Tampico

Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It sits on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about 10 kilometers (6 mi) inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and is directly north of the state of Veracruz. Today, Tampico is the fifth-largest city in Tamaulipas.

In the early 1900s, Tampico became very important during Mexico's first oil boom. At that time, it was a main place for exporting oil in the Americas and was one of the busiest ports in the world. The money from oil helped build many beautiful buildings in the city. The very first oil well in Mexico was drilled near Tampico in 1901 at Ébano.

Besides oil, Tampico also helps export other valuable materials such as silver, copper, and lumber. It also sends out wool, hemp, and many farm products. For moving goods by ship, the nearby port of Altamira handles most of the container traffic.

Etymology

Tampico comes from the word tam-piko in the Huastec language. This word means "place of otters."

History

The name "Tampico" comes from the Huastec language, meaning "place of water dogs." This name refers to otters that lived near the Pánuco River. People have lived in this area for many years, with early settlements such as Las Flores.

In 1554, when Spain ruled Mexico, a settlement named San Luis de Tampico was created. The city moved several times because of attacks. The city we know today was founded in 1823 after Mexico became independent from Spain. It became a center for trading silver and goods from nearby farms.

In 1901, the first oil well in Mexico was drilled near Tampico. This brought growth and investment from the United States. Oil was shipped along rivers, and a canal was built to help move it to the port. During the Mexican Revolution, there was a disagreement between American sailors and Mexican soldiers, causing tension between the two countries. Later, Tampico grew by adding nearby areas like Ciudad Madero and developing modern transportation links.

Architecture

Tampico's downtown has colorful buildings from when President Porfirio Díaz ruled. In the early 1900s, when oil was discovered, many big and beautiful buildings were built. The city looks a bit like Venice or New Orleans. Many buildings have special iron balconies, like those in New Orleans.

Important buildings include the Town Hall in Plaza de Armas and the Customs House near the docks. The areas around Plaza de Armas and Plaza de Libertad have been restored to show their history and attract visitors.

The Cathedral of Tampico, also called the Temple of the Immaculate Conception, was built in the late 1800s. It has tall columns and big doors, with two towers on top. Inside, there are beautiful paintings and a shiny white marble altar. A wealthy oil businessman from California, Edward Doheny, helped pay for the cathedral after he started his oil business in Tampico.

Demographics

The city of Tampico had 297,284 people in 2010, and the area around it had 297,554 people. Both were the fifth largest in the state of Tamaulipas. The bigger area around Tampico had about 859,419 people in 2010. The area covers 92.73 square kilometres (35.80 mi²).

Geography

The city is on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about 10 kilometers (6 mi) inland from the Gulf of Mexico. It is directly north of the state of Veracruz.

Climate

Tampico has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw). The weather is warm most of the year. Summers are hot, with average high temperatures of 32 °C (90 °F) in August. Winters are mild, with average January highs of 23 °C (73 °F). Rain often falls from June through October.

The city is very humid, especially in summer, and is near wetlands by the Gulf of Mexico. Cold winds sometimes pass through in autumn and winter. Tampico can be affected by hurricanes, but none have hit the city directly since 1966. Very rarely, the city has seen unusually cold temperatures. Snow was once reported in Tampico in 1895, which is very rare for such a warm location.

Transportation

See also: Port of Tampico

The area around Tampico, including the cities of Ciudad Madero and Altamira, uses General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport. The airport has flights to big cities like Mexico City and Monterrey. It also has daily flights to Houston, Texas and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.

Tampico has good train connections for its port. The port has warehouses and tools for loading oil tankers. Major roads connect the city to the Pan-American Highway.

Food

Tampico is known for its tasty food, especially seafood. The people there are called Jaibas, after crabs. You can see crab symbols on sports team logos, buses, and park benches. Two popular local dishes are the "torta de la barda," a sandwich with many toppings, and the "tampiqueña," which is steak with refried beans and tortillas with tomato sauce and cheese.

Education

The Autonomous University of Tamaulipas has a large campus in Tampico, along with another in Ciudad Victoria. You can study important subjects there, such as medicine, engineering, nursing, dentistry, architecture, and business.

Tampico also has many high schools, both private and public, where students can learn and grow.

Sports

The local football team, Tampico Madero F.C., started in 1945 and is called La Jaiba Brava. They play in the second level of the Mexican football league system and have played at the 19,415-seat Estadio Tamaulipas since 1966.

In 1953, Tampico Madero won the top league in Mexico and also won a special award. La Jaiba Brava won cup titles in 1960 and 1961. The team moved between different league levels for many years but came back strong in the late 1970s. They were close to winning the top league again in 1985 and 1986 but were moved down to a lower league in the early 1990s.

Notable people

Tampico has been home to many famous people.

Pianist and composer Juan García Esquivel created special lounge music. Archbishop Ernesto Corripio Ahumada led the church in Mexico. Actress Linda Christian was well-known, and actor Mauricio Garcés was born there as Mauricio Feres Yazbeck. Composer and songwriter Roberto Cantoral was also from Tampico.

Other famous people from Tampico include writer Ana María Rabatté y Cervi, novelist James Carlos Blake, and rock musician Rodrigo González. Government leader José Ángel Gurría Treviño has worked in important jobs. Football player and coach Víctor Manuel Vucetich is from Tampico. Film and television actress Cecilia Suárez and television music competition winner Erika Alcocer Luna are also from the city. Many artists, athletes, and leaders come from Tampico.