Mexico was the site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations — including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec — until Spain conquered and colonized the area in the early 16th century. Administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries, it achieved independence early in the 19th century. Elections held in 2000 marked the first time since Mexican Revolution in 1910 that an opposition candidate — Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) — defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON, but Enrique PEÑA NIETO regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Left-leaning anti-establishment politician and former mayor of Mexico City (2000-05) Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR, from the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), became president in 2018.
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, or T-MEC by its Spanish acronym) entered into force in 2020 and replaced its predecessor, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Mexico amended its constitution in 2019 to facilitate the implementation of the labor components of USMCA.
Mexico is currently the US’s second-largest goods trading partner, after Canada. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, high underemployment, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities, particularly for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. Since 2007, Mexico’s powerful transnational criminal organizations have engaged in a struggle to control criminal markets, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides and forced disappearances.
Geography
Location
North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States
Geographic coordinates
23 00 N, 102 00 W
Map references
North America
Area
total : 1,964,375 sq km
land: 1,943,945 sq km
water: 20,430 sq km
comparison ranking: total 15
Area – comparative
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries
total: 4,389 km
border countries (3): Belize 276 km; Guatemala 958 km; US 3,155 km
Coastline
9,330 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate
varies from tropical to desert
Terrain
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
Elevation
highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,636 m
lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
mean elevation: 1,111 m
Natural resources
petroleum, silver, antimony, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land use
agricultural land: 49.4% (2022 est.)
arable land: 9.8% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 1.5% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 38.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 33.7% (2022 est.)
other: 16.9% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
59,910 sq km (2022)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Laguna de Chapala – 1,140 sq km
salt water lake(s): Laguna de Terminos – 1,550 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio Grande river mouth (shared with US [s]) – 3,057 km; Colorado river mouth (shared with US [s]) – 2,333 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of America) Rio Grande/Bravo (607,965 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: (Gulf of California) Colorado (703,148 sq km)
Major aquifers
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer
Population distribution
most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City
Natural hazards
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of America, and Caribbean coasts
volcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico’s most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana; see note 2 under “Geography – note”
Geography – note
note 1: strategic location on southern border of the US; Mexico is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world’s earthquakes and some 75% of the world’s volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire
note 2: the Sac Actun cave system at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwide, after Mammoth Cave in the United States (see “Geography – note” under United States)
note 3: the prominent Yucatán Peninsula that divides the Gulf of America from the Caribbean Sea is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; on the northern coast of Yucatan near the town of Chicxulub lie the remnants of a massive asteroid or comet crater about 150 km (93 mi) in diameter and extending into the Gulf of America; the impact is believed to have initiated a worldwide climate disruption that caused a mass extinction of 75% of the earth’s plant and animal species, including the non-avian dinosaurs
People and Society
Population
total: 130,739,927 (2024 est.)
male: 63,899,138
female: 66,840,789
comparison rankings: total 10; female 10; male 10
Nationality
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican
Ethnic groups
Mestizo (Indigenous-Spanish) 62%, predominantly Indigenous 21%, Indigenous 7%, other 10% (mostly European) (2012 est.)
note: Mexico does not collect census data on ethnicity
Languages
Spanish only 93.8%, Spanish and indigenous languages (including Mayan, Nahuatl, and others) 5.4%, indigenous only 0.6%, unspecified 0.2% (2020 est.)
