Portal:Mexico

Mexico
Mexico
	Flag Coat of arms
Location	Southern portion of North America

The Temple of Warriors at Chichen Itza, Mexico

edit

¡Bienvenido! Welcome to the Mexico portal

Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, bordering the United States of America to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast, while having maritime boundaries with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Mexico covers 1,972,550 km² (761,610 sq mi), and is the thirteenth-largest country in the world by land area. With a population around 131 million as of 2025, Mexico is the tenth-most populous country in the world and is home to the largest number of native Spanish speakers. Mexico City is the capital and largest city in Mexico, which ranks among the most populous metropolitan areas in the world.

Human presence in Mexico dates back to at least 11,500 BC, although dates as old as 28,000 BC have been proposed for less securely dated sites. Mesoamerica, considered a cradle of civilization, was home to numerous advanced societies, including the Olmecs, Maya, Zapotecs, Teotihuacan civilization, and Purépecha. Spanish colonization began in 1521 with an indigenous alliance that defeated the Aztec Empire, establishing the colony of New Spain with its capital at Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City. New Spain became a major center of the transoceanic economy during the Age of Discovery, fueled by silver mining and its position as a hub between Europe and Asia. This gave rise to one of the largest multiracial populations in the world. The Peninsular War led to the 1810–1821 Mexican War of Independence, which ended Peninsular rule and led to the creation of the First Mexican Empire, which quickly collapsed into the short-lived First Mexican Republic. In 1848, Mexico lost nearly half its territory in the Mexican–American War. Liberal reforms set in the Constitution of 1857 led to civil war and French intervention, culminating in the establishment of the Second Mexican Empire under Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg, who was overthrown by Republican forces led by Benito Juárez. The late 19th century saw the long dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, whose modernization policies came at the cost of severe social unrest. The 1910–1920 Mexican Revolution led to the overthrow of Díaz and the adoption of the 1917 Constitution. Mexico experienced rapid industrialization and economic growth in the 1940s–1970s, amidst electoral fraud, the Tlatelolco massacre, and economic crises. The late 20th century saw a shift towards neoliberalism, marked by the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, amidst unrest in Chiapas. (Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

Featured article - show another

This is a Featured article, which represents some of the best content on English Wikipedia.

The battle of Agua Dulce Creek was a skirmish during the Texas Revolution between Mexican troops and the colonists of the Mexican province of Texas, known as Texians. As part of the Goliad Campaign to retake the Texas Gulf Coast, Mexican troops ambushed a group of Texians on March 2, 1836. The skirmish began approximately 26 miles (42 km) south of San Patricio, in territory belonging to the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

When Mexico transitioned to a centralized government in 1835, supporters of federalism took up arms. Colonists in Texas revolted in October 1835 and by the end of the year had expelled all Mexican troops from their province. With hostilities temporarily suspended, Frank W. Johnson, the commander of the volunteer army in Texas, and James Grant gathered volunteers for a planned invasion of the Mexican port town of Matamoros. In late February 1836, Johnson and half of the volunteers drove a herd of horses to San Patricio, while Grant took the remaining men to gather more horses and to attempt contact with federalist sympathizers near Matamoros. (Full article...)

List of Featured articles

Selected article - show another

Nezahualcóyotl city hall

Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl (Spanish pronunciation: [sjuˈðað nesawalˈkoʝotl], Nahuatl for 'fasting coyote'), or more commonly Neza, is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Nezahualcóyotl in Mexico. It is located in the state of Mexico, adjacent to the east side of Mexico City. The municipality comprises its own intrastate region, Region IX (Mexico State).

It was named after Nezahualcoyotl, the Acolhua poet and king of nearby Texcoco, which was built on the drained bed of Lake Texcoco. The name Nezahualcóyotl comes from Nahuatl, meaning "fasting coyote". Nezahualcóyotl's heraldry includes an Aztec glyph as well as a coat of arms. The glyph depicts the head of a coyote, tongue outside the mouth with a collar or necklace as a symbol of royalty (one of the ways of depicting the Aztec king). The current coat of arms, which includes the glyph, was authorized by the municipality in the 1990s. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

edit

Selected picture

Huichol yarn painting

image credit: Jebulon

Full set of selected pictures...

Good article - show another

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

Hells Bells in El Zapote Cenote

Hells Bells are hollow bell- or cone-shaped structures of carbonate that can reach lengths of 2 metres (6 ft 7 in). They are found underwater in El Zapote cenote in Quintana Roo, Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula; similar formations exist in other caves. In a certain depth range, such structures cover the entire surface of the cave including submerged tree trunks and other Hells Bells, although they never touch each other.

The Hells Bells are speleothems that appear to have formed through incompletely understood complex interplays between water of the cave, microorganisms living in the cave, and the surface of the Hells Bells. The name refers both to their shape and their environment, and also to a song of the same name. (Full article...)

List of Good articles

Selected biography - show another

Portrait by Primitivo Miranda, 1865

Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu (Spanish pronunciation: [aɣusˈtin de ituɾˈbiðe] ^ⓘ; 27 September 1783 – 19 July 1824), commonly known as Agustín de Iturbide and later by his regnal name Agustín I, was a Mexican army officer and politician who served as the first Emperor of Mexico from 1822 until his abdication in 1823.

