General facts about Mexico
- Official name
- Estados Unidos Mexicanos
- Location
- Located in North America, sharing borders with USA at North (3000 km approximately), The Pacific Ocean at the West, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea
at East and with Guatemala and Belize to the South.
- Size
- 1' 964,375 km² or 758,445.9 miles
- Population
- 106,202,903 (July 2005 est.), with the largest populations
concentrated in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey (and their
surrounding areas).
- Official Language
- Spanish. Some 66 indigenous
languages are also spoken throughout the country.
You can expect a basic level of English understanding from most people
in Monterrey; if you travel to rural Mexico, however, you should be prepared
to deal with people who only speak Spanish or Indigenous languages.
- Government
- Federal Republic, divided into three branches: Legislative,
Executive and Judicial.
- Capital
- Mexico City
(25 million inhabitants approximately.).
- Currency
- Mexican Peso. Coins exist for 5,
10, 20 and 50 cents; 1, 2, 5 and 10 pesos; banknotes exist for 20,
50, 100,
200, 500 and 1000 pesos. The exchange rate is roughly 11
pesos per US dollar, 14 pesos per Euro
- Credit cards, ATM's and banking
- Credit and debit cards are accepted at most medium and large businesses
in the Monterrey region. ATM's are easy to find, and they are usually
connected to the Visa and Mastercard networks (international commissions
will be applied for cash dispositions, however). Banks and money - exchange
offices are usually open between 9:00 and 16:00. Most hotels will offer
you money exchange services.
If traveling outside the main Monterrey area, be sure to carry enough
cash to cover your expenses, since it might be hard to find places accepting
cards.
- Flag
- Three vertical bars -red, white and green- with the coat of arms
(an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) centered in
the white band. Link to
the flag
- Weather
- In June, Monterrey weather is usually very hot and dry, reaching over
40° Celsius. You can check the current weather forecast for Monterrey as well
as for Mexico City
- Religion
- No official religion.
90% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant, 4% other
- Tipping
- Tipping (around 15%) is customary at any restaurant; hotel bedroom service,
luggage helpers at the airport and taxi drivers also expect a tip (between
10 and 20 pesos).
- Living costs
- The cost of living in Mexico, although among the highest in Latin America,
is way lower than in more developed countries. The Monterrey region is
one of the most expensive areas in the country.
Depending on your budget and tastes, you will find hotel accommodation
starting around MX$500, and up to MX$3000 per night. A complete meal at
a restaurant or your hotel will range between MX$70 and MX$200 per person.
