MEXICO (Mexico, Mejico), United Mexican States (Estado Unido Mexicanos),state in southern North America. Also owns islands in Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. Area 1958.2 thousand km2. The capital of Mexico is Mexico City. Large cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Ciudad Juarez, Leon, Tijuana.

Mexican government system.
Administrative divisions of Mexico.

Mexico is a Federal Republic. The head of state and government is the president, elected by universal suffrage for a term of 6 years. Legislative body - bicameral National Congress(Senate and Chamber of Deputies).

Mexico has 31 states and the Metropolitan Federal District.

Population of Mexico.

Mexico's population is 104.91 million people (2003). The bulk of Mexicans are mestizos of Spanish-Indian origin (60%), Indians - 30%, descendants of Europeans - 9%. The official language is Spanish. The majority of believers are Catholics (89%). Mayan tribes make up the majority of the population in rural areas of Yucatan and the Chiapa mountains. The Oaxaca Valley and Sierra Madre del Sur are dominated by Zapotecs. Some Indian tribes form a majority in isolated mountain areas.

Mexico is one of the most urbanized countries in Latin America. St. lives in the capital and its suburbs. 18% of the population. The urban population in Mexico is 75%. The population density in Mexico is 53.2 people/km2. Mexicans are actively migrating to the United States and in the state of California they already make up approx. half the population.

Climate of Mexico. Relief of Mexico.
Vegetable and animal world Mexico.

Most of Mexico is occupied by the Mexican Highlands with the marginal ridges of the Sierra Madre Oriental (4054 m), Sierra Madre Occidental (3150 m) and the Transverse Volcanic Sierra (active volcanoes - Orizaba, 5700 m, Popocatepetl, 5452 m, etc.). In the northwest is the mountainous peninsula of California, in the south is the mountainous region. Chiapas and Sierra Madre Sur, in the southeast - the low-lying Yucatan Peninsula.

According to natural and climatic conditions, the Mexicans themselves distinguish four altitudinal zones. “Tierra Caliente” is a hot zone that includes all coastal areas and the foothills of the mountains. It is hot here both in winter and summer, but the summer-autumn rainy season stands out; precipitation is sufficient for the development of tropical rainforests. “Tierra Templada” is a warm zone - lands lying at altitudes of 1000–1500 m. The climate here is moderately hot, the vegetation is dominated by light tropical forests with sparse stands and the absence of lianas. “Tierra Fria” is a cool zone, lies at an altitude of 1500–2700 m and occupies vast expanses of the Mexican Highlands, including the Northern and Central Mesa, the slopes and foothills of the Transverse Volcanic Sierra and the Sierra Madre Southern. Summers here are moderately warm, and winters are cool with frosts; the vegetation on the slopes of the southern mountains is oak and pine forests, on the northern arid plateaus it is desert and semi-desert with typical cacti.

“Tierra Helada” is a frost belt that covers mountain slopes and plateau peaks above 2700 m. Frosts often occur here, at an altitude of 2900–3500 m forests disappear, giving way to alpine meadows and eternal snow, crowning many peaks of the Volcanic Sierra, reaching 5000–5500 m.

The southern regions of Mexico, attributed to the “Tierra Templada” and “Tierra Fria” belts (Mesa Central, basins and valleys adjacent to the Volcanic Sierra and Sierra Madre South), turned out to be the most suitable for life and economic activity. They have been developed for a long time, and the bulk of the population lives here.

The northern part of Mexico - the Northern Mesa Plateau - has the most severe natural conditions. It is an extremely arid area that typically experiences frost during the winter months. It is sparsely populated. Vast areas here are covered with desert and semi-desert landscapes with an abundance of xerophytic plants: fancy shrubs, cacti, yuccas, agaves. There are about 500 species of cacti.

The fauna of Northern Mesa is represented mainly by reptiles (venomous tooth, etc.), there are cougars and coyotes. Anteaters, tapirs, jaguars, etc. live in tropical forests.

Mexico has more than 50 national parks with a total area of ​​about 800 thousand hectares. The largest National parks- “Bosenchev” and “Cumbres de Monterrey” with mountain pine forests, “La Molinche” and “Pico de Orizaba” with famous volcanoes.

