Mexico’s formal name is United Mexican States (Estados Unidos Mexicanos). Citizens are called Mexican (s).
Capital
Mexico City called México or Ciudad de México in country.
National Holidays
May 5, commemorating the victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla September 16 is Mexico’s Independence Day from Spain in 1810.
Size
1,972,550 square kilometers-third largest nation in Latin America (after Brazil and Argentina).
Topography
There are various massive mountain ranges including Sierra Madre Occidental in west, Sierra Madre Oriental in east, Cordillera Neovolcnica in the center, and Sierra Madre del Sur in the south. The lowlands are largely along coasts and in Yucatan Peninsula. The interior of the country is high plateau and there is frequent seismic activity.
Drainage
There are few navigable rivers. Most rivers are short and run from mountain ranges to the coast.
Climate
There are great variations owing to considerable north-south extension and variations in altitude. Most of country has two seasons: wet (June-September) and dry (October-April). Generally low rainfall in interior and north. Abundant rainfall along east coast, in south, and in Yucatan Peninsula.
Population
Mexico had an estimated population of 94.8 million persons in mid-1996. The Annual rate of growth is 1.96 percent.
Language
Spanish is the official language, spoken by nearly all. About 8 percent of population speak an indigenous language; most of these people speak Spanish as a second language. Knowledge of English is increasing rapidly, especially among business people, the middle class, returned emigrants, and the young.
Ethnic Groups
Ethnic groups include the following: Predominantly a Mestizo society (60 percent); 30 percent indigenous; 9 percent European; 1 percent other.
Education and Literacy
Secretariat of Public Education has overall responsibility for all levels of education system. Compulsory education to age sixteen; public education free. Government distributes free textbooks and workbooks to all primary schools.
Health and Welfare
Health care personnel and facilities generally concentrated in urban areas; care in rural areas confined to understaffed clinics operated mostly by medical graduate students. Leading causes of death infections, parasitic diseases, and respiratory and circulatory system failures.
Religion
About 90 percent of population is Roman Catholic with Protestants (about 6 percent) ranked second.
Currency
The Mexican monetary unit divided into 100 centavos. The new peso replaced the peso (q.v.) on January 1, 1993, at the rate of 1 new peso = 1,000 pesos. At that time, US$1 = NMex$3.1. In April 1997, US$1 = NMex$7.9.
Agriculture
Main crops for domestic consumption corn, beans, wheat, and rice. Leading agricultural exports coffee, cotton, vegetables, fruit, livestock, and tobacco.
Export Products
Fishing, forestry, grains, fruits and vegetables with corn being the primary staple in the diet of most Mexicans. Embroidery and weaving of clothing of blankets are native to the Mexican people and contribute to Mexico’s exports
Industry: Mining, manufacturing, and construction contributed 28 percent of GDP in 1994. Industrialization increased rapidly after 1940. By 1990 large and diversified industrial base located largely in industrial triangle of Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. Most industrial goods produced, including automobiles, consumer goods, steel, and petrochemicals. World's sixth largest producer of petroleum and major producer of non-fuel minerals.
Climate
The Tropic of Cancer effectively divides the country into temperate and tropical zones. Land north of the twenty-fourth parallel experiences cooler temperatures during the winter months. South of the twenty-fourth parallel, temperatures are fairly constant year round and vary solely as a function of elevation. Mexico lies squarely within the hurricane belt, and all regions of both coasts are susceptible to these storms from June through November. Hurricanes on the Pacific coast are less frequent and often less violent than those affecting Mexico's eastern coastline. Several hurricanes per year strike the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coastline, however, and these storms bring high winds, heavy rain, extensive damage, and occasional loss of life.
Tourism
Mexico City is a popular vacation stop and Mexico’s many resort towns and beaches. Many people come to visit ancient Aztec and Mayan Indian ruins.
Fresh Fruits
Fruit and vegetable production is concentrated in Mexico's irrigated northeast region and directed mainly to the United States winter market. Mexico produces for export, oranges, table grapes, tangerines, grapefruit, pears and raisins.
Forestry
Some 9 percent of Mexico's territory consists of forest or woodland, 59 percent of which is in the tropics, 15 percent in the subtropical zone, and 26 percent in the temperate and cool zones. Forests cover some 49 million hectares, almost one-third of which are open to logging. More than 65 percent of Mexico's forests consist of hardwoods, and the rest are softwoods. The major timber stands are mahogany, cedar, primavera (white mahogany), sapote, oak, copa (yaya), and pine.
Fishing
Mexico has some 11,500 kilometers of Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coastline, and its inland waters cover more than 2.9 million hectares. The country's coastal fishing grounds offer a rich variety of fish and other seafood. The Pacific coast has thirty-one ports and produces nearly three-quarters of Mexico's total catch; the states of Sonora and Sinaloa alone account for 40 percent of the total catch. Mexico's Pacific fishing grounds produce mainly lobster, shrimp, croaker, albacore, skipjack, and anchovies, while its Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean waters produce shrimp, jewfish, croaker, snapper, mackerel, snook, and mullet. The Gulf of Mexico is an especially important source of shrimp.
*Learn more about Mexico go to www.elbalero.gob.mx and www.studyspanish.com
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