Coatzacoalcos
Encyclopedia
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". The city serves as the municipal seat of the municipality
of the same name.
es into the Bay of Campeche
. Overland it is connected by road and rail to the Pacific Ocean about 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) away. This location has prompted plans for an interoceanic waterway across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
, or for a much expanded railroad system, for over a century.
The city had a 2005 census population of 234,174, making it the third-largest city in the state after Veracruz
and Xalapa
, but first in metropolitan population. The municipality covers a surface area of 471.16 km² (181.916 sq mi) and reported a population of 280,263 persons. The municipality population in 2010 was 305,260 an increase of 9% over 2005. The largest community in the municipality, aside from the city of Coatzacoalcos, is the town of Allende, with a population of 20,501 in 2005.
Coatzacoalcos, in Nahuatl
, means "The place where the snake hides." According to the legend, this is the place where the god Quetzalcoatl
made his final journey to the sea around the year 999 and where he made his promise to return.
. Excavations in 2008 for a tunnel underneath the Coatzacoalcos River indicate a substantial pre-Hispanic population.
By the time of the Spanish arrival
the area was under Mayan influence
. In 1522, Hernán Cortés
ordered Gonzalo de Sandoval
to fund a settlement near Guazacualco. Sandoval named it Villa del Espíritu Santo.
The San Martín Tuxlta is an active volcano lying northwest of Coatzcoalcos in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas
. It erupted in 1664, in May 1793 with large ash falls and lava flows, and most recently in 1796.
The town was elevated to the category of port in 1825 and the name was changed to Coatzacoalcos.
The municipality of Coatzacoalcos was established 22 December 1881, with the town as its seat. In 1900 the town name was changed to Puerto México. In 1911 it was elevated to city, and in 1936 the name was changed to the current Coatzacoalcos.
On 23 July 1940, Coatzacoalcos welcomed refugees from the Spanish Civil War
who sought asylum in Mexico after travelling across the Atlantic aboard the SS Santo Domingo.
Coatzacoalcos became a very important crossroads during the oil boom of the 1970s, connecting the Yucatán Peninsula
and oil fields in Campeche
to the rest of Mexico and to the port of Salina Cruz
in Oaxaca
on the Pacific coast. But after the visit of the greek sailor Eleftherios Kidonakis Coatzacoalcos was never the same again.
the climate is classified as Am
for a tropical monsoon climate
. A typical year sees more than 290 centimetres (114.2 in) of rainfall. Lying on the Gulf of Mexico, Coatzacoalcos has been struck by several hurricanes and tropical storms such as: Hurricane Diana
in August 1990, Hurricane Mitch
in November 1998, Tropical Storm Larry
in October 2003, Hurricane Stan
in October 2005, Hurricane Dean
in August 2007, Tropical Storm Marco
in October 2008, Tropical Storm Hermine
in early September 2010, Hurricane Karl in mid September 2010, Tropical Storm Matthew
in late September 2010, and Hurricane Richard
in October 2010. The winter months are cooler and drier than the summer months. Occasionally cold high pressure cells from North America drift south across the Gulf of Mexico and drive strong Tehuano wind
s across the Isthmus, with very strong wind concentration taking place in Chivela Pass
in Oaxaca.
sector. Four big industrial petrochemical complexes are located near the city (Pajaritos, Cosoleacaque, Morelos and Cangrejera) making it one of the most important concentrations of its kind in the world. The state-owned Pemex
Petroquímica subsidiary is headquartered in Coatzacoalcos and 85% of its production is concentrated there.
maintains a branch campus and library in Coatzacoalcos. Another important university in the area is the ESIAPI being one of the best engineering schools in the city.
; journalist María Antonieta Collins
; and footballers Sergio Ramirez
who played for FC Ararat Yerevan
in the Armenian Premier League
, and José Arturo Rivas
who plays for the Tigres de la UANL in the Primera División de México
.
