Mexico

Physical Geo

• 3 Great mountain ranges shape the country – Sierra Madres Oriental, Occidental, and Del Sur

• Most of the country is made up of the rugged plateau between the mountains (Mexican Plateau)

• Southern end of plateau is the Valley of Mexico, where Mexico City is located

• Elevation – 7,500 feet (higher than Denver)

Geo Activity in Mexico

• Popocatepetl is an active volcano

• 20 million people live within 50 miles of it

• Earthquakes are common in Mexico due to active tectonics

• Travel is difficult through Mexico because of the landforms

Natural Resources• Mexico does not

have many rivers• Leading silver

producer in the world

• Great oil and natural gas reserves along the Gulf Coast

• Most of their oil is exported to the U.S.

Empires of the Past

• Long before Columbus arrived, Mexico was ruled by advanced and powerful Indian civilizations

• Mayans for thousands of years• Conqurered by Toltecs• Toltecs conquered by the great warriors,

the Aztecs – vicious rulers (human sacrifice and cannibalism)

• Aztecs also known as Mexica

History of Mexico City

• Aztec capital at Tenochtitlan – later became Mexico City

• One of the biggest cities in the world even prior to Spanish conquest

• Mighty Aztecs were unpopular and were conquered by Spanish in 1521

Culture

• Due to the Spanish conquest, 90% of Mexicans today are Catholic

• Most colonists were men, so inter-marriage with Indian women was common

• Therefore, most Mexicans today are mestizos, people of mixed European and Indian descent

• Main language: Spanish – but native Indian tongues are still present

Contemporary Mexico

• Officially gained independence from Spain in 1821 ( now composed of 31 states)

• Lost Texas and other parts of the West to the U.S. in 1848 (Mexican-American War)

• Became more democratic in 1990• Entered NAFTA with U.S. and Canada in

1992 – 81% of exports go the U.S.• Is rapidly developing in the image of the

U.S.

• Although it is developing economically quickly, there is still mass poverty – too few jobs

• Huge settlements of shacks built form sheet metal and waste wood – no electricity, sewers, or safe water

• Maquiladoras – factories of American-owned companies that lie along the U.S. border

Environment

• Massive population, terrible pollution, high risk of earthquake, sinking buildings

• Vehicles and factories combine with location in a valley to trap pollutants and then volcanoes spew out ash and gases