Mexico

The Mexico is a country of North America, located at the south of the the United States (from which it is partly separated by Río Bravo del Norte, is called Río Grande by the States-uniens) and is bordered in the south by the Guatemala and the Belize. Its official name is the United States Mexicains . With more than 107 million inhabitants, including 24 million in the urban surface Mexico City, Mexico is the most populated countries of language Spanish E. This American country is the third in the face of Latin America and the second as a population.

Toponymy

See also: Toponymy of Mexico

After the independence of the viceroyalty of the News-Spain, it was decided that the country was to be named according to the name of its capital, Mexico City. The authentic name of the city was Mexico City-Tenochtitlan, in reference to the tribe Aztèque nahua, Mexicas.

The origin of the name of the tribe itself is rather obscure. The Jesuit and historian Francisco Javier Clavijero supports in its writings that its name derives from the word Nahuatl Mexitl or Mexitli , a secret name of the god of the war, guardian divinity of Mexica, Huitzilopochtli. According to this theory, “Mexico City” means “place saw Mēxitli or Mēxtli ” or “place where the temple of Mexitli is built”, in reference to the Templo Mayor . This thesis was also shared by Juan de Torquemada; However, Torquemada adds that Mexitli would come from the words metl (“Agave”) and xictli (“navel”), and the first inhabitants were called the Mexicatl . According to this version, that would mean “people of Mexitli” or translated word for word “place in the navel of sisal plant”; this interpretation is also supported by the Franciscain Motolinia. Other historians like Bernardino de Sahagún, Jose de Acosta, Diego Durán advance in their work, that “Mexico City” comes from Mecitl or Mexi , which was the name of a chief and priest which guided the first pilgrims. The latter were called Mexicas, and consequently, this word would mean “people of Mexi”. Mexi is sometimes also called Mexitl, but does not have to be confused with the Mexitli god.

Certain experts, like Alfonso Caso, suggested that Mexico City would come from the words metztli (“the Moon”), xictli (“navel”, “center”, “medium”, “wire”), and of the rental suffix - Co . Consequently Mexico City would mean “place in the middle of the Moon” or “place in the center of the lake of the Moon”, by referring to the Lac of Texcoco in the medium of which the town of Mexico City was built. This version is founded on an Aztec legend which tells that when Mexicas arrived for the first time at the Lake Texcoco, they transfer the Moon which was reflected there.

The name of the city was translitéré in Spanish ( Mexico City ) with the phonetic value X of medieval Spanish, who represented the voiced post-alveolar fricative Consonne/ʒ/, represented by a J, evolved to the deaf velar fricative Consonne /x/ during the 16th century, which led to the use of the alternative Méjico in much of publications, in Spain generally, while with Mexico, Mexico City remained the preferred C-W communication. It there has a few years, the Spanish royal Académie , the institution controlling the Spanish language, ruled that the C-W communication recommended in Spanish would be Mexico City , and the majority of the publications in all the Spanish-speaking countries adhere today to the new standard, even if the obsolete alternative meets sometimes. In French, X of Mexico City and Mexico represents neither the original sound nor the current sound, but the /ks/ consonant.

History

Prehispanic time

See also: prehispanic Time of Mexico

The Amerindian past of Mexico testifies to a great diversity of Civilizations. Following the example remainder of the American continent, the first inhabitants of the country were probably Asian hunters which crossed the Bering Strait at the time of the great glaciations.

Of the XII E to the Spanish conquest in 1521, Mexico was the cradle of civilizations advanced such as:

• the Olmèque S (apogee of 1200 before JC with 500 before JC):

The culture and the olmèque Art are still badly known today. Although their vestiges are very few (olmèques heads of Was windy It), it is estimated that their influence on the other ages of the country is decisive (invention of the writing and the Calendrier, worship of Jaguar and the god of the rain, etc). All civilizations of the Mésoamérique thus will refer to Olmèques.

• the culture El Pantano was revealed by an updated cemetery recently: the cemetery of El Pantano in the valley of Mascota (Jalisco). Jalisco is a state of Mexico in edge of the Pacific Ocean. This cemetery contained, in addition to human bones, of the figurines (in particular a female statuette), ceramics containers, jade pearls and jewels going back to approximately 800 before JC. All these objects were probably imported of Central America while other potteries are typical of South America. The culture revealed by these tombs bears from now on the name of the site: El Pantano.

• the civilization of Teotihuacán (apogee from 400 to 500 after JC):

Teotihuacán is largest City-state précolombienne (cf 1st photograph on the right) which dominated the civilization of the same name. It constitutes one of the most visited archeological sites of Mexico.

• the Zapotèques (apogee from 200 to 700 after JC):

They would be the inventors of the City-state and the Rébus in particular. Today, 400.000 people still speak the zapotèque one. One of principal the site zapothèque is Monte Alban.

• the Mayas (apogee from 200 to 900 after JC):

The Mayas were “cultivated people, shining, singular”. However, they did not know the use of the Roue until Spanish colonization at the 16th century.

The emblematic form of the Maya culture is the temple in the shape of pyramid in staircase (cf 2nd photograph on the right). The pyramids were designed in order to reproduce, on a level symbolic system, the landscape crowned such as it existed at the time of its creation by the gods. The pyramids represented the mountains thus. Its significance is thus different from the Pyramides of Egypt which were used only as tombs to the kings in particular.

The Mayas founded Chichén Itzá, one of the most important cities précolombiennes of Mexico. The principal buildings are dedicated to God Quetzalcoatl, “the plumed serpent” (cf 3rd photograph on the right), one of the principal gods of civilizations of Mésoamérique. Palenque is another important Maya city of Mexico.

Today, 2 million people belongs to the linguistic group of the Maya.

• the Toltèques (apogee of the 1000 to 1200 after JC):

Toltèques inaugurate the era of the human Sacrifices thus putting a final term at the peaceful rites. The toltèque capital is Tula.

• the Aztec Mexicas called thereafter (apogee of 1200 to 1500 after JC):

These people passed in less than 200 years of a humble wandering tribe to an empire reigning on a vast territory located in the center of current Mexico. The capital of the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlan, became Mexico City after its destruction in 1521 by the Spanish Conquistadors. The empire will crumble a little later in 1525. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Colonial time

In 1519, the Conquistadors, directed by Hernán the Cortes, subject the Aztèques peacefully while drawing left local mythology (the Cortes is made pass for the descendant of God Quetzalcoatl). Following various misunderstandings, the Aztec ones massacre the Spanish conquistadors at the time of the Noche Triste into 1520 who are not long in retorting and to destroy Aztèque civilization in 1525.

