View source for Veracruz

{{Short description|State of Mexico}}
{{About|the Mexican state|the Mexican city|Veracruz (city)|other uses}}
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{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Veracruz
| native_name        = ''Cuetlaxcoapan ([[Nahuatl]])''
| official_name      = {{raise|0.2em|Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave}}<br />{{nobold|''Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave'' {{small|([[Mexican Spanish|Spanish]])}}}}<br />{{nobold|{{lang|nah|Tlahtohcayotl Cuetlaxcoapan}} {{small|([[Nahuatl]])}}}}
| native_name_lang   = 
| settlement_type    = [[States of Mexico|State]]
| image_flag         = <!--As per the consensus reached at [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Mexico]] (oldid: 1007177146), this article should not use a flag because none is officially recognized by the government of the state-->
| flag_size          = 
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of Veracruz.svg
| shield_size        = 80px
| nickname           = 
| motto              = ''[[Plus Ultra (motto)|Plus Ultra]]''{{Clear}}<small>''(Beyond)''</small>
| anthem             = {{ill|Himno Veracruzano|es}}
| image_map          = Veracruz in Mexico (location map scheme).svg
| map_caption        = State of Veracruz within Mexico
| coordinates        = {{Wikidatacoord|Q60130|region:MX-VER_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| subdivision_type   = [[Country]]
| subdivision_name   = [[Mexico]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[Capital (city)|Capital]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of cities in Mexico|Largest&nbsp;city]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Metropolitan areas of Mexico|Largest metro]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Xalapa|Xalapa-Enríquez]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Veracruz (city)|Heroica Veracruz]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Veracruz metropolitan area|Greater Veracruz]]
| subdivision_name4  = [[Municipalities of Veracruz|212]]
| subdivision_type4  = [[Municipalities of Mexico|Municipalities]]
| established_title  = [[Sovereign state|Admission]]
| established_date   = December 22, 1823<ref>{{cite news |title=Las Diputaciones Provinciales |url=http://biblio.juridicas.unam.mx/libros/6/2920/11.pdf |page=15 |language=es |access-date=April 10, 2011 |archive-date=May 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528111641/http://biblio.juridicas.unam.mx/libros/6/2920/11.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=Nettie Lee Benson |author2=Colegio de México. Centro de Estudios Históricos |author3=Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México |title=La diputación provincial y el federalismo mexicano |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i_GK_-6deKIC&pg=PA227 |access-date=February 20, 2011 |year=1994 |publisher=UNAM |isbn=978-968-12-0586-7 |pages=227– |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018194103/https://books.google.com/books?id=i_GK_-6deKIC&pg=PA227#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>
| established_title2 = [[Territorial evolution of Mexico|Order]]
| established_date2  = [[Territorial evolution of Mexico|7th]]
| founder            = 
| seat_type          = 
| seat               = 
| government_footnotes = 
| leader_title       = [[List of Mexican state governors|Governor]]
| leader_name        = [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Rocío Nahle García]]
| leader_title1      = [[Senate of Mexico|Senators]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-01 |title=Senadores por Veracruz LXVI Legislatura |trans-title=Veracruz State Senators to the LXVI Congress |url=https://www.senado.gob.mx/66/senadores/por_entidad_federativa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201225930/https://www.senado.gob.mx/66/senadores/por_entidad_federativa |archive-date=2024-12-01 |access-date=2024-12-01 |publisher=Senado de la Republica}}</ref>
| leader_name1       = {{nowrap|[[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Raquel Bonilla Herrera]]{{refn|group=nb|Substitute for Claudia Tello Espinosa, who requested a leave from the Senate on November 26, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-01 |title=Senadora Claudia Tello Espinosa (Licencia) |url=https://www.senado.gob.mx/66/senador/1590 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201232309/https://www.senado.gob.mx/66/senador/1590 |archive-date=2024-12-01 |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Senado de la República}}</ref> to occupy the State's Secretariat of Education in the government of Rocío Nahle.}}<br>[[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Manuel Huerta Ladrón de Guevara]]<br>[[File:Logo candidato independiente.png|23px]] [[Miguel Ángel Yunes Márquez]]{{refn|group=nb|After having voted in favor of president López Obrador's Judicial Reform, senator Yunes was expelled from the PAN on September 11, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cayetano |first=Pilar |date=2024-09-11 |title=¡PAN expulsa a los Yunes por VOTAR a favor de reforma judicial de AMLO! |trans-title=PAN expels the Yunes for voting in favor of AMLO's judicial reform! |url=https://politico.mx/pan-expulsa-a-los-yunes-por-votar-a-favor-de-reforma-judicial-de-amlo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241118101105/https://politico.mx/pan-expulsa-a-los-yunes-por-votar-a-favor-de-reforma-judicial-de-amlo |archive-date=2024-11-18 |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Político MX |language=es}}</ref>}} }}
| unit_pref          = Metric
| area_footnotes     = <ref>{{cite web |title=Resumen |url=http://cuentame.inegi.gob.mx/monografias/informacion/ver/default.aspx?tema=me&e=30 |publisher=Cuentame INEGI |access-date=February 12, 2013 |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010234333/http://cuentame.inegi.gob.mx/monografias/informacion/ver/default.aspx?tema=me&e=30 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 71826
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_note          = [[List of Mexican states by area|Ranked 11th]]
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_min_m    = 
| elevation_min_ft   = 
| elevation_max_m    = 5610
| elevation_max_ft   = 18410
| elevation_max_point = [[Pico de Orizaba]]
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Relieve |url=http://cuentame.inegi.gob.mx/monografias/informacion/ver/territorio/relieve.aspx?tema=me&e=30 |publisher=Cuentame INEGI |access-date=October 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617030802/http://cuentame.inegi.gob.mx/monografias/informacion/ver/territorio/relieve.aspx?tema=me&e=30 |archive-date=June 17, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| population_total   = 8,062,579
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_footnotes = <ref name="inegi.org.mx">{{Cite web |url=https://www.inegi.org.mx/app/areasgeograficas/#tabMCcollapse-Indicadores |title=México en cifras |date=January 2016 |access-date=January 25, 2021 |archive-date=July 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718104723/https://www.inegi.org.mx/app/areasgeograficas/#tabMCcollapse-Indicadores |url-status=live }}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank    = [[List of Mexican states by population|4th]]
| population_density_rank = [[List of Mexican states by population density|10th]]
| population_demonym = {{plainlist|
* ''Veracruzano, -na'' (formal)
* ''[[Jarocho]], -cha'' (colloquial)
}}
| population_note    = 
| timezone1          = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1        = −06:00
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal codes in Mexico|Postal code]]
| postal_code        = 91–96
| area_code          = {{Collapsible list
| title       = [[Area codes in Mexico by code|Area codes]]
| frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
| title_style = 
| list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 |1           = • [[Area codes in Mexico by code (200-299)|1]]
 |2           = • [[Area codes in Mexico by code (400-499)|1]]
 |3           = • [[Area codes in Mexico by code (700-799)|1]]
 |4           = • [[Area codes in Mexico by code (800-899)|1]]
 |5           = • [[Area codes in Mexico by code (900-999)|1]]
}}
| area_code_type     = [[Area code]]
| iso_code           = MX-VER
| unemployment_rate  = 
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Human Development Index|HDI]]
| blank_info_sec1    = {{increase}} 0.757 <span style="color:#0c0">high</span> <small>[[List of Mexican states by HDI|Ranked 28th of 32]]</small>
| demographics_type2 = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.banamex.com/sitios/analisis-financiero/pdf/revistas//IRAE/IRAE2023.pdf |title=Indicadores Regionales de Actividad Económica 2023 |author=Citibanamex |language=es |date=June 13, 2023 |access-date=August 13, 2023 }}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = Total
| demographics2_info1 = MXN 1.227 trillion<br />(US$61.0 billion) (2022)
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = (US$7,491) (2022)
| leader_title2      = [[Chamber of Deputies of Mexico|Deputies]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Álbum de Diputados y Diputadas Federales 2018-2021. Segundo año de ejercicio constitucional |url=http://sitl.diputados.gob.mx/LXIV_leg/album_foto_tc.pdf |publisher=Camara de Diputados |access-date=April 9, 2019 |archive-date=May 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517075402/http://sitl.diputados.gob.mx/LXIV_leg/album_foto_tc.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| leader_name2       = {{Collapsible list
 |title       = [[LXV Legislature of the Mexican Congress#Chamber of Deputies 2|Federal Deputies]]
 |frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 |title_style = 
 |list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 |1           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Logo Partido Verde (México).svg|link=Ecologist Green Party of Mexico|23px]] [[Armando Antonio Gómez Betancourt]] ([[I Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|1st]])}}
 |2           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Logo Partido Verde (México).svg|link=Ecologist Green Party of Mexico|23px]] [[María del Carmen Pinete Vargas]] ([[II Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|2nd]])}}
 |3           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Rocío Hernández Villanueva]] ([[III Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|3rd]])}}
 |4           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Rosa Hernández Espejo]] ([[IV Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|4th]])}}
 |5           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Raquel Bonilla Herrera]] ([[V Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|5th]])}}
 |6           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Jaime Humberto Pérez Bernabé]] ([[VI Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|6th]])}}
 |7           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Mónica Herrera Villavicencio]] ([[VII Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|7th]])}}
 |8           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Natalia García Molina]] ([[VIII Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|8th]])}}
 |9           = {{nowrap|• [[File:PRI logo (Mexico).svg|link=Institutional Revolutionary Party|23px]] [[José Yunes Zorrilla|José Francisco Yunes Zorrilla]] ([[IX Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|9th]])}}
 |10           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Rafael Hernández Villalpando]] ([[X Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|10th]])}}
 |11           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Flora Tania Cruz Santos]] ([[XI Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|11th]])}}
 |12           = {{nowrap|• [[File:PAN Party (Mexico).svg|link=National Action Party (Mexico)|23px]] [[María Josefina Gamboa Torales]] ([[XII Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|12th]])}}
 |13           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Logo Partido Verde (México).svg|link=Ecologist Green Party of Mexico|23px]] [[Angélica Peña Martínez]] ([[XIII Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|13th]])}}
 |14           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Rosalba Valencia Cruz]] ([[XIV Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|14th]])}}
 |15           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Dulce María Corina Villegas Guarneros]] ([[XV Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|15th]])}}
 |16           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Martha Rosa Morales Romero]] ([[XVI Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|16th]])}}
 |17           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Valentín Reyes López]] ([[XVII Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|17th]])}}
 |18           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Logo Partido Verde (México).svg|link=Ecologist Green Party of Mexico|23px]] [[Itzel Aleli Domínguez Zopiyactle]] ([[XVIII Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|18th]])}}
 |19           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Paola Tenorio Adame]] ([[XIX Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|19th]])}}
 |20           = {{nowrap|• [[File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg|link=Morena (political party)|23px]] [[Esteban Bautista Hernández]] ([[XX Federal Electoral District of Veracruz|20th]])}}
 }}
| website            = {{URL|http://www.veracruz.gob.mx/}}
| footnotes          = {{reflist|group=nb}}
}}

'''Veracruz''',{{efn|{{IPA|es-419|beɾaˈkɾus|lang|VeracruzPronunciation.ogg}}}} officially the '''Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave''',{{efn|{{langx|es|Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave}}}} is one of the 31 states which, along with [[Mexico City]], comprise the 32 [[Political divisions of Mexico|Federal Entities]] of [[Mexico]]. Located in eastern Mexico, Veracruz is bordered by seven states: [[Tamaulipas]], [[San Luis Potosí]], [[Hidalgo (state)|Hidalgo]], [[Puebla]], [[Oaxaca]], [[Chiapas]], and [[Tabasco]]. Veracruz is divided into [[Municipalities of Veracruz|212 municipalities]], and its capital city is [[Xalapa|Xalapa-Enríquez]].

