Basic geography information for Mexico

1. Mexico Our Neighbor to the South

2. Geography The country of Mexico is divided into 31 states.

3. Geography Mexico is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is bordered by the United States to the north and Central America to the south.

4. Geography Mexican states that border the United States: Baja California Sonora Chihuahua Coahuila Nuevo Leon Tamaulipas Can you locate these Mexican states on a map?

5. Mexico Mexico is a country characterized by peninsulas, deserts, plateaus, and mountain ranges. Due to Mexico’s proximity to the equator, its climate is mostly hot. Look here for more information about Mexico’s beautiful landscape ! http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/mexico/

6. Landforms of Mexico Can you locate these features on the map ? Mexican Plateau Sierra Madre Oriental Sierra Madre Occidental Baja California Yucatan Peninsula

7. Water Features of Mexico Can you locate these water features on the map ? Gulf of Mexico Gulf of California Pacific Ocean Rio Grande Caribbean Sea

8. Natural Resources in Mexico Scenic beaches !!! Cancun and Acapulco Also : Petroleum, oil Natural gas Minerals (silver, gold, copper, lead, zinc)

9. Economic Activities Tourism Mining Farming Service industry Factories Trade Mexico is a member of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) – a trade alliance between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

10. Cultural Characteristics Mexico’s culture reflects its indigenous Indian civilizations, Spanish colonization, and struggle for independence. Many indigenous peoples were enslaved or killed during the Spanish conquest. Early Settlement by native peoples(Olmec, Maya, Aztec) Most people in Mexico speak Spanish Spanish invasion and colonization (1519- 1821) Mexico City is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Early Aztec Sun Calendar

11. History of Mexico Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, was built on an island in Lake Texcoco in 1325. Today this city is known as Mexico City .

12. Chichen Itza These Mayan ruins, located on the Yucatan Peninsula, include incredible Mayan pyramids. History of Mexico

13. Teotihuacan Teotihuacan is a large archaeological site located about 25 miles (40 km) north of Mexico City. It is famous for its large pyramids dedicated to the sun and the moon, but the site also contains beautiful murals and carvings and several museums through which you can explore the city's fascinating history.

14. Historic Timeline of Mexico Check out this historic timeline of Mexico ! http://www.pbs.org/kpbs/theborder/history/interactive-timeline.html

15. Let’s Review ! Check out these activities to review what we have learned about Mexico ! http://www.exploreandmore.org/world/default.htm Click on “Kids,” click on Mexico on the map, and enjoy !