Tamaulipas

Description

Tamaulipas is a beautiful state blessed by nature, with 250 miles of beaches bathed by the crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico to its east, the U.S border is to the North and the states of Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi and Veracruz lie respectively to the West and South.

Thanks to its privileged location, Tamaulipas has always been a strategic spot of the utmost importance in the development of Mexico's history. Through its territories, many routes of communication between Mexico and the United States have been built, routes that have become crucial for the country's history.

Tamaulipas' natural scenery is as wide and varied as its territories, from tranquil beaches, or traveling through gorgeous tropical forests, perfect for ecotourism and adventure tourism, to those cities soaked in history where structures from centuries passed are still standing on the streets as silent witness to the ever changing country.

History

Before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, the territory of Tamaulipas was occupied by several tribes, among which the most important were the Huastecos. Towards the end of the 16th century, the famous Italian cartographer Americo Vespucio, the same man who named the country, visited these lands and mentioned in his letters to Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco that its inhabitants used to call the state: Lariab.

Throughout its history the territory has been known by many different names such as: "Reino Huateca" (Huasteca Kingdom), "Provincia de Panuco" (Panuco Province), "Medanos de la Magdalena" (Magdalena Dunes), "Nuevo Reino de Leon" (New Reign of Leon) and "Nuevo Santander" (New Santander), however, its current name is based in the foundation of Tamaholipa town, made by Fray Andres de Olmos in 1544.

The word Tamaholipa is from Huastec origin, its prefix 'tam' means "place where", however the complete interpretation is still a reason of debate among many historians, who, haven't been able to find agreement when it comes to the meaning of the word. The two most accepted translations are "place where there are high hills" and "place where there's much praying".

Matamoros

The city of Matamoros is located 23 miles away from the mouth of the Rio Grande on the Gulf of Mexico. Its foundation goes back to 1689 when Captain Alfonso de Leon decided to settle in a 'proper land' for cattle farming. Years later, in 1848 when the war against the United States started, this city became the backdrop for many important battles, such as the battle of "Palo Alto" and "Resaca de Guerrero".

Nowadays, Matamoros has a great many hot spots for the tourist to visit, gorgeous buildings dating from the 19th Century, museums, beaches, ecotourism or sport fishing are all widely available. The city features a wide variety of services for the tourist and hotels for every budget. In recent years Matamoros has become an important destination for business, due to this, the city features a state-of-the-art infrastructure and specialized professional assistance, successful expositions, congresses and conventions.

Reynosa

Reynosa was founded on March 14th, 1749 based on diagrams authorized by the colonizer don Jose de Escandon y Helguera, Count of Sierra Gorda, with 279 inhabitants. On July 4th 1802 it was moved 8 kilometers to the east due to constant flooding by the Rio Grande.

In 1926, it was granted the status of 'city' by decree of the state government. Modern technology and the oil industry are the base of its richness and a permanent source for employment. This commercial activity joined together with cattle farming and agriculture; help economically sustain hundreds of neighboring towns.

Nowadays, Reynosa is the fastest growing city in the state and has become one of the most important in the whole north of Mexico. Reynosa features one of the main international trade bridges between the United States and Mexico, thus becoming a commercial crux of the utmost importance for Mexico and the U.S alike.

Ciudad Victoria

Ciudad Victoria is the capital of the state of Tamaulipas, it was founded on October 6th, 1750 originally named Santa Maria de Aguayo Village; later on, in 1825 it was declared a city and its name changed to Victoria. Its architectural structure features buildings dating from the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th century.

Ciudad Victoria promotes culture as a significant part of its inhabitants' life. Thanks to this, many exponents of fine arts have moved to Ciudad Victoria to live and work. Some of these artists are recognized on a national and international level. Victoria, alongside other cities of the state, has played an important role in the development of the history of Mexico.

Nuevo Laredo

A beautiful city, located in the far north of the state, it's one of the main border ports of Mexico. This coupled with its major economic activities like: foreign trade, good freight, factories and tourism; have turned Nuevo Laredo into the city with the highest per capita income in the whole country.

The industrial and demographic growth, have favored a more intense cultural lifestyle that includes expositions, book fairs and a whole host of diverse activities in museums and theaters. Nuevo Laredo also features excellent restaurants, gorgeous architecture and a huge variety of tourist attractions. This is a city you can enjoy whilst on business, pleasure, or both. Nuevo Laredo is a city that has preserved the identity that brought it to life, and now arises proudly; open to changes but with strong roots in its memory of the past.