Contemporary Culture Global Understanding MEXICO PRESENTATION Marcelo Ignacio García Ayala

Contemporary Culture Global Understanding

MEXICO PRESENTATION

Marcelo Ignacio García Ayala

September 2010 Contemporary Culture Global Understanding

México Profile

Known formally as the United Mexican States

Mexico is the 5th biggest country in the Americas, spanning nearly 2 million square kilometers.

Mexico can be found in North America, bordered by the United States on the north, by Guatemala and Belize on the southeast, the North Pacific Ocean on the southwest and the Sea of Cortez on the east.

The country of Mexico derived its name from its capital city. The capital city was originally named by the Aztecs as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, which was closely related to the name of an Aztec tribe, the Mexica.

In view of the fact that the Mexican constitution guarantees freedom of religion, Mexico does not have an official state religion. However, it is widely accepted idea that a vast majority of Mexicans consider themselves to be Christians.


México Profile

The government of the United Mexican States is a Presidential Federal republic.

Their current constitution was established in 1917.

The Mexican people can speak a variety of languages. There are over 60 indigenous languages in Mexico, although only 6% can speak any of it. This percentage approximately corresponds to about 6 million people in Mexico.

The official language in Mexico is Spanish

Ethnicity/race• Mestizo 60%, (Amerindian-Spanish), • Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, • White 9%, other 1%

The local currency is the Mexican Peso


México Profile

Capital: Mexico City, Federal District (DF)

Exchange rate on 14/09/2010:1 MXN = 0.0777 USD, 1 USD = 12.8685 MXN1 MXN = 0.0605 EUR, 1 EUR = 16.5173 MXN

GDP growth rate: 5.2% in 2012

FDI stock: 309 523 million USD in 2009

Economic freedom:Score: 65.8/100

Position: moderately free

World Rank: 49 out of 179


México Profile

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SOME INDICATORS OF MARKET'S SIZE

Mexico Population (in millions) 107,4 Import of goods and services (in millions of USD) 333.838 GNP (in millions of USD) 962.704 Average real GDP growth (%) 2,7


Economic Trends

The Mexican economy showed a reduced growth rate in 2008 and even a negative rate in 2009.

The rise in international oil prices could contribute to the revival of the economy. Unemployment has increased in the last two years whereas inflation has remained relatively under control.

Nevertheless the general economic prospects are worrying. The anti-

crisis mesures developed by Calderón's government are not discernable to the whole of the population.

The country's growing security issues discourage investments and tourism. In the near future, we are expecting more devaluations of the currency due as much to the reduction in foreign exchage income as to the constant capital flight.


Main Branches of Industry

Mexico is the world's 5th biggest producer of oil.

Cattle farming and fishing are also important economic activities.

The free trade zones dedicated to exports to the United States, the "Maquiladoras", which up to now used to energize the Mexican economy, are currently suffering from a crisis caused by competition from Asian countries and the American economy recession. Consequently, the manufacturing sector has markedly slowed down in these recent years and currently contributes around a quarter of the country's GDP.

The tertiary sector contributes to around 60% of the GDP and the construction sector is coming up again due to real estate investments.


Main Branches of Industry

Agriculture accounts for approximately 4% of the GDP and employs nearly 16% of the active population, however, the scarcity of credit continues to penalize this sector.

Mexico ranks amongst the world's largest producers of coffee, sugar, corn and oranges.

Mexico is amongst the world's leading producers of many minerals, including silver, fluorite, zinc and mercury, and its oil and gas reserves are one of its most precious possessions.


International Trade

Mexico is one of the countries that most depends on foreign trade. Foreign trade represents around 70% of its GDP.

Mexico is a member of NAFTA - the free-trade agreement that unifies the United States, Mexico and Canada, since 1994.

Mexico signed a free trade agreement with the European Union in 2000 and a commercial agreement with Japan came into force in April 2005.

http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/en/view.aspx


International Trade

The United States buys 80% of Mexico's exports. Its main export partners are the NAFTA and the European Union. The main export goods are electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, mineral fuels, oil and machinery.

Its three main import partners are the NAFTA, China and Japan. It mainly imports electrical and electronics equipment, machinery, vehicles and plastic products.

Mainly because of the decrease of Mexican product purchases by the United States, the Mexican trade balance has been in deficit since 2008. This is another one of the chronic structural problems of the mexican economy, as the country imports more than it exports and the trend increased with the world crisis, especially in the oil sector.


Climate

Summer is the rainy season

The Tropic of Cancer effectively divides the country into temperate and tropical zones

• Winter storms sweeping down from the north can affect weather as far south as Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta

• Southern Mexico is generally rainier than the north.

Spring (April - May) are the warmest months except on the Pacific Coast.

Mexico's entire coastal areas are subject to high levels of humidity from July through October.