Veracruz has a significant share of the coastline of the [[Gulf of Mexico]] on the east of the state.<!-- measurement? --> The state is noted for its mixed ethnic and indigenous populations, and [[Cuisine of Veracruz|its cuisine]] reflects the many cultural influences that have come through the state because of the importance of the port of [[Veracruz (city)|Veracruz]]. In addition to the capital city, the state's largest cities include Veracruz, [[Coatzacoalcos]], [[Córdoba, Veracruz|Córdoba]], [[Minatitlán, Veracruz|Minatitlán]], [[Poza Rica]], [[Boca del Río, Veracruz|Boca Del Río]] and [[Orizaba]].

==Etymology==
The official name of the state is Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave. It is named after its largest city and main port, Veracruz, which was originally founded as Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz<ref>{{Cite web |title=Veracruz - 7 Wonders |url=https://7wonders.org/north-america/mexico/veracruz/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=7wonders.org |language=en-US}}</ref> (Rich Town of the True Cross) by Spanish conquistadors in 1519. The name "Vera Cruz" combines Latin and Spanish elements meaning "True Cross".<ref>{{Cite web |title=What does Veracruz mean? |url=https://www.definitions.net/definition/Veracruz |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=www.definitions.net}}</ref> The suffix is in honor of [[Ignacio de la Llave|Ignacio de la Llave y Segura Zevallos]] (1818–1863), who was the governor of Veracruz from 1855 to 1857,<ref name="Municipal">{{Cite web |last=Municipal |first=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo |title=Ignacio de la Llave: natalicio e historia |url=https://www.gob.mx/inafed/articulos/conmemoramos-el-natalicio-de-general-del-ejercito-y-como-gobernador-del-estado-de-veracruz-ignacio-de-la-llave |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=gob.mx |language=es}}</ref> and once again from 1861 to 1863.<ref name="Municipal" /> The state's official seal, adopted in 1954 by the state legislature through Law No. 92,<ref name="Escudo">{{Cite web |title=Escudo de Veracruz |url=https://paratodomexico.com/estados-de-mexico/estado-veracruz/escudo-veracruz.html |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=paratodomexico.com |language=es}}</ref> is based on the colonial coat of arms granted by King Charles I of Spain to Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz in 1523, which recognized Veracruz as the first Spanish settlement in New Spain.<ref name="Escudo" />

==History==
===Pre-Columbian===
[[File:Olmec Head from San Lorenzo, Veracruz.jpg|thumb|[[Olmec colossal heads|Colossal stone head]], [[Olmec]] culture, around 900 BC]]
During the pre-Columbian era, Veracruz was mainly populated by four indigenous groups: the [[Huastec people|Huastecs]] and [[Otomi]]s in the north, the [[Totonac]]s in the north-center, and the [[Olmec]]s in the south.<ref name="schmal"/> Archaeological remains of these civilizations are preserved at sites including Pánuco, [[Castillo de Teayo (Mesoamerican site)|Castillo de Teayo]], [[El Zapotal]], Las Higueras, [[Quiahuiztlan]], [[El Tajín]], [[Cempoala]], [[Tres Zapotes]], and [[San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán]].<ref name="enchistoria">{{cite web |url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |title=Historia |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=History |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616191401/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref>

The first major civilization in the territory of the current state was the Olmecs, centered in the [[Coatzacoalcos River]] region. Its principal ceremonial site was San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, with other important centers including Tres Zapotes in the city of Veracruz and La Venta in Tabasco. Olmec civilization reached its peak about 2,600 years ago, producing [[Olmec colossal heads|colossal stone heads]] that remain its most recognizable artistic achievement. These ceremonial sites were among the most complex of their era, leading many anthropologists to regard the Olmecs as the "mother culture" of Mesoamerican civilizations. Nevertheless, historian John Schmal notes that by 300 BCE, the Olmecs had been "eclipsed by other emerging civilizations in Mesoamerica".<ref name="schmal"/>

The Totonacs, who continue to exist as a distinct group today, traditionally inhabited a region known as [[Totonacapan]], located between the Cazones and Papaloapan Rivers in northern Veracruz. Pre-Columbian Totonacs subsisted on hunting, fishing, and agriculture, cultivating maize, beans, chili peppers, and squash; [[vanilla bean]]s are also native to the region. Characteristic artifacts include clay sculptures depicting smiling faces. El Tajín, located near [[Papantla]], is a major archaeological site of the Totonacs; however, the culture reached its peak at Cempoala, which is situated about {{convert|5|mi|km|spell=in}} inland from the modern port of Veracruz, before falling under Aztec control. At the time of the Spanish arrival in 1519, the Totonac population numbered approximately 250,000, distributed across fifty settlements and speaking four dialects, with about 25,000 inhabitants in Cempoala alone.<ref name="schmal"/>

The Huastecs traditionally and currently inhabit the far north of Veracruz and extend into Tamaulipas, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, [[Querétaro]], and Puebla. Their language and agricultural practices are similar to those of the [[Mayan peoples|Maya]], but only limited architectural and ceramic remains survive from the early Huastec culture. The civilization reached its height between 1200 and 1519, prior to Spanish conquest.<ref name="enchistoria"/>

During the 15th and early 16th centuries, the Aztecs established control over much of Veracruz, dividing the territory into the tributary provinces of Tochtepec, Cuetlaxtlan, Cempoallan, Quauhtochco, Jalapa, Misantla, and Tlatlauhquitepec. They valued the region for its vegetation and crops such as cedar, fruit, cotton, cacao, maize, beans, and vanilla. The Huastecs were incorporated into the provinces of Atlan and Tochpan. However, Totonac resistance to Aztec rule was frequent; as a result, rulers from [[Axayacatl]] in 1480 to [[Moctezuma II]] in the early 1500s were forced to dispatch troops to suppress uprisings.<ref name="schmal"/>

===Colonial period, 1519–1821===
[[File:Playa Villa Rica desde Quiahuiztlan01.jpeg|thumb|Playa Villa Rica, where the Spanish built the first city of Veracruz]]
[[File:EstatuaYanga.jpg|thumb|left|Statue of rebel leader Yanga]]

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 de Cuéllar|Diego Velázquez]], claiming authority directly from the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish Crown]]. A small contingent of the expedition remained at Veracruz, while the main body of conquerors moved inland.<ref>Ida Altman, Sarah Cline, and Javier Pescador, ''The Early History of Greater Mexico''. Prentice Hall 2003, p. 57.</ref>

Among the first groups encountered by the Spanish in the Americas were the [[Totonac people|Totonacs]].<ref name="schmal"/> [[Juan de Grijalva]] was the first Spaniard to make contact with the Totonacs near present-day Veracruz.<ref name="enchistoria"/> Seeking to free his people from Aztec rule, Totonac ruler [[Tlacochcalcatl]] offered conquistador Hernán Cortés 50,000 warriors to take Tenochtitlan. With Spanish assistance, the Totonacs expelled Aztec tax collectors and took over some Aztec outposts.<ref name="schmal"/> The city of Veracruz was established as the first Spanish-controlled municipality on the coast. Cortés then advanced towards Tenochtitlan, initiating the Spanish conquest.<ref name="enchistoria"/> As Cortés's campaign progressed, certain Totonac factions sided with the Spanish, while the Huastecs, also under Aztec rule, resisted Cortés's forces. After the Aztecs were defeated at Tenochtitlan, Cortés sent a unit to conquer the Huastecs as well.<ref name="schmal"/>

During the early conquest era, Cortés established ''[[encomienda]]s'', which rewarded conquerors with the labor of conquered indigenous people. The indigenous ruler of a settlement was charged with mobilization of labor and tribute owed to the holder of the encomienda. Multiple encomiendas were established in Veracruz, which changed ownership over time, but early on came under the direct control of the Spanish Crown rather than individual ''encomenderos''.<ref>Peter Gerhard, ''A Guide to the Historical Geography of New Spain, Revised Edition''. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press 1993.</ref>

During the colonial era, Veracruz was the main port of entry for immigrants from Spain, [[Atlantic slave trade|enslaved Africans]], and 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]].<ref>Altman, et al. ''The Early History of Greater Mexico'', p. 119.</ref> The route between Veracruz and 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.<ref name="schmal"/> To ensure the port's monopoly, Veracruz established control over almost all of New Spain's Gulf coastline.<ref name="enchistoria"/> New Spain's silver and [[cochineal]] red dye were the two most important exports from the port, along with chocolate, vanilla, and chili peppers. Imports included livestock (sheep, cows, goats, horses), wheat and other cultivars. Slaves, pineapple, and sugar cane were introduced from the Caribbean. Such valuable trade made the port a highly prized target for pirates during the colonial period, resulting in frequent attacks and sackings.<ref name="khursh"/><ref name="schmal"/> This led to the building of the fort of [[San Juan de Ulúa]], a site Juan de Grijalva visited in 1518,<ref>Thomas, Hugh. Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes, and the Fall of Old Mexico. p. 173</ref> and the fortification of the city overall.<ref name="enchistoria"/>

Much of Totonac and Huastec culture have survived the colonial period into the present day, largely due to northern Veracruz's rugged terrain and thick vegetation, and lack of resources that the Spanish sought.<ref name="schmal"/> Veracruz is considered to be where the "[[mestizo]]" or mixed European/indigenous ethnicities began, which is a large part of Mexican cultural identity.<ref name="enchistoria"/>

Arriving with the Spanish conquerors, new diseases made their first appearance in the continent. [[Influenza|European diseases]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Magner |first1=Lois N. |title=The Impact of European Disease on Native Americans |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/impact-european-diseases-native-americans |website=Encyclopedia.com |publisher=Cengage |access-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=December 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216171230/https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/impact-european-diseases-native-americans |url-status=live }}</ref> decimated the native population of the province, prompting the importation of enslaved Africans 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. As New Spain did not have any laws prohibiting interracial marriage, [[miscegenation]] between indigenous and African populations began almost immediately. People of this mixed heritage are called 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. The Spanish Crown took action against these groups beginning in the late sixteenth century, but a major rebellion broke out in 1606 in the Villa Rica, Nueva Veracruz, Antón Lizardo, and Rio Blanco areas. The most consequential rebellion occurred in the Orizaba area and involved about 500 fugitive slaves. In 1609, [[Gaspar Yanga]], a fugitive slave, led an insurrection against the Spanish. Unrest continued until 1618,  when the Spanish government eventually signed an amnesty pact which gave the Africans the right to form their own community in exchange for suppressing bandit activity. The town of San Lorenzo de Zerral established, and was later renamed the [[Yanga, Veracruz|municipality of Yanga]]. Yanga's rebellion marked the first time slavery was abolished in the Americas.<ref name="enchistoria" />

In the first half of the seventeenth century, cities such as [[Córdoba, Veracruz|Córdoba]], [[Orizaba]], and [[Xalapa]] were established or expanded to safeguard the trade route between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz. During this time, the Spanish and mixed-ethnicities population increased as the purely indigenous population continued to fall to a fraction of pre-Conquest levels (due now to mixing, rather than disease). Trade through Veracruz was restricted mainly to Spain, with only limited commerce permitted with England and other Spanish colonies, until the ''Decreto de Libre Comercio'' authorized free trade within Spanish-held realms in 1778, which opened up more of Europe. The reform increased the port's importance and the prosperity of its inhabitants.

