The main natural resources of Campeche are the wood reserves (among which the mahogany and cedar stand out), the chicle tree, the marine fauna and the oil fields.
Campeche is a Mexican state located on the Yucatan peninsula. It is one of the least populated states in the country, with just over 800,000 inhabitants.
Shrimp fishing and oil are two sources of Campeche's wealth
Its location, in the Gulf of Mexico, favors the existence and exploitation of oil reserves. Unlike its neighbor Quintana Roo, Campeche does not obtain great benefits from foreign tourism.
For this reason, the role that other economic sectors play in the development of the region is much more important.
The main natural resources of Campeche
Wood, the gum tree, fishing and oil constitute the four main sources of natural resources of Campeche.
Its exploitation generates wealth in said state and contributes to the development of the regional economy.
1- The wood
At the end of the 19th century, wood replaced the dye stick, discovered by the Mayans, as the main forest resource in Campeche.
The origins of these farms have to do with the United States. The main logging companies came from the neighboring country. These helped turn Campeche into a center for North American investments.
Historically, in Campeche it was possible to find a wide variety of valuable woods: mahogany, cedar, granadillo or chicozapote. Of all these, mahogany and cedar are the most coveted.
two-
The gum - from the chicozapote - deserves a unique section due to its great importance. At the beginning of the 20th century, some calculations assured that there were more than 2 million hectares of chicozapote.
Again, the presence of US investors catapulted its production. It was precisely the North Americans who popularized its consumption throughout the 20th century in Europe.
The gum consumed by US soldiers in the two World Wars was Mexican. It is said that they used it to control nerves while chewing, and to quench thirst.
3-
The list of species that inhabit the waters of Campeche is very long. However, one stands out above all the others: the giant white shrimp. It is the most abundant and one of the most precious in the area.
It was the Japanese who discovered it and drew attention to it, during World War II.
Since then, its fishing constitutes one of the main primary activities of the state. Despite everything, in recent years the fishing grounds have been declining and it is increasingly difficult to get large catches.
4- Oil
The discovery of oil in the waters of Campeche was accidental. A local sailor noticed this, but it took ten years for someone to take him seriously.
In 1971 the first oil well in the region was built. Since then, oil extraction has been a regular activity in Campeche.
On some occasions, this exploitation of oil fields has come into conflict with other natural resources. For example, some accidental spills reduced the marine population.
Despite everything, Campeche continues to be the main national oil producer, with very high production volumes.
References
- "Petroleum Geology and Resources of Southeastern Mexico, Northern Guatemala, and Belize." A. Peterson (1983).
- "Mexico. An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Culture and History. Don M. Coerver, Suzanne B. Pasztor & Robert M. Buffington (2004).
- Bubble Gum Route. Tourism Campeche at campeche.travel.
- Economy of Campeche on Exploring Mexico, at explorandomexico.com.
- Living with Oil. Promises, Peaks and Declines on Mexico's Gulf Coast. Lisa Breglia (2013).