Mexico

Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. 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. 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.
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. Area: Total: 1,972,550 sq km, land: 1,923,040 sq km, water: 49,510 sq km. Area - comparative: Slightly less than three times the size of Texas. Land boundaries: Total: 4,353 km, border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km. Coastline: 9,330 km

Climate and Terrain: Climate: Varies from tropical to desert. Terrain: High, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert. Natural resources: Petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
People: Population: 103,400,165. Ethnic groups: Mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%. Religions: Nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%. Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages.
Government: Government type: Federal republic. Capital: Mexico (Distrito Federal). Independence: 16 September 1810 (from Spain)

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.
Statistics: Telephones - main lines in use: 12.332 million. Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.02 million. Radio broadcast stations: AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16. Radios: 31 million. Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters). Televisions: 25.6 million. Internet users: 3.42 million. Railways: Total: 18,000 km. Highways: Total: 323,977 km, paved: 96,221 km, unpaved: 227,756 km. Airports: 1,852, with paved runways: 235, with unpaved runways: 1617. Heliports: 2.