|
| |
The Mexico Territories with Hotels
Africa Lodging | Canada Lodging | Caribbean Isles | Central America
Eastern Europe Lodging | Eastern Nations | Mexico Lodging | Oceania Lodging
South America | Western Europe Lodging | Lodging FAQ | My Reservations
United States: Gulf Coast States | Northeast | Northwest | South Atlantic Coast | Southwest
 Mexico, in full United Mexican States (Spanish Estados Unidos Mexicanos), federal republic in North America, bounded on the north by the United States; on the east by the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea; on the south by Belize and Guatemala; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Mexican federal jurisdiction extends, in addition to Mexico proper, over a number of offshore islands. The area of the country is 1,958,201 sq km (756,066 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Mexico City.
 Some of the hotels, motels and resorts available for booking in our reservation network include, Ramada Inn, Marriott Hotels, Super 8 Motels, Econo Lodge, Holiday Inn & Holiday Inn Express, Travelodge, Hampton Inn, Sheraton, Hilton, Best Western, Hyatt and Hyatt Regency, Wyndham Inn, Ritz and Ritz Carlton, Days Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, La Quinta Inns, Comfort Inn and Comfort Suite, Embassy Suites, Quality Inn, Radisson Inn, Sleep Inn, Numerous Resorts and Resort Villas throughout the globe, along with Plaza and Plaza Suites and and array of private and Golf Clubs and Golf Resorts.
Select a city or territory from the list below.
All Countries
>
Mexico
The Land
Most of Mexico is an immense, elevated plateau, flanked by mountain ranges that fall sharply off to narrow coastal plains in the west and east. The two mountain chains, the Sierra Madre Occidental to the west and the Sierra Madre Oriental in the east, meet in a region called La Junta in the southeast. At La Junta the two ranges form the Sierra Madre del Sur, a maze of volcanic mountains containing the highest peaks in Mexico. The Sierra Madre del Sur leads into the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which lies between the Bay of Campeche and the Gulf of Tehuantepec.
The prominent topographical feature of the country is the central plateau, a continuation of the plains of the southwestern United States. Comprising more than half the total area of Mexico, the plateau slopes downward from the west to the east and from the south, where the elevation varies from about 1830 to 2440 m (about 6000 to 8000 ft) above sea level, to the north with an elevation of about 1070 to 1220 m (about 3500 to 4000 ft). Two large valleys form notable depressions in the plateau: the Bolsón de Mapimí in the north and the Valley of Mexico, or Anáhuac, in central Mexico.
The coastal plains are generally low, flat, and sandy, although the Pacific coast is occasionally broken by mountain spurs. Baja California, a long, narrow peninsula extending about 1220 km (about 760 mi) south from the northwestern corner of the country, is traversed by mountains that are a continuation of the coastal ranges in the U.S. state of California. The Yucatán Peninsula, which forms the southeastern tip of the country, is low and flat, averaging about 30 m (about 100 ft) in elevation.
Mexico has few major rivers, and most are not navigable. The longest river is the Rio Grande (called the Río Bravo del Norte in Mexico), which extends along the Mexican-U.S. border. Other important rivers include the Balsas Pánuco, Grijalva, and Usumacinta in the south and the Conchos in the north. Mexico has few good harbors. Tampico, Veracruz Llave, and Coatzacoalcos (Puerto México) are major Gulf of Mexico ports. Pacific ports include Acapulco de Juárez, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, and Salina Cruz. Lake Chapala, in the west, is the largest inland body of water. The Valley of Mexico contains several shallow lakes.
Climate
Mexico is bisected by the Tropic of Cancer; therefore, the southern half is included in the Torrid Zone. In general, climate varies with elevation. The tierra caliente (hot land) includes the low coastal plains, extending from sea level to about 900 m (about 3000 ft). Weather is extremely humid, with temperatures varying from 16° to 49° C (60° to 120° F). The tierra templada (temperate land) extends from about 900 to 1800 m (about 3000 to 6000 ft) with average temperatures of 17° to 21° C (62° to 70° F). The tierra fría (cold land) extends from about 1800 to 2700 m (about 6000 to 9000 ft). The average temperature range is 15° to 17° C (59° to 63° F). The average temperature range in Mexico City is 6° to 19° C (42° to 66° F) in January and 12° to 23° C (53° to 73° F) in July. The average temperature range in Monterrey is 9° to 20° C (48° to 68° F) in January and 22° to 29° C (72° to 85° F) in July.
The rainy season lasts from May to October. Although sections of southern Mexico receive about 1000 to 1500 mm (about 40 to 60 in) of rain a year, most of Mexico is much drier. Rainfall averages less than about 640 mm (about 25 in) annually in the tierra templada, about 460 mm (about 18 in) in the tierra fría, and about 250 mm (about 10 in) in the semiarid north. Annual precipitation averages for Mexico City and Monterrey are 750 mm (30 in) and 580 mm (23 in), respectively.
Natural Resources
The mineral resources of Mexico are extremely rich and varied. Almost every known mineral is found, including coal, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, silver, gold, copper, lead, and zinc. Proven petroleum and natural-gas reserves are enormous, with some of the world's largest deposits located offshore, in the Bay of Campeche. Forests and woodland, which cover about 24 percent of the land, contain such valuable woods as mahogany, ebony, walnut, and rosewood. About 13 percent of the land is suitable for agriculture, but one-fifth of agricultural lands require irrigation to be productive.
"Mexico," Microsoft® Encarta® 97 Encyclopedia.
© 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
 | 
Home • Acapulco hotels • Cancun hotels • Chihuahua hotels • Cozumel hotels • Guadalajara hotels • Ixtapa hotels • Juarez hotels • Los Cabos hotels • Mexicali hotels • Mexico City hotels • Monterrey hotels • Neuvo Vallarta • Playa Del Carmen • Puerto Aventuras • Puerto Escondido • Puerto Morelos • Puerto Penasco • Puerto Vallarta • Riviera Maya • Riviera Maya C.P. • San Carlos hotels • San Jose Del Cabo • San Miguel De Allende • Santa Rosa hotels • Tampico hotels • Tijuana hotels • Veracruz hotels • Villahermosa hotels • Zihuataneja - Ixtapa
Last Revised: November 07, 2008 06:42 PM. |
