Geography of Mexico PDF

Two separate mountain ranges The Sierra Madre Occidental runs down the west coast The Sierra Madre Oriental stretches up & down the east Home to the indigenous Tarahumara, known for their running  The Central Mexican Plateau Averages about 6,000 feet above sea lev...

Two separate mountain ranges The Sierra Madre Occidental runs down the west coast The Sierra Madre Oriental stretches up & down the east Home to the indigenous Tarahumara, known for their running  The Central Mexican Plateau Averages about 6,000 feet above sea level Mild temperatures due to elevation Bordered by mountains that block most rainfall Includes the capital Mexico City, along with León, Ecatepec, Guadalajara metro areas  Mexico’s Pacific Coast Hot and arid climate in the north. To the south it is hot and tropical with a rainy season in the summer The Sierra Madre del Sur mountains hug the southern coast Tourists drawn to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, and other resort cities  Tropical climate, hot & humid Mostly limestone bedrock Rainfall erosion leads to sinkholes known as cenotes. Ancient Mayan ruins attract tourists and archaeologists.  The east coast along the Gulf of Mexico Oil and natural gas resources under the plain and Gulf of Mexico. The Tabasco Plain region features fertile farmland.  The Trans-Volcanic Axis features active volcanoes Links the 2 Sierra Madre across Mexico  2 The Olmecs were the 1st major civilization from about 1200 - 200 BCE Mayan Civilization peaked 250 - 900 CE The Aztec Empire flourished 1200s - 1521, centered in Tenochtitlán (modern Mexico City) Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in 1519. Within two years, the Aztec empire was destroyed, and the area became New Spain.  The Spanish created classes in society: the peninsulares, creoles, mestizos, etc In 1819, Father Miguel Hidalgo called for independence with his “grito de Dolores” Independence was won in 1821 Cinco de Mayo celebrates a victory over France in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla The Revolution of 1910-1920 resulted in the Constitution of Mexico  Today, Mexico is an upper middle-income nation Tourism and financial services dominate the economy The state-owned oil company Pemex is crucial to the economy  In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) created a trading bloc Manufacturing in Mexico increased and unemployment declined Maquiladoras factories assemble products for export to the United States In 2020, the USMCA replaced NAFTA