Mexico

United Mexican StatesEstados Unidos Mexicanos

federal republicIndependence 16 September 1810 (from Spain)

Mexico as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 111 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMexico

Position23 00 N, 102 00 W

Area1,972,550 sq km

Populationas each edition published it

100.35 million July 2000 est. · 87.87m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.53% 2000 est. · 1.97% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.49 years 2000 est. · 72.55 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.67 children per woman 2000 est. · 3.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

26.19 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 33 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$8,500 1999 est. · $3,600 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.7% 1999 est. · 2.6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.

Geography

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

18 fields

Land useshare of 1,972,550 sq km

arable land 12%permanent crops 1%permanent pastures 39%forests and woodland 26%other 22% (1993 est.)irrigated 61,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

1,972,550sq km

land: 1,923,040 sq kmwater: 49,510 sq kmslightly less than three times the size of Texas

Coastline

9,330km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

5,700m

Volcan Pico de Orizabalowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m

Land boundaries

4,538km

border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km

Location

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references

North America

Climate

varies from tropical to desert

Terrain

high, rugged mountains;
low coastal plains;
high plateaus;
desert

Natural resources

petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Natural hazards

tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues

natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast;
raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas;
deforestation;
widespread erosion;
desertification;
serious air pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note

strategic location on southern border of US

People

15 fields

Population

100,349,766

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 1.53% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

23.15Death

5.05Net migration

-2.84

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)71.49

68.47 · 74.66

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)89.6%

91.8% · 87.4%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%white 9%other 1%

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 89%Protestant 6%other 5%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 34% (male 17,306,548; female 16,632,827)
15-64 years:: 62% (male 30,223,317; female 31,868,213)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 1,927,850; female 2,391,011) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

26.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.67 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Mexican(s)
adjective:: Mexican

Languages

Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

Government

Federal republic; President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994); President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

50.18%

Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (PRI) 50.18%Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 17.08%Diego FERNANDEZ DE CEVALLOS (PAN) 26.69%other 6.05%election last held 21 August 1994 (next to be held 2 July 2000)

Senate, 500 seats, elected 6 July 1997 for one-quarter of the seatsseats by party

PRI 239PRD 125PAN 121PVEM 8PT 7

Country name

conventional long form:: United Mexican States
conventional short form:: Mexico
local long form:: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
local short form:: Mexico

Data code

Government type

federal republic

Capital

Mexico

Administrative divisions

31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal);
Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence

16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution

5 February 1917

Legal system

mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of the Senate
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 August 1994 (next to be held 2 July 2000)
election results:: Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon elected president;
percent of vote - Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (PRI) 50.18%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 17.08%, Diego FERNANDEZ DE CEVALLOS (PAN) 26.69%, other 6.05%

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; half are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and half are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms)

elections:: Senate - last held 6 July 1997 for one-quarter of the seats;
Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 1997 (the next legislative elections will coincide with the presidential election 2 July 2000)
election results:: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PRI 77, PAN 33, PRD 16, PVEM 1, PT 1;
note - the distribution of seats as of October 1999 is as follows - PRI 75, PAN 31, PRD 16, PT 1, independents 5;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PRI 39%, PAN 27%, PRD 26%;
seats by party - PRI 239, PRD 125, PAN 121, PVEM 8, PT 7;
note - the distribution of seats as of October 1999 is as follows - PRI 237, PRD 125, PAN 120, PT 7, PVEM 6, independents 5

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia, judges are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate

Political parties and leaders

Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria SAURI Riancho];
Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge GONZALEZ Torres];
National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena];
Party of the Democratic Center or PCD [Manuel CAMACHO Solis];
Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA Medina];
Party of the Mexican Revolution or PARM [leader NA];
Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAIS Santana];
Social Alliance Party or PAS [Jose Antonio CALDERON Cardoso];
Social Democratic Party or PDS [Gilberto RINCON Gallardo];
Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;
Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;
Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM;
Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO;
Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE;
Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES;
National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA;
National Peasant Confederation or CNC;
National Union of Workers or UNT;
Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or CROM;
Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC;
Revolutionary Workers Party or PRT;
Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation

APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jesus REYES HEROLES Gonzalez Garza
chancery:: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone:: [1] (202) 728-1600
FAX:: [1] (202) 728-1698
consulate(s) general:: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s):: Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, San Jose, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jeffery DAVIDOW
embassy:: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal
mailing address:: P. O. Box 3087, Laredo, TX 78044-3087
telephone:: [52] (5) 209-9100
FAX:: [52] (5) 208-3373, 511-9980
consulate(s) general:: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
consulate(s):: Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band

Economy

Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector.

