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Tropical fish swim around the Palancar coral reef off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula. Tourism is an important part of Mexico’s economy, as foreign visitors come to see the country’s clear waters and sun-drenched beaches, ancient Indian ruins, and steaming jungles.

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The Land I magine you’re about to make your first visit to Mexico, also known as the United Mexican States. Your travels will take you to five states along the Gulf of Mexico: Tabasco, Veracruz, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. The name Tabasco comes from a Nahuatl word meaning “waterlogged earth.” The state’s low plains are dotted with lakes and swamps, crossed by rivers, and covered in dense jungle. Tabasco has almost one-third of Mexico’s water resources. The Grijalva River and the Usumacinta River, Mexico’s largest rivers, flow through the state. The state has so few rocks that the Olmecs had to travel several miles to find material for the colossal heads that are still scattered across this state. Tabasco and Campeche contain Mexico’s only rainforests. Veracruz has the longest coastline of the Gulf states and is Mexico’s 10th largest state. Its tropical land is filled with wooded areas, valleys, jungles, and over 40 rivers. About 35 percent of Mexico’s rivers flow across the land. The Sierra Madre Oriental range and the Sierra Volcánica Transversal form a group of highlands. The Sierra Madre Oriental range includes Pico de Orizaba, Mexico’s tallest peak. There is year-round snow on the highest peaks. Campeche is an ideal place to enjoy a new type of tourism in Mexico called ecotourism , a mixture of ecology (caring for the environment), adventure, and

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