2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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-Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Age structure

0-14 years: 32.3% (male 17,298,964; female 16,617,728) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 32,217,513; female 33,932,603) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 2,145,252; female 2,695,931) (2003 est.)

Area

land

1,923,040 sq km

total

1,972,550 sq km

water

49,510 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Background

The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. 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 Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000 as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections. Geography Mexico

Birth rate

21.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Capital

Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Climate

varies from tropical to desert

Coastline

9,330 km

Constitution

5 February 1917

Country name

conventional long form

United Mexican States

conventional short form

Mexico

local long form

Estados Unidos Mexicanos

local short form

Mexico

Death rate

4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

lowest point

Laguna Salada -10 m

Environment - current issues

scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural fresh water 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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Executive branch

chief of state

President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

Geographic coordinates

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico People Mexico

Government type

federal republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

150,000 (2001 est.)

Independence

16 September 1810 (from Spain)

Infant mortality rate

female

20.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

26.78 deaths/1,000 live births

total

23.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

total

4,353 km

Land use

arable land

13.2%

other

85.7% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

1.1%

Languages

Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

Legal system

mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.49 years (2003 est.)

male

69.26 years

total population

72.3 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

90.5% (2003 est.) Government Mexico

male

94%

total population

92.2%

Location

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Map references

North America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

continental shelf

200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

24.6 years (2002)

male

22.9 years

total

23.8 years

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Nationality

adjective

Mexican

noun

Mexican(s)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Net migration rate

-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

104,907,991 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.43% (2003 est.)

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Terrain

high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Total fertility rate

2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Airports

1,823 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 82

total

231

under 914 m

27 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 83

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 454 1,524 to 2,437 m: 69

total

1,592

under 914 m

1,067 (2002)

Budget

expenditures

$140 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

revenues

$136 billion

Currency

Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code

MXN

Debt - external

$150 billion (2000 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA

embassy

Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal

mailing address

P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900

telephone

[52] (55) 5080-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Juan Jose BREMER Martino

Disputes - international

prolonged regional drought in the border region with the US has strained water-sharing arrangements

Distribution of family income - Gini index

53.1 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.166 billion (1995)

Economy - overview

Mexico has a free market economy with 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, natural gas distribution, and airports. Income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, recovering to only a plus 1% in 2002, with the US slowdown the principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Area in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. Foreign direct investment reached $25 billion in 2001, of which $12.5 billion came from the purchase of Mexico's second-largest bank, Banamex, by Citigroup.

Electricity - consumption

186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

77 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

78.7%

hydro

14.2%

nuclear

4.2%

other

2.9% (2001)

Exchange rates

Mexican pesos per US dollar - 9.66 (2002), 9.34 (2001), 9.46 (2000), 9.56 (1999), 9.14 (1998)

Exports

$158.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners

US 82.7%, Canada 5.4%, Japan 1.1% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 728-1698

[52] (55) 5080-2005, 5080-2834

chancery

1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006

consulate(s)

Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)

consulate(s)

Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s) general

Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana

telephone

[1] (202) 728-1600

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Mexico

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band Economy Mexico

GDP

purchasing power parity - $924.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5%

industry

26%

services

69% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.7% (2002 est.)

Heliports

2 (2002) Military Mexico

Highways

paved

108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)

total

329,532 km

unpaved

221,445 km (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

41.1% (2001)

lowest 10%

1.6%

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America; major drug syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; growing producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$168.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners

US 70.6%, Germany 3.5%, Japan 2.7% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

4.9% (2002 est.)

Industries

food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.4% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.mx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

51 (2000)

Internet users

3.5 million (2002) Transportation Mexico

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Labor force

39.8 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 20%, industry 24%, services 56% (1998)

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 15, PVEM 5, PT 1, CD 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 224, PAN 153, PRD 95, other 28

elections

Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)

Merchant marine

convenience

Canada 2, Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 3

total

47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 636,271 GRT/933,686 DWT

Military branches

National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) (including Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$4 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (FY99) Transnational Issues Mexico

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

27,751,539 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

20,123,970 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

note

starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for military service (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

1,093,752 (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

969.2 billion cu m (37257)

Oil - consumption

1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

25.03 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Political parties and leaders

Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro]; Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria SAURI Riancho]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA Medina]; Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAS Santana]; Social Alliance Party or PAS [Guillermo CALDERON Dominguez]; Workers Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC; Roman Catholic Church

Population below poverty line

40% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Radio broadcast stations

AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16 (2000)

Radios

31 million (1997)

Railways

standard gauge

19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

total

19,510 km

Telephone system

domestic

adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service

general assessment

low telephone density with about 12 main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development

international

satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Telephones - main lines in use

12.332 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.02 million (1998)

Television broadcast stations

236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

25.6 million (1997)

Unemployment rate

urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2002)

Waterways

2,900 km

note

navigable rivers and coastal canals