Map of Mexico
Mexico is a country in North America with its capital at Mexico City, home to about 131.95 million people across 1.97M km². The interactive map below plots 189 cities and towns, 30 rivers, 17 lakes, 14 mountain summits and 27 ports recorded for Mexico in YearMaps.
- Population
- 131.95 million
- Area
- 1.97M km²
- Capital
- Mexico City
- Continent
- North America
Interactive Map of Mexico
Centred on Mexico City at 19.4444° N, 99.1329° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
Wonders & Great Monuments of Mexico
Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun) and Chichen Itza (El Castillo / Kukulkan) are marked on the map above. Click a pin or use "Show on map" to fly to each one.
Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun)
Teotihuacan Culture · Classical Antiquity
The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan, and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. It is believed to have been constructed about 200 AD. Found along the Avenue of the Dead, in between the Pyramid of the Moon and the Ciudadela, and in the shadow of the mountain Cerro Gordo, the pyramid is part of a large complex in the heart of the city.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Pyramid of the Sun (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Built by
- Teotihuacan Culture
- Built
- 100 CE
- Era
- Classical Antiquity
- Type
- Mesoamerican Pyramid
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage Site (Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan)
- Coordinates
- 19.6925° N, 98.8436° W
Architectural Significance
An adobe and rubble core faced with stone and lime plaster, built over a man-made cave and aligned to the city grid that oriented all of Teotihuacan.
Photos of Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun)
Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Wolfgang Sauber · CC BY-SA 3.0
History & architecture of Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun)
History
The name Pyramid of the Sun comes from the Aztecs, who visited the city of Teotihuacan centuries after it was abandoned; the name given to the pyramid by the Teotihuacanos is unknown. It was constructed in two phases. The first construction stage, around 200 AD, brought the pyramid to nearly the size it is today. The second round of construction resulted in its completed size of 225 meters (738 feet) across and 75 meters (246 feet) high, making it one of the largest pyramids in the world, though still just over half the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza (146 metres). The second phase also saw the construction of an altar atop of the pyramid which has not survived into modern times.
Over the structure, the ancient Teotihuacanos finished their pyramid with lime plaster imported from surrounding areas, on which they painted brilliantly colored murals. While the pyramid has endured for centuries, the paint and plaster have not and are no longer visible. Jaguar heads and paws, stars, and snake rattles are among the few images associated with the pyramids.
It is thought that the pyramid venerated a deity within Teotihuacan society. However, little evidence exists to support this hypothesis. The destruction of the temple on top of the pyramid, by both deliberate and natural forces prior to the archaeological study of the site, has so far prevented identification of the pyramid with any particular deity.
Structure measurements, location and orientation
The pyramid was built on a carefully selected spot, from where it was possible to align it both to the prominent Cerro Gordo to the north and, in perpendicular directions, to sunrises and sunsets on specific dates, recorded by a number of architectural orientations in Mesoamerica. The whole central part of the urban grid of Teotihuacan, including the Avenue of the Dead, reproduces the orientation of the Sun Pyramid, while the southern part exhibits a slightly different orientation, dictated by the Ciudadela.
Excavations underneath the Pyramid
The caves and tunnel systems underneath the pyramid have been investigated by various archaeologists who have all concluded that these caves were sacred to those in Teotihuacan in the same way that caves were important cross-culturally in Mesoamerica. Different ethnic groups were said to have emerged from caves and cavities, known as the "wombs of the Earth"; many glyphs using the symbol for caves have been discovered by archaeologists; and they were used as sites for offerings and sacrifices to the various gods and deities associated with caves, such as the earth deity Tepeyolotl and the cave-dwelling fire deity Xiuhtecuhtli. For example, in the Etzalcualiztli fiesta, a holiday celebrating Tláloc, the god of rain, sacrifices and offerings were placed in a cave. Various sources have different theories for why the Pyramid of the Sun was built and what the cave systems underneath it truly mean according to the Teotihuacan people and culture.