Beyond the port, in other areas of the province, the economy was based on agriculture, livestock, and commerce. In 1720, Xalapa hosted its first trade fair, establishing the city as a key point of exchange between inland Mexican goods and foreign imports; this role later contributed to its designation as the state capital.<ref name="enchistoria" />

In 1746, the state was divided into 14 civil jurisdictions: Pánuco, Tampico, Huayacocotla, Huauchinango, Papantla, Misantla, Xalapa, Jalacingo, Veracruz, Córdoba, Orizaba, Cosamaloapan, Tuxtla, and Cotaxtla.<ref name="enchistoria" />

In 1824, soldiers loyal to the Spanish Crown made their last stand against the independence movement in 1824 at the port city of Veracruz and the fort of San Juan de Ulúa, where Cortés landed three hundred years earlier.<ref name="schmal" />

===Independence===
[[File:Nebel Mexican War 04 Bombardment of Vera Cruz (cropped).jpg|thumb|Depiction of the [[siege of Veracruz]] during the Mexican–American War]]

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 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.<ref name="enchistoria" />

While 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.<ref name="schmal" /><ref name="enchistoria" />

The French intervened in Mexico through Veracruz for 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.<ref name="enchistoria" />

During the [[Mexican–American War]], the port was blockaded again, this time by the Americans. Initial American attempts in 1847 to land in [[Alvarado (Veracruz)|Alvarado]] were checked, but the Americans then made a plan to land a few miles south of Veracruz, which surrendered after [[Siege of Veracruz|a 20-day siege]], defeated General [[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Santa Anna]]'s forces at the [[Battle of Cerro Gordo]], and marched inland through [[Xalapa]] towards Mexico City, led by General [[Winfield Scott]].<ref name="schmal" /><ref name="enchistoria" /> Mexico surrendered shortly after.

The municipalities of [[Tuxpan]] and [[:es:Chicontepec de Tejada|Chicontepec]] belonged to Puebla until 1853, when they were annexed to Veracruz to give 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 the state but were repelled from both the port and Xalapa.<ref name="enchistoria" />

The Reform War devastated Mexico's economy, leaving it unable to repay its European debts. As a result, Juárez annulled the country's foreign debt, prompting Britain, Spain, and France to occupy the Mexican Gulf Coast in October 1861 to force repayment. Under normal conditions, this move would have been blocked by 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. Spanish troops under General Manuel Gasset occupied the port of Veracruz without local resistance.<ref>''The New York Times'', "The Expedition to Mexico," January 3, 1861</ref> Then, in November, the port was also occupied by British and French forces. The Spanish and the British withdrew after making deals with Juárez, but [[Second French intervention in Mexico|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.<ref name="schmal" />

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.<ref name="enchistoria" />

By the end of the century, many infrastructure improvements, such as roads and railways (especially the [[Interoceanic Railway of Mexico|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 the same time period, uprisings against the government under [[Porfirio Díaz]] in the agricultural south of the state were brutally repressed.<ref name="enchistoria" />

===20th century to the present===
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 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 [[Río Blanco strike|dramatic violence in January 1907]].<ref name="enchistoria"/>
No major battles of the Mexican Revolution were fought in the state, though there were skirmishes and attacks on 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.<ref name="enchistoria"/>

In April 1914, the [[Tampico Affair]], which concerned U.S. sailors in the city of Tampico, caused President Woodrow Wilson to send American troops to Veracruz for six months, after which Mexico severed diplomatic relations with the United States.<ref name="schmal"/>

After 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]] was expanded as well. In 1960, the [[Xalapa Museum of Anthropology]] was inaugurated as well as the Coatzacoalco-[[Salina Cruz]] highway. The [[Veracruz International Airport|Veracruz city international airport]] was opened in the 1970s.<ref name="enchistoria"/>

In the ten years after 2006, at least 3,600 people have disappeared within the state.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Mexico finds 166 bodies in mass grave |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20180907-mexico-finds-166-bodies-mass-grave-veracruz-drug-cartels |work=France24 |date=September 7, 2018 |access-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-date=October 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001003240/https://www.france24.com/en/20180907-mexico-finds-166-bodies-mass-grave-veracruz-drug-cartels |url-status=live}}<br/>{{cite news |last=Woody |first=Christopher |title=A former Mexican governor has been accused of involvement in forced disappearances, and it points to a sinister problem with Mexico's police |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/javier-duarte-former-veracruz-mexico-governor-accused-disappearances-2018-6 |work=Business Insider |date=June 11, 2018 |access-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906212653/https://www.businessinsider.com/javier-duarte-former-veracruz-mexico-governor-accused-disappearances-2018-6 |url-status=live }}</ref> Multiple mass graves have been found within the state.<ref>{{cite news |author=José de Córdoba |date=March 15, 2017 |title=Grieving Mothers Lead Authorities to Mass Grave in Mexico |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/grieving-mothers-lead-authorities-to-mass-grave-in-mexico-1489612745 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907071056/https://www.wsj.com/articles/grieving-mothers-lead-authorities-to-mass-grave-in-mexico-1489612745 |url-status=live}}<br/>{{cite news |last=Garrido |first=Edgar |editor1-last=Cameron-Moore |editor1-first=Simon |date=March 19, 2017 |title=Mexico drug war investigators unearth 47 more skulls in mass graves |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-violence/mexico-drug-war-investigators-unearth-47-more-skulls-in-mass-graves-idUSKBN16R07X |access-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907110310/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-violence/mexico-drug-war-investigators-unearth-47-more-skulls-in-mass-graves-idUSKBN16R07X |url-status=live }}</ref> This is seen as part of the over 28,000 missing individuals related to the [[Mexican drug war]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Wade |first=Lizzie |date=December 14, 2016 |title=How forensic anthropologists are helping the families of Mexico's disappeared seek justice |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/how-forensic-anthropologists-are-helping-families-mexicos-disappeared-seek-justice |magazine=Science |access-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205221557/https://www.science.org/content/article/how-forensic-anthropologists-are-helping-families-mexicos-disappeared-seek-justice |url-status=live }}</ref> Within the state the [[Gulf Cartel]] and [[Los Zetas]] have battled for control.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Mexico drugs war: Mass grave found in Veracruz |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27915986 |work=BBC News |date=June 19, 2014 |access-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907110215/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27915986 |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, this has led to journalists being [[List of journalists and media workers killed in Mexico|targeted and killed]] within the state.<ref>{{cite news |last=Imison |first=Paul |date=August 17, 2015 |title=How Veracruz Became the Most Dangerous State in Mexico for Journalists |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-veracruz-became-the-most-dangerous-state-in-mexico-for-journalists/ |work=Vice |access-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018194046/https://www.vice.com/en/article/zm74b5/how-veracruz-became-the-most-dangerous-state-in-mexico-for-journalists |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Geography==
===Political geography===
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.<ref name="khursh">{{cite web |url=http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2085-the-cuisine-of-veracruz-a-tasty-blend-of-cultures |title=The cuisine of Veracruz: a tasty blend of cultures |first=Karen |last=Hursh Graber |date=January 1, 2006 |publisher=Mexconnect |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=October 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008141050/http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2085-the-cuisine-of-veracruz-a-tasty-blend-of-cultures |url-status=live }}</ref> Its total area is {{convert|78815|km2|mi2|abbr=on|0}}, accounting for about 3.7% of Mexico's total territory.<ref name="esveracruz">{{cite web |url=http://portal.veracruz.gob.mx/portal/page?_pageid=33,3784603&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |title=Estado de Veracruz |year=2006 |publisher=Secretaria de Desarrollo Economico y Portuario |location=Veracruz |language=es |trans-title=State of Veracruz |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=January 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112043947/http://portal.veracruz.gob.mx/portal/page?_pageid=33,3784603&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |url-status=live }}</ref> It stretches about {{convert|650|km|mi|abbr=on|1}} north to south, but its width varies from between {{convert|212|and|36|km|mi|abbr=on|0}}, with an average of about {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} in width.<ref name="mediofisico">{{cite web |url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |title=Medio Fisico |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Environment |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616191401/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="brittanica">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/625799/Veracruz |title=Veracruz |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722052049/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/625799/Veracruz |url-status=live }}</ref> Veracruz borders [[Tamaulipas]] to the north; [[Oaxaca]] and [[Chiapas]] to the south; [[Tabasco]] to the southeast; and [[Hidalgo (state)|Hidalgo]], [[Puebla]], and [[San Luis Potosí]] to the west. Its coastline along the Gulf of Mexico extends for {{convert|690|km|mi|abbr=on|0}}.<ref name="schmal">{{cite web |url=http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/veracruz.html |title=The History of Veracruz |first=John P. |last=Schmal |year=2004 |publisher=Houston Institute for Culture |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=October 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013224021/http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/veracruz.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Natural geography===
[[File:Pico_de_Orizaba_desde_Hidalgo,_Puebla.jpg|thumb|[[Pico de Orizaba|Citlaltépetl]], the highest mountain in [[Mexico]] at 5,636 m.]]
[[File:JamapaRiver-Near CasaBlancaTown VeracruzMexico.jpg|left|thumb|View of the [[Jamapa River]].]]
The natural geography can be categorized into nine regions: The [[Sierra de Zongolica]], the Tecolutla Region, the Huayacocotla Region, the Metlac River area, the [[Los Tuxtlas|Tuxtlas]] Region, the Central Region, the Laguna del Castillo Region, the Pueblo Viejo-Tamiahua Region and the [[Laguna de Alvarado]] Region.<ref name="mediofisico"/> 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 {{convert|5636|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} above sea level.<ref name="esveracruz"/><ref name="schmal"/> The coast is home to numerous tidewater streams and lagoons, which alternate with low strips of sand.<ref name="brittanica"/> Most of the long coastline is narrow and sandy with unstable dunes, small shifting lagoons, and points.<ref name="mediofisico"/>

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 the [[Sierra de Los Tuxtlas]]. Major peaks include Pico de Orizaba ({{convert|5636|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=semicolon|0}}), [[Cofre de Perote]] ({{convert|4282|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=semicolon|1}}), Cerro de Tecomates ({{convert|3227|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=semicolon|0}}), Cerro del Vigía Alta ({{convert|3055|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=semicolon|0}}) and Cerro de 3 Tortas ({{convert|2997|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=semicolon|0}}). The Pico de Orizaba is covered in snow year round; the Cofre de Perote is covered in winter. Major valleys include the Acultzingo, Córdoba, Maltrata, Orizaba and San Andrés.<ref name="mediofisico"/>

Veracruz has over 40 rivers and tributaries, which transport rich silt from the state's highlands to its coastal regions and valleys. These rivers also provide water for hydroelectric power and irrigation.<ref name="brittanica"/> 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 (Veracruz)|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 (Veracruz)|Tuxpan River]] and [[Xoloapa River]]. The largest in terms of water discharge are the Pánuco, Tuxpan, Papaloapan, Coazocoalcos and [[Uspanapa River|Uxpanapa]]. The Panuco, Tuxpan, Papaloapan and Coatzacoalcos are navigable.<ref name="mediofisico"/> 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.<ref name="dosrios">{{cite web |url=http://www.imta.mx/potamologia/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143:-en-el-estado-de-veracruz-los-dos-rios-mas-contaminados-de-mexico-salvemos-el-agua&catid=41:noticias&Itemid=102 |title=En el estado de Veracruz, los dos ríos más contaminados de México: Salvemos el Agua |date=January 1, 2010 |work=Potamología |publisher=Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=In the state of Veracruz, the two most contaminated rivers in Mexico: Lets sabe the water |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722225617/http://www.imta.mx/potamologia/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143:-en-el-estado-de-veracruz-los-dos-rios-mas-contaminados-de-mexico-salvemos-el-agua&catid=41:noticias&Itemid=102 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The state also has ten major waterfalls and ten major coastal lagoons. There 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.<ref name="mediofisico"/>

=== Major communities ===
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Acayucan]]
* [[Alvarado, Veracruz|Alvarado]]
* [[Boca del Río, Veracruz|Boca del Río]]
* [[Camarón de Tejeda]]
* [[Catemaco]]
* [[Coatepec, Veracruz|Coatepec]]
* [[Coatzacoalcos]]
* [[Córdoba, Veracruz|Córdoba]]
* [[El Jícaro, Veracruz]]
* [[Martínez de la Torre]]
* [[Minatitlán, Veracruz|Minatitlán]]
* [[Orizaba]]
* [[Papantla|Papantla (Papantla de Olarte)]]
* [[Poza Rica]]
* [[Santiago Tuxtla]]
* [[San Andrés Tuxtla]]
* [[Tuxpan]] (Túxpam/Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano)
* [[Veracruz (city)|Veracruz]]
* [[Xalapa|Xalapa (Xalapa-Enríquez)]]
{{Div col end}}