The Cortes launches out then in the conquest of a vast colonial empire called the News-Spain. The territory will extend until an important part of the south of the current United States (in particular the California, the Arizona, the New Mexico and the Texas). The Mexican main cities are then created (Mexico City on the ruins of Tenochtitlán), Guadalajara, Puebla and Monterrey.

After Spanish colonization, missionaries arrive in the country for évangéliser the population which had survived the conquest. Among these evangelists, Bartolomé of mow Casas is characterized by its desire to protect the indigenous population.

As of 1535, the administration of the News-Spain is entrusted to a viceroy. The first will be Antonio de Mendoza, named by Charles Quint.

For this period, Spain grew rich thanks to mining (gold and money) and agricultural (culture of the cane with sugar and the coffee) whereas on the human plan, the Amerindian population fell of 80%, with causes of the epidemic S and the massacres.

The three centuries of Spanish domination (1525 - 1821) coincide with the creation of Mexico as a nation Latin, Hispanic, catholic and mongrel such as we know it today. Architecture, the gastronomy, Mexican festivals, and the family structure still today are largely influenced by these three centuries of Spanish domination.

Independence

Independence revolts simultaneously burst in several areas of Latin America, including in Mexico. The September 16th 1810, the priest Miguel Hidalgo, today national hero, raises an army of villager and natives against the Spanish domination. It begins the conquest of the cities successfully but will be carried out in 1811. The movement is launched and others take the changing. Créoles (white colonists holders of the local economic capacity) mongrel and indigenous joins against the Gachupines (reads. carriers of spurs) (Spanish born in the metropolis holders of the political power). The Act of independence of Mexico will be finally signed the September 28th 1821.

Among the elements releases of the independence movement, the conquest and the French occupation of the Spain, with the beginning of by the troops of Napoleon and the advent of the liberal ideas hold a big role.

The October 4th 1824 Mexico obtains a constitution, the Republic was born.

During the autumn 1835, the American colonists of Texas (85% of the population) revolt against the Mexican authority (seat of Fort-Alamo, and proclaim, in March 1836, the “Republic of Texas”. The Guatemala and transitory the République of Yucatán make secession. The latter reinstated by the force Mexico after 2 attempts.

Then came what one calls the era of Santa-Anna. Santa-Anna was eleven times chair between 1833 and 1855, unhappy defender of the national unit during the war of Texas then during the American invasion of 1846-48.

1e French Intervention or War of pastry making

Following revolts against the poverty with Mexico City and of plunderings of the tribe against the foreign tradesmen, a French pastrycook claimed compensations with the Mexican government. Considering its situation of weakness, the France benefitted from it to claim an exorbitant quantity which did not hope to be made refund but which would give place to negotiations of which the goal would be to open the Mexican trade with the France and to impose a protectorate on it. The pretext was thus been useful for the first French intervention, whose army bombarded the port of Veracruz causing many civilian victims. The Mexican government had to yield and pay an exorbitant quantity to prevent the French to unload and invade.

Américano-Mexican war

In 1836 the Texas proclaims its independence of Mexico, it will be annexed later by the the United States. In 1846 Mexico asserts the territory ranging between the Rio Bravo and the Rio Nueces. Indeed, the limit of the province texane was Rio Nueces located at 300 km in the north of Rio Bravo. Consequently the war bursts between Mexico and the United States and will last of 1846 with 1848.

The American troops invade the country and occupy it of 1847 to 1848. After the Battle of Chapultepec, on September 14th, 1847, the American troops hoist the American flag on the National Palate: the town of Mexico City is occupied. Under the control of Winfield Scott, its troops carry out many soldiers of Irish origin of the Holy Bataillon Patrick, deserters of the US Army, who collaborated with Mexican resistance vis-a-vis the occupant.

The war ends in the signature of the Traité of Guadeloupe Hidalgo by which Mexico recognizes Rio Bravo as being its border with Texas. Moreover, Mexico yields more 40  % of its territory in the United States, is close to: 2000000 of km ². The States of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, the major part of the Colorado and the south-west of the Wyoming represent the territories which the United States annexed following the américano-Mexican war. In 1857 the constitution is promulgated which regulates the Mexican political institutions until 1917.

2nd French intervention

In 1861, the government of Juárez decides the suspension of the payment of its foreign debt. The France, one of the creditors of Mexico, seizes the pretext of the debts to intervene there militarily with the support of the old colonial power the Spain and of the England. Benefitting from the civil war which tears and absorbs the resources of the neighbor of North Napoleon III, with the blessing of the pope thought of establishing in Mexico an empire " latin" and catholic who would counterbalance the growing capacity of the Anglo-Saxons. Maritime forces of these three countries unload with Veracruz in 1862. The Mexicain government after negotiations manages to obtain from the English and of the Spaniards their withdrawal (treated of Cordoba) France thus continues only this forwarding aiming at establishing a catholic and friendly empire in Mexico.

Separately the battles of Puebla, gained by the Mexican forces under the command of Ignacio Zaragoza, the French military countryside is a success. The Foreign legion was illustrated there at the time of the combat of April 30th, 1863 not far from the Cerro del Chiquihuite, Camaron, renamed later Villa Tejeda (known as Camerone in French). In front of the projection of the enemy forces, the government of Juárez is constrained to move away to San Luis Potosí on May 31st 1863 then finally in Paso del Norte (become since Ciudad Juarez) close to the border with the United States. In June 1863, Mexico City falls under control from the forces from Napoleon III. July 10th, a Parliament of Notable in Mexico City names Maximilien of Austria emperor. He was one of the brothers of François-Joseph, emperor of Austria. Quite disposed prince it often disappointed the conservatives by his ideas modern and liberal, going as far as asking Juarez to control with him, but Habsbourg imbu of label it made irrevocable awkwardnesses which hastened its fall. The country remained not very sure for the invader, a wild guerilla did not leave him any rest and exhausted its forces and its moral, in addition the gangsters pullulated what did nothing but worsen the situation.

As of the end of the American Civil War in 1865, Juárez finds near the the United States in exchange of concessions on the Mexican territory (isthmus of (Tehuantepec) a support out of weapons and men, like diplomatic (doctrines of Monroe). This new support and military successes of the republicans forced the French troops to be withdrawn. The intervention in Mexico was a great failure for Napoleon III. The second Mexican empire will last until in 1867. The Maximilien emperor is carried out with Santiago de Querétaro. During all this period Benito Juarez never gave up the national territory and continued to exert its president's function of the Republic.

