Mexico

Population: 105 million
Size: 1,972,000 sq. km
Official Language: Spanish
Capital: Mexico City
Currency: Peso MXN (1 CAD = 9 Mexican Peso as of September 2004)

Mexico is a land of extreme diversity: the superficial glitz of fly-in fly-out tourist resorts coexists with awe-inspiring ancient cities, and snow-capped volcanoes slope down to pine forests, deserts and balmy tropical beaches. Mexico is a mountainous country with two north-south ranges framing a group of broad central plateaus known as the Altiplano Central. In the south, the Sierra Madre del Sur stretches across the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. From the isthmus, a narrow stretch of lowlands runs along the Pacific coast south to Guatemala. These lowlands are backed by the Chiapas highlands which merge into a steamy tropical rainforest area stretching into northern Guatemala. The flat, low Yucatàn Peninsula is tropical savannah to its tip, where there’s an arid desert-like region.

Visitors to the central region of Mexico will experience the richness of a land that stretches from the South Sierra Madre to the north limit of the high tableland. This region contains a wide range of climates and landscapes shaped by their height, geographical location and the amount of rainfall they receive. Set midway between the northeast and center of the country, San Luis Potos' is one of the states has stunning natural sites, ideal for adventure, ecotourism or simply for relaxation. Visitors can explore forests, springs, waterfalls and spas or visit artisans’ villages and discover their traditions, fiestas and customs.

On the Pacific Coast, from Sinaloa to Oaxaca, nature has been extremely generous. Visitors to Sinaloa can spend the night in Mazatlán,or Manzanillo with their luxury tourist facilities. The city of Guadalajara combines modernity, elegance and beauty. Oaxaca is known for its beautiful coast and traditional mountain and valley towns, elegant monasteries and archaeological and colonial monuments.

Northern Mexico, known for its wide plains and arid climate is spanned by two mountain ranges, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental, with the great Chihuahua Desert in between. The architecture and ceramics of the Paquimé culture are strikingly original and of excellent quality. Other distinctive features of the northern region include the El Pinacate Biosphere Region, the Copper Canyon, famous for its spectacular waterfall and microclimates. A noteworthy city is Monterrey, a thriving, modern city that in many ways exemplifies the culture of the north.

The Yucatán is world-renowned for its archaeological treasures. Visitors to Mexico take the opportunity of visiting Chichén Itzá and Uxmal, perfect examples of the development achieved by the Mayans in that region. The coastline of the Yucatán boasts warm beaches with fine white sand, such as Cancoen and the Riviera Maya. Those interested in exploring the colonial era will find beautiful examples in Campeche and Mérida. Mexico’s landscape and its people reflect the country’s extraordinary history - part Indian, part Spanish. Despite the considerable colonial legacy and rampant modernization, there are still over 50 distinct indigenous peoples, each with their own language, maintaining vestiges of their traditional lifestyles.

Visit this link for more information about Mexico:
www.visitmexico.com