Mexico: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Mexico

Mexico is in North America, south of the United States, with coasts on the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It has deserts, snowy volcanoes, rainforests and beaches. Mexico is known for ancient Maya and Aztec cities, colourful festivals and foods like tacos and tamales.

About Mexico City

Mexico City lies in the high Valley of Mexico, about 2,240 metres above sea level, on the site of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, which was built on islands in Lake Texcoco. It is one of the largest cities in the Americas and is known for its huge main square, the Zócalo, and its UNESCO-listed historic centre.

Fun facts about Mexico

1. Corn, avocados, chili peppers and vanilla were all first grown as crops in what is now Mexico.
2. Pico de Orizaba, at 5,636 metres, is Mexico's highest mountain and the highest volcano in North America.
3. Millions of monarch butterflies fly from Canada and the United States each autumn to spend the winter in Mexico's mountain forests.
4. Flooded caves under the Yucatán Peninsula, linked to natural pools called cenotes, are among the longest underwater cave systems known.
5. The Chicxulub crater, buried under the Yucatán Peninsula, was made by the asteroid linked to the end of the dinosaurs.
6. The ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza, with its giant stepped pyramid, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.