Tampico, << tam PEE koh >> (pop. 297,373) is the second most important port in Mexico, after Veracruz. It stands 7 miles (11 kilometers) west of the Gulf of Mexico on the Panuco River. Tampico serves as a refining center for Mexico’s petroleum industry and is the chief outlet for oil exports. A mild winter climate and good hunting and fishing make it a favorite resort center. Spaniards settled the city in the 1500’s.
