There is some pretty architecture in the city, including a historic fortess and several marine museums. A few beaches can be found north of Veracruz but the water is not very clean; beach lovers might want to go north to Tecolutla or south to Los Tuxtlas.
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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 72,815 km² and includes several islands in the Gulf of Mexico totalling another 58 km².
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 and 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 50-km (31-mi) 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
Veracuz 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.
In 1914 the United States invaded the port 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. The traditional music comes from many diffrent rythms 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:
Spanish
People from Veracruz and Tabasco have a particular accent. 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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