MEXICO UNIT 1

Climate / Terrain Its located within the Ring of Fire, which contains more than 450 volcanoes The climate of Mexico is highly varied: The Tropic of Cancer divides the country into 2 zones. Land North of the line has cooler temperatures in winter Land South of the line has a constant temperature all year Almost two-thirds of the country consists of mountains and highlands. Deserts in the north Tropical rain forests in the south.

Government / Economy The official name is:  Estados Unidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States) Government type: Federal Republic Head of State: President Serves a 6 year term Assembly: Congress Main Economic Industries: Oil, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, and cotton Currency: Mexican Peso 1 Mexican Peso = $0.52 US

Demography / Culture Capital: Mexico City It has sunk more than 32 feet in the last 60 years due to the large population (21 million) There are 32 states Population: 123,799,215 (as of 2014) Language: Spanish Religion: 88% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant Christians, 7% Other Life Expectancy: 74 (Male) & 80 (Female) Literacy rate: 93%

Brief History 1800 BC the Myans civilization began to rise in the Yucatan peninsula Known for their hieroglyphics 1325 the Aztecs arrive in Central Mexico and give chocolate to the world On September 16th 1810, Mexico was no longer under the rule of the Spanish - Mexican Independence Day! In 1846 the US declared war on Mexico in order to gain land Texas, California, and New Mexico become US states  On May 5th 1862, the Mexican Army beat the French at the Battle of Puebla - “Cinco de Mayo!” In 1917, Mexico remains neutral during World War I, despite Germany trying to gain their support

Tourism Cancun – beaches & snorkeling Cozumel – Scuba diving Mazatlán – Big game fishing Tulum – ancient ruins Ensenada – whale watching Mexico City – museums

Interesting Facts The second largest border in the world is between Mexico and United States. Mexican children receive gifts on January 6, the day on which they celebrate the arrival of Three Wise Men.  They don’t receive any gifts on Christmas day. Chihuahua is the name of a Mexican state & also the name of the world’s smallest dog The Chichen Itza Pyramid was named as one of the seven wonders of world The Volcano rabbit is one of the rarest rabbits Mexico’s flag represents the blood of Mexican people (red), hope (green), and purity (white).

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