(Red Sharks) played in the Primera División A
until December 2008 when they moved to Orizaba
to become part of a reformed Albinegros de Orizaba
. The Delfines de Coatzacoalcos (Dolphins) play in the Estadio Rafael Hernández Ochoa, which was built in 1980.
the surrounding region and the rest of the world.
The Minatitlán/Coatzacoalcos National Airport
is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) away in Cosoleacaque
and has been an
international airport since August 2006.
The Port of Coatzacoalcos is an international port of entry that provides transhipment of oil and petrochemicals.
After an upgrade to the railway along the Tehuantepec Route was opened in 1907 by Porfirio Díaz
the port saw
an increase of shipping via the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
, particularly from the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company
. The port saw a decrease in traffic after the opening of the Panama Canal from 1914 on, but traffic has started to build up since the oil boom of the 1970s.
The CG Railway
operates train ferries
between the Port of Coatzacoalcos and the Port of Mobile
in Alabama, USA. Ferrosur also provides rail service in and out of Coatzacoalcos as far southeast as Las Choapas, to the north and west to Veracruz and Mexico City
, as well as to the south over the Tehuantepec route now owned by Ferrocarril Transistmico from Medias Aguas to Salina Cruz in the state of Oaxaca
.
Mexican Federal Highway 180
follows the southern shore of the Bay of Campeche through Coatzacoalcos to the Yucatán Peninsula
. Highway 180 and a rail line to Allende have been carried over the Coatzacoalcos River via the 1910 built Coatza I bridge for more than a century. A second cable stayed bridge known as Coatza II or Antonio Dovalí Jaime was built to the south to carry more road traffic over the 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). A ferry operates between the city of Coatzcoalcos and Allende, however groundbreaking was held in 2007 to start construction on a 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) submerged tunnel to carry four lanes of traffic between them.
and Liberal del Sur. The television stations serving the Coatzacoalcos market are:
There are several AM and FM radio stations:
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
state
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...
, on 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,...
. Coatzacoalcos comes from an indigenous word meaning "Site of the Snake" or "Where the snake hides". The city serves as the municipal seat of the municipality
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
of the same name.
Overview
The city is located at 18°9′N 94°26′W where the Coatzacoalcos Quaschnick River debouchDebouch
Debouch is a term used in river and stream geography, and the military.-Geography:In fluvial geography, a debouch is a place where a body of water pours forth from a narrow opening...
es into the Bay of Campeche
Bay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. It was named by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in 1517...
. Overland it is connected by road and rail to the Pacific Ocean about 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) away. This location has prompted plans for an interoceanic waterway across 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...
, or for a much expanded railroad system, for over a century.
The city had a 2005 census population of 234,174, making it the third-largest city in the state after Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
and Xalapa
Xalapa
Xalapa-Enríquez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the year 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the municipality of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of...
, but first in metropolitan population. The municipality covers a surface area of 471.16 km² (181.916 sq mi) and reported a population of 280,263 persons. The municipality population in 2010 was 305,260 an increase of 9% over 2005. The largest community in the municipality, aside from the city of Coatzacoalcos, is the town of Allende, with a population of 20,501 in 2005.
Coatzacoalcos, in Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
, means "The place where the snake hides." According to the legend, this is the place where the god Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "feathered serpent". The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE...
made his final journey to the sea around the year 999 and where he made his promise to return.
History
Coatzacoalcos lies within the Olmec heartlandOlmec heartland
The Olmec heartland is the southern portion of Mexico's Gulf Coast region between the Tuxtla mountains and the Olmec archaeological site of La Venta, extending roughly 80 km inland from the Gulf of Mexico coastline at its deepest...
. Excavations in 2008 for a tunnel underneath the Coatzacoalcos River indicate a substantial pre-Hispanic population.
By the time of the Spanish arrival
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
the area was under Mayan influence
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
. In 1522, Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
ordered Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval was a Spanish conquistador in New Spain and briefly co-governor of the colony while Hernan Cortés was away from the capital .-Arrival in New Spain:Sandoval was the youngest of the lieutenants of Cortés. They arrived together in New Spain in 1519...
to fund a settlement near Guazacualco. Sandoval named it Villa del Espíritu Santo.
