Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mexico City
Ciudad de Mxico
D. F.
Federal District
Mxico, Distrito Federal
Mexico, D. F.
Coat of arms
Flag
Coordinates:
Country
Entity
Subdivisions
Founded
Government
Head of
Government
1926N 998WCoordinates:
998W
Mexico
Federal District
Boroughs[show]
Senators[4]
1926N
Mario Martn
Delgado
Alejandra Barrales
Pablo Escudero
Morales
Deputies[5]
Area[6][b]
Federal District
Federal Deputies[show]
1,485 km2 (573 sq mi)
Ranked 32nd
Elevation
Highest elevation[9]
Population (2010)
Federal District
Rank
Density
Density rank
Urban
Demonym
Time zone
Summer (DST)
Postal code
Area code
ISO 3166 code
Capitalino (a)
Defeo (a)
Mexiqueo (a)
HDI
CST (UTC6)
CDT (UTC5)
0016
55
MX-DFE
0.8307 Very High Ranked 1st
GDP
Website
of 32
The 2009 estimated population for the city proper was around 8.84 million people,[14] with a
land area of 1,485 square kilometres (573 sq mi).[15] According to the most recent definition
agreed upon by the federal and state governments, the Greater Mexico City population is
21.2 million people,[8] making it the largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere,
the tenth largest agglomeration, and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world.[16]
The Greater Mexico City has a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$411 billion in 2011,
making Mexico City urban agglomeration one of the richest metropolitan areas in the
world.[17] The city was responsible for generating 15.8% of Mexico's Gross Domestic
Product and the metropolitan area accounted for about 22% of total national GDP.[18] As a
stand-alone country, in 2013, Mexico City would be the fifth-largest economy in Latin
Americafive times as large as Costa Rica's and about the same size as Peru's.[19]
Mexicos capital is both the oldest capital city in the Americas and one of two founded by
Amerindians (Native Americans), the other being Quito. The city was originally built on an
island of Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in 1325 as Tenochtitlan, which was almost
completely destroyed in the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan, and subsequently redesigned and
rebuilt in accordance with the Spanish urban standards. In 1524, the municipality of
Mexico City was established, known as Mxico Tenochtitln,[20] and as of 1585 it was
officially known as Ciudad de Mxico (Mexico City).[20] Mexico City served as the
political, administrative and financial center of a major part of the Spanish colonial empire.
[21]
After independence from Spain was achieved, the Federal District was created in 1824.
After years of demanding greater political autonomy, residents were given the right to
directly elect the Head of Government and the representatives of the unicameral Legislative
Assembly by popular vote in 1997. Ever since, the left-wing Party of the Democratic
Revolution (PRD) has controlled both of them.[22] In recent years, the local government has
passed a wave of liberal policies, such as abortion on request, a limited form of euthanasia,
no-fault divorce and same-sex marriage.
Contents
1 History
o 1.1 Aztec Period
o 1.2 Spanish conquest of Tenochtitln
o 1.3 The rebuilding of the city as Mexico City
o 1.4 Growth of Colonial Mexico City
o 1.5 The Battle of Mexico City
o 1.6 Revolution
2 Geography
o 2.1 Climate
3 Environment
4 Politics
o 4.1 Federal District
o 4.2 Political structure
o 4.3 Elections and government
o 4.4 Boroughs and neighborhoods
o 4.5 Metropolitan Area
5 Health
6 Economy
7 Demographics
8 Landmarks
9 Transportation
o 9.1 Public transportation
9.1.1 Metro
9.1.3 Peseros
9.2.1 Parking
o 9.3 Cycling
o 9.4 Intercity buses
o 9.5 Airports
10 Culture
o 10.1 Art
o 10.2 Museums
o 10.3 Music, theater and entertainment
o 10.4 Cuisine
o 10.5 Sports
o 10.6 Education
o 10.7 Media
o 10.8 Shopping
10.8.2 Tianguis
11 Law enforcement
12 Gallery
13 Panorama
14 International relations
o 14.1 Twin towns and sister cities
15 See also
16 References
17 External links
History
Main articles: History of Mexico City and Timeline of Mexico City
Aztec Period
Main article: Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan
The city currently known as Mexico City was created by the Mexica people, later known as
the Aztecs, in 1325. The old Mexica city that is now referred to as Tenochtitlan was built on
an island in the center of the inland lake system of the Valley of Mexico, which it shared
with a smaller city-state called Tlatelolco. It is sometimes seen in the scholarly literature
written as "Tenochtitlan-Tlatelolco".[23] The great Aztec market that conqueror Bernal Daz
del Castillo describes in detailed wonderment in his chronicle The True History of the
Conquest of Mexico is, in fact, describing the market located in Tlatelolco. The Mexica
were one of the last of the Nahuatl-speaking peoples who migrated to this part of the Valley
of Mexico after the fall of the Toltec Empire. Their presence was resisted by the peoples
who were already in the valley, but the Mexica were able to establish a city on a small
island on the western side of Lake Texcoco. The Mexica themselves had a story about how
their city was founded, after being led to the island by their principal god, Huitzilopochtli.