Presidency of Porfirio Díaz: El Porfiriato

See also: presidency of Porfirio Díaz

Hero of the war against the French, Porfirio Díaz becomes president of Mexico in 1876. Its presidency will last until 1910, bringing one long period of peace. He will work for peace, progress, and the opening of the country to the foreign investors. These reforms modernize and enrich the country, but do not benefit all and deepen the gap between rich person and the poor. With each election he was re-elected. The dysfunctions of the vote and the dissatisfaction with part of the population especially of the middle-class which felt abandoned with the profit of the very rich ones, start the Revolution, with the cry of: “effective vote - not of re-election”. He is the author of the sentence “Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States. ”

Revolution

Porfirio Díaz, with the capacity since about thirty years, wanted to present to the presidential elections 1910 just as Francisco Madero. Díaz made imprison Madero then slackened it. Díaz left victorious the elections. Madero collected only a few hundreds of voice through all the country. Many people estimated that there had been an obvious fraud and rebelled. Thus, the Mexican Civil war, also called began Mexican Révolution.

At the time of the Mexican Revolution, Diaz had to face several rebellions, of which those of Francisco Villa in north and of Emiliano Zapata mainly in the State de Morelos. In 1911, after the catch of Ciudad Juarez, Diaz, who wanted to avoid a civil war preferred to leave in exile to France.

The revolution degenerated then into a fight to be able it between revolutionists. The president Madero (revolutionary) was assassinated by Victoriano Huerta (reactionary) even driven out to him by Francisco Villa. Zapata was assassinated in 1919, Carranza, the assassin of Zapata, in 1920, and Francisco Villa in 1923.

The revolution will finish officially in 1917, date of the new Mexican constitution, but violence lasted until the Années 1930 (assassination of Alvaro Obregon in 1928). Another wave of violence follows anticlericals measurements adopted by the Calles government in 1926: it is the Guerre of Cristeros.

Modern Mexico

With died of Obregon, Calles became the " Jefe maximo of Revolucion" and in March 1929 it founds the Partido Nacional Revolucionario with an aim of controlling and to supervise the various political currents, it named itself with the head of this party. with an aim of avoiding the crystallized ones between generals it made name president of the Republic a civilian Emilio Portes Gil for the period of 1928 to 1930. Holds had to fight against a conspiracy of soldiers obregonists carried out by isolated Jose Gonzalo Escobar of the capacity named Plan of Hermosillo. Years 1930 were remembered by the presidency of Cárdenas of 1934 to 1940 which proposed to make of Mexico a socialist country and by nationalizations, the institution of an imitated sexennial plan of the USSR, then oil expropriation in 1938, Cardenas benefitting from the fall of the oil price and economic difficulties of the foreign oil companies in majority Anglo-Dutch and American then at the edge of the bankruptcy. Stalin and the Mexican Communists said whereas the principal recipients of this nationalizations will be the United States because of candidate as regards production the oil sector started to depend on technologies and the American financings, it exists with the library of the Congress of the United States of the evidence of the financial support of Roosevelt to that of Cardenas. The institutional revolutionary Left (PRI), member of the international Socialist took his som current in 1946 and directed the country without interruption until in 2000, date of the victory of Vicente Fox Quesada, candidate of the SIDE. (See the List of the presidents of Mexico.)

In 2006 the results of the national elections, which give the winner majority by a negligible percentage of voice, are disputed by the opposition, which denounces hundreds of irregularities, whereas the international observers concluded with “clean” elections. A million people go down in the street twice to show the dispute of part of the population as for the result of the poll . The August 9th, a partial recount was carried out where irregularities were proven, leading to the official confirmation of the result by the Electoral Court of the Judicial Power of the Federation.

Policy

Mexico is a federal République made up of 31 States and a Federal District. The separation of the three capacities (Executive, Legislative and Legal) is guaranteed by the constitution of 1917.

Executive power

The chief of the executive is the president of the Republic, elected for one 6 years period, nonrenewable, by the universal direct suffrage with only one turn and relative. There is not a Prime Minister. The president names and revokes the ministers, the public prosecutor (Minister for Justice), the ambassadors and the general consuls. In the event of resignation or death, the Congress appoints a temporary president. The president can emit decrees in the economic domain and financier thanks to the powers which the Congress delegates to him.

Since February 1st, 2006, Felipe Calderón (SIDE) is the president of Mexico after having collected 35,88  % of the votes to the presidential elections of July 2nd, 2006 against 35,31  % for Manual Andrés López Obrador (PRD) and 22,27  % for Roberto Madrazo (PRI).

July 13rd, 359 recourse of nonconformity had been introduced in front of the TEPJF (electoral Court of the judicial power of the federation), 227 presented by the coalition For the Good of All (PRD-PT-Convergence), 131 by the SIDE and 1 by Alliance for Mexico (PRI-PVEM).
September 6th, the TEPJF gave its decision (without call) and confirmed the victory of Felipe Calderón which took its functions officially on December 1st.

On the condition of having a support within the legislative body, the federal government lays out of more than capacities than its North-American equivalent. It can relieve the governors of the States elected by the vote for all for serious error, corruption, etc In addition, the tax incomes are reserved in major part at the Federal government which redistributes of it only one weak share in the States.

Legislative power

The Congrès is divided into two rooms:

• the Senate: The senators are elected every 6 years. The Senate counts 128 senators, that is to say 4 senators by federative entity. In 2000: the Senate was dominated by PRI with 60 seats, follow-up of the SIDE with 46 and finally 15 for PRD. The remainder of the senators are either independent, or belong to other smaller parties. Following the elections of July 2006, the Senate saw the weight of the SIDE and the PRD to increase with the detriment of the PRI. The SIDE thus becomes the first political clout with 53 senators, followed by the PRD with 37 to equality with the PRI. Nevertheless, the SIDE does not have the absolute majority with the Senate.

• the House of Commons: The deputies are elected by the universal direct suffrage every 3 years. The Room counts 500 representatives. 300 electoral constituencies indicate each one a deputy and 200 other deputies are elected by the vote proportional through all the country. The 200 indicated seats in a way proportional were created to make it possible the small parts to more easily reach the Room. In 2003, the composition of the room was of 223 seats for PRI, 148 for the SIDE, 97 for PRD. The SIDE not having majority with the room cannot pass from laws without the support of the other political parties. Following the elections of July 2006, the PRI lost a great number of deputies to the profit of the SIDE and PRD. Indeed, the SIDE becomes the first political clout with the House of Commons with 207 seats, followed by the PRD with 160 seats and in 3rd position the PRI with only 119 seats. Nevertheless, the SIDE does not have the absolute majority with the House of Commons and will have to thus obtain the support of the opposition to make pass its laws.

Since 1997, the Congress plays a greater part since the opposition obtained more seats thanks to designation of 200 seats of deputies elected with the proportional one.

