Mexico. Geographical and Economy Overview.

  Mexico is located in the Middle America,   bordering the Caribbean Sea and the   Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the   US and bordering the North Pacific   Ocean, between Guatemala and the   US. Area is comparative to slightly less   than three times the size of Texas.

  Country background: the site of   advanced Amerindian civilizations,   Mexico came under Spanish rule for   three centuries before achieving   independence early in the 19th century.

  Mexico has signed and ratified the   following 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.

  Population: 107,449,525 (2006)

  Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian   Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or   predominantly Amerindian 30%, white   9%, other 1%.

  Religions: nominally Roman Catholic   89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%.

  Language: Spanish, various Mayan,   Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous   languages.

  Economy, financial and banking   system: Mexico has one of Latin   America 's most developed banking   systems, consisting of a central bank   and six types of banking institutions:   public development banks, public credit   institutions, private commercial banks,   private investment banks, savings and   loan associations, and mortgage   banks. Other components of the   financial system include securities   market institutions, development trust   funds, insurance companies, credit   unions, factoring companies, mutual   funds, and bonded warehouses.