31 fields

Real growth rate

3.7%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: 4% (1999 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

15%

(1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.5%urban

(1998); plus considerable underemployment

Population below poverty line

27%

(1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1999)

agriculture 5%industry 29%services 66% (1999)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

89.3%

74.8%

Germany

3.8%

0.5%

Japan

3.5%

South Korea

1.7%

Canada

1.9%

Italy

1.3%

France

0.6%

Spain

0.3%

Venezuela

0.3%

Chile

0.3%

Brazil

Exports $136.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999), includes in-bond industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)Imports $142.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999), includes in-bond industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)(1999 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$117 billionExpenditures

$123 billion (1998 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 78.12%hydro 13.82%nuclear 5%other 3.06% (1998)

Electricity production

176.055 billion (1998)Electricity consumption

164.767 billion (1998)Electricity exports

11 million (1998)Electricity imports

1.047 billion (1998)

Economy - overview

Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. The number of state-owned enterprises in Mexico has fallen from more than 1,000 in 1982 to fewer than 200 in 1999. The ZEDILLO administration is privatizing and expanding competition in sea ports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and airports.

A strong export sector helped to cushion the economy's decline in 1995 and led the recovery in 1996-99. Private consumption became the leading driver of growth, accompanied by increased employment and higher wages. Mexico still needs to overcome many structural problems as it strives to modernize its economy and raise living standards.

Income distribution is very unequal, with the top 20% of income earners accounting for 55% of income. Trade with the US and Canada has nearly doubled since NAFTA was implemented in 1994. Mexico is pursuing additional trade agreements with most countries in Latin America and has signed a free trade deal with the EU to lessen its dependence on the US. The government is pursuing conservative economic policies in 2000 to avoid another end-of-term economic crisis, but it still projects an economic growth rate of 4.5% because of the strong US economy and high oil prices.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $865.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,500 (1999 est.)

Labor force

38.6 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 24%, industry 21%, services 55% (1997)

Industries

food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Agriculture - products

corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes;
beef, poultry, dairy products;
wood products

Exports

$136.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999), includes in-bond industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, coffee, cotton

Imports

$142.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999), includes in-bond industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)

Imports - commodities

metal-working machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Debt - external

$155.8 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.166 billion (1995)

Currency

1 New Mexican peso (Mex$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Mexican pesos (Mex$) per US$1 - 9.4793 (January 2000), 9.5604 (1999), 9.1360 (1998), 7.9185 (1997), 7.5994(1996), 6.4194 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

2.02 million

(1998)

Internet users

167

(1999)

Fixed lines

9.6 million

(1998)

Telephone system

highly developed system with extensive microwave radio relay links;
privatized in December 1990;
opened to competition January 1997

domestic:: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served;
domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations;
extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service
international:: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations;
linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections;
high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 865, FM about 500, shortwave 13 (1999)

Radios

31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

25.6 million (1997)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

473

under 914 m

1,035

Paved 233Unpaved 1,573

Networkskm

Highways

323,977Railways

31,048

Highways: paved: 96,221 km (including 6,335 km of expressways) · unpaved: 227,756 km (1997 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 30,958 km 1.435-m gauge (246 km electrified) · narrow gauge: 90 km 0.914-m gauge (1998 est.)

Railways

total:: 31,048 km
standard gauge:: 30,958 km 1.435-m gauge (246 km electrified)
narrow gauge:: 90 km 0.914-m gauge (1998 est.)

Highways

total:: 323,977 km
paved:: 96,221 km (including 6,335 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 227,756 km (1997 est.)

Waterways

2,900 km navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines

crude oil 28,200 km;
petroleum products 10,150 km;
natural gas 13,254 km;
petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors

Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine

total:: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 633,219 GRT/970,947 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquified gas 4, petroleum tanker 29, roll-on/roll-off 3, short-sea passenger 3 (1999 est.)

Airports

1,806 (1999 est.)

Heliports

2 (1999 est.)

Military

National Defense Secretariat (includes Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (includes Naval Air and Marines)

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

(FY99)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 1998 - 5,500 hectares; potential production - 60 metric tons) and cannabis cultivation in 1998 - 4,600 hectares;
government eradication efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low;
major supplier of heroin and marijuana to the US market;
continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America;
involved in the production and distribution of methamphetamines;
upsurge in drug-related violence and official corruption;
major drug syndicates growing more powerful [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Central Intelligence Agency. “Mexico.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mexico/2000.

How to cite ← 1999 edition 2001 edition →

Introduction

Geography

People

Government

Economy

Communications

Transportation

Military

Transnational Issues

Cite this entry