Editing Veracruz (section)

==Economy==
Veracruz has one of Mexico's leading economies, based on agriculture and petroleum.<ref name="brittanica" />
{{Expand section|date=April 2025}}

===Agriculture===
[[File:Vanilla beans.jpg|thumb|Vanilla beans]]

The primary sector of the economy (agriculture, forestry and fishing) has been important since pre-Hispanic times and continues to be important both as a source of income as well as culturally. The state has abundant rainfall and extremely fertile soils, as well as a long coastline and forest containing a wide variety of trees and other plants.<ref name="schmal"/><ref name="moritzky">{{cite web |url=http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/939-traveling-the-central-high-plains-part-one |title=Veracruz: traveling the Central High Plains of Mexico |first=Charles E. |last=Moritzky |date=January 1, 2006 |publisher=Mexconnect |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-date=August 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819002101/http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/939-traveling-the-central-high-plains-part-one |url-status=live }}</ref>

There is about 1&nbsp;million hectares of cultivable land, half of which is in private hands and 43% is [[ejido]] or communal land. The rest is occupied by human settlements. There are 3,620 ejidos parceled out to 270,000 ejido members. 52.5% of agricultural land is used for the growing of crops or used as pasture and 43.1% is forest or rainforest. Chief agricultural products include coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, tobacco, bananas, coconuts, and vegetables, but local farmers depend mainly on corn and beans.<ref name="brittanica"/> Two corn crops per year are generally produced, planted on 644,936 hectares with a production of 1,114,325 tons. The state is the leading national producer of coffee, sugarcane, corn, and rice.<ref name="schmal"/> Coffee is grown on 152,993 hectares producing 400,575 tons. Export earnings from this crop are about US$232&nbsp;million annually. Most coffee is grown in the mountain areas of Córdoba-Huatusco, Coatepec-Teocelo-Cosautlán and Misantla-Tlapacoyan-Atzalan. Sugarcane is cultivated on 254,000 hectares, producing 16,867,958 tons annually. Veracruz is the largest producer of rice with 24,000 hectares producing 120,000 tons. Much is this crop is protected by import bans from Asia. {{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}

The state grows half of the country's citrus fruit and grows the most kinds. This occupies 180,577 hectares and produces 2,575,140 tons annually. Varieties include oranges, tangerines, [[Mandarin orange|mandarin]]s, limes and grapefruit. Most citrus is grown in the north of the state, and much of the lime crop is exported, supporting a packing and shipping industry. Veracruz is the largest mango producer in the country, grown on 31,640 hectares producing 287,000 tons. Most of this is the manila variety, which is preferred in Mexico. 95% of this crop is consumed fresh within Mexico although exports to Canada have begun. {{Citation needed|date=December 2016}} Vanilla beans are native to the state, which is the primary producer for Mexico. Most of this crop is grown in an area known as Totonacapan in and around Papantla.

Livestock raising is an important activity. There are over 300,000 units of production most of which raise cattle, with Veracruz being the main beef producer for the country at 14% of the total. In addition to beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, domestic fowl, and bees are raised.<ref name="brittanica"/>

The state's inland tropical forests supply [[dyewood]]s, hardwoods, and rubber.<ref name="schmal"/> About 20% of the state's territory is forested, with 220,000 of temperate forest and 1,200,000 hectares of tropical forests. Logging in the state produces 128,254 m3 of wood products per year. The most exploited species include pine, oyamel, cypress and oak. Some tropical hardwoods are harvested as well.

Veracruz's long coastline supports a large fishing industry, producing one-fifth of Mexico's catch. Most of the country's [[mojarra]], oysters and shrimp come from here. Other major fish catches include crab, [[white seabass|sea bass]] and [[Northern red snapper|red snapper]].

