Xalapa or Jalapa, officially called Xalapa-Enríquez, is a Mexican city, head of the homonymous municipality and capital of the state of Veracruz of Ignacio de la Llave. It belongs to the metropolitan area of Xalapa, also made up of six other municipalities surrounding the city. It receives the names of "Atenas veracruzana", for the diverse educational and cultural institutions that have been founded there, and "Ciudad de las flores", a name that Alexander von Humboldt gave him during his visit to the city in 1804.
The city, located to the center of the state and approximately 350 kilometers east of Mexico City, it borders on the north with Banderilla, Jilotepec and Naolinco, on the south with Coatepec, on the west with Tlalnelhuayocan and on the east with Actopan and Emiliano Zapata. Its 124.38 km² of extension represents 0.17% of the Veracruz territory, it is located at an altitude of 1420 meters above sea level, and in 2010, it registered a human development index of 0.817, according to the Economic Census of 2014., the main economic activities of the municipality and the metropolitan area are those related to private non-financial services. Although it is the product of debate, it is considered that its origin dates back to 1313, the year in which it was founded by indigenous groups. With the conquest and thanks to its position with respect to the Camino Real Veracruz-Mexico, the town began to expand and establish itself as a place of passage. However, it gained importance for its trade fairs.
In 1791, he was granted the title of village and a coat of arms. In 1821, Santa Anna took the city and, once the Independence was completed, in 1824 it was designated capital of the newly created state of Veracruz. In 1892 it was renamed Xalapa de Enríquez, in honor of Juan de la Luz Enriquez. According to figures from the 2010 Population and Housing Census of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, Xalapa-Enríquez had a population of 424 755. The total of the municipality, including 54 more localities, reached 457 928 people, 5.99% of the total of Veracruz, because of the above, it was positioned as the second most populated state, behind that of Veracruz.
According to the projections of the same organism, the municipality of Xalapa would reach 502 151 inhabitants in 2017, reaching 6.15% of the state total. Xalapa houses the three branches of government of the state, as well as the rectory of the Universidad Veracruzana. It has historic buildings, such as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Xalapa and the Xalapeño Stadium, and is home to sports teams, such as the Chileros de Xalapa, belonging to the state baseball league, and other organizations, such as the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, the oldest from the country.