1. Section 1: Physical Geography
Chapter 7: Mexico
Section 1: Physical Geography

2. Main Ideas
Mexico’s physical features include plateaus, mountains, and costal lowlands.
Mexico’s climate and vegetation include deserts, tropical forests, and cool highlands

3. Main Ideas
Key natural resources in Mexico include oil, silver, gold, and scenic landscapes.

4. The Big Idea
Mexico is a large country with different natural environment in its northern, central, and southern regions

5. Physical Features Bodies of Water Mexico is mostly surrounded by water
West = Pacific Ocean
East = Gulf of Mexico

6. Physical Features Bodies of Water
Baja Peninsula (Baja California): Peninsula that runs south into the Pacific Ocean.
Yucatan Peninsula: Separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea.

7. Physical Features Plateaus & Mountains
Most of interior landscape = Mexican Plateau
High rugged landscape
½ mile – 2 mile elevation

8. Physical Features Plateaus & Mountains
Mexican Plateau positioned b/t 2 mountain ranges
Sierra Madre Oriental (East)
Sierra Madre Occidental (West)

9. Physical Features Plateaus & Mountains Sierra Madre = “Mother Range”
S.M. Occidental & Oriental, along with a smaller shorter one in S. Mex. make up the Sierra Madre

10. Physical Features Plateaus & Mountains
B/t the 2 ranges, in the south, lies the Valley of Mexico.
Capital city = Mexico City.
Mucho seismic activity

11. Physical Features Costal Lowlands
Lands along both coasts characterized by beautiful, sunny beaches.
West: wide in north, narrower in south.
East: Gulf costal plain is wide & flat.

12. Physical Features Costal Lowlands
Soils & climate to the east good for farming.
Yucatan Peninsula (SE) mostly flat.
Limestone underlies area, creating caves & sinkholes (many filled w/ water)

13. Physical Features Costal Lowlands
Soils & climate to the east good for farming.
Yucatan Peninsula (SE) mostly flat.
Limestone underlies area, creating caves & sinkholes (many filled w/ water)

15. Climate and Vegetation
Mexico has a variety of climates.
Changes in elevation often causes climates to vary widely w/in short distances.

16. Climate and Vegetation
High elevation of Mexican Plateau causes cool, sometimes freezing, temperatures.
As far south as Mex.City
Mountain valleys generally have mild climates.

17. Climate and Vegetation
Valleys along M.’s southern costal areas: Warm temps. & summer rainy season.
Forests cover a/b 25% of M.’s land area

18. Climate and Vegetation
Northern part of Yucatan Peninsula hot & dry.
Main vegetation is scrub forest.

19. Climate and Vegetation
Northern Mexico is dry.
Deserts in Baja California & N. part of Mex. Plateau.
Little rainfall.
Cougars, coyotes, & deer

20. Natural Resources One of most important: petroleum (oil)
Southern & Gulf coastal plains
Offshore in Gulf of Mexico.
Much of the oil sold to US

21. Natural Resources
B4 oil discovered, minerals were most valuable resource.
Gold & silver
Mex. Produces more silver than any other country in the world.
Copper, gold, lead, & zinc

22. Natural Resources
Water is another resource, though limited in many parts of Mexico.