Mexico – interesting information and facts to know

Mexico is the smallest country in North America – At just under 2 million km2, it is around one-fifth the size of the United States or Canada. We travelled through Mexico with a car and even lived there for almost a year near Puerto Vallarta where we had our third baby.

So it is safe to say that Mexico has a special place in our hearts. While traveling through and living there – we learned a lot about this amazing country as we experienced it quite a bit. We definitely have many insights on Mexico but first – let’s get into some useful information. Some of it is really fascinating.

• Mexico is twice as crowded as the United States, and 16.5 times more crowded than Canada.  
• There is no stated official language. Mexican Spanish includes the variety of dialects and sociolects of the language spoken in Mexico. The Mexican government recognizes sixty-eight (68) linguistic groups and 364 varieties of indigenous languages
• Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world by population, and second largest by size (after Argentina). 
• Mexico’s official name is Estados Únidos Mexicanos (or “United Mexican States”). 
• Mexico consists of 31 states plus the capital district- Mexico City.  

• Mexico used to be much larger and included areas of modern-day Guatemala, Nicaragua, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras as well as parts of the US states of Texas, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and California. 
• With a current population of 130.7 million, Mexico is the 10^th most populous country in the world.  
• Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, has a population of approximately 22 million (metropolitan area), making it the 5^th largest city in the world by population.  
• Almost half of Mexicans are under the age of 20. 
• The Mexican flag is green, white, and red, representing hope, purity, and the blood of national heroes. A mythical eagle at the center represents Aztec heritage. 
• 90% of Mexico’s trade is governed by free trade agreements. The most notable one is United States- Mexico- Canada- Agreement, which replaced NAFTA in 2018. It has more free trade and investment agreements than any other country. 
• Mexico has the 15^th largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $1.466 trillion. 
• Wealth inequality is a major issue in Mexico. The richest 10% of the country earn 42.2% of the country’s income.
• Mexican Carlos Slim Helu is the richest man in Latin America. His net worth is equivalent to 6% of Mexico’s GDP- his net worth is $92.5 billion. 
• The Mexican peso is the most traded currency in Latin America, and third most traded in the Americas after the US and Canadian dollar. 
• Mexico shares a 3,152 km (1959 mile) border with the United States. It also has borders with Guatemala and Belize.
• Mexican presidents are elected for one 6-year term only, and there is no vice president.
• 80% of Mexico’s exports go to the United States. These include machinery and transport equipment, steel, electrical equipment, chemicals, food products, coffee, petroleum, and petroleum products.
• There are 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 67 National Parks in Mexico.
• Mexican workers are ranked as the hardest working in the world based on number of working hours per year. 
• The national sport of Mexico is charrería, a type of rodeo, but football (soccer) is the most popular sport- as we had a chance to live there for almost a year – I can attest to that – they play football everywhere and every day.  
• Over 30% of Mexicans lives on less than $5 per day. 

