Mexico, is a republic in North America bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the east by the Gulf of Mexico and on the southeast by Belize, Guatemala, and the Caribbean Sea. Covering almost 2 million square kilometers (over 760,000 sq mi), Mexico the 15th largest country in the world. With a population of 111 million people, it is the 11th most populous country and the most populous Spanish speaking country on the planet. Mexico has thirty-one states and a Federal District, the capital city.

In Pre-Columbian Central America many advanced civilizations such as the Maya and the Aztec had flourished before the first contact with Europeans. In 1521, Spain conquered and colonized the territory, which became known as the Viceroyalty of New Spain. This territory would eventually become Mexico as independence was gained in 1821. The post-independence period was characterized by economic instability, the Mexican–American War and loss of territory to the United States, a civil war and a dictatorship. The Mexican Revolution broke out in 1910, and terminated with the 1917 Constitution and the birth of the country’s current political system.

Geography

On its north, the Río Bravo del Norte (known as the Rio Grande in the United States) defines the border from Ciudad Juárez east to the Gulf of Mexico.

Mexico is crossed from north to south by two mountain ranges known as Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental, which are the extension of the Rocky Mountains from northern North America. From east to west at the center, the country is crossed by the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt also known as the Sierra Nevada. A fourth mountain range, the Sierra Madre del Sur, runs from Michoacán to Oaxaca. As such, the majority of the Mexican central and northern territories are located at high altitudes.

Two giant peninsulas In the southeast, the Yucatán Peninsula separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean. This flat humid land is know to some for it’s beautiful beach resorts, such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen, but is also home to many ancient Mayan  ruins such as Chichen Itza and Tulum.  Also notable are the cenotes, giant sinkholes filled with water, which draw thousands of cave divers yearly.

In the Northwest, The dry, mountainous Baja California peninsula runs from Tijuana in the north to Cabos San Lucas some 1250 kilometers to the south. This sparsely populated desert land is famous for off-road racing and deep-sea fishing.

Natural resources

petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Industry

Among the most important industrial manufacturers in Mexico is the automotive industry. The “Big Three” (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) have been operating in Mexico since the 1930s, while Volkswagen and Nissan built their plants in the 1960s. Later, Toyota, Honda, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz established a presence. In 2007 one out every seven cars sold was made in Mexico.

The electronics industry of Mexico has grown enormously within the last decade. In 2007 Mexico surpassed South Korea as the second largest manufacturer of televisions, and in 2008 Mexico surpassed China, South Korea and Taiwan to become the largest producer of smartphones in the world. In 2005, according to the World Bank, high-tech industrial production represented 19.6% of Mexico’s economy.

Cuisine

Mexican cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices. Most of today’s Mexican food is based on pre-Columbian traditions, including the Aztecs and Maya, combined with culinary trends introduced by Spanish colonists.

The staples of Mexican cuisine are typically corn and beans. Corn is sometimes eaten on the cob, however it is more commonly is used to make masa, a dough for tamales, tortillas, gorditas, and many other foods. After corn, rice is the most common grain in Mexico. Squash, peppers garlic and onions also play important roles in Mexican cuisine.

The most important and frequently used spices in Mexican cuisine are chili powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro, epazote, cinnamon, and cocoa. Chipotle, a smoke-dried jalapeño chili, is also common in Mexican cuisine.

Mexican food varies by region, because of local climate and geography and ethnic differences among the indigenous inhabitants.

The north of Mexico is known for its beef, goat and ostrich  dishes, in particular the popular Arrachera cut.

Central Mexico’s cuisine is known for dishes such as barbacoa, pozole, menudo, carnitas, and tamales.

Southeastern Mexico, on the other hand, is known for its spicy vegetable and chicken-based dishes with a bit of Caribbean influence.

Seafood is popular in the states that border the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.

Tourism

In 2005 Mexico was the seventh most popular tourist destination in the world. The most visited attractions are the ruins, colonial cities, and especially the beach resorts. The peak tourism seasons in the country are during December and the mid-Summer, with brief surges during the week before Easter and the Spring break, when many of the beach resort sites become popular destinations for college students from the United States.

The capital of Mexico, Mexico City is the most popular with tourists as an ancient Meso-American city and the site of many attractions such as the Pyramid of the Moon and the the Pyramid of the Sun. Other tourist zones, such as the La Zona Rosa or Shopping District, El Palenque and El Zócalo (one of the largest public plazas in the world) are found here. The city is also home to the world’s largest bullring, the Plaza de toros México and to the Mexican National Palace, built on the former site of Montezuma’s palace, and the largest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere, and the Metropolitan Cathedral, which was constructed on the site of the even larger Temple of Teocalli. The National Museum of Anthropology and History is a paradise for history buffs.

Guadalajara, Jalisco, the second-largest city by population in the Republic and home of some of Mexico’s best known traditions, such as tequila and mariachi music. Its mix of modern and colonial architecture and it close proximity to world class beach resorts are reasons why Guadalajara one of the most visited cities in Mexico.