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A Brief Description
Fast Facts
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A Brief Description
Archaeological evidence indicates that the earliest signs of human life in Mexico date back over 20,000 years, with evidence of permanent settlements along the coastal areas dating to 1500 BC.
Long before the Europeans arrived, Mexico was home to many indigenous peoples, with the Olmec, Maya and powerful Aztec cultures the
most notable.
Unfortunately, the Aztecs were no match for the military skills and weapons of Herman Cortes and his Spanish soldiers, and they were defeated in 1521, as the colonization of this prolific land began.
The Spanish conquistadors quickly expanded their search for hidden treasures; the native peoples were enslaved and forced into hard labor, and the subsequent harsh treatment, malnutrition and European introduced diseases decimated 90% of the indigenous population.
The Spanish found massive silver deposits in Mexico; mines were built, and the treasure was sent back to Spain. News of this lucrative new land spread quickly, and in search of personal riches, colonists arrived by the hundreds of thousands.
Over time, settlers were segregated into two social divisions; the Criollos (pure Spanish blood), and the Mestizos (Spanish and native blood). The powerful land-owning Criollos fought the Crown over taxes and other unpopular rules; their decade-long rebellion was the catalyst for independence in 1821 and they subsequently became the ruling class of Mexico.
Shortly thereafter it captured Texas, then lost it in a war with the U.S., as well as all of modern-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah; ports were blockaded by the U.S and French; Mexico City was captured by the French; oil was discovered; a revolution over land reform cost 250,000 lives; numerous revolts and political unrest ravaged the land; population grew dramatically; international debt increased; the economy made a comeback, then crashed; earthquake devastated Mexico City; citizen rebellions broke out in the south; suspicious election results and political rancorings were and still are the norm - and yet it survives. Viva Mexico!
Modern Mexico is the world's most populous Spanish speaking country, and its national identity is reflected (and blessed) by the heritage of its native peoples, and their colorful art, cuisines, dances, languages and religious festivals.
This country of contrasts is a tourism mecca with remnants of its many ancient cultures spread across the land. Thousands of miles of beaches and the coastal resort cities of Acapulco, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, as well as Cozumel and the Baja Peninsula, have transformed Mexico into one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet.
The massive Mexico City metro with its hordes of people (over 21 million), tasty food, infectious music and Spanish history, is quite possibly the most fascinating city in the world.
Read more about Mexico's timeline here.
 Facts and Figures Name Mexico
(long form) United Mexican States
Population 106,202,900
Population & Density (all countries) here
Capital City Mexico City (18.1 million)
Currency Mexican Peso (MXN)
Currency Converter
here
Languages Spanish, regional indigenous dialects
Flag here
National Day September 16
Religions Catholic (89%), Protestant (6%), others
Geographic Coordinates Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)
19º 24' N, 99º 09' E
Relative Location Mexico is in both the northern and western hemispheres. Disected by the Tropic of Cancer, the country is positioned in North America, and bordered by Belize, Guatemala, the United States, and the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Land Statistics Coastline 5,797 miles (9,330 km)
Land Areas
(land) 742,490 sq miles ( 1,923,040 sq km)
(water) 19,116 sq miles (49,510 sq km)
(TOTAL) 761,606 sq miles (1,972,550 sq km)
Land Area (all countries) here
Landforms
The Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental mountain ranges border Mexico's elevated high desert, or Central Plateau (altiplano); the southern reaches of that plateau are crisscrossed by numerous valleys. Several smaller mountain ranges divide the landscape of southern Mexico, with the Sierra Madre del Sur the most significant.
A long line of volcanoes (many active) extends from the Pacific Ocean (north of Guadalajara) on eastward to the Gulf of Mexico, just to the south of Veracruz. Pico de Orizaba Volcano, the third highest mountain in North America, is located here.
The very narrow coastal plain along the Pacific Ocean coastline rise quickly into the foothills of the mountains, while the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coastlines are wider and rise gently into the interior.
