1. MEXICO
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2. VOCABULARY
Free Market – Economic market in which businesses operate with few governmental restrictions.
Remittance– Money sent to another place.

3. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Mexico is south of the USA
It is divided into two parts – the main larger section which is east of the Gulf of California and the long thin peninsula called Baja California.

4. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Landform Regions of Mexico
Mexican Plateau: Located in Central Mexico. The capital of the country, Mexico City, is located here. The soil is soft and causes buildings to sink and the area is prone to earthquakes.

5. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Landform Regions of Mexico
Sierra Madre Occidental: Located to the west of the Mexican Plateau.
Sierra Madre Oriental: Located to the east of the Mexican Plateau.
The mountain chains meet south of the plateau in an area that is full of volcanoes. This area also has a lot of minerals.

6. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Landform Regions of Mexico
Pacific Coastal Lowlands: Located from the United States border to about ½ down the Mexican coast.
Gulf Coastal Plain: Located from the United States border to the Yucatan Peninsula.
Both areas are prone to hurricanes

7. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Landform Regions of Mexico
Yucatan Peninsula: Located in between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. This area has many underground caves that sometimes collapse causing sinkholes.

8. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Landform Regions of Mexico
Sierra Madre del Sur: Located in southern Mexico. This area has mountains along the Pacific Ocean and rugged valleys.

9. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Landform Regions of Mexico
Baja California: Located south of the United States and west of mainland Mexico. This area has a rugged coast along the Pacific. Though dry this area has some potential for agriculture.

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Climates of Mexico
Baja California and Northern Mexico are very dry. Two large deserts cover much of northern Mexico.
Southern Mexico receives more rain than the northern part.
In late summer and early fall hurricanes hit the tropics region.
Temperatures do not very much in the tropics but they do vary more dramatically in the northern regions.
Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages

11. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Climates of Mexico
Altitude also affects the climate in Mexico.
The higher you go the cooler the temperature. So even in the Tropics there are cities that have mild temperatures.
Fewer people live in the north because it is too dry and they can’t grow crops there.
In Central Mexico the climate is cooler and there is more rain so crops can grow there. This means that more people live there.
Further south there are thick rainforests. This makes it hard to travel so less people chose to live here.

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Ecosystems of Mexico
Deserts of northwest Mexico are dry with little vegetation.
The Gulf and Pacific Coastal Lowlands are dry in the north but support agriculture in the south.
In the far south dense rainforests cover the land and provide a home to diverse wildlife.
Pronghorn Antelope
Northern Mexico
Mexican Redknee Tarantula
Southern Mexico

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Natural Resources of Mexico
Mexico produces more silver than any other country.
Copper, Iron, Gold, Zinc, and lead are also mined.
Natural Gas and Hydroelectric Power are also resources.
Mexico’s most important resource is oil. Selling the oil helps Mexico’s economy but it also makes them dependent upon those who buy the oil and also on the availability of the oil.

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Natural Resources of Mexico
Due to the mountains, poor soil, and dry climates only about 1/5 of Mexico’s land can be used for farming.
Major crops are corn, wheat, beans, sugar cane, and many fruits and vegetables.
Coffee, fish, and cattle are also grown, caught, or raised in Mexico.

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Natural Resources of Mexico
For years in Mexico the land was owned by a few wealthy people. The government passed laws that broke up the land and gave it to the poor. Now, many Mexicans only have small portions of land. They are only able to grow enough to feed their families.

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Environment in Mexico
Mexico’s population has grown due to health improvements.
¾ of the people live in the cities, with Mexico City being the largest city and also the capital.
Cities along the US/Mexico border have grown a lot in recent years. Many of these towns are made of poorly built houses, with problems like overcrowding, lack of water and sewer systems.
Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages

17. Section 1: Chapter Atlas Pages 198 - 205
Environment in Mexico
Pollution from the growth of cities and from industry has become a huge problem for Mexico.
Mexico City especially suffers from air pollution because it is located in a valley and the smog hangs in the air over the city.
Irrigating with salt water and overgrazing of animals is ruining the land.
Finally, deforestation or cutting down entire forests also harms Mexico’s environment.

18. Section 2: Mexico Today Pages 212 - 219
Government of Mexico
Mexico is a federal republic like the United States. This means that the federal government shares the power with the state government.
They also have a constitution, three branches of government, checks and balances within the government, a president, and those 18 and over can vote like the USA.
Section 2: Mexico Today Pages

19. Section 2: Mexico Today Pages 212 - 219
Mexico for many years was a one party country. This means that only one group of people are controlling the government of that country. PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) was the group in power. In the 2000 election however PAN (National Action Party) was able to win. Ever since then other parties have been gaining seats in Mexico’s Congress.

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People and Culture of Mexico
Largest Spanish speaking population – even larger than Spain!
Mix cultures together like the United States.
Spanish and Native American make up most Mexican’s background.
Dia de la Raza “Race Day” on October 12th celebrates all the contributions of the different groups that came together to make Mexico what it is today.

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People and Culture of Mexico
¾ of Mexicans are Roman Catholic
More and more are becoming Protestants
Native Americans blend traditional and Christian beliefs. An example would be the Day of the Dead

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People and Culture of Mexico
Improvements have been made by the government in the area of education. Mores schools have been built, teachers hired, and supplies purchased.
Now 91% of the population over 15 years old can read and write. This is an increase from previous years in Mexico.
More and more Mexican students study English which reflects our close economic ties.

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Economy of Mexico
Mexico used to depend on oil and farming for their economy but that has changed and they have become more diverse.
Most of the 1900’s the economy was controlled by the Mexican Government (PRI). In the late 1900’s a free market system was adopted. (PAN)
Less complex regulations allowed more companies to be created which in turn improved the economy.

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Economy of Mexico
Mexico is a part of NAFTA along with the United States and Canada.
This has strengthened the relationship between Mexico and the United States. It has also led to more manufacturing jobs in Mexico, higher pay for the workers, and a growing Mexican economy.
Also members of WTO (World Trade Organization) and FFTA (Free Trade Area of the Americas)

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Economy of Mexico
4 in 6 Mexican workers work in a service industry.
¼ of Mexican workers are factory laborers.
4% of Mexicans work on farms.
Some Mexicans cannot find work in their country. They travel to other countries to get work. Then they will send money back to their families. That money is called a remittance.

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Economy of Mexico
Better trade has meant more jobs in Mexico.
Many workers in Mexico earn wages that are lower than the US and Canada, so many companies take advantage of that and put factories in Mexico.
Mexican workers however make more than Chinese workers. Mexicans fear that some manufacturing jobs will be lost to China as a result.

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Economy of Mexico
Trade has many benefits but there are some drawbacks.
Americans have been able to sell corn and apples in Mexico at a price that is cheaper than the Mexican farmers can grow and sell the same product.
Mexico has become dependent on trade and on the US economy. When the US does well so does Mexico. When it does poorly Mexico also suffers.
Section 2: Mexico Today Pages

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