1. Mexico Today

2. Today
Small number of latifundios – commercial farms that grow cash crops for export - corn, sugar, fruit
Few ejidos and privately owned farms can compete
3-4 millions rural Mexicans are landless migrant workers
75% of Mexicans live in urban areas

3. Causes of Urbanization
Commercial farms
15% arable land in Mexico
Large families

4. Results of Urbanization
Infrastructure is too small
Not enough land, housing, clean water, roads
Unemployment and crime increased
Overcrowding
Pollution
Disease spreads quickly

5. Mexico City Social Classes
New to the city
Often live in slums on the edge of town
One room shacks
No electricity or running water
Unpaved streets covered in trash
Little or no jobs

6. After they’ve been here a while…
Most have some kind of work
Many have more than one job
Maids, dishwashers, construction workers, street vendors
Long hours for little pay ($6 for 12 hours)
Travel long hours to work on public transportation

7. Working class Move closer to the center of the city
Neighborhoods have electricity, paved roads, some lack running water,
They try to stay employed

8. The Haves ¼ of Mexico City’s residents are middle and upper class
Middle class lives in houses or apartments in center of city. They work in business, education or government jobs, phone, some luxuries
Upper class is extremely small – live in castle like estates, hire the poor to work in their homes, have many luxuries, leaders in business and government

9. NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement 1993
2000 Maquiladoras in north
Factories located near the border with the US
Why are they built their?

10. Industries
Oil
Tourism
Manufacturing