In 1959, archaeologist Rene Millon and his team of researchers were some of the first archaeologists to study the tunnel system underneath the Pyramid of the Sun. While some of these tunnels were made after the fall of Teotihuacan and the Aztecs, they eventually connected to tunnels and caves that were made during the periods of these civilizations. The investigations led by Millon revealed that most of the main tunnels were sealed off, although whether this was purposeful or not is up to interpretation. The tunnels provided pieces of pottery, hearths, and other meticulously made artifacts from other cultures also evidenced elsewhere in Teotihuacan. Million and his team ultimately concluded that, due to the influence of different cultures on the artifacts found in the tunnels, either the pyramid was built continuously over various periods of time by the people in Teotihuacan, or that the foundation and cave system were made in one period and the pyramid was built on top in a later period. Million and his team believe that earlier theories that the pyramids in Teotihuacan were built by slaves are incorrect; the craftsmanship of the pyramid, as well as the popularity of Teotihuacan amongst its peoples, suggests the people who built the pyramids had the motivation to do so, whether they immigrated from elsewhere in Mesoamerica or not.
In 1971, archaeologist Ernesto Taboada discovered an entrance to a seven-meter-deep pit at the foot of the main staircase of the Pyramid of the Sun. This cave directly underneath the pyramid is located six metres beneath the center of the structure, and was originally believed to be a naturally formed lava tube and possibly the mythical site of Chicomoztoc, the place of human origin according to Nahua legends. More recent excavations suggest the space is man-made and could have served as a royal tomb. For example, archeologist Doris Heyden says:
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Pyramid of the Sun (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Chichen Itza (El Castillo / Kukulkan)
Maya-Toltec Culture · Postclassic Mesoamerica
El Castillo (Spanish pronunciation: [el kas'tiʎo], 'the Castle'), also known as the Temple of Kukulcan, is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatán. The temple building is more formally designated by archaeologists as Chichen Itza Structure 5B18.
Adapted from Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Built by
- Maya-Toltec Culture
- Built
- 900 CE
- Era
- Postclassic Mesoamerica
- Type
- Astronomical Pyramid
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage Site (Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza)
- Coordinates
- 20.6843° N, 88.5678° W
Architectural Significance
Built over an earlier pyramid, with four stairways of 91 steps plus the top platform making 365, and serpent heads at the foot of the north stair.
Photos of Chichen Itza (El Castillo / Kukulkan)
ATSZ56 · Public domain 
Lfyenrcnhan at English Wikipedia · Public domain 
Luka Peternel · CC BY-SA 4.0
History & architecture of Chichen Itza (El Castillo / Kukulkan)
Structure
Built by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization sometime between the 8th and 12th centuries CE, the building served as a temple to the deity Kukulcán, the Yucatec Maya Feathered Serpent deity closely related to Quetzalcoatl, a deity known to the Aztecs and other central Mexican cultures of the Postclassic period. It has a substructure that likely was constructed several centuries earlier for the same purpose.
The temple consists of a series of square terraces with stairways up each of the four sides to the temple on top. Sculptures of plumed serpents run down the sides of the northern balustrade. Around the spring and autumn equinoxes, the late afternoon sun strikes off the northwest corner of the temple and casts a series of triangular shadows against the northwest balustrade, creating the illusion of the feathered serpent "crawling" down the temple. To contemporary visitors, the event has been very popular and is witnessed by thousands at the spring equinox, but it is not known whether the phenomenon is a result of a purposeful design since the light-and-shadow effect can be observed without major changes during several weeks near the equinoxes.
All four sides of the temple have approximately 91 steps which, when added together and including the temple platform on top as the final "step", may produce a total of 365 steps (the steps on the south side of the temple are eroded). That number is equal to the number of days of the Haabʼ year and likely is significantly related to rituals.
Construction
The construction of the Temple of Kukulcán ("El Castillo"), like other Mesoamerican temples, likely reflected the common practice by the Maya of executing several phases of construction for their temples. The last construction probably took place between 900–1000 CE, while the substructure may have been constructed earlier, between 600–800 CE. Based on archaeological research, construction of the Temple of Kukulcán was based on the concept of axis mundi. Anthropologists think that the site remained sacred regardless of how the structure was positioned on the location. When a temple structure was renewed, the former construction was destroyed using a ritual that involved resolving the space of spiritual forces to preserve its sacredness. It is estimated that this last construction dates to the 11th century CE. The older, inner temple is referred to as the "substructure".
During the 1930s restoration work, an entryway was cut into the balustrade of the northeastern exterior staircase to provide access to archaeologists, and later for tourists for the rest of the 20th century.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza (CC BY-SA 4.0).
About Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, bordering the United States of America to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast, while having maritime boundaries with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Mexico covers 1,972,550 km2 (761,610 sq mi), and is the thirteenth-largest country in the world by land area. With a population around 131 million as of 2025, Mexico is the tenth-most populous country in the world and is home to the largest number of native Spanish speakers. Mexico City is the capital and largest city in Mexico, which ranks among the most populous metropolitan areas in the world.
Human presence in Mexico dates back to at least 11,500 BC, although dates as old as 28,000 BC have been proposed for less securely dated sites. Mesoamerica, considered a cradle of civilization, was home to numerous advanced societies, including the Olmecs, Maya, Zapotecs, Teotihuacan civilization, and Purépecha. Spanish colonization began in 1521 with an indigenous alliance that defeated the Aztec Empire, establishing the colony of New Spain with its capital at Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City. New Spain became a major center of the transoceanic economy during the Age of Discovery, fueled by silver mining and its position as a hub between Europe and Asia. This gave rise to one of the largest multiracial populations in the world. The Peninsular War led to the 1810–1821 Mexican War of Independence, which ended Peninsular rule and led to the creation of the First Mexican Empire, which quickly collapsed into the short-lived First Mexican Republic. In 1848, Mexico lost nearly half its territory in the Mexican–American War. Liberal reforms set in the Constitution of 1857 led to civil war and French intervention, culminating in the establishment of the Second Mexican Empire under Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg, who was overthrown by Republican forces led by Benito Juárez. The late 19th century saw the long dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, whose modernization policies came at the cost of severe social unrest. The 1910–1920 Mexican Revolution led to the overthrow of Díaz and the adoption of the 1917 Constitution. Mexico experienced rapid industrialization and economic growth in the 1940s–1970s, amidst electoral fraud, the Tlatelolco massacre, and economic crises.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Mexico (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Mexico
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.
- 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.
- Climate
- Varies from tropical to desert.
- Terrain
- High, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert.
- Highest point
- Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,636 m.
- Lowest point
- Laguna Salada -10 m.
- Coastline
- 9,330 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 4,389 km; border countries: Belize 276 km; Guatemala 958 km; US 3,155 km.
- Major rivers
- 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 lakes
- Fresh water lake(s): Laguna de Chapala - 1,140 sq km; salt water lake(s): Laguna de Terminos - 1,550 sq km.
- Natural resources
- Petroleum, silver, antimony, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 50.7% (2023 est.); arable land: 10.3% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.); forest: 34.2% (2023 est.); other: 15.1% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Tsunamis along the Pacific coast; volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south; 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) is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for 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".
- Geographic note
- Note 1: strategic location on southern border of the US; Mexico is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes 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.
- 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.)
- Religions
- Catholic 77.7%, no religion 10.6%, other Evangelical Churches 7.5%, Jehovah Witness 1.2%; less than 1 percent: Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, Historics, not specified, Latter Day Saints, other religions (2020 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Mestizo (Indigenous-Spanish) 62%, predominantly Indigenous 21%, Indigenous 7%, other 10% (mostly European) (2012 est.)
- Economy
- 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.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Mexico in Numbers
- Population
- 131.95 million
- GDP
- US$1.83 trillion
- GDP per person
- US$13,889
- Life expectancy
- 75.3 years
- Population growth
- 0.83% a year
- Population density
- 67 per km²
- Urban population
- 80.0%
- Surface area
- 1,957,194 km²
- Forest cover
- 34.1%
- Arable land
- 10.3%
- Access to electricity
- 99.8%
- Internet users
- 83.1%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Mexico in Depth
History
The earliest human artifacts in what is now Mexico are chips of stone tools found in the Valley of Mexico, dated to circa 10,000 years ago. Mexico is the site of the domestication of maize, tomato, and beans, which produced an agricultural surplus. This enabled the transition from paleo-Indian hunter-gatherers to sedentary agricultural villages beginning around 5000 BC. The formative period of Mesoamerica is one of the six independent cradles of civilization, this era saw the origin of distinct cultural traits such as religious and symbolic traditions, maize cultivation, artistic and architectural complexes as well as a vigesimal (base 20) numeric system that spread from Mexican cultures to the rest of Mesoamerica.
