Official Name: Estados Unidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States).

Area: North America

Size: 1,972,550 km²

Coastline: 9,330 km

Independence: from Spain September 16, 1810

Form of Govt.: Federal republic

Head of Govt.: President

Capital: Mexico City

Largest City: Mexico City

Demographics (2005): 107,449,525.   55 /km²

GNP per Capita (2005): $10,186

Languages: Spanish, English

Geography: Mexico features volcanic peaks, high plateaus; desert, snow-capped mountains, tropical rain forests, and internationally famous beaches. Crossed by two major mountain chains, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental. Mexico's major rivers include the Rio Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande) on the northern border and the Usumacinta on its southern borders, the Grijalva, Balsas, Pánuco, and Yaqui in the interior.

Climate: Mexico has a tropical and temperate climate depending on altitude, winds and cool Pacific Ocean currents. A tropical climate is experienced along the coastal region of the Yucatan Peninsula and the lower areas of southern Mexico while a temperate climate is experienced in areas with an elevation higher than 900 metres. Most of Mexico is dry with about 14% of the land area receiving adequate rainfall in all seasons. During summer and autumn both the east and west coasts are subject to hurricanes. Average temperature ranges in Mexico City are from 6 to 19 degrees in January to 12 to 26 degrees in May.