6.3 Mexico Today
Government
 Mexico
has a democratic
government.
 The same political party had
controlled Mexico for 71 years
until 2000 when Vincente Fox
was elected president.
 For many years the government
controlled much of the country’s
economic activity – today
however, it has less control.
Economy
 Mexico

is a developing country.
It has struggled with debts to foreign
banks, unemployment, and inflation (a
rise in prices that occurs when
currency loses its buying power).
 Mexico’s
economy is growing thanks to
the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) which has made
trade among Mexico, the United States,
and Canada easier.
 Mexico’s agricultural and industrial
exports have increased since NAFTA
went into effect.
Agriculture
 Agriculture
is a key part of Mexico’s
economy.
 Many farmers in Mexico practice slashand-burn agriculture (the practice of
burning forest in order to clear land for
planting)
 Slash-and-burn agriculture can be a
problem because inhaling the smoke
can harm people’s health.
 Many
farmers in Mexico grow cash
crops (crops that farmers grow to mainly
sell for profit).
 Trucks bring cash crops like fruits and
vegetables from Mexico to the United
States.
Industry
 Oil

is an important export for Mexico.
Many Mexicans work in the oil, mining,
and manufacturing industries.
 The
fastest-growing industrial centers in
Mexico lie along the U.S. border.
 Because they can pay Mexican workers
less money, many U.S. and foreign
companies have built factories in Mexico
 Many Mexican workers also come to the
United States to look for jobs that pay
more than they can make at home.
Tourism
 Tourism


also helps Mexico’s economy.
Many tourists visit old colonial cities
and Maya and Aztec monuments.
Coastal cities and resorts such as
Cancun and Acapulco are also
popular vacation spots.
Mexico’s Culture Regions
 Although
all Mexicans share some
cultural characteristics, we can divide
Mexico into four regions based on
regional differences.
 These 4 regions differ from each other
in their population, resources, climate
and other features.
Greater Mexico City
the capital – Mexico City – and
about 50 smaller cities near it.
 Mexico City has 19 million people and
is the world’s second –largest city.
 Includes
 This
region is very polluted because of all
of the factories and cars.
 Because of this there is a great deal of
smog (a mixture of smoke, chemicals,
and fog) in this region.
 Smog can cause health problems like
eye irritation and breathing difficulties.
 Wealth
and poverty exist side by side in
Mexico City.
 The city has large urban slums.
Central Mexico
 North

of greater Mexico City.
Cities were established as mining or
ranching centers during the colonial
period.
 There
are many fertile valleys here and
small family farms.
 Farmers grow vegetables, corn, and
wheat for sale, mostly to cities in
Mexico.
Northern Mexico
 One
of the richest and modern areas in
Mexico.
 Trade with the U.S. has helped this to
happen.
 Monterrey and Tijuana are major cities
there.

There are many maquiladoras (U.S. and
foreign-owned factories) that have been
built along Mexico’s long border with the
United States.
 This
area is also very influenced by U.S.
culture.
 American television, music, and other
forms of entertainment are popular
there.
Southern Mexico
 This
is the least populated and
industrialized region of the country.
 Many people in this region speak Indian
languages and practice traditional ways
of life.
 Subsistence farming and slash-and-burn
agriculture are common.
and coffee – two major export
crops – are grown in this region making
this region very important.
 Oil is also found along the Gulf Coast
helps this region’s economy.
 Sugarcane
 The
Yucatan Peninsula is in this region
and it has become a major tourist
destination.
 People wish to see the Maya ruins,
beautiful beaches, and clear blue water.