Mexico
Sizzling street food, fiestas aplenty and some of the world’s most unique natural beauty, Mexico is widely (and rightfully) regarded as a dream destination for many. Despite all these well known benefits, there are still plenty of fun facts about Mexico that even the most well prepared traveller might not know about the Latin American nation.
Mexico is home to 35 UNESCO world heritage sites. Many countries are full of gorgeous attractions, but Mexico is packed to the brim with UNESCO world heritage sites, including ancient pyramids, preserved colonial towns, and otherworldly natural parks.
The Golden Eagle is Mexico’s national bird. The glorious golden eagle soars all over the continental U.S and even up to Canada, but south of the border the majestic bird has a special significance: it’s Mexico’s national animal, and even has a place on the country’s coat of arms.
It has the most Spanish speakers in the world…With 113 million native speakers of the language, Mexico has the most Spanish speakers out of any country in the world. So make sure you remember to practise rolling those r’s before you visit! Mexico City is the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world. The capital metropolitan area is home to over 21 million residents, which makes it around fifty percent larger than the next biggest Spanish speaking city, Buenos Aires (14 million).
One of the most fun facts about Mexico is that if someone dropped you into a Mexico City taco joint, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in a kebab shop at 3am. This is because one of the country’s most beloved dishes is tacos al pastor, which utilises the same hunk of spinning meat as the drunkard’s favourite meal. The technique for cooking meat was brought over by Middle Eastern immigrants who were fleeing the strife caused by the downfall of the Ottoman Empire (double fun fact: this wave of immigration is what led to Shakira’s family settling in Colombia).
It’s also home to the world’s largest pyramid. Egypt might be the country most associated with pyramids, but one of the most interesting facts about Mexico is that it’s home to the largest one in the world – in terms of volume, at least. The Great Pyramid at Cholula, just outside of Puebla, is larger than even Giza, although isn’t as ancient.
History
The history of Mexico spans over three millennia, with the earliest evidence of hunter-gatherer settlement 13,000 years ago. Central and southern Mexico, known as Mesoamerica, saw the rise of complex civilisations that developed glyphic writing systems to record political histories and conquests.
In 1521, Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztecs and Mexico became a Spanish colony. For 300 years Spain ruled the land until the early 1800s. At that time the local Mexicans revolted against Spanish rule. Father Miguel Hidalgo declared Mexico's independence with his famous cry of "Viva Mexico".
Geography
Mexico can be divided into nine major physiographic regions: Baja California, the Pacific Coastal Lowlands, the Mexican Plateau, the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Sierra Madre Occidental, the Cordillera Neo-Volcánica, the Gulf Coastal Plain, the Southern Highlands, and the Yucatán Peninsula.
Mexico is a land of extremes, with high mountains and deep canyons in the centre of the country, sweeping deserts in the north, and dense rain forests in the south and east.
Mountains cover much of Mexico. Between the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range in the east and the Sierra Madre Occidental in the west lie small mountain ranges on the Central Plateau. These regions are rich with valuable metals like silver and copper.
The stretch of land called the Yucatán Peninsula juts into the Gulf of Mexico from Mexico's southeastern tip. It was once the home of the Maya civilization, an ancient culture whose amazing buildings can still be seen today.
Climate
Mexico's a big country so the climate varies, but there are usually just two seasons, wet and dry. The coastal areas are hot and dry from November to April with temperatures around 28°C. In the wet season from May to October it's still hot but there are big rainstorms, which make everything lush and green. The north of Mexico is the driest region but it gets cold in the winter months.
People
Mexican people are a mix of Europeans, mostly Spanish and Indians. Someone of Indian and Spanish descent is called a mestizo. Most Mexicans are mestizos.
In Mexico, the national language is Spanish, but there are at least 52 other languages and dialects spoken by the indigenous peoples. According to the last census, almost seven million Mexicans speak languages such as Nahuatl, Mayan, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomí and Tzeltal.
The largest Indian groups are the Nahuas in central Mexico, the Maya in the south, and the Mixtecs and the Zapotecs in Oaxaca.
Mexican Dress
Most people who live and work in cities wear the same sort of clothes as people in Britain. However, there are several types of traditional dress which some Mexicans still wear, especially for festivals or celebrations.
Each state has its own traditional dress, usually handmade, sometimes using traditional tools like hand weaving looms.
Culture
Mexican culture is a blend of indigenous cultures and the culture of Spain. Bullfighting is the national sport of Mexico. Siestas are a Mexican tradition, with a short nap early in the afternoon following the mid-day meal. A birthday tradition in Mexico is a pinata filled with
candy, trinkets, and money. In Mexican families, typically, the father has ultimate authority in family decisions, and the mother is highly respected. Most Mexicans are generally polite and formal when interacting with people they do not know well.
Currency
The currency in Mexico is the Mexican peso. Each peso is divided into 100 cents.
When you’re buying currency for Mexico, look out for the currency code MXN. And once you’re in Mexico, you’ll see the symbol $ used to show prices.
You’ll find Mexican banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000.
Mexican coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 100 pesos and 5, 10, 20 and 40 cents.
Economy
Mexico has a mixed economy based on agriculture, manufacturing, and the extraction of petroleum and natural gas. About one-eighth of the land is arable; major crops include corn, wheat, rice, beans, coffee, cotton, fruits, and vegetables.
Mexico’s consumer price index (CPI) increased 3.6 percent in January over the prior 12 months, below December’s 4.2 percent rise (Chart 8). However, core CPI inflation, which excludes food and energy, held steady at 3.7 percent. Services inflation remained elevated but ticked down to 4.7 percent after rising 4.9 percent in December. In February, Mexico’s central bank lowered its benchmark rate by 50 basis points to 9.5 percent, in line with market expectations.
Health Information
For health information in Mexico, please visit the following NHS website link: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico/health