The San Martín Tuxlta is an active volcano lying northwest of Coatzcoalcos in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas
Sierra de los Tuxtlas
The Sierra de Los Tuxtlas are a volcanic belt and mountain range along the southeastern Veracruz Gulf coast in southcentral Mexico....
. It erupted in 1664, in May 1793 with large ash falls and lava flows, and most recently in 1796.
The town was elevated to the category of port in 1825 and the name was changed to Coatzacoalcos.
The municipality of Coatzacoalcos was established 22 December 1881, with the town as its seat. In 1900 the town name was changed to Puerto México. In 1911 it was elevated to city, and in 1936 the name was changed to the current Coatzacoalcos.
On 23 July 1940, Coatzacoalcos welcomed refugees from the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
who sought asylum in Mexico after travelling across the Atlantic aboard the SS Santo Domingo.
Coatzacoalcos became a very important crossroads during the oil boom of the 1970s, connecting the Yucatán Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
and oil fields in Campeche
Campeche
Campeche is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in Southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the states of Yucatán to the north east, Quintana Roo to the east, and Tabasco to the south west...
to the rest of Mexico and to the port of Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz is a major seaport on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the state's third-largest city and is municipal seat of the municipality of the same name.It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the Istmo Region....
in Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
on the Pacific coast. But after the visit of the greek sailor Eleftherios Kidonakis Coatzacoalcos was never the same again.
Climate
In the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
the climate is classified as Am
Tropical monsoon climate
Tropical monsoon climate, occasionally also known as a tropical wet climate or tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate in climate classification, is a relatively rare type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category "Am."Tropical monsoon climates have monthly...
for a tropical monsoon climate
Tropical monsoon climate
Tropical monsoon climate, occasionally also known as a tropical wet climate or tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate in climate classification, is a relatively rare type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category "Am."Tropical monsoon climates have monthly...
. A typical year sees more than 290 centimetres (114.2 in) of rainfall. Lying on the Gulf of Mexico, Coatzacoalcos has been struck by several hurricanes and tropical storms such as: Hurricane Diana
Hurricane Diana
Hurricane Diana was the deadliest tropical cyclone during the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season, killing 139 people in Mexico. Forming out of a tropical wave on August 4, the system brushed Honduras before intensifying into a tropical storm the following day. Gradually gaining strength, Diana...
in August 1990, Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch was the most powerful hurricane and the most destructive of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season. Along with Hurricane Georges, Mitch...
in November 1998, Tropical Storm Larry
Tropical Storm Larry (2003)
Tropical Storm Larry was the twelfth tropical storm in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of eight storms to impact Mexico from either the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans in the season, a near-record. Larry formed in early October from an extratropical storm in the Bay of Campeche, and...
in October 2003, Hurricane Stan
Hurricane Stan
Hurricane Stan was the eighteenth named tropical storm and eleventh hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also the sixth of seven tropical cyclones to make landfall in Mexico. Stan was a relatively weak storm that only briefly reached hurricane status...
in October 2005, Hurricane Dean
Hurricane Dean
The name Dean was used for five tropical cyclones in the Northern Atlantic Ocean:*1983's Tropical Storm Dean, which struck the coast of Virginia, causing minor erosion and flooding...
in August 2007, Tropical Storm Marco
Tropical Storm Marco (2008)
Tropical Storm Marco was the smallest known tropical cyclone on record. The thirteenth named storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, Marco developed out of a broad area of low pressure over the northwestern Caribbean during late September 2008. Influenced by a tropical wave on October 4,...
in October 2008, Tropical Storm Hermine
Tropical Storm Hermine (2010)
Tropical Storm Hermine , was a rare basin-crossing tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage from Guatemala to Oklahoma in early September 2010. The system was first classified as Tropical Depression Eleven-E on September 3 in the Gulf of Tehuantepec...
