Mexico Country Profile

Overview

• Mexico: A nation of contrasts featuring affluence, natural beauty, rich indigenous history, poverty, and urban challenges.
• Major Oil Exporter: Yet, rural and shanty towns face neglect.
• Historical Significance: Pre-Columbian cradle of civilization with numerous indigenous cultures.

Modern Challenges

• Crime and Corruption: High crime rates, official corruption, narcotrafficking, and economic stagnation.
• Violence Since 2006: Organized crime and gang violence leading to military involvement against drug cartels.

General Information

• Capital: Mexico City
• Area: 1,972,550 sq km
• Population: 129.8 million
• Languages: Spanish and various indigenous languages (e.g., Nahuatl, Maya)
• Life Expectancy: 73 years (men), 78 years (women)

Political Landscape

• President: Claudia Sheinbaum (first woman president, elected in 2024)
  • Won with 60% of the vote.
  • Promised continuity in policies of predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
  • Emphasized the historical significance of her election for women.

Media and Safety

• Dangerous for Journalists: Noted by Reporters Without Borders due to violence and corruption.
• Television: Dominated by Televisa and TV Azteca.
• Internet: One of Latin America's largest markets.

Historical Timeline

• 1500BC: Olmec culture, first major Mesoamerican civilization.
• 600BC: Rise of regional cultures including Maya and Zapotec.
• 250 AD: Mayan civilization peaks.
• 600-1000: Toltecs establish empire; spread of militarism.
• 1200: Toltecs defeated by Chichimecha.
• 14th Century: Aztecs settle in Mexico's central valley.
• 1420s: Aztecs become dominant force.
• 1517-1521: Spanish conquest begins, leading to the fall of the Aztec empire.
• 1521-1820: Part of Viceroyalty of New Spain.
• 1810-21: War of Independence.
• 1824: Establishment of federal republic.
• 1833: Santa Anna becomes president.
• 1836: Texas declares independence from Mexico.
• 1846-48: Mexican-American War leads to loss of northern territories.
• 1861-67: French intervention and establishment of monarchy.
• 1910-1920: Mexican Revolution leads to Constitutional Republic.
• 1929: Formation of PRI; dominates politics until 2000.
• 1941: Declares war on Axis powers; supports US in WWII.
• 1968: Student demonstration during Olympic Games.
• 1976: Discovery of offshore oil reserves.
• 1994: Zapatista uprising in Chiapas.
• 2000: End of PRI dominance with election of Vicente Fox.
• 2006: Drug gang crackdown initiated.
• 2018: López Obrador elected president.