Which region of Mexico was the heartland of Olmec civilization?

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Map of Mesoamerica showing the geographic distribution of various Indigenous peoples, with regions labeled for groups such as the Maya, Nahua, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomi, Mazahua, Huastec, Tarasco, and others across present-day Mexico and parts of Central America. Boundaries indicate the approximate areas inhabited by each group. — Mesoamerican Indian Distribution of Meso-American Indians.

The heartland of the Olmec civilization was located in the hot, humid lowlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This region encompasses what are now the states of Veracruz and Tabasco in southern Mexico.1

Major archaeological sites that define this core area include San Lorenzo, La Venta, Laguna de los Cerros, and Tres Zapotes. While the Olmecs established a wide trading network that extended their cultural influence into other areas—such as the Valley of Mexico, Puebla, Morelos, and parts of Central America—the Veracruz-Tabasco lowlands remained the primary center of their civilization.12