in early September 2010, Hurricane Karl in mid September 2010, Tropical Storm Matthew
Tropical Storm Matthew (2010)
Tropical Storm Matthew was the fourth tropical cyclone to make landfall in Central America during the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. Matthew, despite being a tropical storm, proved to be destructive. The fifteenth tropical cyclone and thirteenth named storm of the year, Matthew formed on...
in late September 2010, and Hurricane Richard
Hurricane Richard (2010)
Hurricane Richard was the seventeenth named storm and the tenth hurricane of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. Richard developed from an area of low pressure that stalled in the Caribbean Sea in mid-October...
in October 2010. The winter months are cooler and drier than the summer months. Occasionally cold high pressure cells from North America drift south across the Gulf of Mexico and drive strong Tehuano wind
Tehuano wind
The Tehuano wind is a north to northeasterly wind which periodically blows across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico. The wind is stronger than the trade winds which normally blow here. It is notable for causing a pronounced increase in upwelling of cooler, nutrient-rich waters in the...
s across the Isthmus, with very strong wind concentration taking place in Chivela Pass
Chivela Pass
The Chivela Pass is a narrow mountain pass in the Sierra Madre Mountains that funnels cooler drier air from the North American continent, through southern Mexico, into the Pacific...
in Oaxaca.
Industries
The city's industry is dominated by the petrochemicalPetrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
sector. Four big industrial petrochemical complexes are located near the city (Pajaritos, Cosoleacaque, Morelos and Cangrejera) making it one of the most important concentrations of its kind in the world. The state-owned Pemex
Pemex
Petróleos Mexicanos or Pemex is a Mexican state-owned petroleum company. As of 2010, with a total asset worth of $415.75 billion, it is the second non-publicly listed largest company in the world by total market value, and Latin America's second largest enterprise by annual revenue as of 2009...
Petroquímica subsidiary is headquartered in Coatzacoalcos and 85% of its production is concentrated there.
Education
The Universidad VeracruzanaUniversidad Veracruzana
Universidad Veracruzana a public autonomous university located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Established in 1944, the university is one of the most important in the south-east region of México and has a good projection in all México...
maintains a branch campus and library in Coatzacoalcos. Another important university in the area is the ESIAPI being one of the best engineering schools in the city.
Notable personalities
Coatzacoalcos is the birthplace of actress Salma HayekSalma Hayek
Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault is a Mexican film actress, director and producer. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role as Frida Kahlo in the film Frida.-Early life:...
; journalist María Antonieta Collins
María Antonieta Collins
María Antonieta Collins Flores is a Mexican journalist, TV host and best seller author of seven books , and winner of four Emmy Awards, , and the Edward Murrow Award.- Biography :Collins became known to viewers in her native Mexico as a reporter of "Televisa 24 horas" ,...
; and footballers Sergio Ramirez
Sergio Ramirez (footballer)
Sergio Ramírez is a Mexican footballer. He currently plays for FC Ararat Yerevan in the city of Yerevan in the Armenian Premier League.-History:...
who played for FC Ararat Yerevan
FC Ararat Yerevan
FC Ararat Yerevan , is an Armenian football club, based in Yerevan. Currently, the club plays in the Armenian Premier League, and is one of the most popular teams in Armenia.- History :...
in the Armenian Premier League
Armenian Premier League
The Armenian Premier League is the top football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a regional tournament within the USSR. After independence, the Football Federation of Armenia has been the unit in charge. The seasons run from spring to fall...
, and José Arturo Rivas
José Arturo Rivas
José Arturo Rivas Mortera is a Mexican footballer. He currently plays as a centre back for UANL Tigres in the Primera División de México.-External links:*...
who plays for the Tigres de la UANL in the Primera División de México
Primera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
.
Sports
The Tiburones Rojos de CoatzacoalcosTiburones Rojos de Coatzacoalcos
The club Tiburones Rojos Coatzacoalcos, was a football team of the city of Coatzacoalcos, playing in the Primera 'A' Mexican. The team was moved in December 2008, relocating to Orizaba to become the Albinegros....