Mexico City

Mexico City is a remarkable showplace for Mexico's

It has 3,000 years of human cultural achievement.

It ranks as one of the world's greatest capitals.

Mexico City is located on an enormous dry lake bed in a highland basin (elevation 7,400 feet) surrounded by towering mountains.


Historic Data

Mexico was the site of some of the earliest and most advanced civilizations in the Americas.

At least four great civilizations—Mayas, Aztecas, Olmecas and Toltecas

Conquered in 1519–1521 by Spanish people commanded by Hernan Cortés.

Spain governed Mexico as part of its colonies with the name of New Spain for the next 300 years until Sept. 16, 1810, when an insurrection took place.

Declaration of independence was in 1821.


Art

Modern Mexican painters and sculptors continued to produce an extraordinary variety of works in many styles and techniques.

Major figures included José Luis Cuevas, Frida Kahlo (Diego Rivera's wife), Enrique Echeverría, Francisco Toledo, Orozco.

Rufino Tamayo and Gunther Gerzo were outstanding figures in 20th-century abstract and semi-abstract easel painting


Food

In Mexico, food is an intrinsic part of festivals,rituals, and personnel commemorations.

Tortillas The staple food of generations of ordinary Mexicans, tortillas can be made of flour (more common in the north) or corn (the traditional method and still the most common in the center and south).

Mole sauce A wonderful rich sauce made with the unlikely combination of chocolate, chilies, seeds and many spices. It can be red or green depending on the ingredients. The sauce is often served over chicken, though turkey is more traditional


Holidays

Piñatas: for children, piñatas provide a great way to celebrate many occasions, such as Christmas (during posada’s time) and birthday's. A piñata is a decorated vessel (such as a pottery jar) filled with candies, fruits, and gifts. Often times they are crafted out of brightly colored paper-Maché, a rigid material made of paper pulp or paper strips, held together by flour, glue, resin, or other materials.

A piñata is broken by a gruop ofchildren with a stick and with eyes covered while the others sing a song.


Values

Family is the most important value. In fact, extended family is common, since closer friends are considered part of the family.

Virgen de Guadalupe is a religious national symbol.

The most of Mexican people prefer to stay at their hometown close to the family.

People are friendly and hospitality so it is common to be invited by friends to their home.

People are solidarity for giving support to the community in case of urgency.


Business and Dress Code

Mexican business people wear suits to make deals or visit customer.

Sometimes, according to companies’s practices, wearing a casual dressing is enough.

Shorts and tennis shoes does not enter into the dress code anywhere.

A lot of business is done at breakfast and/or lunch. Breakfasts are also the preferred choice to meet, get to know, and exchange information over the potential business deal.

It is impolite to split the bill. The person who is making the sale, itraditionally expected to pick up the tab.

The standard working schedule in the facilities are Monday to Saturday, eight hours a day.

According to Mexican law, the working week cannot be more than 48 hours a week


Business and Life

Most offices are open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, but they can be open until 7:00pm from Monday to Friday.

Most people leave for lunch around 2:00 pm and take between 1 and 2hours;

The dinner is around 8 to 10pm.

All banks are open from 9:00am until 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.

Some banks have extended hours, including Saturday, at some branches.


Business and Life

When you come to business, the proper practice is a handshake, regardless of gender.

A kiss or a hug can be acceptable among business associates who have developed a personal relationship.

Deals are never closed over the phone or email.

The telephone is considered an unproper means of communication. It is prefered face to face.

Cellular phones are pervasive in Mexico including all social levels.


Mexico Holidays

January 1: New Year's Day

January 6: The arrival of the three gift-bearing wisemen to Jesus Christ.

February 2: Candlemas

February 5: Mexico's Constitution.

February 24: Flag Day

March 18: Oil Expropriation

March 21: The Birthday of Benito Juárez


Mexico Holidays

Semana Santa: The holy week

May 1: Labor Day

May 3: Holy Cross

May 5: Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican national holiday that honors the Mexican victory over the French army at Puebla de los

Angeles in 1862.

June 1: Navy Day

September 1: Annual State of the Union

September 13: Heros of the Mexican-American War 1847.

September 16: Mexican Independence Day


Mexico Holidays

October 12: This day celebrates Columbus' arrival to the Americas, and the historical origins of the Mexican

race.

November 12: Día de los Muertos

November 20: Mexican Revolution

December 12: Virgin of Guadalupe

December 16: Las Posadas celebrates Joseph and Mary's search for shelter in Bethlehem with candlelight

processions that end at various nativity scenes.

December 25: Christmas holiday.


MEXICO

I hope this data migth wake up the interest of knowing more about our country, history, traditions… but more important, that could express that in Mexico you are always gonna be welcome… here you have your house…..

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Contemporary Culture Global Understanding MEXICO PRESENTATION Marcelo Ignacio García Ayala