Mexico Information Guide & Facts

 Mexico

Full Country Name: The United Mexican States
Area: 1,964,375 sq km, of which 1,959,248 sq km are continental and 5,127 sq km are islands.
Population: 101.9 million (mid-2001 est)
Capital City: Mexico City (20 million est)
People: The people of Mexico today are a mixture of descendants from Spanish and other immigrants, mainly Europeans, who settled in Mexico from the sixteenth century onwards, and mestizos - mixed European and indigenous ancestry, as well as the many indigenous groups.
Languages: The official language is Spanish.  There are at least 62 indigenous languages.
Religion(s): Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, 5% other denomination
Currency: Mexican Peso, divided into 100 centavos

History

300 – 900 The Classical Period; Construction of Teotihuacan complex; Monte Albán and the Zapoteca Culture; The Maya Culture
900 – 1521 The Post Classical Period; Pre-Hispanic Era in Oaxaca; The Tolteca and Chichimeca Cultures
1325 – 1521 The Aztecs and the Founding of Tenochtitlan
1519 Founding of Veracruz by Hernan Cortés
1521 – 1810 The Spanish Conquest; The Colonial Period
1531 The Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe (the Madonna with Indian features who miraculously appeared to a humble Indian, Juan Diego at the site of Tenochtitlan, razed by the conquering Spaniards)
1551 Founding of the University of Mexico, Mexico City.  The first University on the North or South American Continents
1656 Inauguration of the first Cathedral in Mexico
1810 – 1821 Mexico’s Independence struggle from Spain
1848 Loss of Texas and part of California to the USA
1864 – 1867 Maximilian of Austria’s Empire
1910 The Mexican Revolution
1911 – 1919 The Zapatista Movement and Civil War
1917 Mexican Constitution drawn up
1926 Inauguration of the Institutional Single Party (origin of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI))
1994 North American Free Trade Agreement comes into force
2000 Presidential Elections bring an end to 71 years of PRI rule President Fox (Pan Acción Nacional) took office on 1 December
2002 Mexico takes its seat on the UN Security Council for the years 2002/2003 in January.

Geography

Mexico is a vast country bounded to the north over the Rio Grande by the United States and by Guatemala and Belize to the south.  The Sierra Madre and Rocky Mountains run south from the border with the US.  The interior consists of an elevated plateau.  Northern Mexico is dry and desert-like, while the south is mountainous jungle containing the ruins of ancient Mayan and Aztec city complexes.  Mexico is one of the world’s most bio-diverse countries.

