Campeche, city, capital of Campeche
state, SE Mexico, on the Yucatán peninsula. It is fortified and
surrounded by 18th-century walls. Although it remains an export center for
the surrounding region, Campeche's economy is increasingly linked to the
offshore oil fields in the Bay of Campeche. The city, once the site of the
pre-Columbian town called Kimpech (whose remains are still observable), was
founded in 1540 by the son of the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Montejo.
It was sacked frequently by English buccaneers. From 1862 to 1864, French
forces blockaded the city. The city has a 16th-century cathedral.
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