Mexico
Introduction
Background
Mexico was the site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations -- including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec -- until Spain conquered and colonized the area 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 Mexican Revolution in 1910 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 2018.
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, or T-MEC by its Spanish acronym) entered into force in 2020 and replaced its predecessor, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Mexico amended its constitution in 2019 to facilitate the implementation of the labor components of USMCA.
Mexico is currently the US's second-largest goods trading partner, after Canada. 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.
Geography
Location
North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, 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
Area
total
1,964,375 sq km
land
1,943,945 sq km
water
20,430 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries
total
4,389 km
border countries
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
50.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 10.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.)
forest
34.2% (2023 est.)
other
15.1% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land
59,910 sq km (2022)
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
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 America) 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; hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of America, 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) is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for 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"
volcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m) is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for 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, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes
note 2: 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 3: the prominent Yucatán Peninsula that divides the Gulf of America from the Caribbean Sea is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; on the northern coast of Yucatan near the town of Chicxulub lie the remnants of a massive asteroid or comet crater about 150 km (93 mi) in diameter and extending into the Gulf of America; the impact is believed to have initiated a worldwide climate disruption that caused a mass extinction of 75% of the earth's plant and animal species, including the non-avian dinosaurs
note 2: 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 3: the prominent Yucatán Peninsula that divides the Gulf of America from the Caribbean Sea is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; on the northern coast of Yucatan near the town of Chicxulub lie the remnants of a massive asteroid or comet crater about 150 km (93 mi) in diameter and extending into the Gulf of America; the impact is believed to have initiated a worldwide climate disruption that caused a mass extinction of 75% of the earth's plant and animal species, including the non-avian dinosaurs
People and Society
Population
total
130,739,927 (2024 est.)
male
63,899,138
female
66,840,789
Nationality
noun
Mexican(s)
adjective
Mexican
Ethnic groups
Mestizo (Indigenous-Spanish) 62%, predominantly Indigenous 21%, Indigenous 7%, other 10% (mostly European) (2012 est.)
Languages
Languages
Spanish only 93.8%, Spanish and indigenous languages (including Mayan, Nahuatl, and others) 5.4%, indigenous only 0.6%, unspecified 0.2% (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
Catholic 77.7%, no religion 10.6%, other Evangelical Churches 7.5%, Jehovah Witness 1.2%; less than 1 percent: Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, Historics, not specified, Latter Day Saints, other religions (2020 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
23.3% (male 15,647,805/female 14,754,004)
15-64 years
68.6% (male 43,651,105/female 45,983,174)
65 years and over
8.2% (2024 est.) (male 4,600,228/female 6,103,611)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
45.9 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
33.9 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
11.9 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
8.4 (2024 est.)
Median age
total
31 years (2025 est.)
male
28.8 years
female
32.7 years
Population growth rate
0.81% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
14.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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
0.75 male(s)/female
total population
0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.3 years (2008 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
42 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
12.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male
13.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female
10.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
total population
74.6 years (2024 est.)
male
71.6 years
female
77.7 years
Total fertility rate
1.85 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural
rural: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.1% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
10.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
2.59 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
1 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural
rural: 98.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 1.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
28.9% (2016)
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.)
Tobacco use
total
13.8% (2025 est.)
male
21.8% (2025 est.)
female
6.3% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
4.2% (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
53% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15
3.6% (2018)
women married by age 18
20.7% (2018)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
14.2% national budget (2022 est.)
Literacy
total population
95% (2020 est.)
male
96% (2020 est.)
female
94% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total
15 years (2022 est.)
male
14 years (2022 est.)
female
15 years (2022 est.)
Environment
Environmental issues
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; urban river pollution from raw sewage and industrial effluents; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; serious air and water pollution in urban areas; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
International environmental 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
50.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 10.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.)
forest
34.2% (2023 est.)
