 NATIONAL PROFILE
INTRODUCTION
General Overview of the Indigenous Populations of Mexico
1. The discovery of the Americas in the sixteenth century revealed to the
European invaders two great civilizations: the Inca in the Southern Hemisphere,
and the Mesoamerican in the Northern Hemisphere. The latter was characterized,
until colonization began, by all the elements commonly associated with
"advanced civilizations." These included a great concentration of sedentary
populations; sophisticated political organization of hierarchical states;
intensive agriculture; monumental constructions including temples, and
civil structures; a great tradition of sculpture and pictorial art; hieroglyphic
writing; the use of sophisticated calendars, and; mathematical computation.
It also included a variety of social classes, centralized religious systems
with priestly castes.
2. To the north of this Mesoamerican civilization, was the zone of hunters
and gatherers, known as arid-America. In this zone, with desert ecology,
its inhabitants successfully adapted to the limited resource base and harsh
environment through a primarily nomadic economy, with a low demographic
density and limited sedentarized settlements. In contrast to the Mesoamerican
civilizations, they had a relatively simple social and political structure;
a low level of technological development and simple knowledge of architecture
as well as relatively unsophisticated artistic, religious and intellectual
expressions.
3. Mesoamerica is comprised of a series of areas or regions which illustrate
the specific characteristics of its unique cultures which still persist
today, such as a Mayan area, Huasteca area, Zapotec, Mixtec areas, etc.
All of them form a part of a single unique Mesoamerican cultural area,
and all have contributed, over the long span of the formation of this culture
over five thousand years, to the ancient history of contemporary Mexico.
4. The heterogeneity of peoples and cultural diversity of Mexico are
testimony of the resilience and continuity of the Mesoamerican civilization.
It is expressed through its 56 ethnic groups spread over 2 million square
kilometers of the national territory and constitute at least 10 percent
of the nation’s nearly 95 million inhabitants.
5. The sites and ceremonial areas, remnants of the original cultures,
are still significant to the contemporary indigenous groups and constitute
important settlements wherein the inhabitants gather to carry out their
economic, cultural, social, religious and political activities. Some examples
of these settlements are contemporary Tenochtitlan in what is today Mexico
City, Cholula in the state of Puebla, Palenque in Chiapas, and Monte Alban
in Oaxaca.
The term Mesoamerica was first used by Paul Kirchoff
to describe the area of Middle America characterized as a region of high
civilizations. Middle America is the geographical term used to describe
the region that includes Mexico and Central America.
Map 1. Mesoamerican Cultural Area
Urban and Ceremonial Sites of the Mesoamerican Region
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Quemada
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Teul
|
|
Ixtlán
|
Zacoalco
|
|
Colima
|
Apatzingán
|
|
Tzintzuntan
|
Tula
|
|
Teotihuacán
|
Tajín
|
|
Huetamo
|
12. Xochicalco |
| 13. Iguala |
14. Cholula |
| 15. Acapulco |
16. Zempoala |
| 17. Monte Albán |
18. Mitla |
| 19. Tonalá |
20. La Venta |
| 21. Comalcalco |
22. Palenque |
| 23. Bonampak |
24. Izapa |
| 25. Champotón |
26. Uxmal |
| 27. Chichén-Itzá |
28. Tulúm |
| 29. Xpuhil |
30. Lubantúm |
| 31. Copán |
32. Usulutan |
| 33. Tampico |
34. Pánuco |
| 35. Tehuacán |
36. Teotitlán |
| 37. Coixtlahuaca |
|
Carta Básica: MESOAMERICA. Según Paul Kirchhoff
Map 2. Republic of Mexico 1982
It includes the modifications introduced to the Mexican
Constitution of 1917 through 1982 concerning territorial limits. Total
continental surface of the Mexican Republic is 1,963,890 km2.
STATES:
1. Aguascalientes 2. Baja California Norte (officially divided from
the southern part of the state classified as a territory according to the
Official Diary of the State February 7, 1931. Subsequently declared a State
according to the Official Diary November 21, 1952). 3. Baja California
Sur (Divided from the northern portion of the state according to the Official
Diary of the State February 7,1931. Subsequently declared a State according
to the Official Diary October 8, 1974) 4. Campeche 5. Coahuila 6. Colima
7. Chiapas 8. Chihuahua 9. Durango 10. Guanajuato 11. Guerrero 12. Hidalgo
13. Jalisco 14. México 15. Michoacán 16. Morelos 17. Nayarit
18. Nuevo León 19. Oaxaca 20. Puebla 21. Querétaro 22. Quintana
Roo 23. San Luis Potosí 24. Sinaloa 25. Sonora 26. Tabasco 27. Tamaulipas
28. Tlaxcala 29. Veracruz 30. Yucatán 31. Zacatecas 32. Distrito
Federal.
EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE
Mexico includes a territory formed of 239 islands, 23
keys and 20 reefs. This zone extends 200 nautical miles from the coast.
The objective of this zone is to increase Mexico’s jurisdiction over these
zones, to avoid excessive or abusive marine resource exploitation, curb
and curtail pollution and avoid the use of this zone for military purposes.
Carta Básica: "ESTADOS
UNIDOS MEXICANOS CARTA GEOGRÁFICA." 1980. Dirección General
de Geografía del Territorio Nacional, Secretaría de Programación
y Presupuesto. Atlas Nacional del Medio Físico.
Instituto de Ecología, UNAM
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