The Facts

United Mexican States

Official name: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

President: Felipe Calderón (2006)

Land area: 742,485 sq mi (1,923,039 sq km); total area:761,602 sq mi (1,972,550 sq km)

Population (2007 est.):108,700,891 (growth rate: 1.2%); birth rate: 20.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 20.4/1000; life expectancy: 75.6; density per sq mi: 146

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Mexico City, 19,013,000 (metro. area), 8,591,309 (city proper)

Other large cities: Ecatepec, 1,731,900 (part of Mexico City metro. area); Guadalajara, 1,665,800; Puebla, 1,345,500; Nezahualcóyotl, 1,250,700 (part of Mexico City metro. area); Monterrey, 1,135,000

Monetary unit: Mexican peso

Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

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

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Literacy rate: 91% (2004 est.)

Economic summary: 

GDP/PPP(2007 est.): $1.346 trillion; per capita $12,800. 

Real growth rate:3.3%. 

Inflation: 4%.

Unemployment: 3.7% plus underemployment of perhaps 25%.

Arable land: 13%. 

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

Labor force: 45.38 million; agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003).

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

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber. 

Exports: $267.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton.

Imports: $279.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts. 

Major trading partners: U.S., Canada, Spain, South Korea, Japan (2006).

Communications:

Telephones:main lines in use: 19.861 million (2006); mobile cellular: 57.016 million (2006).

Radio broadcast stations: AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003). 

Radios: 31 million (1997). 

Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997). 

Televisions:25.6 million (1997). 

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7.629 million (2007). 

Internet users: 22 million (2006).

Transportation: Railways: total: 17,665 km (2006). 

Highways: total: 235,670 km; paved: 116,751 km (including 6,144 km of expressways); unpaved: 118,919 km (2004). 

Waterways: 2,900 km navigable rivers and coastal canals. 

Ports and harbors:Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz.

Airports: 1,834 (2007).

International disputes: prolonged regional drought in the border region with the U.S. has strained water-sharing arrangements.

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