|
|
Print-friendly version
MEXICO
Mexico is at the southern extremity of North America and is bordered to the north by the USA, northwest by the Gulf of California, west by the Pacific, south by Guatemala and Belize, and east by the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Mexico’s geographical features range from swamp to desert, and from tropical lowland jungle to high alpine vegetation. Over half the country has an altitude above 1000m (3300ft). The central land mass is a plateau flanked by ranges of mountains to the east and west that lie roughly parallel to the coast. The northern area of this plateau is arid and thinly populated, and occupies 40 per cent of the total area of Mexico.
The southern area is crossed by a range of volcanic mountains running from Cape Corrientes in the west through the Valley of Mexico to Veracruz in the east, and includes the magnificent volcanoes of Cofre de Perote, Ixtaccíhuatl, Matlalcueyetl, Nevado de Toluca, Orizaba and Popocatépetl. This is the heart of Mexico and where almost half of the population lives. To the south, the land falls away to the sparsely populated Isthmus of Tehuantepec whose slopes and flatlands support both commercial and subsistence agriculture. In the east, the Gulf Coast and the Yucatán peninsula are flat and receive over 75 per cent of Mexico’s rain. The most productive agricultural region in Mexico is the northwest, while the Gulf Coast produces most of Mexico’s oil and sulphur. Along the northwest coast, opposite the peninsula of Baja California, and to the southeast along the coast of Bahía de Campeche and the Yucatán peninsula, the lowlands are swampy with coastal lagoons.
.jpg "Mexico_004_(Small).jpg")
In Mexico City is the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, which celebrates the three major cultures that have shaped Mexico: there are Aztec ruins, the 17th-century colonial church of San Diego and several late 20th-century buildings. Mexico's capital city is one of speeding VW taxis and bustling marketplaces, countered by colorful Aztec dancers and panaderías with freshly baked pastries. Mexico City has a peculiar charm, possessing Mexico in microcosm: pollution and poverty intermingled with streets named after philosophers. Mexico City itself provides a contrast with the country's arresting topography: its Sierre Madre mountains, volcanoes, national parks and beaches.
.jpg "Mexico_006_(Small).jpg")
Almost 500 years on, the impact of Spanish conquistadores can be seen in the tall, ornate churches that crown the hillsides and plazas of Mexico’s cities and whitewashed walls of haciendas. But traces of earlier inhabitants remain in the remarkable temples and pyramids at Palenque and Teotihuacán, and in the traditions of dozens of indigenous cultures. Accompanying it all are the subtle spices of Mexico’s famous tortillas, tamales and enchiladas, washed down with bold red wines and heady tequila and mescal.
| You are viewing results 1 to 4 of 4 |
|
|
.jpg "Mexico_011_(Small).jpg")