Geography
Mexico is located between latitudes 14° and 33°N, and longitudes 86° and 119°W in the southern portion of North America, with a total area of 1,972,550 km2 (761,606 sq mi), is the 13th largest country by total area. It has coastlines on the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of California, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, the latter two forming part of the Atlantic Ocean. Within these seas are about 6,000 km2 (2,317 sq mi) of islands. Almost all of Mexico lies in the North American plate, with small parts of the Baja California peninsula on the Pacific and Cocos plates. Geophysically, some geographers include the territory east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (around 12% of the total) within Central America. Geopolitically, Mexico is entirely considered part of North America.
Economy
As of April 2026, Mexico has the 13th largest economy by purchasing power parity (PPP) (US$3.5 trillion), and a GDP per capita of US$26,643. The World Bank reported in 2026 that the country's gross national income was the second highest in Latin America after Brazil at US$1.8 trillion.
Mexico has the sixth largest electronics industry after China, the US, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Mexico is the second-largest exporter of electronics to the US where it exported $71 billion worth of electronics in 2011. Electronics exports grew 73% between 2002 and 2012. The manufactured value-added sector, which electronics is part of, accounted for 18% of GDP.
Mexico produces the most automobiles of any North American nation.
Demographics
As of 2026, Mexico's estimated population was 130,911,314 people, per the National Population Council. Since at least the 1970s, Mexico has been the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world.
Throughout the 19th century, the population of Mexico barely doubled. This trend continued in the first two decades of the 20th century. In 1900, the Mexican population was a little more than 13 million. The Mexican Revolution (c. 1910–1920) greatly impacted population growth, with the 1921 census reporting a loss of about 1 million inhabitants.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mexico (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Mexico: Key Facts
| Currency | peso |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Spanish, Nahuatl, Yucatec Maya |
| Form of government | federal republic, democratic republic |
| Calling code | +52 |
| Internet domain | .mx |
| Highest point | Citlaltepetl |
| Lowest point | Laguna Salada |
| Established | 16 September 1810 |
Facts from Wikidata Q96 (CC0).
History of Mexico: Empires and States
The atlas records 16 polities whose mapped territory included part of Mexico, from Olmec Civilization in 650 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Olmec Civilization | 650–351 BCE | A small part |
| Mayan City-States | 247 BCE – 849 CE | A small part |
| Zapotec Civilization | 91 BCE – 895 CE | A small part |
| Classic Veracruz Culture | 705–1110 CE | A small part |
| Later Mayan City-States | 850–1546 CE | A small part |
| The Aztec Empire | 1429–1520 CE | A small part |
| Aztec Triple Alliance | 1429–1520 CE | A small part |
| Michoacán | 1429–1533 CE | A small part |
| The Spanish Empire | 1521–1821 CE | Nearly all |
| Mexicans | 1811–1819 CE | A small part |
| Federated Republic of Mexico | 1824–1864 CE | Nearly all |
| Centralist Mexico | 1836–1845 CE | Nearly all |
| The French Colonial Empire | 1862–1869 CE | A small part |
| Second French Empire | 1862–1869 CE | A small part |
| Mexico | 1868–2024 CE | Nearly all |
| United States of America | 1890–2024 CE | A small part |
Historical Maps of Mexico
Mexico on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México) is known for its cuisine, art, archaeology, history, pyramids, music, museums, haciendas, 9,600 km (6,000 mi) of shoreline, superb architecture, weather from snow-capped mountains in the Sierras to rainy jungles in the southeast and desert in the northwest, many golf courses and excellent fishing. Along with Chile, Colombia, and Peru, this once-poor nation is one of the Pacific Pumas, seeing significant economic growth and improved infrastructure during the 21st century.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Mexico (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Mexico
189 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico City | 19.03 million | Distrito Federal | National capital |