Federate states

Mexico is composed of 31 States and a federal district:

Chiapas and the EZLN

At the end of the 20th century, part of the chiapanèque political community, denounced the so-called lack of interest carried by the governmental administration of the PRI (member of the international Socialist) in their State, one of the least advanced of Mexico. They claimed the opening-up of their State by the development of infrastructures such as roads, the creation of highways and modern airports, some announced one of the principal demands of the peasants without grounds which is the possibility of home-ownership of the cultivable grounds. The fact is that a great number of peasants (indigenous or not) must pay a rent with landowners, although since the years 1920 the Mexican government promised to the peasants the property grounds which they cultivated some since generations. Article 27 of the Constitution " garantissait" with the peasants right to a Ejido or collective ownership. (currently considered to be not very productive and thus not profitable, in addition the constitution guarantees the private property it is also necessary to compensate the owners. often of former revolutionists become in their turn owners…

The Land reform was finished in most of the country but Chiapas was an exception. The crisis of 1982 put a term at the control of the economy by the State and privatizations which followed gave a dominating place to the better capable private companies to exploit the grounds. One then ceased making believe that the land reform was a priority. Under the presidency of Carlos Salinas de Gortari the opening of the country to the world commerce became a priority. The wave of liberal reforms caused to modernize a closed and protectionist economy and to make of it an economy inserted in the world commerce. The government suspended the constitutional law for the rural communities to have ejidos, the rare and expensive grounds available becoming. The agreement of free trade of North America (ALENA) applied on January 1st, 1994 was considered by certain inhabitants of Chiapas as a proof moreover than the federal government left them side: the center and the north of the country developed quickly thanks to the strong dynamism of its population and the improvement of its infrastructures whereas the south of the country remained in inertia, poverty and the underdevelopment.

It is by reaction that was born the Zapatist Armée with national release or Ejercito Zapatista de Libéracion Nacional. The Zapatist ones are peaceful although they were brought to take the weapons to guarantee the right to the ejidos. The Under-commander Marcos, (Marcos is a pseudonym and it is not a native) not leader of the Zapatist movement but a figure of the indigenous cause (it does not achieve the unanimity among those and there exists in Chiapas and since decades of powerful organizations of peasants which is opposed to these methods or compete with it) succeeds in making known the EZLN outside the country thanks to new technologies of information and to give to this movement an importance only it forever have. This movement is often more known and more popular abroad than with Mexico or the " zapatisme" so much was instrumentalisé and used by the successive governments and the principal media that it made figure of worn and folk dinosaur unfortunately there and the pseudo current zapatism does not appear in the concerns of the modern and town Mexican. Just as in the State of Chiapas it does not achieve by far the unanimity of the population. It is it should be noted that should not be used the " term; indio" (Indian) which is unsuitable and devaluing, to see racist in Mexico to speak about the natives. There are also old competitions between ethnicities and villages for the ground possession. In August 2003, the EZLN declared all the territory Zapatist like autonomous of Mexico, which appeared a joke with many observers… One is unaware of always the origin of the funds which made it possible the ezln to be equipped and how and near which they got their weapons and ammunition.

Geography

Mexico is a country located in North America. It divides land borders with the the United States (3326 km) in North and with the Belize (193 km) and Guatemala (962 km) in the South. It has many maritime frontages (: 10143 km) in particular with the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California (7338 km) in the West and with the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (2805 km) in the East. The total surface area of the country is of: 1972550 km ² by including approximately 6000 km ² islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of California, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The exclusive economic Zone (ZEE) Mexican extends on 370 km starting from each coast and adds up approximately 2,7 million km ². The territory comprises also some islands like Guadalupe and Revillagigedo (Peaceful). One finds also many Volcan S. the Pic of Orizaba culminates to 5700 m, while least low point is Laguna Salada which is to 10 m in lower part of the sea level. The country is prone to the earthquakes, sometimes very violent one.

Among the natural resources, one finds the money, the Cuivre, the Natural gas, the Or, the Pétrole, the Plomb and the Zinc.

Relief

Mexico is crossed by two principal assembly lines: The Western Sierra Veined and the Eastern Sierra Veined. The Western Sierra Veined in the West is the prolongation of the Sierra Nevada of California and the Eastern Sierra Veined in the East is the prolongation of the Rocky Mountains of the New Mexico and the Texas. Between the two principal assembly lines is the Mexican plate. The neovolcanic Cordillera mark southern limit of the Western and Eastern Sierra Veined. Mexico also counts other less important assembly lines as the Californian assembly line, Sierra Veined LED On, the Sierra Veined of Oaxaca, the Sierra Veined of Chiapas, and Meseta Central of Chiapas.

Principal assembly lines and principal plate

• the Western Sierra Veined extends on 1250 km to 50 km in the south from the border with the the United States and joined the neovolcanic cordillera after Rio Santiago. The neovolcanic Cordillera crosses of Is in West the center of Mexico. At North, the Western Sierra Veined is located at approximately 300 km of the Western coasts but near the Néovolcanique cordillera it is not any more but to 5 km of the peaceful coast. The Western Sierra Veined rises to approximately 2250 m of altitude with tops reaching 3000 Mr.
• the Eastern Sierra Veined starts at the border between Texas and Mexico and continuous on 1350 km until reaching the Trunk of Perote one of the principal tops of the Néovolcanique cordillera. As for the Western Sierra Veined, the Eastern Sierra Veined gradually approaches the coasts while approaching the southern end. Indeed it is not located any more whereas 75 km of the Gulf of Mexico have. The Eastern Sierra Veined rises to approximately 2200 m of altitude with tops reaching 3000 Mr.

• the Mexican plate also extends him from the border with the United States to the neovolcanic cordillera and occupies a vast surface between the Western and Eastern Sierra Veined.

The plate was divided in the past between the Mesa del Norte and the Mesa Centra , nevertheless today the geographers regard these two parts as pertaining to the same plate.

the north of the plate rises to approximately 1100 m of altitude and extends from the Rio Bravo until the State de Zacatecas and the State of San Luis Potosí. The area takes into account many depressions of which largest is the Bolsón de Mapimi .

the south of the plate is higher since it rises with approximately 2000 Mr. It comprises many valleys which were formed by old lakes. Several of the most important Mexican cities like the town of Mexico City or Guadalajara are located in these valleys.

• the neovolcanic Cordillère is a belt of 900 km length and 130 km broad which extend from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. The Cordillera starts in Rio Bravo and continuous until the south of Colima where it goes towards the east while following the 19th parallel to finish in the center of the State of Veracruz. The area is characterized by an important seismic activity and counts the volcanic tops highest. The Cordillera has three tops exceeding the 5000 m of altitude: Pico de Orizaba or Citlatépetl which is the third plus high summit of North America, the Popocatépetl and the Iztaccíhuatl which are both close to Mexico City. The neovolcanic cordillera is regarded as geological division between North America and the Central America.

