What to take to your trip to Mexico    When shopping    Population    Languages    Religion Food    Business Schedules    Holidays  

Health    Money Exchange    Electricity   Taxes & Tips    Government    Territory & Climate

NOWADAYS. MEXICO HAS A POPULATION OF 98 MILLION PEOPLE; ANNUALLY IT GROWS AT A RATE OF 2.2 %. APPROXIMATELY 61% OF MEXICANS ARE " MESTIZO " (A BLEND OF SPANISH AND NATIVE) 30% IS NATIVE INDIAN AND ALMOST 9% IS OF EUROPEAN ASCENT.

THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IN MEXICO IS SPANISH. HOWEVER, IN SOME SMALL VILLAGES THE NATIVE STILL SPEAKS DIALECTS SUCH AS NAHUATL, MAYA, OTOMI, MIXTECO AND ZAPOTECO. IN THE URBAN AREAS, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND AND SPEAK ENGLISH.

92% OF THE MEXICAN PEOPLE ARE CATHOLICS, SINCE THIS RELIGION IS PART OF THEbCULTURE AND HISTORY.

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THE DIET OF MOST MEXICANS INCLUDE CORN, BEANS AND HOT PEPPERS COMBINED WITH MEAT, FISH, VEGETABLES AND SPICES. EACH REGION OF THE COUNTRY HAS ITS OWN TYPICAL DISHES, BUT SOME ARE COMMON TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY. FOR EXAMPLE THE " TORTILLA ", WHICH IS MADE OF CORN, IS A BASIC SAMPLE OF ANY MEXICAN MEAL. SOME OF THE MOST COMMON DISHES ARE: THE " TORTA " (A KIND OF SANDWICH PREPARED WITH WHITE BREAD CALLED " BOLILLO "), " TACOS " (TORTILLAS STUFFED WITH VEGETABLES OR MEAT) AND " QUESADILLAS " (A TORTILLA FOLDED AND STUFFED WITH CHEESE), AMONG OTHERS.

IN MEXICO THERE ARE USUALLY THREE MEALS A DAY: BREAKFAST (BETWEEN 7:00 AND 11:00 A.M.), LUNCH (BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 P.M.) AND DINNER (BETWEEN 8:00 AND 10:00 P.M.).

GENERALLY MOST BUSINESSES, DEPARTMENT STORES AND SHOPS ARE OPEN FROM 9:30 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. HOWEVER, IN SOME STATES OF THE COUNTRY THEY CLOSE AT LUNCH TIME, THAT IS FROM 2:00 P.M. TO 4:00 P.M. THE FLEE MARKETS (TIANGUIS) AND THE PEDDLERS ARE VERY COMMON IN MEXICO. ALL GOVERNMENT OFFICES CLOSE AT 2:30 P.M.

* THE GOVERNMENT ISSUED HOLIDAYS THAT ARE:

* NEW YEAR'S EVE (JANUARY 1 ST),

* BENITO JUAREZ´ s BIRTHDAY (MARCH 21 ST),

* HOLY EASTER WEEK (THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY),

* LABOR DAY (MAY 1 ST),

* BATTLE OF PUEBLA ANNIVERSARY (MAY 5 TH),

* INDEPENDENCE DAY (SEPTEMBER 16 TH),

* THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA (OCTOBER 12 TH),

* ALL SAINT'S DAY (NOVEMBER 1 ST),

* THE DAY OF THE DEAD (NOVEMBER 2 ND),

* ANNIVERSARY OF THE REVOLUTION (NOVEMBER 20 TH).

* ALSO AS BEING A PREDOMINANTLY CATHOLIC COUNTRY. MEXICANS CELEBRATE:

* OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE'S DAY (DECEMBER 12 TH, AND CHRIST'S BIRTHDAY DECEMBER 24 TH).

* MOST TOWNS CELEBRATE ANNUALLY THEIR OWN PATRON SAINT.

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IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION TO ENTER OR LEAVE MEXICO. HOWEVER, WE RECOMMEND YOU TO GET YOUR TRAVEL AGENTS OR PHYSICIAN'S ADVICE BEFORE YOUR TRIP. IN MOST CITIES, WATER IS PURIFIED; IN SMALLER CITIES, TOWNS AND RURAL AREAS YOU SHOULD DRINK BOTTLED WATER. YOU CAN PURCHASE IT IN MOST GROCERY STORES. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT MEDICAL ATTENTION IS AVAILABLE IN CASE OF NEED. WHILE IN MEXICO, PLEASE TRY TO FOLLOW STRICTLY YOUR USUAL HYGIENE HABITS: WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE EATING, AVOID FOODS SOLD OR SERVED OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS FOODS NOT PROPERLY AND/OR PASTEURIZED. EAT LIGHTLY SO YOUR BODY CAN GET USED TO THE LOCAL FOODS.

