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{| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+<big><big>'''Estados Unidos Mexicanos'''</big></big>
|-
| align=center colspan=2 |
{| border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="background:#f9f9f9;"
|-
| align=center width=130 | ] || align=center width=130px | ]
|-
| align=center width=130 | <small>(])</small> || align=center width=130px | <small>(])</small>
|}
|-
| colspan=2 align=center | <small>National ]: none</small>
|-
| align=center colspan=2 style="background:#fff;" | ]
|-
| ''']''' || ]
|-
| ''']''' || ]
|-
| '''Largest city''' || ]
|-
| ''']''' || ]
|-
| ''']'''<br>&nbsp;- Total<br>&nbsp;- % water || ]<br />1,972,550 (])<br>2.5%
|-
| ''']'''<br>&nbsp;- Total (])<br>&nbsp;- ] || ]<br>104,907,991<br>54/km&sup2;
|-
| ''']'''<br />&nbsp;- Declared<br />&nbsp;- Recognized || ]<br />], ]<br />], ]
|-
| ''']''' (2003)<br />&nbsp;- Total <br />&nbsp;- Per capita<br> || <br />$626 billion (])<br />
$6,121 (])
|-
| ''']''' || ] (MXN)
|-
| ''']''' || ] -5 to -7
|-
| ''']''' || '']''
|-
| ''']''' || ]
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| ''']''' || 52</small>
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The '''United Mexican States''' or '''Mexico''' (]: '''Estados Unidos Mexicanos''' or '''México'''; regarding the use of the variant spelling '''Méjico''', see section ] below) is a ] located in ], bordered to the north by the ], to the south-east by ] and ], to the west by the ] and to the east by the ] and the ]. It is the most northerly and most westerly, and third largest country, in Latin America and is at the same time the most populated Spanish-speaking country.

== History ==
''Main article: ]''

For almost 3,000 years, Mexico was the site of several advanced ] civilizations, the ]n cultures, such as the ], the ] and the ]s. The arrival of the ] in the early ], and their defeat of the Aztecs in ], marked the beginning of the 300 year-long colonial period of Mexico as ].

On September 16, ], the independence from Spain was declared, by ] in the small town of Dolores, causing a long ] that eventually led to independence in ] and the creation of the ].
After independence, the ]n countries, with the exception of ], decided not to join the Empire of ]. After the Empire fell to republican forces lead by ], the first Republic was formed with ] as its first President. Under Santa Anna's rule, the inhabitants of Texan portion of the state of Coahuila and Texas sought independence from the Mexican government. These inhabitants, led especially by "Anglo" settlers, formed the ] (settlers from the ] began to arrive in 1821). The insurrection lead to the famous battle at the ] between the ] and Mexican army. ] obtained independence in 1836 which further reduced the territorial area of the fledgling Republic. In the ], the country was invaded by the ] which resulted in massive territorial losses, including ], ], ], ] and ] (see ]). In the ] the country again suffered a military occupation, this time by ], seeking to establish the ] Archduke ] as Emperor of Mexico, with support from the Catholic clergy and conservative ]s. This ] was fought off by then president of the Republic, the ] Indian ], with diplomatic and logistical support from the United States and the military savvy of General ], also of part ] heritage. General ] defeated the French Army (the most powerful of the world at the time) on a May 5th (or ], in Spanish) but lost the war, and ], Emperor of France, imposed Maximillian as ] from ] to ].

After Juárez's death, 30 years of undemocratic rule by that same Porfirio Díaz led to the ] in ]. Revolutionary forces defeated the federal army, but were left with internal struggles, leaving the country in conflict for two more decades. At the end of the revolution the ] (PRI) controlled the country until the end of the ], where the PRI's 70-year rule was terminated via a peaceful election.

== Politics ==
''Main article: ]''

The ] of ] provides for a ] with powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Historically, the executive is the dominant branch, with power vested in the president, who promulgates and executes the laws of the Congress. ] has played an increasingly important role since ] when opposition parties first formed a majority in the legislature. The president also legislates by executive decree in certain economic and financial fields, using powers delegated from the Congress. The president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a six-year term and may not hold office a second time. There is no vice president; in the event of the removal or death of the president, a provisional president is elected by the Congress.

On ], ], ] of the opposition "]" coalition, headed by the ] (PAN), was elected president, in what are considered to have been the freest and fairest elections in Mexico's history. Fox began his six-year term on ], ]. His victory ended the ]'s (PRI) 71-year hold on the presidency.

== States ==
''Main article: ]''

Mexico is divided into 31 states (''estados'') and the ] (''Distrito Federal''). The Mexico City Metropolitan Area, which includes the Federal District and adjacent parts of ], is one of the ] in the world.

See also ].

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== Geography ==
''Main article: ]''

Situated in the southwestern part of mainland North America and roughly triangular in shape, Mexico stretches more than 3000 km (1,850 miles) from northwest to southeast. Its width is varied, from more than 2000 km (1,200 miles) in the north and less than 220 km (135 miles) at the ] in the south. Mexico borders two major bodies of water, the ] (with the ] between the mainland and the ] peninsula) to the west and on the east the ] and the ] that lead to the ]. Here are found coastal plains, whereas central Mexico consists of high plateaus and rugged mountains, including ]es, the highest of which is the ] at 5,610 m.

The terrain and ] vary from ]s in the north to tropical ] in the south. Mexico's major rivers include the ] (known in the US as the Rio Grande), the ], the ], the ], and the ].

