The main economic activities of Campeche they are oil extraction, tourism, the timber industry, agriculture and fishing. The Gross Domestic Product of Campeche represents 1.2% of the national total.
The location of Campeche on the Yucatan peninsula, in the Gulf of Mexico, is key to understanding its economic development.
Its location in the Gulf of Mexico provides Campeche with access to the oil resources of the area..
In the middle of the 20th century, one of the largest oil deposits in the world was accidentally discovered there. Known by the name of Complejo Cantarell, in honor of the fisherman who discovered it, it began to be exploited in the late 1970s..
Until recently, the daily production of the field exceeded one million barrels per day. Today the volume is lower, but another complex is added to Cantarell: the Ku-Maloob-Zaap.
In this way, the exploitation of the oil resources of Campeche continues to be one of the main sources of wealth in Mexico..
Traditionally this has not been a main economic activity in Campeche. However, in recent times it has experienced a strong boost.
It should be remembered that Campeche is geographically located in one of the subregions that attracts the most international tourists: the Yucatan peninsula..
In the neighboring state Quintana Roo is Cancun, one of the most recurring world destinations.
In Campeche, tourism focuses less on the beaches and more on the wild natural landscapes and the Mayan ruins that are preserved in the state. The state capital, San Francisco de Campeche, is considered a World Heritage Site.
The Mayan sites of Edzná, Calakmul and the islands of Uaymil and Jaina are just some of the archaeological complexes that can be found.
Although in decline, timber was one of Campeche's main sources of wealth for a long time.
At the beginning of the 20th century, almost a dozen US logging companies were installed in Campeche.
The export of good quality wood from the forests and jungles of the state lasted for decades.
Currently its impact on the economy is much less. Even so, there are still numerous tropical species with industrial potential to be transformed and sold abroad..
The agricultural sector has always been overshadowed by the fishing industry in Campeche. However, the state is currently the first national producer of chicozapote, palay rice and pumpkin seeds..
Most of the crops are used for self-consumption and are made up of small plots in unpopulated rural areas..
Fishing, especially shrimp, was the main economic activity in Campeche after the timber era and before the oil era.
When the Cantarell Complex began to be exploited, shrimp fishing was reduced. So did its impact on the local economy.
Despite this, the fishing grounds of the Gulf of Mexico still nourish the state with nationally and internationally listed species: the shrimp itself, the snook and the shark.
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