16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)
5 July 1962 (from France)
Religions
Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages
Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8%; note - indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005)
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
External Debt
$210,800,000,000 $
$4,699,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - 11.016 (2008 est.), 10.8 (2007), 10.899 (2006), 10.898 (2005), 11.286 (2004)
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.500%
3.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
3
2
Location
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Area
1,964,375 km sq
2,381,741 km sq
Coastline
9,330 km
998 km
Climate
varies from tropical to desert
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
