Archaeological evidence indicates that the earliest signs of human life in Mexico date back over 20,000 years, with evidence of permanent settlements along the coastal areas dating to 1500 BC.

Long before the Europeans arrived, Mexico was home to many indigenous peoples, with the Olmec, Maya and powerful Aztec cultures the most notable.

Unfortunately, the Aztecs were no match for the military skills and weapons of Herman Cortes and his Spanish soldiers, and they were defeated in 1521, as the colonization of this prolific land began.

The Spanish conquistadors quickly expanded their search for hidden treasures; the native peoples were enslaved and forced into hard labor, and the subsequent harsh treatment, malnutrition and European introduced diseases decimated 90% of the indigenous population.

The Spanish found massive silver deposits in Mexico; mines were built, and the treasure was sent back to Spain. News of this lucrative new land spread quickly, and in search of personal riches, colonists arrived by the hundreds of thousands.

Over time, settlers were segregated into two social divisions; the Criollos (pure Spanish blood), and the Mestizos (Spanish and native blood). The powerful land-owning Criollos fought the Crown over taxes and other unpopular rules; their decade-long rebellion was the catalyst for independence in 1821 and they subsequently became the ruling class of Mexico.

Shortly thereafter it captured Texas, then lost it in a war with the U.S., as well as all of modern-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah; ports were blockaded by the U.S and French; Mexico City was captured by the French; oil was discovered; a revolution over land reform cost 250,000 lives; numerous revolts and political unrest ravaged the land; population grew dramatically; international debt increased; the economy made a comeback, then crashed; earthquake devastated Mexico City; citizen rebellions broke out in the south; suspicious election results and political rancorings were and still are the norm - and yet it survives. Viva Mexico!

Modern Mexico is the world's most populous Spanish speaking country, and its national identity is reflected (and blessed) by the heritage of its native peoples, and their colorful art, cuisines, dances, languages and religious festivals.

This country of contrasts is a tourism mecca with remnants of its many ancient cultures spread across the land. Thousands of miles of beaches and the coastal resort cities of Acapulco, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, as well as Cozumel and the Baja Peninsula, have transformed Mexico into one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet.

The massive Mexico City metro with its hordes of people (over 21 million), tasty food, infectious music and Spanish history, is quite possibly the most fascinating city in the world.

Facts and Figures
Name Mexico
(long form) United Mexican States
Population 106,202,900
Population & Density (all countries) here
Capital City Mexico City (18.1 million)
Currency Mexican Peso (MXN)
Currency Converter here
Languages Spanish, regional indigenous dialects
National Day September 16
Religions Catholic (89%), Protestant (6%), others
Geographic Coordinates
Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)
19º 24' N, 99º 09' E

Relative Location Mexico is in both the northern and western hemispheres. Disected by the Tropic of Cancer, the country is positioned in North America, and bordered by Belize, Guatemala, the United States, and the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

Land Statistics
Coastline 5,797 miles (9,330 km)
Land Areas
(land) 742,490 sq miles ( 1,923,040 sq km)
(water) 19,116 sq miles (49,510 sq km)
(TOTAL) 761,606 sq miles (1,972,550 sq km)

Landforms The Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental mountain ranges border Mexico's elevated high desert, or Central Plateau (altiplano); the southern reaches of that plateau are crisscrossed by numerous valleys. Several smaller mountain ranges divide the landscape of southern Mexico, with the Sierra Madre del Sur the most significant.

A long line of volcanoes (many active) extends from the Pacific Ocean (north of Guadalajara) on eastward to the Gulf of Mexico, just to the south of Veracruz. Pico de Orizaba Volcano, the third highest mountain in North America, is located here.

The very narrow coastal plain along the Pacific Ocean coastline rise quickly into the foothills of the mountains, while the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coastlines are wider and rise gently into the interior.

The mountainous Baja Peninsula extends about 750 miles (1,200 km) south from the U.S. border. Mexico's limestone Yucatan Peninsula is tree-covered, with thick tropical jungles along it borders with Central America countries.

Mexico has nearly 150 rivers; most are small, unnavigable, and 70% drain into the Pacific Ocean; some of the large rivers include the Balsas, Conchos, Grijalva, Panuco, Papaloapan, Usumacinta. (some not shown on the map for space reasons)

The Rio Grande, rising in the San Juan Mountains of the U.S. State of Colorado, flows generally south to the Gulf of Mexico for 1,885 miles (3,000 km), and forms much of Mexico northern border with the United States.

Highest Pt. Volcan Orizaba - 18,701 ft. (5,700 m)

Lowest Pt. Laguna Salada (- 33 ft.) (-10 m)

Land Divisions 31 states and 1 federal district. States include: Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan and Zacatecas. The federal district is Distrito Federal.