Mexico Travel Resource

Geography

Mexico is the world's eighth largest nation, covering nearly 770 000 square miles (2 million square km). It is divided politically into 31 States and 1 federal district. Mexican schoolchildren refer to the Mexican map as a "cornucopia" because of its shape, wide at the top at its border with the U.S. (1947 miles long), then narrowing and curving to the East, with its narrowest point at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, where the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean are separated by only 125 miles of land. The land then widens out again, forming the Yucatan Peninsula. Mexico is bordered by Guatemala and Belize to the South East.

Climate and Weather

On the high central plateau, in cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara, the weather is mild throughout the year, though a little cooler from December through to March. The wettest months on the plateau are the summer months, where there will typically be an hour of two of rain per day. Inland, northern Mexico is mostly desert, hot in the day, and cold in the night. In southern Mexico, the mountainous regions blow hot and cold with pleasant climates lower down. Baja California, Mexico's pacific peninsula gets very little rain throughout the year. Winters are comfortable, and summers are very hot, though resorts like Cabo San Lucas benefit from a sea breeze. The country's central pacific coast, home to resorts such as Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco is hot, sunny and humid almost throughout the year, but the coast and comfortable climate, but in the late summer months, heavy rains come with the hurricanes. The beach resorts of the Yucatán Peninsula, including Cancún, enjoy similar summers to Acapulco, but suffer even more from.

Population

According to the latest official census, which reported a population of 103 million, Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. The people of Mexico are mostly mestizos, a mixture of indigenous Amerindian and Spanish heritage. There are small numbers of persons of other European heritages, and small numbers of blacks are found in Veracruz and Acapulco. At last estimates, 60% of the population was mestizo, 30% pure Amerindian, 9% pure white, and 1% other. Amerindian influence on Mexican cultural, economic, and political life is very strong.

Transportation

As the third most extensive and the second most populated country in Latin America, Mexico has developed an extensive transportation network. The roadway network in Mexico is extensive and all areas in the country are covered by it. The roadway network in Mexico has an extension of 332,031 km. of which 116,802 are paved, making it the largest paved-roadway network in Latin America. The railway network has an extension of 26,662 km. Most of the railroad system in Mexico is used for merchandise transportation and freight; passenger transportation across the country is limited. Some small sections are assigned to the government of the states and are used for passenger transportation. Mexico has an extensive network of modern airports all throughout the territory; flying domestically is considered efficient and safe. Airport infrastructure in Mexico is the most advanced in Latin America: all the cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants have an airport. Mexico has 76 seaports and 9 riverports.

Top Attractions

1. Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve.
2. El Zócalo.
3. Templo Mayor.
4. Palacio de Bellas Artes.
5. Bosque de Chapultepec and the Museo Nacional de Antropología.
6. Teatro Colón.
7. San Ángel.
8. Zona Rosa.
9. Teotihuacán.
10. Chichén Itzá.

Best Travel Time

October to May is the most pleasant time to visit. July and August are also popular holiday months especially for foreign tourists. It is advisable to avoid the May–September period as these months can be hot and humid.

Food and Drink

National specialties:
• Mole refers to several very different sauces, based around garlic and chilli. Mole poblano is a chocolate sauce poured over turkey. Green mole verde is made from fresh herbs. Guacamole is an avocado mole with red peppers, onions and tomatoes.
• Tortillas are corn pancakes often eaten like bread.
• Enchiladas (soft tortillas) and tacos (crispy tortillas) are filled with pork, chicken, vegetables or cheese and chilli.
• Look out for exotic fruits like zapote (brown fruit resembling an avocado), and tuna (juicy prickly pear, fruit of the cactus).

National drinks:
• Tequila is a double or triple-distilled spirit made from the blue variety of agave, which is not a cactus, but a plant related to the lily. Young blanco tequilas can have a rough ‘cowboy edge’ to them. Older añejo varieties are woody and sometimes as smooth as a fine brandy.
• Mezcal is similar to tequila, but is distilled only once and can be made from different varieties of agave. It is not generally used in cocktails like tequila, but consumed in shots. Sip slowly to savour the taste.
• Mexico’s coffee liqueur, kahlúa, is world famous.

Local Products/Shopping

There is no shortage of shopping opportunities in Mexico, from fashionable clothing boutiques to bustling market places selling traditional indigenous crafts. Taxco is renowned for its fine jewelry, and silverware - Oaxaca for its gold. The best woodworkers are in Guadalajara, but furniture from the region is on sale in Mexico City, as are crafts from all other parts of the country. For large items, overseas shipping can be arranged at reasonable rates.
In the markets, good buys include ceramics and pottery - particularly black clay dishes from the Oaxaca region. Woven wool blankets (sarapes), brightly colored scarves in wool or silk (rebozos) and richly embroidered charro hats make great presents.
In Mexico City, head to the artisan’s markets in La Ciudedala and Plaza del Buen Tono for the best bargains. Hammocks, rugs, baskets, carved wood and embossed leather can be found almost everywhere, but are overpriced close to beach resorts. Skip the stalls in Cancún’s Hotel Zone and head downtown instead, to the Ki Huic Open Air Market. For women’s clothing, try on some huipiles (white Mayan dresses embroidered with colorful flowers); for men, look for a guayabera (a fine pleated shirt in cotton voile) or huaraches (traditional sandals).
In Acapulco, the Mercado de Artesanías is a good bet, but haggle. Guadalajara’s sprawling Mercado Libertad is one of the biggest in the country, a bustling metropolis of commerce, selling everything from bananas to monkeys.
Malls are very popular in all the beach resorts, and range from pricey palaces full of designer boutiques, such as Plaza Caracol in Cancún to more modest affairs such as Acapulco’s Marbella Mall. Most have a mixture of local shops and international chain stores.

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