Cours d' water

Mexico has approximately 150 rivers and rivers. The 2/3 of the latter flow in the Pacific Ocean and 1/3 in the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean Sea. In spite of the apparent water abundance, volumes of water are distributed in a very inequitable way through the country. Indeed, five rivers, (Usumacinta, Grijalva, Papaloapán, Coatzacoalcos, and Pánuco) add up 52% of the average annual volume of water. These 5 rivers (currently very polluted) flow in the Gulf of Mexico. Only Rio Panuco is not in Mexican south-east. The North and the Center of Mexico which covers 47% of the territory and gathers nearly 60% of the population have less than 10% of the water resources of the country.

Mexico has few navigable rivers.

The Río Grande is called Río Bravo del Norte by the Mexicans.

Climate

• Mexico is divided into two zones by the Tropic of Cancer, one moderate and the other its southern part is in the zone intertropical. The climate varies with altitude. The will tierras calientes (hot grounds), including/understanding the coastal plains, rising until approximately 915 Mr. In the north of the parallel 24e, the temperatures are colder during the winter months, while in the south, they remain constant along the year. They vary nevertheless according to altitude.

Zones in the south of the parallel 27e:

Up to 1000 m (coasts and the peninsula of the Yucatan): have an average temperature ranging between 24°C and 28°C. The temperature remains high all the year with only 5°C of difference between the averages of temperatures of winters and summer.

Between 1000 and 2000 m the average temperature lies between 16°C and 20°C. The cities and villages at this altitude in the south of the parallel 24e enjoy a relatively constant climate and pleasant temperatures throughout the year whereas the areas in north have a climate with more marked seasonal variations.

With the top of 2000 m the average temperature lies between 8°C and 12°C in the neovolcanic Cordillère.

Mexico City , perched to 2357 m, has an average temperature of 25°C with a pleasant summer and a soft winter. The high and low daily averages for May (hottest) are of 26°C and 12°C. The high and low daily averages for January (coldest) are of 19°C and 6°C.

The rains vary much according to the geographical location and the seasons. Arid or semi-arid in Low California, the North-West of the State de Sonora, plates of North and part of the plates of the South. It rains in these areas on average between 300 and 600 millimetres per annum. In the plates of the South and in particular the most populated areas (like Mexico City and Guadalajara) it rains on average between 600 and 1000 millimetres. The lowlands along the Gulf of Mexico receive more than 1000 millimetres of rains at the year. The area in the south-east of Tabasco roughly receives 2000 millimetres of rains at the year! It snows occasionally on some of the plates of the north and the high summits of the Western Sierra Veined and the Eastern Sierra Veined.

• wet Season or rain season:

Mexico knows a wet Saison (or rain season) and a Saison dries marked. The rain season lasts, in the major part of the country, from June to mid-October. It rains definitely less the remainder of the year. February and July are respectively the driest month and wettest. For example, the town of Mexico City receives approximately 5 millimetres of rains in February and 300 millimetres in July. The coastal regions, and especially that of the Gulf of Mexico receive their maximum precipitations in September. Tabasco records more than 300 millimetres of rains during this month.

A small portion of the north-western coast of Mexico around the town of Tijuana has a Mediterranean Climat with important fogs and a rain season in winter.

• Hurricanes:

Mexico is located in the belt of the hurricanes and all the coastal regions are likely to undergo one of these storms from June to November. The hurricanes of the peaceful coast are less frequent and often less violent one that those which affect the east coast of the country. Several hurricanes strike each year the coasts of and the Caribbean Sea Gulf of Mexico, with strong winds which can exceed 200 km/h, which put in danger the life of the inhabitants and cause major damage with the hotels and dwellings of the area.

Economy

Aggregates macroeconomic

GDP 2005 (Price and PPP running): 1006 billion dollars (estimate)

GDP/hab.: 9600 dollars

Source: OECD - List of the countries by GDP

Oil and gas

• Oil: the oil-bearing fields are located mainly in the States of Veracruz, of Tabasco, Chiapas and Campeche (70% of the national exploitation). Since the government of the president Lázaro Cárdenas who decided the nationalization of the Pétrole, the company of State Pemex has the monopoly of the exploitation, production, transport and marketing of oil on the Mexican territory. Mexico is the 5th world oil producer and the 9th exporter. The near total of the oil exportations Mexican are done in direction of the United States from which he is the third supplier. Nevertheless, the decline of the principal layer, Cantarell, lets predict a fall of the production of the country in the years to come, which worries much the government.

• Gas: Pemex has only the monopoly of the exploitation and the production of natural gas in Mexico. Indeed, since 1995 the government authorized the private sector investment in transport, the distribution and the storage of natural gas.

Even if oil represents today only part of Mexican exports, the resources financial released by Pemex finance 30% of the budget of the State. This situation made it possible to the Mexicans to profit from a certain tax leniency. Indeed, Mexico is the country of OECD and all the Latin America from which the ratio revenue from taxes/GDP is weakest (between 15 and 17% against an average of 30% for the OECD countries).

Primary sector

The Primary sector accounts for 4% of GDP and employs 18% of the Active population.

• Mexican agriculture: characterized by a low productivity had to adapt to the strong competition induced by ALENA signed with the the United States and the Canada. The country developed agricultural dies in particular in the lawyers.

• Wine and spirits: the production of wine knows a considerable growth these last years even if it is still far in term of quality. On the other hand produced Mexico of many spirits whose Tequila makes starting from the Distillation of the blue Agave. 50% of the production of tequila are exported towards the United States. The tequila has a AOC and can come only from one determined area, located mainly in the State of Jalisco.

• Mines: Mexico exports many minerals, in particular the money of which he is the first world producer.

• Fishing and marine animal-life

Secondary industry

The Industrie accounts for 26,5% of the GDP (2004) and use 24% of the Active population.

• heavy industry: in sectors like the Cement, the Glass and the Steel. Mexico counts many national champions of which some have a true international dimension. Cemex is the 3rd cement producer in the world right after French Lafarge and Switzerland Holcim. Vitro, Grupo Esparto, Metalsa… are other examples of this Mexican news Multinationale S.

• the beer: Mexico counts an important industry of beer. With marks known internationally like Corona, Ground, Tecate… the Mexican beers made formidable great strides with international and are drunk in all the continents. Two principal groups divide the market: Grupo Modelo site and Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma site

• automobile production: whereas Mexico does not count any national mark of Automobile, he is the 9th world producer. Mexico attracts the great groups like Ford, General Motors, Renault Nissan, Daimler Chrysler… thanks to its geographical proximity and the treaty of free trade signed with the United States and Canada. In 2004 the sector employed approximately: 600000 people and the developmental perspectives are very positive. Many groups think of investing massively in Mexico to develop their infrastructures. The latest to date, the Ford group thinks of investing 9 billion dollars.

