Mexico City

Mexico City
Ciudad de México  (Spanish)
Co-official names
Capital and megacity
Skyline of Mexico City with the Torre Latinoamericana
Angel of Independence
Museo Soumaya
Monument to the Revolution
Paseo de la Reforma from the Chapultepec Castle
Cathedral and National Palace in the Zócalo
Palace of Fine Arts
Santa Fe business district
Coat of arms of Mexico City
Coat of arms
Official logo of Mexico City
Government logo
Nickname(s): 
CDMX, La Ciudad de los Palacios
(The City of Palaces)
Motto: 
Capital de la transformación (Capital of the transformation)
Anthem: Himno de la Ciudad de México
Mexico City within Mexico
Mexico City within Mexico
Mexico City is located in Mexico
Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is located in North America
Mexico City
Mexico City
Coordinates: 19°26′N 99°8′W / 19.433°N 99.133°W / 19.433; -99.133
Country Mexico
Founded
    • 13 March 1325 (1325-03-13):
      Mexico-Tenochtitlan
    • 13 August 1521 (1521-08-13):
      Ciudad de México
    • 18 November 1824 (1824-11-18):
      Distrito Federal
    • 29 January 2016 (2016-01-29):
      Ciudad de México
Founded by
Government
 • Head of GovernmentClara Brugada (MORENA)
 • LegislatureCongress of Mexico City
Area
[b]
 • Capital and megacity1,485 km2 (573 sq mi)
 • Metro
7,866 km2 (3,037 sq mi)
 Ranked 32nd
Elevation
2,240 m (7,350 ft)
Highest elevation
(Ajusco)
3,930 m (12,890 ft)
Population
 (2020)
 • Capital and megacity9,209,944
 • Rank1st in North America
1st in Mexico
 • Density6,200/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
  • Rank1st
 • Urban
23,146,802
 • Metro
21,804,515
Demonyms
  • Capitalino (a)
  • Mexiqueño (a) (archaic)
  • Chilango (a) (colloquial)
GDP (Nominal, 2024)
 • Capital and megacityMXN Template:FXConvert
 • MetroMXN Template:FXConvert
Time zoneUTC−06:00 (CST)
Postal code
00–16
Area code55/56
ISO 3166 codeMX-CMX
Patron SaintPhilip of Jesus (Spanish: San Felipe de Jesús)
HDIIncrease 0.847 very high Ranked 1st of 32
Websitecdmx.gob.mx
Official nameHistoric center of Mexico City, Xochimilco and Central University City Campus of the UNAM
TypeCultural
Criteriai, ii, iii, iv, v
Designated1987, 2007 (11th, 31st sessions)
Reference no.412, 1250
RegionLatin America and the Caribbean
^ b. Area of Mexico City that includes non-urban areas at the south

Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico. It's also the most populous city in North America. Mexico City is located in the Valley of Mexico within the high Mexican central plateau, at an altitude of 2,240 meters (7,350 ft). The city has 16 boroughs or demarcaciones territoriales, which are in turn divided into neighborhoods or colonias.

The 2020 population for the city proper was 9,209,944, with a land area of 1,495 square kilometers (577 sq mi).

History

Mexico City was first built in the 1520s after Hernán Cortés destroyed the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. The Spaniards then emptied the basin of Lake Texcoco to keep it from flooding. By the late 1700s, Mexico City had over 100,000 people. However, there were many slums, which caused epidemics. There were political problems in the mid-1800s after Mexico became independent. More than 40 people ruled in the 40 years after the country became independent. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, electric light and gas were brought to the city. But there was a big difference between the rich western part of the city and the poor eastern part of the city. By 1930, Mexico City had 1,000,000 people. The city kept growing quickly. In 1968, the Olympic Games were in Mexico City. In 1985, an earthquake hit the capital. In the past few decades, there have been problems with crime and corruption.

Environment

Mexico City has a high population density. It is also surrounded by mountains. This causes problems with air pollution.

Sometimes Mexico City gets earthquakes.

Geography

Mexico City is in the Valley of Mexico at around 2,300 meters (7,800 feet) above sea level.

