Mexico

Broadcast media

many TV stations and more than 1,400 radio stations with most privately owned; the Televisa group once had a virtual monopoly in TV broadcasting, but new broadcasting groups and foreign satellite and cable operators are now available (2012)

Internet country code

.mx

Internet hosts

16.233 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 9

Internet users

31.02 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 12

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate telephone service for business and government; improving quality and increasing mobile cellular availability, with mobile subscribers far outnumbering fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable domestic: despite the opening to competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; Fixed-line teledensity is less than 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is about 80 per 100 persons international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 120 (32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections (2011)

Telephones - main lines in use

20.22 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 14

Telephones - mobile cellular

100.786 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 13

Agriculture - products

corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Budget

revenues: $291.2 billion expenditures: $324.1 billion (2013 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.5% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Central bank discount rate

4.5% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 4.5% (31 December 2011 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

4.7% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 4.73% (31 December 2012 est.)

Current account balance

-$14.18 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 -$11.84 billion (2012 est.)

Debt - external

$354.9 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $286.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

48.3 (2008) country comparison to the world: 24 53.1 (1998)

Economy - overview

Mexico's $1.3 trillion economy has become increasingly oriented toward manufacturing in the 20 years since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) entered into force. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Mexico has become the United States' second-largest export market and third-largest source of imports. In 2013, two-way merchandise trade reached nearly $507 billion. Mexico has free trade agreements with over 50 countries including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan - putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. In 2012 Mexico formally joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and formed the Pacific Alliance with Peru, Colombia and Chile. Mexico's current government, led by President Enrique PENA NIETO, emphasized economic reforms during its first year in office, passing education, energy, financial, fiscal and telecommunications reform legislation. The three-party "Pact for Mexico" reform agenda aims to improve competitiveness and economic growth across the Mexican economy.

Exchange rates

Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - 12.76 (2013 est.) 13.17 (2012 est.) 12.636 (2010 est.) 13.514 (2009) 11.016 (2008)

Exports

$370.9 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $349.6 billion (2012 est.)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners

US 78% (2012)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.327 trillion (2013 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.845 trillion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $1.823 trillion (2012 est.) $1.76 trillion (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 69.1% government consumption: 11.8% investment in fixed capital: 22.7% investment in inventories: -1% exports of goods and services: 31.2% imports of goods and services: -33.8% (2013 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3.6% industry: 36.6% services: 59.8% (2013 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,600 (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $15,600 (2012 est.) $15,200 (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.2% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 3.6% (2012 est.) 4% (2011 est.)

Gross national saving

21% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 21.3% of GDP (2012 est.) 21.2% of GDP (2011 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 37.5% (2010)

Imports

$370.7 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $350.9 billion (2012 est.)

Imports - commodities

metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners

US 49.9%, China 15.4%, Japan 4.8% (2012)

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Industries

food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 3.6% (2012 est.)

Labor force

51.48 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 13.4% industry: 24.1% services: 61.9% (2011)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$525.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $408.7 billion (31 December 2011) $NA (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

52.3% note: based on food-based definition of poverty; asset based poverty amounted to more than 47% (2012 est.)

Public debt

37.7% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 35.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$167.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $149.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of broad money

$713 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $671.8 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$141.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $133 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$435.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $400.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$444.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $404.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$174.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $170.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.9% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Unemployment rate

4.9% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 5.3% (2012 est.) note: underemployment may be as high as 25%

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

462.3 million Mt (2011 est.)

Crude oil - exports

1.46 million bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Crude oil - production

2.936 million bbl/day (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Crude oil - proved reserves

10.26 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - consumption

212.3 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - exports

1.286 billion kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - from fossil fuels

76.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

18.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

2.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Electricity - imports

603 million kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - installed generating capacity

62 million kW (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity - production

296 billion kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - consumption

59.15 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - exports

11 million cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - imports

17.24 billion cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - production

53.96 billion cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - proved reserves

487.7 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Refined petroleum products - consumption

2.133 million bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Refined petroleum products - exports

189,100 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Refined petroleum products - imports

607,400 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Refined petroleum products - production

1.364 million bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Area

total: 1,964,375 sq km country comparison to the world: 14 land: 1,943,945 sq km water: 20,430 sq km

Climate

varies from tropical to desert

Coastline

9,330 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Environment - current issues

scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 80.4 cu km/yr (14%/9%/77%) per capita: 700.4 cu m/yr (2009)

Geographic coordinates

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico

Irrigated land

64,600 sq km (2009)