According to the story, the god indicated the site where they were to build their home with
a sign - an eagle perched on a nopal cactus with a snake in its beak. Between 1325 and
1521, Tenochtitlan grew in size and strength, eventually dominating the other city-states
around Lake Texcoco and in the Valley of Mexico. When the Spaniards arrived, the Aztec
Empire reached much of Mesoamerica, touching both the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific
Ocean. The population of Tenochtitlan in 1519 has been estimated as between 150,000 and
200,000; the population of London at that time was approximately 50,000; Paris was
approximately 300,000.[24]
The storming of the Aztec Teocalli by Corts and his troops, by Emanuel Leutze. Painting,
1848
but he died after a few months due to smallpox; the next king was Cuauhtmoc.[30] Corts
decided to lay siege to Tenochtitln in May 1521. For three months, the city suffered from
the lack of food and water as well as the spread of smallpox brought by the Europeans.[25]
Corts and his allies landed their forces in the south of the island and fought their way
through the city, street by street, and house by house.[31] Finally, Cuauhtmoc had to
surrender in August 1521.[25]
Flag
Coat of arms
Motto
Plus Ultra
"Further Beyond"
Anthem
Marcha Real
"Royal March"
Menu
0:00
Capital
Languages
Religion
Government
King
- 15351556
- 18131821
Viceroy
- 15351550
- 1821
Legislature
Historical era
- Established
- Disestablished
Currency
Mexico City
Spanish, Nahuatl,
Mayan, Indigenous
languages, Tagalog
Roman Catholicism
Viceroyalty
Charles I (first)
Ferdinand VII (last)
Antonio de Mendoza
(first)
Juan O'Donoj
Political chief superior
(not viceroy)
The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral was built by the Spaniards over the ruins of the
main Aztec temple
Preconquest Tenochtitlan was built in the center of the inland lake system, with the city
reachable by canoe and by wide causeways to the mainland. The causeways were rebuilt
under Spanish rule with indigenous labor.
Colonial Spanish cities were constructed on a grid pattern, if no geographical obstacle
prevented it. In Mexico City, the Zcalo (main square) was the central place from which the
grid was then built outward. The Spanish lived in the area closest to the main square in
what was known as the traza, in orderly, well laid-out streets. Indian residences were
outside that exclusive zone and houses were haphazardly located.[34] Spaniards sought to
keep Indians separate from Spaniards but since the Zcalo was a center of commerce for
Indians, they were a constant presence in the central area, so strict segregation was never
enforced.[35] At intervals Zcalo was where major celebrations took place as well as
executions. It was also the site of two major riots in the seventeenth century, one in 1624
the other in 1692.[36]
The city grew as the population did, coming up against the lake's waters. As the depth of
the lake water fluctuated, Mexico City was subject to periodic flooding. A major labor
draft, the desage compelled thousands of Indians over the colonial period to work on
infrastructure to prevent flooding. Floods were not only an inconvenience but also a health
hazard, since during flood periods human waste polluted the city's streets. By draining the
area, the mosquito population dropped as did the frequency of the diseases they spread.
However, draining the wetlands also changed the habitat for fish and birds and the areas
accessible for Indian cultivation close to the capital.[37]
The 16th century saw a proliferation of churches, many of which can still be seen today in
the historic center.[32] Economically, Mexico City prospered as a result of trade. Unlike
Brazil or Peru, Mexico had easy contact with both the Atlantic and Pacific worlds.
Although the Spanish crown tried to completely regulate all commerce in the city, it had
only partial success.[38]
The concept of nobility flourished in New Spain in a way not seen in other parts of the
Americas. Spaniards encountered a society in which the concept of nobility mirrored that of
their own. Spaniards respected the indigenous order of nobility and added to it. In the
ensuing centuries, a noble title in Mexico did not mean one exercised great political power
as one's power was limited even if the accumulation of wealth was not.[39] The concept of
nobility in Mexico was not political but rather a very conservative Spanish social one,
based on proving the worthiness of the family. Most of these families proved their worth by
making fortunes in New Spain outside of the city itself, then spending the revenues in the
capital, building churches, supporting charities and building extravagant palatial homes.
The craze to build the most opulent residence possible reached its height in the last half of
the 18th century. Many of these palaces can still be seen today, leading to Mexico City's
nickname of "The city of palaces" given by Alexander Von Humboldt.[26][32][39]
The Grito de Dolores ("Cry of Dolores") also known as El Grito de la Independencia ("Cry
of Independence"), uttered from the small town of Dolores near Guanajuato on September
16, 1810, is the event that marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence and is
the most important national holiday observed in Mexico. The "Grito" was the battle cry of
the Mexican War of Independence by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest.
Hidalgo and several criollos were involved in a planned revolt against the Spanish colonial
government, and the plotters were betrayed. Fearing his arrest,[1] Hidalgo commanded his
brother Mauricio as well as Ignacio Allende and Mariano Abasolo to go with a number of
other armed men to make the sheriff release the pro-independence inmates there on the
night of September 15. They managed to set eighty free.[2] Around 6:00 am September 16,
1810, Hidalgo ordered the church bells to be rung and gathered his congregation. Flanked
by Allende and Juan Aldama, he addressed the people in front of his church, encouraging
them to revolt. The Battle of Guanajuato, the first major engagement of the insurgency,
occurred four days later. Mexico's independence from Spain was effectively declared in the
Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire on September 27, 1821, after a decade
of war.[40] Unrest followed for the next several decades, as different factions fought for
control of Mexico.[41]
The Mexican Federal District was established by the new government and by the signing of
their new constitution, where the concept of a federal district was adapted from The U.S.
constitution.[42] Before this designation, Mexico City had served as the seat of government
for both the State of Mexico and the nation as a whole. Texcoco and then Toluca became
the capital of the state of Mexico.[43]
Revolution
Mara Pino Surez. Victoriano Huerta, chief general of the Federal Army saw a chance to
take power, forcing Madero and Pino Suarez to sign resignations. The two were murdered
later while on their way to prison.[47]
The northern, central, and western areas of the city are marked with hundreds of high rise
buildings
The Angel of Independence, completed in 1910 has become a modern icon of the city
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera house in San Angel designed by Juan O'Gorman, an example
of 20th Century Modernist Architecture in Mexico
The rapid growth of the city during the 20th Century exploded in the development of both,
illegal constructions and opulent residences in the periphery.
