Capital city: Mexico

Region: Central America

Area: 1 972 550 km²

Population: 103 400 165

Main cities: Guadalajara, Monterrey, Zaragoza, León, Ciudad Juárez, Culiacán, Mexicali, Tijuana, Mérida, Acapulco, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosí, Hermosillo, Cancun, Taxo, Puerto Escondido, Puerto Vallarta, Puebla, San Cristobal de las Casas, Cuernavaca

Currency: Mexican peso

Dial code: 52

Internet code: MX

Information: Mexico is located in Central America south of the United States (from which it is separated by the Rio Grande, called Rio Bravo by the Mexicans) and bordered by Guatemala and Belize to the south. Its official name is United Mexican States (or, wrongly, United States of Mexico). This country was formerly inhabited by advanced civilizations, such as the Aztecs and Mayas. Climates and landscapes vary according to the latitude. North of country consists of deserts, and the south consists of rainforest. The Rio Grande (or Rio Bravo for Mexicans) is the largest river of Mexico and marks much of the border with the US. Other great rivers are the Rio Balsas, Rio Coatzacoalcos, Rio Grijalva, Rio Papaloapan, Rio Santiago, Rio Usumacinta and Rio Yaqui. Hot climate is favorable to the agave, used to produce tequila, and to different kinds of cactus. Native people were already farming before the coming of the Europeans. They cultivated maize, beans and cucurbitaceae. There are mountains in the centre. There are also many volcanoes. The Orizaba peak reaches 5700 m, whereas the least elevated point is the Laguna Salada, 10 m below sea-level.