Land boundaries

total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Land use

arable land: 12.98% permanent crops: 1.36% other: 85.66% (2011)

Location

North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States

Map references

North America

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards

tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts volcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (elev. 3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (elev. 5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana

Natural resources

petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Terrain

high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Total renewable water resources

457.2 cu km (2011)

Administrative divisions

31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (Veracruz), Yucatan, Zacatecas

Capital

name: Mexico City (Distrito Federal) geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October note: Mexico has three time zones

Constitution

several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917; amended many times, last in 2014 (2014)

Country name

conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE (since 2 August 2011) embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000 telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000 FAX: [52] (55) 5080-2834 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MEDINA MORA Icaza (since 11 January 2013) chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s) general: Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso (TX), Houston, Laredo (TX), Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Nogales (AZ), Phoenix, Sacramento (CA), San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Saint Paul (MN) consulate(s): Albuquerque, Boise (ID), Brownsville (TX), Calexico (CA), Del Rio (TX), Detroit, Douglas (AZ), Eagle Pass (TX), Fresno (CA), Indianapolis (IN), Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas (NV), Little Rock (AR), McAllen (TX), New Orleans, Omaha (NE), Orlando (FL), Oxnard (CA), Philadelphia, Portland (OR), Presidio (TX), Raleigh (NC), Salt Lake City, San Bernardino (CA), Santa Ana (CA), Seattle, Tucson (AZ), Yuma (AZ); note - Washington DC Consular Section located in a separate building from the Mexican Embassy and has jurisdiction over DC, parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia

Executive branch

chief of state: President Enrique PENA NIETO (since 1 December 2012); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Enrique PENA NIETO (since 1 December 2012) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general, the head of the Bank of Mexico, and senior treasury officials require consent of the Senate (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held in July 2018) election results: Enrique PENA NIETO elected president; percent of vote - Enrique PENA NIETO (PRI) 38.21%, Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR (PRD) 31.59%, Josefina Eugenia VAZQUEZ Mota (PAN) 25.41%, other 4.79%

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; Mexico's coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band; green signifies hope, joy, and love; white represents peace and honesty; red stands for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor; the coat of arms is derived from a legend that the wandering Aztec people were to settle at a location where they would see an eagle on a cactus eating a snake; the city they founded, Tenochtitlan, is now Mexico City note: similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter, uses lighter shades of red and green, and does not have anything in its white band

Government type

federal republic

Independence

16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CE (observer), CELAC, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-3, G-15, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (consists of the chief justice and 11 justices and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and labor panels) and the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary (organized into the superior court, with 7 judges including the court president and 5 regional courts, each with 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices nominated by the president of the republic and approved by two-thirds vote of the members present in the Senate; justices serve for life; Electoral Tribunal superior and regional court judges nominated by the Supreme Court and elected by two-thirds vote of members present in the Senate; superior court president elected from among its members to hold office for a single-renewable 4-year term; other judges of the superior and regional courts serve staggered, single-renewable 9-year terms subordinate courts: federal level includes circuit, collegiate, and unitary courts; state and district level courts

Legal system

civil law system with US constitutional law influence; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 seats allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are elected by popular vote; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote; members to serve three-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 1 July 2012 for all of the seats (next to be held on 1 July 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held on 5 July 2015) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 52, PAN 38, PRD 22, PVEM 9, PT 4, Movimiento Ciudadano 2, PANAL 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 208, PAN 114, PRD 100, PVEM 33, PT 19, Movimiento Ciudadano 16, PANAL 10

National anthem

name: "Himno Nacional Mexicano" (National Anthem of Mexico)

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle

Political parties and leaders

Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) [Dante DELGADO Rannaoro] Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI [Cesar CAMACHO Quiroz] Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez] Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de Mexico) or PVEM [vacant] National Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Gustavo MADERO Munoz] New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA/PANAL [Luis CASTRO Obregon] Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Jesus ZAMBRANO Grijalva]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Businessmen's Coordinating Council or CCE Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA National Confederation of Popular Organizations or CNOP National Coordinator for Education Workers or CNTE National Peasant Confederation or CNC National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE National Syndicate of Education Workers or SNTE National Union of Workers or UNT Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO Roman Catholic Church

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

The site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations - including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec - Mexico was conquered and colonized by Spain in the early 16th century. Administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries, it achieved its independence early in the 19th century. The global financial crisis beginning in late 2008 caused a massive economic downturn the following year, although growth returned quickly in 2010. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON, but Enrique PENA NIETO regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful drug-trafficking organizations have engaged in bloody feuding, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 28,815,506 females age 16-49: 30,363,558 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 23,239,866 females age 16-49: 25,642,549 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 1,105,371 female: 1,067,007 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico (ARM); includes Naval Air Force (FAN), Mexican Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina, Mexmar or CIM)) (2013)

