Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Conventional long name	Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Common name	Mexico
Capital	Mexico City
Largest city	Mexico City
Official languages	Spanish language
Government	Federal presidential constitutional republic
Area km2	1964375
Population estimate	126,014,024
Currency	Mexican peso
Calling code	+52
Internet tld	.mx

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Estados Unidos Mexicanos is a federal republic located on the southern portion of North America. It occupies strategic positions bordering the United States to the north and the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean to the east and west, respectively, and includes diverse regions such as the Yucatán Peninsula, Baja California Peninsula, and the Sierra Madre Oriental. The nation has a rich pre-Columbian legacy linked to civilizations like the Aztec Empire and the Maya civilization, experienced colonial rule under the Spanish Empire, and emerged in the 19th century through conflicts including the Mexican War of Independence, the Mexican–American War, and the Reform War.

History

Indigenous polities such as the Olmec and Teotihuacan city-state preceded the rise of the Triple Alliance (Aztec) and the highland and lowland cultures of the Maya civilization and Tarascan state. The arrival of Hernán Cortés and the Spanish colonization of the Americas led to the establishment of the Viceroyalty of New Spain under the Spanish Crown and institutions like the Audiencia of New Spain. The Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821) led by figures including Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José María Morelos, and Agustín de Iturbide produced the First Mexican Empire and later the Centralist Republic of Mexico. The mid-19th century featured the Mexican–American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, while the French intervention in Mexico and the rule of Maximilian I of Mexico challenged sovereignty until Republican restoration by Benito Juárez. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the regime of Porfirio Díaz, the Mexican Revolution with leaders such as Francisco I. Madero, Emiliano Zapata, and Pancho Villa, and the 1917 Constitution of Mexico that shaped modern institutions. 20th-century politics included the dominance of the Institutional Revolutionary Party and events like the Tlatelolco massacre and economic crises leading to policies of NAFTA with the United States and Canada.

The nation spans physiographic regions including the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre del Sur, and Mexican Plateau, with active volcanism at Popocatépetl and Colima (volcano). Coastal ecosystems range from the wetlands of Sian Ka'an to the coral reefs of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System near Cozumel. Biodiversity hotspots include habitats for species like the vaquita, Monarch butterfly, and jaguar in reserves such as Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Environmental challenges involve deforestation in the Lacandon Jungle, water scarcity in the Bajío, and pollution in urban centers like Guadalajara and Monterrey.

The federal constitution divides powers among the President of Mexico, the bicameral Congress of the Union composed of the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies, and a judiciary centered on the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. Major political parties include the National Regeneration Movement, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, the National Action Party, and the Party of the Democratic Revolution. Key reforms and controversies have involved energy policy with Petróleos Mexicanos, electoral oversight by the National Electoral Institute, anti-corruption initiatives targeting figures associated with the Ayotzinapa disappearance, and judicial cases heard under provisions influenced by the Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos.

The nation has a mixed economy with significant sectors in manufacturing clustered in the Maquiladora zones along the U.S.–Mexico border, automotive production with firms such as Nissan Motor Company, General Motors, and Volkswagen AG, and energy resources managed by Petróleos Mexicanos and reforms affecting Comisión Federal de Electricidad. Trade integration through the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement and prior North American Free Trade Agreement has linked supply chains involving ports like Veracruz (port) and Manzanillo, Colima. Agricultural exports include avocados from Michoacán and coffee from Chiapas, while tourism centers such as Cancún, Los Cabos, and Mexico City contribute substantial revenue. Fiscal policy has interacted with institutions like the Bank of Mexico and sovereign debt markets in transactions involving international creditors such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

Population centers include the Valley of Mexico and metropolitan areas such as Greater Mexico City, Monterrey metropolitan area, and the Guadalajara metropolitan area. Ethnolinguistic diversity encompasses speakers of Nahuatl language, Yucatec Maya language, Mixtec language, Zapotec languages, and others, alongside the predominance of Spanish language. Social movements have mobilized around labor organizations like the Confederation of Mexican Workers, indigenous rights groups exemplified by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, and civil society responses to incidents such as the Hurricane Katrina-era migrations and transnational dynamics with the United States including debates over migration and remittances.

Artistic traditions range from pre-Columbian iconography preserved at Museo Nacional de Antropología (Mexico) to muralism led by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Literary figures include Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, while musical genres span mariachi ensembles in Jalisco, son jarocho in Veracruz (state), and contemporary pop from artists associated with Latin Grammy Awards. Culinary heritage features dishes such as mole poblano, tacos al pastor, and ingredients like corn, chili pepper, and avocado, recognized by UNESCO listings for intangible cultural heritage. Festivals include Día de Muertos and Guelaguetza, with sporting passions centered on Club América and the national Mexico national football team.

Diplomacy emphasizes ties with neighboring states including the United States and Guatemala, participation in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the Pacific Alliance, and bilateral cooperation on issues like migration and trade. Security challenges involve organized crime networks such as the Sinaloa Cartel and efforts coordinated with agencies including the Federal Police (Mexico) and international partners like the Drug Enforcement Administration and International Criminal Police Organization. Defense responsibilities are carried out by the Mexican Army and the Mexican Navy, with procurement and strategy shaped by regional dynamics and treaties such as the Rio Treaty in historical context.

Category:Countries of North America