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Mexico’s Natural Resources

Location

• The Tropic of Cancer divides the country of Mexico into northern temperate, and southern subtropical zones that can be further divided into desert, steppes, savannas, and tropical rain forests.

• Due to a combination of its climate, location, and topography (landforms), Mexico is rich in natural resources.

Landforms

• There are the Sierra Madre mountain ranges,

• the Central Mexican Plateau,

• the flat lands of the Yucatan Peninsula,

• and tropical rain forests in Chiapas.

• Mexico is located in one of the most geologically active regions in the world. Because of this, it has many different landforms.

Agriculture

• Mexico’s most fertile growing area is found on the Central Plateau and the southern states of Oaxaca and Veracruz.

• Main crops include corn and beans.

• Other crops that Mexico exports are cocoa beans, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, tropical fruits, tomatoes, cotton, and tobacco.

Livestock

• Mexico also produces cattle, pigs, goats and sheep for export on the Central Plateau and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Mining

• Mexico is the largest producer of silver in the world and is in the top 15 producers of gold, copper, and iron.

• Silver is mined in the central state of Zacatecas and in the southern coastal state of Guerrero.

Mining

• Gold is found in Baja California Sur, near Santa Bárbara in Chihuahua, and near Pachuca in the state of Hidalgo.

• Copper is mined in the northern state of Sonora, and the central State of Zacatecas.

Most of Mexico’s iron ore • reserves are located in the

northern border state of Coahuila, and the Pacific coastal state of Colima.

Fishing

• Mexico has 5,798 miles of coast along the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.

• In 2007, Mexico’s total catch of fish and shrimp was 1.02 million tons, which ranked them 17th in the world.

Petroleum Products

• Oil is Mexico’s main export.

• Mexico’s petroleum industry is the sixth largest in the world.

• Money from the sale of oil and natural gas generates over 10% of Mexico's export earnings.

• Oil wells are found along the Gulf Coast of Mexico.

Forestry

• 39% of Mexico’s land is comprised of forests and woodland.

• Mexico’s forests are commonly used for providing timber, as well as ecological and wildlife reserves, and ingredients for pharmaceuticals.

• Mexico’s forest industry is located mainly on the Yucatan Peninsula near the Caribbean coast.

Tourism

Sunset at Los Cabos

• Tourism is not usually considered a natural resource, but in Mexico, tourism is based on the natural beauty and diversity of the environment.

• Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in Mexico.

Ecotourism

• Ecotourism is a type of tourism that actually helps conserve local environments and helps support the economy in rural areas.

Cave of the Giant Crystals Coral Reef Chihuahua Cozumel

Ecotourism

The Sonoran Desert Central Mexico

Cabo San Lucas Rio Azul

Instructional Module: “Location, Climate, and Natural Resources of Mexico”Georgia Performance Standards Grade Six Social Studies

Prepared by Firas Marenkos, Miguel Peña, Pam Roshio, and Brandon Whitworthfor Valdosta State University; ITED 7500 Spring 2011

Guadalupe Victoria Dam, Durango, Mexico