32 Interesting Facts About Mexico – Fun Mexico Facts

Having lived in Mexico for a short while I thought a blog post on some interesting Mexico facts were in order!

32 Fun Facts About Mexico

1. Deep in the southern jungles of Mexico is North America’s largest wildcat; the jaguar.
2. Mexico’s flag consists of three vertical stripes. The green represents hope, the white purity and the red for the blood of those who died fighting for independence. The eagle eating a snake is based on an Aztec legend.
3. Mexico has the 11th largest population in the world.
4. Mexico is the 14th largest country by land mass.
5. Mexico is located within the ‘ring of fire’ which is where most of the world’s earthquake and volcanic activity occurs.
6. Mexico is responsible for introducing chocolate, corn, and chillies to the world.
7. Spanish is the national language of Mexico and is the most populated Spanish-speaking country in the world.
8. Mexico is home to one of the new Seven Wonders of the World; Chichen Itza.
9. Mexico is home to 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
10. A dormant volcano measuring 5,636 metres above sea level is Mexico’s highest mountain.
11. The most popular sport in Mexico is soccer and it has hosted the world cup in 1970 and 1986.
12. Mexico hosted the summer Olympics in 1968.
13. Mexico has the most reptile species in the world with over 700 different species found there.
14. Hot chocolate was considered a sacred drink by the Aztecs.
15. The National University of Mexico is the oldest university in North America having been founded in 1551.
16. Mexican children do not receive presents on Christmas day but instead get them on January 6th.
17. Mexico City is built on a lake and is slowly sinking 15—20cm every year.
18. Mexico has the second highest catholic population.
19. The world’s smallest dog, the Chihuahua is also the name of a Mexican state.
20. Mexico has three different presents within one hour in 1913.
21. Mexico is the second highest producer of horse meat behind China.
22. Tequila and Tabasco are named after places in Mexico.
23. Mexico has 31 states in addition to it’s capital Mexico City.
24. Mexico is the largest producer of silver and salt.
25. The life expectancy in Mexico is 75.
26. The Spanish controlled Mexico for nearly 300 years before revolution occurred in 1810.
27. Mayan’s actually used hornets nests as bombs during battle.
28. The border between Mexico and the USA is the second largest behind the USA / Canadian border.
29. 1539 is the year the first printing press was used in North America in Mexico City.
30. Nearly ten times more people are killed from scorpion bites than snake bites in Mexico.
31. The right to vote for women began in 1958 in Mexico.
32. Texas is a former Mexican province and declared independence in 1836.
33. Bonus – Day of the Dead is Mexico’s biggest religious festival.

Amar Hussain

Amar was born and raised in England and embarked on an 11-country round-the-world gap year after graduation and then became well and truly hooked. The first gap year inspired a second, which ended up being a 23-country down-the-world trip from Canada to Antarctica. Since then, Amar has spent the last 14 years traveling the 7 continents.