Mexico

Day of the Dead decorations on sale in Mexico
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DayDeadDecSPA.JPG
Author: AlejandroLinaresGarcia


Mexico is a constitutional republic geographically located in North America. It is bordered by the United States to the north, and on the southeast by Guatemala and Belize. The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are on the east coast of Mexico while the Pacific Ocean is on the west coast.

Mexico covers an area of 1,972,550 square kilometers (761,606 square miles), about 16% bigger than Alaska. It has a population of 111 million people. It is the fifth most populous country in the world, and the most populous Spanish-speaking country. The country is composed of 31 states and one federal district. The capital, Mexico City, is the largest city in Mexico and one of the largest in the world.

Cities of Mexico

Skyline of Mexico City
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_de_M%C3%A9xico#mediaviewer/File:Ciudad.de.Mexico.City.Distrito.Federal.DF.Paseo.Reforma.Skyline.jpg
Author: Alejandro Islas Photograph AC


Mexico traces its history back to Pre-Columbian times. Even before the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World, several advanced civilizations have flourished at one time or another in Mexico, among them the Olmec, the Toltec, the Teotihuacan, the Zapotec, the Maya and the Aztec. The arrival of Spanish conquistadors changed the face of Mexico. The country gained its independence from Spain in 1821, and despite an often volatile political scene and unstable economy, is generally considered a newly industrialized country with the 13th largest nominal Gross Domestic Product in the world.

Mexico is rich in culture, heritage, history and cuisine. It has 29 World Heritage Sites, more than any other country in the Americas. It also has fantastic beaches and a vibrant art scene.

Palenque, Mexico
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palenque_16.jpg
Author: Peter Andersen

Fast Facts about Mexico

• Official Name: Mexico
• Capital: Mexico City (18,100,000)
• Population of Mexico: 106,203,000
• Languages: Spanish, indigenous dialects
• Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)
• Religions: Roman Catholic (89%), Protestant (6%), others
• Size: 1,972,550 sq km (761,606 sq miles)
• Region: North America

Sculpture in front of Torre del Caballito in Mexico City
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_de_M%C3%A9xico#mediaviewer/File:SculptureTorreCaballito2.jpg
Author: AlejandroLinaresGarcia

Planning your trip to Mexico

Visitors from the countries I'm about to mention below can arrive in Mexico, fill up a tourist card (FMT) at the border or airport for a nominal fee, and enter Mexico with a valid passport, for fewer than 180 days, for tour, or 30 day for business. The countries are Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rice, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. If you're not from the aforementioned countries, please contact the nearest Mexican consulate for details.

Chac Mool, ancient Mayan god
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chac_Mool_dentro_del_templo_de_Kukulk%C3%A1n.jpg
Author: Rudolp


By Plane
The main airport for Mexico City is Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX). It receives flights from major cities all over the world. If you are visiting the Yucatan peninsula, then the main airport is the Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport (MID) in Mérida. If you're going to the resort city of Cancún, it has its own international airport too. By Train
If you're coming from the United States, you can take the San Diego Trolley from downtown San Diego right to the Mexican border - and then walk across. No train actually crosses the border between the United States and Mexico.

By Bus
Yes, you can enter Mexico by bus. There are a good number of Mexican buses going between the United States and Mexico. However, they cater mostly to Mexican workers in the United States rather than tourists, so expect everything to be in Spanish.

Travel within Mexico

The most practical way to travel in Mexico is by either public bus or self drive. There are hardly any trains in Mexico. Most tourist however confine themselves to specific travel destinations in Mexico where their transfers have been arranged by the tour operators.

Maya lintel at Yaxchilan, Mexico
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yaxchilan_Lintel_17.jpg
Author: Michel wal

Specialty Sights of Mexico

There are tourist destinations that cater to specific niches.

Archaeological Sites of Mexico

Visitors can now re-live Mexico's past civilizations by visiting some of its top archaeological sites, many of which are today World Heritage Sites:

World Heritage Sites in Mexico

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.