The history of the rest of the 20th century to the present focuses on the phenomenal growth
of the city and its environmental and political consequences. In 1900, the population of
Mexico City was about 500,000.[48] The city began to grow rapidly westward in the early
part of the 20th century[32] and then began to grow upwards in the 1950s, with the Torre
Latinoamericana becoming the city's first skyscraper.[25] The 1968 Olympic Games brought
about the construction of large sporting facilities.[32] In 1969, the Metro system was
inaugurated.[25] Explosive growth in the population of the city started from the 1960s, with
the population overflowing the boundaries of the Federal District into the neighboring state
of Mexico, especially to the north, northwest and northeast. Between 1960 and 1980 the
city's population more than doubled to nearly 9 million.[32] In 1980, half of all the industrial
jobs in Mexico were located in Mexico City. Under relentless growth, the Mexico City
government could barely keep up with services. Villagers from the countryside who
continued to pour into the city to escape poverty only compounded the city's problems.
With no housing available, they took over lands surrounding the city, creating huge
shantytowns that extended for many miles.[41] This caused serious air pollution in Mexico
City and water pollution problems, as well as a sinking city due to overextraction of
groundwater, groundwater-related subsidence.[49] Air and water pollution has been
contained and improved in several areas due to government programs, the renovation of
vehicles and the modernization of public transportation.
The autocratic government that ruled Mexico City since the Revolution was tolerated,
mostly because of the continued economic expansion since World War II. This was the case
even though this government could not handle the population and pollution problems
adequately. Nevertheless, discontent and protests began in the 1960s leading to the
massacre of an unknown number of protesting students in Tlatelolco.[41]
Three years later, a demonstration in the Maestros avenue, organized by former members of
the 1968 student movement, was violently repressed by a paramilitary group called "Los
Halcones", composed of gang members and teenagers from many sports clubs who
received training in the U.S.
On Thursday, September 19, 1985, at 7:19 am local time, Mexico City was struck by an
earthquake of magnitude 8.1[50] on the Richter scale. Although this earthquake was not as
deadly or destructive as many similar events in Asia and other parts of Latin America,[51] it
proved to be a disaster politically for the one-party government. The government was
paralyzed by its own bureaucracy and corruption, forcing ordinary citizens to create and
direct their own rescue efforts and to reconstruct much of the housing that was lost as well.
[52]
However, the last straw may have been the controverted elections of 1988. That year, the
presidency was set between the P.R.I.'s candidate, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, and a coalition
of left-wing parties led by Cuauhtmoc Crdenas, son of the former president Lzaro
Crdenas. The counting system "fell" because coincidentally the light went out and
suddenly, when it returned, the winning candidate was Salinas, even though Crdenas had
the upper hand. As a result of the fraudulent election, Crdenas became a member of the
Party of the Democratic Revolution. Discontent over the election eventually led
Cuauhtmoc Crdenas to become the first elected mayor of Mexico City in 1997. Crdenas
promised a more democratic government, and his party claimed some victories against
crime, pollution, and other major problems. He resigned in 1999 to run for the presidency.
Geography
Topography
Climate
Hydrology
Climate patterns
Overall precipitation is heavily concentrated in the summer months, and includes dense
hail. The central valley of Mexico rarely gets precipitation in the form of snow during
winter; the two last recorded instances of such an event were on March 5, 1940 and January
12, 1967.
The region of the Valley of Mexico receives anti-cyclonic systems. The weak winds of
these systems do not allow for the dispersion, outside the basin, of the air pollutants which
are produced by the 50,000 industries and 4 million vehicles operating in and around the
metropolitan area.[59]
The area receives about 820 millimetres (32.3 in) of annual rainfall, which is concentrated
from June through September/October with little or no precipitation the remainder of the
year.[55] The area has two main seasons. The rainy season runs from June to October when
winds bring in tropical moisture from the sea. The dry season runs from November to May,
when the air is relatively drier. This dry season subdivides into a cold period and a warm
period. The cold period spans from November to February when polar air masses push
down from the north and keep the air fairly dry. The warm period extends from March to
May when tropical winds again dominate but do not yet carry enough moisture for rain.[60]
[show]Climate data for Mexico City (Tacubaya) (1981-2000)
Environment
See also: Water management in Greater Mexico City
The city government has encouraged the preservation of green areas of the City such as
Tezozomoc Park
Situated in a valley, and relying heavily on automobiles, the city suffers from poor air
quality
used to raise crops in chinampas and to prevent recurrent floods. These dikes were
destroyed during the siege of Tenochtitlan, and during colonial times the Spanish regularly
drained the lake to prevent floods. Only a small section of the original lake remains, located
outside the Federal District, in the municipality of Atenco, State of Mexico. In recent years,
architects Teodoro Gonzlez de Len and Alberto Kalach, along with a group of Mexican
urbanists, engineers and biologists, have developed the project plan for Recovering the City
of Lakes. The project, if approved by the government, will contribute to the supply of water
from natural sources to the Valley of Mexico, the creation of new natural spaces, a great
improvement in air quality, and greater population establishment planning.
The federal and local governments have implemented numerous plans to alleviate the
problem of air pollution (such as carbon monoxide), including the constant monitoring and
reporting of environmental conditions, such as ozone and nitrogen oxides.[63] If the levels of
these two pollutants reach critical levels, contingency actions are implemented which may
include closing factories, changing school hours, and extending the A day without a car
program to two days of the week.[63] To control air pollution, the government has instituted
industrial technology improvements, a strict biannual vehicle emission inspection and the
reformulation of gasoline and diesel fuels.[63] Data from the city's 36 air-quality monitoring
stations show lead levels down 95 percent since 1990, while sulfur dioxide has fallen 86
percent, carbon monoxide 74 percent, and peak ozone levels 57 percent since 1991.[63] In
1990, Patricia Saad Sotomayor reported in the Mexico City daily Exclsior that "100,000
children die every year as a result of pollution in the Mexico City metropolitan area,
250,000 people suffer from eye diseases...and life expectancy has been reduced by up to ten
years, according to the National Environmentalist Groups." in a report to President Salinas.
