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Where would you like to be? Up in the high mountains, in the desert, in a rain forest, or sitting on a sandy beach next to palm trees by the ocean? No matter what you like, Mexico has it.
The landscape in Mexico is full of contrasts. There are lowlands and highlands, with a plateau in the middle. There is also plenty of excitement underground. Mexico’s Pacific Coast is part of the area known as the Ring of Fire, which goes all the way around the Pacific Ocean. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur on the ring more often than anywhere else in the world. From time to time, earthquakes shake the ground and volcanoes spit fiery lava. But don’t let that stop you from visiting. Decades or centuries may pass before one of Mexico’s mountains erupts again.
▲ Mexico has three major mountain ranges. Together, they make up the Sierra Madre, or “mother range.” Two of them, the Sierra Madre Occidental (above) and the Sierra Madre Oriental, extend along the east and west coasts. The third range is the Sierra Madre del Sur. It lies along Mexico’s southern coast.
◀ In between the mountain ranges there is a high, flat plateau. This area has the richest soil, the mildest climate, the most people, and the biggest city. It is also the area with the most volcanoes.
▲ The northern part of Mexico is where the country’s deserts are. The Sonoran Desert (above) is home to many cacti, shrubs, and animals, such as the Mexican gray wolf (el lobo) and the great horned owl. The Chihuahuan (chee-WAH-wahn) Desert covers some 200,000 square miles. It is the largest desert in North America.
The Earth’s crust is made up of huge slabs of rock. They are called tectonic plates. Four of these plates meet under the mountains close to Mexico City. When these plates collide, they can cause an earthquake, so Mexico City schools have regular earthquake drills. In 1985, a massive earthquake destroyed part of the city, killing 9,500 people. ▶
▲ Sandy beaches line the coasts of Mexico. Many of them, such as Acapulco (above), have become world-famous resorts.
◀ Tropical rain forests are found in both southern and central Mexico. At one time, such forests covered nearly one-tenth of Mexico. However, about 70 years ago, the forests began to be cleared for farming, lumber, cattle ranches, and oil drilling. The biggest rain forest left in Mexico is in Chiapas, the most southern state. More than 4,000 species of plants can be found here. It is also home to many varieties of birds and insects. These include 800 species of butterflies. There are also bigger animals, such as jaguars, ocelots, and howler monkeys.
