Veracruz

The state of Veracruz (in full Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave) is located in central Mexico, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Its capital is Xalapa, but it is far from the largest city. Much more important are the cities of Veracruz, Poza Rica, Cordoba, Minatitlán and Coatzacoalcos, all of which have hosted teams in the Mexican League; another large city, Tampico, is located just north of the state's border. This reflects the fact that the state has one of the strongest baseball traditions in the country.

The state is often confused with the city of Veracruz, especially when listing a person's birthplace. In Spanish, the city is sometimes called "Puerto de Veracruz" (the port of Veracruz) to distinguish it from the state ("Estado de Veracruz").