At the time, according to the United Nations pollution scale "which set 100 as the
maximum level before grave health problems begin", Mexico City's level was 97.5,
compared to 4.5 for New York City, and 2.5 for Milan, Turin, and Los Angeles.[64]
In 1986, the non-urban forest areas of the southern boroughs were declared National
Ecological Reserves by president Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado. Other areas of the Federal
District became protected over the following years.
Politics
Federal District
Senate Building
Palacio de Minera
municipalities of the Federal District. In place of the municipalities, the Federal District
was divided into one "Central Department" and 13 delegaciones (boroughs) administered
directly by the government of the Federal District. The Central Department was integrated
by the former municipalities of Mexico City, Tacuba, Tacubaya and Mixcoac.
In 1941, the General Anaya borough was merged to the Central Department, which was
then renamed "Mexico City" (thus reviving the name, but not the autonomous
municipality). From 1941 to 1970, the Federal District was comprised by 12 delegaciones
and Mexico City. In 1970 Mexico City was split into four different delegaciones:
Cuauhtmoc, Miguel Hidalgo, Venustiano Carranza and Benito Jurez, increasing the
number of delegaciones to sixteen. Since then, in a de facto manner, the whole Federal
District, whose delegaciones had by then almost formed a single urban area, began to be
considered a synonym of Mexico City. However, the lack of a de jure stipulation left a legal
vacuum that led to a number of sterile discussions about whether one concept had engulfed
the other or if the latter had ceased to exist altogether. In 1993 this situation was solved by
an amendment to the 44th article of the Constitution whereby Mexico City and the Federal
District were set to be the same entity. This amendment was later introduced into the
second article of the Statute of Government of the Federal District.[68]
Political structure
FPP
31
9
PR
3
6
8
5
3
Total
34
15
8
5
3
40
1
26
1
66
The politics pursued by the administrations of heads of government in Mexico City since
the second half of the 20th century have usually been more liberal than those of the rest of
the country, whether with the support of the federal governmentas was the case with the
approval of several comprehensive environmental laws in the 1980sor through laws
recently approved by the Legislative Assembly. In April of the same year, the Legislative
Assembly expanded provisions on abortions, becoming the first federal entity to expand
abortion in Mexico beyond cases of rape and economic reasons, to permit it regardless of
the reason should the mother request it before the twelfth week of pregnancy.[71] In
December 2009, the Federal District became the first city in Latin America, and one of very
few in the world, to legalize same-sex marriage.
Insurgentes Avenue crosses from north to south the boroughs of Gustavo A. Madero,
Cuauhtmoc, Benito Jurez, Coyoacn and Tlalpan
Santa Catarina hill seen from Xochimilco Ecological Park and Plant Market in Xochimilco
Iztapalapa is the most populated borough as well as the poorest in the city
Miguel Hidalgo is home to some of the central upscale districts in the city such as Polanco
World Trade Center and the Polyforum Cultural Siqueiros in the limits Colonia Del Valle
and Colonia Napoles in Benito Jurez
The boroughs are composed by hundreds of colonias or neighborhoods, which have no
jurisdictional autonomy or representation. The Historic Center is the oldest part of the city
(along with some other, formerly separate colonial towns such as Coyoacn and San
ngel), some of the buildings dating back to the 16th century. Other well-known central
neighborhoods include Condesa is known for its Art Deco architecture and its restaurant
scene; Colonia Roma, a beaux arts neighborhood and artistic and culinary hot-spot, the
Zona Rosa, formerly the center of nightlife and restaurants, now reborn as the center of the
LGBT and Korean-Mexican communities; and Tepito and La Lagunilla, known for their
local working-class foklore and large flea markets. Santa Mara la Ribera and San Rafael
are the latest neighborhoods of magnificent Porfiriato architecture seeing the first signs of
gentrification.
West of the Historic Center (Centro Histrico) along Paseo de la Reforma are many of the
city's wealthiest neighborhoods such as Polanco, Lomas de Chapultepec, Bosques de las
Lomas, Santa Fe, and (in the State of Mexico) Interlomas, which are also the city's most
important areas of class A office space, corporate headquarters, skyscrapers and shopping
malls. Nevertheless, areas of lower income colonias exist in some cases cheek-by-jowl with
rich neighborhoods, particularly in the case of Santa Fe.
The south of the city is home to some other high-income neighborhoods such as Colonia
del Valle and Jardines del Pedregal, and the formerly separate colonial towns of Coyoacn,
San ngel, and San Jernimo. Along Avenida Insurgentes from Paseo de la Reforma, near
the center, south past the World Trade Center and UNAM university towards the Perifrico
ring road, is another important corridor of corporate office space. The far southern
boroughs of Xochimilco and Tlhuac have a significant rural population with Milpa Alta
being entirely rural.
East of the center are mostly lower income areas with some middle-class neighborhoods
such as Jardn Balbuena. Urban sprawl continues further east for many miles into the State
of Mexico, including Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl, now increasingly middle-class, but once full
of informal settlements. These kind of slums are now found on the eastern edges of the
metropolitan area in the Chalco area.
