Minatitlán, Veracruz
Encyclopedia
Minatitlán is a city in southeastern Mexican state
of Veracruz
in the Olmec
region of the state and the north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
.
In 2010 the greater metropolitan area had a population of 356,020. The municipality covers an area of 4123.91 square kilometres (1,592.3 sq mi) and includes many small outlying communities.
Much of the city sits on reclaimed wetlands, and many new homes built on this reclaimed land have a tendency to sink up to several meters before settling. Much of the surrounding undeveloped land is marshy, especially towards the northeast direction of Coatzacoalcos
.
Minatitlán is home to the Refinería Gral. Lázaro Cárdenas del Río (now named for President Lázaro Cárdenas
) a 1906 oil refinery
that was the first such facility built in Latin America
. The refinery underwent an expansion that started in 2003 to bring the capacity of the plant up to 240,000 barrels per day, up from its previous capacity of 185,000 barrels per day.
It is a sister city of Minatitlán, Colima
in the state of Colima
, on the other side of the country.
The local economy is largely dependent on the oil industry and trade.
The Feria del Café y Minería (Coffe and Mining Fair) is held each year in January.
, located in Cosoleacaque
, serves Minatitlán. Mexican Federal Highways 145D, 150
, 172, 185
pass through Minatitlán. A cable stayed bridge known as Puente Coatza II or Puente Antonio Dovalí Jaime was built to carry Highway 150 over the Coatzacoalcos River
. It was contructed starting in 1979 and was opened by president Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado
on 17 October 1984. Coatza II has a center span of 288 metres (944.9 ft) and an overall length of 698.25 metres (2,290.8 ft).
(Minatitlán Oilers) play baseball in the Mexican League. The Gavilanes de Minatitlán (Minatitlán Hawks) play in the Veracruz Winter League
. Both team's homefield is the Parque 18 de marzo de 1938
.
States of Mexico
The United Mexican States is a federal republic formed by 32 federal entities .According to the Constitution of 1917, the states of the federation are free and sovereign. Each state has their own congress and constitution, while the Federal District has only limited autonomy with a local Congress...
of Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
in the Olmec
Olmec
The Olmec were the first major Pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco....
region of the state and the north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Isthmus of Tehuantepec
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and prior to the opening of the Panama Canal was a major shipping route known simply as the Tehuantepec Route...
.
In 2010 the greater metropolitan area had a population of 356,020. The municipality covers an area of 4123.91 square kilometres (1,592.3 sq mi) and includes many small outlying communities.
Much of the city sits on reclaimed wetlands, and many new homes built on this reclaimed land have a tendency to sink up to several meters before settling. Much of the surrounding undeveloped land is marshy, especially towards the northeast direction of Coatzacoalcos
Coatzacoalcos
Coatzacoalcos is a major port city in the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, on the Coatzacoalcos River. Coatzacoalcos comes from an indigenous word meaning "Site of the Snake" or "Where the snake hides"...
.
Minatitlán is home to the Refinería Gral. Lázaro Cárdenas del Río (now named for President Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
) a 1906 oil refinery
Refinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
that was the first such facility built in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. The refinery underwent an expansion that started in 2003 to bring the capacity of the plant up to 240,000 barrels per day, up from its previous capacity of 185,000 barrels per day.
It is a sister city of Minatitlán, Colima
Minatitlán, Colima
Minatitlán is a municipality of the Mexican state of Colima. Its municipal seat is the city of Minatitlán, Colima. Its principal economic activities are farming, ranching and mining...
in the state of Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
, on the other side of the country.
The local economy is largely dependent on the oil industry and trade.
The Feria del Café y Minería (Coffe and Mining Fair) is held each year in January.
Transportation
Minatitlán/Coatzacoalcos National AirportMinatitlán/Coatzacoalcos National Airport
Minatitlán/Coatzacoalcos National Airport is a national airport located in Cosoleacaque, Veracruz, Mexico, near Minatitlán. It handles national and international air traffic for the cities of Minatitlán and Coatzacoalcos....
, located in Cosoleacaque
Cosoleacaque
Cosoleacaque in Veracruz, Mexico. It is located in the south-east zone of the State of Veracruz, about 300 km from state capital Xalapa. It has a surface of 234.42 km2...