other
15.1% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
81.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
441.049 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
32.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
228.279 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
180.684 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
17.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions
energy
1,389 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture
2,372.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste
1,832.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other
49.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
53.1 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
9.6% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal
13.33 billion cubic meters (2022)
industrial
7.953 billion cubic meters (2022)
agricultural
68.523 billion cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources
461.888 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks
2
global geoparks and regional networks
Comarca Minera, Hidalgo; Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca (2023)
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
name may derive from one of the Nahuatl (Aztec) names for the capital city, Metztlixihtlico, which probably meant "the center of the moon;" alternatively, it may come from Mexica, the original name of the Aztec people
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
name may derive from one of the Nahuatl (Aztec) names for the capital city, Metztlixihtlico, which probably meant "the center of the moon;" alternatively, it may come from Mexica, the original name of the Aztec people
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, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas
Legal system
civil law system with US constitutional law influence; judicial review of legislative acts
Constitution
history
several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917
amendment process
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
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 Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (since 1 October 2024)
head of government
President Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (since 1 October 2024)
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president
election/appointment process
president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 6-year term
most recent election date
2 June 2024
election results
2024: Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo elected president; percent of vote - Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (MORENA) 59.4%, Xóchitl GÁLVEZ Ruiz (PAN) 27.9%, Jorge Álvarez MÁYNEZ (MC) 10.4%, other 2.3%
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 (independent) 5.2%, 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%
expected date of next election
2030
Legislative branch
legislature name
Congress of the Union (Congreso de la Unión)
legislative structure
bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
number of seats
500 (all directly elected)
electoral system
mixed system
scope of elections
full renewal
term in office
3 years
most recent election date
6/2/2024
parties elected and seats per party
National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) (236); Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) (77); National Action Party (PAN) (72); Labour Party (PT) (51); Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (35); Citizens' Movement (MC) (27); Other (2)
percentage of women in chamber
50.2%
expected date of next election
June 2027
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate (Cámara de Senadores)
number of seats
128 (all directly elected)
electoral system
mixed system
scope of elections
full renewal
term in office
6 years
most recent election date
6/2/2024
parties elected and seats per party
National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) (60); National Action Party (PAN) (22); Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (16); Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) (14); Labour Party (PT) (9); Other (7)
percentage of women in chamber
50%
expected date of next election
June 2030
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
Political parties
Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC
Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI
Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT
Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de México) or PVEM
Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional) or MORENA
National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional) or PAN
Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática) or PRD
Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI
Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT
Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de México) or PVEM
Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional) or MORENA
National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional) or PAN
Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática) or PRD
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), Oklahoma City (OK), 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 Ronald D. JOHNSON (since 19 May 2025)
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
International organization participation
ACS, APEC, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CABEI, 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, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
16 September 1810 (declared independence from Spain); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Flag
description: three equal vertical bands of green (left 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
meaning: green stands for hope, joy, and love; white for peace and honesty; red for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor
meaning: green stands for hope, joy, and love; white for peace and honesty; red for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor
National symbol(s)
golden eagle, dahlia
National color(s)
green, white, red
National coat of arms
Adopted in 1968, Mexico’s coat of arms is also used as the Seal of the United Mexican States. The Mexican Golden Eagle, a national symbol, is perched on a prickly pear cactus and eats a snake. Beneath the eagle, oak and laurel leaves are joined by a ribbon in the national colors. The image symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.
National anthem(s)
title
"Himno Nacional Mexicano" (National Anthem of Mexico)
lyrics/music
Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA/Jaime Nuno ROCA
history
adopted 1943
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
36 (28 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); Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta (Tatehuarí Huajuyé) (c)
Economy
Economic overview
upper-middle-income economy; highly integrated with US via trade and nearshore manufacturing; weak domestic demand, fiscal consolidation, and trade uncertainty contributing to sluggish growth; low unemployment; challenges from income inequality, corruption, and cartel-based violence
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$2.883 trillion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$2.842 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$2.751 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2024
1.5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
3.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.7% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2024
$22,000 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$21,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022
$21,400 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.853 trillion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
4.7% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
5.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
7.9% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture
3.8% (2024 est.)
industry
31.6% (2024 est.)
services
58.2% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
70.3% (2024 est.)
government consumption
11.2% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
24.2% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
0% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
36.8% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-37.9% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, maize, milk, oranges, sorghum, tomatoes, chicken, chillies/peppers, wheat, lemons/limes (2023)
Industries
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
Industrial production growth rate
0.2% (2024 est.)
