The Veracruz dry forests are a tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion located in central Veracruz, Mexico. They cover an area of 6,600 km2 (2,500 sq mi). The dry climate is a result of the rain shadow created by the Sierra de Chiconquiaco. The forests receive <1,000 mm (39 in) of annual rainfall, and a long dry season forces many plants to be deciduous. Soils are derived from sedimentary rocks and are calcareous.