Mexico
Things you didn't know about Mexico
Mexico
officially the United Mexican States
, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered
to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific
Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and
to the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico covers 1,972,550 square
kilometers (761,610 sq mi),making it the world's 13th-largest country by
area; with approximately 126,014,024 inhabitants, it is the
10th-most-populous country and has the most Spanish-speakers.
Mexico is organized as a federation comprising 31 states and Mexico
City, its capital and largest metropolis.
MÄ“xihco is the Nahuatl term for the heartland of the Aztec Empire,
namely the Valley of Mexico and surrounding territories, with its people
being known as the Mexica.
Pre-Columbian Mexico traces its origins to 8,000 BC and is identified as
one of six cradles of civilization;it was home to many advanced
Mesoamerican civilizations, most notably the Maya and the Aztecs. In
1521, the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the region from its
base in Mexico City, establishing the colony of New Spain. The Catholic
Church played an important role in spreading Christianity and the
Spanish language, while also preserving some indigenous cultures. Native
populations were heavily exploited to mine rich deposits of precious
metals, which contributed to Spain's status as a major world power for
the next three centuries. Over time, a distinct Mexican identity formed,
based on a fusion of indigenous and European customs; this contributed
to the successful Mexican War of Independence against Spain in 1821.
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Coded by Claudia Juárez