Mexico's shape resembles a cornucopia, a horn of plenty, and that's an apt symbol for a country with a landscape that is so diverse. The physical and cultural geographical features are made up of contrasts: rainforests and deserts, beaches and mountains, modern buildings and ancient ruins. In fact, from the natural to the man made, one could say that Mexico's whole culture is laid out in its geography.

Basic Facts

Mexico is in North America and is the 13th largest nation in the world by area (1,972, 550 sq. km) and the 11th largest by population (104,959,954). Bordered on the north by the United States and in the South by Central America, it lies between the North Pacific Ocean in the west and the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in the east. It boasts 9,330 km of coastline and is roughly three times the size of Texas. One federal district (Mexico City) and 31 states make up its regional divisions.

Terrain

Having such a large surface area means that Mexico's terrain is varied. Mexico is in the midst of both the Torrid Zone and the Temperate Zone, so parts of the land are flat desert, but on the outskirts are wet, tropical jungle areas. Mountains and volcanoes are also part of the landscape, especially in the plateaus of Central Mexico. In fact, about 66% of the country is mountainous. The highest point is Volcan Pico de Orizaba (5,700 meters). A few larger lakes and rivers also dot and cross the landscape, with the largest river being Lake Chapala near Guadalajara, and the Grande de Santiago and Lerma rivers combining to form the most significant river system.

Climate

The diversity of Mexico's topography means the country has varying climates. In Mexico City and the surrounding central plateau, temperatures are moderate year-round, and slightly cooler December - March. Summers on the plateau tend to be much wetter. Northern Mexico is made up of mostly desert land, and the climate is typical of deserts: hot days and cool nights. On the coastal peninsula, Baja California, rainfall is rare and weather is hot, but areas around beach resorts often experience cooling ocean breezes. On the Yucatan peninsula, temperatures are also hot and sunny, and hurricanes are more of a threat. South of the Yucatan peninsula, conditions are both hot and humid, typical of a tropical rainforest.

Natural Resources

Dry, hot temperatures and mountain ranges in Mexico make farming and grazing difficult. Only approximately 13% of the land in Mexico is used for crops. The chief crop is corn, and it also forms the basis of many local meals. Other crops include sugarcane, soybean, peppers and coffee. The bulk of Mexico's most valuable resources lie underground: gold, silver, copper and salt are just a few of the minerals mined around the country. It was gold, of course, that first brought the conquistadors to this part of the world, but the single most precious natural resource in Mexico today is petroleum.

Population

According to statistics provided by the CIA, the population of Mexico is currently estimated at 108,700,891. The country's human geographical distribution is mainly people of Amerindian-Spanish descent (60%), followed by people who are of Amerindian or mainly Amerindian descent (30%). The rest of the population is about 9% Caucasian and 1% of other races. The dominant language is Spanish, while in some villages Mayan and other indigenous languages are spoken. Over 76% of the Mexican people identify as Roman Catholic.

The people and the land of Mexico are both diverse and enduring, combining to make the rich, cultural tapestry that is the geography, both physical and human, of the Mexican nation.