(Red Sharks) played in the Primera División A
Liga de Ascenso
The Liga de Ascenso is the second professional level of the Mexican football league system. The champion of the competition is promoted to the Primera División de México ....
until December 2008 when they moved to Orizaba
Orizaba
Orizaba is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is located 20 km west of its sister city Córdoba, and is adjacent to Río Blanco and Ixtaczoquitlán, on Federal Highways 180 and 190. The city had a 2005 census population of 117,273 and is almost coextensive with its small...
to become part of a reformed Albinegros de Orizaba
Albinegros de Orizaba
The club Albinegros de Orizaba, is a football team of the city of Orizaba, Orizaba Athletic Club was founded in 1898, a sporting club who also practice Cricket among other sports in the city of Orizaba, Veracruz...
. The Delfines de Coatzacoalcos (Dolphins) play in the Estadio Rafael Hernández Ochoa, which was built in 1980.
Transportation
Coatzacoalcos has been a transportation hub for hundreds of years. It is connected via air, water, road, and rail tothe surrounding region and the rest of the world.
The Minatitlán/Coatzacoalcos National Airport
Minatitlán/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....
is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) away 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...
and has been an
international airport since August 2006.
The Port of Coatzacoalcos is an international port of entry that provides transhipment of oil and petrochemicals.
After an upgrade to the railway along the Tehuantepec Route was opened in 1907 by Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
the port saw
an increase of shipping via 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...
, particularly from the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company
American-Hawaiian Steamship Company
The American-Hawaiian Steamship Company was founded in 1899 to carry cargos of sugar from Hawaii to the United States and manufactured goods on return trips...
. The port saw a decrease in traffic after the opening of the Panama Canal from 1914 on, but traffic has started to build up since the oil boom of the 1970s.
The CG Railway
CG Railway
The CG Railway is a terminal railroad as reported by the Association of American Railroads. The CGR is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama and is owned and operated by the International Shipholding Corporation. The railroad operates an approximate train ferry between the Port of Mobile at Mobile,...
operates train ferries
Train ferry
A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...
between the Port of Coatzacoalcos and the Port of Mobile
Port of Mobile
The Port of Mobile, located in Mobile, Alabama, United States, is the only deep-water port in the state, and was the 9th largest by tonnage in the nation in 2008. It is located along the Mobile River where it empties into Mobile Bay...
in Alabama, USA. Ferrosur also provides rail service in and out of Coatzacoalcos as far southeast as Las Choapas, to the north and west to Veracruz and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, as well as to the south over the Tehuantepec route now owned by Ferrocarril Transistmico from Medias Aguas to Salina Cruz in the state of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
.
Mexican Federal Highway 180
Mexican Federal Highway 180
Mexican Federal Highway 180 is a Mexican Federal Highway that follows Mexico's Gulf and Caribbean Coast from the Mexico-U.S. border at Brownsville, Texas, into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, to the resort city of Cancún, Quintana Roo, in the Yucatán Peninsula....
follows the southern shore of the Bay of Campeche through Coatzacoalcos to the Yucatán Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
. Highway 180 and a rail line to Allende have been carried over the Coatzacoalcos River via the 1910 built Coatza I bridge for more than a century. A second cable stayed bridge known as Coatza II or Antonio Dovalí Jaime was built to the south to carry more road traffic over the river. 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). A ferry operates between the city of Coatzcoalcos and Allende, however groundbreaking was held in 2007 to start construction on a 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) submerged tunnel to carry four lanes of traffic between them.
