Capital: Mexico (Distrito Federal)
Currency: Mexican Peso (MXN)
Borders: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km
Mexico is situated in Central America and is one of the largest
countries within the region. It borders the USA to the north, Belize
and Guatemala to the south and enjoys an eastern coastline with the
Gulf of Mexico and a western coastline with the Pacific Ocean. The
total landmass measures 1,923,040 sq km, with a coastline of 9,330
km. The centre of Mexico is comprised largely of the Sierra Madre
mountain range, which runs from the far north to the mid-south of
the country. To the northwest lies Mexico’s desert terrain and to
the south you will find dense, tropical rainforests. Several
volcanoes, many still active, also dot the Mexican landscape.
Mexico’s highest point is Volcan Pico de Orizaba, which stands at a
height of 5,700 m. The eastern coastline is home to Mexico’s prime
tourist beach resorts including Cancun. Mexico is home to a
spectacular mix of tropical fauna including tapirs, spider monkeys,
jaguars and scarlet macaw parrots. Sadly as the rainforests are
cleared for cultivation, their numbers deplete. Mexico is
unfortunate in that it experiences a fairly wide range of natural
hazards ranging from hurricanes and tsunami waves to destructive
earthquakes.
Mexico gained its independence from Spanish Rule
in the early 19th century although Spanish is very much still
considered the official language. The national unit of currency is
the Mexican Peso. The capital and economic hub of Mexico is Mexico
City, which is located in the central highlands of Mexico.
The workforce is divided: 24% industry, 56% service and 20%
agriculture. The exports of Mexico are oil and oil products, silver,
fruits, vegetables, coffee and cotton. Agricultural produce includes
corn, wheat, rice, cotton, coffee, fruit and tomatoes. Mexico
possesses some valuable natural resources, namely petroleum, silver,
copper, gold, lead, zinc and natural gas.
The climate of Mexico is both temperate and tropical. The main wet
season of Mexico runs from May to October. This is a very hot, humid
time of year when temperatures often reach 40°C. |
