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Geography and Environment of Mexico
Terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, and environmental conditions of Mexico.
Overview
Mexico is located in North America. It borders the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico between Belize and the U.S. and borders the North Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and the U.S. Its land mass covers approximately 1.9 million sq. kms, and has approximately 9,330 sq. kms of beachfront property. With a climate that varies from tropical to desert, the terrain ranges from high rugged mountains to low coastal plains and high plateaus to desert. Its lowest elevation point is Laguna Salada at 10 meters. The highest point is the Volcano, Pico de Orizaba, at 5,700 meters. Mexican natural hazards include tsunamis on the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes at the center and south, and hurricanes on the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coasts.
Detailed geography
Physical Features
- Terrain
- high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
- Climate
- With a climate that varies from tropical to desert, the terrain ranges from high rugged mountains to low coastal plains and high plateaus to desert. Mexican natural hazards include tsunamis on the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes at the center and south, and hurricanes on the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coasts.
- Weather Patterns
- http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/MXDF0132?template=TRVLH&par=1003114983&unit=0&key=5b85ae1d85877a1b34827fba743e2133
- Highest Point
- 5700 — Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m
- Lowest Point
- -10 — Laguna Salada -10 m
Borders and Area
- Area (Comparative)
- slightly less than three times the size of Texas
- Border Countries
- Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km
Natural Resources and Hazards
- Natural Resources
- petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
- Natural Hazards
- tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts
Environment and Land Use
- Current Environmental Issues
- scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
- International Agreements
- Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements