Тампико: История и современность мексиканского порта

the city in Mexico

Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fifth largest city in Tamaulipas, with a population of 314,418 in the city proper and 929,174 in the metropolitan area. During the period of Mexico's first oil boom in the early 20th century, the city was the "chief oil exporting port of the Americas" and the second busiest in the world, yielding great profits that were invested in the city's famous architecture, often compared to that of Venice and New Orleans. The first oil well in Mexico was drilled near Tampico in 1901 at Ébano. The city is also a major exporter of silver, copper, and lumber, as well as wool, hemp, and other agricultural products. Containerized cargo is mainly handled by the neighboring ocean port of Altamira.

The name "Tampico" is of Huastec origin, tam piko meaning "place of otters" (literally "water dogs"). The city is surrounded by rivers and lagoons of the delta of the Pánuco River, which was the habitat of a large population of otters. There have been successive human settlements in the area for centuries. The region had several early Huastec settlements, among them the important site at Las Flores, which flourished between AD 1000 and 1250. In 1532, during the Spanish colonial period, the Franciscan priest Andrés de Olmos established a mission and monastery in the area, building over a former Huastec village. At his request, Spanish officials founded a settlement named San Luis de Tampico in 1554. This site was abandoned in 1684, and the population relocated to the south of the Pánuco River because of frequent attacks by European and American pirates. The area was abandoned for nearly 150 years. The present city was founded on April 13, 1823, on the north bank of the Pánuco River about from the Gulf, after Mexico achieved independence from Spain. Tampico built its economy on the exportation of silver; business development was mostly as a trading center and market town of an agricultural region. In August 1829, Spain sent troops from Cuba to invade Tampico in an effort to regain control of the region, but in September, General Antonio López de Santa Anna forced the Spanish troops to surrender, and Mexican control of Tampico was reestablished.

The first oil well in Mexico was drilled near Tampico at Ébano, S. L. P., in 1901, by Californian Edward Doheny, who founded the Mexican Petroleum Corporation. During the Mexican Revolution, on April 9, 1914, 10 Mexican soldiers and nine U. S. Navy sailors from the USS Dolphin confronted each other in a failure to communicate as U. S. forces tried to get fuel supplies. General Victoriano Huerta's forces in the city were threatened by different groups from both north and south. The Americans were arrested and later freed, but the U. S. resented Huerta's demands for some recognition. In the resulting Tampico Affair, the U. S. sent naval and marine forces into port of Veracruz and occupied the city for seven months in a show of force. Due to resulting anti American demonstrations on each coast, other U. S. Navy ships were used to evacuate some American citizens to refugee camps in southern U. S. cities. The U. S. occupation contributed to the downfall of Huerta, and Venustiano Carranza became president. He ensured that Mexico maintained neutrality during World War I, in part due to lingering animosity against the U. S. for these actions. In the 1970s, Tampico annexed the port city and suburb of Ciudad Madero, which now comprises part of the Tampico metropolitan area. Tampico has a modern port with excellent facilities, as well as rail and air connections to Mexico City and the United States. In early 2015, the government planned to accept bids on 169 blocks, 47 of which are within 70 mile (113 km) of Tampico.

The city is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz.

Tampico has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw), defined as such based on the mean average temperature of 18 °C (65 °F) for January as well as on precipitation patterns. Its weather, though relatively mild 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 warm; the average January high is 23 °C (73 °F) and the average low in January is 13 °C (58 °F). Rainfall is frequent from June through October. Tampico is an extremely humid city, with summer heat indices reaching 40 °C (104 °F). It is located on the Pánuco River and among extensive wetlands adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. During autumn and winter, it is affected by cold fronts that pass through the gulf and bring high winds that can reach 50 km/h (37 mph) with gusts of 70 to 80 km/h (43 to 50 mph). Tampico is also located in a hurricane area, but it has not been directly affected by one in more than 60 years. On rare occasions, the city experiences surprisingly low temperatures for its zone; during late January and early February 2011, a cold wave caused temperatures to drop to , with the lowest being in the morning and noon of 4 February. In February 1895, snow was reported to have fallen in Tampico. This is the North American record for the farthest south report of snow at a coastal location, and makes Tampico one of the few places where snow has fallen in the tropics at sea level.