Download 6.1 Physical Geography: Mexico


Mexico is south of the United States.
◦ The Río Bravo River forms part of the
border between the two countries.
◦ In the United States this river is
called the Rio Grande.

Mexico is mostly surrounded by water.
◦ To the west is the Pacific Ocean.
 Stretching south into the Pacific Ocean
from northern Mexico is a narrow
peninsula (piece of land surrounded on
three sides by water) called Baja
California.
◦ To the east, Mexico’s border is the Gulf
of Mexico.
◦ The Gulf of Mexico is separated from the
Caribbean Sea by a part of Mexico called
the Yucatán Peninsula.

Plateaus and mountains cover much of
Mexico.
◦ The Mexican Plateau takes up much of
the interior of Mexico.
 The highest point is close to two
miles above sea level.
 The entire plateau spreads between
two mountain ranges – the Sierra
Madre Oriental on the east and the
Sierra Madre Occidental on the
west.
 Together these two mountain
ranges make up the Sierra Madre
(“mother range”)

Between the two mountain ranges is
the Valley of Mexico.
◦ Mexico City is located there.
◦ South of Mexico City is more
mountains and some volcanoes.
 The volcano Popocatêpetl near
Mexico City has been active as
recently as 2000.
Plateaus and
mountains cover
much of Mexico.
Here, the volcano
Popocatépetl rises
above a mountain
valley. Many
people live and
farm in the
mountain valleys.

Beautiful, sunny beaches stretch all
along Mexico’s eastern and western
coasts.
◦ Here some of the land is fertile and
good for farming.

Mexico’s climate range from tropical
to desert.
◦ Because of so many climates, Mexico
also has a variety of vegetation
types.

Mexico is rich in natural resources.
◦ Oil is one if its’ most important
resources & much of Mexico’s oil is
sold to the United States.
◦ Before oil, minerals like silver, gold,
copper, zinc, and lead were the most
valuable.
 Today, Mexico’s mines produce more
silver than any other country in the
world.