A criollo from a family of Valladolid's landed gentry, Iturbide entered the royal Spanish army in 1805 and became one of the most important commanders in the Mexican War of Independence, repeatedly defeating the insurgent forces from 1810 to 1815, culminating in the capture and execution of José María Morelos in 1815. He was dismissed from command in 1816 for corruption and cruelty towards the insurgent forces, but was reinstated in 1820 to defeat Vicente Guerrero. However, fearing the onset of republicanism following Spain's restoration of the liberal constitution of 1812, Iturbide allied with the insurgents under the plan of Iguala of 1821, which aimed to turn Mexico into a monarchy, with Roman Catholicism as its official religion and the abolition of the racial caste system and slavery. The new Army of the Three Guarantees quickly defeated the Spanish forces, and on 27 September 1821 Iturbide marched into Mexico City; the next day, Mexico was proclaimed an independent empire. (Full article...)

List of selected biographies

edit

In the news

21 October 2026 – Lawsuits involving Meta Platforms: A district judge in New Mexico, United States, orders Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury found it guilty of misleading Facebook users about privacy violations, marking its largest fine ever. (Al Jazeera)
19 October 2026 – 2026 Chihuahua CIA scandal, Mexico–United States relations: Former Chihuahua attorney general César Jáuregui Moreno is arrested by federal agents on a treason warrant as he leaves a Chihuahua state court, which had declined to order his pretrial detention after state prosecutors arrested him two days earlier on related charges of unlawful exercise of public office. He is accused of allowing U.S. agents, reported to be Central Intelligence Agency officers, to take part in an anti-drug operation in April without federal approval. (Al Jazeera) (Reuters) (El Universal)
18 October 2026 – Water scarcity in Mexico: Protests continue for the second week in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, over water shortages and widespread contamination. A study in June found that at least 93% of households' water systems contained no residual chlorine, but had elevated levels of lead, mercury, nitrates, and E. coli. (Reuters) (Türkiye)
16 October 2026 –: Sixteen Mexican nationals are rescued by the United States Coast Guard after their boat sinks off the coast of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. (AP); A judge in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, sentences three Mexican men to over 158 years in prison each for the murder of two Australians and an American in 2024. (AP)
14 October 2026 – Internet censorship in Mexico: President Claudia Sheinbaum signs a decree banning violent content on social media to protect minors under the age of 18. (Expansión)

Selected fare or cuisine - show another

A calavera (Spanish – pronounced [kalaˈβeɾa] for "skull"), in the context of the Day of the Dead, is a representation of a human skull or skeleton. The term is often applied to edible or decorative skulls made (usually with molds) from either sugar (called alfeñiques) or clay, used in the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Los Muertos) and the Roman Catholic holiday All Souls' Day. Calavera can also refer to any artistic representations of skulls or skeletons, such as those in the prints of José Guadalupe Posada, or to gifts or treats in relation to the Day of the Dead. Some widely known calaveras are created with cane sugar, decorated with items such as colored foil, icing, beads, and sometimes objects such as feathers. They range in multiple colors.

Traditional methods for producing sugar skulls with molds have been in use for a long time, though the first known mention of the sale of skeletal figures dates to the 1740s. The sugar skulls were originally created as gifts, to be eaten by children. They are sometimes now used as offerings to be placed on altars known as ofrendas ("offerings") for Día de Los Muertos. It has been argued that the tradition has roots in indigenous celebrations, by groups including the Aztec, Mayan, and Toltec commemorations. It is also argued what we now call Day of the Dead is more Catholic than indigenous because the Spanish tried to eradicate indigenous religions, forcing most native traditions to hide behind the more similar Spanish ones. Moreover, as Stanley Brandes has argued, these skulls and skeletons have nine characteristics. They are:

ephemeral
seasonal
humorous
secular
commercial
made for living people
meant to be played with
small and portable
made and consumed by an urban population. They are "lighthearted emblems of death". (Full article...)