==== Localities ====
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a location to this list if it already has its own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦--->
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->
*[[La Martucha]]<ref>{{cite web |title=La Martucha (Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave) |url=https://mexico.pueblosamerica.com/i/la-martucha/ |website=mexico.pueblosamerica.com |access-date=July 26, 2023 |language=Spanish |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726183154/https://mexico.pueblosamerica.com/i/la-martucha/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Climate===
[[File:MountainVeracruzTabascoBorder03.JPG|thumb|Mountain formation in the south of the state]]
{{climate chart|Veracruz<!--State 2008-->
|14|24|50
|16|28|32
|16|28|18
|19|31|48
|21|33|73
|20|29|308
|19|29|250
|21|31|125
|20|28|387
|18|27|204
|14|25|54
|14|25|36
|float=right
|source=[http://smn.cna.gob.mx/productos/productos.html Comisión Nacional del Agua]<!--no link? set http://smn.cna.gob.mx/-->
}}

The large variation of altitude results in a wide mixture of climates, ranging from cold, snow-topped mountain peaks to hot, humid tropical areas on the coast.<ref name="schmal"/> 32% of the state is classified as hot and humid, 52% as hot and semi humid, 9% as warm and humid, 6% as temperate and humid, and 1% as cold.<ref name="esveracruz"/> Hot/humid and hot/semi-humid climates dominate from sea level to about {{convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} above sea level. Average annual temperature ranges from {{convert|22|to|26|C|F}} with precipitation varying from {{convert|2000|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} to just over {{convert|3500|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} per year. Cooler and humid climates are found at elevations between {{convert|1000|and|1600|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}. These have an average temperature of between {{convert|18|and|22|C|F}} with precipitation varying between {{convert|2000|and|2500|mm|in|abbr=on|0}}. Temperate climates are found at higher altitudes, between {{convert|1600|and|2800|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}. Temperatures here vary from {{convert|12|to|18|C|F}} with precipitation varying more, between {{convert|500|and|2500|mm|in|abbr=on|0}}. Cold climates are found at 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.<ref name="mediofisico"/>

===Ecosystems===
[[File:Laguna catemaco shore.jpg|thumb|Shore of [[Lake Catemaco]]]]
[[File:Buganvilia.jpg|thumb|Bougainvillea]]

Various types of forest cover the state, but evergreen [[tropical forest]] dominate.<ref name="mediofisico"/> The state's ecology is of great importance for many plant and animal species. It is a center of plant endemism and has two separate endemic bird areas.<ref name="WWF">{{WWF ecoregion |id=nt0176 |name= Veracruz moist forests|access-date=August 3, 2010 }}</ref>

The northern part of the state and 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 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 the central part of the state, with vegetation changing to include mahogany (''[[Swietenia macrophylla]]''), sapodilla (''Manilkara zapota''), ''[[Bernoullia flammea]]'', and ''[[Astronium graveolens]]''.<ref name="WWF"/> 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 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 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'').<ref name="WWF"/> The endangered [[Baird's tapir]] may occasionally be spotted in 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 {{convert|18553|km2|mi2|abbr=on|1}} of forest were logged, resulting in the loss of habitat and biodiversity. Much of 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.<ref name="WWF"/>

The state has 31 environmentally protected areas in 21 different municipalities. Nine are urban parks, three are national parks ([[Pico de Orizaba National Park|Pico de Orizaba]], [[Cofre de Perote National Park|Cofre de Perote]] and [[San José de los Molinos National Park|San José de los Molinos]]).<ref name="mediofisico"/> The Cofre de Perote National Park 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 (municipality)|Ángel R. Cabada]], [[Santiago Tuxtla]], [[San Andres Tuxtla]], [[Catemaco]], [[Soteapan]], [[Mecayapan]], [[Pajapan]] and [[Tatahuicapan]] for a total of {{convert|155122|ha|acre|abbr=on|1}}. 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 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]].<ref name="mediofisico"/>

[[Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano National Marine Park|The Veracruz Reef System]] is also considered to be a national park and is mostly off the coast of Veracruz city, [[Boca del Río, Veracruz|Boca del Río]] and [[Alvarado, Veracruz|Alvarado]]. The area includes coral reefs, seaweed beds and other marine vegetation, covering an area of {{convert|52239|ha|acre|abbr=on|1}}. 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 (state)|Yucatán]].<ref name="mediofisico"/>

==Economy==
Veracruz has one of Mexico's leading economies, based on agriculture and petroleum.<ref name="brittanica" />
{{Expand section|date=April 2025}}

===Agriculture===
[[File:Vanilla beans.jpg|thumb|Vanilla beans]]

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 a long coastline and forest containing a wide variety of trees and other plants.<ref name="schmal"/><ref name="moritzky">{{cite web |url=http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/939-traveling-the-central-high-plains-part-one |title=Veracruz: traveling the Central High Plains of Mexico |first=Charles E. |last=Moritzky |date=January 1, 2006 |publisher=Mexconnect |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=August 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819002101/http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/939-traveling-the-central-high-plains-part-one |url-status=live }}</ref>

There is about 1&nbsp;million hectares of cultivable land, half of which is privately owned 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% 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.<ref name="brittanica"/> 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.<ref name="schmal"/> Coffee is grown on 152,993 hectares producing 400,575 tons. Export earnings from this crop are about US$232&nbsp;million annually. Most coffee 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. {{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}

The state grows half of Mexico's citrus fruit, and produces the largest number of citrus varieties. Citrus cultivation occupies 180,577 hectares and yields 2,575,140 tons annually. Varieties include oranges, tangerines, [[Mandarin orange|mandarin]]s, limes, and grapefruit. The majority of citrus is grown in the northern part of the state. Most of the limes grown are exported, which supports the packing and shipping industry. Veracruz is the largest mango producer in the country, with 31,640 hectares in cultivation that produce 287,000 tons, primarily of the manila variety, which is preferred in Mexico. 95% of mangoes grown in Veracruz are consumed fresh within Mexico, although exports to Canada have begun. {{Citation needed|date=December 2016}} Vanilla beans, another major Mexican crop, are native to Veracruz. Most vanilla beans are grown in the area known as Totonacapan in and around Papantla.

Livestock raising is critical to the state's economy. There are over 300,000 production units in the state, most of which raise cattle. Veracruz is the main beef producer for Mexico, producing 14% of the country's total beef. In addition to beef cattle, other livestock species include dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, domestic fowl, and bees.<ref name="brittanica"/>

The state's inland tropical forests supply [[dyewood]]s, hardwoods, and rubber.<ref name="schmal"/> About 20% of Veracruz is forested, with 220,000 hectares of temperate forest and 1,200,000 hectares of tropical forests. Logging in the state produces 128,254 m<sup>3</sup> 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 a large fishing industry, producing 20% of Mexico's catch. Most of the country's [[mojarra]], oysters, and shrimp come from the state. Other major fish catches include crab, [[white seabass|sea bass]] and [[Northern red snapper|red snapper]].

Agroindustry focuses on the processing of coffee and sugar products, with citrus packers holding an important position as well. {{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}

===Natural resources===
[[File:Torre Petrolera Poza Rica.jpg|thumb|100px|Petroleum tower in Poza Rica]]

Veracruz, a resource-rich state, plays a significant role in Mexico's economy. It hosts about 35% of the country's water supply, and is a key hub for oil production.<ref name="schmal"/> While the state's mountains also contain unexploited coal, iron, gold, and silver reserves, its mining activity primarily focuses on non-metallic minerals such as [[calcium]], [[feldspar]], [[kaolin]], [[marble]], and [[silica]]. The state ranks fourth in the country for non-metallic mineral output. In total, mining contributes 1.5% to the state's economy.<ref name="schmal"/>

Veracruz was a pioneer in both the extraction and refining of petroleum products.<ref name="mediofisico"/> The state has about one-fourth of Mexico's petroleum reserves and ranks third in petroleum production.<ref name="mediofisico"/><ref name="brittanica"/> Most of this production is concentrated in the northern part of the state.<ref name="schmal"/> Approximately {{convert|40000000|oilbbl}} of oil are produced each year and {{convert|109870000000|cuft|m3}} of natural gas. Petrochemicals represent 28.1% of the state's manufacturing and ranks first nationally. There are 22 petrochemical plants, with the most important being [[La Cangrejera]], [[Jáltipan de Morelos]], [[Poza Rica]], [[Cosoleacaque]], [[Pajaritos, Veracruz|Pajaritos]] and [[Minatitlán, Veracruz|Minatitlán]].

====Golden Lane Oil Fields====
[[File:Golden Lane Map.pdf|thumb|300px|Map of the Golden Lane Oil Fields<ref>Viniegra O., F., and Castillo-Tejero, C., 1970, Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, AAPG Memoir 14, Halbouty, M.T. editor, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, p. 310.</ref>]]

The "Golden Lane" ("Dos Bocas-Alamo structure" or The Ridge") refers to a series of oil fields aligned in an arc onshore and a symmetrical alignment offshore, forming two sides of a [[Cretaceous]] [[atoll]] 180&nbsp;km long.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 309">Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, p. 309, 1970.</ref> The structure was discovered in 1908 by [[Weetman Pearson]]'s [[Mexican Eagle Petroleum Company]] San diego de la Mar No. 1 well, which flowed 2,500 [[Barrel (unit)|barrels]] per day.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 309"/> The Golden Lane oil fields penetrate a massive elliptical [[reef]] platform, identified as the Sierra del Abra limestone (consisting of reef, backreef and [[lagoon]]al [[facies]]), which dips southeast.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 314 and 316, 1970.</ref> The selection of the discovery well site was opportune due to presence of [[petroleum seep]]s, just as was [[Edward Laurence Doheny]]'s La Paz No. well in the Ebano-Panuco petroleum district west of [[Tampico]], Tamaulipas, which was the first Mexican discovery well in 1904.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 309–311, 1970.</ref> In 1908, the infamous [[Dos Bocas oil fire]] occurred after the San Diego de la Mar No. 3 [[Blowout (well drilling)|blowout]].<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 311">Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, p. 311, 1970.</ref> This was followed by the Potrero del Llano No. 4 well, which flowed 100,000 barrels per day during the three months that it was out of control.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 311"/> Doheny's Cerro Azul No. 4 well, located by Ezequiel Ordonez, became the largest daily production record holder in 1916 at 260,000 bbl.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 311"/> Geophysical studies, in particular [[gravimetry]], starting in 1920 led to the discovery of the Poza Rica Field in 1932 and Moralillo Field in 1948, on the west flank of the Golden Lane in the Tamabra forereef facies.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 311 and 317, 1970.</ref> Refraction [[seismography]] surveys started in 1930, augemented in 1948 with reflection seismography, which led to the discovery of the southern extent of the atoll with the Ezequiel Ordonez No. 1 well in 1952 and additional discoveries through 1968.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 312">Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, p. 312, 1970.</ref> Marine seismic and [[magnetometer]] surveys starting in 1957 showed the extent of the atoll offshore and led to the first offshore well, Isla de Lobos No. 1-B, in 1963.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 312"/> The depths of wells are on the order of 500 m onshore and 2000 m offshore.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 311–312, 1970.</ref>

===Industry, transportation and commerce===
[[File:PortVeracruz55.JPG|thumb|A portion of the port of Veracruz]]

[[Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant]] (LVNPP) in Alto Lucero, Veracruz, produces about 4.5% of Mexico's electrical energy.
21% to 33% of Veracruz's [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) is derrived from manufacturing, with the chemical and petrochemical sectors contributing about 64% of the manufacturing GDP.<ref name="schmal"/> Other products produced include metals, processed foods, beverages, printing and publishing, textiles and machinery.<ref name="schmal"/> Most of the state's industry takes place in the municipalities of [[Coatzacoalcos]], Minatitlán, Cosoleacaque, Poza Rica, Córdoba, Orizaba, Tuxpan and Veracruz, with over 5,000 establishments. The rest is divided among nearly 11,000 smaller establishments. There are five major industrial parks: Bruno Pagliai, Ixtac, Petroquimico Morelos, Córdoba-Amatlán and Parque 2000. The largest of these is Bruno Pagliai, which covers {{convert|300.8|ha}}.