Agroindustry focuses on the processing of coffee and sugar products, with citrus packers holding an important position as well. {{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}

===Natural resources===
[[File:Torre Petrolera Poza Rica.jpg|thumb|100px|Petroleum tower in Poza Rica]]

Veracruz, a resource-rich state, plays a significant role in Mexico's economy. It hosts about 35% of the country's water supply, and is a key hub for oil production.<ref name="schmal"/> While the state's mountains also contain unexploited coal, iron, gold, and silver reserves, its mining activity primarily focuses on non-metallic minerals such as [[calcium]], [[feldspar]], [[kaolin]], [[marble]], and [[silica]]. The state ranks fourth in the country for non-metallic mineral output. In total, mining contributes 1.5% to the state's economy.<ref name="schmal"/>

Veracruz was a pioneer in both the extraction and refining of petroleum products.<ref name="mediofisico"/> The state has about one-fourth of Mexico's petroleum reserves and ranks third in petroleum production.<ref name="mediofisico"/><ref name="brittanica"/> Most of this production is concentrated in the northern part of the state.<ref name="schmal"/> Approximately {{convert|40000000|oilbbl}} of oil are produced each year and {{convert|109870000000|cuft|m3}} of natural gas. Petrochemicals represent 28.1% of the state's manufacturing and ranks first nationally. There are 22 petrochemical plants, with the most important being [[La Cangrejera]], [[Jáltipan de Morelos]], [[Poza Rica]], [[Cosoleacaque]], [[Pajaritos, Veracruz|Pajaritos]] and [[Minatitlán, Veracruz|Minatitlán]].

===Golden Lane Oil Fields===
[[File:Golden Lane Map.pdf|thumb|300px|Map of the Golden Lane<ref>Viniegra O., F., and Castillo-Tejero, C., 1970, Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, AAPG Memoir 14, Halbouty, M.T. editor, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, p. 310.</ref>]]

The "Golden Lane" ("Dos Bocas-Alamo structure" or The Ridge") refers to a series of oil fields aligned in an arc onshore and a symmetrical alignment offshore, forming two sides of a [[Cretaceous]] [[atoll]] 180&nbsp;km long.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 309">Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, p. 309, 1970.</ref> The structure was discovered in 1908 by [[Weetman Pearson]]'s [[Mexican Eagle Petroleum Company]] San diego de la Mar No. 1 well, which flowed 2,500 [[Barrel (unit)|bbl]]/day.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 309"/> The Golden Lane oil fields penetrate a massive elliptical [[reef]] platform, identified as the Sierra del Abra limestone (consisting of reef, backreef and [[lagoon]]al [[facies]]), which dips southeast.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 314 and 316, 1970.</ref> The site for the discovery well was selected due to the presence of [[petroleum seep]]s, just as was [[Edward Laurence Doheny]]'s La Paz No. well in the Ebano-Panuco petroleum district west of [[Tampico]], Tamaulipas, the first Mexican discovery well in 1904.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 309-311, 1970.</ref> In 1908, the infamous [[Dos Bocas oil fire]] occurred after the San Diego de la Mar No. 3 [[Blowout (well drilling)|blowout]].<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 311">Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, p. 311, 1970.</ref> This was followed by the Potrero del Llano No. 4 well, flowing 100,000 bbl per day during the three months it was out of control.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 311"/> Doheny's Cerro Azul No. 4 well, located by Ezequiel Ordonez, became the largest daily production record holder in 1916 at 260,000 bbl.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 311"/> Geophysical studies, in particular [[gravimetry]], starting in 1920 led to the discovery of the Poza Rica Field in 1932 and Moralillo Field in 1948, on the west flank of the Golden Lane in the Tamabra forereef facies.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 311 and 317, 1970.</ref> Refraction [[seismography]] surveys started in 1930, augemented in 1948 with reflection seismography, which led to the discovery of the southern extent of the atoll with the Ezequiel Ordonez No. 1 well in 1952 and additional discoveries through 1968.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 312">Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, p. 312, 1970.</ref> Marine seismic and [[magnetometer]] surveys starting in 1957 showed the extent of the atoll offshore and led to the first offshore well, Isla de Lobos No. 1-B, in 1963.<ref name="Viniegra O. p. 312"/> The depths of wells are on the order of 500 m onshore and 2000 m offshore.<ref>Viniegra O., L., and Castillo-Tejero, C.,Golden Lane Fields, Veracruz, Mexico, in Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 14, pp. 311-312, 1970.</ref>

===Industry, transportation and commerce===
[[File:PortVeracruz55.JPG|thumb|A portion of the port of Veracruz]]

[[Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant]] (LVNPP) in Alto Lucero, Veracruz, produces about 4.5% of Mexico's electrical energy.
21% to 33% of Veracruz's [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) is derrived from manufacturing, with the chemical and petrochemical sectors contributing about 64% of the manufacturing GDP.<ref name="schmal"/> Other products produced include metals, processed foods, beverages, printing and publishing, textiles and machinery.<ref name="schmal"/> Most of the state's industry takes place in the municipalities of [[Coatzacoalcos]], Minatitlán, Cosoleacaque, Poza Rica, Córdoba, Orizaba, Tuxpan and Veracruz, with over 5,000 establishments. The rest is divided among nearly 11,000 smaller establishments. There are five major industrial parks: Bruno Pagliai, Ixtac, Petroquimico Morelos, Córdoba-Amatlán and Parque 2000. The largest of these is Bruno Pagliai, which covers {{convert|300.8|ha}}.