• Things invented in Mexico include color television, toilet floats, and oral contraceptives (the birth control pill).  
• Mexico has the world’s largest underwater cave system. It’s total length is 346 km (215 miles). 
• The Yucatán Peninsula is known for its cenotes, huge sinkholes caused by collapsed limestone that exposes groundwater. The Maya used them as a source of water and for sacrificial offerings.
• Mexico is the world’s largest silver producer. It is also home to the largest silver mine by reserve size in the world, Penasquito in the state of Zacatecas. 
• The largest pyramid in the world by volume is in Mexico. It is the called Tlachihualtepetl, or “the Great Pyramid.” It is located at Cholula in Puebla state, 100 km (62 miles) southeast of Mexico City.
• The ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itzá in Yucatán state were chosen as one of the New 7 Wonders of the world in 2007. Its main pyramid has 365 steps, one for each day of the year.  
• Mexico has over 70 active volcanoes. One of the most active, Popocatépetl, has had 15 major eruptions since the arrival of the Spanish in 1519. It is the second tallest mountain in Mexico and only 70 km (43 mi) from Mexico City. Its name means “Smoking Mountain.” 
• Mexico is home to over 10% of the world’s biodiversity, including 957 different types of reptile, second only to Australia.  
• Endangered animals in Mexico include the jaguar, volcano rabbit, Mexican axolotl, Baird’s Tapir, and ocelot.  
• The peyote cactus is native to Mexico and is the source of the psychedelic drug mescaline. It has a long history of ritualistic use and is still used today. 
• The San Diego- Tijuana border crossing is the fourth busiest land border crossings in the world.
• Mexico has 1714 airports. Only the United States and Brazil have more airports than Mexico.   
• Monarch butterflies migrate over 3000 miles every year to and from Central Mexico. It is the furthest migration of any insect.  
• Los Cabos is called the Marlin Capital of the World because it has so many of this massive swordfish. 
• Mexico has its own space agency, called Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEM) but it has never sent any spacecraft up into space. Rather, it focuses on study programs, research, and providing Internet access to the whole country. 
• Unlike its northern neighbor, Mexico has some of the strictest gun laws in the world. There is only one gun store in the country, in Mexico City, and it takes months of paperwork to even try to get a gun legally. 
• The Rio Grande, one of the longest rivers in North America, starts in the US, flows along the US-Mexico border, then through Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico. Only 20% of its water reaches the Gulf because most of it used to irrigate farmlands and hydrate cities. 
• Copper Canyon in northwestern Mexico is the largest canyon system in the world. It stretches more than 20,000 mi² (51,800 km²) and is four times larger than the Grand Canyon. 
• High School is not mandatory in Mexico.  
• The National Autonomous University of Mexico is the largest university in Latin America and has one of the largest universities in the world. Its predecessor, the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico was the first university in North America (1551).  
• Ancient Mexico produced five major civilizations: the Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec, and Aztec. 
• The Olmec carved colossal stone heads weighing 6–50 tons. 17 have been found.  
• Although they weren’t the first to come up with the concept, the Mayans invented the concept of zero independently of the Old World and used it as a placeholder in calendars. 
• Ancient Mexicans, especially the Maya, practiced bloodletting as an offering to the gods. They usually cut their tongues to procure the blood.  
• Ancient Mexicans played a ballgame with a rubber ball that would be hit with the hips or other parts of the body. In some cases, the losing team was sacrificed.  
• At its peak in the first millennium, the city of Teotihuacan near modern-day Mexico City had 200,000 inhabitants and some of the largest pyramids in the world.  
• Farmers in the Valley of Mexico invented a type of agricultural plot called a chinampa, or floating gardens. These can still be seen today in Xochimilco, one of the 16 boroughs of Mexico City.
• The first Europeans to arrive in Mexico were the survivors of a Spanish shipwreck in 1511.
• The Spanish ruled Mexico, or “New Spain”, for 300 years. From Mexico City, they expanded their colony to the north and south into Central America.  
• After the Mexican-American war, Mexico was forced to sell its northern territories to the US for $15 million.  
• Bennito Juárez was the first indigenous president of Mexico. He served from 1858 to 1872 and has been called the “Savior of Mexico.”  
• Cinco de Mayo (May 5) celebrates Mexico’s 1862 victory in the Franco-Mexican War. Contrary to what many falsely believe, it is not Mexico’s Independence Day, which is on September 16. 
• The Mexican Revolution (1910 to 1920) erupted in response to growing poverty and concentration of landholding among a small wealthy elite. Revolutionary leaders like Emiliano Zapata, Pancho Villa and Pascual Orozco remain iconic figures in Mexico today. The Mexican Constitution was signed in 1917 and remains in effect today. 
• In 1913, Mexico had three different presidents in a span of one hour. 
• The Summer Olympics were held in Mexico City in 1968. 
• The 1959 Mexico hurricane was the deadliest Pacific hurricane in history. 1800 people died. 
• In 1985, a huge earthquake destroyed much of Mexico City, killing as many as 30,000. Another major earthquake in 2017 killed 370.
• From 2006 until today, Mexico has waged a largely unsuccessful war on drug mafias, and tens of thousands of Mexicans have died as a result.

FACTS ABOUT MEXICAN PEOPLE AND CULTURE

• Mexico is one of the cradles of civilization, notably the Maya and Aztec civilizations. Its culture today combines elements from numerous indigenous and European (especially Spanish) cultures.
• 21% of Mexicans are indigenous, including Nahuas, Otomis, Mayas, Zapotecs, Tzeltales and Tzotziles. More than half the population are mestizos, or mixed indigenous-European.  
• Mexico does not have an official religion, but over 80% of Mexicans identify as Catholic.  
• The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe honors the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico. It is the most important religious holiday in Mexico, along with Semana Santa, or Holy Week.  
• Christmas celebrations last from December 12 to January 6 in Mexico. The main event in on December 24, including a midnight feast and opening of presents. On December 25, most people just relax and recover from the festivities the day before.  
• Priests and nuns could not vote in Mexico until 1991. 
• The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, takes place on November 1 and 2 and honors the dead. Rather than being a solemn affair, it is joyful and even humorous.  
• On the Day of the Dead, Mexicans make ofrendas, or altars containing the favorite foods, drinks, and other photos or memorabilia of the deceased to welcome the souls to visit. 
• People also make pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and calaveras (sugar skulls), dress in skeleton costumes, and write calaveras literarias, or skull poems.  
• Mexico has a thriving film industry. It’s Golden Era was from 1930 – 1969, but many films are still made there today. The Guadalajara International Film Festival is the most prestigious film festival in Latin America. 
• Mexicans are known for their laughter and sense of humor.