, serves Minatitlán. Mexican Federal Highways 145D, 150
Mexican Federal Highway 150
Mexican Federal Highway 150 is a Federal Highway of Mexico....
, 172, 185
Mexican Federal Highway 185
Mexican Federal Highway 185 is a Federal Highway of Mexico....
pass through Minatitlán. A cable stayed bridge known as Puente Coatza II or Puente Antonio Dovalí Jaime was built to carry Highway 150 over the Coatzacoalcos River
Coatzacoalcos River
The Coatzacoalcos is a large river that feeds mainly the south part of the state of Veracruz; it originates in the Sierra de Niltepec and crosses the state of Oaxaca in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, flowing for toward the Gulf of Mexico. Tributaries include El Corte, Sarabia,...
. It was contructed starting in 1979 and was opened by president Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado
Miguel de la Madrid
Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado is a Mexican politician affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party who served as President of Mexico from 1982 to 1988.-Biography:...
on 17 October 1984. Coatza II has a center span of 288 metres (944.9 ft) and an overall length of 698.25 metres (2,290.8 ft).
Sports
The Petroleros de MinatitlánPetroleros de Minatitlán
The Petroleros de Minatitlán are a AAA-level baseball team playing in the Mexican League. Their homefield is the Parque 18 de marzo de 1938 in Minatitlán, Veracruz....
(Minatitlán Oilers) play baseball in the Mexican League. The Gavilanes de Minatitlán (Minatitlán Hawks) play in the Veracruz Winter League
Veracruz Winter League
Liga Invernal Veracruzana de Béisbol Profesional "Beto Ávila", or the Veracruz Winter League, is a winter baseball league established in 2005. The league is composed of eight teams, all in the Mexican state of Veracruz....
. Both team's homefield is the Parque 18 de marzo de 1938
Parque 18 de marzo de 1938
Parque 18 de marzo de 1938 is a stadium in Minatitlán, Veracruz. It is the home field of the Petroleros de Minatitlán Mexican League baseball team as well as the Gavilanes de Minatitlán who play in the Veracruz Winter League. It holds 7,500 people...
.
Prominent Personalities
- Narciso Vidal Maldonado outstanding scientist, biologist, ornithologist born in Minatitlán, Ver. on June 16, 1941 and died in tragic accident when he went to a scientific expedition to Guadalupe Island, Mexico on April 18, 1984. He was a pioneer in scientific work in Rasa Island and Guadalupe Island in Mexico. Founder and Promoter of the Mexican Society of Ornithology in 1971, Founder and Directive of the Mexican Society of Zoology, 9 of October of 1977, Founder of the Courses of Wild Fauna and Etnofauna Postgraduated Courses at national level. In his memory it took place the II Interdisciplinary Seminar “Natural Society and Natural Resources, Scientific Journey “Narciso Vidal Maldonado”, on March 11-15 of 1985 in the Autonomous University of Chapingo. In tribute to his scientific work were created the Station of Observation and monitoring of birds of the Neotrópico “Narciso Vidal Maldonado” in the Choapas, Ver.; The Station and Observatory of the resident and migratory birds of the Neotrópico “Narciso Vidal Maldonado” in Tuxtepec, Oax. inaugurated during posthumous tribute within the framework of the XXV anniversary of the Mexican Society of Ornithology, in Tuxtepec, Oax, 1996. The Laboratory of Wild Fauna that he created in the Department of Forests of the Autonomous University of Chapingo has his name “Narciso Vidal Maldonado”
- Actress Blanca Estela PavónBlanca Estela PavónMaría Blanca Estela Pavón Vasconcelos was a Mexican film actress of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.She appeared in many classic films of the 1940s as a young woman. Her career peaked between 1948 and 1949...
was born in Minatitlán in 1926. - Artist Francisco ToledoFrancisco ToledoFrancisco Benjamín López Toledo is a Mexican graphic artist. He studied at the Escuela de Bellas Artes de Oaxaca and the Centro Superior de Artes Aplicadas del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico, where he studied graphic arts with Guillermo Silva Santamaria...
attended school in Minatitlán in the 1940s.