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Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán facts for kids

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Lázaro Cárdenas
City
Lázaro Cardenas Boardwalk
Lázaro Cardenas Boardwalk
Official seal of Lázaro Cárdenas
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Lazaro Cardenas el Puerto de Todos
Motto(s): 
Lazaro Cardenas el Puerto sin Limites
Lázaro Cárdenas is located in Mexico
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Location in Mexico
Country Mexico
State Michoacán
Municipality Lázaro Cárdenas
Founded 1931
Elevation
10 m (30 ft)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 178,817
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s) 753

Lázaro Cárdenas is a busy port city in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is located where the Río Balsas river meets the Pacific Ocean. The city is named after Lázaro Cárdenas del Río, who was a president of Mexico from 1934 to 1940. He was born in Michoacán.

In 2005, about 74,884 people lived in the city. The larger area, called the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas, had a population of 162,997 people. This area includes nearby communities like Las Guacamayas, La Orilla, and La Mira y Guacamayas.

History of Lázaro Cárdenas

The city we know today as Lázaro Cárdenas has had a few different names!

Early Days as Los Llanitos

Originally, this area was known as Los Llanitos. It was part of a larger region called Arteaga.

Becoming Melchor Ocampo

In 1932, Los Llanitos was officially recognized as a town. It was then given a new name: Melchor Ocampo. This name honored Melchor Ocampo, an important Mexican politician.

Renamed for a President

On April 12, 1937, the area became its own municipality, still called Melchor Ocampo del Balsas. However, the name changed again on November 17, 1970. It was renamed Lázaro Cárdenas. This was done to remember the popular former president, Lázaro Cárdenas del Río, who had passed away the month before.

Getting There: Air Travel

Lázaro Cárdenas has its own airport, called Lázaro Cárdenas Airport. This airport helps people travel to and from the city by air.

The Important Port of Lázaro Cárdenas

Lázaro Cárdenas is famous for its large, deepwater seaport. This port is a very important place for trade and shipping in Mexico.

What the Port Handles

The port handles many different types of goods. It manages large containers filled with products, as well as dry goods like grains, and liquid cargo. It also helps export cars made in Mexico to countries in Asia and South America.

Port Capacity and Growth

In 2012, the port handled about 1.24 million TEU (a way to measure shipping containers). The port is growing and aims to handle 2.2 million TEU each year!

Connecting to Other Places

Goods move to and from the port by both road and train. The train service is provided by Kansas City Southern de México. This port is becoming very important because other ports, like those in Los Angeles and Long Beach in the U.S., can get very crowded. Lázaro Cárdenas is also closer to big cities like Chicago, Kansas City, and Houston.

To prepare for more goods, the roads and railways that go north and south through Mexico have been improved. This helps move products faster to the United States.

See also

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