TAMPICO, a city and leading port of Mexico, in the State of Tamaulipas, on the north bank of the Panuco river, about 6 m. from the Gulf of Mexico. In summer the climate is hot and humid, although a sea breeze modifies the temperature somewhat. In winter the temperature falls to freezing on occasional days when "northers" blow down along the Gulf coast. Tampico is almost surrounded by swampy lands and lagoons.
The eastern and poorer part of the town stands on low ground only 2 or 3 ft. above the river, and is subject to inundations. How ever, a modern sewer system, up-to-date street paving and a better water-supply, constructed since the beginning of the century, have greatly improved the sanitary condition and reduced the death rate from epidemics. The western part rises about 150 ft., con sists largely of residential districts and is provided with still better sanitary equipment. The business section is well built, largely of stone and brick, while many of the newer structures are of rein forced concrete and rise to six and seven storeys. The city is well supplied with gas and electric light.
Tampico has excellent transportation facilities, one railway line running north-north-west to Monterrey; another westward to San Luis Potosi, connecting there with the railway to Mexico City ; a third short, but important line, leads southward, through the oil fields to Tuxpam. Although a bar exists at the mouth of the Panuco river, jetties have been built and the depth has been increased by dredging so that vessels drawing up to 33 ft. can approach the water front of the city, while scows and other boats of light draught can go up the river for over 1 oo miles. The Chijol canal, begun in 1901, affords a waterway 6 ft. deep and 25 ft. wide for about 75 m. southward through the oil-fields to Tiapam. Modern port works, spacious enough to accommodate at the wharves 14 vessels at a time, steel sheds and warehouses, a union railway station within easy reach of the water front, and excellent equipment for loading oil tankers, make Tampico the most up-to date harbour in Mexico.
Tampico owes its importance to the fact that four of the most productive oil-fields in the country (the Ebano, Panuco, Huasteca and Tiixpam) are situated within some ioo m. of its site. Until
1901 it was a second rate port, outlet of the fertile but relatively undeveloped hinterland, with a very bad reputation for health and sanitary conditions. The rapid exploitation of petroleum resources resulted in a marked increase of population from about io,000 in 1900, to 16,528 in 1910 and to 24,98o in 1921 while, if the neigh bouring settlements connected with the port and oil business are included, the number at this last date would approach 1 oo,000. For some years Tampico ranked as the greatest oil port in the world. Clusters of steel petroleum storage tanks extend along the river, particularly on the southern shore, from its mouth to a few miles above the city. Pipe lines lead from the nearby fields, 68 of them centring in Tampico in 1922, while fleets of scows bring oil from farther up the river. Pipe lines and barges together are capable of transporting some 1,200,000 bbl. of oil daily from the fields to the port.
There are many foreigners (chiefly Americans) residing in the city and its suburbs and Tampico is the most Americanized of Mexican cities. It is essentially a bilingual port, its aspect is that of a busy American town. Up-river from the port agricultural activities have been stimulated, fruits, vegetables and grains being grown to supply the local food demands. Up-to-date commercial establishments, housed in modem structures, are stocked with American and European goods. Foreign banks afford facilities for the varied needs of the city. Hotels, clubs, restaurants and places of amusement are numerous and well served.
Besides those connected directly with the oil business, the in dustrial establishments of Tampico include many for the handling and repair of oil well machinery, yards for the building of river boats, an electric light and power plant, factories for making ice, clothing and fruit preserves, saw-mills, etc. In addition to petroleum, the exports include silver bullion (from San Luis Potosi, Aguascalientes, Torreon and Monterrey), ixtle fibre, sugar, hides, live cattle, cotton-seed cake, honey, fustic, sarsaparilla, coffee and copper ores.