MEXICO

1
MEXICO

• NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS

2
LANDFORMS

• Mexico is three times the size of Texas
• Country is mostly central Plateau
• Plateau surrounded by three mountain ranges
• Sierra Madre Oriental in east
• Sierra Madre Occidental in west
• Sierra Madre del Sur along southern Pacific coast
• At south end of Plateau is Valley of Mexico where
  Mexico city is located
• City is about 7500 feet above sea level
• Area tectonically active resulting in earthquakes
  and volcanoes

3
LANDFORMS, cont.

• Southern Mexico
• small mountain ranges, narrow valleys and
  volcanoes
• difficult travel overland
• Isthmus narrow strip of land connecting two
  larger pieces of land
• Southern Mexico becomes Isthmus connecting
  North and South America
• Yucatan Peninsula is flattest region with few
  rivers because of waters desire to run through
  limestone instead of across it

4
NATURAL RESOURCES

• Few rivers in Mexico
• Mineral resources
• Silver, gold, iron, mercury and lead
• Petroleum
• Most valuable natural resource
• Along Gulf of Mexico have large fields of natural
  gas and oil
• Most oil exported to US

5
MEXICO

• POLITICAL AND ETHNIC CONFLICT

6
GREATER MEXICO CITY

• Cultural, economic and political center of Mexico
• ¼ of Mexicos population in this area
• Bulk of GDP in this area
• Very wealth and very poor, very few middle class
  people
• Huge air pollution problem because city is
  surrounded by mountains that trap pollution

7
CENTRAL MEXICO

• Northwest of Mexico City
• Early Spanish settlements located here
• Agricultural center of Mexico
• Have small family farms and emerging agribusiness
• Produce cash crops like fruits and vegetables
  that they sell to the US

8
GULF LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN MEXICO

• Hot humid climate has limited settlement
• Today many forests have been cleared for farming
  and settlement is increasing
• Have oil and natural gas deposits
• Yucatan Peninsula in this area and is Mexicos
  poorest region
• Villages are small and maintain the greatest
  amount of traditional Mexican culture
• Increasing in tourist popularity

9
NORTHERN MEXICO

• Large, dry region
• Has become very developed due to increased
  industrialization and improved infrastructure
• Impact of US on region and this region on US is
  huge

10
FUTURE CHALLENGES

• Politics becoming more democratic
• NAFTA has increased economic growth but economic
  inequality still major concern
• Huge poverty problem
• Migration to the US is huge problem
• Need to reduce crime
• Country needs improved infrastructure to compete
  with neighboring US

11
Central America and Caribbean

• Costa Rica and ecotourism
• Nicaragua and Guatamala in periods of long
  violence and civil war
• Poverty
• Panama canal back in Panamas hands
• Caricom and economic development

12
South America Problems

• Indigenous peoples from ancient empires of Inca,
  Aztec and Maya
• Brazil looking for more international influence
• Hugo Chavez in Venezuela
• Political instability
• Bolivia has two capitals
• Bolivia landlocked/Uruguay is buffer state