Military expenditures

0.59% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 124 0.56% of GDP (2011) 0.59% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation is 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary military service; cadets enrolled in military schools from the age of 15 are considered members of the armed forces (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.9% (male 17,188,577/female 16,423,421) 15-24 years: 18.1% (male 10,999,445/female 10,741,999) 25-54 years: 40.4% (male 23,385,321/female 25,200,511) 55-64 years: 7% (male 3,850,792/female 4,527,074) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 3,594,675/female 4,374,840) (2014 est.)

Birth rate

19.02 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 1,105,617 percentage: 5 % (2009 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.8% (2012) country comparison to the world: 115

Contraceptive prevalence rate

70.9% (2006)

Death rate

5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.7 % youth dependency ratio: 42.7 % elderly dependency ratio: 10.1 % potential support ratio: 9.9 (2014 est.)

Drinking water source

96.1improved: urban: 95.9% of population rural: 90.8% of population total: 94.9% of population unimproved: urban: 3.9% of population rural: 9.2% of population total: 5.1% of population (2012 est.)

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 72

Ethnic groups

mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

174,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Health expenditures

6.4% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 97

Hospital bed density

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 123 male: 14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

Languages

Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8% note: indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.43 years country comparison to the world: 94 male: 72.67 years female: 78.32 years (2014 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.5% male: 94.8% female: 92.3% (2011 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: dengue fever (2013)

Major urban areas - population

MEXICO CITY (capital) 20.446 million; Guadalajara 4.525 million; Monterrey 4.213 million; Puebla 2.335 million; Tijuana 1.82 million; Toluca de Lerdo 1.748 million (2011)

Maternal mortality rate

50 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 108

Median age

total: 27.3 years male: 26.3 years female: 28.4 years (2014 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.3 note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2006 est.)

Nationality

noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican

Net migration rate

-1.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

32.1% (2008) country comparison to the world: 23

Physicians density

1.96 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

120,286,655 (July 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Population growth rate

1.21% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Religions

Roman Catholic 82.7%, Pentecostal 1.6%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.4%, other Evangelical Churches 5%, other 1.9%, none 4.7%, unspecified 2.7% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 87% of population rural: 79% of population total: 85.3% of population unimproved: urban: 13% of population rural: 21% of population total: 14.7% of population (2012 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2011)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.29 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 9.4% country comparison to the world: 113 male: 9.1% female: 9.9% (2012)

Urbanization

urban population: 78.1% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 1.49% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States; Belize and Mexico are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty

Illicit drugs

major drug-producing and transit nation; world's second largest opium poppy cultivator; opium poppy cultivation in 2009 rose 31% over 2008 to 19,500 hectares yielding a potential production of 50 metric tons of pure heroin, or 125 metric tons of "black tar" heroin, the dominant form of Mexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana cultivation increased 45% to 17,500 hectares in 2009; government conducts the largest independent illicit-crop eradication program in the world; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America, with an estimated 95% of annual cocaine movements toward the US stopping in Mexico; major drug syndicates control the majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market (2007)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 160,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region; drug cartel violence and government's military response since 2007; violence between and within indigenous groups) (2013 est.) stateless persons: 7 (2012)

Airports

1,714 (2013) country comparison to the world: 3

Airports - with paved runways

total: 243 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80 914 to 1,523 m: 86 under 914 m: 33 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1,471 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 42 914 to 1,523 m: 281 under 914 m: 1,146 (2013)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 52 country comparison to the world: 70 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 3, chemical tanker 11, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 5 (France 1, Greece 2, South Africa 1, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 12 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Portugal 1, Spain 1, Venezuela 1, unknown 1) (2010)

Pipelines

gas 18,074 km; liquid petroleum 2,102 km; oil 8,775 km; oil/gas/water 369 km; refined products 7,565 km; water 123 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Salina Cruz, Veracruz oil terminals: Cayo Arcas terminal, Dos Bocas terminal

Railways

total: 17,166 km country comparison to the world: 16 standard gauge: 17,166 km 1.435-m gauge (22 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways

total: 377,660 km country comparison to the world: 18 paved: 137,544 km (includes 7,176 km of expressways) unpaved: 240,116 km (2012)

Waterways

2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals mostly connected with ports on the country's east coast) (2012) country comparison to the world: 34