| 2 | Guadalajara | 4.20 million | Jalisco | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Monterrey | 3.71 million | Nuevo León | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Puebla | 2.19 million | Puebla | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Tijuana | 1.55 million | Baja California | Populated place |
| 6 | Toluca | 1.53 million | México | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | León | 1.49 million | Guanajuato | Populated place |
| 8 | Ciudad Juárez | 1.34 million | Chihuahua | Populated place |
| 9 | Torreón | 1.14 million | Coahuila | Populated place |
| 10 | Nezahualcoyotl | 1.11 million | México | Populated place |
| 11 | San Luis Potosí | 992,000 | San Luis Potosí | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Mérida | 965,000 | Yucatán | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | Querétaro | 961,000 | Querétaro | Admin-1 capital |
| 14 | Mexicali | 885,000 | Baja California | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Aguascalientes | 869,000 | Aguascalientes | Admin-1 capital |
| 16 | Tampico | 859,419 | Tamaulipas | Populated place |
| 17 | Cuernavaca | 834,001 | Morelos | Admin-1 capital |
| 18 | Culiacán | 809,000 | Sinaloa | Admin-1 capital |
| 19 | Chihuahua | 793,000 | Chihuahua | Admin-1 capital |
| 20 | Saltillo | 754,000 | Coahuila | Admin-1 capital |
| 21 | Acapulco | 715,584 | Guerrero | Populated place |
| 22 | Morelia | 644,306 | Michoacán | Admin-1 capital |
| 23 | Hermosillo | 595,811 | Sonora | Admin-1 capital |
| 24 | Veracruz | 578,963 | Veracruz | Populated place |
| 25 | Cancún | 542,043 | Quintana Roo | Populated place |
The other 164 (population, region, role)
- Matamoros · 538,785 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- Oaxaca · 530,728 · Oaxaca · Admin-1 capital
- Tlaxcala · 503,878 · Tlaxcala · Admin-1 capital
- Mazatlán · 500,000 · Sonora · Populated place
- Reynosa · 498,654 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- Tuxtla Gutiérrez · 481,128 · Chiapas · Admin-1 capital
- Durango · 457,140 · Durango · Admin-1 capital
- Xalapa · 452,186 · Veracruz · Admin-1 capital
- Villahermosa · 428,564 · Tabasco · Admin-1 capital
- Gómez Palacio · 399,328 · Durango · Populated place
- Celaya · 383,697 · Guanajuato · Populated place
- Mazatlán · 368,204 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Orizaba · 355,333 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Nuevo Laredo · 349,550 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- Irapuato · 339,554 · Guanajuato · Populated place
- Pachuca · 319,581 · Hidalgo · Admin-1 capital
- Tepic · 318,781 · Nayarit · Admin-1 capital
- Ciudad Obregon · 288,002 · Sonora · Populated place
- Coatzacoalcos · 287,285 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Ciudad Victoria · 274,900 · Tamaulipas · Admin-1 capital
- Uruapan · 264,531 · Michoacán · Populated place
- Ensenada · 256,565 · Baja California · Populated place
- Poza Rica de Hidalgo · 254,481 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Zumpango · 250,000 · México · Populated place
- Los Mochis · 249,047 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Tehuacan · 241,429 · Puebla · Populated place
- Monclova · 236,244 · Coahuila · Populated place
- Zacatecas · 234,481 · Zacatecas · Admin-1 capital
- Colima · 223,287 · Colima · Admin-1 capital
- Tapachula · 221,521 · Chiapas · Populated place
- Córdoba · 220,563 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Zamora · 214,947 · Michoacán · Populated place
- Campeche · 205,212 · Campeche · Admin-1 capital
- Minatitlán · 201,902 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Salamanca · 197,524 · Guanajuato · Populated place
- Ciudad Madero · 192,736 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- La Paz · 189,767 · Baja California Sur · Admin-1 capital
- Puerto Vallarta · 187,134 · Jalisco · Populated place
- San Cristobal de Las Casas · 186,661 · Chiapas · Populated place
- Chilpancingo · 182,387 · Guerrero · Admin-1 capital
- Nogales · 178,097 · Sonora · Populated place
- Teziutlán · 177,796 · Puebla · Populated place
- Lázaro Cárdenas · 160,087 · Michoacán · Populated place
- Ciudad del Carmen · 156,195 · Campeche · Populated place
- Chetumal · 154,517 · Quintana Roo · Admin-1 capital
- San Juan del Río · 147,559 · Querétaro · Populated place
- Piedras Negras · 139,619 · Coahuila · Populated place
- Ciudad Valles · 114,964 · San Luis Potosí · Populated place
- Delicias · 114,783 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Guanajuato · 112,200 · Guanajuato · Admin-1 capital
- Iguala · 112,106 · Guerrero · Populated place
- Manzanillo · 110,735 · Colima · Populated place