Economy and industry of Mexico.
Minerals of Mexico.

Mexico is one of the three most developed Latin American countries, along with Brazil and Argentina, far ahead of the rest. GNP is 4400 per capita (1999). The determining factors for Mexico's development are its proximity to the United States, where the main flow of investment comes from, and the abundance of natural resources. Mexico, along with Canada and the United States, forms the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA).

Silver mines were founded by the conquistadors and today Mexico ranks first in the world in silver mining. The mines are located in the so-called “Silver Belt” - an area stretching from Zacatecos and Guanajuato to Chihuahua with a major center of San Luis Potosi. With the discovery of deposits of gold, zinc, lead, cadmium, mercury, magnesium, silver mining is already fading into the background. At the beginning of the 20th century. Iron ore deposits were discovered near Durango. The raw materials mined here provide work for metallurgical plants in Monterrey. Mexico is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of fluorite.

The rich oil fields are controlled by the state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex). It is the largest oil producing company in Latin America. A pipeline system has been created to transport oil and gas to the United States. Refineries are located in Ciudad Madera, Minatitlan, Reynosa, Salamanca, Tula and Salina Cruz. State-owned petrochemical plants operate in Veracruz. Oil brings Mexico 70% of foreign exchange earnings.

Mexico occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of hyperconcentration of production: most of enterprises (2/3) of the manufacturing industry are located in the capital district. This is explained by a well-developed infrastructure and the presence of an extensive labor market. Agricultural engineering factories, car assembly plants, and enterprises are collected here. electronics industry, metallurgy.

Within the narrow border free trade zone (maquillador) with the United States, factories and factories are located that produce export products, the export of which is not subject to duty. Most of these enterprises are foreign, attracted by a favorable tax climate and cheap labor. These are mainly enterprises in the electronics industry.

Agriculture employs more than a fifth of the economically active population. Agricultural production constantly lags behind population growth. Modern farmers own plots of 4 to 8 hectares of land, but their share accounts for 0.8% of all land. 1% of farms own plots of more than 1 thousand hectares. 50 million hectares of land belong to agricultural cooperatives - ejidos.

The territory of Mexico is conventionally divided into three agro-industrial regions: the Gulf Coast and the mountainous region of Chiapas, the northern and northeastern states and the Guanojuato region. Coffee and sugar cane are grown on the coast. Bananas, pineapples, papayas, mangoes and cocoa are grown for the domestic market. Mexico is one of the leading producers of vanilla. Cotton is grown along the Pacific coast and the Guatemalan border. Since the 1940s became available for cultivating the land of the North-West. The salt marsh lands along the Fuerto and Yaqui rivers were reclaimed, and ejidos were created to grow wheat. Since then, the state of Sinaloa has become a center for grain production. Winter vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes) are also grown here for export to the USA. Before the development of the Northwest, the Central region of Guanojuato was the “breadbasket” of Mexico. Wheat, peanuts, vegetables, strawberries, and beans are grown here. Beef farming is more developed on the coast, in the Chiapas region and the Northeast. Extensive livestock farming is typical of Northern Mexico (feeding livestock for transportation to the USA).

Tourism ranks second in terms of foreign exchange earnings after oil and gas trade. The government has invested heavily in the development of tourism infrastructure.

The currency is the peso.

History of Mexico.

On the territory of modern Mexico there are monuments of many great Indian civilizations: the Toltecs, Olmecs, Zapotecs, unknown builders of the great pyramids in the Teotihuacan Valley, the Mayans. At the beginning of the 14th century. The Aztecs founded the city of Tenochtitlan (in its place now Mexico City) and extended their power to other Indian tribes, to almost the entire territory of modern Mexico. The Aztec Empire was destroyed by Spanish conquistadors led by E. Cortes in 1519-21.

