How Big is Mexico?

Officially called the United Mexican States, Mexico is one of the nicest countries found in North America. It is surrounded by the United States to the north, the Gulf of Mexico to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south. In the Americas, it is considered the fifth biggest country. Furthermore, it is also recognized as the 11th most populous nation worldwide, with an estimated population of more than 111 million as of 2009. Aside from these facts, there are other interesting things to learn about this place such as the size of Mexico.

The Size of Mexico

How big is Mexico? In terms of land area, Mexico ranks 15th in the world, measuring 761,606 square miles or 1,972,550 square kilometers. Its capital is Mexico City, which is also the largest city in the country with a total land area of 573.36 square miles or 1,485 square kilometers. It is the only Latin American country included in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development or OECD. In terms of population, it ranks 11th in the world, with an estimated 111,211,789 residents as of July 2009.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Details

Today, Mexico has the 11th best economy in the world. Although it experienced a severe economic crisis in 1994, it has now recovered fully by improving its macroeconomic fundamentals. Its economy is driven mainly by vastly improved modern industrial and service sectors, which feature rising private ownership. Some of its biggest economic contributors include natural gas distribution, electricity generation as well as telecommunications. Aside from these, it also has expanded competition in airports, railroads and ports.

Because of its export-oriented economy, over 90 percent of Mexican trade is under the terms of free trade agreements involving 40 other countries including Israel and Japan. In 1992, it signed the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA together with Canada and the United States. In 2008, more or less 16 Mexican-based companies were included in the Forbes Global 200 list of the largest companies in the world.

From 1995 to 2002, the average growth rate of the annual gross domestic product in Mexico was 5.1 percent. In 2005, inflation hit a record low 3.3 percent. However, the country is not completely free from various kinds of economic concerns like inequitable income distribution, underemployment as well as low real wages. Furthermore, it is also concerned about its financial and commercial dependence on the United States. The leading industries in the country include financial services, construction and manufactured goods.