Transportation and commerce are important factors in the state, mostly linked to importing and exporting through its four deepwater ports. The focus of most of these activities is the port of Veracruz, whose location on the Gulf coast of Mexico makes it a key export hub. It handles 75% of Mexico's port activity, with exports from Veracruz traveling to Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Its primary exports include coffee, fertilizer, fish and crustaceans, and fresh fruits.<ref name="schmal"/> Other ports include those in Tuxpan and Coatzacoalcos. Most highway, rail and air connections link to the port of Veracruz and other ports to the south.<ref name="brittanica"/> The state has 73 companies that have been classified as high-volume exporters and it is ranked sixth in the country for exports. The state contains five major food wholesale markets, 146 government sponsored markets, about 75,000 private stores and 201 supermarkets. Wholesale vendors focus on agricultural products such as wood, livestock and food products. The major focal point for international business is the World Trade Center EXPOVER in Boca del Río. Inaugurated in 1989, the center has facilities to accommodate 5,000 people in {{convert|7,000|m2}}, an exhibition hall of {{convert|12,000|m2}}, a business center and parking for over 800 vehicles.

In the industrial sector, relatively poor municipios are not catching up to relatively rich ones though the latter are not diverging either. A policy of encouraging much more domestic and/or foreign investment is called
for if poorer areas are to prosper and the outflow of residents is to stop.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Brock, Gregory |title="The Long Run Industrial Growth of Veracruz State, 1955-2008 |journal=Journal of Economic Studies |volume=41 |issue=6 |date=2014 |pages=821–832 |url=http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/jes/41/6 |doi=10.1108/JES-02-2013-0020 |s2cid=154695456 |access-date=November 7, 2014 |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018194047/https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0144-3585/vol/41/iss/6 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

===Handcrafts===
In the more rural and indigenous areas of the state, a number of handicrafts are still made and sold both to local buyers and to tourists. Many of these crafts are produced by communities that specialize in one or more types. Wood furniture and other items are made by the Huasteca people, mostly using cedar and palm trees. The best work comes from the towns of Ozulama and Castillo de Teayo. Teocelo and Monte Blanco are known for bamboo furniture and other items. Musical instruments of wood such as a guitar called "jarana" are constructed in the Los Tuxtlas area, especially in Catemaco, with flutes made in Papantla. Wooden masks are made in Teocelo, and items made with the wood of coffee plants are made in Misantla, Coatepec, Huastusco and Xico. Corn husks are used to make decorative figures, often religious, in Nautla and Naranjos de Amatlán. Palm fronds are woven into fans, shoes and baskets in Jalcomulco, Ozulama and Tlalixcoyan.<ref name="rincones4042">González, pp. 40–42</ref>

Ceramics have been made in almost all parts of Veracruz since the Olmecs. One area known for its work is Papantla which also includes life sized representations of folk dancers from the area along with more mundane items of glazed and unglazed pottery. Minatitlán is known for its production of ceramic cooking utensils which are also popular in the neighboring municipalities of Actopan and Naolinco. San Miguel Aguasuelos and Jalcomulco are known for their white clay wares which include water jars, toys, nativity scenes, bells and more.<ref name="rincones4042"/>

Traditional clothing and embroidery can be most easily found in the La Huasteca area, where elaborately decorated women's blouses can be seen, especially in the El Higo and Tlalixcoyan area. In Totonacalpan, men are still often seen in white shirts and pants with a bag to hold personal items. This dress dates back to the early colonial period and had not changed much since then. Other areas specialize in wool items such as Naranjos de Amatlán, Minatilán and the city of Veracruz where items such as dresses, skirts and jackets. These and other textiles such as tablecloths and napkins are often decorated with cross-stitch. Leather items include shoes, jackets, bags, wallets, belts and boots and are usually made in the La Huasteca region, Teocolo, Citlaltépetl and Naolinco.<ref name="rincones4042"/>

==Culture==
===Gastronomy===
{{Main|Cuisine of Veracruz}}
[[File:HuachinangoVeracruzana.JPG|thumb|Huachinango ([[red snapper (fish)|red snapper]]) a la Veracruzana]]

The gastronomy of the state is unique in Mexico and mixed Spanish, indigenous, and Caribbean influences.<ref name="atractcul">{{cite web |url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |title=Atractivos Culturales y Turísticos |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Cultural and Tourist Attractions |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616191401/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref> From the pre-Hispanic period, the cuisine of the state was unique. The staple triumvirate of corn, beans, and squash was supplemented by tropical fruits, vanilla beans, and an herb called acuyo or [[hoja santa]]. Another important native contribution is seafood, which is featured in many dishes such as, [[arroz a la tumbada]] and caldo de mariscos (seafood soup).<ref name="khursh"/>

During the colonial period, a variety of spices and ingredients were introduced to Veracruz, significantly impacting the local cuisine. In terms of spices, the Spanish introduced [[bay laurel]], [[cilantro]], [[parsley]], [[parsley]], and [[thyme]] from Europe and [[cloves]], [[cinnamon]], and [[black pepper]] from Asia. They also brought almonds, capers, garlic, olives, olive oil, rice, and wheat. Capers, garlic, and olive oil are essential ingredients in what is perhaps the most famous specialty of the region, [[huachinango a la veracruzana]], red snapper in a spicy tomato sauce. Caribbean imports such as [[sugar cane]] and pineapple were adapted as well as the peanut, brought from Africa by the Portuguese (although the peanut is originally from South America).<ref name="khursh"/>

Veracruz cuisine divides into six regions called Sotavento, Centro Norte, Centro Sur, Sierra, Costa Norte, and Los Tuxtlas. The Sotovento area is in the south of the state, and the dishes here are heavily based on rice. Common dishes include arroz a la tumbada, which is rice cooked with seafood or meat and rice with fried bananas. Seafood dishes are also prominent based mostly on fish and shrimp. A common ingredient in dishes is a herb called "hoja santa" or "hierba Santa", which is a plant of the family [[Piperaceae]]. The Centro Norte is centered on Xalapa. Dishes here tend to be more indigenous in nature, heavily flavored with mild chili peppers. Common dishes here include Chilehuates, similar to a tamale, stuffed chile peppers, and enchiladas. Less seafood and more pork and domestic fowl are consumed. The Centro Sur area is mostly indigenous and encompasses the area of, Huatusco, Coscomatepec, Cotaxtla, Orizaba, Amatlán, Huilango y las españolas Córdoba y Fortín de las Flores, la negra Yanga and San Lorenzo de los Negros. Dishes here are similar to Centro Norte, but [[chayote]]s appear more often as this region is a major producer of the vegetable. Meats in [[adobo]] sauce are common as well. The Sierra and Costa Norte encompass the northern part of the state, such as the Pánuco River area and Totonacapan. This area is noted for a number of unique dishes such as frijoles en achuchutl, made with black beans, pork rind, chayotes, squash seeds, and [[jalapeño pepper]]s. [[Bocole]]s are a kind of filled tortilla made with corn dough, stuffed with black beans, chorizo, eggs, or seafood, which then are fried in lard. Tamales are often made with banana leaves. The area is also known for its breads, especially [[anise]]–flavored rolls. The Los Tuxtlas area is centered on the communities of Santiago, San Andrés and Catemaco, which were the center of the Olmec civilization. The cuisine in this area features yucca, "chocos" (a type of edible flower), fish, especially mojarra, and exotic meats such as monkey, and [[iguana]].<ref name="atractcul"/>

===Museums===
[[File:San Martin Pajapan Monument 1 retouched.jpg|thumb|300px|The Olmec [[San Martin Pajapan Monument 1]] on exhibit in the Museum of Anthropology in Xalapa]]

The state capital of Xalapa is also home to a number of important museums. The Museum of Anthropology contains the second most important collection of Mesoamerican artifacts in the country. It was built beginning in 1959 on six hectares. The complex is divided into various halls and galleries by theme, focusing on the Olmec and Totonac cultures. The Patio Olmeca contains the colossal head found in 1945 and known as El Rey (The King). Other important artifacts include giant stelae and [[San Martin Pajapan Monument 1]] (at right).
The Museum of Science and Technology, located in Xalapa, contains more than 400 exhibitions in eight halls: Life, Ecology, Space, Transportation, Sciences, Energy, Water and Earth. The Pinoteca Diega Rivera was established by the state in the former Monastery of San Francisco in Xalapa. Its primary function is to preserve and display [[Diego Rivera|Rivera]]'s works owned by the state, but it also contains early works by [[José María Velasco Gómez|José María Velasco]], [[Jorge Cuesta]] and [[Teodoro A. Dehesa]]. Near the city is the Hacienda del Lencero, which was the home and headquarters of President Antonio López de Santa Anna in the 19th century. It has been preserved and turned into a museum.<ref name="atractcul"/>

The Regional Museum of Anthropology in Tuxpan houses more than 400 pieces from pre-Hispanic groups in the region, displayed in four halls. Most of the pieces come from the center of the state and from the Huasteca region.On the edge of the Tuxpan River. The city also has the Mexican-Cuban Museum. It contains a collection of photographs from the [[Cuban Revolution]] as well as a statue of [[José Martí]].<ref name="atractcul"/>

Other museums are scattered across the state. The [[Salvador Ferrando]] Museum is located in [[Tlacotalpan]] and contains many everyday items and art from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The Tuxteco Regional Museum in Santiago de Tuxtla contains Olmec and Totonac artifacts including art objects, farming implements, utensils and more. In the garden area, there are giant stone sculptures from the Tres Zapotes site. The Jardín Central (Central Garden) of the municipality of [[Tierra Blanca, Veracruz|Tierra Blanca]] has a number of Totonac archeological pieces on display. The Archeological Museum of Córdoba, located in the city of the same name, has three exhibition halls containing artifacts from the Maya, Olmec, Toltec and Huastec cultures. There is also a collection of historical photographs of the city. The Veracruz State Art Museum (Museo de Arte del Estado de Veracruz) is located in Orizaba in what was the monastery associated with the Concordia Church. Its collection includes works by Diego Rivera, [[Ignacio Rosas]] and [[Gonzalo Argüelles]]. It also contains a collection of historical photographs related to Veracruz and art. The Malintzin Archeological Museum in the municipality of [[Nogales, Veracruz|Nogales]] is a small museum with one hall that contains photographs and documents. It is located in the church where [[Malinche]] and [[Juan de Jaramillo]] were supposedly married.<ref name="atractcul"/>

===Fairs and festivals===
The state is noted for its quantity and variety of festivals. The most important of these is [[Carnival]] in the city of Veracruz. This city's version of the event begins with the "burning of bad humor", which is represented in effigy. A number of kings and queens are "crowned" including categories for children but the most important is the Rey Feo (Ugly King) and the Reina del Carnaval (Queen of the Carnival). The latter is accompanies by cadets from the Naval Academy during the parade. This celebration is repeated all along the Veracruz coastline with other significant festivities taking place in [[Alvarado, Veracruz|Alvarado]], [[Coatzacoalcos]], [[San Rafael, Veracruz|San Rafael]] and [[José Cardel, Veracruz|Villa José Cardel]]. [[Minatitlán, Veracruz|Minatitlán]]'s celebration draws people from the nearby states of Oaxaca and Tabasco.<ref name="rincones23">González, p. 23</ref> [[Day of the Dead]] is celebrated in almost all of Mexico from Oct 31 to November 2 but there are local twists in the state. In some places, it is commemorated during the months of August and September. In Papantla, boards or tables are placed on rooftops, which have been adorned with flowers, plant matter and more. In Tantoyuca, it is commemorated with costumes and music, similar to Carnival.<ref name="atractcul"/>