The mountainous Baja Peninsula extends about 750 miles (1,200 km) south from the U.S. border. Mexico's limestone Yucatan Peninsula is tree-covered, with thick tropical jungles along it borders with Central America countries.
Mexico has nearly 150 rivers; most are small, unnavigable, and 70% drain into the Pacific Ocean; some of the large rivers include the Balsas, Conchos, Grijalva, Panuco, Papaloapan, Usumacinta. (some not shown on the map for space reasons)
The Rio Grande, rising in the San Juan Mountains of the U.S. State of Colorado, flows generally south to the Gulf of Mexico for 1,885 miles (3,000 km), and forms much of Mexico northern border with the United States.
 Highest Pt. Volcan Orizaba - 18,701 ft. (5,700 m)
 Lowest Pt. Laguna Salada (- 33 ft.) (-10 m)
Land Divisions 31 states and 1 federal district. States include: Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan and Zacatecas. The federal district is Distrito Federal.
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Maps
Mexico (large color) Map here
Mexico Outline Map here
Mexico States Outline Map here
Mexico States Map (with names) here
Mexico CIA version here
Mexico Maps at UT here
Baja Peninsula map here!
Cozumel map here!
Gulf of Mexico map here!
Ring of Fire map here!
Yucatan Peninsula map here!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - North America (Capital Cities)
here!
North America (Lakes, etc.)
here!
North America (Landforms)
here!
North America (Outline)
here!
North America (Rivers)
here!
North America (Country Test) here!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Outline Maps (printable) here
World Time Zone Map here
Recommended Links Mexico (Complete) info on the (GDP)
economy, imports and exports, natural resources, government, population, military, transportation, and more here!
Embassy of Mexico (Washington, DC)
here
Mexico Ministry of Tourism
here
Mexico On-Line
here
Mexico Photos at TrekEarth.com here
Visit Mexico
here
 Time and Weather 
Climate
North of the Tropic of Cancer weather conditions in Mexico are milder than those in the south, where conditions are tropically warm and humid throughout most of the year.
Generally the coastal areas are warm (often hot) with high humidty; the central plateau is more moderate, while in the higher elevations cooler temperatures are the norm.
The Pacific coastal areas (June - September) receive more rainfall than the inland regions; the Yucatan is rainy throughout the year, but rain showers are brief and sunshine is common.
Traveler Info Attractions
Where to begin in one of the planet's favorite travel destinations? How about a brief summary of worldatlas.com's favorites on collective trips to Mexico.
Certainly massive Mexico City (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is a major draw; its architecture, Aztec ruins, cathedrals, people, restaurants, and the thousands of things to see-and-do make it a must-see destination; Copper Canyon train rides; beautiful Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta; the local culture and relaxing vacation venues at Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo; the golf courses, resorts and perfect weather of the Baja Peninsula, and of course, the Mayan fortresses along the Yucatan Peninsula, as well as Cancun, Cozumel and Merida.
In addition, Mexico is replete with colonial cities, eco-tourism sites, national parks and nature reserves, miles of stunning beaches, volcanoes and water sport activities of all description.
Country Dialing Code 52
Electricity Mexico uses 127 volts AC (60 Hz)
Electrical adapters, products and tips here
Travel Warnings
here
Visa Information
here
 
PASSPORTS - TRAVEL VISAS
NOTE: Before making your travel plans to any worldwide destination, we strongly recommend you authenticate important details regarding all passport and visa requirments. The people at Travel Visa Pro can answer all of your questions! |
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North
America Countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Rep. El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Trindad and Tobago
United States NORTH AMERICA TERRITORIES and POSSESSIONS Bermuda the Caribbean Greenland North America Countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Rep. El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Trindad and Tobago
United States NORTH AMERICA TERRITORIES and POSSESSIONS Bermuda the Caribbean Greenland North America Countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Rep. El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Trindad and Tobago
United States NORTH AMERICA TERRITORIES and POSSESSIONS Bermuda the Caribbean Greenland North America Countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Rep. El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Trindad and Tobago
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