Labor force
60.959 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2024
2.8% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
2.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022
3.3% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total
5.5% (2024 est.)
male
5.2% (2024 est.)
female
6.1% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
36.3% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
43.5 (2022 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
25.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
2.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
2.1% (2022 est.)
highest 10%
34.4% (2022 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2024
3.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023
3.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022
4.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget
revenues
$342.571 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
$417.843 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2023
45.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
14.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2024
-$5.986 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$5.611 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022
-$17.701 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2024
$680.798 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023
$649.729 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022
$630.347 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
USA 76%, Canada 5%, China 2%, Germany 2%, Spain 1% (2023)
Exports - commodities
cars, vehicle parts/accessories, crude petroleum, trucks, computers (2023)
Imports
Imports 2024
$697.067 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023
$674.695 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022
$672.914 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
USA 46%, China 20%, Germany 4%, Japan 3%, S. Korea 3% (2023)
Imports - commodities
vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$232.035 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$214.317 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$201.119 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$306.308 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024
18.305 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
17.759 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
20.127 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
20.272 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020
21.486 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas
99.8%
electrification - rural areas
100%
Electricity
installed generating capacity
105.586 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption
332.042 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports
1.97 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports
4.863 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
45.47 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels
79.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear
3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind
5.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
5.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
geothermal
1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors
2 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
1.55GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production
4.9% (2023 est.)
Coal
production
6.296 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
15.132 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports
4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
8.809 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves
1.16 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
2.101 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
1.741 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
5.786 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production
33.118 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
97.118 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports
27.92 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports
64.289 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
180.322 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
57.539 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
25.637 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
20 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
140 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
100 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media
telecom reform in 2013 ended a quasi-monopoly; now 885 TV stations and 1,841 radio stations, most privately owned; foreign satellite and cable operators are available; completed transition to digital in 2016 (2022)
Internet country code
.mx
Internet users
percent of population
81% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
26.6 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
21 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
XA
Airports
1,580 (2025)
Heliports
488 (2025)
Railways
total
23,389 km (2017)
standard gauge
23,389 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (27 km electrified)
Merchant marine
total
674 (2023)
by type
bulk carrier 4, general cargo 11, oil tanker 32, other 627
Ports
total ports
35 (2024)
large
0
medium
7
small
10
very small
14
size unknown
4
ports with oil terminals
21
key ports
Acapulco, Ensenada, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Tampico, Tuxpan, Veracruz
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 (Guardia Nacional); 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))
Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection/SEDENA: National Guard (2025)
Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, SEDENA): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM), National Guard (Guardia Nacional); 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))
Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection/SEDENA: National Guard (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2024
0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020
0.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 260,000 active-duty Armed Forces; approximately 110,000 National Guard personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Mexican military inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from a variety of mostly Western suppliers, particularly the US; Mexico's defense industry produces light armored vehicles and some naval vessels, as well as small arms and other miscellaneous equipment (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age (16 with parental consent) for voluntary service for men and women; men at age 18 subject to lottery-based 12-month compulsory military service (2025)
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; internal security duties are a key focus, particularly combating 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 a state-owned development bank; in addition, President LÓPEZ OBRADOR 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 (2025)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Mexican Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Mexicana or AEM; established 2010 and began operating in 2013) (2025)
Space program overview
has a national space policy with a focus on expanding Mexico's commercial space sector, including acquiring satellites and developing specialists, technologies, and infrastructure; manufactures and operates communications and scientific satellites; conducts research on a range of space-related capabilities and technologies, including astronomy, astrophysics, Earth and weather sciences, remote sensing, robotics, satellite payloads, and telecommunications; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial space industries, including those of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France, Germany, and the UK), India, Japan, Peru, Russia, Ukraine, and the US; led effort to establish the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency and hosts its headquarters (2025)
Key space-program milestones
1962-1977 - sounding rocket program
1985 - first Mexican in space on US Space Shuttle; first communications satellite (Morelos-1) built by US and released from the US Space Shuttle
2015 - first successful launch of MEXSAT series of communications satellites by the US
2021 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration
2024 - contributed five autonomous micro-robots (Colmena project) on failed US commercial Moon lander mission
1985 - first Mexican in space on US Space Shuttle; first communications satellite (Morelos-1) built by US and released from the US Space Shuttle
2015 - first successful launch of MEXSAT series of communications satellites by the US
2021 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration
2024 - contributed five autonomous micro-robots (Colmena project) on failed US commercial Moon lander mission
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Gulf Cartel (CDG); Jalisco Cartel New Generation (CJNG); La Mara Salvatruche (MS-13); Northeast Cartel (CDN); The New Family Michoacana (LNFM); Sinaloa Cartel; United Cartels (CU)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
417,546 (2024 est.)
IDPs
390,250 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
13 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs
USG identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)