- Tuxpam · 109,049 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Escuintla · 107,638 · Chiapas · Populated place
- Fresnillo · 105,488 · Zacatecas · Populated place
- Guaymas · 103,449 · Sonora · Populated place
- Hidalgo del Parral · 103,378 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Apatzingán · 98,422 · Michoacán · Populated place
- Atlixco · 97,842 · Puebla · Populated place
- Guasave · 96,860 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Lagos de Moreno · 94,127 · Jalisco · Populated place
- Ciudad Guzman · 92,161 · Jalisco · Populated place
- Tecoman · 91,321 · Colima · Populated place
- Cuauhtémoc · 90,835 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Agua Prieta · 86,083 · Sonora · Populated place
- Salina Cruz · 81,063 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Ciudad Mante · 79,981 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- Cozumel · 73,934 · Quintana Roo · Populated place
- Tamazunchale · 72,685 · San Luis Potosí · Populated place
- Rio Verde · 69,613 · San Luis Potosí · Populated place
- Matehuala · 67,717 · San Luis Potosí · Populated place
- Juchitan · 67,637 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Jaltipan · 66,998 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Ciudad Hidalgo · 64,154 · Michoacán · Populated place
- Guamúchil · 62,695 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Linares · 57,731 · Nuevo León · Populated place
- Caborca · 57,357 · Sonora · Populated place
- Nuevo Casas Grandes · 54,826 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- San Pedro de las Colonias · 53,688 · Coahuila · Populated place
- Taxco · 53,217 · Guerrero · Populated place
- Valladolid · 48,479 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Huajuapan de León · 47,844 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Autlan · 47,669 · Jalisco · Populated place
- Progreso · 47,124 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Tehuantepec · 42,776 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Montemorelos · 42,640 · Nuevo León · Populated place
- Cabo San Lucas · 42,601 · Baja California Sur · Populated place
- Tizimín · 41,993 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Ciudad Constitución · 39,915 · Baja California Sur · Populated place
- Ciudad Camargo · 37,743 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Nueva Rosita · 36,642 · Coahuila · Populated place
- La Barca · 35,345 · Jalisco · Populated place
- Pánuco · 35,316 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Cananea · 33,433 · Sonora · Populated place
- Tenosique · 32,415 · Tabasco · Populated place
- Parras · 32,253 · Coahuila · Populated place
- Sabinas Hidalgo · 32,047 · Nuevo León · Populated place
- Petatlán · 31,910 · Guerrero · Populated place
- Ticul · 30,519 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Huatabampo · 30,426 · Sonora · Populated place
- Ometepec · 30,271 · Guerrero · Populated place
- San Fernando · 29,171 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- Escuinapa · 28,248 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Champotón · 26,636 · Campeche · Populated place
- Tuxpan · 26,115 · Nayarit · Populated place
- Felipe Carrillo Puerto · 24,807 · Quintana Roo · Populated place
- Ciudad Altamirano · 24,533 · Guerrero · Populated place
- Pochutla · 24,481 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Paraíso · 23,830 · Tabasco · Populated place
- Pijijiapan · 23,675 · Chiapas · Populated place
- Magdalena · 23,359 · Sonora · Populated place
- Tekax · 22,806 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Papasquiaro · 22,750 · Durango · Populated place
- Frontera · 22,621 · Tabasco · Populated place
- Ojinaga · 22,128 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Tlaxiaco · 21,391 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Motul · 21,253 · Yucatán · Populated place
- San Felipe · 20,750 · Baja California · Populated place
- Atoyac · 20,515 · Guerrero · Populated place
- Allende · 19,636 · Coahuila · Populated place
- Puerto Escondido · 19,488 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Acatlan · 18,879 · Puebla · Populated place
- Santiago Ixcuintla · 18,365 · Nayarit · Populated place
- Miahuatlán · 17,632 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- Peto · 17,607 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Eldorado · 17,365 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Compostela · 16,162 · Nayarit · Populated place
- Santiago Tuxtla · 15,681 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Villa Unión · 15,443 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Cardenas · 15,331 · San Luis Potosí · Populated place