major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Spanish audio sample:
Religions
Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant/evangelical Christian 11.2%, other 0.002%, unaffiliated (includes atheism) 10.6% (2020 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 15,647,805/female 14,754,004)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 43,651,105/female 45,983,174)
65 years and over: 8.2% (2024 est.) (male 4,600,228/female 6,103,611)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 45.9 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 33.9 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 11.9 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 8.4 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 30.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 28.8 years
female: 32.7 years
comparison ranking: total 132
Population growth rate
0.72% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 122
Birth rate
14.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 118
Death rate
6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 134
Net migration rate
-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 131
Population distribution
most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City
Urbanization
urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
22.281 million MEXICO CITY (capital), 5.420 million Guadalajara, 5.117 million Monterrey, 3.345 million Puebla, 2.626 million Toluca de Lerdo, 2.260 million Tijuana (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother’s mean age at first birth
21.3 years (2008 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
59 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 94
Infant mortality rate
total: 12.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 109
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 71.6 years
female: 77.7 years
comparison ranking: total population 140
Total fertility rate
1.79 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 142
Gross reproduction rate
0.88 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
73.1% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 99.7% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
6.1% of GDP (2021)
10.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
2.59 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
1 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 96.4% of population
total: 99.2% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 3.6% of population
total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
28.9% (2016)
comparison ranking: 28
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 4.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 91
Tobacco use
total: 13.8% (2025 est.)
male: 21.8% (2025 est.)
female: 6.3% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 107
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
4.2% (2021)
comparison ranking: 70
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56.6% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 3.6% (2018)
women married by age 18: 20.7% (2018)
Education expenditure
4.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
15.9% national budget (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 97
Literacy
total population: 95% (2020 est.)
male: 96% (2020 est.)
female: 94% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2020)
Environment
Environment – current issues
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; urban river pollution from raw sewage and industrial effluents; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; serious air and water pollution in urban areas; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation as national security issues
Environment – international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
varies from tropical to desert
Land use
agricultural land: 49.4% (2022 est.)
arable land: 9.8% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 1.5% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 38.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 33.7% (2022 est.)
other: 16.9% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 17.83 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 486.41 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 135.77 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 53.1 million tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2.655 million tons (2013 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5% (2013 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Laguna de Chapala – 1,140 sq km
salt water lake(s): Laguna de Terminos – 1,550 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio Grande river mouth (shared with US [s]) – 3,057 km; Colorado river mouth (shared with US [s]) – 2,333 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of America) Rio Grande/Bravo (607,965 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: (Gulf of California) Colorado (703,148 sq km)
Major aquifers
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 13.17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 8.56 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 67.83 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
461.89 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks: 2
global geoparks and regional networks: Comarca Minera, Hidalgo; Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca (2023)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
local short form: Mexico
former: Mexican Republic, Mexican Empire
etymology: name may derive from one of the Nahuatl (Aztec) names for the capital city, Metztlixihtlico, which probably meant “the center of the moon;” alternatively, it may come from Mexica, the original name of the Aztec people
Government type
federal presidential republic
Capital
name: Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico)
geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: DST was permanently removed in October 2022
time zone note: Mexico has four time zones
etymology: name may derive from one of the Nahuatl (Aztec) names for the capital city, Metztlixihtlico, which probably meant “the center of the moon;” alternatively, it may come from Mexica, the original name of the Aztec people
Administrative divisions
32 states (estados, singular – estado); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Cuidad de Mexico, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas
Legal system
civil law system with US constitutional law influence; judicial review of legislative acts
Constitution
history: several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917
amendment process: proposed by the Congress of the Union; passage requires approval by at least two thirds of the members present and approval by a majority of the state legislatures
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: not specified
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch
chief of state: President Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (since 1 October 2024)
head of government: President Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (since 1 October 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 6-year term; election last held on 2 June 2024 (next to be held in 2030)
election results:
2024: Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo elected president; percent of vote – Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (MORENA) 59.4%, Xóchitl GÁLVEZ Ruiz (PAN) 27.9%, Jorge Álvarez MÁYNEZ (MC) 10.4%, other 2.3%
