Boca del Río
is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city
also serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding
municipality of the same name.
Boca del Río is located immediately to the south of the
port of Veracruz, at
19°07′N 96°06′W. It stands where the Río Jamapa
empties into the Gulf of Mexico – whence the
Spanish-language name, which means river mouth.
The municipality covers a total area
of 42.77 km² and, in the year 2000 census, reported a
population of 135,804. In addition to the city of
Veracruz, it also borders on the municipalities of
Alvarado to the south and Medellín to the west.
History
The original
Olmec inhabitants of this region were subjugated by
the Aztecs during their phase of expansion toward the
coast. The new arrivals named the site of the future
city Tlapaquitlan in 1474.
In 1518, Spanish conquistadors named
the area Río Banderas.
In 1988, Boca del Río was granted city
status.