1. A Land Defined By Mountains

2. Mountains dominate Mexico’s physical setting
Sierra Madre Occidental- largest mountain range; extends along the western coast
Sierra Madre Oriental- 2nd largest; extends along the eastern coast/.

4. B/w these 2 ranges lies the Central Plateau
Nation’s largest region
Contains important cities, rich soil, and plenty of rainfall
4/5 of population lives here
Baja California- a peninsula, or strip of land, that juts into the Pacific Ocean

6. Central Plateau Geographically unstable
Pg 43 sows that Mexico is located at the intersection of 4 tectonic plates-NA plate, Caribbean Plate, Pacific Plate, and the Cocos Plate
1985 a quake killed 7,000 people and caused $4.1 billion in damage

8. Why do people live here?
Climate- although the southern region is located in the tropics, it does not have a tropical climate
An elevation of over 7,000 ft. keeps the temperatures mild and pleasant all year
Mexico City avg. temp. in July 74 degrees F and 66 degrees F in January

9. Population Problems
This climate has drawn large amounts of people to the city
Mexico City is now encircled by ciudadas peridas or “lost cities”
Many of the inhabitants of these “cities” are underemployed- working, but making little money
families live on around $4 a day
Schools and electricity are now available to many in the area

10. Coastal Regions Northern Pacific Coast
Dry, hot, and sparsely populated
yet has some of the country’s best farmland - due to irrigation made possible by dam construction
Tijuana is just across the California/Mexico border and is one of the nation’s fastest growing cities

13. Southern Pacific Coast
Dominated by the Sierra Madre del Sur
Little farmland, but the region has a tropical climate and setting which brings $ from tourism
Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta draw thousands of visitors per year

15. Gulf Coastal Plain
important o the economy because of petroleum and natural gas deposits
has become one of the world’s major oil producing areas

16. Yucatan Peninsula Flat with a limestone bedrock base
Rain water seeps through limestone and forms underground caverns- when this happens the roof often collapses creating a sinkhole- the Mayans used these as wells
population is sparse here
Tourism along eh Caribbean coast has helped develop cities such as Cancun and San Miguel
Mayan ruins also attract tourists