Mexico became the core of the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Spain. In 1821, during the struggle of the Spanish colonies for independence, Mexico declared itself an independent empire. In 1823, a republic was established in the country. In 1833, dictator A. Santa Ana came to power. In 1845, the United States annexed Texas, and by 1854 it had captured half of the Mexican lands. Failures in the war led to a social explosion, which in 1857 turned into civil war. By 1867 fighting stopped. In Mexico, even after gaining independence, the latifundist system of land tenure remained with the complete lack of rights of peon farm laborers. In 1910–1917 the revolution weakened the position of the latifundists. The revolutionaries (Pancho Villa and E. Zapata) repelled the American invasion. In 1917, a constitution was adopted, which laid the foundations of the modern political system. Land reform eliminated the largest latifundia, landless peasants received land. From 1929 to 2000, power in the country belonged to the Institutional Revolutionary Party. In 2000, a president from the National Action Party came to power for the first time. Since the late 1950s. a course was taken to industrialize the country. By the beginning of the 1980s. Mexico achieved great success in this, but the crisis of 1982 led to a drop in production. In 1988-94, the government carried out macroeconomic reforms based on the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund. Inflation fell sharply, state-owned enterprises were privatized (except for the oil industry), external debt as a percentage of GDP decreased from 44 to 10% (although it increased in absolute numbers). But many medium and small enterprises went bankrupt, approx. 50% of Mexicans are below the poverty line. This led to mass protests. The situation of the Indians, already difficult, especially worsened; the uprising of the Mayan Indians began, the so-called. "Zapatistas" (mainly in the state of Chiapas). The government devalued the peso, and foreign capital began to flee the country. To stop it, the United States and the International Monetary Fund allocated huge loans ($50 billion at a time and then annual support). The acute stage of the crisis passed, but its consequences led to the fall of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. External debt Mexico exceeded $160 billion. Acute confrontation in society resulted in a conflict in the 2006 presidential elections. Left-wing candidate Manuel Obrador did not admit defeat (the number of votes cast for him and the winning candidate from the ruling National Action Party, Felipe Calderon, did not differ much). His supporters held noisy protests.

Mexico occupies an advantageous geographical position, located between two oceans. In the north it has a long (more than 3 thousand km) land border with the United States.

Natural conditions and resources of Mexico

Mineral resources are confined to the Pacific ore belt (deposits of polymetallic and copper ores, mercury). Mexico is the largest exporter of silver, lead, and zinc. The resources of gold and uranium are significant. The country's most valuable minerals are oil and natural gas (southern states and the Gulf of Mexico shelf).

Most of Mexico has an arid climate. (In what climatic zones Mexico is located?) The interior of the country, where the bulk of the population lives and is concentrated economic activity, experience constant water shortages.

An important feature of Mexico's nature is the exceptional richness of its flora. (In what natural areas is Mexico located?) There are about 500 species of cacti alone, and over 100 of agaves. Lush tropical forests remain on the Gulf Coast.

Population of Mexico

The majority of the country's population is mestizo, speaking Spanish and practicing Catholicism.

The bulk of the indigenous population - Indians - is concentrated in the southern states. The largest nationalities are the Aztecs, Mayans, Zapotecs, and Tarrasques. Local languages ​​are widely spoken among the Indian population.

Mexico is characterized by high rates of natural population growth. The birth rate is 20‰ and the mortality rate is at 5‰. This allows Mexico to remain one of the “young” countries in the world. About 30% of the country's residents are children under 15 years of age.

Most of the population lives in the central states. Almost 70% of the inhabitants are concentrated in the Mexican Highlands and live at an altitude of more than 1000 m above sea level. The region of Mexico City, where the metropolitan agglomeration was formed, stands out especially. The Mexico City metropolitan area, with 21 million people, is one of the largest in the world. The country's largest cities are Guadalajara, Puebla, and Monterrey.

77% of its population lives in cities. Rural settlements form large clusters, separated from each other by vast uninhabited spaces. Cities located along the US border are closely linked to the economy of the neighboring state.

Industry of Mexico

Mexico is slightly inferior in terms of GDP value, and in terms of GDP per capita it is on the same level as Poland, South Africa, and Estonia. The basis of energy is oil and natural gas. Most of the electricity is produced at thermal power plants. Geothermal and solar power stations operate on an industrial basis. The country has a diversified industry based on a rich raw material base and large reserves of cheap labor. The main industries are oil refining and petrochemicals, mechanical engineering and metallurgy. Large oil refining centers formed along the Gulf Coast.

