NationMaster - Discussion - Mexico Profile

Ricardo (Monterrey, Mx) 26th February 2009	Mexico is country with contrasts. There are many Mexico inside. There are places with high quality in live standards, like Monterrey, San Pedro, Mexico City or Aguascalientes which can be compared with any European city, and zones where the poverty can be compared with zones of Africa. A poor distribution of the money, education and many things, obviously. Is not true that Mexico commences only with USA, or at least is not exact. Mexico exports its products mainly to USA, but is also one of the countries with most free trade agreements in the world, i.e. USA, Canada, Central America, Chile, Japan, Israel, European Union, etc. We are talking about Mexico has a free trade agreements with the countries that control most of the half of the world commerce. The main problem today is the narcotics war. USA gov is just starting to admmit (vaguely) that shares the problem with Mexico but the USA media prefers to think other way. Finally, I not agree with david Gomez. Mexico is an imperfect democracy, but is a democracy. Some expected to receive the government control, just like it was their turn... that is not the way the democracy works.
Joe (Texas) 17th September 2008	Mexico has an image problem that it's propagated in the US by the media and stereotyping. They frequently only show the bad stuff because good news doesn't sell. Mexico is rich in culture, traditions, natural beauty and resources and the people embrace foreigners (unlike the US). As Wolfgang explained, most gringos only travel to the border and think that the rest of Mexico is the same. I think one of the biggest problems that Mexico has is that it's next to the US.
Raul (chicago IL) 13th March 2008	Many people compare Mexico to the United States. In this comparison Mexico will always be seen as poor. In reality and judged indepenently, Mexico is a modern and first world nation. It's economy is the 12th richest in the world and has recently achieved the trillion dollar mark in GDP. The problem with Mexico is that its wealth is held by a few of its people. Until Mexico develops a better tax code and shares its wealth, many Mexicans will look to the U.S for a better standard of living.
lilibeth (usa) 2nd September 2007	two years later, I answer to christina's question. yes, mexico does have if not the most one of the most expensive toll roads in the world.
Juan Cambron (Acapulco, Mex.) 21st August 2007	Mexico is a very rich country... 40 percent of the people is upper middle class 40 percent of the country is poor and 20 percent is rich.. and as you can see mexico has the richest man on earth... The only problem is that Mexico has a corrupted government that is controlled from Washington... Mexico is the leading country in Latin America Talking about all term.. technology, economically, health, trade, GDP, population richness, poorness, and powerful(army wise). Do not judge a coutry by which American Media has shown you for so many years... Before giving an opinion vicit the country and learn about it from all kinds of sources not only wht they teach you in America.. Osme people still think that in Mexico people live with carts pulled by horses and big hats... Ignorants...
david Gomez (oregon) 8th April 2007	Mexico is a rich country for only 5 % of the population. The majority of Mexicans live on about 40 dollars per week. If Mexico was a rich country millions wouldn't emigrate to other lands. Part of the problem is that those few rich control the goverment/politicians. Does that smell like fraud in the 2006 election? Mexicans have yet to experience Democracy.
Angie Aldana (USA) 31st May 2006	When compared to its neighbor to the north, Mexico is underdeveloped. However, by world standards, Mexico is a rich country.
mario 5th September 2005	Yes, it's true Mexico has a very high GDP and it is a rich country but the problem is that all this wealth is concentrated in a very very small part of the population. Despite what official statistics say, in Mexico 80% of the population lives in poverty (the official statistics say it's a 40%).
Wolfgang 14th August 2005	First Greetings from Germany, a common mistake done by most of the Americans that I know, when they visit the Mexican border, they believe the whole country it is like that. in my personal experience the first time i visit Mexico, I fall in love with the whole country I have visited many times since then and every visit it just does not stop to amazing me!!! Americans (gringos) they think that the whole country is just like the border and all Mexicans are poor, sorry to disappoint them, but the country is not at all underdeveloped the cities can be compared with any European city that I know even Germany. Life is harder in Mexico, because people have to work harder to get things, nothing is for granted. I do not want to lie there is poor people AND MOST OF THEM CONCENTRATED IN THE AMERICAN BORDER AND THE SOUTH STATES, but they are working hard and going in the right direction. In many ways USA is responsible of what Mexico is now days by using a double moral, let´s be honest, the highly corrupted party that ruled Mexico for the last 70 years was supported by the Americans!
Aldo 29th July 2005	Valpolicella is right in everything. Mexico is a trillion dollars economy, but the system makes it very difficult to become rich, but when you become, you have far more better living standards than 80% of the population in the developed world. However, even if you get to a middle-upper class you also have living standards better than 65% of the developed world, and since year 2000 is pretty much easy to arrive to that middle-upper class.
christina 21st June 2005	In 2003, I heard that Mexico had the most expensive toll roads in the world. Is this still true? If not, who does?
Valpolicella 13th June 2005	Quality of life really bad? Allow me to disagree - depends on how you look at it. I know from experience that in Mexico you can have a standard of life far superior from that of most people in Europe or the US for that matter. There is one catch - people have to work hard to earn it. The first thing you need to consider is that society in Mexico is structured in a pyramid, whereas so-called First World countries have a flatter, more even (though by no means completely so) structure. The majority of people, located at the bottom of the pyramid, will live an unpleasant and risky life by Western standards - but this is offset by the fact that Mexicans tend to be good-natured, lively and humorous. Plus they enjoy great food, fantastic weather, and strong family networks, which buffer them through good and bad times. So - no, their life is not so bad, and they generally do not perceive it as bad, even those at the bottom of the national food chain. Tough, yes. Bad, by no means. Now - If you are near the top of the pyramid, you can have an extremely pleasant standard of living. I have seen this and can assure you this can be far more so -in terms of housing, surroundings, food & drink, weather, transport, cash (and what you can do with it), spirituality, family life and miscellaneous worldly pleasures- than what most average people in First World countries can ever aspire to. Only 11 countries in the whole world generate more money (GDP) than Mexico. Again, as you can see, there is a lot of money available - and thus a good lifestyle - for those willing to earn it. Plus they have one of the most stable economies in the American continent, coupled with non-quantifiable things like colour and warmth, family values and traditions, breathtaking beaches and landscapes, unique food and a long line of history and culture. In the balance of things, if I was a brand new citizen to planet Earth, and I could freely choose where to be born, Mexico would definitely be very high in my list. I do not even know if any Western countries would be on my list. Maybe... if I'm in a good mood :-)
Dean 6th June 2005	Mexico only trades with the USA because of the NAFTA. I don't know why it doesn't trade with Canada though.
5th May 2005	How come Mexico only trades with the USA?

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