• NTIC: The sector of new technologies experiences a strong development in Mexico and in particular in the area of Guadalajara. Become the window of Mexico as a city of new technologies, Guadalajara is regarded as the Mexican Silicon Valley. The groups like IBM, Hitachi, HP, Intel, Siemens or Kodak invest massively in the area.

Tertiary sector

The Tertiary sector accounts for 69,5% of the GDP and use 58% of the Active population.

• the Tourism: is one of very first industries of the country. With a rich person variety of landscapes, climates and beaches, Mexico strongly invested to develop this sector which employs many people. Known internationally the seaside resorts like Cancun, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta attract million tourists every year.

• the Audio-visual : produced Mexico and exports many series known under the name of Telenovela S. Feuilletons reflections of the popular dreams, they attract million televiewers. The audiovisual landscape is dominated by two groups: Televised and TV Azteca. These last years, the Mexican chains develop in the United States in order to offer to the Hispanic community special programs.

• the Telecommunications: In 2004, Mexico counted 38 million mobile phone users for 104 million inhabitants, i.e. approximately 36% of the population had a mobile phone against more than 68% in the European Union. The market is dominated by the ex-monopoly of State Telmex which belongs to Carlos Slim, the richest man of Latin America and one of greatest world fortunes. The country also counts 17 million users Internet. The cover is rather good in the big cities with the difference in the rural areas.

Economy since the signature of the ALENA

In January 1994, Mexico, the Canada and the the United States sign the Agreement of free trade of North America ALENA thus creating the vastest free exchange zone of the world. The ALENA strongly transformed Mexico which passed from an economic policy marked by its fort Protectionnisme to an economic policy based on the Libre-échange and insertion in the worldwide economy. The year even of the application of the ALENA, Mexico knew a low register economic crisis marked by strong a Dévaluation of the peso. The reasons of this crises are multiple, adaptation imposed of economic fabric on this new economic environment, Monetary policy, confidence of the international investors, problems of the debt…

Since 1994, the Mexican economy recovered from the economic crisis. Exports knew a growth very important, in particular in direction of the United States and Canada. The Maquiladora S or free zones are one of the important components of this success. Today Mexico represents 50% of the imports and exports of Latin America and became the 8th commercial power of the world. The Mexican GDP in value is highest of Latin America, in front of Brazil and Argentina and the 11th economic power according to this same criterion.

In 2000, known Mexico its first political alternation since more than 70 years with the come to power of Vicente Fox. This last continued the economic policy of its predecessors with a budget policy and monetary rigorous. The Inflation strongly dropped and public finances were strongly improved in particular thanks to the rise of the price of the Pétrole whose Mexico is the 5th world exporter. The national Debt accounts for today only 23.5% of the GDP and the Foreign debt Mexican was classified by Standard & Poor' S BBB is the level highest ever reached by Mexico and the best notation of the great savings in Latin America.

In order to diversify the outlets of Mexican exports (of which more than 80% are made with the United States and Canada), Mexico signed a great number of treaties of free trade, in particular with the European Union, the Japan, Israel…

Between 2001 and 2003, known Mexico a poor economic growth. (- 0,3% in 2001, +0,9% in 2002 and +1,4% in 2003). Indeed, China became an important competitor of Mexico, the wages in the Chinese workshops being on average 4 times less low than in Mexico. Mexico must thus adapt its economic model to this new international situation, in particular through structural reforms which are done very slowly.

Since 2004, the economic growth strongly accelerated. +4,3% in 2004 and +3,8% in 2005 (estimates). Many companies returning to Mexico after being parts in Asia. Nevertheless, so that this recovery can be perennial and that Mexico can fill the objectives of the millenium in the fight against the poverty which touches 40% more of the population, of important structural reforms must be undertaken.

Mow Remesas, these handing-over or transfers of funds on behalf of the Mexican emigrants for their families which remained in Mexico represented in 2005 a record of more than 20 billion dollars. That is the equivalent of half of the value of oil exports of the country, which represents in their turn less than 10% of total exports of goods, contrary to the previous decades where oil exports prevailed in the current balance. This formidable basket is higher than the overseas investments in Mexico and makes it possible to improve the economic situation of many rural families.

There remain important challenges which Mexico must overcome

the unequal distribution of the richnesses within the population (Indice of Gini 53,1 in 1998)

the inequalities of development between the States of North and of the center rich person and the poor States of the South

the presidential elections of 2006 showed the difficulties of application of the democracy to Mexico

the improvement of the competitiveness of the Mexican economy vis-a-vis China or to India

Demography and cities

Demographic transition

During all the 19th century, the population of Mexico only doubled. This tendency will continue during the first two decades of the 20th century. In 1920 one attends even a loss of 2 million inhabitants. This phenomenon can be explained because of the Mexican Révolution between 1910 and 1920.

The Growth rate of the population strongly accelerated between 1930 and 1980, with figures higher than 3%. The Mexican population doubled every 20 years and at this rate/rhythm one estimated 120 million inhabitants in Mexico in 2000. The federal government created the National council of the population then, CONAPO, with for mission of establishing policies of control of the birthrate and of making studies on the population of the country. These measurements were positive and the growth rate of the population dropped up to 1,6% over the period 1995 and 2000. In 2005, the Mexican population rose to 103 million inhabitants.

The Life expectancy passed from 36 years in 1895 to 75,19 years in 2005. It is thus estimated that Mexico has just returned in the last phase of demographic Transition. Indeed, the Fertility rate is not any more that of 2,45 children per woman, and the Infant mortality is of 20.91 deaths for 1000 births.

; Growth rate natural and total of the population (figures 2005)

• Growth rate natural of the population = Birth rate - Death rate = 16,28 ‱
• Growth rate total of the population = Natural increase + balance migratoire= 11,71 ‱ (with Migratory balance = -4,57 ‱.

Indeed, migratory balance is traditionally negative and rises with more: 450000 Mexicans per annum. The United States remains the first destination.

Even if today Mexico has a young population (only 5,6% of the population have more than 65 years), the ageing of the population started and will accelerate in the next years.

Rural migration and urbanization

the Program of the United Nations for the development (UNDP) gives in 2005 to Mexico a IDH of 0,814 what classifies it with the 53e world rank and in the category of the countries with high human development (country whose IDH is > 0,8).

Nevertheless there exists a strong polarization of the incomes between rich person and the poor. This situation contributes to high rates of criminality in the town of Mexico City. Corruption on many levels of the police force and administration prevented the organized success of the fight against crime and the delinquency. The medium-sized cities are as in prey with the delinquency as it is organized or not. The sale of drug to the detail ( narcomenudeo ) exploded.