The Christian celebration of [[Candlemas]] is fused with traditions associated with [[Chalchiuhtlicue|Chalchiuhtlicua]], the goddess of water, rivers, lakes and ocean. She was replaced by the Virgin of Candlemas, the protector of fishermen, making this celebration particularly important on the coast, especially in Tlacotalpan, where it is celebrated with much pomp. In [[Jáltipan de Morelos]], ethnic [[Nahua peoples|Nahuas]] and [[Popolucas]] dress in elaborate costumes and arrange their hair in intricate styles. In Santa María Magdalena, on July 22, bulls are set free to roam the streets. Corn harvest festivals are prominent in the Huasteca region in municipalities such as [[Chontla]], Chicontepec, and [[Ixhuatlán de Madero]]. These generally include native dances and foods based on corn.<ref name="atractcul"/><ref name="rincones23"/>

===Dance and music===
{{Listen
| filename = Malague a Master 44.ogg
| title = "La malagueña"
| description = Son huasteco, performed by Los Hijos de la Malinche of Jáltipan, Veracruz
| pos = left
}}

The state is well known in the country for its music and dance. The [[fandango]] is a dance brought over from Spanish. Today the state has two varieties: the jarocho and the huasteco.<ref name="atractcul"/> Indigenous and folk dances in the state are most often associated with rituals and religious festivals. These include one called Los Lisceres also called the Tigres from the Los Tuxtlas region. Participants wear Olmec style masks which represent the rain god Tlalóc. Another is Los Guaguas in which the participants pay homage to the sun, and Los Santiagos, which is related to the veneration of Saint James, patron saint of Hernán Cortés. One last one is called Los Negritos (The Little Black Ones) which was created by African slaves. According to tradition, the origin of this dance lies in a story about a boy who was bitten by a snake and the rituals his family held to heal him.<ref name="rincones22">González, p. 22</ref>

However, the state's most famous dance is as much a ritual and daredevil act as movements performed to music. The '''Danza de los Voladores''' (Dance of the Flyers) is a ceremony/ritual which has its roots in the pre-Hispanic period and presently best known as associated with the town of [[Papantla]], Veracruz. It is believed to have originated with the [[Nahua peoples|Nahua]], [[Huastec people|Huastec]] and [[Otomi people|Otomi]] peoples in central Mexico, and then spread throughout most of [[Mesoamerica]]. The ritual consists of dance and the climbing of a 30-meter pole from which four of the five participants then launch themselves tied with ropes to descend to the ground. The fifth remains on top of the pole, dancing and playing a flute and drum. According to myth, the ritual was created to ask the gods to end a severe [[drought]]. Although the ritual did not originate with the [[Totonac]] people, today it is most strongly associated with them, especially those in and around [[Papantla]], as the ceremony has died off in most other places.<ref name="wilkerson7576">{{Cite book |title=El Tajin: A Guide for Visitors |last=Wilkerson |first=S. Jeffrey K |year=1987 |isbn=968-499-293-9 |pages=75–76 |publisher=Universidad Veracruzana }}</ref> The ceremony was named an [[Intangible Cultural Heritage]] by [[UNESCO]] in order to help the ritual survive and thrive in the modern world.<ref name="mcclat">{{Cite news |title='Flying Men' are now Cultural Heritage |newspaper=McClatchy – Tribune Business News |location=Washington, DC |date=October 1, 2009 }}</ref>

The state's best-known musical style is called the "son". A "[[son (music)|son]]" is a musical variation which traces its origins to Spain and developed during the 17th and 18th centuries. It is the state's most popular musical style shows influences from the many peoples who have lived here such as indigenous groups, Portuguese, Italians, Africans, French and others. The music is generally performed by harps, violins and guitars, with an occasional wind instrument. [[huapango|Son huasteco (also called son huapango)]] is a variety of son played in the north of the state mostly among the Totonacs. Son jarocho is the better known and more popular variety played in the south of the state. The famous Grammy award-winning song "La Bamba" by [[Los Lobos]] is said have its roots in a traditional folk song from Veracruz (hence the reference to the "Marinero" in that song).<ref name="atractcul"/><ref name="rincones2021">González, pp. 20–21</ref>

The state has produced a number of musicians famous in the country. One of the best known is Francisco Gabilondo Soler. Gabilondo Soler is best known for creating a character known as "Cri-cri", a singing cricket for a radio show in the first half of the 20th century. As a musician, he specialized in writing children's songs such as "Abuelito", "Caminito de la escuela", "El baile de los muñecos", "El burrito" and "La negrita Cucurumbé". A number of his works have been translated into other languages. Another famous musician is Agustín Lara, who has had more international fame. Nicknamed "Flaco de oro" (golden skinny one), he always insisted that he was born in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz and not Mexico City as records show. Lara formed his first band in 1930 called El Son de Marabú and toured almost continuously in Mexico and abroad during his career. His most famous compositions include "Veracruz", "Noche de Ronda" and "Solamente una vez".<ref name="rincones2021"/> Other prominent musicians include Toña "La Negra" or María Antonia del Carmen Peregino, Narcisco Serradel, Lorenzo Barcelata and María Greever.<ref name="atractcul"/>

===Art and architecture===
[[File:MuralChurchCanoPap.JPG|thumb|Mural depicting the history of Papantla in the town square by Teodoro Cano García]]

During the colonial era, a movement called the "estilo veracruzano" (Veracruz style) developed mostly focusing on landscapes in the state with a certain amount of indigenous influence although the painters themselves were ''criollo'' or Mexico-born Spanish. These paintings focus on the mountains, valles, coasts, volcanos and other natural phenomena in the state. Most of the proponents of this were born in Veracruz itself and include [[José Justo Montiel]] (1824–1899), [[Gonzalo Argüelles Bringas]] (1877–1942), [[Eugenio Landecio]] (teacher of [[José María Velasco Gómez|José María Velasco]]), [[Natal Pesado]] and [[Ignacio Rosas]].<ref name="rincones1215">González, pp. 12–15</ref>

However, most of Veracruz's best-known artists are from the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 19th century, these include [[Miguel Mata Reyes]], [[Salvador Ferrando]], [[José María Jara]], [[Enrique Guerra]] and [[Alberto Fuster]]. Miguel Mata Reyes is best known for his contributions to the design of the Palacio de Bellas Artes as well a portrait of [[Antonio López de Santa Anna]]. Salvador Ferrando was a portrait and landscape artist from the north of the state. Until recently, most of his work had been hidden in a museum named after him in the Tlacotalpan region. Much of it now is on display at the Museo de Arte de Veracruz in Orizaba. José María Jara is noted for his paintings of Veracruz customs, whose works include ''El Velorio'', which was presented at the World's Fair in Paris. Enrique Guerra was an important sculptor at the end of the 19th century. His best-known works are bas reliefs and include ''Asesinato de César'', ''Coroliano'', ''Thais'' and ''Crisálida''. Alberto Fuster was most active at the end of the century and is noted for bringing symbolism painting to Mexico from his stay in Europe. His works include ''El progreso'', ''Safo en el templo de Delfos'' and ''Nativa con loro''.<ref name="rincones1215"/>

There are three important artists from the 20th century, [[Carlos Bracho]], [[Norberto Martínez]] and [[Teodoro Cano García]]. Active in the first half of the century, sculptor Carlos Bracho's work has been compared to that of [[Juan Rulfo]]. His works have been done in plaster, bronze, terracotta and green onyx and include monumental works which can be found in the cities of Xalapa, [[Puebla, Puebla|Puebla]], [[Pachuca]] and Mexico City. His best-known works are El abrazo, Cabeza verde and El campesino se apodera de la tierra. Norberto Martínez only lived 45 years but is considered one of the most prolific of Mexican painters who dedicated most of his works to social themes. A number of these are early murals such as El comercio in the Jáuregi de Xalapa market as well as an untitled work in a private home in Córdoba which deals with the fusion of the Spanish, indigenous and African ethnicities in Mexico. Later works include the three murals in the main stairwell of the School of Law at the [[University of Xalapa]] and El hombre y el conocimiento at the [[Universidad Veracruzana]]. Teodoro Cano García is one of Mexico's most famous muralists of the late 20th century, famous for the promotion of the [[Totonac people|Totonac]] culture of his hometown of Papantla. He has created paintings, sculptures, etchings, photography and mixed media works with his murals and sculptures most acclaimed. Examples of his work can be seen in various parts of public buildings in [[Papantla]].<ref name="rincones1215"/>

Most of Veracruz's older architecture can be found in the inland cities of Xalapa and Córdoba. Despite being the first Spanish settlement, the city of Veracruz lost most its older structures to the various invasions it has suffered. Architecture from the 16th to the 19th century includes colonial Spanish, Moorish, Neo gothic and Neoclassical. From the 20th century on, a number of names stand out. Armando Bravo Ramírez remodeled the State Government Palace and the facade of the Capillas de Ánimas, both in Xalapa. Other prominent names responsible for many projects in the state include Luis González Aparicio, Bernal Lascuraín Rangel and Luis Manuel Tello Deschamps.<ref name="rincones1215"/>

===Literature===
The literary arts reached their peak in Veracruz starting in the 19th century and extends to the "Generation of the 1950s". [[Salvador Díaz Mirón]] is one of Veracruz's most-distinguished poets. Over his lifetime from the latter 19th to early 20th centuries, he worked as a professor, politician and journalist contributing to periodicals such as El Veracruzano, El Orden, and El Imparcial. His creative works include some of the first Romantic pieces produced in Mexico such as Oda a Víctor Hugo, Ojos verdes, Gloria and Voces interiores. Other works include ''Poesías A Tirsa'', ''Nox'' (also known as ''Claudia'') and his last works such as ''Al buen cura'' and ''La mujer de nieve''. He became a member of the [[Academia Mexicana de la Lengua]] and is buried at the [[Panteón de Dolores|Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres]] in Mexico City. [[María Enriqueta Camarillo]] was one of a number of women writers to gain prominence in Mexico at the end of the 19th century. While she wrote a number of works such as ''Jirón del mundo'', ''Sorpresas de la vida'' and ''El Secreto'', she is best known for ''Rosas de la infancia'', with which many Mexicans learned to read.<ref name="rincones1618">González, pp. 16–18</ref>

Writers born at the end of the 19th century, such as [[Gregorio López y Fuentes]], [[Manuel Maples Arce]] and [[Jorge Mateo Cuesta Porte-Petit]] were often concerned with social issues. Works of this type include El Indio by López, Metrópolis by Maples and a poem called ''Canto a un dios mineral'' by Cuesta. The following generation, born in the first decades of the 20th century, became known as the Generation of the 1950s. During this time Veracruz's literary tradition consolidated and decided to break type. One example is [[Juan Hernández Ramírez]]'s writing of poetry in the [[Nahuatl]] spoken in the [[La Huasteca]] area of Veracruz. One important name from this generation is [[Emilio Carballido]] who wrote about 100 plays as well as scripts for radio and television. Some of his works include ''Rosalba y los llaveros'', ''Felicidad'' and ''Las visitaciones del Diablo''. In 1996, he won the [[National Prize of Arts and Sciences (Mexico)|Premio Nacional de Literatura]] and in 2002 he received the [[Ariel de Oro]] for his work in cinema.<ref name="rincones1618"/>

===Religion===
The [[Catholic]] patron saint of Veracruz is [[Rafael Guízar y Valencia]].<ref>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/djala.html/ Patron saint of Veracruz] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313022403/http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/djala.html |date=March 13, 2013 }} at Catholic-Hierarchy.org. <sub>Retrieved 06.April 2013</sub></ref>

