The Land and Economyof Mexico

Created byMr. Raponi

The Song you just

heard was being sung by Antonio Banderes

A Great Connect

or

Mexico forms part of something known as

an ____________ or

________________, both have the same meaning which is a narrow strip of land that joins two larger landmasses.

Mexico connects North America to South America.

LandformsTwo major peninsulas of

Mexico are the

__________________________

and the __________________

The Rio Grande, which empties into the

____________________________ is the border between the United States and Mexico.

Río Grande is Spanish for "Big River"

This river flows for about

__________________ miles

Land of Shaking Earth

Shifting plates have been colliding for billions of years forcing volcanoes and mountains up.

One famous volcano located in Mexico is called

____________________ or “smoky mountain.”

The “Land of Shaking Earth” is still a suitable name, Mexico City has had many earthquakes in the past 50 years.

In Aztec mythology, Popocatepetl was a warrior who loved Iztaccíhuatl. Iztaccíhuatl's father sent Popocatepetl to war in Oaxaca, promising him his daughter as his wife if he returned (which Iztaccíhuatl's father presumed he would not). Iztaccíhuatl's father told her that her lover had fallen in battle and she died of grief. When Popocatepetl returned, and discovered the death of his lover, he committed suicide by plunging a dagger through his heart.

The gods covered them with snow and changed them into mountains. Iztaccíhuatl's mountain was called "La Mujer Dormida, the "Sleeping Woman.“ Popocatepetl became the volcano Popocatepetl, raining fire on Earth in blind rage at the loss of his beloved.

Plateaus

The

___________________ covers 40% of the entire country.

Here, you find mostly desert and grassy plains.

As you move south, the plateau steadily rises in elevation with

occasional ____________, or broad flat valleys.

Economic Regions

Almost 1/5 of the

world’s _____________ is mined in Mexico.

___________________ are businesses that provide services instead of making goods. Banking and tourism are examples.

Although rich in minerals, Mexico is poor in fertile land.

The Southern Economy

This region stretches from Mexico City to the Yucatan peninsula.

The people in this region are among the poorest in Mexico.

___________________ is only growing enough food to feed your family.

___________________- large farms that raise a single crop for money.

My Tummy Would Feel Awfully Hoppy After Eating

This

In Mexico, they sell "chapulines" (grasshoppers) as a specialty.

People say that they are not necessarily disgusting, but to our northern taste buds they sure are weird--kind of like really, really salty anchovies

Fun Foods in Mexico

The Northern Economy

Much of the land in the north is too dry to farm, but farmers irrigate to grow cotton, fruit and vegetables.

In hilly areas, ranchers raise cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

Ranching originated in

Mexico. _____________, or cowhands developed the trade.

The Northern Region

The largest city in this

region is _________________, which leads the country in steel production.

Many people in the region

work in _________________, factories that assemble parts shipped from other countries.

Workers assemble Automobiles Stereos computers

Industrial Growth

During the past 50 years, Mexico has

________________.

This means that Mexico has become less a country of farms and villages and more of a country of factories and cities.

Many challenges arise with industrial growth.

Pollution

Mexico City’s many factories and cars pollute the air leaving a thick haze of

______________, or fog mixed with smoke and chemicals.

School children wear masks at recess to prevent pollution

Population Changes

Mexico’s population is growing twice as fast as the population of the United States.

With this increase in population, Mexico can not provide jobs for all of its people.

Many Mexicans that are in search of work move to the United States, many of which are entering illegally without the proper papers.

Immigration From Mexico