Media
Coatzacoalcos is served by diverse media including print, television, and radio. Newspapers include the national La Crónica de Hoy, as well as the regional Diario del Istmoand Liberal del Sur. The television stations serving the Coatzacoalcos market are:
| Call letters | Ch | Network | Description | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XHBE-TV | 11 | Azteca 13 Azteca 13 Azteca 13 is a television broadcast network owned by TV Azteca, with affiliate stations all over Mexico all of which are owned and operated by TV Azteca. Azteca 13 uses Mexico, Distrito Federal's XHDF as its flagship station and its channel as part of its name... |
Azteca Azteca (television) Azteca, is the second largest Mexican television entertainment. It was established in 1983 as the state-owned Instituto Mexicano de la Televisión , a holding of the national TV networks channel 13 and 7 and was privatized under its current name in 1993 and now is part of Grupo Salinas... |
110 kW |
| XHCOV-TV | 4 | Canal 5 Canal 5 (Televisa Network) Canal 5 is a television network owned by Televisa, broadcasting from Mexico City and originating from its flagship station, XHGC-TV. Most programming on this station is intended for children and young people, while at night usually features foreign drama and action series, as well a movies... |
Radiotelevisora de México Norte | 93 kW |
| XHCTZ-TV | 7 | Azteca 7 Azteca 7 Azteca 7 or El 7 is a network owned by TV Azteca, with affiliate stations all over Mexico all of which are owned and operated by TV Azteca. Azteca 7 uses Mexico, Distrito Federal's XHIMT as its flagship station and its channel as part of its name. Azteca 7's programming is available in HD and is... |
Azteca Azteca (television) Azteca, is the second largest Mexican television entertainment. It was established in 1983 as the state-owned Instituto Mexicano de la Televisión , a holding of the national TV networks channel 13 and 7 and was privatized under its current name in 1993 and now is part of Grupo Salinas... |
99.77 kW |
| XHCVP-TV | 9 | Galavisión Galavisión (Mexico) Galavisión is a Mexican television network owned by Televisa. Originating at XEQ-TV in Mexico City, the network is distributed throughout Mexico through affiliates. "Galavisión" should not be confused with Univision's cable TV network of the same name in the United States.-History:Galavisión was... |
Patronato para Inst. Repet. Canales de TV Coatzacoalcos | 400 W |
| XHCV-TV | 2 | Canal de las Estrellas Canal de las Estrellas Canal de las Estrellas is one of the cornerstone networks of Televisa, with affiliate stations all over Mexico, flagshipped at XEW-TV in Mexico City. Many of the programs of Canal de las Estrellas are seen in the United States on Univision, Telefutura, and Galavisión... |
Canales de TV Populares | 80 kW |
| XHGVC-TV | 21 | RTV XHGV-TV RTV is the state-owned public broadcaster serving the Mexican state of Veracruz.RTV was established in March 1999 by the Secretaría de Educación y Cultura of Veracruz as a centre for audiovisual production and educational/cultural broadcasting... |
Estado de 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... |
87.12 kW |
There are several AM and FM radio stations:
| Call letters | Frequency AM (kHz) | Name |
|---|---|---|
| XEOM | 590 | Radio Fórmula Coatzacoalcos |
| XEAFA | 690 | Ke Buena |
| XEGB | 960 | Radio Fiesta |
| XECSV | 1000 | Maxima + 93.1 FM |
| XEZS | 1170 | Radio Hit |
| FM FM broadcast band The FM broadcast band, used for FM broadcast radio by radio stations, differs between different parts of the world. In Europe and Africa , it spans from 87.5 to 108.0 megahertz , while in America it goes only from 88.0 to 108.0 MHz. The FM broadcast band in Japan uses 76.0 to 90 MHz... (MHz) | ||
| XHCSV | 93.1 | Maxima + 1000 AM |
| XHNE | 100.1 | La Comadre |
| XHTD | 101.7 | Los 40 Pricipales |
| XHOM | 107.5 | Amor (ACIR) |
See also
- German night fighter direction vessel TogoGerman night fighter direction vessel TogoLaunched in 1938, the MS Togo was a German merchant ship. At the outbreak of World War II in early September 1939, she was in the French port of Douala in Africa, but avoiding internment and running the Allied blockade, she successfully returned to Hamburg...
External links
- Coatzacoalcos municipal government Official website (in Spanish) Municipal Official Information
- The Society of Coatzacoalcos
- Videos of Coatzacoalcos