1. The Nation ReportMexico By: Maria Moreno History 28

2. The people of Mexico, Spanish is the official language, but the indigenous Indian languages that far predate the conquistadors are still spoken by a third of the population. The Nahuatl of the Aztec or the tongue of the Mayans, as well as others such as Mixtec, Otomi, Trascan and Zapotec remain, an echo of Mexico's rich past. Also people from Mexico only require their kids from ages 5 to 15 to go to school after that age the majority stay at home or work in the fields. People from Mexico physical appearance is variety although most of Mexican people have brown hair, black eyes and brown color skin it depends on the place where they come from. . Mexican People

3. Mexico’s people way of life includes many old customs from their Indian past and the Spanish colonial period. The people of Mexico, maybe more so than any other Latin American culture countries, are very sensitive to people from the Unites States calling themselves “Americans”. Mexicans consider themselves Americans, “Estados Unidos Mexicanos” therefore, it is important that Americans refer to themselves as Americans from the United States or “Estados Unidos Americanos”. Mexican People

4. The society is made up of people from many different backgrounds, often speaking different languages and with different customs and beliefs. At last count, there are more than 50 indigenous languages (other than Spanish) spoken in Mexico. Religion is of great importance in Mexico, with about 90 percent of the people practicing Roman Catholicism. Most of the people from Mexico pray or belief in the Virgin Of Guadalupe witch they call her “La Madre de todos Los Mexicanos” Culture

5. El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead), a Mexican celebration, is a day to celebrate, remember and prepare special foods in honor of those who have departed. On this day in Mexico, the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decorations of paper, flowers, candy Calaveras (skeletons and skulls), and parades. Culture

6. On September 15th and 16th Mexican Independence is celebrated throughout the country, with a variety of activities. In the early hours of September 16th, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato, rang the church bell to gather the townspeople. He called for the people of Mexico to rise up against the Spanish Crown, thus initiating Mexico's War of Independence. The country did not achieve independence until 1821, but it is this event, known as the Grito de Dolores which is commemorated every year in town squares across Mexico. History

7. Somewhere around 1000 BC, the first of Mexico's ancient civilizations, the Olmecs, established themselves in what are now the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. They worshipped a jaguar God, built cities, constructed massive stone head carvings, and spread throughout central and southern Mexico until their civilization mysteriously vanished around 400 BC. The Conquest of New Spain, a great and tragic history, begins in April of 1519 when a Cortes lands in Veracruz, about 200 miles from the Aztec capital. History

8. The geography of Mexico ranges from deserts to mountains to tropical beaches. Mexico’s diverse geography enables visitors to plan the ideal getaway in the part of the country that most suits their interest. Much of northern Mexico is desert. The Chihuahua Desert is covers the center and eastern part of Mexico. The Sonora Desert extends from the center of Mexico to the Pacific Coast. Geography

9. Mexico City is arguable the largest metropolis in the world with a population of over 17 million people in the greater Mexico City area. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and plays an important role in the political and economic development of the country. It is also the home to many historical points of interests including museums, churches, Spanish architecture and indigenous cultural sites. Geography