Mechanical engineering is the second most important branch of heavy industry after petrochemicals. The automotive industry, dominated by foreign companies, stands out. The company produces railway rolling stock and agricultural machinery. Mexico is one of the world's leading manufacturers of machine tools and equipment.

A specific phenomenon in Mexican industry is the “maquiladoras” located in the north of the country - enterprises for the export processing of semi-finished products from the United States (assembly of automobile components, electrical appliances, electronics, furniture; sewing shoes and clothing). Agriculture. In most of Mexico, natural conditions are unfavorable for agriculture. About 40% of the territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts, and the same amount by mountains and forests. The leading branch of agriculture is crop production. Corn and beans are the main food crops. They grow wheat, sugar cane, tropical fruits (citrus fruits, mangoes, pineapples, papaya), and coffee. Livestock farming is mainly represented by cattle breeding cattle meat direction. Fishing has developed in coastal areas.

Transport Mexico

The main role in the transportation of goods and passengers is played by road transport (northern and central parts of the country). The main railway lines cross the country from north to south and connect cities in Mexico with the United States. Mexico is at a crossroads airways from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere. A dense network of oil and gas pipelines connects production sites with processing and consumption centers.

Mexico is characterized by a high birth rate and low mortality rate. Thanks to its high population growth rate, Mexico is one of the youngest countries in the world. The country's industry is characterized by a diversified structure and significant scale of production of various types of products. The leading branch of agriculture is crop production. International tourism plays an important role in the country's foreign economic relations.

Mexico is an independent country in the southern part of North America, located at the widest part of the isthmus south of the US border, connecting two continents: North and South America. Area - 1.97 million km 2 (13th place in the world), population - 121 million people, density - 62 people/km 2. Capital - Mexico City, big cities— Guadalajara, Puebla, Ecatepec de Morelos.

Geographical characteristics

Mexico is located in the territory east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, it includes part of the Yucatan Peninsula (12% of the country), the country occupies most of Central America. The country's area is 1.97 million km2, including 6 thousand km2 of island territories of the Pacific Ocean (Guadeloupe and Revilla-Gijedo), islands in the Gulf of Mexico and California, and the Caribbean Sea. Northern borders with the USA they have a length of 3141 km, Mexico's southern neighbors are Guatemala and Belize (the length of the border is 871 km and 251 km, respectively).

Nature

The northern and central parts of the country lie within the Mexican Highlands, which in the north turns into the Great Plains plateau in the United States. In the east, the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range stretches from north to south, in the west in the same direction - the Sierra Madre Occidental, this is a continuation of the Rocky Mountains, mostly located in the United States. In the center, the ridges of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt, collectively called the Sierra Nevada, stretch from east to west. Here are located such mountain peaks as the stratovolcanoes Orizaba (5.7 thousand m, the highest point in the country) and Nevado de Toluca (4.6 thousand m), the active volcano Popocatepetl (5.4 thousand m). The flat surfaces account for only a third of the country, the largest on the Yucatan Peninsula and the flat lowlands are located mainly in strips along the coast of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico...

Rivers and lakes

More than 150 river streams flow through Mexico, most of them belong to the Pacific Ocean, 1/3 flows into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The largest river in Mexico, the Rio Bravo del Note (3034 km), originates in the USA and is called the Rio Grande there. It moistens the driest Mexican lands; the border with the United States runs along its bed in the north of the country. Most of the rivers originating in the Sierra Madre Occidental are lost in the arid zone and disappear. The main river of the center of Mexico, the Lerma, flows into the freshwater Lake Chapala (area 1.1 thousand km 2, location - 45 km from the city of Guadalajara in the southwest of the country), carrying its waters from it into the Pacific Ocean under the name Rio Grande -de Santiago. Other large rivers- Balsas, Grijalva, Usumacinta, Conchos (the only tributary of the Rio Bravo del Note).

Ocean, bay and sea surrounding Mexico

The western part of Mexico is washed by the Gulf of California of the Pacific Ocean, the eastern part by the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea Atlantic Ocean basin...

