Statistical information Mexico 1993

Mexico in the World
top of pageBackground: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century.
top of pageLocation: Central America, between Guatemala and the US
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
North America, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: total: 1,972,550 km²
Land boundaries: total 4,538 km, Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km
Coastline: 9,330 km
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or the natural prolongation of continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: varies from tropical to desert
Terrain: high, rugged mountains, low coastal plains, high plateaus, and desert
ElevationNatural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land useArable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 1%
Meadows and pastures: 39%
Forest and woodland: 24%
Other: 24%
Irrigated land: 51,500 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 90,419,606 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 1.97% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Mexican(s)
Adjective: Mexican
Ethnic groups: mestizo (Indian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, Caucasian or predominantly Caucasian 9%, other 1%
Languages: Spanish, various Mayan dialects
Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.97% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 27.67 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to tsunamis along the Pacific coast and destructive earthquakes in the center and south; natural water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; deforestation; erosion widespread; desertification; serious air pollution in Mexico City and urban centers along US-Mexico border
Current issues note: strategic location on southern border of US
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 72.55 years
Male: 68.99 years
Female: 76.3 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.25 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 87%
Male: 90%
Female: 85%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: United Mexican States
Conventional short form: Mexico
Local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Local short form: Mexico
Government type: federal republic operating under a centralized government
Capital: Mexico
Administrative divisions:
31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja
Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San
Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz,
Yucatan, Zacatecas
Dependent areasIndependence: 16 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Constitution: 5 February 1917
Legal system: mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso de la Union) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AG (observer), CARICOM (observer), CCC, CDB, CG, EBRD, ECLAC,
FAO, G-3, G-6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge MONTANO Martinez
In the us chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,006
In the us telephone: (202) 728-1600
In the us consulates general:Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New
York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
In the us consulates:Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Brownsville (Texas),
Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Detroit, Fresno (California), Miami,
Nogales (Arizona), Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Seattle
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE, Jr.
From the us embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, 6,500 Mexico, D.F.
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 3,087, Laredo, TX 78,044-3,087
From the us telephone: 52 (5) 211-0042
From the us fax: 52 (5) 511-9,980, 208-3,373
From the us consulates general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
From the us consulates: Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mazatlan, Merida, Nuevo Laredo
Flag description
: 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Mexico's economy is a mixture of state-owned industrial facilities (notably oil), private manufacturing and services, and both large-scale and traditional agriculture. In the 1980s, Mexico experienced severe economic difficulties: the nation accumulated large external debts as world petroleum prices fell; rapid population growth outstripped the domestic food supply; and inflation, unemployment, and pressures to emigrate became more acute. Growth in national output, however, has recovered, rising from 1.4% in 1988 to 4% in 1990 and 3.6% in 1991 and coming in at 2.6% in 1992. The US is Mexico's major trading partner, accounting for almost three-quarters of its exports and imports. After petroleum, border assembly plants and tourism are the largest earners of foreign exchange. The government, in consultation than two-thirds of its state-owned companies (parastatals), including banks. In 1991-92 the government conducted negotiations with the US and Canada on a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was still being discussed by the three countries in early 1993. In January 1993, Mexico replaced its old peso with a new peso, at the rate of 1,000 old to 1 new peso. Notwithstanding the palpable improvements in economic performance in the early 1990s, Mexico faces substantial problems for the remainder of the decade - e.g., rapid population growth, unemployment, and serious pollution, particularly in Mexico City.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 2.6% (1992)
Real gdp per capita: $3,600 (1992 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 9% of GDP and over 25% of work force; large number of small farms at subsistence level; major food crops - corn, wheat, rice, beans; cash crops - cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; fish catch of 1.4 million metric tons among top 20 nations (1987)
Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
growth rate 5.5% (1991 est.); accounts for 28% of
GDP
Labor force: 26.2 million (1990)
By occupation services: 31.7%
By occupation agriculture forestry hunting and fishing: 28%
By occupation commerce: 14.6%
By occupation manufacturing: 11.1%
By occupation construction: 8.4%
By occupation transportation: 4.7%
By occupation mining and quarrying: 1.5%
Unemployment rate: 14%-17% (1991 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $58.9 billion; expenditures $48.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $6.5 billion (1991; figures do not include state-owned companies
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $27.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: crude oil, oil products, coffee, shrimp, engines, motor vehicles, cotton, consumer electronics
Partners: US 74%, Japan 8%, EC 4% (1992 est.)
Imports: $48.1 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: metal-working machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts
Partners: US 74%, Japan, 11%, EC 6% (1992)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates:
market rate of Mexican pesos (Mex$) per US$1 - 3.100 (January 1993), 3,198 (November 1992), 3,018.4 (1991), 2,812.6 (1990), 2,461.3 (1989), 2,273.1 (1988); note - the new pesos replaced the old pesos on 1
January 1993; 1 new pesos = 1,000 old pesos
top of pageElectricityProduction: 27,000,000 kW capacity; 120,725 million kWh produced, 1,300 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 1,841
Usable: 1,478
With permanentsurface runways: 200
With runways over 3659 m: 3
With runways 2440-3659 m: 35
With runways 1220-2439 m: 273
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 2,900 km navigable rivers and coastal canals
Merchant marine:
58 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 858,162
GRT/1,278,488 DWT; includes 4 short-sea passenger, 2 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off, 31 oil tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 7 liquefied gas, 1 bulk, 5 container
Ports and terminalsMexico - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international: claims Clipperton Island (French possession)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis continues in spite of active government eradication program; major supplier to the US