Total area: 1,972,550 km2
land area: 1,923,040 km2

Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: 4,538 km total
Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: natural prolongation of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes: claims Clipperton Island (French possession)

Climate: varies from tropical to desert

Terrain: high, rugged mountains, low coastal plains, high plateaus, and desert

Natural resources: crude oil, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land 12%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 39%; forest and woodland 24%; other 24%; includes irrigated 3%

Environment: subject to tsunamis along the Pacific coast and destructive earthquakes in the center and south; natural water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; deforestation; erosion widespread; desertification; serious air pollution in Mexico City and urban centers along US-Mexico border

Note: strategic location on southern border of US

NOTE: The information regarding Mexico on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Mexico Geography 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Mexico Geography 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.