Plants and animals of Mexico

The variety of climatic conditions on the territory of the country determines the diversity of flora and fauna. In northern Mexico, in dry areas it grows a large number of cacti, agave, yucca, mesquite trees, wolves, coyotes, a large number of rattlesnakes and lizards live here. In hot tropical zones, dense tropical vegetation grows, represented by palm trees, rubber plants, and olive trees. On the slopes of the mountains oaks, pines and spruces grow, bears, pumas, ocelots, and jaguars are found. On the coasts of the oceans live seals, turtles, many birds...

Climate of Mexico

The territory of Mexico lies in two climatic zones, its Northern part in the subtropical climate zone, the rest of the country is in the tropical climate.

Most of the northern territories bordering the United States, from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf Coast, and central areas the countries are in arid conditions (precipitation amount is about 250-300 mm per year), in the south there is more precipitation, its amount reaches up to 600 mm in Mexico City, sufficient quantity precipitation (up to 2000 mm) is received by the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and the land of Yucatan. The rainy season lasts from May to October, and powerful tropical cyclones often occur here.

The country's climatic conditions largely depend on the altitude above sea level and vary depending on this factor. The coastal plains, 900 meters above sea level, have a humid and hot climate (temperatures from +19 0 C to +49 0 C), this is the so-called hot zone. At an altitude of 900 to 1800 m there is a temperate zone with temperatures of +17 0 C, +21 0 C, higher is the cold region, it is quite cool here - about +16 0 C...

Resources

Natural resources of Mexico

Mexico has significant reserves of fuel and energy resources such as oil (the fourth largest producer of crude oil in the world), natural gas, and coking coal. Also, large reserves of iron ore, non-ferrous and precious metal ores are concentrated here, Mexico has 1st place in the world in the production and export of silver, fluorspar, the country is the world's main exporter of mercury, antimony, cadmium, zinc, manganese...

Mexico is one of the developed industrial-agrarian countries with the most developed economy among the countries of Latin America. The leading sectors of its industry are mining, energy, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemistry and oil refining, food and light industries.

Crop production is the leading branch of Mexican agriculture. The main crops grown are wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, beans, coffee, fruits, tomatoes, cotton...

Culture

Peoples of Mexico

The culture of the Mexican people is a mixture of Spanish culture and the pre-Columbian culture of ancient Indian tribes (Aztecs, Mayans). The customs, traditions and beliefs of Catholic Europe coexist peacefully with the culture of the ancient Indian civilization. In the artistic art of Mexico, the most popular and famous have become frescoes, unique wall paintings, the development of which was greatly influenced by the architecture and art of the Aztecs and Mayans. Such famous Mexican artists as Diego Rivera and David Siqueiros worked in the fresco technique. The famous surrealist artist Frida Kahlo comes from Mexico.

As in any Catholic country Mexico celebrates a very large number of religious holidays, the largest of them are Christmas, Easter, almost every village has its own patron saints, in whose honor local holidays are organized with songs, dances, and carnival processions. One of the most amazing Mexican holidays, in which the beliefs and traditions of the ancient peoples of Mexico and their descendants are closely intertwined, is the Day of the Dead (November 1-2). This unique purely Mexican holiday is dedicated to the memory of deceased people, it shows that death should be treated lightly and without fear. He does without tears and lamentations; on the contrary, he is one of the most have fun days in the year when, after the traditional visit to the graves of their ancestors, people forget about their sorrows, wear bright carnival costumes, eat sweet skulls made from sugar icing and entertain themselves and others with entertaining figures of toy skeletons, which are the main characters of this holiday.

In the southeast - with Belize and Guatemala, in the west it is washed by the waters of the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean, in the east - by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Oil industry
The oil industry is a leading sector of the Mexican economy and the most important factor internal political struggle. Mexico ranks third in oil production in the Western Hemisphere and seventh in the world. The Mexican company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) is state owned and is one of the largest oil producing companies in the world. On average, Mexico produced 3 million barrels per day in 2009, down from 3.18 million barrels per day in 2008.
In the near future there will be a decrease in oil production. According to the IEA, production will fall by 400 thousand barrels of oil per day already in 2011, primarily due to the depletion of the Cantarel field. And by 2015, Mexico could become an oil importer; by 2035, the production level will be 1.7 million barrels per day, and the import level will be 1.3 million barrels per day. This will have a significant impact on the domestic economic situation in Mexico and will require the search for new sources of income.

