Population Of Mexico example essay topic

Mexico Mexico is located to the south of the United States. It is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and Belize, and Guatemala to the south. Mexican jurisdiction extends over a number of islands offshore. The total area of the country is 761,604 square miles. Mexico is a Federal Republic, governed under a constitution drafted in 1917.

National executive power is vested in a president, who must be Mexican born, and the child of a native Mexican. The president is popularly elected for a six year term, and may never be re-elected. The president also appoints the cabinet, which is confirmed by congress. Legislative power in Mexico is vested in a bicameral congress. The upper house is a senate with 64 members, popularly elected for six years. Two senators are elected from each state, and from the Federal District.

The lower house is a Chamber of Deputies, made up of 500 members elected to three year terms. Three hundred are elected from single member districts, based on population. The other two hundred are elected according to a system of proportional representation. Senators and Deputies may not serve two consecutive terms.

The Judicial branch of government is headed by the Supreme Court of Justice. It is made up of 21 full-time members that are appointed by the countries president, with the consent of the Senate. The local government is made up of the Chief executive of each state. Serving as a governor that is elected by popular vote for a six year term.

The governor of the Federal District is appointed by the president of Mexico. Legislative power in the states is vested in the Chamber of Deputies, whose members are elected to three year terms, either by election or appointed. Th Mexican population is composed of three main groups. These groups include the people of Spanish descent, Indians, and Mestizos (person of mixed blood, Spanish and American Indian). The Mestizos are the largest of these three groups making up over 60% of the population. The Mexican society is semi-industrialized.

The population of Mexico as of 1990, was about 81,140,922. The estimated population density in 1990, was 107 people per square mile. Of this about 73% of the population lived in urban areas. The prevailing language of Mexico is Spanish, which is also the official language of the country. There are also about thirteen different Indian languages, that are spoken throughout Mexico. Successive governments have instituted educational programs to teach Spanish to all of the Indians, this has helped many.

As of 1990, 27% of Mexicans lived in rural areas. They live in rural areas so they can continue to preach and live the life their ancestors lived. Many people dont want the influence of city life. Primary education is free, and mandatory for all children under the age of fifteen. Parochial schools were legalized in 1991. Secondary schools emphasize vocational and technical training.

Although adult literacy have been a major problem in the past. Campaigns by the government have raised the literacy rate from less than 50% in the early 1990's, to over 92% of persons aged 15, or more years in the late 1980's. Each year in the late 1980's 14.7 million student attended about 82,100 primary schools in Mexico, and approximately 4, 4 million attended 19,100 secondary schools. Also, vocational and teacher training schools numbered in at about 6,500, and they enrolled nearly 2.2 million students yearly. Roman Catholicism is the faith of over 90% of the Mexican population. Mexicos long tradition of official anticlericalism ended in 1991, with the passage of the constitutional changes.

These granted legal status to religious institutions and allowed parochial schools. The Protestant religion is a small minority in Mexico, but they are growing. Most of Mexico is a huge elevated plateau, with hundreds of mountain ranges and amazing coastal plains. The central plateau is the biggest feature of this country. It makes up over half of the area in Mexico. Elevation of this huge plateau, varies from 6000 to 8000 feet above sea level in the south, and 3500 to 4000 feet above sea level in the north.

Amongst all of this lies two huge valleys or depressions called, the B olson de Map imi in the north, and the Valley of Mexico, in central Mexico. The Yucatan Peninsula is a low limestone plateau with no rivers. The limestone dissolves in water and runs off onto the coastal plain. Erosion has formed great pits and were considered sacred by the Maya Indians.

They are very beautiful and attract many tourists. Forests cover about a fifth of the land in Mexico. Many different hardwoods such as, ebony, mahogany, and walnut, are found in these forests and they prove to be very valuable. Also, Sapodilla trees produce a gum like substance that is used in chewing gum.

Mexico also produces a wide variety of flowers and cactus plants. With over thousands of different types of flowers, some include geraniums and poinsettias. Also, in the northern deserts there a hundreds of kinds of cactus plants. Deer and mountain lions are popular in the mountain regions of Mexico. While in the northern deserts coyotes, lizards, and rattlesnakes make their home.

Also alligators, jaguars, and raccoons are found in Mexico. Hundreds of birds also migrate or live in Mexico. These range from flamingos to herons to parrots. Also, the fish and shellfish are plentiful in the coastal waters, lakes, and rivers. Tropical fish, such as swordfish and marlin can be found in the reefs.

While bass, catfish, and trout can be found in lakes. The climate of Mexico varies greatly from region to region. The wide range in altitude greatly effects the weather creating three main temperature zones. The tierra caliente (hot land) includes regions up to 3000 feet. The tierra temp lada (temperate land) which ranges from 3000 to 6000 feet, maintains temperatures between 50 to 80 degrees. The third temperature region is the tierra fri a (cold land) and it ranges from 6000 and above.