North of the Historic Center, Azcapotzalco and Gustavo A. Madero have important
industrial centers and neighborhoods that range from established middle-class colonias
such as Claveria and Lindavista to huge low-income housing areas that share hillsides with
adjacent municipalities in the State of Mexico. In recent years much of northern Mexico
City's industry has moved to nearby municipalities in the State of Mexico. Northwest of
Mexico City itself is Ciudad Satlite, a vast middle to upper-middle-class residential and
business area.
The Human Development Index report of 2005 [73] shows that there were three boroughs
with a very high Human Development Index, 12 with a high HDI value (9 above .85) and
one with a medium HDI value (almost high). Benito Jurez borough had the highest HDI of
the country (.9510) similar to those in Germany and New Zealand followed by Miguel
Hidalgo which came up 4th nationally with a HDI of (.9189) and Coyoacn (5th nationally)
with a HDI value of (.9169). Cuajimalpa, Cuauhtmoc and Azcapotzalco had very high
values; respectively .8994 (15th nationally),.8922 (23rd) and .8915 (25th). In contrast, the
boroughs of Xochimilco (172th), Tlhuac (177th) and Iztapalapa (183th) presented the
lowest HDI values of the Federal District with values of .8481, .8473 and .8464
respectivelyvalues still in the global high-HDI range, near those of Costa Rica and
Croatia and Mexicos mean. The only borough that did not present a high HDI was that of
rural Milpa Alta which presented a "medium" HDI of .7984, similar to that of Dominica
and Iran, far below all other boroughs (627 nationally while the rest stood in the top 200).
Mexico City's HDI for the 2005 report was of .9012 (very high), similar to South Korea's
2005 rating, and its 2010 value of .9225 (very high) or (by newer methodology) .8307, was
similar to those of Qatar and Malta, and Mexico's highest.
Metropolitan Area
Main article: Greater Mexico City
Torres de Satlite, the main landmark of middle-class suburban district of Ciudad Satelite,
in Naucalpan
The above municipalities are located in the state of Mexico but are part of the Greater
Mexico City area. Approximately 75% (10 million) of the state of Mxico's population live
in municipalities that are part of Greater Mexico City's conurbation.
Greater Mexico City was the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country until the late
1980s. Since then, and through a policy of decentralization in order to reduce the
environmental pollutants of the growing conurbation, the annual rate of growth of the
agglomeration has decreased, and it is lower than that of the other four largest metropolitan
areas (namely Greater Guadalajara, Greater Monterrey, Greater Puebla and Greater Toluca)
even though it is still positive.[75] The net migration rate of Mexico City proper from 1995
to 2000, however, was negative,[76] which implies that residents are moving to the suburbs
of the metropolitan area, or to other states of Mexico. In addition, some inner city suburbs
are losing population to outer city suburbs, indicating continual expansion of Greater
Mexico City.
According to the Human Development Report of 2005 [77] most metropolitan municipalities
had a high human development index. Coacalco de Berriozbal had the highest value in the
State of Mexico metropolitan area (.9045), the second highest in the whole state after
Metepec (Greater Toluca) and the fourth in Greater Mexico City after the boroughs of
Benito Juarez, Miguel Hidalgo and Coyoacn making it the 10th nationally. Coacalco was
followed by Cuautitln Izcalli (.9023) which had a very high HDI as well, Cuautitln
(.8919), Atizapn de Zaragoza (.8858) Tlalnepantla de Baz (.8854), Huixquilucan de
Degollado (.8843), Jaltenco (.8772), Naucalpan de Jurez (.8754), Tultitln de Mariano
Escobedo (.8700) and Tecmac (.8669). Even though some of these municipalities have
some of the wealthier neighborhoods of the city, they often contrast with peripheric low
income suburbs known as zonas marginales or ciudades perdidas. This is the case of the
wealthy suburb of Tecamachalco contrasting with El Molinito shanty town, both in
Naucalpan, Chamapa in Naucalpan next to Bosque Real Country Club in Huixquilucan and
Zona Esmeralda residential area in Atizapn with Atizapn de Zaragoza seat and Ciudad
Nicols Romero which also contrasts with the residential area of Bosques del Lago in
Cuautitln Izcalli. Marginal municipalities in the east such as Ciudad Nezahualcyotl
(.8621), Ecatepec de Morelos (.8597), Valle de Chalco (52nd in the state and 452nd
nationally) with .8128 and Chimalhuacn with .8086 (56th in the state and 508 nationally)
also presented high HDI values, nevertheless the last two fell among the lowest of Greater
Mexico City. Municipalities with a Medium HDI were Ozumba (.7983 61st), Temascalapa
(.7982 62nd), Otumba (.7932 66th), Jilotzingo (.7908 68th), Juchitepec (.7874 72nd), Isidro
Fabela (.7791 78th), Axapusco (.7768 80th), Hueypoxtla(.7666 82nd), Nopaltepec (.7661
83rd), Atlautla (.7624 86th), Ecatzingo (.7291 99th) and Villa del Carbn (.7172 104th).
However, all of these municipalities are still out of Mexico City's main urban area and are
considered rural.
Health
Health Secretary
Mexico City is home to some of the best private hospitals in the country; Hospital ngeles,
Hospital ABC and Mdica Sur to name a few. The national public healthcare institution for
private-sector employees IMSS, has its largest facilities in Mexico City, including the
National Medical Center and the La Raza Medical Center, and has an annual budget of over
6 billion pesos. The IMSS and other public health institutions, including the ISSSTE
(Public Sector Employees' Social Security Institute) and the National Health Ministry
(SSA) maintain large specialty facilities in the city. These include the National Institutes of
Cardiology, Nutrition, Psychiatry, Oncology, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation, among others.
The World Bank has sponsored a project to curb air pollution through public transport
improvements and the Mexican government has started shutting down polluting factories.
