1. MEXICO

2. Mexico
There are 31 states in Mexico

3. Geography of Mexico
Sierra Madre Occidental - large mt. range on the west coast of Mexico
Sierra Madre Oriental - large mt. range on the east coast of Mexico
Sierra Madre Del Sur -- “mother range of the south” where the 2 ranges meet in the south

4. 5 Regions of Mexico 1. Central Plateau 2. Northern Pacific Coast
3. Southern Pacific Coast
4. Gulf Coastal Plain
5. Yucatan Peninsula

5. Central Plateau Largest region, largest population
Best farmland in the south
Most geologically unstable - located on 4 plates
1. North American
2. Caribbean
3. Pacific
4. Coco’s
Elevation is the key to climate - Mexico city avg. temp (74 in July and 70 in January)

6. Northern Pacific Coast
Dry, hot and thinly populated
Despite arid climate - farming is prevalent because of irrigation
wheat, cotton and other crops
Baja California - mostly mountainous

7. Last 3 Regions of Mexico
3. Southern Pacific Coast -- smaller Mt. range, Sierra Madre del Sur
Little farmland but great scenery and tropical climate -- tourism
4. Gulf Coastal plain -- vast deposits of petroleum and nat. gas
5. Yucatan Peninsula -- flat, and bedrock made of limestone. This dissolves and creates vast underground caverns. Sinkholes -- when these caverns collapse
Tourism -- resorts and Mayan ruins

8. Mexico

9. CULTURE OF MEXICO Section 2
Mexico is made up of three main cultures: 1. Indigenous (Aztec) 2. Spanish 3. Mixed population (today)
Tenochtitlan -- capital city of the Aztecs
present day Mexico City
Hernan Cortes Spanish explorer who was held responsible for the downfall of the Aztec Empire ( 2 years)
Conquistador - conqueror

10. Aztec Empire

11. 4 Social Classes in Mexico
1. Peninsular -- Spanish person born in Spain
2. Creoles -- Spanish ancestry living in America
3. Mestizo -- mixed Spanish and Indigenous ancestry
4. Indigenous

12. Sect. 2 cont. Hacienda -- large estates owned by Spanish people
Encomienda -- system of low wages and constant debt for lower ethnic groups
Mexico becomes an independent nation
Mexico has a new democratic government and constitution
Institutional Revolutionary Party -- political party in Mexico
Spanish -- official language
Ejido -- farmland owned collectively by members
of a rural community
Latifundios -- large commercial farms (1/3 of farms)
90% of Mexicans live with extended family

13. Other facts about Mexico
5 % of Mexico’s GDP is agriculture , but 24% work in ag
U.S> gets 87% of all of Mexico’s exports
Average salary in parts of Mexico - $4.35 a day
10 Pesos to 1 American dollar
Illegal immigration is an on-going problem, 350 million illegal immigrants a year
Border is 1951 miles long

14. *Salaries in Mexico per year AVERAGE SALARY IN THE U.S IS $36,764
* Guadalajara, Jal. -- Lake Chapala/Ajijic $16,300
* Polanco, Ciudad de Mexico, D.F. $11,900
* Monterrey, N.L. -- Valle region $11,300
* Monterrey, N.L -- Inner city $ 8,700
* Matamoros $ 8,300
* Cancun, Q.R. $ 7,000
* Guadalajara, Jal. -- inner city $ 6,000
* Nuevo Laredo, Tamps. $ 5,700
* Cuernavaca $ 5,400
* Guanajuato $ 3,000
* San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas $ 2,400
* Nezahualcoyotl, near Ciudad de Mexico $ 1,500
* Cintalapa, Chiapas $ 1,300

15. Mexico Today Presidents are elected to a 6 year term.
Vicente Fox -- term is up Dec. 1 , 2006
Felipe Calderon -- will take office in December
Both members of the National Action Party