Introduction
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 independence early in the 19th century. 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 PEÑA NIETO regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Left-leaning anti-establishment politician and former mayor of Mexico City (2000-05) Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR, from the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), became president in December 2018.
Mexico is currently the second-largest (after Canada) goods trading partner of the US with nearly $780 billion in two-way goods trade in 2022. Mexico's GDP contracted by 8.2% in 2020 due to pandemic-induced closures, its lowest level since the Great Depression. Mexico’s economy is rebounding; it grew by 4.8% in 2021, driven largely by increased remittances, despite supply chain and pandemic-related challenges, and grew by 3% in 2022.
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, or T-MEC by its Spanish acronym) entered into force on 1 July 2020 and replaced its predecessor, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Mexico amended its constitution on 1 May 2019 to facilitate the implementation of the labor components of USMCA.
Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, high underemployment, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities, particularly for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful transnational criminal organizations have engaged in a struggle to control criminal markets, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides and forced disappearances.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
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
Geographic coordinates
23 00 N, 102 00 W
Map references
North America
Land boundaries
total: 4,389 km
border countries (3): Belize 276 km; Guatemala 958 km; US 3,155 km
Coastline
9,330 km
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
Climate
varies from tropical to desert
Terrain
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
Elevation
highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,636 m
lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
mean elevation: 1,111 m
Natural resources
petroleum, silver, antimony, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land use
agricultural land: 54.9% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.7% (2018 est.)
forest: 33.3% (2018 est.)
other: 11.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
60,620 sq km (2020)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Laguna de Chapala - 1,140 sq km
salt water lake(s): Laguna de Terminos - 1,550 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio Grande river mouth (shared with US [s]) - 3,057 km; Colorado river mouth (shared with US [s]) - 2,333 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of Mexico) Rio Grande/Bravo (607,965 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: (Gulf of California) Colorado (703,148 sq km)
Major aquifers
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer
Population distribution
most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City
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 (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 (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; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Geography - note
note 1: strategic location on southern border of the US; Mexico is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire
note 2: some of the world's most important food crops were first domesticated in Mexico; the "Three Sisters" companion plants - winter squash, maize (corn), and climbing beans - served as the main agricultural crops for various North American Indian groups; all three apparently originated in Mexico but then were widely disseminated through much of North America; avocado, amaranth, and chili peppers also emanate from Mexico, as does vanilla, the world's most popular aroma and flavor spice; although cherry tomatoes originated in Ecuador, their domestication in Mexico transformed them into the larger modern tomato
note 3: the Sac Actun cave system at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwide, after Mammoth Cave in the United States (see "Geography - note" under United States)
note 4: the prominent Yucatán Peninsula that divides the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; just on the northern coast of Yucatan, near the town of Chicxulub (pronounce cheek-sha-loob), lie the remnants of a massive crater (some 150 km in diameter and extending well out into the Gulf of Mexico); formed by an asteroid or comet when it struck the earth 66 million years ago, the impact is now widely accepted as initiating a worldwide climate disruption that caused a mass extinction of 75% of all the earth's plant and animal species - including the non-avian dinosaurs
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican
Ethnic groups
Mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 62%, predominantly Amerindian 21%, Amerindian 7%, other 10% (mostly European) (2012 est.)
note: Mexico does not collect census data on ethnicity
Languages
Spanish only 93.8%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.4%, indigenous only 0.6%, unspecified 0.2%; note - indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2020 est.)
major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant/evangelical Christian 11.2%, other 0.002%, unaffiliated (includes atheism) 10.6% (2020 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 23.76% (male 15,844,300/female 15,009,047)
15-64 years: 68.22% (male 43,086,673/female 45,518,891)
65 years and over: 8.02% (2023 est.) (male 4,560,225/female 5,856,393)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 49.4
youth dependency ratio: 37.3
elderly dependency ratio: 12.2
potential support ratio: 8.2 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 30.6 years (2023 est.)
male: 28.9 years
female: 32.3 years
comparison ranking: total 128
Population distribution
most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City
Urbanization
urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
22.281 million MEXICO CITY (capital), 5.420 million Guadalajara, 5.117 million Monterrey, 3.345 million Puebla, 2.626 million Toluca de Lerdo, 2.260 million Tijuana (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.3 years (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 111
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.5 years (2023 est.)
male: 70.3 years
female: 76.8 years
comparison ranking: total population 146
Gross reproduction rate
0.85 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
73.1% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 99.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
6.2% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
2.43 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density
1 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 96.4% of population
total: 99.2% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 3.6% of population
total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 4.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 91
Tobacco use
total: 13.1% (2020 est.)
