Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave- Mexico

Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave has an unusual long elongated shape on the Gulf of Mexico. The total length is from northwest to southeast is 650 km (403.9 mi) long and varied of wideness is 212 km (132 mi) to 36 km (22 mi). This shape is caused by the high mountain ranges in the west that acts as an border, mountains always good borders look at Chili. The highest mountain of Mexico can be found at the border of Veracruz with Puebla, the Pico de Orizaba with an elevation of 5,636 metres (18,491 ft). The rather long state name of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is derived from the city Veracruz the largest city of the state, the capital is Xalapa. Ignacio de la Llave y Segura Zevallos (1818 - 1863)was an general, politician and governor of the state Veracruz from 1861 to 1862. This state has an important Olmec sites near San Lorenzo and Tres Zapotes, the Olmec civilization lived in nowadays Veracruz from from 1200 BC. up to 400 BC.The Spanish landed in 1519 with Hernán Cortez and founded the first Spanish city in Mexico named Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, this is nowadays the city of Veracruz. From here he started is conquest of the Aztec Empire. There is still an fairly strong presence of Native-Mexicans like Nahuas, Totonacs, Huastecs, Popolucs, Zapotecas, Chinantecas, Otomis, Mazatecas, Tepehuas, Mixtecas, Zoques, Mixes, Mayas and Tzotzils. One famous thing of the Totonac people is the Danza de los Voladores an ancient ceremony consists of dance and the climbing of a 30-meter pole from which four of the five participants then launch themselves tied with ropes to descend to the ground. The fifth remains on top of the pole, dancing and playing a flute and drum. This ritual was created to ask the gods to end a severe drought. So let's take an look at the flag.

Like many Mexican states the background is white with an coat of the arms in the center, Veracruz do the same. Only they use as extra an red and green edge, these are the same red and green of the national flag of Mexico. Back to the coat of arms. the green field has an yellow tower what symbolize power, greatness and the defense of the area against the Native-Mexicans. The blue part symbolize the sea and also the Pillars of Hercules with the motto "plus ultra" is showed. "Plus ultra" means "ever further" is the personal motto of the Habsburg emperor Charles V. The pillars symbolize must represent the Spanish power at sea and in the overseas discovered lands. The cross refers to the Holy Cross what is also where Veracruz is named after, "vera" means "holy" and "cruz" means "cross. The edge of the arms consists of a yellow inner edge and a pink outer edge with 13 blue stars, those stars represented the old 13 provinces of Veracruz. This coat of arms was granted by Charles V and so we have an old Spanish heraldic design. Maybe it is time to design some simpler flags for the Mexican states.