Transcript Mexico`s Land and Economy

Mexico’s Land and
Economy
Bridging Two Continents
• México forms part of a land bridge,
or narrow strip of land that joins
two larger landmasses.
• This land bridge connects North
America and South America.
Bridging Two Continents
• Mexico is bordered by the Pacific
Ocean on the west.
• Extending south along this western
coast is Baja California, a
peninsula, or piece of land with
water on three sides.
Bridging Two Continents
• On Mexico’s eastern side, the Gulf
of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea
border the shores.
• Three different mountain ranges in
Mexico make up the Sierra Madre,
or “mother range.”
Bridging Two Continents
• The mountains hold copper, zinc,
silver, and timber, but few people
live there.
• Many of the mountains in Mexico
are volcanoes.
Bridging Two Continents
• Popocatépetl erupted violently
centuries ago.
• In 2000 it erupted again.
• Mexicans also face the danger of
earthquakes.
Bridging Two Continents
• The Sierra Madre surround the
large, flat Plateau of Mexico in the
center of the country, where most of
the Mexican people live and the
main cities are located.
Land of Many Climates
• Latitude, or location north or south
of the Equator, affects Mexico’s
temperatures and different
climates.
Land of Many Climates
• The Tropic of Cancer cuts across the
center of Mexico at 231⁄ 2°N
latitude.
• This marks the northern edge of the
tropics.
Land of Many Climates
• Altitude, or height above sea level,
affects temperatures in Mexico as
well.
• The higher up you go, the cooler the
temperatures.
Land of Many Climates
• Mexico has three altitude zones:
tierra caliente, or “hot land”; tierra
templada, or “temperate land”; and
tierra fría, or “cold land.”
Land of Many Climates
• From June to October, Mexico can
be hit by hurricanes.
• These are fierce tropical storms
with high winds and heavy rains
that form over the warm waters of
the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans.
Mexico’s Economic Regions
• Mexico has three distinct economic
regions: the north, central
Mexico, and the south.
Mexico’s Economic Regions
• Cowhands, called vaqueros,
developed the present-day tools and
techniques for herding, roping, and
branding cattle.
Mexico’s Economic Regions
• Many companies from the United
States and elsewhere have built
maquiladoras, or factories that
assemble parts made in other
countries.
Mexico’s Economic Regions
• Northern Mexico has seen an
industrial boom, causing many
Mexicans to move to the north.
Mexico’s Economic Regions
• Much of the south is made up of
subsistence farms, or small plots
where farmers grow only enough
food to feed their families.
Mexico’s Economic Regions
• The south is the poorest economic
region, but its coastal lowlands have
large plantations for sugarcane or
bananas.
Mexico’s Economic Regions
• Large industrial cities like Mexico
City and Guadalajara are located in
prosperous central Mexico.
• More than 18 million people live in
Mexico City, one of the largest cities
in the world.
Mexico’s Economy Today
• Mexico has a growing economy,
which is among the top twelve in
the world.
• Mexico’s exports include coffee,
cotton, vegetables, fruit, livestock,
and tobacco.
Mexico’s Economy Today
• Mexico has recently industrialized,
or changed its economy to rely less
on farming and more on
manufacturing.
Mexico’s Economy Today
• It is also home to important service
industries, businesses that provide
services to people rather than
making goods.
Mexico’s Economy Today
• Mexico, Canada, and the United
States signed a treaty in the mid1990s to promote economic growth.
• The treaty is called the North
American Free Trade Agreement, or
NAFTA.
Mexico’s Economy Today
• Goods traded between these
countries are not taxed.