Veracruz

The city of Veracruz is a major port city on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is Mexico's second largest Gulf city (after Tampico) and an important port on Mexico's east coast. It is located 105 km(65 mi.) along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most populous city, with a population of 512,310 according to the 2005 census. It is often referred to as Puerto de Veracruz to distinguish it from the state. The people of Veracruz are known as jarochos.