Snow caps are always visible in this region. The temperature will usually stay between 59 and 63 degrees. The rainy season in Mexico generally lasts from May to October. In the tropical regions the rain will come as short, heavy, afternoon showers. The lack of rainfall in the desert region, or the north has limited rainfall and must rely on irrigation systems for the crops. Even during the rainy season there is never as much rain as there is needed.

On average the temperate region only gets 25 inches of rain a year. While in some regions they can receive as much as 118 inches per year. Mexican industry is probably the most developed amongst Latin America. Until the late 1980's most of the new factories were in northern Mexico. In the late 1980's the United States invested heavily in building new factories so they could produce cars and other things. Other factories include paper mills, cotton mills, and petroleum refineries.

Other industries include clothing, fertilizer, chemicals, cement, and leather goods. About 26% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture, and most of those work at communal farms. Agricultural production has always been impaired by the lack of rainfall received in Mexico. However irrigation systems have helped out allot, and now Mexico supplies most of its basic needs and exports produce. Livestock in the 1980's included 31.2 million cattle, 16.5 million hogs, 6 million sheep, and 224 million chickens.

Also they produced 41.5 million tons of sugarcane and 11.8 million tons of corn. The mineral resources of Mexico are extremely rich and varied. Almost every known mineral is found in Mexico, including coal, gold, silver, and copper. Mexico is also the largest producer of silver in the world.

There are enormous petroleum and natural gas reserves, with some of the worlds largest deposits, located in the Bay of Campeche. Also, the forest that makes up 26% of the land, produces very valuable wood such as ebony, walnut, and rosewood. In 1994 7.2 million foreign tourists visited Mexico. Then in 1995 20 million tourists visited Mexico and over 80% of those tourists came from the United States.

It is so filed with tourists because it is so beautiful and there is so much to do. These things to do are grouped into five main groups: Mayan World, Beaches and Recreational centers, Pre hispanic cultures, Colonial cities, and Natural Riches Eco Tourism and Adventure. Many airlines offer specials to people flying to Mexico and many cruise lines stop in Mexicos ports. Mexico has a railway system that is nationalized, and includes 16,340 miles of operated railway track. The highway system includes 146,290 miles of road, only of which 45% is paved. The Pan-American highway system extends all the way into the United States, and isnt even completely finished.

Air services have been worked on extensively, and now Mexico has over 1700 airports and landing fields. Mexico exports many goods all across the world, some of which include petroleum, cars, coffee, and the cocoa bean. Mexico also imports cars, machines, and electronic equipment. Some of Mexicos trade partners include, the United States, Japan, Spain, and Germany.

Mexico uses the peso as the form of its currency. The peso was officially devalued by the government in December 1987 as 2767 pesos is equivalent to one United States dollar. The central bank was started in 1925 and is called the Bank of Mexico. It is modeled after the Federal Reserve System in the United States. Mexicos gross national product increased 6.5% steadily during 1965-80, but only. 5% annually from 1980-88.

Weak oil prices and inflation led to a foreign debt of more than 100 billion dollars. However the economic picture looked better at the end of the decade with a GDP of over 176 billion dollars (about 1760 dollars per capita). The annual budget included 107 billion dollars in revenue and 122 billion dollars in expenditure. In 1325 the Aztec, or Mexico, founded a settlement named Tenochtitlan in an area surrounded by marshes in Tex coco. As the settlement grew its military got stronger and increased in size. Under Itzcoatl, the first Aztec emperor, the Aztec extended their influence through the entire Valley of Mexico.

Thus upon this they became a super power by the 15th century. Their civilization was highly developed both intellectually and artistically. As they grew wealthy and more powerful, they built great cities, and became better organized in all things. However the Aztec city eventually fell to the Spanish headed by Herman Cortes in 1519. On September 16, 1810 Miguel Hidalgo y Castillo a priest in a small town of Dolores, raised the standard of revolt for the government to banish Indian serfdom. Although successful at first Hidalgo was captured and shot at Chihuahua, in 1811.

In 1814 another priest tried again only to be defeated. However he did manage to proclaim a republic in Mexico, free of Spain. A year after that he and his army fell to the royalist party. The revolution continued under Vicente Guerrero who headed a small army. The Spanish rebellion in 1812 altered the rebellion in Mexico. To stop all the fighting and rebellion Iturbide met with Guerrero in 1821 and signed an agreement by which the two combined forces to bring out independence.

The last viceroy of New Spain was Juan ODonoju and upon his arrival in Mexico was forced to sign the Treaty of Cordoba, marking the beginning of Mexican independence.