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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 679, FM 0, shortwave 22

Radios [time series]

22.5 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

highly developed system with extensive microwave radio relay links; privatized in December 1990 domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network international : satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); launched Solidaridad I satellite in November 1993 and Solidaridad II in October 1994, giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

11,890,868 (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

238

Televisions [time series]

13.1 million (1992 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $73.8 billion expenditures: $74 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 New Mexican peso (Mex$) = 100 centavos

Debt - external [time series]

$170 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $85 million (1993) note : US commitments, (Emergency Stabilization Fund), $13.5 billion; IMF, $13 billion (1995-96)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. The Mexican economy enters 1997 in the midst of an economic recovery that began to pick up steam in mid-1996. After plummeting more than 6% in 1995 in the aftermath of the peso crisis, economic activity in Mexico grew by an estimated 5.1% in 1996. Many private forecasters who had scoffed at the ZEDILLO administration's 3% growth target for 1996 are now projecting economic expansion of 4-5% for 1997. Strong export growth continues to drive the economy; total exports were up roughly 16% in 1996 compared to 1995. By the end of 1996, however, Mexican government statistics showed that increased domestic consumption and investment spending were also beginning to contribute to the recovery. Despite these positive economic trends, structural problems and vulnerabilities remain. Low savings rates will keep Mexico dependent on foreign capital; national savings as a share of GDP plunged from a peak of 25% in 1983 to less than 14% in 1994. Additionally, Mexico City is still struggling to bail out a banking sector burdened with bad debts. Mexico's international trade continues to be highly dependent on the US market. The US/Mexico trade balance has shifted over the last two years because of the peso's rapid devaluation in late 1994, which made Mexican exports much more attractive. In 1995 and 1996, the US ran trade deficits with Mexico, a large turnaround from 1994's trade surplus of about $1.3 billion.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

40.502 million kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

1,206 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

142.344 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

market rate of Mexican pesos (Mex$) per US$1 - 7.8270 (January 1997), 7.6009 (1996), 6.4194 (1995), 3.3751 (1994), 3.1156 (1993), 3,094.9 (1992) note: the new peso replaced the old peso on 1 January 1993; 1 new peso = 1,000 old pesos

Exports [time series]

total value: $95 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.), includes in-bond industries commodities: crude oil, oil products, coffee, silver, engines, motor vehicles, cotton, consumer electronics partners: US 80%, Canada 5.2%, Japan 1.8% (1996 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $777.3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture : 8% industry: 28% services: 63% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $8,100 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5.1% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value : $88.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.), includes in-bond industries commodities: metal-working machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts partners : US 74.8%, Japan 5.1%, Germany 3.65%, Canada 1.4%, France 1.1% (1996 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

11% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

28% (1996 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 36.3 million (November 1996) by occupation: services 31.7%, agriculture, forestry, hunting, and fishing 28%, commerce 14.6%, manufacturing 11.1%, construction 8.4%, transportation 4.7%, mining and quarrying 1.5%

Unemployment rate [time series]

10% (1996 est.) plus considerable underemployment

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1,972,550 sq km land: 1,923,040 sq km water : 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Climate [time series]

varies from tropical to desert

Coastline [time series]

9,330 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location on southern border of US

Irrigated land [time series]

61,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 4,538 km border countries : Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 39% forests and woodland: 26% other: 22% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

North America

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Gulf and Caribbean coasts

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Terrain [time series]

high, rugged mountains, low coastal plains, high plateaus, and desert

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Constitution [time series]

5 February 1917

Country name [time series]

conventional long form : United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador James R. JONES embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 3087, Laredo, TX 78044-3087 telephone : [52] (5) 211-0042

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Jesus SILVA Herzog Flores chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Albuquerque, Austin, Boston, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Laredo, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Nogales (Arizona), Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Sacramento, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, San Jose, Santa Ana, Seattle

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 August 1994 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon elected president; percent of vote - Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (PRI) 50.18%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 17.08%, Diego FERNANDEZ DE CEVALLOS (PAN) 26.69%, other 6.049%

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[52] (5) 511-9980, 208-3373 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band

Government type [time series]

federal republic operating under a centralized government

Independence [time series]

16 September 1810 (from Spain)

International organization participation [time series]

AG (observer), APEC, BCIE, BIS (pending member), Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECD, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), judges are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate

Legal system [time series]

mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats, expanded from 64 seats at the last election; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 21 August 1994 (next to be held 6 July 1997 for one-quarter of the seats); Chamber of Deputies - last held 24 August 1994 (next to be held 6 July 1997) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party in expanded Senate - PRI 93, PRD 25, PAN 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 300, PAN 119, PRD 71, PT 10

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Mexico

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

(recognized parties) Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Humberto ROQUE Villanueva; National Action Party (PAN), Felipe CALDERON Hinojosa; Popular Socialist Party (PPS), Indalecio SAYAGO Herrera; Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Andres Manuel LOPEZ Obrador; Cardenist Front for the National Reconstruction Party (PFCRN), Rafael AGUILAR Talamantes; Democratic Forum Party (PFD), Pablo Emilio MADERO; Mexican Green Ecologist Party (PVEM), Jorge GONZALEZ Torres; Workers Party (PT), Alberto ANYA Gutierrez

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Roman Catholic Church; Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM); Confederation of Industrial Chambers (CONCAMIN); Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce (CONCANACO); National Peasant Confederation (CNC); Revolutionary Workers Party (PRT); Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CROC); Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers (CROM); Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic (COPARMEX); National Chamber of Transformation Industries (CANACINTRA); Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations (COECE); Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services (FESEBES)

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

National Defense (includes Army and Air Force), Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines)

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$1.56 billion (1997 est.)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.5% (1997 est.)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 24,518,142 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males: 17,857,361 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males : 1,062,640 (1997 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years : 36% (male 17,849,251; female 17,236,639) 15-64 years: 60% (male 28,241,361; female 29,883,766) 65 years and over: 4% (male 1,982,329; female 2,370,028) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

25.8 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.52 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

23.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

Spanish, various Mayan dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74 years male: 70.39 years female: 77.78 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.6% male : 91.8% female: 87.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

97,563,374 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.84% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population : 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.97 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis continues in spite of increased government eradication; major supplier of heroin and marijuana to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America; increasingly involved in the production and distribution of methamphetamines MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF States of]

Transportation

Airports [time series]

1,415 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1,003 over 3,047 m : 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 92 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m : 805 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 412 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 362 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total : 249,520 km paved: 93,071 km (including 5,920 km of expressways) unpaved: 156,449 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 899,032 GRT/1,297,346 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 7, oil tanker 29, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 3 (1996 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Railways [time series]

total: 20,567 km standard gauge: 20,477 km 1.435-m gauge (246 km electrified) narrow gauge : 90 km 0.914-m gauge (1994)

Waterways [time series]

2,900 km navigable rivers and coastal canals