Transcript Mexico-Third Largest Latin American Country

Mexico-Third Largest Latin
American Country
Land
• Land bridge- Narrow strip of land that joins
two larger landmasses
• Mexico- top of the land bridge that
connects North America and South
America
• Sierra Madre- “Mother Range”- made of
three mountain ranges
• Small population live in the Sierra Madre
Mountains,
Land Continued
• Many mountains are volcanoes
• Earthquakes occur often because of the
meeting of plates underground
Plateau of Mexico
• Large flat center of Mexico surrounded by
the Sierra Madre Mountains
Plateau of Mexico continued
• North- mainly deserts and grassy plains
• Broad flat valleys in the center of the
plateau hold most of major cities and most
of the people
• Mexico City- capital Mexico located in the
southern end of the Plateau of Mexico
• Coastal Lowlands- lowland plains between
the ocean and the mountains
Climate
• Latitude- Location north or south of the equator
• Tropic of Cancer- latitude that is 23 degrees
north of the equator and crosses the middle of
Mexico
• The area south of the Tropic of Cancer has a
tropical climate, warm climates throughout the
year. (more rainfall)
• Areas north of the Tropic of Cancer are warm in
summer and cool in winters (drier climate)
Climate continued
• Altitude- height above sea level
• Mountainous areas have cooler
temperature because of higher altitude
• Sea level areas have a warmer climate
Average rainfall
• Rainfall varies through Mexico
• Northern areas are dryer, southern areas
receive more rain
• Hurricanes- fierce tropical storms, can
strike Mexico during summer
Mexican Regions
Northern Mexico
• Dry climate and rocky ground; Not good
for growing crops without irrigation
• Large cattle ranches
• Vaqueros- cowhands that developed tools
and techniques for roping, branding, and
herding cattle
Desert areas
• Dry areas in Northern Region form desert
lands
Major Cities of Northern Mexico
• Monterrey- Mexico’s main producer of
steel and cement
• Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez- Cities that
border the United States. The U.S. has
built factories here.
• Maquiladoras- factories that assemble
parts made in other countries, such as the
United States, are found in northern
Mexico
Central Mexico
• Region in which more than half of
Mexico’s people live
• Mild temperatures and pleasant climate
year round caused people to settle here
• Fertile soil is good for farming
• Large industrial cities such as Mexico City
and Guadalajara prosper in Central
Mexico
Southern Mexico
• Poorest region of Mexico, very
mountainous
• Subsistance farms- Small farms on which
farmers grow only enough food to feed
their families
• Coastal areas of Southern Mexico have
rich soil with large plantations- large farms
that sell a single crop
North American Free Trade
Agreement
• Trade agreement between the United States,
Canada, and Mexico made in 1994
• Under this agreement most goods are free of
tariffs, special taxes
• Designed to increase trade among these three
countries, rather than other countries because of
no taxes
• Americans fear that manufacturers will move
factories to Mexico where labor is cheaper
• Debate over NAFTA is still going on.
Tropical Rain Forests
Mexico’s Government
• Federal republic- power is divided
between the national and state
governments
• United states also has a federal republic
• Mexico has a very powerful president, but
no vice- president
• President is more powerful than the
legislative or judicial branch
Economics
• Large population growth; people moving to
cities
• National debt- money owed by the
government
• Pollution- smog caused by a mixture of
chemicals and fog in the air.
• Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, has
tremendous smog problems. (Air is
trapped by the mountains)
Mexico City