• Mexico is famous for its mural artwork. From the 1920s to 1970s, many murals with social or political themes became famous. The Big 3 muralists were Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. 
• Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is one of the Mexico’s most recognized artists today, but her work was relatively unknown until the 1970s. She is known for her signature unibrow. She was twice married to Diego Rivera. 
• Mariachi is the most well-known type of music that originated in Mexico.  
• The sombrero is a traditional, wide-brimmed hat and cultural symbol of Mexico. The styles of sombrero vary by region, including the huge charro worn by mariachi players.  
• The most famous lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) fighter of all time, El Santo, did not reveal his face until just before his death. After his death, his son assumed his persona and mask under the name El Hijo del Santo. 
• Turning 15 is a big deal for girls in Mexico and celebrated with a huge party called quinceañera. It is considered a rite of passage to adulthood, and girls often receive large gifts or even trips abroad.  
• In Mexican weddings, the groom usually presents 13 gold coins, or Arras Matrimoniales, to the bride. 
• The piñata, a papier-mâché filled with candies or toys and hit with sticks by children at parties, has a long history in Mexico, although it may have been of Chinese origin. 
• Octavio Paz was the first and only Mexican to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. His poetry, essays, and novels often focused on Mexican identity.  
• Mexican singer Thalía is considered the “Queen of Latin American Pop”. She has sold more than 25 million records worldwide.  
• Other celebrities from Mexico include actress Salma Hayek, boxer Oscar de la Hoya, and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.  
• Famous modern movies set in Mexico include Three Amigos, From Dusk Till Dawn, Y Tu Mamá También, Frida, and the Disney animated film Coco. 

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT FOOD AND DRINKS

• Maize (corn) was first domesticated in Mexico as early as 9000 years ago. Corn remains a staple in Mexico, and there are 59 indigenous varieties it. 
• Mexico also gave cacao (chocolate), tomatoes, peanuts, avocados, corn, vanilla, pumpkin, popcorn, chia seeds, and chili peppers to the world. 
• Chewing gum also originated in Mexico. 
• The Olmecs drank chocolate during rituals or as medicine. The Aztecs used it to make xocolatl or “bitter water”, a thick drink with chilis, water, and cornmeal.  
• The Spanish introduced rice, olive oil, garlic, various meats & dairy products, sugar, and many spices to Mexico. Before that, Mexicans got most of their protein from beans. 
• As of 2010, Mexican cuisine is considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations. 
• Mole, or sauce, is a common component of Mexican cuisine. Traditional moles originated in Puebla or Oaxaca, but today there are numerous kinds. They can contain chili peppers, fruits, nuts, cocao, and various spices. The classic version is mole poblano.  
• There are more than 100,000 tortilla-making establishments in Mexico. Tortillas can be made of corn or wheat. The corn ones go back at least 2500 years.  
• Mexicans drink more pop (soda) than any other country in the world, narrowly beating the US. The average person in Mexico consumes 150 liters of Coca-Cola and other sweet carbonated drinks per capita per year. 
• In most of Mexico, especially rural areas, food is mainly consumed at home. 
• Many Mexican foods known abroad, such as tacos, quesadillas, and tamales, are common street foods in Mexico.  
• Some candies in Mexico are spicy. Called dulces echilados, they are covered with chamoy sauce and tajin. 
• The Caesar salad was invented in Mexico, by an Italian immigrant at the Hotel Caesar in Tijuana. 
• Tabasco sauce is named after tabasco peppers, not the state of Tabasco in Mexico. The brand’s origins are entirely American, and the peppers first used to make it were grown on Avery Island in the US. 
• The world “barbecue” originates from barbacoa, a form of slow cooking meat (often lamb) over an open fire wrapped in Maguey leaves, or in a hole in the ground covered in agave leaves, that originated among the Mayans and is now common the Mexico City and the central highlands.
• While Corona is the most common Mexican beer found abroad, in Mexico you are more likely to encounter local favorites like Bohemia, Sol, Modelo, Pacifico, and Dos Equis.  
• Mexicans often add salt, lime, chilis, tomato juice and other ingredients to beer. The drink is then called a michelada.  
• Tequila is the national spirit of Mexico. It is a type of mezcal, referring to any liquor made from agave. Tequila is only made from blue agave. Only mezcal ever has the “worm” in it, which is actually the larva of a moth typically found on the agave plant. 
• The origins of the margarita are widely disputed, with multiple claims of invention. The drink is most likely an adaptation of the daisy (margarita is Spanish for “daisy”), replacing brandy with tequila.  
• To say “cheers” in Mexico, say “¡Salud!” 

Hope this information and interesting facts are of use for you! We certainly had our minds blown with all the information we have learned about this stunning country. Kids talk about Mexico to this day.