Mexico City its divided by 16 boroughs: Álvaro Obregón, Azcapotzalco, Benito Juarez, Coyoacán, Cuajimalpa, Cuauhtémoc, Gustavo A. Madero, Iztacalco, Iztapalapa, Magdalena Contreras, Miguel Hidalgo, Milpa Alta, Tláhuac, Tlalpan, Venustiano Carranza and Xochimilco.

Mexico City was originally built on a lake, Lake Texcoco, which is now mostly drained. The ecology of the area has been much changed by the draining. Many of its native species, such as the Axolotl, are extinct, or endangered.

The mountains Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl are nearby.

Climate

Mexico City is in the tropics. But because its elevation is so high, it has a subtropical highland climate (Cwb in the Köppen climate classification). This means temperatures are warm or mild year-round. It is a lot wetter in the summer than in the winter. Some parts of the city get frost in the winter.

Notes

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ In Peninsular Spanish, the spelling variant Méjico, is also used alongside México. According to the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas by the Royal Spanish Academy and the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language, the spelling version with J is correct, however, the spelling with X is recommended, as it is the one is used in Mexican Spanish.
  3. ↑ Spanish: Ciudad de México, lit. 'City of Mexico', es, Template:Abbr. CDMX

References

  1. ↑ "Presenta gobierno capitalino Himno de la Ciudad de México, primero en la historia en ser compuesto por una mujer". Secretariat of Culture of Mexico City (in Spanish). 20 June 2024. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores – México". Sre.gob.mx. Archived from the original on 20 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  3. ↑ "De la Colonia / 13 agosto de 1521: rendición de México-Tenochtitlan". Redescolar.ilce.edu.mx. Archived from the original on 1 July 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  4. ↑ "Conmemora la SecretarĂa de Cultura el 185 Aniversario del Decreto de CreaciĂłn del Distrito Federal". Cultura.df.gob.mx. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  5. ↑ Agren, David (29 January 2015). "Mexico City officially changes its name to – Mexico City". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Resumen". Cuentame INEGI. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Relieve". Cuentame INEGI. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Censo Población y Vivienda 2020". inegi.org.mx (in Spanish). INEGI. 25 January 2021. Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Indicadores Regionales de Actividad Económica 2025" (PDF). Citibanamex. May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  10. ↑ "GeoHub". UNDP GeoHub. 2023-10-20. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
  11. ↑ "México" in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas by Royal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language, Madrid: Santillana. 2005. ISBN 978-8-429-40623-8.
  12. ↑ "IHUEYTLANAHUATIL MEXIHCO HUEYALTEPETL "His great tlanahatil" [The Kingdom of Mexico City] (PDF) (in Nahuatl and Spanish). Translated by Aguilar Domínguez, Fausto. Government of the City of Mexico. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "U NOJ A'ALAMAJT'AANIL U NOJ KAAJIL MÉXICO" [CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MEXICO] (PDF) (in Yucatec Maya and Spanish). Translated by Sánchez Chan, Feliciano. Government of the City of Mexico. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Artículo 44" (PDF). Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  15. ↑ Agren, David (29 January 2016). "Mexico City officially changes its name to – Mexico City". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  16. ↑ Blouet, Brian W.; Blouet, Olwyn M. (2009). OECD Reviews of Regional Innovation OECD Reviews of Regional Innovation: 15 Mexican States 2009. OECD Publishing. pp. 418, 299. ISBN 978-92-64-06012-8.
  17. ↑ Carlos Mautner (28 April 2014). "Mexico City: The razing of Tenochtitlán and the emergence of Mexico City". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  18. ↑ Carlos Mautner (28 April 2014). "Mexico City: The city after independence". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  19. ↑ Carlos Mautner (28 April 2014). "Mexico City: Metamorphosis into megalopolis". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  20. 1 2 "Mexico: Geography and Environment". Infoplease. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  21. ↑ "Mexico Geography-Information, climate and weather in Mexico". Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.

Other websites

Media related to Mexico City at Wikimedia Commons