They have phased out diesel buses and mandated new emission controls on new cars; since
1993 all new cars must be fitted with a catalytic converter, which reduces the emissions
released. Trucks must use only liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Also construction of an
underground rail system was begun in 1968 order to help curb air pollution problems and
alleviate traffic congestion. Today it has over 201 km (125 mi) of track and carries over 5
million people every day. Fees are kept low to encourage use of the system and during rush
hours the crush is so great, that authorities have reserved a special carriage specifically for
women. Due to these initiatives and others, the air quality in Mexico City has begun to
improve, with the air becoming cleaner since 1991, when the air quality was declared to be
a public health risk for 355 days of the year.[citation needed]
Economy
Demographics
Monument to the indigenous peoples of Mexico City. The Nahua peoples form the largest
group of indigenous peoples in the city
La Villa de Guadalupe
the environmental policy of decentralization. The net migration rate of the Federal District
from 1995 to 2000 was negative.[87]
While they represented around 18.74% of the city's population, indigenous peoples from
different regions of Mexico have migrated to the capital in search of better economic
opportunities. Nahuatl, Otomi, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Mazahua are the indigenous languages
with the greatest number of speakers in Mexico City.[88]
On the other hand, Mexico City is home to large communities of expatriates and
immigrants, most notably from the rest of North America (U.S. and Canada), from South
America (mainly from Argentina and Colombia, but also from Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and
Venezuela), from Central America and the Caribbean (mainly from Cuba, Guatemala, El
Salvador, Haiti and Honduras); from Europe (mainly from Spain, Germany and
Switzerland, but also from Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Italy, Ireland, the
Netherlands, Poland and Romania),[89][90] from the Middle East (mainly from Egypt,
Lebanon and Syria);[91] and recently from Asia-Pacific (mainly from China and South
Korea).[92] Historically since the era of New Spain, many Filipinos settled in the city and
have become integrated in Mexican society. While no official figures have been reported,
population estimates of each of these communities are quite significant. Mexico City is
home to the largest population of U.S. Americans living outside the United States. Current
estimates are as high as 700,000 U.S. Americans living in Mexico City, while in 1999 the
U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs estimated over 440,000 Americans lived in the Mexico
City Metropolitan Area.[93][94]
The majority (82%) of the residents in Mexico City are Roman Catholic, higher than the
national percentage, though it has been decreasing over the last decades.[95] Many other
religions and philosophies are also practiced in the city: many different types of Protestant
groups, different types of Jewish communities, Buddhist, Islamic and other spiritual and
philosophical groups. There are also growing numbers of irreligious people, whether
agnostic or atheist.
Landmarks
Paseo de la Reforma
Trajineras at Xochimilco
Chapultepec Castle
The Historic center of Mexico City (Centro Histrico) and the "floating gardens" of
Xochimilco in the southern borough have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Famous landmarks in the Historic Center include the Plaza de la Constitucin (Zcalo), the
main central square with its epoch-contrasting Spanish-era Metropolitan Cathedral and
National Palace, ancient Aztec temple ruins Templo Mayor ("Major Temple") and modern
structures, all within a few steps of one another. (The Templo Mayor was discovered in
1978 while workers were digging to place underground electric cables).
The most recognizable icon of Mexico City is the golden Angel of Independence, found on
the wide, elegant avenue Paseo de la Reforma, modeled by the order of the Emperor
Maximilian of Mexico after the Champs-lyses in Paris. This avenue was designed over
the Americas' oldest known major roadway in the 19th century to connect the National
Palace (seat of government) with the Castle of Chapultepec, the imperial residence. Today,
this avenue is an important financial district in which the Mexican Stock Exchange and
several corporate headquarters are located. Another important avenue is the Avenida de los
Insurgentes, which extends 28.8 km (17.9 mi) and is one of the longest single avenues in
the world.
Chapultepec Park houses the Chapultepec Castle, now a museum on a hill that overlooks
the park and its numerous museums, monuments and the national zoo and the National
Museum of Anthropology (which houses the Aztec Calendar Stone). Another piece of
architecture is the Fine Arts Palace, a white marble theatre/museum whose weight is such
that it has gradually been sinking into the soft ground below. Its construction began during
the presidency of Porfirio Daz and ended in 1934, after being interrupted by the Mexican
Revolution in the 1920s. The Plaza of the Three Cultures in the Tlatelolco neighbourhood,
and the shrine and Basilicas of Our Lady of Guadalupe are also important sites. There is a
double-decker bus, known as the "Turibus", that circles most of these sites, and has timed
audio describing the sites in multiple languages as they are passed.
In addition, the city has about 160 museumsthe world's greatest single metropolitan
concentration [96]over 100 art galleries, and some 30 concert halls, all of which maintain a
constant cultural activity during the whole year. It has either the third or fourth-highest
number of theatres in the world after New York, London and perhaps Toronto. In many
locales (e.g. Palacio Nacional and the Instituto Nacional de Cardiologa are murals painted
by Diego Rivera. He and his wife Frida Kahlo lived in Coyoacn, where several of their
homes, studios, and art collections are open to the public. The house where Leon Trotsky
was initially granted asylum and finally murdered in 1940 is also in Coyoacn.
In addition, there are several restored haciendas that are now restaurants, such as the San
ngel Inn, the Hacienda de Tlalpan and the Hacienda de los Morales, all of which embody
Mexican history and boast some of the world's best food.
Transportation
Public transportation
Tlahuac Station and the iconography outside Metro Barranca del Muerto.