male: 19.9% (2020 est.)
female: 6.2% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 116
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56.6% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 3.6%
women married by age 18: 20.7% (2018 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 96.1%
female: 94.5% (2020)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2020)
Environment
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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
varies from tropical to desert
Land use
agricultural land: 54.9% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.7% (2018 est.)
forest: 33.3% (2018 est.)
other: 11.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 17.83 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 486.41 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 135.77 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 53.1 million tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2.655 million tons (2013 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5% (2013 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Laguna de Chapala - 1,140 sq km
salt water lake(s): Laguna de Terminos - 1,550 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio Grande river mouth (shared with US [s]) - 3,057 km; Colorado river mouth (shared with US [s]) - 2,333 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of Mexico) Rio Grande/Bravo (607,965 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: (Gulf of California) Colorado (703,148 sq km)
Major aquifers
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 13.17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 8.56 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 67.83 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
461.89 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
local short form: Mexico
former: Mexican Republic, Mexican Empire
etymology: named after the capital city, whose name stems from the Mexica, the largest and most powerful branch of the Aztecs; the meaning of the name is uncertain
Government type
federal presidential republic
Capital
name: Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico)
geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: DST was permanently removed in October 2022
time zone note: Mexico has four time zones
etymology: named after the Mexica, the largest and most powerful branch of the Aztecs; the meaning of the name is uncertain
Administrative divisions
32 states (estados, singular - estado); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Cuidad de Mexico, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas
Independence
16 September 1810 (declared independence from Spain); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Constitution
history: several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917
amendments: proposed by the Congress of the Union; passage requires approval by at least two thirds of the members present and approval by a majority of the state legislatures; amended many times, last in 2020
Legal system
civil law system with US constitutional law influence; judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: not specified
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch
chief of state: President Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (since 1 December 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (since 1 December 2018)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 6-year term; election last held on 1 July 2018 (next to be held in July 2024)
election results:
2018: Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR elected president; percent of vote - Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (MORENA) 53.2%, Ricardo ANAYA Cortés (PAN) 22.3%, José Antonio MEADE Kuribreña (PRI) 16.4%, Jaime RODRÍGUEZ Calderón 5.2% (independent), other 2.9%
2012: Enrique PEÑA NIETO elected president; percent of vote - Enrique PEÑA NIETO (PRI) 38.2%, Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (PRD) 31.6%, Josefina Eugenia VÁZQUEZ Mota (PAN) 25.4%, other 4.8%
Legislative branch
description:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Unión consists of:
Senate or Cámara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 32 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms)
Chamber of Deputies or Cámara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 200 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last held on 1 July 2018 (next to be held in July 2024)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 6 June 2021 (next to be held in July 2024)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MORENA 58, PAN 22, PRI 14, PRD 9, MC 7, PT 7, PES 5, PVEM 5, PNA/PANAL 1; composition (as of July 2018) - men 65, women 63, percent of women 49.2%
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MORENA 197, PAN 111, PRI 69, PVEM 44, PT 38, MC 25, PRD 16; composition - men 250, women 250, percent of women 50%; note - overall percent of women in National Congress 49.8%
note: as of the 2018 election, senators will be eligible for a second term and deputies up to 4 consecutive terms
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (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 15-year terms; 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 4-year term; other judges of the superior and regional courts serve staggered, 9-year terms
subordinate courts: federal level includes circuit, collegiate, and unitary courts; state and district level courts
note: in April 2021, the Mexican congress passed a judicial reform which changed 7 articles of the constitution and preceded a new Organic Law on the Judicial Branch of the Federation
Political parties and leaders
Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC [Clemente CASTAÑEDA Hoeflich]
Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI [Claudia RUIZ Massieu]
Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutiérrez]
Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de México) or PVEM [Karen CASTREJÓN Trujillo]
Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional) or MORENA [Mario DELGADO Carillo]
National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional) or PAN [Antonio CORTÉS Mendoza]
Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática) or PRD [Jesús ZAMBRANO Grijalva]
This Is For Mexico (Va Por México) (alliance that includes PAN, PRI, and PRD)
Together We Make History (Juntos Hacemos Historia) (alliance that included MORENA, PT, PVEM) (dissolved 23 December 2020)
International organization participation
