:'''Veracruz' is the name of both a state in Mexico and that state's largest city. This article is about the state. For the city, see
Veracruz, Veracruz. For other uses, see
Veracruz (disambiguation).''
The state of 'Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave' is one of the 31
states that comprise
Mexico.
Location
It is located in the east central part of the country, between 17°10' and 22°38' North and between 93°55' and 98°38' West.
It has a mainland area of and includes several islands in the Gulf of Mexico totalling another .
Veracruz borders the states of
Tamaulipas to the north,
Oaxaca and
Chiapas to the south,
Tabasco to the southeast,
Puebla,
Hidalgo, and
San Luis Potosi to the west, and the
Gulf of Mexico to the east.
On the coastal plains and throughout most of the state, the
climate is hot and humid. On the foothills of the mountains, the climate is cool and humid. The climate only becomes cold in the mountain regions, where it also rains copiously. Veracruz is occasionally affected by
hurricanes from June to October.
This state has a tropical climate and impressive natural scenery, such as the Citlatapetl Volcano, or
Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in the nation. You’ll also see picturesque cities and towns that have preserved their local architecture. Along the coast you can visit the Costa Esmeralda, a beach strip north of the port, amd the archaeological zone of
El Tajin, which also was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its capital is
Xalapa, located in the central western part of the state. With more than 7 million inhabitants, the state of Veracruz is the third most populous in the nation, after the
Federal District and the state of
México.
History
Veracruz was the first location where
Hernan Cortez and the Spanish arrived from the Caribbean. There is a mixture of Spanish, African, Aztec, and Portuguese descendants. Its formal name is 'Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave' in honor of General
Ignacio de la Llave, who died in
1863 after wounds received during the
French invasion of Puebla, Mexico. The official title of this Mexican state was 'Veracruz-Llave' from
1863 to
2004.
In
1865, rather than surrendering to American forces, Major General
Sterling Price of the
Confederate States of America, Missouri's highest ranking military officer led his army to Mexico where he became leader of a colony of Confederate exiles at Carlota in the state of Veracruz.
Culture
On
January 1,
2007, a combined band of high school children from
Xalapa, Veracruz were given the honor of representing
Mexico in the
Rose Parade as one of the many marching bands. ''Banda Delfines'' played and sang the easily recognized ''
La Bamba'' dressed in traditional white
Guayabera, white Pants, red handkerchief, white
sombrero and white boots that the song is performed to.
[1] The traditional music comes from many different rhythms such as Spanish, Caribbean, Aztec, and African. ''El Zapateado'' is also related to the style of dancing of
Flamenco.
Famous dishes here are the
Tamales, that are wrapped around with Banana Leaf, and are only served in parts of southern Mexico. Huachinango or the
Red Snapper, is another Famous plate only in Veracruz, and its considered the finest sea food of the region.
Vegetation also includes:
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Banana
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Pitaya
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Mango
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Guava
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Melons
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Guanabana
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Lemons
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Oranges
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Mandarin orange
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Plums
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Jicama
Spanish
People from some cities in Veracruz and Tabasco have a particular accent, especially in Veracruz City and its surroundings. This accent is easily identified when people skip the ''s'' sound when they speak. This is due to heavy Cuban influence brought by the
Spanish Conquistadores when first arriving to Mexico from the
Caribbean.
Municipalities
The state of Veracruz is subdivided into 212 municipalities ''(
municipios)''. See
municipalities of Veracruz.
Major communities
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Acayucan
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Actópan
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Catemaco
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Coatepec
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Coatzacoalcos
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Córdoba
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Martínez de la Torre
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Minatitlán
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Orizaba
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Papantla (Papantla de Olarte)
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Poza Rica (Poza Rica de Hidalgo)
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San Andrés Tuxtla
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Tuxpan (Túxpam/Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano)
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Veracruz
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Xalapa (Xalapa-Enríquez)
Climate
References
1. ''2007 Tournament of Roses Parade Marching Band Entry Banda Delfines''.
External links
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Turismo En Veracruz
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Music and Dance of the State of Veracruz
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Veracruz State government
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Veracruz Photos and History
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Veracruz Gallery
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museum of the city
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Facultad de Pedagogia