Some socio-economic indicators in the Mexican states of the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

The Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) is an important economic asset for the six Mexican coastal states (Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo) that border the Gulf. Many economic and social issues are geographic in nature; that is, they are associated with the coastal zone—from the coastal plain to the inner shelf. Other issues are related both to geography and to the use of water resources from low river basins to the estuarine plume and are therefore water-dependent. The main economic activities of the region are oil and gas production and petrochemical industries, fisheries, marine transportation, agriculture, cattle ranching, and tourism. More than 80% of economic activities for each of the six Mexican states are located in or associated with the coastal zone. Of the total national gross internal product (GIP, or PIB—the Spanish acronym), the states of the Gulf of Mexico contribute 12.9% of the national total (i.e., Tamaulipas 3.2%, Veracruz 4.5%, Tabasco 1.4%, Campeche 1.2%, Yucatán 1.3%, and Quintana Roo 1.3%). Several socio-economic indicators were selected for specific analysis in order to describe the main economic activities associated with each of the six states (population, income, GIP, fisheries, cattle ranching, port activities, and tourism). The results show the most important economic activities for each of the states are as follows: Tamaulipas (port activities and fisheries), Veracruz (petrochemical industries, port activities, and fisheries), Tabasco (oil and gas production), Campeche (fisheries and oil production), Yucatan (fisheries and tourism), and Quintana Roo (tourism). Some economic activities such as fisheries, agriculture, and cattle ranching, evidenced a decreasing trend during the last decade. This could be related to a decrease of habitat area and water quality in the coastal zone.