Story, Dale 8/31/15
Mexican Politics--INTRODUCTION
- Overview: Economics, Demographics, Politics
- Geography
- Area—3rd largest in Latin America; 14th largest in the world
- Map
- Includes high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; rain forests; and deserts.
- Population: size, primate cities, growth
- 1988 = 85 mn. 2011= 113 mn.
- Mexico City (Distrito Federal—D.F.) = 20 mn. Third largest in the world.
- Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara = 25% of total
- Population growth: 3.4% annual in 1960s, 2.0% annual in 1986, 1.1% annual in 2011. Became 50% urban in 1960. 77% urban in 2008.
- Centralization: political, economic, population, cultural
- Informal regions:
- North - close to U.S. border - independent - U.S. influenced. Monterrey closer to San Antonio than Mexico City.
- Center North - torn between North and Center.
- Center - D.F.
- West – Guadalajara
- East - Vera Cruz
- Southeast – Yucatan
- South - rural, poorest
- 2000 mile border with U.S. Southern border with Belize and Guatemala
- Natural resources: minerals: silver, gold, oil
- Ethnicities, language, religion, assimilation
- Religion. Catholic (90%--but practicing?). Secular state
- Poverty in Mexico
- Development goals
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