==Education==
Public education in the state is supervised by the state Dirección General de Educación Popular and the Dirección General de Educación Media Superior y Superior. The current system is the result of a number of reforms which took place in the 1980s and 1990s. In the late 1990s, 302 new school campuses were created statewide and 257 schools were remodeled. These included new schools for special education, distance learning and technological institutes, giving the state one of the highest number of school campuses in the country. There are a total of 20,479 schools, with nearly 2 million students and about 85,000 teachers. 93% of schools are in the basic education category (preschool, primary and middle schools). Preschools also include those geared towards the indigenous populations, focusing on bilingual and bicultural education in both the indigenous language and Spanish. One major focus of these and other schools is to eliminate illiteracy in indigenous communities. The "Medio Superior" level includes vocational high school and technical colleges. These account for 6.6% of schools in the public system. The Superior level includes teachers' colleges and universities. There are 166 institutes at this level, with about 68,000 students studying 221 different majors. There are also 63 master's degree programs and six PhD programs.<ref name="infraes">{{cite web |url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |title=Infraestructura |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Infrastructure |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616191401/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref> These institutions serve about 135,000 students accounting for about 19% of the college-aged population (19- to 24-year-olds), slightly below the national average of 24%.<ref name="OECD">{{cite web |url=http://www.oecd.org/document/49/0,3343,en_2649_35961291_41830833_1_1_1_1,00.html |title=Higher education and research in the State of Veracruz |publisher=Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924130712/http://www.oecd.org/document/49/0,3343,en_2649_35961291_41830833_1_1_1_1,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The major state university is the [[Universidad Veracruzana]], with offers 56 bachelor's degrees, 37 master's degrees, and five PhDs. It is based in the capital of Xalapa and is noted for its large and varied sports programs. There are campuses in fourteen other cities.<ref name="infraes"/> About 37% of university students attend the main public university, with a student population of 47,000 undergraduates and 2,000 postgraduates.<ref name="OECD"/> Other important schools include Instituto Tecnologico de Veracruz in Veracruz, Universidad Anáhuac in Xalapa, Universidad de Xalapa in Xalapa, [[ITESM]] in Córdoba, Universidad Cristóbal Colón in Veracruz, the [[Veracruz Naval Academy]] and the Instituto Tecnológico del Mar.<ref name="infraes"/>

==Demographics==

=== Largest cities===
{{Largest cities
| country = Veracruz
| stat_ref = Source:<ref name=VERACRUZINEGI>{{cite web |url=https://inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/ccpv/2020/tabulados/cpv2020_b_ver_01_poblacion.xlsx |title=Censo Veracruz 2020 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |archive-date=August 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801095109/https://inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/ccpv/2020/tabulados/cpv2020_b_ver_01_poblacion.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref>
| list_by_pop =
| div_name = 
| div_link = Municipalities of Veracruz{{!}}Municipality
| city_1 = Veracruz, Veracruz{{!}}Veracruz| div_1 = Veracruz, Veracruz{{!}}Veracruz/ Boca del Río| pop_1 = 537,963 | img_1 = Fachada_IIV_(cropped).jpg
| city_2 = Xalapa-Enríquez | div_2 = Xalapa-Enríquez{{!}}Xalapa| pop_2 = 443,063| img_2 = Zona Centro, Centro, 91000 Xalapa Enríquez, Ver., Mexico - panoramio.jpg
| city_3 = Coatzacoalcos| div_3 =Coatzacoalcos| pop_3 = 212,540| img_3 = Centro Cotzacoalcos - panoramio.jpg
| city_4 = Poza Rica| div_4 = Poza Rica| pop_4 =180,057|img_4 = Mural de Pablo O´Higgins.jpg
| city_5 = Minatitlán, Veracruz{{!}}Minatitlán| div_5 = Minatitlán, Veracruz{{!}}Minatitlán/ Cosoleacaque| pop_5 =149,192
| city_6 = Córdoba, Veracruz{{!}}Córdoba | div_6 = Córdoba, Veracruz{{!}}Córdoba | pop_6 = 139,075
| city_7 = Orizaba | div_7 = Orizaba| pop_7 = 120,500
| city_8 = Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano | div_8 = Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano{{!}}Tuxpan| pop_8 = 89,557
| city_9 = Martínez de la Torre | div_9 = Martínez de la Torre| pop_9 = 64,692
| city_10 = San Andrés Tuxtla| div_10 = San Andrés Tuxtla| pop_10 = 64,445
}}
{{Historical populations
|type =
|footnote =
|1895<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geohive.com/cntry/subspop/mx-pop.aspx |title=Mexico: extended population list |publisher=GeoHive |access-date=July 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311141056/http://www.geohive.com/cntry/subspop/mx-pop.aspx |archive-date=March 11, 2012 }}</ref> | 863220
|1900 | 981030
|1910 | 1132859
|1921 | 1159935
|1930 | 1377293
|1940 | 1619338
|1950 | 2040231
|1960 | 2727899
|1970 | 3815422
|1980 | 5387680
|1990 | 6228239
|1995 | 6737324
|2000 | 6908975
|2005 | 7110214
|2010 | 7643194
|2015 | 8112505
|2020<ref name="inegi.org.mx"/> | 8062579
}}
[[File:Abrazando un burrito selva Uxpanapa Veracruz Mexico.jpg|thumb|Two children with their [[donkey]] in the state of Veracruz in 2008.]]

The state of Veracruz, especially its port, has been a crossroads for various cultures since the very early colonial period. The port of Veracruz has brought cargo, sailors, seamen, and slaves from various parts of the world, especially from the [[Caribbean]] and Europe. The state has indigenous cultural influences mixed with those from Europe, Africa and the [[wikt:Afro-Caribbean|Afro-Caribbean]]. These can be best seen in the music, the culinary traditions and in the people themselves.<ref name="khursh"/>

The number of ethnic communities in the state has been calculated at 2,062. The most numerous include the [[Nahua peoples|Nahuas]], Totonacs, Huastecs, Popolucs, [[Zapotec peoples|Zapoteca]]s, [[Chinanteca (people)|Chinanteca]]s, Otomis, Mazatecas, Tepehuas, Mixtecas, Zoques, [[Mixe people|Mixe]]s, Mayas and [[Tzotzil people|Tzotzil]]s, all indigenous groups. The largest are Nahuas, who make up over half of the indigenous population. Most native communities can be found in 68 municipalities especially in [[Tehuipango]], [[Mixtla de Altamirano]], [[Astacinga]], [[Soledad Atzompa]], [[Atlahuilco]], [[Tequila, Veracruz|Tequila]], Tlaquilpan, Los Reyes, Magdalena, San Andres Tenejapan, Tantoyuca, Zongolica, Chicontepec, Papantla, Ixhuatlán de Madero, Soteapan, Playa Vicente, Mecayapan y Coyutla, Benito Juárez, Coxquihi, Espinal, Filomeno Mata, Ixcatepec, Mecatlán and Zozocolco de Hidalgo. In 1998, about 10% of the population spoke an indigenous language; however, this does not take into account all indigenous peoples. The census of 2005 counted 605,135 as speaking an indigenous language.<ref name="perfilsoc">{{cite web |url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |title=Perfil Sociodemografico |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Socio-demographic profile |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616191401/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref>

There are also small immigrant communities of Spaniards, Italians, Basque and [[Lebanese people|Lebanese]].<ref name="atractcul"/> Africans were first brought to Mexico through slavery to the Veracruz port. At one point, they outnumbered Europeans and a significant number ran away from haciendas and plantations to form their own communities, sometimes allied with indigenous groups. One such rebellion was led by Yanga, who successfully negotiated a free African community with Spanish authorities in 1609. Like other groups, many of African descent would intermarry with other groups, with the category of "mulatto" existing in the old colonial caste system for those with African blood. Today, the vast majority of [[Afro-Mexican]]s in Veracruz and other parts of the country are spread out and intermixed with the rest of the population.<ref name="africanroots">{{cite web |url=http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1935-african-roots-stretch-deep-into-mexico |title=African Roots Stretch Deep Into Mexico |author=Patrisia Gonzales and Roberto Rodriguez |date=March 3, 1996 |publisher=Mexconnect |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=August 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819085749/http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1935-african-roots-stretch-deep-into-mexico |url-status=live }}</ref> According to the 2020 Census, 2.67% of Veracruz's population identified as Black, Afro-Mexican, or of African descent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.inegi.org.mx/programas/ccpv/2020/tableros/panorama/ |title=Panorama sociodemográfico de México |website=www.inegi.org.mx |access-date=October 6, 2021 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126013823/https://www.inegi.org.mx/programas/ccpv/2020/tableros/panorama/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

With a population of 7,110,214 (2005), Veracruz is the third most populous entity in the country, after the Federal District of Mexico City and the [[State of Mexico]]. Population growth has slowed in the state in the last decades, due to lower birthrates and the exodus of migrants, mostly men. Women outnumber men. One reason for the decline in birthrates is the elevation of education levels, especially among women. Another is urbanization, with about one-third of the state's population living in urban centers, especially Veracruz, Xalapa, Coatzacoalcos, Minatitlán and Papantla. Most (90%) of the state's communities, outside of municipal seats have fewer than 500 people and contain only 21% of the total population. The migration of men outside the state has put more women into the state's workforce.<ref name="perfilsoc"/> Approximately 75% of the population is under 45 years of age and 30% under the age of 15.<ref name="habitantes">{{cite web |url=http://cuentame.inegi.gob.mx/monografias/informacion/ver/poblacion/default.aspx?tema=me&e=30 |title=Veracruz Ignacio de la Llave Número de habitantes |year=2005 |publisher=[[INEGI]] |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Veracruz Ignacio de la Llave Number of inhabitants |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723191612/http://cuentame.inegi.gob.mx/monografias/informacion/ver/poblacion/default.aspx?tema=me&e=30 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Life expectancy is just under the norm for the rest of the country. The overwhelming majority of people in the state are Catholic, however, there is a significant Protestant minority and a number who profess the Jewish faith.<ref name="perfilsoc"/>

==Tourism==
Tourism mostly centers on the [[port city]] of [[Veracruz (city)|Veracruz]], but other tourist destinations exist throughout the state as well.<ref name="atractcul"/> There are over 1,000 hotels in the state, over half of which are small, family-owned enterprises. Almost all of the four- and five-star establishments are located in metropolitan area of Veracruz. Many of the state's major historical and cultural monuments are located in the port of Veracruz. Some of these attractions include the aquarium ([[Acuario de Veracruz]]), the Museum of the City (Museo de la Ciudad), The Agustín Lara Museum, the Santiago Fortress (Baluarte de Santiago) the Las Atarazanas Museum, and the San Juan de Ulúa Fort.<ref name="atractcul"/>

To the north of the port city of Veracruz is the Sierra or Totonacalpan area of the state, home to the Totonac people. This area includes the important pre-Hispanic city of [[El Tajín]] and the present day city of [[Papantla]]. The modern city is best known as the home of the Totonac version of the "[[Danza de los Voladores de Papantla|danza de voladores]]", wherein dancers spin from poles {{convert|80|foot|m|abbr=on|1}} high. The area is also the native habitat of the vanilla bean.<ref name="khursh"/>

[[Catemaco]], another prominent tourist city, is located along the coast to the south of the port city of Veracruz. The area's two main features are [[Lake Catemaco]], which is located in the crater of an extinct volcano, and Isla Tanaxpillo, which located is just off the coast. This island is also called "the island of the monkeys" or "the island of the baboons" due to a group of feral monkeys that escaped and found refuge there.<ref name="khursh"/><ref name="atractcul"/>

Inland is the coffee-growing region in and around the cities of [[Coatepec, Veracruz|Coatepec]] and [[Xalapa]]. Another inland city, [[Orizaba]], is best known for the volcano nearby, but also has a large waterfall called El Elefante and a canyon called Cañon de Río Blanco.<ref name="atractcul"/>

==Archeological sites==
[[File:El Tajín, Nischenpyramide.(fcm).jpg|thumb|230px|El Tajín, Niche pyramid]]

The remnants of pre-Hispanic [[Huastec civilization|Huastec]], [[Olmec]], and [[Totonac]] can be found in Veracruz. The ruins of one city, El Tajín, whose apex occurred between the 9th and 13th centuries CE, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992.<ref name="brittanica"/>

El Zapotal is an archeological site which was discovered in 1971 in a region known at Mixtequlla (between the Blanco and Papaloapan Rivers). This site is noted for its clay figurines with smiling faces, part of an extremely large offering in honor of the god of death [[Mictlantecuhtli]].<ref name="atractcul"/>