The corruption of the police force and the soldiers is one of the main issues of Mexico. The very lucrative market of drug and the illegal emigration towards the United States finances the Mexican trusts. The latter provide more half of the méthamphétamines to the United States. The federal government launched a large campaign to improve safety and to fight against the organized crime while misant on new technologies. The ex-mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, known for his successes against criminality in the economic capital of the United States, was even engaged to repeat his exploit in the town of Mexico City, which did not give any result… Mexico City is not New York. In general one can say that the federal police (the equivalent of the gendarmerie) is not very corrupted. Its agents saw their strongly revalorized wages and the level of education is much higher there than in the other police forces.

The town of Mexico City remains a particular case in Mexico. One counts there between 2000 and 3000 Crime S per annum. Only 600 of these criminal acts are denounced with the police force. Nevertheless, the number of Meurtre S is not as important as the figures of criminality could make it believe. There is on average, in the town of Mexico City, 2,5 murders per day, which is relatively weak considering the importance of its population (approximately 20 million inhabitants) . In comparison, Washington knows a rate of murder per capita 5 times more important.

Natives and Mexican emigration

Mexico counts a little more than 106 million inhabitants is the Spanish-speaking country more largely populated in front of the Spain and the 3rd country more populated American continent after the the United States and the Brésil. On a world level it is the eleventh country more populated world after the China, the India, the the United States, the Indonesia, the Brésil, the Pakistan, the Bangladesh, the Russia, the Nigeria, and the Japan.

The population which speaks the indigenous languages (single criterion retained by the INEGI for designer indigenous population) passed from 17% in 1895 to only 7% in 2000. Nevertheless of absolute number it believed while passing from 1 million in 1895 to 7 million in 2000. The specialists agree to say that there is rather 12,7 million natives who speak or not an indigenous language) in Mexico. Until 1980, the indigenous populations emigrated in direction of the regional metropolises near to their birthplace but as from the years 1990 the indigenous emigration was done massively in direction of the the United States.

The United States is the country where live the most Mexican after Mexico. He thinks that Los Angeles, more the big city of California is also the second Mexican city in term of population because the number of immigrants and descendant of Mexicans exceeds largely the 4 million people who live with Guadalajara, second Mexican metropolis. The presence of the Mexicans on other side of the Río Grande starts at the time of the annexation with the United States of immense Mexican territories. Thus a certain number of Mexicans were de facto in American territory but kept their habit and their language. The State of the New Mexico illustrates that well. For this number, it is necessary to add the big number of Braceros which left food to the United States, sometimes temporarily thanks to a laboral agreement between the governments of Washington and of Mexico City. The last economic crises of Mexico supported the emigration towards north and one estimates that at the beginning of the 20th century nearly 38 million Mexicans or descendants of Mexicans lives in the United States. Most of those are in California, with the Texas and New Mexico. One counts also many Mexican citizens in the European Community, especially in Spain and Germany. Switzerland counts the many binationaux one which often occupies of the stations of high professional qualification.

Education

Mexico made important progress at the educational level these two last decades. In 2004, the rate of elimination of illiteracy was among 92,2% and that of the young people of 15-24 years of 96%. Primary and secondary education (9 years) is free and obligatory. Even if several programs of bilingual education exist since the years 1960 for the indigenous community, it is since the constitutional reform at the end of the years 1990 which allows truly their rise with school handbooks written in an indigenous dozen languages. Today the great majority of the natives are bilingual.

In 1970, Mexico was the first country in the world to set up a remote educational system. The schools which use this system are called telesecundarias . The diffusion of this system also extends to certain countries from Central America, Colombia and even in certain States of the South of the United States.

The two Mexican public universities most known are the autonomous National university of Mexico (UNAM) founded in 1551 and the national polytechnic Institut (IPN) which have a great prestige in all the Latin America. Nevertheless, today certain private universities enjoy an excellent reputation sometimes higher than those of the public universities. The three principal private universities of international recognition are the technological Institut of higher learning of Monterrey (ITESM) which is often indicated like tce of Monterrey , the autonomous technological Institut of Mexico City (ITAM), and the ibéro-American Université. These universities knew a considerable growth and knew to tie partnerships with the foreign universities most prestigious.

Culture

National languages

The Law of the Linguistic Rights of 2001 concedes the statute of national languages with Spanish and more than 60 indigenous languages spoken by 7% about the population. Nevertheless even if there does not exist constitutional declaration which makes of Spanish the official language, it is this one is used for all the official documents and is spoken by almost the whole about the Mexicans. The indigenous languages are spoken by more than 6 million people living of south-east of Mexico to Honduras. Their origins go back to more than five millenia. Time known as traditional (Ca 300-800 a. J. - C.) with the Spanish conquest, some of these languages (in particular the Eastern traditional Maya and the Nahuatl) were written on buildings, pottery and codices, thanks to a hieroglypic written form .

The two indigenous languages which are spoken are:

• the Nahuatl with more than 1,5 million people. This language is mainly spoken in the center about Mexico. It was used within the Aztec empire.
• the Maya (yucatèque) with approximately: 800000 people. He is spoken in the Péninsule about Yucatán. Others Maya Langues are also spoken: the Tzotzil, the Tzeltal and the Chol with a few hundreds of thousands of speakers each one, primarily in the Chiapas. These languages are related with the various dialects of the Eastern traditional Maya which one finds on the monuments and codex of the Maya Civilization.

The indigenous languages had a great importance throughout the history and the Mexican culture. Thus, the name of the country finds its origin in the language nahuatl with nah metztli (the moon) and nah xictli (navel) which together wants to say “navel of the moon”. The natives pronounced meshico (with fricative palato-alveolar) and the Spaniards wrote it Mexico City, the sound of letter X having then evolved/moved in Spanish. Many Spanish words are of Amerindian origin, for example:

• {{Lang|be|'' cenote ''}}, a sand pipe of the solid masses limestones (of the Maya yuc '' dz' onot '', passed in French);
• be '' tlapalería '', store of articles of do-it-yourself (of the nahuatl nah '' tlapalli '' and the suffix - be '' ería '');
• be '' tianguis '', gone open (of the nahuatl nah '' tianquiztli '');

without counting the many products of the Colombian exchange.

Religion

• Pattern of the settlement by confessions

The great majority (89%) of the Mexicans are catholic and 6% Protesting S mainly concentrated with Mexico City. The Judaism is present at Mexico since centuries. One counts today between: 45000 and: 60000 Jews in Mexico. Islam is very minority and is practiced mainly by the communities immigrants of Moslem countries. A very small percentage of natives of Chiapas converted there. The tradition anticlerical of the country ended in 1991 with the adoption of constitutional amendments which grant a legal statute to the religious institutions and authorize in particular the organization of parochial schools.