List of fare/cuisine articles

General images

The following are images from various Mexico-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Plutarco Elías Calles politician and revolutionary general who served as President of Mexico from 1924 to 1928, known for his role in shaping modern Mexico through reforms and the consolidation of state power. (from History of Mexico)
Image 2"The Fall of the Alamo" by Robert Jenkins Onderdonk (from History of Mexico)
Image 3Chihuahua Cathedral and a monument to the city's founder, Antonio Deza y Ulloa (from History of Mexico)
Image 4A unit of Cristeros preparing for battle. (from History of Mexico)
Image 5The Zócalo (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 6Distribution of linguistic groups around 1500. (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 7Mexico City street market (from History of Mexico)
Image 8Buffalo Soldiers of the American 10th Cavalry Regiment taken prisoner during the Battle of Carrizal, Mexico in 1916. (from History of Mexico)
Image 9Porfirio Díaz dominant Mexican political and military figure who served as president for much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by his long rule and the modernization efforts known as the Porfiriato. (from History of Mexico)
Image 10Entry into Mexico City by the Mexican army (from History of Mexico)
Image 11Chacmool, Maya, from the Platform of the Eagles, Chichen Itza, Mexico, ca. 800–90 CE (from History of Mexico)
Image 12President Obregón. Note that he lost his right arm in the Battle of Celaya (1915), earning him the nickname of Manco de Celaya ("the one-armed man of Celaya"). (from History of Mexico)
Image 13The Execution of Emperor Maximilian, 19 June 1867. Gen. Tomás Mejía, left, Maximilian, center, Gen. Miguel Miramón, right. Painting by Édouard Manet 1868. (from History of Mexico)
Image 14"The Torture of Cuauhtémoc", a 19th-century painting by Leandro Izaguirre (from History of Mexico)
Image 15Mexican Central Railway train at station, Mexico (from History of Mexico)
Image 16Toltec carving representing the Aztec Eagle, found in Veracruz, 10th–13th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art. (from History of Mexico)
Image 17U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President-Elect Enrique Peña Nieto during their meet at the White House following Peña Nieto's election victory. (from History of Mexico)
Image 18El Chapo in US custody after his extradition from Mexico. (from History of Mexico)
Image 19Variegated maize ears (from History of Mexico)
Image 20Lázaro Cárdenas mural (from History of Mexico)
Image 21General Pancho Villa at the entrance of Ojinaga (from History of Mexico)
Image 22April 2, 1867. Entry of General Porfirio Díaz into Puebla. (from History of Mexico)
Image 23Olmec colossal (from History of Mexico)
Image 24Logo of the Partido Nacional Revolucionario, with the colors of the Mexican flag (from History of Mexico)
Image 25President Vicente Fox with Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh (from History of Mexico)
Image 26Battle of Tampico (1829) a conflict between Mexican forces led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna and Spanish loyalists attempting to reconquer Mexico, resulting in a decisive Mexican victory that further solidified Mexico's independence from Spain. (from History of Mexico)
Image 27A map of Mexico 1845 after Texas annexation by the U.S. (from History of Mexico)
Image 28Cabinet Officers of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (left) and of Enrique Peña Nieto (right). (from History of Mexico)
Image 29Spanish and Portuguese empires in 1790 (from History of Mexico)
Image 30Battle of Miahuatlán took place on 3 October 1866. The liberal victory at Miahuatlán was significant because it allowed them to consolidate their control over southern Mexico. (from History of Mexico)
Image 31Quechquemitl from Hidalgo at the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 32Agustín de Iturbide the first Emperor of Mexico in 1822 after leading the Mexican War of Independence against Spain, but his reign was short-lived, lasting only until 1823 when he abdicated, and Mexico transitioned to a republic. (from History of Mexico)
Image 33Exconvento (Ex-convent), by José María Velasco. 1860. (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 34Plaza de las Tres Culturas (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 35Sawdust carpet made during "The night no one sleeps" in Huamantla, Tlaxcala (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 36Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (from History of Mexico)
Image 37Ignacio Comonfort significant role during the tumultuous period of the mid-19th century, including the Reform War and early stages of the Mexican Republic's transition. (from History of Mexico)
Image 38Dining table, painted between 1857 y 1859, oleo sobre tela (oil on canvas) by Agustín Arrieta (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 39The Castillo, Chichen Itza, Mexico, ca. 800–900 CE (from History of Mexico)
Image 40Colossal atlantids, pyramid B, Toltec, Tula, Mexico, ca. 900–1180 AD (from History of Mexico)
Image 41Goddess, mural painting from the Tetitla apartment complex at Teotihuacan, Mexico, 650–750 CE (from History of Mexico)
Image 42Teotihuacan view of the Avenue of the Dead and the Pyramid of the Sun, from the Pyramid of the Moon (from History of Mexico)
Image 43The Volkswagen Beetle, known in Mexico as the "Vocho," is perhaps the most iconic classic car in the country. Its production in Mexico began in 1967, and it continued until 2003, making it a symbol of Mexican automotive culture. (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 44Murals of Bonampak (between 580 and 800 AD) (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 45Pear, Quince and Psidium cajeta. In 2010 declared the Bicentennial Dessert of Mexico. (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 46Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Statue at the Sanctuary of Atotonilco (from History of Mexico)
Image 47Silk rebozo from Santa María del Río, SLP on a mannequin at the Feria de Rebozo in Tenancingo, State of Mexico. (from Culture of Mexico)
Image 48Modern group monument of Cortés, Doña Marina, and their mestizo son Martín (from History of Mexico)
Image 49The first Braceros arrive in Los Angeles by train in 1942. Photograph by Dorothea Lange. (from History of Mexico)
Image 50Viceroy José de Iturrigaray (from History of Mexico)

edit

Topics

edit

Related portals

edit

WikiProject

You are invited to participate in WikiProject Mexico, a WikiProject dedicated to developing and improving articles about Mexico.

edit

Associated Wikimedia

Mexico on Wikinews	Mexico on Wikiquote	Mexico on Wikibooks	Mexico on Wikisource	Mexico on Wiktionary	Mexico on Wikimedia Commons
News	Quotations	Manuals & Texts	Texts	Definitions	Images & Media