Veracruz << vehr uh KROOZ >> is a Mexican state that lies along the Gulf of Mexico. It has an area of 27,683 square miles (71,699 square kilometers). Veracruz is one of the country’s most geographically diverse states, with the mountains of the Sierra Madre in the west, coastal plains along the Gulf of Mexico, and tropics along the coast in the southern part of the state. It also has over one-third of Mexico’s surface water and the Volcán de San Martín, a volcano. Veracruz was one of the original states of Mexico, which won its independence in 1821. The elegant city of Xalapa is the capital.
At the time of the 2020 census, Veracruz had a population of 8,062,579, making it one of Mexico’s largest states. About 10 percent of the people speak one of a dozen Indigenous (native) languages. Residents of Veracruz are popularly known as jarochos.
Veracruz is a center of commerce and industry. Exports of the state include agricultural products and petroleum. Veracruz is also a popular tourist destination.
In 1519, the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés passed through what is now Veracruz state and founded the city of Veracruz, the first Spanish mainland city in Mexico. For hundreds of years, the city was Mexico’s main port and point of entry. During the Spanish colonial period (1521-1821), it became an important commercial center on trade routes between the Gulf coast and Mexico City. Despite the growth of overland trucking between Mexico and the United States, Veracruz has remained an important center for shipping.
