MEXICO by Kapil C. Singh Roll no. 52 Trade, Commerce and Business.

Mexico is located in North America. To the north Mexico shares its border with the United States of America. Mexico has a population of 103 million, according to the census in 2006 ranking 11th in the world. Mexico is a country with diverse culture and ethnicity. Many people from Central and South America like Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Cuba and Venezuela have settled in Mexico. “Pluricultural nation” is the word used by the country's constitution to define the cultural diversity. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico. Free Market Economy is practiced in Mexico and is categorized under “upper-middle income country”. The currency of Mexico is Peso.Mexico is a federal republic that comprises 31 states and a Federal District, which is the seat of the federal Mexico Government. The education system in Mexico has developed and improved over the years. Overall literacy rate was 92.2 per cent, according to a survey done in the year 2004, and the literacy rate among the youths is 96 per cent. Education is free and mandatory in the primary and secondary section, which means that education is a must upto 9 years of age.

The economy of Mexico is 11th to 13th largest in the world. Since the 1994 crisis, administrations have improved the country's macroeconomic fundamentals. Mexico was not significantly influenced by the recent 2002 South American crisis, and has maintained positive, although low, rates of growth after a brief period of stagnation in In spite of its unprecedented macroeconomic stability, which has reduced inflation and interest rates to record lows and has increased per capita income, enormous gaps remain between the urban and the rural population, the northern and southern states, and the rich and the poor.[3] Some of the government's challenges include the upgrade of infrastructure, the modernization of the tax system and labor laws, and the reduction of income inequality. As an export-oriented economy, more than 90% of Mexican trade is under free trade agreements (FTAs) with more than 40 countries, including the European Union, Japan, Israel, and much of Central and South America. The most influential FTA is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In 2006, trade with Mexico's two northern partners accounted for almost 90% of its exports and 55% of its imports.

GDP $1,559 billion (2008) GDP per capital $14,932 (2009 est.) GDP by sector agriculture: 4%, industry: 26.6%, services: 69.5% (2007 est.) Inflation (CPI) 5.78% (Centra l bank report for October 2008) Populationbelow poverty line 4.8% using food-based definition of poverty;(December 2008) Labour force million (2007 est.) Unemployment 3.7% plus considerable underemployment(26%) (2007 est.) Main industries Food and Beverages, Aerospace, Electronics, Tobacco, chemicals, Iron and Steel, Petroleum, Biotechnology, Mining, Shipbuilding, Electricity, Defense Products, Textiles, Clothing, Motor vehicles, Computers, consumer durables, Information, Technologies, Tourism

Exports $419.9 billion f.o.b. (2009 est.) Export goods Manufactured goods, electronics, oil and oil products, aircraft, silver, computers and servers, fruits, meats, consumer electronics, processed foods, vegetables, ships, coffee, LCD screens, electricity, biotechnology, cotton, rolling stock, automotive and aircraft enigines, cellular phones, metals, industrial equipment, granite and marble, lithium, batteries Main export partners US 76.5%, Canada 6%, Germany 1.7% (2008) Imports $283 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) Import goods steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, repair parts for motor vehicles and aircraft parts Main import partners United States 55.5%, Brazil 31.4%, Chile 9.3%

Public debt $92.7 billion (October 2008) Revenues $391.2 billion (2008) Expenses $321.2 billion (2000 est. Economic aid $189.4 million (2008) AVERAGE ANNUAL GDP 1900– % 1929– % 1945– % 1972– % 1981– % 1995– % World Trade Center in Mexico City Exports US $248.8 billion f.o.b. (2006) Imports US $253.1 billion f.o.b. (2006) Current account ▼ US $400.1 million (2006) Export partners US 90.9%, Canada 2.2%, Spain 1.4%, Germany 1.3%, Colombia 0.9% (2006) Import partners US 53.4%, China 8%, Japan 5.9% (2005)