Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
🗺️

Tabasco

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Tabasco is a federal entity located in southeast Mexico.

Tabasco in Mexico (location map scheme)
Tabasco in Mexico (location map scheme)

It is one of 32 states that make up the country. The state covers a specific portion of the nation, representing 1.3 percent of Mexico's total land area.

Tabasco and its neighbors
Tabasco and its neighbors

Tabasco is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the north. To the west, it meets the state of Veracruz. To the northeast, it borders Campeche. The southern and eastern borders touch the state of Chiapas and the Petén department of Guatemala. The capital city of the state is Villahermosa.

Villahermosa Panorámica 1
Villahermosa Panorámica 1

The geography of Tabasco is shaped by water and varying elevations. Most of the territory consists of low-lying floodplains, valleys, and mountains. The northwestern portion sits on the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the south and east, the land rises into a mountain chain. This chain extends into northern Chiapas. Many of these hills do not rise very high above sea level. However, there are specific elevations like El Madrigal and La Campana. The eastern part of the state features low, humid plains. These plains were formed by sediment deposited by several rivers.

Tapijulapa Sierrra
Tapijulapa Sierrra

Administratively, Tabasco is divided into 17 municipalities. These include Balancán, Cárdenas, Centla, Centro, Comalcalco, Cunduacán, Emiliano Zapata, Huimanguillo, Jalapa, Jalpa de Méndez, Jonuta, Macuspana, Nacajuca, Paraíso, Tacotalpa, Teapa, and Tenosique. In 1994, the state was organized into two major socioeconomic regions. The first is the Grijalva Region. It is named after the Grijalva River. This region covers 48.94 percent of the state's territory. It contains most of the urban population and political activity. The second is the Usumacinta Region. This region is more rural. It is divided into the Pantanos and Ríos sub-regions.

Regions of tabasco-Es
Regions of tabasco-Es

The climate in Tabasco is characterized by high heat and significant moisture. Over 95 percent of the state has a hot, wet climate. The remaining area in the far northeast is hot and semi-humid. The average annual temperature is 25 degrees Celsius. High temperatures average 30 degrees Celsius, mostly in May. Low temperatures average 18 degrees Celsius in January. Unlike most of Mexico, Tabasco receives abundant rainfall all year. The average annual rainfall is 2,600 millimeters. Rainfall is heaviest from June to October. This heavy rain often causes flooding in flat areas.

2007 Tabasco flood
2007 Tabasco flood

Tabasco hosts four principal ecosystems. These are tropical rainforest, tropical savannah, beaches, and wetlands. The tropical rainforest is the dominant ecosystem. It thrives because of the high rainfall. Much of the original forest has been lost to over-logging and slash-and-burn agriculture. Remaining intact forests are found in municipalities like Tenosique and Teapa. These forests contain mahogany, cedar, and many types of palm. The tropical savannah is found mostly in the south. It consists of grasses, bushes, and small trees. Along the coast, sandy soil supports coconut palms and pimento de Tabasco.

Pantanos de Centla 2
Pantanos de Centla 2

The state is home to a vast variety of wildlife. In the rainforest, you might see spider monkeys, jaguars, or oselots. Birds like macaws and the resplendent quetzal live in the canopy. The wetlands, such as the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve, support aquatic life. You can find crocodiles, turtles, and manatees in these waters.

Tenosique Rafting
Tenosique Rafting

The state also contains many protected areas. These include the Agua Blanca waterfalls and the Sierra State Park. Some caves, like the Coconá Caverns, are classified as natural monuments.

Grutas Del Coconá
Grutas Del Coconá

The history of Tabasco is deeply connected to ancient Mesoamerican cultures. The Olmec civilization dominated the area 3,000 years ago. They reached a height around 800 BC. The Olmecs are considered the founding culture of Mesoamerica. Their major site, La Venta, is located in Tabasco. Later, the Mayans dominated parts of the state. They reached their peak between the 6th and 7th centuries. Mayan sites include Comalcalco and Pomoná.

Comalcalco
Comalcalco

In the 16th century, Spanish explorers arrived. Hernán Cortés fought the Battle of Centla in this region. Tabasco was also a major center for cacao production. This made the region a hotspot for regional trade. The many rivers and lagoons allowed for efficient transport by canoe.

Entrance of Cortés La Conquista de Mexico (Tabasco city) Painting
Entrance of Cortés La Conquista de Mexico (Tabasco city) Painting
670 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (40)
Marcha Tabasco.ogg
File:Tabasco in Mexico (location map scheme).svg
Tabasco in Mexico (location map scheme).svg
File:Tabasco and its neighbors.svg
Tabasco and its neighbors.svg
File:Morena logo (Mexico).svg
Morena logo (Mexico).svg
File:Regions of tabasco-Es.png
Regions of tabasco-Es.png
File:Villahermosa Panorámica 3.jpg
Villahermosa Panorámica 3.jpg
File:Villahermosa Panorámica 1.jpg
Villahermosa Panorámica 1.jpg
File:Comalcalco.jpg
Comalcalco.jpg
File:Entrance of Cortés La Conquista de Mexico (Tabasco city) Painting.jpg
Entrance of Cortés La Conquista de Mexico...
File:Intervención estadounidense en Tabasco.jpg
Intervención estadounidense en Tabasco.jpg
File:Revolucionarios tabasqueños.jpg
Revolucionarios tabasqueños.jpg
File:Villahermosa.Palacio de Gobierno 01.JPG
Villahermosa.Palacio de Gobierno 01.JPG

+ 28 more

More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.