- Izamal · 14,954 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Tecuala · 14,921 · Nayarit · Populated place
- Tamuín · 14,748 · San Luis Potosí · Populated place
- Tecpan · 14,638 · Guerrero · Populated place
- Juan Aldama · 14,162 · Zacatecas · Populated place
- Guerrero Negro · 13,054 · Baja California Sur · Populated place
- Vicente Guerrero · 12,829 · Baja California · Populated place
- Isla Mujeres · 12,491 · Quintana Roo · Populated place
- Aldama · 12,292 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- La Cruz · 11,900 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Santa Rosalía · 11,899 · Baja California Sur · Populated place
- Balancán · 11,895 · Tabasco · Populated place
- Nacozari de García · 11,872 · Sonora · Populated place
- Ascensión · 11,781 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Loreto · 11,227 · Baja California Sur · Populated place
- El Fuerte · 11,171 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Villanueva · 11,138 · Zacatecas · Populated place
- Santa Barbara · 10,800 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Coalcoman · 10,715 · Michoacán · Populated place
- Valparaíso · 10,545 · Zacatecas · Populated place
- Canatlan · 10,342 · Durango · Populated place
- Ayutla · 9,897 · Guerrero · Populated place
- Villa Ahumada · 9,326 · Chihuahua · Populated place
- Halachó · 9,165 · Yucatán · Populated place
- Tula · 9,054 · Tamaulipas · Populated place
- Cuencame · 8,876 · Durango · Populated place
- Mitla · 7,547 · Oaxaca · Populated place
- San Quintín · 5,433 · Baja California · Populated place
- Esperanza · 3,836 · Sonora · Populated place
- Nautla · 2,890 · Veracruz · Populated place
- Altata · 1,000 · Sinaloa · Populated place
- Punta Prieta · 527 · Baja California · Populated place
- Sierra Mojada · 10 · Coahuila · Populated place
Highest Mountains in Mexico
14 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico de Orizaba | 5,636 m | 18,491 ft | North America |
| 2 | Volcán Popocatépetl | 5,420 m | 17,782 ft | North America |
| 3 | Volcán de Colima | 4,330 m | 14,206 ft | North America |
| 4 | Volcán Tacaná | 4,067 m | 13,343 ft | North America |
| 5 | Cerro Nube Flan | 3,750 m | 12,303 ft | North America |
| 6 | Cerro San Rafael | 3,710 m | 12,172 ft | North America |
| 7 | Sierra El Viejo | 3,500 m | 11,483 ft | North America |
| 8 | Cerro El Jabaln | 3,440 m | 11,286 ft | North America |
| 9 | Cerro Mohinora | 3,348 m | 10,984 ft | North America |
| 10 | Cerro Gordo | 3,340 m | 10,958 ft | North America |
Largest Lakes in Mexico
17 lakes recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laguna Madre | 1,751 km² | Alkaline Lake |
| 2 | Lago de Chapala | 1,032 km² | Lake |
| 3 | Presa de la Angostura | 867 km² | Reservoir |
| 4 | Presa del Infiernillo | 832 km² | Reservoir |
| 5 | Presa Miguel Aleman | 495 km² | Reservoir |
| 6 | Falcon Lake | 468 km² | Reservoir |
| 7 | Lake Novillo | 372 km² | Reservoir |
| 8 | Presa Nezahualcyotl | 281 km² | Reservoir |
| 9 | Presa Vicente Guerrero | 252 km² | Reservoir |
| 10 | Amistad Reservoir | 251 km² | Reservoir |
Rivers in Mexico
30 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Mexico
27 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | la Paz | 56.7 m | Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | medium vessels |
| 2 | Ciudad del Carmen | 53 m | Very Small | Gulf of Mexico | medium vessels |
| 3 | Tuxpan | 53 m | Minor | Gulf of Mexico | large vessels |
| 4 | Frontera | 53 m | Very Small | Gulf of Mexico | medium vessels |
| 5 | dos Bocas Terminal | 49.4 m | Very Small | Gulf of Mexico | large vessels |
| 6 | Minatitlan | 42.1 m | Very Small | Gulf of Mexico | medium vessels |
| 7 | Puerto Madero | 42.1 m | Very Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | medium vessels |
| 8 | Nanchital | 38.4 m | Very Small | Gulf of Mexico | large vessels |
| 9 | Lazaro Cardenas | 38.4 m | Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | large vessels |
| 10 | Pichilingue | 34.7 m | Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | large vessels |
The other 17 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Tampico · 34.7 m · Minor · Gulf of Mexico · large vessels
- Mazatlan · 34.7 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Ensenada · 34.7 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Puerto Vallarta · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Salina Cruz · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Progreso · 34.7 m · Very Small · Gulf of Mexico · large vessels
- Altamira · 31.1 m · Very Small · Gulf of Mexico · large vessels