Transportation and commerce are important factors in the state, mostly linked to importing and exporting through its four deepwater ports. The focus of most of these activities is the port of Veracruz, whose location on the Gulf coast of Mexico makes it a key export hub. It handles 75% of Mexico's port activity, with exports from Veracruz traveling to Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Its primary exports include coffee, fertilizer, fish and crustaceans, and fresh fruits.<ref name="schmal"/> Other ports include those in Tuxpan and Coatzacoalcos. Most highway, rail and air connections link to the port of Veracruz and other ports to the south.<ref name="brittanica"/> The state has 73 companies that have been classified as high-volume exporters and it is ranked sixth in the country for exports. The state contains five major food wholesale markets, 146 government sponsored markets, about 75,000 private stores and 201 supermarkets. Wholesale vendors focus on agricultural products such as wood, livestock and food products. The major focal point for international business is the World Trade Center EXPOVER in Boca del Río. Inaugurated in 1989, the center has facilities to accommodate 5,000 people in {{convert|7,000|m2}}, an exhibition hall of {{convert|12,000|m2}}, a business center and parking for over 800 vehicles.

In the industrial sector, relatively poor municipios are not catching up to relatively rich ones though the latter are not diverging either. A policy of encouraging much more domestic and/or foreign investment is called
for if poorer areas are to prosper and the outflow of residents is to stop.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Brock, Gregory |title="The Long Run Industrial Growth of Veracruz State, 1955-2008 |journal=Journal of Economic Studies |volume=41 |issue=6 |date=2014 |pages=821–832 |url=http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/jes/41/6 |doi=10.1108/JES-02-2013-0020 |s2cid=154695456 |access-date=November 7, 2014 |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018194047/https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0144-3585/vol/41/iss/6 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Handcrafts===
In the more rural and indigenous areas of the state, a number of handicrafts are still made and sold both to local buyers and to tourists. Many of these crafts are produced by communities that specialize in one or more types. Wood furniture and other items are made by the Huasteca people, mostly using cedar and palm trees. The best work comes from the towns of Ozulama and Castillo de Teayo. Teocelo and Monte Blanco are known for bamboo furniture and other items. Musical instruments of wood such as a guitar called "jarana" are constructed in the Los Tuxtlas area, especially in Catemaco, with flutes made in Papantla. Wooden masks are made in Teocelo, and items made with the wood of coffee plants are made in Misantla, Coatepec, Huastusco and Xico. Corn husks are used to make decorative figures, often religious, in Nautla and Naranjos de Amatlán. Palm fronds are woven into fans, shoes and baskets in Jalcomulco, Ozulama and Tlalixcoyan.<ref name="rincones4042">González, pp. 40–42</ref>

Ceramics have been made in almost all parts of Veracruz since the Olmecs. One area known for its work is Papantla which also includes life sized representations of folk dancers from the area along with more mundane items of glazed and unglazed pottery. Minatitlán is known for its production of ceramic cooking utensils which are also popular in the neighboring municipalities of Actopan and Naolinco. San Miguel Aguasuelos and Jalcomulco are known for their white clay wares which include water jars, toys, nativity scenes, bells and more.<ref name="rincones4042"/>

Traditional clothing and embroidery can be most easily found in the La Huasteca area, where elaborately decorated women's blouses can be seen, especially in the El Higo and Tlalixcoyan area. In Totonacalpan, men are still often seen in white shirts and pants with a bag to hold personal items. This dress dates back to the early colonial period and had not changed much since then. Other areas specialize in wool items such as Naranjos de Amatlán, Minatilán and the city of Veracruz where items such as dresses, skirts and jackets. These and other textiles such as tablecloths and napkins are often decorated with cross-stitch. Leather items include shoes, jackets, bags, wallets, belts and boots and are usually made in the La Huasteca region, Teocolo, Citlaltépetl and Naolinco.<ref name="rincones4042"/>