Short facts about the geography of Mexico
| Location: |
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 |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
23 00 N, 102 00
W |
| Map
references: |
North
America |
| Area: |
total: 1,972,550 sq km
land: 1,923,040 sq
km
water: 49,510 sq km |
| Area -
comparative: |
slightly less than three times the size
of Texas |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 4,538 km
border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962
km, US 3,326 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of
the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
varies from tropical to
desert |
| Terrain: |
high, rugged mountains; low coastal
plains; high plateaus; desert |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Laguna Salada -10 m
highest point: Volcan Pico de
Orizaba 5,700 m |
| Natural
resources: |
petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead,
zinc, natural gas, timber |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures:
39%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 22% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
61,000 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
tsunamis along the Pacific coast,
volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on
the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coasts |
| Environment
- current issues: |
natural fresh water resources scarce
and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas;
deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; serious air pollution in the
national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico
border |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements |
| Geography -
note: |
strategic location on southern border
of US | Source: World Factbook |
