Tampico, Tamaulipas
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- This article is about the city in Mexico. For other uses, see Tampico (disambiguation).
| City of Tampico Ciudad de Tampico |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | Mexico |
| State | Tamaulipas |
| Founded | April 13, 1823 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Oscar Pérez Inguanzo ( PRI) |
| Area | |
| - City | 92.73 km² (35.8 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| - City | 303,635 |
| - Density | 4,338/km² (11,235.4/sq mi) |
| - Metro | 803,196 |
| - Demonym | Tampiqueño |
| Time zone | Central Standard Time (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | Central Daylight Time (UTC-5) |
| Website: http://www.tampico.gob.mx | |
Tampico, located at Coordinates: , is the main city in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and is the Mexican Gulf's main economic powerhouse. Although oil is the largest export of the port of Tampico, it also is a major exporter of silver, copper, lumber, wool, hemp, and other agricultural products. Containerised cargo, however, is mainly dealt with at the nearby ocean port of Altamira.
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[edit] History
The present city was founded on April 13, 1823, though there had already been a series of settlements in the area from very early on. The region had several Huastec settlements, among them the important site at Las Flores, which flourished between 1000 and 1250. The Franciscan priest Andrés de Olmos established a mission in the area in 1532. At his bequest, the Spanish settlement called San Luis de Tampico was established in 1554. However, its population was relocated in 1684 to the south of the Pánuco River due to pirate attacks, among them a particularly destructive incursion by Laurens de Graaf.
The name "Tampico" is of Huastec origin: tam-piko, meaning "place of otters", (literally "water dogs"). The city is surrounded by rivers and lagoons which hosted a large population of otters in the past.
Tampico's downtown architecture is an eclectic mix and reflects the growth of the city during the Porfiriato (the period of rule by President Porfirio Díaz). It includes many New Orleans inspired balconies (mostly built of English cast iron) in Plaza de la libertad, a fine Neo-classical Town Hall (or Palacio Municipal) in Plaza de Armas, and a superb English redbrick Customs House in the docks. The prevalence of New Orleans-style architecture is attributed to the early years of the city, when many building supplies, including pre-built housing components, were shipped to the area during its initial construction. The 'historical' downtown area of Plaza de Armas and Plaza de Libertad has been greatly restored and improved in recent years with the hope of attracting more tourist revenue.
The Cathedral of Tampico, also known as The Temple of the Immaculate Conception, located in Plaza de Armas, dates to the late 19th century - although its current appearance is due to many restorations. It is of the Neo-classical style in light brown canter, with Corinthian style columns and three enormous doors that form the entrance. It has two towers made of three bodies. The eastern one has a large, London-made, public chiming clock, a gift from Don Angel Sainz Trapaga. In its interior, which has been refurbished recently, there are several wall paintings and other works of art. The altar is of white Carrara marble. Allegedly, the oil tycoon Edward Doheny donated much money towards the Cathedral's construction and maintenance after he based his Mexican oil operations near Tampico after 1902.
In 1921, Mexican commercial aviation had its beginnings in Tampico. The first flight, by Mexicana de Aviación, took off from Tampico's General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport to Mexico City International Airport in Mexico City. This airport was also one of the first ILS equipped airports in the country.
In 1926, the first Coca-Cola bottling plant in Mexico was built there. It is still in operation today under the ownership of Grupo Tampico.
Tampico's Country Club, the Campestre, and its golf course, is one of the oldest in Mexico.
[edit] Demographics
According to the INEGI 2005 census, the population of the city of Tampico was 303,635, that of the municipality of Tampico was 303,924, both ranking fourth in the state. Its metropolitan area population was 803,196 people, which includes the municipalities of Ciudad Madero and Altamira in Tamaulipas, as well as Pánuco and Pueblo Viejo in the state of Veracruz. The municipality has an area of 92.73 km² (35.8 sq mi).