• the Virgin of Guadalupe

The holy owner of Mexico is the Vierge of Guadalupe. She is the subject of a true veneration in Mexico just like of many countries of Latin America. According to the anthropologist Eric R. Wolf, the Virgin of Guadalupe is a symbol which binds the family, the policy and the religion; colonial past and present with indigenous, Spanish and Mexican features. The Mexicans built a modern basilica with its honor close to the site where it made its appearance. This catholic monument receives approximately 14 million visitors each year.

This religious enthusiasm also extends to other countries from Latin America, in the USA and even in France. December 12th (day of its festival) the mariachis sing with Notre-Dame de Paris where the Mexican community of France offered a reproduction of the Virgin.

Sport

See also: Olympic Games of summer of 1968, Football world cup of 1986, Football world cup of 1970

Mexico already, in the past, accommodated the Olympic Games, in 1968, like two football world cups, in 1970 and 1986.

See also: Team of Mexico of football

The traditional national sport is a called equestrian sport are '' [[charrería]] '', but most popular is the Football, preceded by the Baseball on the coast Atlantique. The principal football teams are Las águilas del América , Las Chivas rayadas of Guadalajara , Los Cementeros del Cruz Azul and Los Pumas of the UNAM .

Gastronomy

The Mexican kitchen very rich, is very varied and with a great number of spices. It finds its origin at the time of the Spanish conquest, even if it has many indigenous influences. On a side, the Corn, the Pepper S, beans black, the Marrow S, the lawyer, the Sweet potato, tomatos, the Cocoa, the Vanilla, the Turkey and many fruits and condiments originating in the new world which it would be too long to enumerate here. In the same way, some practical culinary employees still today are resulting from the people prehispanic, like the Nixtamalisation of corn or crushing on molcajete (traditional mortar) and metate . Other side, Spanish introduced the meats of the pets into the old world such as the pig, of ox and chicken; but also pepper, sugar, milk and its derivatives, the corn, and rice, citrus fruits and multitude of ingredients which form today a big part of the food of the Mexicans.

From this fusion of two thousand-year-old traditions emerged the Pozole, the Mole and the Tamal be in their current forms, the Chocolat, a large variety of breads, tacos and a great repertory of Mexican nibbling ( antojitos ). Also drinks like the atole, the champurrado, the milk chocolate and soft drinks aromatized with the fruits. Desserts also like the acitron and a range supplements crystallized candies, the Rompope, the cajeta, the jericaya and a vast repertory of delights created in the convents everywhere in the country.

Arts

• Frida Kahlo was one of Mexican great painters the. Its paintings refer many to the indigenous cultures of the country. Its style is a mixture of Réalisme, symbolism and Surréalisme. It was the wife of another large Mexican artist: Diego Will rivet. Convinced Communist, it lodged Trotsky at the time of his exile in Mexico.

• Diego Will rivet: one of the leaders of the movement muralist and cubist of Mexico. Convinced Communist, it sees in the large mural frescos the means of making available art to the people.

• Shine Barragán: architect universally recognized, in particular through the Pritzker price which it obtains in 1980, it gives body to the modern movement in Mexican architecture.

• Jose Lenient Orozco: painter muralist whose achievements decorate good number of Mexican buildings of most famous and whose topics are generally the Mexican history

Music

The term of Mariachi indicates all at the same time a type of musical formation originating in Mexico, the style of music associated, and a musical culture. A group of mariachis is made up at least of two Violon S, two Trompette S, a player of Spanish Guitare, a Vihuela and of a Guitarron. Certain formations comprise several tens of musicians. The mariachis are originating in the State of Jalisco.

Many groups or American musicians were influenced by the Mexican music: Flaco Jimenez, Los Lobos…

Musical styles and popular dances are the bandaged (Northern) and the salsa (remains country).

Each area has its music as well as its kitchen and its craft industry.

Five of them are characterized by the richness and the variety from their popular repertory:

• the sound jalisciense , originating in the province of Jalisco, is known apart from Mexico. It evokes the groups of mariachis, with their buttoned costumes charro money and their bright trumpets (with clean and with appeared). In fact, this instrument is of a rather recent contribution. The instrumentation also includes/understands violins, will guitarra it of golpe, small the vihuela with four cords (4 to 6 cords according to the areas) and the guitarrón - basic guitar with four cords.

• the sound of will tierra caliente (extreme ground), of Michoacán, is the precursor of the sound jalisciense. Rate/rhythm, instrumentation and topics are similar. Jalisco and Michoacán, contiguous, undoubtedly formed only one same cultural unit. Element characteristic of much of these “sound” is constituted by large toothing-stone rustic whose case of resonance is used as drum, which gives an accompaniment rate/rhythm and strong to the melody lines of the violins, vihuelas and will guitarras of golpe.

• the sound guerrerense is distinguished from the others “sound” by the addition of a drum to the string instruments. Its sources are numerous and, according to the legend, it would have been also influenced by the songs of Chilean sailors shipwrecked men off the coasts of Guerrero. These songs, alternatives of the “sound”, bear the name of chilenas. The gusto, another alternative, is characteristic of the coastal region where, at the time of the fiestas, the dancers strike in rate the ground of a raised estrade, or artesa.

• the sound jarocho , originating in the coast of Veracruz is richest, most widespread of all the forms of Mexican popular music. The mixture of African blood of the inhabitants of this area shows through in its complex rates/rhythms of Spanish origin. The poets of the sound jarocho are above all the improvisers and of new verses modernize unceasingly the traditional songs.

• the sound huasteco and the regional dance called huapango derive from the Spanish fandango. The sharp rates/rhythms of the violin jarana and will huapanguera it with eight cords accompany a fast zapateado, danced on an elevated wood platform which resounds like a drum under the feet of the dancers.

Bank holidays and festivals

• official Bank holidays
• January 1st: New year
• February 5th: Day of the Constitution
• March 21st: Natalicio of Benito Juárez
• May 1st: Labor Day
• September 16th: Birthday of the Independence of Mexico
• November 20th: Birthday of the Mexican revolution
• December 1st: presidential Taking possession (every six years)
• December 25th: Christmas
• Other festivals
• February 24th: Day of the Mexican flag
• May 5th: Day of the victory of Puebla (the Mexicans celebrate the victory against the French troops with Puebla of Los Angeles which prevents the French from carrying on their road towards Mexico City the May 5th 1862)
• October 12th: Day of the race (celebration of discovered of America and the mixture of the people)
• November 2nd: All Souls' Day (typically Mexican festival; at the time of this festival the Mexicans go to the cemeteries to celebrate their deaths. They decorate the tombs, bring food and plays of the music. Mexico is one of the only countries in the world which has a festive relationship with the death which is not perceived in a negative way as in the Western companies. Many artisanal objects represent death)
• December 12th: Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe

Tourism

Sites classified with the world heritage of UNESCO