocho and can be heard in Mexican folkdance exhibitions , when Veracruz women with long white dresses and fans dance with partners also dressed in white. The Son Comercial developed in the 1940s from the Son Jarocho; in the 21st century it is so pervasive that many mistakenly believe it to be the first version. The Casa de Cultura has a workshops for traditional music and son singers can be heard just about anytime on

17792-461: The two most important exports from the port, along with chocolate, vanilla, chili peppers, and much more were exported. Imported were livestock (sheep, cows, goats, horses), wheat and other cultivars. From the Caribbean, slaves, pineapple, and sugar cane were introduced. This made the port a highly prized target for pirates during the colonial period, with attacks and sackings frequent. This led to

17931-659: The upper level contains the choral window, above which is a medallion. The interior is simple with crystal candelabras. In the port area are the Pemex Tower, the old lighthouse, which was the seat of government for Venustiano Carranza , and the Crafts Market. On Marina Mercante Street are located the Old Customs Building, the Postal and Telegraph twin buildings, as well as the old railroad terminal. In

18070-540: The verses penned by Rafael de Zayas Enríquez . Chucho was arrested in the city of Querétaro after a jewelry store heist. He was sent to the Belén Prison in Mexico City, then to Veracruz. He was also renowned as a seducer of women, especially those who were rich and lonely. Most of his targets were jewelry shops, pawnshops and the homes of the wealthy. Along with Fort San Juan de Ulúa, the city used to be walled in for protection against pirates and invasions. All that

18209-466: The winter dry season. Fauna mostly consists of birds, small mammals and insects. Much of the land in the municipality outside of the city is used for agriculture and livestock. Principal crops include corn, beans, watermelon, oranges, sorghum , mango , pineapple and sugar cane. Livestock raised includes cattle, pigs, sheep, fowl and horses. There is also some forestry. The municipality contains deposits of marble, lime, cement, sand and clay. In and around

18348-421: Was called San Lorenzo de Zerral but today it is known as the municipality of Yanga . This was the first time slavery was abolished in the Americas. In the first half of the seventeenth century, cities such as Córdoba , Orizaba , and Xalapa were formed or expanded to protect the trade route between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz. During this time, the Spanish and mixed-ethnicities population increased as

18487-446: Was dissolved in 1988 and the new organization was fully in place by 1991. In September 2010, Hurricane Karl , a small, strong Category 3 hurricane, caused widespread flooding and damage affecting approximately half a million people. Sixteen were confirmed dead with another eleven missing. Sixty-five municipalities in the state were declared disaster areas. Preliminary damage estimates total up to US$ 3.9 billion and $ 50 billion MXN. As

18626-604: Was expanded as well. In 1960, the Museum of Anthropology in Xalapa was inaugurated as well as the Coatzacoalco- Salina Cruz highway. The Veracruz city international airport was opened in the 1970s. In the ten years after 2006, at least 3,600 people have disappeared within the state. Multiple mass graves have been found within the state. This is seen as part of the over 28,000 missing individuals related to

18765-602: Was found here and Vera Cruz (True Cross) was added because the Cortés expedition landed on Good Friday , a Christian holy day. When Cortés and his soldiers abolished the Aztec despotism and elected a Justicia Mayor and a Capitán General , they created the first city council on the American continent. The city was the first on mainland America to receive a European coat of arms, which was authorized by Carlos V in Valladolid , Spain, on 4 July 1523. The original settlement

18904-460: Was more prosperous than that of Mexico City. Each of the two yearly voyages of the Spanish treasure fleet to and from Spain were to gather at Veracruz stevedores, muleteers, navigators, sailors, contractors, merchants and civil servants. In 1568 the Armada admiral Francisco Luján defeated the British pirates John Hawkins and Francis Drake on their attempt to take hold of Veracruz. By the end of

19043-505: Was moved in 1525 to what is now known as Antigua, at the mouth of the Huitzilapan (or Antigua River) shortly thereafter. This separated the city from the port, as ships could not enter the shallow river. Ships continued to dock at San Juan de Ulúa, with small boats being used to ferry goods on and off the ships. As in other parts of Mexico, the indigenous peoples suffered from epidemics of European infectious diseases, which decimated

19182-660: Was to protect this valuable port after the threat of an invasion such as the siege of Havana (1762) by the British . The Spanish empire's talented military engineers were gathered in Veracruz to work on the New Spanish Gulf of Mexico's defence against the attack of Spain's enemies in a time when the Spanish Empire stretched from current Venezuela to Florida . Many of the buildings and institutions which form Veracruz's Historic Centre date from that time such as

19321-402: Was within the jurisdiction of Moctezuma II and his Aztec Empire . Cortés and his men landed at the shore opposite the island where Grijalva had moored, which has the pre-Hispanic name of Chalchihuecan. Cortés, Francisco de Montejo and Alonso Hernández Puertocarrero founded the settlement, naming it Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz. The name Villa Rica (rich village) referred to the gold that

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