Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave

Veracruz, officially Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is a long state along the Gulf of Mexico in eastern Mexico, central to the nation's history and trade. Its capital is Xalapa, while the port of Veracruz is the largest city. From the first Spanish landing to a thriving port and oil industry, it is a gateway to Mexico.

Veracruz stretches in a long arc along the Gulf coast, from coastal plains and beaches up to the Sierra Madre Oriental and Mexico's highest peak, the Pico de Orizaba, on its border. The climate is hot and humid on the coast, cooler in the highlands.

Veracruz has a vibrant tropical culture, famed for the son jarocho music of La Bamba, marimba, lively Carnival, and a rich Afro-Mexican and Indigenous heritage. Its coastal cuisine and coffee from the highlands are celebrated.

Where Hernan Cortes landed and founded the first Spanish town in 1519, Veracruz became Mexico's principal port and a gateway for trade, immigration and invasions. Home to the Totonac site of El Tajin, it became a state in 1824.