Few countries in the world can match Mexico's extraordinary density of historical and cultural attractions. While most visitors to Mexico will barely venture off the beaches of Cancun and Acapulco, for the adventure traveller the inland has some of the world's great historical sites, spectacular natural attractions and a vibrant culture in the country's cities and towns. The pre-Hispanic ruins are perhaps Mexico's prime draw, both the Mayan cities of the Yucatan Peninsula and the extraordinary pyramids at Teotihuacan. Including one of the new Seven Wonders of the World at Chichen Itza, these breathtaking ruins are excellently preserved and renovated and evocative of long lost civilisations. The colonial period is also well represented by numerous well-preserved historic towns, many UNESCO-listed, which are both testaments to this historical period and a great way to experience the Mexico of today. While the south of the country boasts the lions share of Mexico's attractions, the less-visited north shouldn't be overlooked. In particular, the Barranca del Cobre (or Copper Canyon) is one of the world's most spectacular series of canyons, which can be explored on foot or one the exhilarating train ride known as El Chepe. Explore in depth highlights of Mexico.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
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| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT -8 to -6 (3 time zones: Mexico time zones (-6 to -8)) |
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| Daylight savings: | GMT +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October |
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| Main languages: | Spanish | Other languages: Amerindian dialects |
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| Currency: |
Mexican pesos (MXN) €1 = $20.76, $1 = $18.60, £1 = $24.74 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .mx | International Dialling Code: 52 |
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For help planning your trip to Mexico including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Mexico trip planning page.
Further information on Mexico
Discover more about Mexico - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 1,972,550 sq km (49,510 sq km under water)
Coastline: 9,330 km (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of California, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean)
Neighbours (border lengths): Belize (250km), Guatemala (962km), United States of America (3,141km)
Climate: Diverse climate with vast areas of desert in the north and tropical rainforests in the south. The north is generally dry from November to April with some rain between May and September. Hot and humid in the jungle areas of the Yucatan with the rainy season between July and September, but temperatures on the Caribbean coast are cooled by winds. Susceptible to earthquakes in centre and south, tsunamis on the Pacific coast and hurricanes on the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coasts, particularly in October.
Highest mountain: Volcan Pico de Orizaba (5,700m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Mexico from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Partly Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Flawed democracy | 57/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Moderately Free | 59/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Difficult situation | 146/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | Broad rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 103/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 63/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: United Mexican States Status: Independent Country
Population: 120,286,655 (rank: 11/196) Density: 60.9 people/sq km (rank: 120/196)
Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)
GDP (PPP): $1845 billion GDP per capita: $15,600 (rank: 69/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.