Background :Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US.

Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, unemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.

Capital : Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Climate : Varies from tropical to desert

Currency : Mexican Peso (MXN)

Terrain : high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Natural Resources : petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Population : 106,202,903 (July 2005 est.)

Languages : Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

Industries : food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Government type : federal republic