Page last updated on January 31, 2014
The site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations - including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec - Mexico was conquered and colonized by Spain in the early 16th century. Administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries, it achieved its independence early in the 19th century. The global financial crisis beginning in late 2008 caused a massive economic downturn the following year, although growth returned quickly in 2010. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON, but the PRI regained the presidency in 2012. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful drug-trafficking organizations have engaged in bloody feuding, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides.
North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States
total: 1,964,375 sq km
country comparison to the world: 14
land: 1,943,945 sq km
water: 20,430 sq km
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
total: 4,353 km
border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
varies from tropical to desert
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m
petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
arable land: 12.98%
permanent crops: 1.36%
other: 85.66% (2011)
total: 80.4 cu km/yr (14%/9%/77%)
per capita: 700.4 cu m/yr (2009)
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts
volcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (elev. 3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (elev. 5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican
mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%
Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8%
note: indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005)
Roman Catholic 82.7%, Protestant 1.6%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.4%, other Evangelical Churches 5%, other 1.9%, none 4.7%, unspecified 2.7% (2000 census)
118,818,228 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
0-14 years: 27.4% (male 16,268,424/female 15,587,324)
15-24 years: 18.1% (male 10,566,890/female 10,421,798)
25-54 years: 40.7% (male 22,647,828/female 24,677,965)
55-64 years: 6.9% (male 3,703,316/female 4,337,956)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 3,574,207/female 4,435,239) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 53.6 %
youth dependency ratio: 43.7 %
elderly dependency ratio: 9.8 %
potential support ratio: 10.2 (2013)
total: 27.7 years
male: 26.6 years
female: 28.8 years (2013 est.)
1.07% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
18.61 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
-2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
urban population: 78% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
note: Mexico City is the second-largest urban agglomeration in the Western Hemisphere, after Sao Paulo (Brazil), but before New York-Newark (US)
MEXICO CITY (capital) 19.319 million; Guadalajara 4.338 million; Monterrey 3.838 million; Puebla 2.278 million; Tijuana 1.629 million (2009)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
21.3
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2006 est.)
50 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 109
total: 16.26 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 103
male: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 76.86 years
country comparison to the world: 72
male: 74.03 years
female: 79.83 years (2013 est.)
2.25 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
6.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 97
1.96 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)
0.3% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
220,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne disease: dengue fever (2013)
32.1% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 23
3.4% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 103
5.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 63
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.5%
male: 94.8%
female: 92.3% (2011 est.)
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2011)
total number: 1,105,617
percentage: 5 % (2009 est.)
total: 9.4%
country comparison to the world: 113
male: 9.1%
female: 9.9% (2012)
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
local short form: Mexico
name: Mexico City (Distrito Federal)
geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October
note: Mexico is divided into three time zones
31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (Veracruz), Yucatan, Zacatecas
16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917; amended many times, last in 2012 (2012)
civil law system with US constitutional law theory influence; judicial review of legislative acts
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
chief of state: President Enrique PENA NIETO (since 1 December 2012); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Enrique PENA NIETO (since 1 December 2012)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general, the head of the Bank of Mexico, and senior treasury officials require consent of the Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held July 2018)
election results: Enrique PENA NIETO elected president; percent of vote - Enrique PENA NIETO (PRI) 38.21%, Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR (PRD) 31.59%, Josefina Eugenia VAZQUEZ Mota (PAN) 25.41%, other 4.79%
bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 seats allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are elected by popular vote; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote; members to serve three-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 1 July 2012 for all of the seats (next to be held on 1 July 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held on 5 July 2015)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 52, PAN 38, PRD 22, PVEM 9, PT 4, Movimiento Ciudadano 2, PANAL 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 208, PAN 114, PRD 100, PVEM 33, PT 19, Movimiento Ciudadano 16, PANAL 10
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (consists of 21 ministers or judges and 5 supernumerary judges)
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and approved by the Senate; judges serve for life
subordinate courts: federal level includes Electoral Tribunal, circuit, collegiate, and unitary courts; state level and district level courts
Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) [Luis WALTON Aburto]
Businessmen's Coordinating Council or CCE
APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CE (observer), CELAC, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-3, G-15, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MEDINA MORA Icaza (since 11 January 2013)
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso (TX), Houston, Laredo (TX), Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Nogales (AZ), Phoenix, Sacramento (CA), San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Saint Paul (MN)
consulate(s): Albuquerque, Anchorage (AK), Boise (ID), Brownsville (TX), Calexico (CA), Del Rio (TX), Detroit, Douglas (AZ), Eagle Pass (TX), Fresno (CA), Indianapolis (IN), Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas (NV), Little Rock (AR), McAllen (TX), Midland (TX), New Orleans, Omaha (NE), Orlando (FL), Oxnard (CA), Philadelphia, Portland (OR), Presidio (TX), Raleigh (NC), Salt Lake City, San Bernardino (CA), Santa Ana (CA), Seattle, Tucson (AZ), Yuma (AZ); note - Washington DC Consular Section located in a separate building from the Mexican Embassy and has jurisdiction over DC, parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia
chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE (since 2 August 2011)
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal
mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000
telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
FAX: [52] (55) 5080-2834
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; Mexico's coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band; green signifies hope, joy, and love; white represents peace and honesty; red stands for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor; the coat of arms is derived from a legend that the wandering Aztec people were to settle at a location where they would see an eagle on a cactus eating a snake; the city they founded, Tenochtitlan, is now Mexico City
note: similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter, uses lighter shades of red and green, and does not have anything in its white band
name: "Himno Nacional Mexicano" (National Anthem of Mexico)
lyrics/music: Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA/Jaime Nuno ROCA