Metrobs rapid transit bus stop in its intersection between Hamburgo Street and Insurgentes
in Zona Rosa
Bus rapid transit
The city's first bus rapid transit line, the Metrobs, began operation in June 2005, along
Avenida Insurgentes. Line 2 opened in December 2008, serving Eje 4 Sur,[100] line 3 opened
in February 2011, serving Eje 1 Poniente,[101] and line 4 opened in April 2012 connecting
the airport with San Lzaro and Buenavista Station at Insurgentes.[102] As the microbuses
were removed from its route, it was hoped that the Metrobs could reduce pollution and
decrease transit time for passengers. In June 2013, Mexico City's mayor announced two
more lines to come: Line 5 serving Eje 3 Oriente and Line 6 serving Eje 5 Norte.[103] As of
June 2013, 367 Metrobs buses transported 850,000 passengers daily.[103]
Mexibs bus rapid transit lines serve suburban areas in the State of Mexico and connect to
the Mexico City metro.
Electric transport other than the metro also exists, in the form of several Mexico City
trolleybus routes and the Xochimilco Light Rail line, both of which are operated by
Servicio de Transportes Elctricos. The central area's last streetcar line (tramway, or
tranva) closed in 1979.
Eje 3 Poniente Avenida Coyoacn, near Colonia Del Valle and Tlacoquemecatl at the
southern portion of the Axis, the other portions of Eje 3 Poniente which connects Polanco
to Coyoacn are Thiers (Polanco), Rio Mississippi (Colonia Cuauhtmoc), Sevilla and
Salamanca (Zona Rosa), Yucatn and Medelln (Colonia Roma) and Amores (Colonia del
Valle)
Anillo Perifrico; the Circuito Exterior Mexiquense ("State of Mexico outer loop") toll road
skirting the northeastern and eastern edges of the metropolitan area,[104] the Chamapa-La
Venta toll road skirting the northwestern edge, and the Arco Norte completely bypassing
the metropolitan area in an arc from northwest (Atlacomulco) to north (Tula, Hidalgo) to
east (Puebla). A second level (where tolls are charged) of the Perifrico, colloquially called
the segundo piso ("second floor"), was officially opened in 2012, with sections still being
completed.[105] The Viaducto Miguel Alemn crosses the city east-west from Observatorio
to the airport. In 2013 the Superva Poniente opened, a toll road linking the new Santa Fe
business district with southwestern Mexico City.
There is an environmental program, called Hoy No Circula ("Today Does Not Run", or
"One Day without a Car"), whereby vehicles that have not passed emissions testing are
restricted from circulating on certain days according to the ending digit of their license
plates; this in an attempt to cut down on pollution and traffic congestion. While in 2003, the
program still restricted 40% of vehicles in the metropolitan area,[106] with the adoption of
stricter emissions standards in 2001 and 2006,[107] in practice, these days most vehicles are
exempt from the circulation restrictions as long as they pass regular emissions tests.[108]
Parking
Main article: Parking in Mexico City
Street parking in urban neighborhoods is mostly controlled by the franeleros a.k.a. "viene
vienes" (lit. "come on, come on"), who ask drivers for a fee to park, in theory to guard the
car, but with the implicit threat that the franelero will damage the car if the fee is not paid.
Double parking is common (with franeleros moving the cars as required), impeding on the
available lanes for traffic to pass. In order to mitigate that and other problems and to raise
revenue,[109] 721 parking meters (as of October 2013), have been installed in the westcentral neighborhoods Lomas de Chapultepec, Condesa, Roma, Polanco and Anzures, in
operation from 8 AM to 8 PM on weekdays and charging a rate of 2 pesos per 15 minutes,
with offenders' cars booted, costing about 500 pesos to remove. 30 percent of the monthly
16 million-peso (as of October 2013) income from the parking-meter system (named
"ecoParq") is earmarked for neighborhood improvements. The granting of the license for all
zones exclusively to a new company without experience in operating parking meters,
Operadora de Estacionamientos Bicentenario, has generated controversy.[110]
Cycling
Main article: EcoBici
Play media
Intercity buses
Airports
Culture
Art
Jade mask of the Aztec god Chalchiuhtlicue recovered from the main temple at Tenochtitlan
Mexico City is an important cultural center. Having been capital of a vast pre-Hispanic
empire, and also the capital of richest viceroyalty within the Spanish Empire (ruling over a
vast territory in the Americas and Spanish West Indies), and, finally, the capital of the
United Mexican States, Mexico City has a rich history of artistic expression. Since the
mesoamerican pre-Classical period the inhabitants of the settlements around Lake Texcoco
produced many works of art and complex craftsmanship, some of which are today
displayed at the world-renowned National Museum of Anthropology and the Templo Mayor
museum. While many pieces of pottery and stone-engraving have survived, the great
majority of the Amerindian iconography was destroyed during the Conquest of Mexico.
Much of the early colonial art stemmed from the codices (Aztec illustrated books), aiming
to recover and preserve some Aztec and other Amerindian iconography and history. From
then, artistic expressions in Mexico were mostly religious in theme. The Metropolitan
Cathedral still displays works by Juan de Rojas, Juan Correa and an oil painting whose
authorship has been attributed to Murillo. Secular works of art of this period include the
equestrian sculpture of Charles IV of Spain, locally known as El Caballito ("The little
horse"). This piece, in bronze, was the work of Manuel Tols and it has been placed at the
Plaza Tols, in front of the Palacio de Minera (Mining Palace). Directly in front of this
building is the beautiful Museo Nacional de Arte (Munal) (the National Museum of Art).
During the 19th century, an important producer of art was the Academia de San Carlos (San
Carlos Art Academy), founded during colonial times, and which later became the Escuela
Nacional de Artes Plsticas (the National School of Arts) including painting, sculpture and
graphic design, one of UNAM's art schools. Many of the works produced by the students
and faculty of that time are now displayed in the Museo Nacional de San Carlos (National
Museum of San Carlos). One of the students, Jos Mara Velasco, is considered one of the
greatest Mexican landscape painters of the 19th century. Porfirio Daz's regime sponsored
arts, especially those that followed the French school. Popular arts in the form of cartoons
and illustrations flourished, e.g. those of Jos Guadalupe Posada and Manuel Manilla. The
permanent collection of the San Carlos Museum also includes paintings by European
masters such as Rembrandt, Velzquez, Murillo, and Rubens.