APEC, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CE (observer), CELAC, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-3, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, 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, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Esteban MOCTEZUMA Barragán (since 20 April 2021)
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
email address and website:
mexembusa@sre.gob.mx
https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/eua/index.php/en/
consulate(s) general: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Denver (GA), El Paso (TX), Houston (TX), Laredo (TX), Miami (FL), New York (NY), Nogales (AZ), Phoenix (AZ), Raleigh (NC), Sacramento (CA), San Antonio (TX), San Diego (CA), San Francisco (CA), San Jose (CA), San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Albuquerque (NM), Boise (ID), Brownsville (TX), Calexico (CA), Del Rio (TX), Detroit (MI), Douglas (AZ), Eagle Pass (TX), Fresno (CA), Indianapolis (IN), Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas (NV), Little Rock (AR), Los Angeles (CA), McAllen (TX), Milwaukee (WI), New Orleans (LA), Omaha (NE), Orlando (FL), Oxnard (CA), Philadelphia (PA), Portland (OR), Presidio (TX), Salt Lake City (UT), San Bernardino (CA), Santa Ana (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Yuma (AZ)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Ken SALAZAR (since 14 September 2021)
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtémoc, 06500 Mexico, CDMX
mailing address: 8700 Mexico City Place, Washington DC 20521-8700
telephone: (011) [52]-55-5080-2000
FAX: (011) 52-55-5080-2005
email address and website:
ACSMexicoCity@state.gov
https://mx.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mérida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana
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 green and red, and does not display anything in its white band
National symbol(s)
golden eagle, dahlia; national colors: green, white, red
National anthem
name: "Himno Nacional Mexicano" (National Anthem of Mexico)
lyrics/music: Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA/Jaime Nuno ROCA
note: adopted 1943, in use since 1854; also known as "Mexicanos, al grito de Guerra" (Mexicans, to the War Cry); according to tradition, Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA, an accomplished poet, was uninterested in submitting lyrics to a national anthem contest; his fiancee locked him in a room and refused to release him until the lyrics were completed
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 35 (27 cultural, 6 natural, 2 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Mexico City (c); Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl (c); Teotihuacan (c); Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (n); Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (n); Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley (m); Historic Puebla (c); El Tajin (c); Historic Tlacotalpan (c); Historic Oaxaca and Monte Albán (c); Palenque (c); Chichen-Itza (c); Uxmal (c)
Economy
Economic overview
one of the world’s largest economies; USMCA buttresses its manufacturing sector; has underperformed growth targets for three decades; COVID-19 disrupted export-based economy; corruption and cartel-based violence undermine economic stability
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.418 trillion (2021 est.)
$2.309 trillion (2020 est.)
$2.51 trillion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 13
Real GDP per capita
$19,100 (2021 est.)
$18,300 (2020 est.)
$20,100 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 94
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1,269,956,000,000 (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.69% (2021 est.)
3.4% (2020 est.)
3.64% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 57
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BBB- (2020)
Moody's rating: Baa1 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2020)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 3.6% (2017 est.)
industry: 31.9% (2017 est.)
services: 64.5% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 97; industry 68; agriculture 144
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 67% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 11.8% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.8% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 37.8% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -39.7% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, maize, milk, oranges, sorghum, tomatoes, poultry, wheat, green chillies/peppers, eggs
Industries
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
Unemployment rate
4.38% (2021 est.)
4.45% (2020 est.)
3.48% (2019 est.)
note: underemployment may be as high as 25%
comparison ranking: 167
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 8.1% (2021 est.)
male: 7.9%
female: 8.6%
comparison ranking: total 169
Population below poverty line
41.9% (2018 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food: 23.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 40% (2014)
Budget
revenues: $264.261 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $313.358 billion (2020 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$4.817 billion (2021 est.)
$27.103 billion (2020 est.)
-$3.406 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 187
Exports
$522.235 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$434.366 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$492.657 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
comparison ranking: 17
Exports - partners
United States 75% (2019)
Exports - commodities
cars and vehicle parts, computers, delivery trucks, crude petroleum, video displays, insulated wiring (2021)
Imports
$544.752 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$411.458 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$495.391 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
comparison ranking: 14
Imports - partners
United States 54%, China 14% (2019)
Imports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, office machinery/parts, telephones (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$207.799 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$199.069 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$183.056 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
note: Mexico also maintains access to an $88 million Flexible Credit Line with the IMF
comparison ranking: 18
Exchange rates
Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
20.272 (2021 est.)
21.486 (2020 est.)
19.264 (2019 est.)
19.244 (2018 est.)