2018: Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR elected president; percent of vote – Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (MORENA) 53.2%, Ricardo ANAYA Cortés (PAN) 22.3%, José Antonio MEADE Kuribreña (PRI) 16.4%, Jaime RODRÍGUEZ Calderón (independent) 5.2%, other 2.9%
2012: Enrique PEÑA NIETO elected president; percent of vote – Enrique PEÑA NIETO (PRI) 38.2%, Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (PRD) 31.6%, Josefina Eugenia VÁZQUEZ Mota (PAN) 25.4%, other 4.8%
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch
legislature name: Congress of the Union (Congreso de la Unión)
legislative structure: bicameral
note: as of the 2018 election, senators will be eligible for a second term and deputies up to 4 consecutive terms
Legislative branch – lower chamber
chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
number of seats: 500 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 3 years
most recent election date: 6/2/2024
parties elected and seats per party: National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) (236); Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) (77); National Action Party (PAN) (72); Labour Party (PT) (51); Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (35); Citizens’ Movement (MC) (27); Other (2)
percentage of women in chamber: 50.2%
expected date of next election: June 2027
Legislative branch – upper chamber
chamber name: Senate (Cámara de Senadores)
number of seats: 128 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 6/2/2024
parties elected and seats per party: National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) (60); National Action Party (PAN) (22); Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (16); Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) (14); Labour Party (PT) (9); Other (7)
percentage of women in chamber: 50%
expected date of next election: June 2030
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (consists of the chief justice and 11 justices and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and labor panels) and the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary (organized into the superior court, with 7 judges including the court president, and 5 regional courts, each with 3 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices nominated by the president of the republic and approved by two-thirds vote of the members present in the Senate; justices serve 15-year terms; Electoral Tribunal superior and regional court judges nominated by the Supreme Court and elected by two-thirds vote of members present in the Senate; superior court president elected from among its members to hold office for a 4-year term; other judges of the superior and regional courts serve staggered, 9-year terms
subordinate courts: federal level includes circuit, collegiate, and unitary courts; state and district level courts
note: in April 2021, the Mexican congress passed a judicial reform which changed 7 articles of the constitution and preceded a new Organic Law on the Judicial Branch of the Federation
Political parties
Citizen’s Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC
Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI
Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT
Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de México) or PVEM
Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional) or MORENA
National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional) or PAN
Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática) or PRD
This Is For Mexico (Va Por México) (alliance that includes PAN, PRI, and PRD)
Together We Make History (Juntos Hacemos Historia) (alliance that included MORENA, PT, PVEM) (dissolved 23 December 2020)
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Esteban MOCTEZUMA Barragán (since 20 April 2021)
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/eua/index.php/en/
consulate(s) general: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Denver (GA), El Paso (TX), Houston (TX), Laredo (TX), Miami (FL), New York (NY), Nogales (AZ), Phoenix (AZ), Raleigh (NC), Sacramento (CA), San Antonio (TX), San Diego (CA), San Francisco (CA), San Jose (CA), San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Albuquerque (NM), Boise (ID), Brownsville (TX), Calexico (CA), Del Rio (TX), Detroit (MI), Douglas (AZ), Eagle Pass (TX), Fresno (CA), Indianapolis (IN), Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas (NV), Little Rock (AR), Los Angeles (CA), McAllen (TX), Milwaukee (WI), New Orleans (LA), Oklahoma City (OK), Omaha (NE), Orlando (FL), Oxnard (CA), Philadelphia (PA), Portland (OR), Presidio (TX), Salt Lake City (UT), San Bernardino (CA), Santa Ana (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Yuma (AZ)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald D. JOHNSON (since 19 May 2025)
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtémoc, 06500 Mexico, CDMX
mailing address: 8700 Mexico City Place, Washington DC 20521-8700
telephone: (011) [52]-55-5080-2000
FAX: (011) 52-55-5080-2005
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://mx.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mérida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana
International organization participation
ACS, APEC, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CABEI, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CE (observer), CELAC, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-3, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
16 September 1810 (declared independence from Spain); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Flag description
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; Mexico’s coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band; green stands for hope, joy, and love; white for peace and honesty; red for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor
note: similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter, has no emblem, and uses lighter shades of green and red
National symbol(s)
golden eagle, dahlia
National colors
green, white, red
National anthem
name: “Himno Nacional Mexicano” (National Anthem of Mexico)
lyrics/music: Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA/Jaime Nuno ROCA
note: adopted 1943, in use since 1854; also known as “Mexicanos, al grito de Guerra” (Mexicans, to the War Cry); according to tradition, Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA, an accomplished poet, was uninterested in submitting lyrics to a national anthem contest; his fiancee locked him in a room and refused to release him until the lyrics were completed
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 35 (27 cultural, 6 natural, 2 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Mexico City (c); Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl (c); Teotihuacan (c); Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (n); Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (n); Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley (m); Historic Puebla (c); El Tajin (c); Historic Tlacotalpan (c); Historic Oaxaca and Monte Albán (c); Palenque (c); Chichen-Itza (c); Uxmal (c)
Economy
Economic overview
upper-middle-income economy; highly integrated with US via trade and nearshore manufacturing; weak domestic demand, fiscal consolidation, and trade uncertainty contributing to sluggish growth; low unemployment; challenges from income inequality, corruption, and cartel-based violence
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.873 trillion (2023 est.)
