MEXICO

http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/mx.htm

General Information

The United Mexican States or simply Mexico is a country located in North America, bordered at the north by the United States, and at the south by Central America with Guatemala and Belize. Its capital is Mexico City which is one of the biggest cities on earth.

Covering almost 2 million km² makes one of the largest countries in America and the 15th worldwide. It is also the 11th most populous country with approximately 108 million people and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world.

As the only country in Latin America member of the OECD since 1994, Mexico is firmly established as an upper middle-income country. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since 1910 that the opposition defeated the PRI and Vicente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in as President on December 1, 2000. The current President is Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, from the same party.

History Infrastructure Media Outlets Government Agencies Universities Embassies and Consulates

Maps and geographic Information Government

To know more about Mexico::

http://www.mexonline.com/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mx.html

History:

Archaeological evidence indicates that the earliest signs of human life in Mexico date back over 20,000 years, with evidence of permanent settlements along the coastal areas dating to 1500 BC.

Long before the Europeans arrived, Mexico was home to many indigenous peoples, with the Olmec, Maya and powerful Aztec cultures the most notable.

Unfortunately, the Aztecs were no match for the military skills and weapons of Herman Cortes and his Spanish soldiers, and they were defeated in 1521, as the colonization of this prolific land began.

The Spanish conquistadors quickly expanded their search for hidden treasures; the native peoples were enslaved and forced into hard labor, and the subsequent harsh treatment, malnutrition and European introduced diseases decimated 90% of the indigenous population.

The Spanish found massive silver deposits in Mexico; mines were built, and the treasure was sent back to Spain. News of this lucrative new land spread quickly, and in search of personal riches, colonists arrived by the hundreds of thousands.

Over time, settlers were segregated into two social divisions; the Criollos (pure Spanish blood), and the Mestizos (Spanish and native blood). The powerful land-owning Criollos fought the Crown over taxes and other unpopular rules; their decade-long rebellion was the catalyst for independence in 1821 and they subsequently became the ruling class of Mexico.

Shortly thereafter it captured Texas, then lost it in a war with the U.S., as well as all of modern-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah; ports were blockaded by the U.S and French; Mexico City was captured by the French; oil was discovered; a revolution over land reform cost 250,000 lives; numerous revolts and political unrest ravaged the land; population grew dramatically; international debt increased; the economy made a comeback, then crashed; earthquake devastated Mexico City; citizen rebellions broke out in the south; suspicious election results and political rancorings were and still are the norm - and yet it survives. Viva Mexico!

Modern Mexico is the world's most populous Spanish speaking country, and its national identity is reflected (and blessed) by the heritage of its native peoples, and their colorful art, cuisines, dances, languages and religious festivals.

This country of contrasts is a tourism mecca with remnants of its many ancient cultures spread across the land. Thousands of miles of beaches and the coastal resort cities of Acapulco, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, as well as Cozumel and the Baja Peninsula, have transformed Mexico into one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet.

The massive Mexico City metro with its hordes of people (over 21 million), tasty food, infectious music and Spanish history, is quite possibly the most fascinating city in the world.

Infrastructure

Mexico's land transportation network is one of the most extensive in Latin America. More than 4,000 kilometers (2,400 mi.) of four-lane highway have been built through government concessions to private sector contractors since 1989, of which 3,500 kilometers (2,100 mi.) have been constructed since 1994. The vast majority of these expressways are toll roads, like in most other developing countries. (Originally awarded under Build-Operate-Transfer concession schemes, most of these private highways have since been "rescued" by central government financial intervention to save the operators from bankruptcy.)

The 26,622 km (16,268 mi.) of government-owned railroads in Mexico have been privatized through the sale of 50-year operating concessions. In the 1980s and 1990s, the government allowed the private operators to abandon nearly all passenger rail service. A plethora of private intercity bus lines serve the nation. Passenger rail service to the Copper Canyon region still operates, due to the remote nature of the area and tourist ridership.

Tampico, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz, Veracruz, on the Gulf of Mexico, are Mexico's two primary seaports. Recognizing that the low productivity of Mexico's 108 ports poses a threat to trade development, the government has steadily been privatizing port operations to improve their efficiency. A number of international airlines serve Mexico, with direct or connecting flights from most major cities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Latin America. Most Mexican regional capitals and resorts have direct air services to Mexico City or the United States. Airport privatization, based on Mexico's successful experience with seaports, is nearly complete.