18.927 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 93.43 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 267.34 billion kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 5.954 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 9.965 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 42.121 billion kWh (2020 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 8; imports 24; exports 32; consumption 16; installed generating capacity 15
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 75.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 3.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 4.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 6.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 7.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2023)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 0
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.55GW (2023)
Percent of total electricity production: 5.3% (2021)
Percent of total energy produced: 1.9% (2021)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 0
Coal
production: 9.886 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 10.241 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 3,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 5.182 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 1.211 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 1,905,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1,928,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 1,283,300 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 3,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 5,786,100,000 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 27,037,730,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 86,101,223,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 53.037 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 59,119,362,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 180.321 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
463.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 43.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 260.311 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 160.188 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 13
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 24,366,595 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 9
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 123,920,752 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 14
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: with a large population and relatively low broadband and mobile penetration, (86 lines for mobile broadband for every 100 habitants in June 2021) Mexico’s telecom sector has potential for growth; adequate telephone service for business and government; improving quality and increasing mobile cellular availability, with mobile subscribers far outnumbering fixed-line subscribers (24.6 million fixed line subscribers and 125 million mobile line subscribers in June 2021); relatively low broadband and mobile penetration, potential for growth and international investment; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable; 5G development slow in part due to high costs (2021)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity 19 lines per every 100; mobile-cellular teledensity is 98 per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, and Italy; the ARCOS-1 and the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the U.S.; Pan-American Crossing (PAC) submarine cable system provides access to Panama, California, U.S., and Costa Rica; Lazaro Cardenas-Manzanillo Santiago submarines cable system (LCMSSCS) provides access to Michoacan, Guerrero, and Colima, Mexico; AMX-1 submarine cable system with access to Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Gulf of California Cable submarine cable systems that connects La Paz, Baja California Sur and Topolobambo, Sinaloa; and Aurora submarine cable system provides access to Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. satellite earth stations - 124 (36 Intelsat, 1 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 9 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections (2022)
Broadcast media
telecom reform in 2013 enabled the creation of new broadcast television channels after decades of a quasi-monopoly; Mexico has 885 TV stations and 1,841 radio stations and most are 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; in 2016, Mexico became the first country in Latin America to complete the transition from analog to digital transmissions, allowing for better image and audio quality and a wider selection of programming from networks (2022)
Internet users
total: 98.8 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 76% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 9
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 21,936,131 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 11
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 16 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 370
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 64,569,640 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,090,380,000 (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
243
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
1,471
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Heliports
1 (2021)
Pipelines
17,210 km natural gas (2022), 9,757 km oil (2017), 10,237 km refined products (2020)
Railways
total: 23,389 km (2017)
standard gauge: 23,389 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (27 km electrified)
comparison ranking: total 11
Roadways
total: 704,884 km (2017)
paved: 175,526 km (2017) (includes 10,845 km of expressways)
unpaved: 529,358 km (2017)
comparison ranking: total 12
Waterways
2,900 km (2012) (navigable rivers and coastal canals mostly connected with ports on the country's east coast)
comparison ranking: 35
Merchant marine
total: 669 (2022)
by type: container ship 1, bulk carrier 5, general cargo 10, oil tanker 32, other 621
comparison ranking: total 34
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Veracruz
oil terminal(s): Cayo Arcas terminal, Dos Bocas terminal
cruise port(s): Cancun, Cozumel, Ensenada
container port(s) (TEUs): Lazaro Cardenas (1,686,076), Manzanillo (3,371,400), Veracruz (1,165,043) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Altamira, Ensenada
Military and Security
Military and security forces
the Mexican Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de México) are divided between the Secretariat of National Defense and the Secretariat of the Navy:
Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, SEDENA): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM), National Guard; 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)) (2023)
note: the National Guard was formed in 2019 of personnel from the former Federal Police (disbanded in December 2019) and military police units of the Army and Navy; up until September 2022, the Guard was under the civilian-led Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection, while the SEDENA had day-to-day operational control and provided the commanders and the training; in September 2022, complete control of the Guard was handed over to the SEDENA/Mexican Army; the Guard, along with state and municipal police, is responsible for enforcing the law and maintaining order; the regular military also actively supports police operations
