Mexican Culture
Historical and Artistic Heritage:
Mexico's cultural heritage is a product of a rich Native American legacy, three centuries of
Spanish rule, and its shared border with the United States. The country has been home to great
artists throughout its history, including impressive murals, sculptures, and jewelry created by the
Maya and other Native Americans, as well as modern Mexican artists such as painters,
photographers, sculptors, and muralists
Economic and Political Influence:
Mexico is one of the chief economic and political forces in Latin America, with a dynamic
industrial base, vast mineral resources, a wide-ranging service sector, and the world's largest
population of Spanish speakers, about two and a half times that of Spain or Colombia
The country's economic and political influence is also evident in its strong and vital relations with
the United States, with extensive commercial, cultural, and educational ties, and Mexico being
the United States' second-largest export market and third-largest trading partner
Social Structure and Challenges:
Mexican society is characterized by extremes of wealth and poverty, with a limited middle class
wedged between an elite cadre of landowners and investors on one hand and masses of rural
and urban poor on the other
The country faces challenges related to crime, with both violent and non-violent crime occurring
throughout Mexico City and Mexico State, leading to travel advisories cautioning against certain
areas
Geographical and Historical Significance:
Mexico's geographical location on the southern border of the US and its position along the Ring
of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean,
contribute to its strategic importance
The country's historical significance is evident in its rich Native American heritage, the influence
of Spanish rule, and its role as the home of the Maya civilization, with amazing buildings still
visible today in the Yucatán Peninsula