[edit] Climate
| Climate chart for Tampico, Tamaulipas | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
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20
22
13
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15
23
14
|
15
26
17
|
20
28
20
|
38
30
22
|
145
31
23
|
112
31
23
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119
32
23
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203
31
22
|
89
29
20
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33
26
17
|
38
24
14
|
| temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm source: [1] |
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Imperial conversion
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Tampico has a humid subtropical climate. Its weather, though reasonably pleasant in spring and autumn, is hot in the summer; the average high reaches 32 °C (90 °F) in August, with an average low of 23 °C (74 °F). Winters are cool but not cold. The average January high is 22 °C (72 °F) and the average low in January is 13 °C (55 °F); Rainfall is prominent during May through September.
Tampico is a very humid city making it extremely hot in summer with heat indexes reaching up to 40 °C (104 °F). During autumn and winter it is affected by cold fronts which pass through the gulf bringing high winds that can reach 50 km/h (37 mph) with gusts of 70 to 80 km/h (43 to 50 mph). Tampico is located in hurricane area but it has not been impact directly by one in over fifty years.
[edit] Transportation
The metropolitan area of Tampico, Ciudad Madero and Altamira is served by General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport (IATA airport code: TAM), which is located in the northern part of the city of Tampico and serves various routes to Mexican cities, mainly Mexico City and Monterrey. It also has international services, daily flights to Houston, Texas by Continental Express and Dallas/Fort Worth by American Eagle.
[edit] Other facts
Seafood is important in the city - even its locals are informally known as Jaibos - and the crab emblem is seen in many places, from the sides of buses to park benches.
The local professional soccer team is named "Las Jaibas." Carlos Treviño, soccer player of America FC in 1992, is the director of the team. Surfing is an official sport in Tampico, with Hugo Espir as its promoter.
Notable tampiqueños are: - Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta (Founder and former president of Televisa, Mexico's largest TV Network; 1895-1973) - Mauricio Garcés (Actor); born as Mauricio Feres Yazbeck. (1926-1989) - Rafael Sebastián Guillén Vicente (Whose alleged nom de guerre is Subcomandante Marcos or Delegado Cero). - Ernesto Corripio Ahumada (Archbishop of Mexico; 1919-2008). - Plácido Arango Arias (Founder of VIPS Group, Spanish-Mexican Conglomerate of Restaurants and Cafeterias). - Alfonso Quiroz Cuarón (First criminologist in Mexico). - Rafael Ramírez Heredia (Writer). - Orlando Ortiz (Writer). - Alejandro Monteverde (Film Director). - Joaquín Del Olmo (International Soccer Player; midfield). - José Angel Gurría Treviño (Former Secretary of S.H.C.P., equivalent to I.R.S. in U.S.A.). - Enrique "El Perro" Bermúdez De la Serna (Popular sportscaster). - Laura Elizondo Erhard (Former Miss Mexico; 4th. place in Miss Universe 2005). - Genaro Salinas (Tenor and singer) - Dr. José Sierra Flores (Prominent surgeon and musician. Founder and Dean of Universidad Del Noreste). - Alfonso Luna (Director of Marketing, Google Latinamerica).
"Tampico" is the title of a popular 1945 song composed by Gene Roland - produced by jazz musician and conductor Stan Kenton with lead vocals by June Christy - which takes a satirical look at the Mexican city, claiming that at the time of writing the song, it had become more American than America itself (a description that at the present, more than ever before, still applies to the city). John Huston's motion picture epic, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, is set in Tampico in its opening scenes. Joseph Hergesheimer's 1920s novel Tampico tells an engrossing tale of expatriates living in the city. Jimmy Buffett wrote the song "Tampico Trauma" about his experiences in the city.
[edit] Sister cities
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
- Tamaulipas Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
[edit] External links
- (Spanish) Tampico Official Site.
- (Spanish) Tampico's Lagoon Development Project.
- (Spanish) Tampico's Metropolitan Cultural Space (Theater).
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