$2.784 trillion (2022 est.)
$2.685 trillion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 13
Real GDP growth rate
3.2% (2023 est.)
3.69% (2022 est.)
5.74% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 103
Real GDP per capita
$22,100 (2023 est.)
$21,600 (2022 est.)
$21,000 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 96
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.789 trillion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.7% (2024 est.)
5.5% (2023 est.)
7.9% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 146
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 3.8% (2023 est.)
industry: 31.6% (2023 est.)
services: 58.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 99; industry 55; agriculture 127
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 70.3% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 11.1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 24.3% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 36% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
sugarcane, maize, milk, oranges, sorghum, tomatoes, chicken, chillies/peppers, wheat, lemons/limes (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
Industrial production growth rate
3.51% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 92
Labor force
60.959 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 11
Unemployment rate
2.7% (2024 est.)
2.8% (2023 est.)
3.3% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 35
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 5.5% (2024 est.)
male: 5.2% (2024 est.)
female: 6.1% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 166
Population below poverty line
36.3% (2022 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
43.5 (2022 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 28
Average household expenditures
on food: 25.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.1% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 34.4% (2022 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
3.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
4.18% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $282.751 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $327.211 billion (2022 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt
45.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 122
Taxes and other revenues
14.3% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 140
Current account balance
-$5.477 billion (2023 est.)
-$17.599 billion (2022 est.)
-$4.494 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 181
Exports
$649.729 billion (2023 est.)
$630.347 billion (2022 est.)
$537.714 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 16
Exports – partners
USA 76%, Canada 5%, China 2%, Germany 2%, Spain 1% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
cars, vehicle parts/accessories, crude petroleum, trucks, computers (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$674.695 billion (2023 est.)
$672.914 billion (2022 est.)
$560.842 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 13
Imports – partners
USA 46%, China 20%, Germany 4%, Japan 3%, S. Korea 3% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, cars (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$221.944 billion (2024 est.)
$214.317 billion (2023 est.)
$201.119 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 14
Debt – external
$306.308 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 2
Exchange rates
Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
18.305 (2024 est.)
17.759 (2023 est.)
20.127 (2022 est.)
20.272 (2021 est.)
21.486 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 99.8%
electrification – rural areas: 100%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 105.586 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 332.042 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 1.97 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 4.863 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 45.47 billion kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 204; imports 47; exports 61; consumption 14; installed generating capacity 17
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 79.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 5.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 5.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
geothermal: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.55GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 4.9% (2023 est.)
