Mexico is a country located
in North America, bordered at the north by
the United States, and at the south with
Guatemala and Belize in Central America.
It is the northernmost and westernmost country
in Latin America, and also the most populous
Spanish-speaking country in the world.
The official name is the 'United Mexican States'.
The term State of Mexico (Estado de
Mexico) does not refer to the country, but
only to one state within Mexico, located near
the center of the country adjacent to the Federal
District. Its varied terrain ranges from cactus-studded
deserts to white sandy beaches and blue waters,
tropical rainforest and jungle-clad hills to steep
rocky canyons and narrow gorges, and from snow-capped
volcano peaks to bustling cities.
Since the height of Mayan and Aztec civilisations,
Mexico has suffered the destructive force of
the Conquistadors, European colonial rule, civil
and territorial wars, rebellions, dictatorships,
recessions and earthquakes. Yet its people
remain warm and friendly, much of the countryside
remains unspoilt by development, and its cities
display a unique style of architecture. The extraordinary
history is reflected in the ancient Mayan temples
strewn across the jungles and ruins of Aztec civilisations,
rural indigenous villages, Spanish colonial cities
and silver mining towns, and traditional Mexican
ports.
Buildings display a unique combination of colonial
and pagan architecture, blending together Art
Nouveau, Baroque, Art Deco and Native American
design into the structure of their churches and
public structures. The country's culture displays
a similar blend of the traditional and modern,
where pagan meets Christian in a series of festivals,
or fiestas throughout the year.
Besides a combination of unique culture and
fascinating cities, Mexico also boasts
several hundred miles of coastline extending down
through both the Pacific and the Caribbean,
which has branded the country as a popular
summer retreat destination. |