THE PESO IS THE OFFICIAL CURRENCY OF MEXICO. MOST CREDIT CARDS, AS WELL AS ALL TRAVELERS CHECKS ARE WELCOME. IT IS POSSIBLE TO EXCHANGE U.S. DOLLARS TO PESOS IN ALL BANKS AND AT MOST PRESTIGIOUS HOTELS, ALTHOUGH IN SOME ESTABLISHMENTS U.S. DOLLARS ARE ACCEPTED. THERE ARE ALSO MONEY EXCHANGE HOUSES WHERE YOU CAN EXCHANGE JUST ABOUT ANY CURRENCY FOR PESOS. MOST BANKING INSTITUTIONS OPEN FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M., SOME OF THEM CLOSE AT 5:00 P.M.

THE ELECTRIC CURRENT USED IN MEXICO IS 110 VOLTS, 60 Hz. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS FACT WHEN YOU USE YOUR ELECTRIC APPLIANCES TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T RUIN THEM.

SOME OF THE TAXES AND TIPS ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE OR TOUR. TAXES ON FOOD, DRINKS, CRAFTS AND CLOTHES ARE USUALLY 15% OF THE PRICE. IN SOME PLACES TAXES ARE PROBABLY INCLUDED IN THE BILL. TO MAKE SURE WE RECOMMEND ASKING BEFORE PAYING THE CHECK IN EACH ESTABLISHMENT. IF YOU TAKE A TAXI CAB, WE RECOMMEND INQUIRING AT THE HOTEL ABOUT THE AMOUNT

YOU SHOULD PAY; IT IS OF COURSE MORE CONVENIENT TO TAKE ONE WITH A METER MACHINE. IF THE TAXI DOES NOT HAVE ONE, ASK THE DRIVER FOR THE COST. IN MEXICO TAXI DRIVERS DO NOT HAVE TO BE TIPPED.

AIRPORT TAX FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS IS $ 18 U.S. DOLLARS. THE TOURIST WILL BE CHARGED AND EXTRA $ 16 USD TO COVER THE TUA TAX. FOR NATIONAL FLIGHTS AND AN ADDITIONAL OF $ 15 USD AS IMMIGRATION TAX. IN CASE OF RENTING A CAR AND GOING TO A GAS STATION, A SMALL TIP IS REQUIRED.

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THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT IS MADE OF THREE BRANCHES: THE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND THE JUDICIAL POWERS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LED BY THE PRESIDENT (THE EXECUTIVE) WHO IS ELECTED DIRECTLY BY THE PEOPLE. THE VOTE IS A RIGHT TO ALL MEXICANS OVER 18 YEARS OLD. THE PRESIDENT SERVES FOR ONLY ONE SIX-YEAR TERM. THE CONGRESS AND THE SENATE MAKE UP THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT. ALL STATES IN THE NATION HAVE INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT WITH A SIMILAR STRUCTURE. THE SUPREME COURT, INTEGRATED BY 11 MINISTERS, MAKES UP THE JUDICIAL BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND IT IS THE MAXIMUM ORGAN OF JUSTICE IN MEXICO.

MEXICO'S BORDERS ARE IN THE NORTH WITH THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE SOUTH WITH GUATEMALA AND BELIZE. ITS CLIMATE VARIES FROM DRY AND HOT IN THE NORTH TO TROPICAL AND MOIST IN THE SOUTH. THE COUNTRY IS RICH IN NATURAL RESOURCES SUCH AS OIL, NATURAL GAS, SILVER, IRON, COAL, COPPER, LEAD, ZINC AND OTHERS.

THE CENTRAL PLATEAU OF THE COUNTRY WHERE MEXICO CITY IS LOCATED IS RIMMED BY TWO GREAT MOUNTAIN RANGES: " THE SIERRA MADRE ORIENTAL " TO THE EAST AND " THE SIERRA MADRE OCCIDENTAL" TO THE WEST.

TWO THIRDS OF MEXICO'S TERRITORY CONSIST OF MOUNTAINS. MANY OF THEM ARE VOLCANOES. TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION VARY DEPENDING ON THE ALTITUDE AND REGION. ALPINE CONDITIONS PREVAIL ON THE HIGH MOUNTAINS. IN MEXICO CITY THE CLIMATE IS GENERALLY WARM TO COOL, AND THE RAINY SEASON LASTS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER. IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY THE TEMPERATURE IS HOT AND HUMID.

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