MEXICO

Natural Resources of Mexico

As a whole, the soil quality in Mexico is poor. Only 13 percent of the land can be farmed. Although crops can be grown on the Altiplano Central, they often need irrigation. The plains along the coast are narrow and do not provide much farmland either. Similarly, the Yucatán Peninsula is flat, but the soil is very poor. Forests cover 34 percent of Mexico. Natural gas and petroleum are the nation's most valuable resources. These can be found along the plains of the Gulf Coast and in its waters. Other important resources include minerals and timber.

What are the borders of Mexico?

Guatemala Caribbean Sea Pacific Ocean Texas

Mexico Landscape

Here you will find tropical rain forests, snow-covered mountains, deserts, volcanoes, and beautiful beaches. Located in western Mexico, Sierra Madre Occidental is part of the U.S. Sierra Nevada range. The word "occidental" means west. This is also Mexico's longest mountain range. The Sierra Madre Oriental is a continuation of the U.S. Rocky Mountain range. The word "oriental" means east. This range is Mexico's second largest range and runs parallel to the eastern coast, along the Gulf of Mexico. Other major mountain ranges in Mexico are the Coastal Ranges of the Pacific and the Sierra Madre del Sur. The Coastal Ranges continue south from the western U.S, down into the Baja Peninsula. The Sierra Madre del Sur, also known as the South Sierras, run along the Pacific Coast and are roughly parallel to the Cordillera Neovolcanica, a volcanic mountain range that is the southern border of the Central Plateau of Mexico. The Central Plateau, called Altiplano Central, is surrounded by mountains and is the heart of Mexico. The majority of the country's population lives here. This is also where most of the country's agriculture and industry is located. Another major geographical feature of Mexico is its coastal plains. There are approximately 6,000 miles of coastline in Mexico, and its many beaches play a large role in Mexico's tourism industry. These Mexican plains run along the coast and inland until they reach the mountains. Mexico has two major peninsulas; penisulas are areas of land surrounded by water on three sides. Baja California, which means "Lower California," is 800 miles in length, and is part of Mexico. This peninsula is mostly mountainous desert. The Yucatan Peninsula is Mexico's other peninsula, located in southeast Mexico between the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean Sea.Unlike much of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula is flat.

Relative location of Mexico

Mexico lies south of the United States. The southern U.S. states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas forms Mexico's northern border. Mexico's other borders are the Pacific Ocean to the west; Belize, Guatemala, and the Caribbean Sea to the south; and the Gulf of Mexico to the east.

Cordillera Neovolcanica

Mexico lies within a very active tectonic region. These plates push against each other, causing earthquakes and volcanoes here. The Cordillera Neovolcanica contains several active volcanoes including Popocatepetl and Volcan Pico de Orizaba, Mexico's highest peak. This volcanic area is known as the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. This volcanic belt is part of the larger volcanic region known as the Ring of Fire. This region is a circle of volcanoes on lands that border the Pacific Ocean. Mexico has been a victim of tsunamis along its Pacific coast because of this seismic activity.

Climate of Mexico

Mexico's climate varies greatly because of the distance between its northernmost and southernmost points. You may recall that places get cooler the farther they are from the equator. The Tropic of Cancer runs through Mexico. Areas south of this latitude are primarily tropical, meaning the climate is hot and humid. Most of the country has two seasons, a wet season running from June to September and a dry season running from October to April. Generally, the north and inland areas receive little rainfall. Rainfall is plentiful along the east coast, in the south, and on the Yucatán Peninsula. Elevation differences also affect the climate in Mexico. As you move inland, away from the coasts and to higher elevations, the climate is more temperate, cooler, and drier. This makes the Altiplano Central, where most people live, very pleasant. The Sierra Madres—the mountain range that surrounds this plateau—keeps moisture from the ocean and rainfall from reaching the plateau. The southern portion of the plateau is more humid than the north. Here moisture from the ocean and rain is able to penetrate the mountains. The northwestern portion of the country is dry and hot. As a result, few people live there.

Rivers of Mexico

Most of Mexico's rivers are not navigable by large ocean-going liners and tend to be short. They run from mountain ranges to the coast. Rivers in Mexico have been dammed for hydrologic power and to prevent flooding. Some of Mexico's rivers include: Rio Bravo (Rio Grande in the U.S.) Grijalva Usumacinta Papaloapan Grande de Santiago Lerma River

Yucatan Peninsula

On the Yucatan Peninsula, soil isn't like the volcanic soil of other places in Mexico. In the Yucatan, the soil consists of porous limestone. When it rains, the water dissolves the rock and creates underground openings called caverns. Frequently, the tops of these caverns cave in, creating a sinkhole, which is a large hole. As you travel across the Yucatan Peninsula, you can see quite a few of these sinkholes. In ancient times, the Aztecs used these sinkholes as wells for drinking water.

Which area of Mexico listed below does not have volcanic soil?

Yucatán Peninsula

cavern

a cave under the earth formed when limestone dissolves

sinkhole

a depression in the earth generally occurring when rain dissolves limestone

Look at the map below. Can you find Mexico's borders and its states? Which Mexican states share their name with a state located along the Pacific coast of the U.S.?

https://cdn.lti.glynlyon.com/media/1716089e-e24d-4641-89c8-5a34a5814749/img/mexico-political-map.gif

tsunami

large wave caused by plate movement

Which words or phrases describe the central plateau?

pleasant climate high, flat land surrounded by mountains area where most of the population lives Altiplano Central

What is the Ring of Fire?

the circle of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean

Which terms describe Mexico's climate?

tropical temperate

Isthmus

A narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas

Mexico has 31 states and one federal district

Aguascalientes Chihuahua Guanajuato Michoacan de Ocampo Puebla Sonora Yucatán Baja California Coahuila de Zaragoza Guerrero Morelos Queretaro de Arteaga Tabasco Zacatecas Baja California Sur Colima Hidalgo Nayarit Quintana Roo Tamaulipas Distrito Federal Jalisco Nuevo Leon San Luis Potosi Tlaxcala Durango Mexico (the nation's capital city) Oaxaca Sinaloa Veracruz Llave

What is the name of the area identified as G on the map?

Isthmus of Tehuantepec

Why is the Gulf Coast important to Mexico's economy?

Petroleum is found here.

Interesting Note

The world's largest underground river may lie below the Yucatán Peninsula. In January of 2007, scuba divers exploring underwater caves discovered what may be the world's largest underground river. This waterway extends more than 95 miles (153 km).

Which natural hazard is not a threat to Mexico?

blizzard

Isthmus of Tehuantepec

flat land covered with tropical rain forest, is one of those features. It is located south of the Sierra Madre del Sur and is the shortest distance between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Look at the map below. This is a topographical map which shows the physical features of land. Which physical feature is Mexico primarily made up of?

https://cdn.lti.glynlyon.com/media/1716089e-e24d-4641-89c8-5a34a5814749/img/mexico-physical-map.gif

seismic

movement of the earth caused by the shifting of the tectonic plates