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Embassies and Consulates:

Embassies in Mexico City (Information in Spanish):

http://www.directorio.gob.mx/comunicacionsocial.php?categoria=11

Universities

(In Spanish)

Universidad Anahuac

Universidad Anahuac del Sur

Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca

Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes

Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur

Universidad Autónoma de Campeche

Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas

Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo

Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua

Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez

Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila

Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara

Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero

Universidad de las Américas-Puebla

Universidad Autónoma de la Laguna

Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit

Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro

Universidad Autónoma de Quintana Roo

Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa

Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas

Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala

Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán

Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas

Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México

Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos

Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

Universidad de Colima

Universidad de Guadalajara

Universidad de Guanajuato

Universidad de Monterrey

Universidad de Sonora

Universidad Iberoamericana

Universidad Iberoamericana Laguna

Universidad José Vasconcelos

Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco

Universidad La Salle A.C.

Universidad del Mar

Universidad Mesoamericana de San Agustín, A.C.

Universidad Michoacana

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Universidad del Noroeste

Universidad de Norteamérica

Universidad Panamericana

Universidad Regiomontana

Universidad Tecnológica de la Mixteca

Universidad Tecnológica de México

Universidad Veracruzana

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Government Agencies

(most of the information is in Spanish)

Secretaries:

Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT)

www.semarnat.gob.mx

Institutes

IMTA: Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua: www.imta.mx

CONAFOR: Comisión Nacional Forestal: www.imta.mx

CMA: Comisión Nacional del Agua www.cna.gob.mx

CONANP: Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas: www.conanp.gob.mx

SGM: Servicio Geológico Mexicano: www.coremisgm.gob.mx

CENAPRED: Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres: www.cenapred.unam.mx

INE: National Institute of Ecology: www.ine.gob.mx/english/index.html

Geographic Information

National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics

www.inegi.gob.mx/geo/default.aspx?c=124

Maps

Other sources:

http://209.15.138.224/inmomex/maps.htm

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Media Outlets

(In Spanish)

EL UNIVERSAL	www.eluniversal.com.mx
LA JORNADA	www.jornada.unam.mx
REFORMA	www.reforma.com
EXCELSIOR	www.nuevoexcelsior.com.mx
LA CRONICA DE HOY	www.cronica.com.mx
UNO MAS UNO	www.unomasuno.com.mx
LA PRENSA	www.la-prensa.com.mx
MILENIO	www.milenio.com
EL SOL DE MEXICO	www.elsoldemexico.com.mx
DIARIO DE MEXICO	www.diariodemexico.com.mx
DIARIO MONITOR	www.diariomonitor.com.mx
EL INDEPENDIENTE	www.elindependiente.com.mx
LA CRISIS	www.lacrisis.com.mx
IMPACTO	www.impactoeldiario.com
EL IMPRESOR	-------
METRO	-------
RUMBO DE MEXICO	-------
NOVEDADES	-------
LA AFICION	www.laaficion.com
ESTO	www.esto.com.mx
OVACIONES	www.ovaciones.com
RECORD	-------
EL FINANCIERO	www.elfinanciero.com.mx
EL ECONOMISTA	www.economista.com.mx

Government

The 1917 Constitution provides for a federal republic with powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Historically, the executive is the dominant branch, with power vested in the president, who promulgates and executes the laws of the Congress. Congress has played an increasingly important role since 1997, when opposition parties first formed a majority in the legislature.

Government and politics of Mexico takes place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Mexico is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. The President is both the head of state and head of government, as well as the commander-in-chief of the military. The president is elected directly from eligible votes and serves for six years, called a sexenio. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the Congress of the Union. The powers of the congress include the right to pass laws, impose taxes, declare war, approve the national budget, approve or reject treaties and conventions made with foreign countries, and ratify diplomatic appointments. The Senate addresses all matters concerning foreign policy, approves international agreements, and confirms presidential appointments. The Chamber of Deputies, addresses all matters pertaining to the government's budget and public expenditures.

The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

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