Water resources are highly unevenly distributed, which together with other factors creates difficulties for agriculture. Many areas of Mexico are in need of irrigation.
Mexico ranks first among industrialized countries in the world in terms of reserves of a number of valuable minerals. In particular, the country has large resources of graphite, fluorite, antimony, mercury. In addition, oil, natural gas, coal, ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, mining and chemical raw materials are located in the depths of the country. Oil and gas basins are located in the area of the Primeksikan depression.
Significant hydrocarbon reserves are also concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico. In terms of oil reserves, Mexico ranks second in Latin America after Venezuela. Coal reserves are estimated at 12 billion tons and are located mainly in the state of Coahuila (Sabinas basin). There are also deposits of lead-zinc ores. Gold, antimony and silver are produced in industrial quantities during their processing. Deposits of silver ores in the Pachuca area give about 20% of all silver production. There are significant reserves of hydrofluoric spar, less important deposits of uranium, asbestos, kaolin, phosphate raw materials, salt, mica, talc, etc.
The predominance of mountainous terrain determines a wide variety, and often mosaic of climatic conditions. The climate is subtropical in the North, tropical in the South.
The true monuments of antiquity in Mexico are the pyramids. There are many of them in the country, but only a few are available for review. Many pyramids are buried under the cultural layer and covered with dense tropical vegetation, so they are just green hills. Most of the pyramids are multi-layered structures: the oldest is inside, and above it there are several later add-ons and facings.
The most famous and probably the most ancient are the pyramids of Teotihuacan, near Mexico city. Teotihuacan (means "the place where people communicate with the gods") is the oldest and most mysterious of all the open cities of the pre-classical America. In the days of Ancient Rome, it had 200 thousand inhabitants. By the end of the first Millennium ad the city was empty, its temples and houses were destroyed. There are two major pyramids — the pyramid of The sun and the pyramid of the moon, as well as the temple of the most popular of the Mexican gods — Quetzalcoatl, who represented a good and bright beginning. Nobody knows the reasons for the death of the ancient city and the one who built it and preserved the largest pyramids.
The Aztecs had no doubt that this could be done only by the gods. And at the top of the pyramid of the moon, it is believed, there is a purification of man from sins. Another impressive group of pyramids — the pyramids of Mitle and Monte Alban-is located near the town of Oaxaca. The ancient Zapotec city was especially magnificent development in IV–VII centuries, but by the year 1400 the former capital of the Zapotec Monte Alban turned into a huge cemetery with very rich graves. The treasures found in the burial place in the 20th century are one of the richest archaeological finds in the world. Some of these treasures — Aztec gold ornaments depicting the God of death, the sun, the ball game and others-are displayed in the Oaxaca Museum.
The largest in volume pyramid of all known on earth is located in Cholula, 100 km from the Mexican capital. Today, this pyramid is a hill, overgrown with forest, on top of which stands a Catholic Church. Thus, the Spaniards marked their superiority over the ancient Indian civilization.
Numerous temples–pyramids and sacred wells, in which the Indians threw gold jewelry, there are on the plains of the Yucatan Peninsula, where they developed civilization of the Mayan Indians. They created a hieroglyphic writing system, has made great strides in the art of building, developed in applied mathematics and astronomy. The decline of this civilization began a thousand years ago, long before the appearance of the Spaniards. Temples were deserted, wells overgrown-civilization disappeared, but the descendants of the Maya still live on the land of Yucatan, preserving ancient traditions and faith in their gods.
On Yucatan there are ruins of several ancient cities–States. Among them are the pyramids in Palenque and the ancient Observatory in Chichen Itza.
Mexico's population is extremely diverse in terms of ethnicity. Historically, it was formed from three main ethnic groups: native Indians, European immigrants (mainly Spaniards) and black slaves brought from Africa. In Mexico, you can also meet descendants of immigrants from Asia - India, China, Japan. For centuries, the white population was mixed with local Indians, resulting in a significant layer of mestizos.The country has a fairly diverse colony of foreigners, the first place among them is occupied by Americans-more than 100 thousand. Approximately half the Spaniards, about 10 thousand Germans, about the same number of Guatemalans, many people from other countries of Central America of the Caribbean. In Mexico, you can meet the French, Italians, poles, Arabs, Russians, Ukrainians and representatives of many other peoples of the world.However, there are many contradictions in the character of Mexicans. For example, they are characterized by alienation and at the same time sociability, secrecy and sincerity, freedom and respect for tradition and adventurism. Romanticism and dreaminess are combined in Mexicans with increased emotionality, temperance and gambling. At the same time, they are characterized by patriotism and dedication in the protection of national interests. All these qualities get along well with excessive romanticism and dreaminess, with increased emotionality, temperance and gambling. Under certain circumstances, a Mexican can combine ambition and hypocrisy. Very often nationalism takes on some Mexicans-mestizos exaggerated form, in particular they can be wanton to see in the white man an enemy and considered a blessing to deceive him both large and small.