VERACRUZ

Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, simply known as Veracruz, is one of the 32 states that make up the United Mexican States. Its most populous city is the port of Veracruz.

In pre-Hispanic times, the Olmec, Huasteca and Totonaca civilizations inhabited it. The first Spanish contact was in 1518, through an exploration led by Juan de Grijalva on the Tonalá River. In the Kingdom of New Spain, the current territory that makes up Veracruz was very similar to the Province of Veracruz. After the Independence of Mexico, it was one of the original states (seventh in order of creation) with a territory almost identical to the current one (except for a portion of territory that belonged to Puebla) and with the enactment of the Constitution of 1857 reached its present extension. Its Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.713, considered High; it is the fifth state with lowest HDI. As an example of its cultural importance at international level, it houses two out of 35 places considered World Heritage Sites in Mexico: the Pre-Hispanic City of “El Tajín” and the area of historical monuments of Tlacotalpan. The name “Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave” is due to the homonymous city of Veracruz and the former governor Ignacio de la Llave.