- Topolobampo · 31.1 m · Small · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- San Miguel de Cozumel · 31.1 m · Very Small · Caribbean Sea · medium vessels
- Veracruz · 27.4 m · Minor · Gulf of Mexico · large vessels
- Rosarito · Very Small · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Cayo Arcas Terminal · Very Small · Gulf of Mexico · large vessels
- Isla San Marcos · Very Small · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · medium vessels
- San Juan de la Costa · Very Small · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Puerto Morro Redondo · Very Small · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Acapulco · Minor · Pacific Coast of North & Central America · large vessels
- Campeche · Small · Gulf of Mexico · medium vessels
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mexico
32 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco | 1987 | Cultural | (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) |
| 2 | Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán | 1987 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) |
| 3 | Historic Centre of Puebla | 1987 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
| 4 | Palenque | 1987 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) |
| 5 | Sian Ka'an | 1987 | Natural | (vii) (x) |
| 6 | Teotihuacan | 1987 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (vi) |
| 7 | Chichen Itza | 1989 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) |
| 8 | Historic Centre of Morelia | 1991 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) (vi) |
| 9 | Tajín Veracruz | 1992 | Cultural | (iii) (iv) |
| 10 | Historic centre of Zacatecas | 1993 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
Largest Islands of Mexico
2 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is. Revillagigedo | 84,814 km² | Island group |
| 2 | I. Guadalupe | 288 km² | Island |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Mexico
12 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North America | 27.05M km² | Continent | North America |
| 2 | Central America | 787,235 km² | Isthmus | North America |
| 3 | Chihuahuan Desert | 474,278 km² | Desert | North America |
| 4 | Sierra Madre Occidental | 301,345 km² | Range/mtn | North America |
| 5 | Sonoran Desert | 221,361 km² | Desert | North America |
| 6 | Alti-Planicie Mexicana | 209,927 km² | Plateau | North America |
| 7 | Sierra Madre Oriental | 126,310 km² | Range/mtn | North America |
| 8 | Baja California | 115,286 km² | Pen/cape | North America |
| 9 | Sierra Chiapas | 81,217 km² | Range/mtn | North America |
| 10 | Pen. de YucatáN | 1,112 km² | Pen/cape | North America |
States and Provinces of Mexico
23 first-level divisions with their own map.
- Baja California map7 cities
- Baja California Sur map6 cities
- Chiapas map5 cities
- Chihuahua map11 cities
- Coahuila map9 cities
- Durango map5 cities
- Guanajuato map5 cities
- Guerrero map10 cities
- Jalisco map6 cities
- Michoacán map7 cities
- Nayarit map5 cities
- Nuevo León map4 cities
- Oaxaca map10 cities
- Puebla map5 cities
- Quintana Roo map5 cities
- San Luis Potosí map7 cities
- Sinaloa map11 cities
- Sonora map13 cities
- Tabasco map5 cities
- Tamaulipas map10 cities
- Veracruz map12 cities
- Yucatán map10 cities
- Zacatecas map5 cities
Countries Bordering Mexico
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in North America
Mexico: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Mexico?
- The capital of Mexico is Mexico City.
- What is the population of Mexico?
- Mexico has a population of about 131.95 million, the #11 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Mexico?
- Mexico covers 1.97M km², ranking #15 by area, with about 67 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Mexico in?
- Mexico is in North America.
- Which countries border Mexico?
- Mexico shares a land or maritime border with United States, Belize, Guatemala.
- What is the largest city in Mexico?
- Mexico City is the largest city in Mexico, with a metropolitan population of about 19.03 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Mexico?
- The highest summit recorded for Mexico in YearMaps is Pico de Orizaba at 5,636 m (18,491 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Mexico?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Mexico is Laguna Madre, at roughly 1,751 km².
- What are the famous wonders and monuments of Mexico?
- Mexico's great monuments in YearMaps are Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun), Chichen Itza (El Castillo / Kukulkan). Each is written up on this page with photographs and its history.