Cempoala is an archeological site located on the coast between the modern settlements of La Antigua and Ciudad Cardel. It was occupied when Hernán Cortés arrived, and he managed to form an alliance with the Totonacs here against the Aztecs. In the center of the site, there is a large plaza surrounded by temples and the palace of the Totonac chief. The site also has a small museum.<ref name="atractcul"/>

Quiahuiztlán is on the coast on a small mountain named Bernal. It is cut into the mountain as a series of terraces. It is located very close to where Cortés founded the initial Spanish settlement of Villa Rica de la Vera-Cruz.<ref name="atractcul"/>

The Castillo de Teayo (Teayo Castle) is really a pyramid, whose original name was Zapotitlán. It is located on the border between Huasctec and Totonac lands. It was abandoned in the 19th century.<ref name="atractcul"/>

The largest and most important site is [[El Tajín]], located near the city of Papantla. The name is from the Totonac language and means "thunder", but no one knows what the true name of this city was. It is also unknown if the Totonac built it, but since they have dominated the region for centuries, they lay claim to it. The city developed from the end of the Classic period and the beginning of the Post Classic period, between 800 and 1150 C.E. It is divided into five zones, the Plaza del Arroyo Group, the Central Zone, the Gran Xicalcoliuhqui, Tajín Chico and the Column Complex. Its signature building is the Pyramid of the Niches, named after the 365 niches built into the levels of the structure. The site has a large number of Mesoamerican ball game courts, one with details reliefs showing the beheading of a ballplayer and his role in the afterlife.<ref name="atractcul"/>

The Tres Zapotes site is located the community of the same name. Covering 1.5 hectares, the main building has a square base, which is surrounded by gardens and trees. The most important find from his is Stele "C" which is on display at the [[Museo Nacional de Antropología]] in Mexico City.<ref name="atractcul"/>

El Pital is a site in the municipality of [[Martínez de la Torre]]. It consists of a mound with a pyramid base and stairs on the east side. The site's culture is considered to be a link between the coastal and highland cultures of the region.<ref name="atractcul"/>

Los Idolos is a site in the municipal city of [[Misantla]], and was an important ceremonial site for the Totonacapan region. It consists of four rectangular patios linked by platforms and flat-topped mounds. Many of the structures are decorated with smooth river stone, thought to have come from the [[Misantla River]].<ref name="atractcul"/>

The Centro Ceremonial Cuajilote is located on the [[Bobos River (Mexico)|Bobos River]]. It consists of a large plaza 400 meters long lined with structures. In the center of the plaza there are three shrines, one of which contains phallic figures.<ref name="atractcul"/>

==Government==
Veracruz was officially established as a state in 1824. Its government consists of a governor, elected to a single six-year term, and a unicameral State Congress, whose members serve three-year terms. It is divided into 212 [[municipalities of Mexico|municipios]] (municipalities).<ref name="brittanica"/> The newest of these are the municipalities of [[San Rafael, Veracruz|San Rafael]] and [[Santiago Sochiapan]] which were created in 2003.<ref name="gobierno">{{cite web |url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |title=Gobierno |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Government |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616191401/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref> These municipalities are grouped into regions called Huasteca Alta (with ten municipalities), Huasteca Baja (with 23 municipalities), Totonac (with 15 municipalities), Nautla (with 11 municipalities), Capital (with 33 municipalities), Sotavento (with 12 municipalities), De las Montañas (with 57 municipalities), Papaloapan (with 22 municipalities), De los Tuxtlas (with four municipalities) and Olmeca (with 25 municipalities).<ref name="regionalizacion">{{cite web |url=http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |title=Regionalización |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Regions |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616191401/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/veracruz/ |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref>

=== Freedom of the press violations ===
According to many journalists' organizations, Veracruz is one of the most dangerous places for journalists, especially after governor [[Javier Duarte de Ochoa]] came to power in December 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.rsf.org/mexico-threats-and-censorship-at-peak-in-30-09-2013,45259.html |title=Threats and censorship at peak in Veracruz, Oaxaca, Michoacán and Zacatecas - Reporters without borders |website=RSF |access-date=July 9, 2018 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085204/http://en.rsf.org/mexico-threats-and-censorship-at-peak-in-30-09-2013,45259.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
===Transport===
The road system in the state contains {{convert|16039|km|mi|abbr=on|1}}, representing 5.1% of the roads nationwide. For each {{convert|100|km2|mi2|abbr=on|1}} of territory, there are {{convert|22|km|mi|abbr=on|1}} of roads. {{convert|3144.5|km|mi|abbr=on|1}} are part of the federal highway system. State roads comprise {{convert|2176|km|mi|abbr=on|1}} with the rest maintained by local authorities. There are over {{convert|3000|km|mi|abbr=on|1}} of rural roads, but only {{convert|71.5|km|mi|abbr=on|1}} are paved.<ref name="infraes"/>

The state contains {{convert|1675.3|km|mi|abbr=on|1}} of railway. Most of this is conceded by the federal government to private companies, with strategic stretches maintained directly by the government. Some of the private companies include [[Kansas City Southern de México]] and [[Ferrosur]]. These lines are used almost exclusively for the transportation of freight, which in 1999 added up to 37&nbsp;million tons. Three rail lines serve the port of Veracruz exclusively. One is dedicated to the port of Coatzacalcos.<ref name="infraes"/>

The ports of Veracruz are Tuxpan, Veracruz, Coatzacoalcos, Pajaritos, Minatitlán-Nanchital, Tecolutla, [[Nautla]], Alvarado and Tlacotalpan. The first three are the ports for heavy cargo ships, with Veracruz the most important of the three. The others are small ports for small ships, fishing boats and tourism. All ports are operated privately with the exception of Pajaritos, which is operated by [[PEMEX]]. Port traffic in Veracruz account for 10% of all commercial traffic in the country, 23.4% of the port traffic of Mexico and 21% of all port traffic in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Goods imported through the state reach 16 out of Mexico's 31 states plus Mexico City. The port of Veracruz alone handles over 12&nbsp;million tons of freight per year. Coatzacoalcos is important for its handling of petroleum products.<ref name="infraes"/>

The state contains three major airports. "El Tajín" in Tihuatlán serving Poza Rica and "Canticas" in Minatitlán provide national service. "Heriberto Jara Corona" in the city of Veracruz provides national and international service. There are also 31 smaller regional airfields in municipalities such as Acayucán, [[Cazones de Herrera]], Córdoba, [[Cuitláhuac, Veracruz|Cuitlahuac]], [[Juán Rodríguez Clara]], [[Ozuluama]], [[Platón Sánchez]], [[Playa Vicente]], [[Soconusco]], [[Tamalín]], [[Tamiahua]], [[Tecolutla]], [[Temapache]], [[Tempoal de Sánchez, Veracruz|Tempoal]] and Tierra Blanca.<ref name="infraes"/>

===Media===
There are 59 local [[List of newspapers in Mexico|newspapers]] and 40 magazines published in the state. These include El Dictamen,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Noticias de Veracruz |url=https://www.eldictamen.mx/ |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=El Dictamen |language=es-MX |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701023646/https://www.eldictamen.mx/ |url-status=live }}</ref> El Sol del Centro,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Veracruz - El Sol del Centro {{!}} Noticias Locales, Policiacas, sobre México, Aguascalientes y el Mundo |url=https://www.elsoldelcentro.com.mx/tags/editoras/veracruz |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=www.elsoldelcentro.com.mx |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018194046/https://www.elsoldelcentro.com.mx/tags/editoras/veracruz |url-status=live }}</ref> la Opinión de Minatitlán,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Noticias de minatitlán |url=https://laopinion.com/tema/minatitlan/ |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=La Opinión |date=November 7, 2019 |language=es |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701212042/https://laopinion.com/tema/minatitlan/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Diario de Xalapa'', ''El Diario de Minatitlán'', ''El Mundo de Córdoba'', ''El Mundo de Orizaba'', ''El Sol de Córdoba'', ''El Sol de Orizaba'', ''Esto de Veracruz'', ''Imagen de Veracruz'', ''La Jornada Veracruz'', ''La Opinión de Poza Rica'', ''Liberal del Sur'', ''Milenio El Portal'', ''Noreste Diario Regional Independiente'', and ''Sotavento.''<ref name=SIC>{{cite web |work=Sistema de Información Cultural |publisher=Gobierno de Mexico |language=es |access-date=March 7, 2020 |url=https://sic.gob.mx/lista.php?table=impresos&disciplina=&estado_id=30 |title=Publicaciones periódicas en Veracruz |archive-date=May 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528035255/https://sic.gob.mx/lista.php?table=impresos&disciplina=&estado_id=30 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://libguides.utsa.edu/latamnews |title=Latin American & Mexican Online News |work=Research Guides |publisher=[[University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries]] |location=US |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307192643/http://libguides.utsa.edu/latamnews }}</ref>

There are 202 radio stations (57 AM, 35 FM). Most are commercial or private but some are operated by non-profits and governmental agencies. There are 22 television stations; two channels are local, and the rest are repeaters from national broadcasters. Five companies provide cable and satellite television. [[Telmex]] controls over 75% of the telephone service in the state.<ref name="infraes"/>

== Notable people ==
* [[Lorena Alarcon-Casas Wright]], [[Endocrinology|endocrinologist]] and [[Associate professor|Associate Professor]] at the [[University of Washington School of Medicine]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2, 2018 |title=Defying the Odds |url=https://www.acceleratemed.org/stories/defying-the-odds/ |access-date=May 30, 2021 |website=UW Medicine: Shortening the Distance to Healthier Lives |language=en-US |archive-date=June 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619191101/https://www.acceleratemed.org/stories/defying-the-odds/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 24, 2020 |title=LatinX Diabetes Clinic opens at UW Medicine in SLU |url=https://newsroom.uw.edu/news/latinx-diabetes-clinic-opens-uw-medicine-slu |access-date=May 30, 2021 |website=newsroom.uw.edu |archive-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427183527/https://newsroom.uw.edu/news/latinx-diabetes-clinic-opens-uw-medicine-slu |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Salma Hayek]], actress and film producer
* [[Raquel Torres Cerdán]], anthropologist and restaurateur
* [[Verónica Valerio]] (born 1991), singer, harpist and composer
* [[Yeri Mua]], singer and songwriter

==See also==
* [[Misantla Totonac]]
* [[Municipalities of Veracruz|Municipalities of Veracuz]]

{{portal bar|Geography|North America|Latin America|Mexico}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Booker, Jackie R. (1993). ''Veracruz Merchants, 1770–1829: A Mercantile Elite in Late Bourbon and Early Independent Mexico''. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.
* {{cite book | last = Frierson | first = Karma | title = Local Color: Reckoning with Blackness in the Port City of Veracruz | year = 2025 | isbn = 9780520413405 | publisher = University of California Press | url = https://www.ucpress.edu/books/local-color/paper}}
* {{Cite book |editor1-first=Victor Manuel |editor1-last=Jiménez González |year=2010 |title=Veracruz Guia para descubrir los encantos del estado |trans-title=Veracruz Guide to Discover the Charms of the State |language=es |edition=First |location=Océano, Mexico |publisher=Editorial Oceano de Mexico SA de CV |isbn=978-607-400-323-9}}
* Knaut, Andrew L. (November 1997). "Yellow Fever and the Late Colonial Public Health Response in the Port of Veracruz". ''Hispanic American Historical Review'' 77:4. 619–644. {{doi|10.2307/2516981}}. {{JSTOR|2516981}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Veracruz}}
* {{OSM relation|2415761}}
* [http://www.veracruz.gob.mx/ Veracruz State government official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923173030/http://www.veracruz.gob.mx/ |date=2011-09-23 }} {{in lang|es}}

{{Veracruz}}
{{States of Mexico}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Veracruz| ]]
[[Category:1824 establishments in Mexico]]
[[Category:Gulf Coast of Mexico]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1824]]
[[Category:States of Mexico]]