note: adopted 1943, in use since 1854; the anthem is also known as "Mexicanos, al grito de Guerra" (Mexicans, to the War Cry); according to tradition, Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA, an accomplished poet, was uninterested in submitting lyrics to a national anthem contest; his fiancee locked him in a room and refused to release him until the lyrics were completed
Mexico has a free market economy in the trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, Mexico's share of US imports has increased from 7% to 12%, and its share of Canadian imports has doubled to 5.5%. Mexico has free trade agreements with over 50 countries including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan - putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. In 2012 Mexico formally joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and in July it formed the Pacific Alliance with Peru, Colombia and Chile. In 2007, during its first year in office, the Felipe CALDERON administration was able to garner support from the opposition to successfully pass pension and fiscal reforms. The administration passed an energy reform measure in 2008 and another fiscal reform in 2009. Mexico's GDP plunged 6.2% in 2009 as world demand for exports dropped, asset prices tumbled, and remittances and investment declined. GDP posted positive growth of 5.6% in 2010 with exports - particularly to the United States - leading the way. Growth slowed to 3.9% in 2011 and slightly recovered to 4% in 2012. In November 2012, Mexico's legislature passed a comprehensive labor reform which was signed into law by former President Felipe CALDERON. Mexico's new PRI government, led by President Enrique PENA NIETO, has said it will prioritize structural economic reforms and competitiveness. The new president signed the Pact for Mexico, an agreement that lists 95 priority commitments, along with the leaders of the country's three main political parties: the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the National Action Party (PAN) and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).
$1.798 trillion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$1.161 trillion (2012 est.)
3.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
$15,400 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
21.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
household consumption: 68.1%
government consumption: 11.6%
investment in fixed capital: 22.6%
investment in inventories: 0.3%
exports of goods and services: 32.9%
imports of goods and services: -35.5%
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 35.8%
services: 60.7% (2012 est.)
corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
2.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
50.64 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
agriculture: 13.7%
industry: 23.4%
services: 62.9% (2005)
5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
note: underemployment may be as high as 25%
51.3%
note: based on food-based definition of poverty; asset based poverty amounted to more than 47% (2010 est.)
lowest 10%: 1.5%
highest 10%: 41.4% (2008)
48.3 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 25
revenues: $266.9 billion
expenditures: $297.7 billion (2012 est.)
23% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
-2.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
35.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
4.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
4.5% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
4.73% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
$175.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
$738 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$404.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
$408.7 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 22
$-14.18 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
$371.4 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton
$371.2 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts
US 49.9%, China 15.4%, Japan 4.8% (2012)
$167.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
$347.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
$400.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
$133 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar -
257.9 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
212.3 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
1.286 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
603 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
62 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
76.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
2.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
18.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
3.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
2.936 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
1.46 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
10.26 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 18
1.364 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
2.133 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
189,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
607,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
53.96 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
59.15 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
11 million cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
17.24 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
487.7 billion cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 32
462.3 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
20.22 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 14
100.786 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 13
general assessment: adequate telephone service for business and government; improving quality and increasing mobile cellular availability, with mobile subscribers far outnumbering fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
domestic: despite the opening to competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; Fixed-line teledensity is less than 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is about 80 per 100 persons
international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 120 (32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections (2011)
many TV stations and more than 1,400 radio stations with most privately owned; the Televisa group once had a virtual monopoly in TV broadcasting, but new broadcasting groups and foreign satellite and cable operators are now available (2012)
16.233 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 9
31.02 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 12
1,714 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 3
total: 243
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 80
914 to 1,523 m: 86
under 914 m: 33 (2013)
total: 1,471
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 42
914 to 1,523 m: 281
under 914 m:
gas 18,074 km; liquid petroleum 2,102 km; oil 8,775 km; oil/gas/water 369 km; refined products 7,565 km; water 123 km (2013)
total: 17,166 km
country comparison to the world: 16
standard gauge: 17,166 km 1.435-m gauge (22 km electrified) (2008)
total: 377,660 km
country comparison to the world: 18
paved: 137,544 km (includes 7,176 km of expressways)
unpaved: 240,116 km (2012)
2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals mostly connected with ports on the country's east coast) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 34
total: 52
country comparison to the world: 70
by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 3, chemical tanker 11, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 5 (France 1, Greece 2, South Africa 1, UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 12 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Portugal 1, Spain 1, Venezuela 1, unknown 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Salina Cruz, Veracruz
oil terminals: Cayo Arcas terminal, Dos Bocas terminal
Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico (ARM); includes Naval Air Force (FAN), Mexican Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina, Mexmar or CIM)) (2013)
18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation is 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary military service; cadets enrolled in military schools from the age of 15 are considered members of the armed forces (2012)
males age 16-49: 28,815,506
females age 16-49: 30,363,558 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 23,239,866
females age 16-49: 25,642,549 (2010 est.)
male: 1,105,371
female: 1,067,007 (2010 est.)
0.59% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 374
abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States; Belize and Mexico are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty
IDPs: 160,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region; drug cartel violence and government's military response since 2007; violence between and within indigenous groups) (2011)
stateless persons: 7 (2012)
