Interesting Facts About Mexico

The Chihuahua is named for a Mexican state.

The United States' neighbor to the South has a rich culture and a long history. Though we often refer to the country simply as Mexico, its official name is Estados Únidos Mexicanos, which translates to "United Mexican States."

History

Many societies have flourished in Mexico. The first known Mexican society, the Olmecs, first prospered around 1200 B.C. according to History.com. It was also home to the Zapotec, Mayan, Toltec and Aztec civilizations before the Spanish arrived in 1521.

Religion

Catholic missionaries from Spain began arriving in Mexico in 1523, according to History.com. Eighty-nine percent of Mexican citizens consider themselves Catholic, according to the Mexican Food Recipes website. Mexico now has more Catholic citizens than any other country except for Brazil.

Geography

The Mexico-United States border is the second longest in the world, according to the Random Facts website, the first being the Canada-United States border. Its largest city and capital, Mexico City, has the highest elevation of any city in North America.

Economy

Mexico is the world's leading producer of silver, according to History.com. It is also home to a thriving tourism industry with popular tourist destinations such as Mexico City, Acapulco, The Baja Peninsula, Playa del Carmen, Cancun and Cozumel.

References

• History.com: Mexico
• Mexican Food Recipes
• Random Facts: 47 Interesting Facts about Mexico

Resources

• Facts About Mexico