Natural gas production
Natural gas is an important resource for Mexico as demand for it is growing, especially in the electricity sector (gas-fired power plants). Mexico has gas reserves of 13.2 trillion cubic meters. ft., 1.84 trillion cubic meters were produced in 2008. ft. The volume of production is not enough to cover the internal needs of the state, so Mexico is an importer of gas. Most gas is imported from the United States via gas pipelines and in the form of LNG from other countries.
Pemex has a monopoly on gas production and the development of new fields. The company is also the largest consumer of gas, accounting for about 40% of total oil consumption. Natural gas is produced in almost the same regions as oil. Fields in the north and south of the country together produce about 60% of the gas, the rest is produced in the Bay of Campeche. And while oil production from the Cantarel field in the Gulf is declining, natural gas production there has doubled. one more time for the period from 2006 to 2008. There are two LNG terminals operating in Mexico. On west coast Since 2008, the Costa Azul terminal has been operating, capable of processing 1 billion cubic meters. feet of gas per day. On the east coast is the Altamira terminal, which is a joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell, Total and Mitsui, with a throughput capacity of 500 million cubic meters. feet per day, it is planned to increase it to 1.3 billion.

Coal mining
Coal reserves in Mexico were estimated at 1.335 billion short tons in 2005, and production has been increasing, reaching 12.7 million short tons in 2008. The country's largest coal producers are two domestic steel companies, Minera Carbonifera Rio Escondido (Micare) and Minera Monclova (Mimosa). Micare mines coal in the Sabinas and Fuentes-Rio Escondido basins in the state of Coahuila with two open pits and three mines with total reserves of 208.6 million tons. Mimosa produces coking coal in four mines in the Sabinas region.

Tags for the article:

The advantages of modern Mexico are not only that there are magnificent beaches, untouched corners of virgin nature and the mysterious ruins of colonial palaces

Geographical location of Mexico

The state has a total area of ​​1.95 million square meters. km., is located in North America, occupying almost its entire central part. In the north and east it borders with the United States, in the southeast with Belize and Guatemala. In the east it is washed by the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, in the west by the Pacific Ocean (here the Gulf of California extends far into the coast). Mexico owns a number of islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Most of the country is mountainous and occupied by the ridges of the Mexican Highlands, Sierra Madre and Transverse Volcanic Sierra with many active volcanoes (about 350), incl. highest point countries - Orizaba (5700 m), Popocatepetl - (5452 m), etc. Volcanic activity is quite high, and earthquakes are also frequent.

Capital

Mexico City (Mexico City).

Climate in Mexico

Subtropical in the north, tropical in the south. In the area of ​​the Mexican Highlands it is usually much cooler (from +2 C in winter to +15 C in summer) than on the coast, where the air temperature does not drop below +20 C even in winter. In the northern part of the country and in mountainous areas, little snow falls in winter. In coastal resort areas (Acapulco, Cancun), temperatures range from +22 C in winter to +35 C in summer. Due to the features of the relief, altitudinal zonation is clearly expressed.

Usually there are dry (November-April) and wet (June-September) seasons, which differ slightly in temperature, but due to the influence of tropical cyclones, they vary greatly in the amount of precipitation, and especially in air humidity. Total precipitation ranges from 100 to 3000 mm. in year. The Gulf Coast receives much more rain than the country's Pacific shores, so some resorts require some acclimatization due to the high humidity. Powerful tropical cyclones are frequent.

Population

About 100.3 million people. Modern ethnic composition formed from three components: the indigenous population - Indian tribes and nationalities (28% of total number), European settlers (primarily from Spain) and Africans. Currently, 60% of the population consider themselves “Mexicans” (“mexicanos”, descendants of mixed marriages) and 30% - Indians.

Political state

Federal Republic. The head of state is the president, elected for six years. The legislative body is the bicameral National Congress (Senate and Chamber of Deputies). Administrative division: 31 states and 1 metropolitan Federal District.

Language in Mexico

The official language is Spanish; in resort areas English, French and German are widely spoken; in the provinces they are practically not used. In addition, local ethnic groups they speak their native languages ​​(Nahuatl, Mayan, Otomi, Zapoteca, Mixteca, Totonac, Tarascos, Purépecha, etc. - about 59 local dialects in total).