Coal
production: 6.296 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 15.132 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 8.809 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 1.16 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 2.101 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1.741 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 5.786 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 33.118 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 97.118 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 27.92 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 64.289 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 180.322 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
441.049 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 32.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 228.279 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 180.684 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 13
Energy consumption per capita
57.539 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 86
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 25.637 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 9
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 140 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 12
Broadcast media
telecom reform in 2013 ended a quasi-monopoly; now 885 TV stations and 1,841 radio stations, most privately owned; foreign satellite and cable operators are available; completed transition to digital in 2016 (2022)
Internet country code
.mx
Internet users
percent of population: 81% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 26.6 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total 10
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
XA
Airports
1,580 (2025)
comparison ranking: 4
Heliports
488 (2025)
comparison ranking: 7
Railways
total: 23,389 km (2017)
standard gauge: 23,389 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (27 km electrified)
Merchant marine
total: 674 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 4, general cargo 11, oil tanker 32, other 627
comparison ranking: total 34
Ports
total ports: 35 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 7
small: 10
very small: 14
size unknown: 4
ports with oil terminals: 21
key ports: Acapulco, Ensenada, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Tampico, Tuxpan, Veracruz
Military and Security
Military and security forces
the Mexican Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de México) are divided between the Secretariat of National Defense and the Secretariat of the Navy:
Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, SEDENA): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM), National Guard (Guardia Nacional); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, SEMAR): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico (ARM), includes Naval Air Force (FAN), Mexican Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina, Mexmar or CIM))
Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection/SEDENA: National Guard (2025)
note: the National Guard was formed in 2019 of personnel from the former Federal Police (disbanded in December 2019) and military police units of the Army and Navy
Military expenditures
0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 260,000 active-duty Armed Forces; approximately 110,000 National Guard personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Mexican military inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons and equipment from a variety of mostly Western suppliers, particularly the US; a considerable portion of its inventory, such as ships and fighter aircraft, are older, secondhand items from the US; over the past decade, the Mexican military has made efforts to acquire more modern equipment; Mexico’s defense industry produces some naval vessels and light armored vehicles, as well as small arms and other miscellaneous equipment (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age (16 with parental consent) for voluntary enlistment for men and women; 18 years of age for compulsory military service for men (selection for service determined by lottery); conscript service obligation is 12 months; those selected serve on Saturdays in a Batallón del Servicio Militar Nacional (National Military Service Battalion) composed entirely of 12-month Servicio Militar Nacional (SMN) conscripts; conscripts remain in reserve status until the age of 40; cadets enrolled in military schools from the age of 15 are considered members of the armed forces; National Guard: single men and women 18-30 years of age may volunteer (2024)
note: as of 2023, women comprised about 10% of the active-duty Army, Air Force, and Navy, and about 14% of the National Guard
Military – note
the Mexican military is responsible for defending the independence, integrity, and sovereignty of Mexico, as well as providing for internal security, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and socio-economic development; in recent years, internal security duties have been a key focus, particularly in countering narcotics trafficking and organized crime groups, as well as border control and immigration enforcement; the constitution was amended in 2019 to grant the president the authority to use the armed forces to protect internal and national security, and courts have upheld the legality of the armed forces’ role in law enforcement activities in support of civilian authorities through 2028; the military also provides security for strategic facilities, such as oil production infrastructure, and administers most of the country’s land and sea ports and customs services, plus a state-owned development bank; in addition, President LÓPEZ OBRADOR placed the military in charge of a growing number of infrastructure projects, such as building and operating a new airport for Mexico City and sections of a train line in the country’s southeast (2024)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Mexican Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Mexicana or AEM; established 2010 and began operating in 2013) (2024)
Space program overview
the AEM’s focus is on coordinating Mexico’s space policy and the country’s commercial space sector, including developing specialists, technologies, and infrastructure, and acquiring satellites; manufactures and operates communications and scientific satellites; conducts research in a range of space-related capabilities and technologies, including satellites and satellite payloads, telecommunications, remote sensing, robotics, Earth and weather sciences, astronomy, and astrophysics; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial space industries, including those of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the European Space Agency (ESA) and its member states (particularly France, Germany, and the UK), India, Peru, Russia, Ukraine, and the US; leading member of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) (2024)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): Gulf Cartel (CDG); Jalisco Cartel New Generation (CJNG); Northeast Cartel (CDN); The New Family Michoacana (LNFM); Sinaloa Cartel; United Cartels (CU)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 35,755 (Honduras), 13,531 (El Salvador) (mid-year 2022); 113,108 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2023)
IDPs: 386,000 (government’s quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region; drug cartel violence and government’s military response since 2007; violence between and within indigenous groups) (2022)
stateless persons: 13 (2022)
Illicit drugs
significant source and transit country for fentanyl, fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, other synthetic opioids, cocaine from South America, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine destined for the United States; a destination for synthetic drug precursor chemicals from China, India, and other countries