Culture

• Archeology: Mexico is an ideal place for those interested in archaeology. In the land known as Mesoamerica, major cultures developed over three thousand years ago. The main archaeological sites in the high tableland include Cuicuilco, Teotihuacan. Tula and the Great Temple.
  Outstanding sites in the Oaxaca region include Monte Albán, Mitla and Lambityeco.
  For those wishing to find out more about the Mayan world, visiting Chichén Itza and Uzmal in the Yucatán and Palenque and Bonampak in Chiapas is a must.
  On the Gulf Coast, El Tajín and the La Venta Museum Park are well worth exploring.
  In the west of Mexico, visiting the Purépecha ceremonial stone structures is a rewarding experience. Finally, the city of Paquimé in Chihuahua is a fascinating example of the cultures in northern Mexico.
• Architecture: Architecture occupies a significant position in the history of mankind. In Mexico, as in other countries, architecture is a reflection of its past. Thus, visitors will obtain a fascinating historical overview of the country through its pre-Hispanic temples and cities, colonial churches and monasteries, palaces and a wide range of civil and hydraulic architecture, in styles ranging from medieval and gothic through renaissance to mudéjar and baroque.
  Art nouveau, neo-Mexican, neoclassical and art deco were established between the 19th and early 20th centuries, leaving an indelible mark on many cities. Other styles that began in the 20th century eventually evolved into the restrained works of contemporary architecture.
• Arts and Crafts: In Mexico, shapes, colors and materials have combined with man’s skill and the popular imagination to produce a phenomenon that extends beyond its borders: its craftwork. Enormously diverse, whether for everyday use or for decoration, Mexican handicrafts form a mosaic that has not lost its roots or its creative, innovative features. Consequently, one of the country’s main attractions are its handicrafts, which vary considerably from region to region. Thus, visitors will be able to take home a set of earthenware crockery from Michoacán, a piece of Talavera china from Puebla, a dining-room set from Colima, red glass goblets from Tlaquepaque, a shawl from Saltillo or a poncho from Oaxaca, an earthenware jug from Tonalá, an embroidered blouse from San Cristóbal, a piece of silverwork from Taxco or a brightly colored animal figure from Oaxaca, to mention just a few of the types of craftwork available.
  Glass, leather, wood, wrought iron, straw, cloth and thread, among other materials, contribute to the creation of a craftwork universe that have made Mexico famous throughout the world. Just use your good taste and judgement to distinguish what is genuine wherever you go.
• Festivals: As a religious and social phenomenon, Mexican fiestas are closely related to history and tradition. The images of the celebrations of Mesoamerica’s inhabitants are still found in today’s fiestas.
  Mexican fiestas are the product of a lengthy process of miscegenation with mainly indigenous, Spanish and African influences. Regardless of their origins, though, Mexican fiestas have a variety of expressions that are as likely to be reflected in the celebration of a saint’s day, a wedding or a christening as they are in major celebrations such as Holy Week, the Day of the Dead, or the Virgin of Zapopan or Guadalupe.
  In Mexico, there is no shortage of reasons to celebrate; people go from fiesta to fiesta and dances, firework displays, cardboard figures of bulls, food, and buñuelos or outsize fritters are available all year round. While you’re in Mexico, you will probably experience the force of tradition, noise and music at first hand. And if you’re lucky, you may end up in the middle of a fiesta with the other guests, drinking and dancing thanks to the hospitality of the inhabitants of this legendary country.
• Historical Interest: The history of the construction of a country such as Mexico is a fascinating subject. The ups and downs it has experienced over the past 3,000 years make Mexico an ideal place for exploring hundreds of places of historical interest. Visitors will find traces of a magnificent past throughout the country. One site alone witnessed the epic of the great Tenochtitlan on the arrival of the Aztecs, their defeat by the Spaniards and the construction of a new city that is now the historic center. This very place became the heart of a country that achieved its independence in the 19th century, and experienced the first social revolution that led to the development of contemporary Mexican society.
  This brief outline of Mexican history shows that houses and palaces, plazas and tourist resorts, towns and cities constitute a historical legacy that impresses locals and visitors alike, Mexico abounds in places of historical interest, as you will see.
• Museums: Museums are one of the most interesting ways of finding out more about the culture, history and art of a city, region or country.
  Mexico has made a great effort to protect its historical, artistic and cultural legacy, which it now displays in specially designed museums. National, state and municipal museums, as well as on-site and community museums, form an extraordinary network that provides valuable insights into Mexico’s history and culture. Outstanding museums in Mexico City include the National Museum of Anthropology, the National Museum of History, the National Museum of Art, the National Museum of Modern Art and the Tamayo Museum. Also worth visiting is the Museum of Anthropology in Jalapa, Veracruz; the Desert Museum in Saltillo, Coahuila, and the Museum of Northern Cultures in Paquimé, Chihuahua.
• Performing Arts: Mexico is also extremely rewarding for those who enjoy cultural activities, and simply walking through its streets, towns and villages is an experience in itself.
  Mexico’s fiestas are a riot of color and music while its cities host numerous national and international festivals. Cultural activities related to Mexican traditions are expressed in its music and dance, permanent or traveling exhibitions of renowned Mexican painters and sculptors and its pop, rock and jazz festivals.
  But you will also find open-air celebrations in its plazas, with dancers weaving through the streets, together with spectacular expressions of individual and collective creativity that will make you wish your stay would never end. You may even wish you could spend a few more days in Oaxaca’s main square in the shade of the laurel trees, opposite the art nouveau bandstand, listening to the strains of Dios nunca muere, played by the municipal band

