APIZACO

city, central Tlaxcala state, east-central Mexico. It lies at 7,900 ft (2,400 m) above sea level in the cool Apizaco valley of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Formerly known as Barrn Escandn, the city is a commercial, manufacturing, and transportation centre. Corn (maize), beans, barley, and wheat, the principal crops of the agricultural hinterland, are processed there. Tanneries, pulque distilleries, textile mills, and railroad repair yards are also located in the city. The main Mexico CityVeracruz railroad line passes through it, and highways from highland and coastal communities, including Mexico City, 84 mi (135 km) to the west, converge upon the city. It also has an airfield. Pop. (1970) 21,189.