Xaverians in Mexico

Mexico: Country Profile

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Mexico

Mexico is a country in North America, south of the United States of America. Its area, including a number of offshore islands, is 758,452 sq mi. The capital and largest city is Mexico City.  In general, the climate varies with elevation. On the humid, low coastal plains temperatures range from 60° to 120° F. At higher elevations average temperatures range from 59° to 70° F. Most of Mexico is relatively dry, although sections of southern Mexico receive much precipitation. 

Almost every known mineral is found in Mexico. Petroleum and natural gas reserves are enormous. Forests, covering 29 percent of the land, contain many valuable woods. Some 13 percent of Mexico is cultivated. Native plants include cactus, yucca, agave, and mesquite in the arid north. Tropical jungle plants thrive in some warm, humid areas, while arctic vegetation grows at Mexico's highest elevations. Wildlife includes wolves and coyotes in the north; ocelots, jaguars, peccaries, bears, and pumas in the oak and pine forests on mountain slopes; and seals along the coasts. Turtles, iguanas, rattlesnakes, and lizards are found throughout the country.

The population is 96,807,451 (1997 estimate). It is composed of three main groups: people of mixed European and Native American ancestry, constituting about 60 percent of the population; Native Americans, constituting about 30 percent of the population; and people of European descent. Some 76 percent of Mexico's people live in urban areas.

Mexico consists of 31 states and the Federal District (D.F.), which is the seat of the federal government. Roman Catholicism is the faith of about 90 percent of the people. The prevailing and official language is Spanish, though a wide variety of native american languages are still spoken. Education is free and compulsory for all children through age 15.

Mexico's economy reflects a shift from a primary-production economy, based on mining and agriculture, to a semi-industrialized economy. Economic achievements are largely the result of a vigorous private enterprise sector. Mexican agriculture still supplies most of the country's own basic needs, as well as exports. The chief crops are maize, sugarcane, sorghum, wheat, oranges, coffee, tomatoes, bananas, and potatoes. About 24 percent of Mexico is forested, and the economy produces considerable amounts of forestry products, such as lumber and turpentine. The most important fisheries lie off the coast of Baja California. The most valuable mineral resource is petroleum. Also important are silver, gold, copper ore, iron ore, natural gas, and coal.

Mexican industries, among the most developed in Latin America, produce motor vehicles and other consumer items for the U.S. market. Other industries include machinery and electronic equipment factories; petroleum refineries; foundries; meat-packing plants; paper mills; cotton mills; tobacco processing plants; and sugar refineries. The Mexican unit of currency is the nuevo peso.

National executive power is held by a president elected to a six-year term. The president must be Mexican-born and the child of a native Mexican. Legislative power is held by the bicameral General Congress, which includes a 64-member Senate and a 500-member Federal Chamber of Deputies. The chief executive of each state is a governor, elected to a six-year term. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) is the largest and most important political party in Mexico. Opposition parties include the National Action Party (PAN), a conservative, pro-Catholic group; and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), a left-wing party.

Service, mission, work, news, and presence of the Xaverian Missionaries in Mexico