Mexico is a rich tapestry of ancient civilizations, diverse cultures, colonial cities, exquisite landscapes, and traditions of dance, folk art and songs. It is a country steeped in history. There are five major civilizations that greatly influenced Mexico: Olmecs, Teotihuacans, Mayas, Toltecs, and Mexicas (Aztecs). The Olmec civilization prospered between 1200 BC and 400 BC. The Teotihuacan gained authority and ruled from 150 AD to 650 AD. The Maya civilization of Mexico extended throughout the southern Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco, and the Yucatan Peninsula states of Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatán. They were present in Mexico throughout the Pre-classic period (2000 BC to 250 AD), Classic period (250 AD to 900 AD) and Post-classic period till the arrival of the Spanish rulers in the 16th century. The Toltec era began to expand its political and cultural influence around 700 AD. Its empire stretched as far south as Central America. The Mexica, desert people and one of the 7 groups formerly called “Aztecs”, inherited domination after the fall of the Toltec civilization. It continued to expand its political power especially after becoming the rulers of Central Mexico as leader of the Triple Alliance. In 1519, Tenochititlan, the Mexican capital and future site of modern Mexico City, was the largest capital in the world with a total population of more than 360,000. The capital city of Tenochititlan was occupied by Spain in 1521. The Spanish rule lasted for almost 300 years. Mexico was known during that time as “New Spain”.

The Mexican struggle for independence was given a final momentum in 1810 with the historic cry - ¨Long Live Mexico! ¨ - by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (now regarded Mexico´s “Father of the Nation”), the parish priest of Dolores, a town north-east of Mexico City. After a decade of conflict, the country achieved its Independence in 1821. The subsequent century contained the story of travails of Mexico, marked by an evolution of polity and punctuated by foreign invasions and internal strife. These included the successful US annexation of vast Mexican territories in 1948, the memorable reformist rule of Benito Juarez - the first indigenous President of Mexico, the French conquest and brief rule of Mexico, and long autocratic regime of Porfirio Diaz, which eventually triggered a Revolution, starting in 1910, consolidating the gains of independence and putting the country on a path of democratic reforms. In 1917, the country received a new Constitution. It was similar yet different from the US Constitution, and was frequently amended. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), though names changed over the years, ruled the country for 71 years from 1929 to 2000. PRI eventually lost to National Action Party (PAN) in the 2000 Presidential elections, following some electoral reforms in the Nineties. Vicente Fox became the first non-PRI President of Mexico, followed by the present President, Mr. Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa of the same party in 2006.

Mexico has a population of about 106.7 million (2008) with local ethnic Indian community comprising about 30%. It is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. More than 89% of the population is Catholic Christian though the State is secular. Family plays a pivotal role in Mexican society. Abortion is a sensitive issue and is not legal, except in Mexico City within certain conditionalities. Literacy rate is 91%. The government itself acknowledges unequal wealth distribution. UNDP’s latest report puts Mexico’s GINI index at 46.1 in 2008. Drug-related crimes have become a major concern with the government waging a military war against powerful and brutal drug cartels that has claimed more than 10,000 lives till mid-2009.

Mexico is fortunate to have inherited rich and multi-layered culture from Mayan, Olmecs and Aztecs civilizations that blended beautifully with the Spanish culture which came with Spanish ´conquistadors´ in 1521 and went on to influence every aspect of life and society. Mexico is enormously diverse linguistically. In addition to Spanish as the official language, the government recognizes 66 indigenous Amerindian languages as national languages. According to the Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI), while 30% of the population is of Amerindian origin, only 12% speak the indigenous languages.

Mexico has a Presidential form of democratic government with directly elected President as both the Head of State and of Government. The Legislature consists of two Houses – the Senate (Upper House) has 128 members, while the Chamber of Deputies (Lower House) has 500 members.

Presidential elections are held every six years, and as per the 1917 Constitution, President cannot be re-elected. The Deputies are elected every 3 years in mid-term elections that coincide with half-way of President’s term of office. 300 Deputies are elected on the basis of majority vote from single-member electoral districts, while the remaining 200 are elected by proportional system based on the number of votes secured by the political parties. Senators are elected for a 6-year period, two members for each of the 31 States and one Federal District on the principle of relative majority in a direct election; one each from the first minority party; and the remaining 32 are national Senators-at-large distributed among parties in proportion to the share of these parties in the national vote. Suffrage is universal for all Mexican citizens of 18 years and above.

The main political parties in Mexico at present include: Conservative National Action Party (PAN); centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI); left leaning Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD); Labour Party (PT); Convergence Party; and Ecology Green Party (PVEM). In the recently held mid-term elections to the 500 seats of Chamber of Deputies, PRI won 241 seats (up from 106) and became the largest party in the lower chamber; PAN lost its dominant position and dropped from 206 to 147 seats, and the PRD dropped from 127 to 72 seats.

Mexico is a Federation with 31 States, and a Federal District of Mexico City where about one-fifth of the people live. The states are headed by Governors directly elected on party basis for a period of 6 years, while the State legislatures have a term of 3 years. State elections are not necessarily concurrent with Federal elections. While Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), an independent body under Constitution is responsible for conducting the Presidential and Congressional elections, States have their own electoral institutes.

With a GDP of US$ 1,088 billion (2008), Mexico is the second-largest economy in Latin America and the 11th largest in the world at about US$ 1.559 trillion (2008) GDP on purchasing power parity. With US$ 602 billion trade in 2008, Mexico is the largest trading nation in Latin America, and the only Latin country member of both North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In 2008, Mexico’s economy grew at 1.3% though it could shrink by over 7% in 2009 as a result of global economic crisis. Mexico is a free market economy though certain sectors like oil & gas are still under State control. GDP composition is 3.7% agriculture, 34.1% industry, and 62.2% services. Mexico has a highly developed manufacturing industry, and it is the second largest supplier to the US market after China, with exports to that country totaling US$ 310 billion in 2008. The country boasts of an impressive infrastructure and is located at a vantage position straddling both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is the only country sharing a border with the USA in the South. While oil sector contributes about 40% to the revenue, tourism and remittances constitute second and third forex earners.

Mexico's foreign policy is traditionally non-interventionist. Recently, under former President Fox, and now under President Calderón, Mexico has developed a more dynamic foreign policy and become a more active participant in multilateral affairs, such as climate change, human rights and regional issues.

Mexico is currently on the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for the period 2009-2010. Mexico is also member of G-20. It has participated in the G5 group of emerging economies (along with India, China, Brazil and South Africa) since the 2005 G-8 Summit in Gleneagles. It has an observer status at NAM. Mexico plays an active role in several regional organizations and mechanisms, including the Organization of American States, the Rio Group, the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the EU/Latin America and the Caribbean Summit, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (a grouping of Pacific Rim countries).

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