Religion in Mexico

The dominant religion is Christianity (97% of the population consider themselves Catholics).

Mexican cuisine

The cuisine of Mexico is extremely original and unique, which is explained by the mixture of culinary traditions of the Indian tribes of Mesoamerica with the strong influence of Spanish and French recipes. At the same time, most of the traditional ingredients of local cuisine originally appeared in these places, and only then were spread throughout the world, gaining popularity in other places. Mexican cuisine is based on a huge selection of local products: corn (maize), avocado, beans, zucchini, sweet and regular potatoes, tomatoes, cacti, chili peppers, pumpkin, poultry, vanillin, peanuts (and their oil), cocoa, and also many types of fish, fruits, herbs and spices.

The dominant place in Mexican folk cuisine is occupied by corn - fried and boiled, in the form of flour and as a drink, with mayonnaise or grated cheese, with meat and ground pepper... The most common dishes made from corn are baked on coals corn tortilla with taco filling, meat in corn flour "posole" (as well as a corn drink of the same name), a mixture of toasted corn flour with cocoa "pinole", a corn flour tortilla "tortilla", steamed "tamales" - pieces of corn dough with sauce, “antojito” and “repostaria”, flatbreads with various fillings - “nacho”, “quesadilla”, “tostado”, “chimichanga”, etc.

Hot chili peppers are the hallmark of Mexican cuisine; there are more than 80 types of them. Hundreds of different sauces are made from it, stuffed, added to various vegetable salads, meat dishes, fish, and, of course, corn.

Meat dishes are also extremely varied. Having no knowledge of cattle and chickens before the arrival of Europeans, the Indians created many original recipes from local game (boiled snake, iguana with corn porridge, baked snake, etc.), but new products were also quickly launched. And now various goulash “olla podrida”, boiled pork with vegetables “chipile”, fried beef ribbons with a side dish of beans “carne asados” are considered “truly Mexican”, minced meat with picadillo tomatoes, hot stuffed empanadas, dozens of types of fried or stewed turkey like "Monte Lablano", a kind of "enchilada" rolls stuffed with peppers, cheese, eggs or meat, Mexican lamb, spit-roasted slices of pork "tacos al pastor", beef with beans, eggs ("Vallejo" , "ranch" or with potatoes and ham), as well as "carnitas", chicken "Mexicali" and many other, no less original dishes.

The range of vegetables used is also extremely diverse. In the first place, of course, are beans - fresh and dried, fried and fresh, as a filler for flatbreads, soups and as a side dish - the list of all the dishes made from them is endless. Dozens of dishes are also prepared from the nopal cactus (leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds are used), agave, beans, avocado-guacamole (used in both appetizers and main courses), mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, etc. Particularly popular A unique local fruit, “chayote,” is used, consumed baked, stewed and boiled, as part of casseroles, salads, side dishes, etc.

Fish recipes are also based on national traditions - the same abundance of corn and spices as in other Mexican dishes, and the same amount of sauces and seasonings. Interesting cod "Yucatan", "lutianus", "veracruz", tortillas with fish, swordfish with lemon or garlic sauce, seafood soup "sopa de marisco", lobsters with avocado, etc.

Dessert most often includes excellent local fruits; the original dessert of roasted sugar cane "canas asadas" is extremely popular, excellent French-style pastries, sweet bread "rosca de reyes", buns and muffins, as well as excellent sweet vegetable dishes and fruits - cherry "chimichanga", corn soufflé, mango with cream, "quesadillas", pumpkin in syrup, "shady lady", various puddings with filling and nuts.

Among alcoholic beverages, the country has gained real fame from “tequila” (produced by double distillation of the juice of the blue agave core), of which there are more than 300 types (four types are officially approved - Blanco, Joven, Reposado and Anejo), as well as traditional alcoholic drinks"pulque", "mezcal" (produced by simple distillation from five different types of agave), "sotol" and "bacanora". Also good are Mexican wines (mostly created using European technologies), Don Pedro brandy and Corona beer.