== Economy ==
''Main article: ]''

Mexico has a free-market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded ] and ], increasingly dominated by the private sector. The number of state-owned enterprises in Mexico has fallen from more than 1,000 in ] to fewer than 200 in ]. The administration of President ] continued a policy of ] and expanding competition in sea ports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and airports which was initiated by his predecessors ] and ].

A strong export sector helped to cushion the economy's decline in ] and led the recovery in ]&ndash;]. Private consumption became the leading driver of growth, accompanied by increased employment and higher wages. Mexico still needs to overcome many structural problems as it strives to modernize its economy and raise living standards. Income distribution is very unequal, with the top 20% of income earners accounting for 55% of income.

Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real ] fell 0.3% in 2001, with the US slowdown the principal cause. Positive developments in 2001 included a drop in inflation to 6.5%, a sharp fall in interest rates, and a strong ] that appreciated 5% against the ]. Trade with the ] and ] has tripled since ] was implemented in ]. Mexico is pursuing additional trade agreements with most countries in Latin America and has signed a free trade deal with the ], putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements and lessening its dependence on the US. A similar deal with Japan has been recently signed (September 2004).

== Demographics ==
''Main article: ]''

With an estimated 2003 population of about 104 million, Mexico is the most populous ] country in the world (and the second most populous country in ] after ] ]).

Some 60% of the population is of a mixed ]-] ethnicity known as '']'', another 30% is ], and 9% is of ] (], ], ], ], ], and ]) descent. Others include ], ], ] and ] (1%).

== Religion ==
Nominally, the country is predominantly ] (89%), with 6% adhering to various ] faiths and the remaining 5% either adhering to other smaller religions or remaining unaffiliated.

== Culture ==
''Main article: ]''

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==The name==
{{IPA notice}}

Mexico is named after its capital city, whose name comes from the ] city Mexico-Tenochtitlan that preceded it. The ''Mexi'' part of the name is from ], the name of a war god, whose name was derived from ''metztli'' (the moon) and ''xictli'' (navel) and thus mean "navel (probably implying 'child') of the moon". So, Mexico is the home of the people of Mexitli (the Mexicas), ''co'' meaning "place" and ''ca'' meaning "people".

When the Spaniards encountered this people and transcribed their language, they naturally did so according to the spelling rules of the ] of the time. The ] had a /&#643;/ sound (like English "<u>sh</u>op"), and this sound was written ''x'' in Spanish (e.g. ''<u>X</u>iménez''); consequently, the letter ''x'' was used to write down words like ''Mexitli''.

Over the centuries, the pronunciation of Spanish changed. Words like ''Ximénez'', ''exercicio'', ''xabón'' and ''perplexo'' started to be pronounced with a /x/ (this ] represents the sound in the word "lo<u>ch</u>"). The /&#658;/ sound (as in "vi<u>si</u>on") represented by the letter ''j'' (usually ''g'' before ''e'' or ''i'') also started to be pronounced this way. The coalescence of the two phonemes into a single new one encouraged scholars to use the same letter for the sound, regardless of its origin (Spanish scholars have always tried to keep the orthography of their language faithful to the spoken tongue). It was ''j''/''g'' that was chosen. So, modern Spanish has ''ejercicio'', ''ejército'', ''jabón'', ''perplejo'', etc.
Another example is the old spelling of '']'' which is now ''Don Quijote''.
The old pronunciation is maintained in French "Quichotte", and the English form maintains the spelling while reading it with its English value.

Proper nouns and their derivatives are optionally allowed to break this rule. Thus, although ''xabón'' is now incorrect and archaic, and, alongside many millions of people called "Jiménez", there also are plenty called "Giménez" or "Ximénez" &mdash; a matter of personal choice and tradition.

In Mexico, it has become almost a matter of national pride to maintain the otherwise archaic ''x'' spelling in the name of the country. It is regarded as more authentic and less jarring to the reader's eye. Mexicans have tended to demand that other Spanish-speakers use this spelling, rather than following the general rule, and the demand has largely been respected. The ] states that both spellings are correct, and most dictionaries and guides recommend ''México'' first, and present ''Méjico'' as a variant. Today, even outside of the country, the likelihood of coming across ''México'' instead of ''Méjico'' is anything from 10-to-1 (]), to about 280-to-1 (]).
Also in the placenames "]" and "]", the x is pronounced as /x/.
However in "]", it sounds as a /&#643;/.

A cultural side-effect of the fact that Mexicans use ''México'' /'mexik&#601;&#650;/ and Spaniards sometimes use ''Méjico'' is the occasional boiling-over of negative sentiment towards the old colonial oppressor. The mere act of using the ''j'' spelling is interpreted by some as a form of colonial aggression. On the other hand, some Peninsular scholars (such as ]) prefer to apply the general spelling rule, arguing that the spelling with an ''x'' could encourage non-Mexicans to mispronounce ''México/Méjico'' as /'meksiko/ (as is generally the case in the English-speaking world).

== Miscellaneous topics ==
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==Further reading==
* Julia Preston and Samuel Dillon, ''Opening Mexico: The Making of a Democracy'', Farrar Straus and Giroux, March 15, 2004, hardcover, 608 pages, ISBN 0374226687

== External links ==
*
*: Governmental portal (in Spanish)
*: Presidential site
*: Chamber of Deputies (in Spanish)
*: Senate
*
* - hundreds of images of Mexico
*
{{North_America}}
{{Caricom}}

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Revision as of 11:34, 12 January 2005

KILL ALL SPICS AND FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING FAGGOT ASS WIKI MODERATORS