Military expenditures
0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2021)
0.6% of GDP (2020)
0.5% of GDP (2019)
0.5% of GDP (2018)
comparison ranking: 150
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 225,000 armed forces personnel (165,000 Army; 10,000 Air Force; 50,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines); approximately 110,000 National Guard personnel (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Mexican military inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported equipment from a variety of mostly Western suppliers; the US has been the leading supplier of military hardware to Mexico in recent years; Mexico's defense industry produces naval vessels and light armored vehicles, as well as small arms and other miscellaneous equipment (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age (16 with parental consent) for voluntary enlistment for men and women; 18 years of age for compulsory military service for men (selection for service determined by lottery); conscript service obligation is 12 months; those selected serve on Saturdays in a Batallón del Servicio Militar Nacional (National Military Service Battalion) composed entirely of 12-month Servicio Militar Nacional (SMN) conscripts; conscripts remain in reserve status until the age of 40; cadets enrolled in military schools from the age of 15 are considered members of the armed forces; National Guard: single men and women 18-30 years of age may volunteer (2023)
note: as of 2022, women comprised about 15% of the active duty military
Military - note
the Mexican military is responsible for defending the independence, integrity, and sovereignty of Mexico, as well as providing for internal security, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and socio-economic development; in recent years, internal security duties have been a key focus, particularly in countering narcotics trafficking and organized crime groups, as well as border control and immigration enforcement; the constitution was amended in 2019 to grant the president the authority to use the armed forces to protect internal and national security, and courts have upheld the legality of the armed forces’ role in law enforcement activities in support of civilian authorities through 2028; the military also provides security for strategic facilities, such as oil production infrastructure, and administers most of the country's land and sea ports and customs services, plus the approximately 2,700 branches of a state-owned development bank; in addition, President LOPEZ OBRADOR has placed the military in charge of a growing number of infrastructure projects, such as building and operating a new airport for Mexico City and sections of a train line in the country’s southeast
the Mexican Army is a lightly armed force comprised largely of infantry supplemented by mechanized or motorized forces; it is primarily focused on internal security operations vice conventional warfare, and its posture and composition reflects an internal focus over external threats; much of the force is deployed throughout the country in 12 military regional commands and 48 subordinate military zones, giving the Army a country-wide presence and the ability to respond immediately to a crisis; force strengths in each zone vary according to the security situation, from a single infantry battalion to over 10 infantry battalions and small motorized cavalry regiments, plus other units on rotation; the Army’s principal mobile combat forces are approximately 10 light or mechanized/motorized infantry brigades, three special forces brigades, and a paratrooper brigade, which are separate from the units under the military zones; the National Guard has up to 12 military police brigades; the Air Force’s inventory reflects its chief roles of supporting the Army, conducting counter-narcotics operations, and providing assistance during natural disasters; its fixed-wing combat aircraft include a handful of US-made fighters acquired in the 1980s and about 30 light attack planes; the Air Force also has more than 30 transport aircraft, as well as about 100 multipurpose helicopters
the Mexican Navy is largely a coastal patrol force but has a growing blue water capability; it has a range of missions including maritime law enforcement, security of maritime facilities, resources, and the environment, humanitarian assistance, and search and rescue; it has fleet commands for both the Pacific and Caribbean Sea/Gulf of Mexico, plus naval aviation, and naval infantry forces; the Navy’s warships include five frigates and more than 100 patrol vessels of varying sizes and capabilities; the Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina) has both external and internal security responsibilities, including providing port security, protecting the coastal fringe, and patrolling major waterways; it also has had a significant role in combating narcotics trafficking and organized crime; the Corps has more than 30 combat battalions, which include amphibious, commando, infantry, paratrooper, security, and special operations forces (2023)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Mexican Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Mexicana or AEM; established 2010 and began operating in 2013); predecessor organization, the National Space Commission (Comisión Nacional del Espacio Exterior or CONEE was established in 1962 and terminated in 1977) (2023)
Space program overview
the AEM’s focus is on coordinating Mexico’s space policy and the country’s commercial space sector, including developing specialists, technologies, and infrastructure, and acquiring satellites; manufactures and operates communications and scientific satellites; conducts research in a range of space-related capabilities and technologies, including satellites and satellite payloads, telecommunications, remote sensing, Earth and weather sciences, astronomy, and astrophysics; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial space industries, including those of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the European Space Agency (ESA) and its member states (particularly France, Germany, and the UK), India, Peru, Russia, Ukraine, and the US; leading member of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Mexico-Belize: Mexico and Belize are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty
Mexico-Guatemala: Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US
Mexico-US: the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal persons, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 35,755 (Honduras), 13,531 (El Salvador) (mid-year 2022); 91,359 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2022)
IDPs: 386,000 (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) (2022)
stateless persons: 13 (2022)
Illicit drugs
significant source and transit country for fentanyl, fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, other synthetic opioids, cocaine from South America, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine destined for the United States; a destination for synthetic drug precursor chemicals from China, India, and other countries