city, central Tlaxcala estado (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 Barrón Escandón, 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 City–Veracruz railroad line passes through it, and highways from coastal and highland communities, including Mexico City, 84 mi (135 km) to the west, converge upon the city. It also has an airfield. Pop. (2005) urban agglom., 182,473.