Leisure

• Beaches: Incredible though it may seem, approximately 440 beaches have been identified along the Mexican coast where one can enjoy the sea, beaches and nature amid fabulous surroundings. The characteristics of the landscape sometimes change within a single region, depending on a number of factors, such as the terrain, the climate, the temperature of the water and its depth, but Mexico offers something for everyone along its extensive shoreline. Facilities for all kinds of water sports are available or you can just relax and sunbathe on the beach, and either stay at a luxury hotel or camp on unspoiled beaches.
  Major tourist resorts, such as Cancún, Acapulco, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Bahías de Huatulco, Ixtapa, Los Cabos and Veracruz also offer a variety of nightlife, Mexican and international cuisine and deluxe malls.
• Cuisine: Although food is obviously an essential part of the cultural universe of any country, this is particularly true of Mexico. A tour of the gastronomic world of Mexico is both a fascinating and a delicious experience. You can either opt for the finest restaurants offering menus from all over the world or explore the flavor of genuine Mexican dishes. While maize, chili and beans constitute the staple Mexican diet, the diversity of products in every region, the indigenous gastronomic tradition and European influence turned Mexican cuisine into an extraordinary mosaic in which sauces, tacos, tamales, enchiladas, chilaquiles, pozole, menudo, mole, panuchos, fish, meat, seafood, enfrijoladas, soups, beef stews with potato and chile, sopes, picadas and quesadillas form part of an endless list that you will be able to sample during your tour of the country. As you become more experienced, you will probably want to include a few gastronomic escapades in your tour.
• Ecotourism: Its natural conditions, geographical location and biological diversity make Mexico an ideal place for ecotourism. There are several sites throughout the country with the perfect landscape, climate, flora and fauna for this while simply visiting them is a fascinating experience in itself, since Mexico boasts the world’s sixth largest range of biodiversity. Moreover, the tourist infrastructure created over the past few years has been specially designed to enhance visitors’ comfort and safety. Thus, in many regions of Mexico, you will be able to come into contact with nature by using the services created by various firms to provide accommodation and guides for visitors. There are approximately six major ecotourism circuits in Mexico: the Baja California Peninsula and Sea of Cortés, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the northeast; the central region; the south and southeast and the north and northeast.
• Night Life: One of Mexico’s main tourist attractions is its nightlife, which lets you relax and forget about the stresses and strains of city life and work.
  Most of Mexico’s tourist resorts offer a wide range of facilities such as bars, cabarets, discotheques and dance halls. There is something for everyone, from popular discotheques to exclusive nightclubs where you and your partner or friends can spend an unforgettable evening.
  In addition to the recommendations on this page, we suggest you try the nightclubs yourself.
• Shopping: Anyone who has been to Mexico will know that it is an ideal place for shopping.
  Visitors will find everything from duty-free shops in airports and elsewhere to tianguis or open-air markets reminiscent of the ancient world. Fine watches, jewelry and the latest fashions are available at malls and department stores while original craftwork can be purchased at any of the many street markets. Thus, visitors will be able to buy delicate ceramics, silverwork from Taxco, a blue shawl from San Luis, woven blankets from Saltillo, pots from Paquimé, Talavera work from Puebla, black pottery from Oaxaca, dinnerware from Tlaquepaque, masks from Guerrero, lacquerwork from Olinalá or guitars from Paracho. The variety of wonderful handicrafts available ensures that visitors rarely go home empty-handed.
• Spas: The first spas in Mexico were built several years ago. Nowadays, this cultural phenomenon designed to enhance people’s health and image has reached a level of sophistication in Mexico that has made the country a leader in this type of services. Spas, whether independent or set in hotels in major resorts, are available throughout the country.
  Many of Mexico’s spas have been internationally recognized, meaning that they attract tourists from all over the world. Some spas combine massage and relaxation techniques with local inventions such as the temascal, a steam bath from the ancient Mexican world.
  Once you reach your destination in Mexico, you will undoubtedly find a wide range of spas, in addition to the one in the hotel where you are staying