Festivals and holidays in Mexico

During the winter months, a two-week Jazz Festival is held throughout the country. The traditional Carnival takes place at the end of February or beginning of March in the week before the Day of Repentance. The traditional spring festival, accompanied by costumed processions and climbing the pyramids, takes place in Teotihuacan on the day of the spring equinox. On these same days (as well as September 21), the festival of Quetzalcoatl (Quetzalcoatl or the Feathered Serpent) takes place in Chichen Itza. On Independence Day in the central squares of all settlements Colorful folk festivals are held.

Immediately after All Saints' Day (November 2), the eerie "Dia de los Muertos" takes place - a holiday of honoring the dead. On the day of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe (December 12), the colorful Señora de Guadalupe Festival and a pilgrimage to the capital of the country, to the Basilica of the Virgin Mary (one of the centers of Catholicism in America) take place.

Shopping in Mexico

Shops are usually open from 9.00-10.00 to 19.00-22.00 with a traditional siesta break from 14.00. until 16.00, day off - Sunday.

Money in Mexico

New peso (international symbol - MXP), equal to 100 centavos (cents). In 1993, the denomination of banknotes was carried out - 1000 “old” pesos correspond to 1 “new” peso. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 pesos and coins in 50, 20, 10 and 5 centavos. New money differs from old money in size and appearance. Prices in new pesos are indicated by NP$. The "$" sign is used for both pesos and US dollars (US$ or USD only).

Banking and currency exchange

Banks are open from 9.00 to 17.00 on weekdays (some bank branches are open even until 24.00 or 01.00), and from 9.00 to 14.00 on Saturdays. Sunday is a day off. Some bank branches in resort areas are also open from 16.00 to 18.00, on Saturday - from 10.00 to 13.30 and from 16.00 to 18.00, and on Sunday - from 10.00 to 13.30.

Currency exchange can be done in banks, large hotels, airports (usually the best rate) or specialized exchange offices "casas de cambio". Difficulties often arise with exchanging worn-out banknotes or banknotes of old series. Most hotels, restaurants, shops and travel agencies accept leading credit cards and traveler's checks (preferably in US dollars). A network of ATMs is widely developed in resort areas.

US dollars are also accepted almost everywhere (the exchange rate is not the most favorable). When exchanging, you should be careful - there may be attempts to cheat.

VAT and tax-free

VAT (IVA) is 15% and is usually included in all prices and invoices, but in some luxury hotels prices are quoted excluding tax. VAT is also charged on telephone calls, rent for housing, etc.

On November 15, 2008, Mexico began implementing a partial VAT refund program using the Tax Back service. When paying in cash, tourists are entitled to a VAT refund if the purchase price is at least 1,200 pesos (including tax) and not more than 3,000 pesos. If the payment was made using a bank card, then there are no restrictions on the amount.

To receive a VAT refund at the Tax Back office, you must present a passport, a copy of the immigration form that is filled out when crossing the Mexican border, receipts from stores, a special Tax Back form and a boarding pass. If the purchase price exceeds 5,000 pesos, Tax Back employees have the right to ask to see the purchased goods.

It is worth noting that only half of the tax refund can be received in cash. The remaining portion will be transferred to the account either bank card tourist If the total amount of VAT exceeds 10,000 pesos, the entire compensation will be transferred to the buyer in cashless form within 40 days after presenting the Tax Back form and leaving the country.

Tips

Tips are usually 10% of the price shown on the bill. It is customary to tip the restaurant (up to 15%), the porter ($1-2), the driver and the guide for the excursion.

Safety

In Mexico it persists high level crime, primarily pickpocketing and robbery. It is recommended to travel by car, bus and train only during the day.

Taxis are recommended only from official stands ("sitios"), otherwise the chance of becoming a victim of robbery is quite high. It is recommended to order a taxi by phone, making sure to obtain the car number and taxi driver's license number from the dispatcher. At Mexico City Airport, you should hire only yellow airport taxis (with the airport logo on the door), paying in advance at the appropriate "Transportacion Terrestre" kiosk in the airport lobby.

Try to drive on toll roads ("cuota") - they are safer. It is also recommended to avoid solo hikes in provincial areas, and often hitchhike. There are known cases of extortion of money by people in uniform. There are armed rebel groups operating in some areas of the country; if you need to travel to such areas, you should follow the recommendations of local authorities.