After the Mexican Revolution, an avant-garde artistic movement originated in Mexico City:
muralism. Many of the works of muralists Jos Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros
and Diego Rivera are displayed in numerous buildings in the city, most notably at the
National Palace and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Frida Kahlo, wife of Rivera, with a strong
nationalist expression, was also one of the most renowned of Mexican painters. Her house
has become a museum that displays many of her works.
The former home of Rivera muse Dolores Olmedo houses the namesake museum. The
facility is in Xochimilco borough in southern Mexico City and includes several buildings
surrounded by sprawling manicured lawns. It houses a large collection of Rivera and Kahlo
paintings and drawings, as well as living Xoloizcuintles (Mexican Hairless Dog). It also
regularly hosts small but important temporary exhibits of classical and modern art (e.g.
Venetian Masters and Contemporary New York artists).
During the 20th century, many artists immigrated to Mexico City from different regions of
Mexico, such as Leopoldo Mndez, an engraver from Veracruz, who supported the creation
of the socialist Taller de la Grfica Popular (Popular Graphics Workshop), designed to help
blue-collar workers find a venue to express their art. Other painters came from abroad, such
as Catalan painter Remedios Varo and other Spanish and Jewish exiles. It was in the second
half of the 20th century that the artistic movement began to drift apart from the
Revolutionary theme. Jos Luis Cuevas opted for a modernist style in contrast to the
muralist movement associated with social politics.
Museums
of Anthropology and History, which is open to 7 pm. In addition to this, entrance to most
museums is free on Sunday. In some cases a modest fee may be charged.[117]
Another major addition to the city's museum scene is the Museum of Remembrance and
Tolerance (Museo de la Memoria y Tolerancia), inaugurated in early 2011. The brainchild
of two young Mexican women as a Holocaust museum, the idea morphed into a unique
museum dedicated to showcasing all major historical events of discrimination and
genocide. Permanent exhibits include those on the Holocaust and other large-scale
atrocities. It also houses temporary exhibits; one on Tibet was inaugurated by the Dalai
Lama in September 2011.
Auditorio Nacional
Cineteca Nacional
Mexico City is home to a number of orchestras offering season programs. These include the
Mexico City Philharmonic,[118] which performs at the Sala Ollin Yoliztli; the National
Symphony Orchestra, whose home base is the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of the Fine
Arts), a masterpiece of art nouveau and art dec styles; the Philharmonic Orchestra of the
National Autonomous University of Mexico (OFUNAM),[119] and the Minera Symphony
Orchestra,[120] both of which perform at the Sala Nezahualcyotl, which was the first wraparound concert hall in the Western Hemisphere when inaugurated in 1976. There are also
many smaller ensembles that enrich the city's musical scene, including the Carlos Chvez
Youth Symphony, the New World Orchestra (Orquesta del Nuevo Mundo), the National
Polytechnical Symphony and the Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra (Orquesta de Cmara de
Bellas Artes).
The city is also a leading center of popular culture and music. There are a multitude of
venues hosting Spanish and foreign-language performers. These include the 10,000-seat
National Auditorium that regularly schedules the Spanish and English-language pop and
rock artists, as well as many of the world's leading performing arts ensembles, the
auditorium also broadcasts Grand Opera performances from New York's Metropolitan
Opera on giant, high definition screens. In 2007 National Auditorium was selected world's
best venue by multiple genre media.
Other popular sites for pop-artist performances include the 3,000-seat Teatro Metropolitan,
the 15,000-seat Palacio de los Deportes, and the larger 50,000-seat Foro Sol Stadium,
where popular international artists perform on a regular basis. The Cirque du Soleil has
held several seasons at the Carpa Santa Fe, in the Santa Fe district in the western part of the
city. There are numerous venues for smaller musical ensembles and solo performers. These
include the Hard Rock Live, Batacln, Foro Scotiabank, Lunario, Circo Volador and Voil
Acoustique. Recent additions include the 20,000-seat Arena Ciudad de Mxico, the 3,000seat Pepsi Center World Trade Center, and the 2,500-seat Auditorio Blackberry.
The Centro Nacional de las Artes (National Center for the Arts has several venues for
music, theatre, dance. UNAM's main campus, also in the southern part of the city, is home
to the Centro Cultural Universitario (the University Culture Center) (CCU). The CCU also
houses the National Library, the interactive Universum, Museo de las Ciencias,[121] the Sala
Nezahualcyotl concert hall, several theatres and cinemas, and the new University Museum
of Contemporary Art (MUAC).[122] A branch of the National University's CCU cultural
center was inaugurated in 2007 in the facilities of the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
known as Tlatelolco, in north-central Mexico City.
The Jos Vasconcelos Library, a national library, is located on the grounds of the former
Buenavista railroad station in the northern part of the city.
The Papalote children's museum, which houses the world's largest dome screen, is located
in the wooded park of Chapultepec, near the Museo Tecnolgico, and La Feria amusement
park. The theme park Six Flags Mxico (the largest amusement park in Latin America) is
located in the Ajusco neighborhood, in Tlalpan borough, southern Mexico City. During the
winter, the main square of the Zcalo is transformed into a gigantic ice skating rink, which
is said to be the largest in the world behind that of Moscow's Red Square.
The Cineteca Nacional (the Mexican Film Library), near the Coyoacn suburb, shows a
variety of films, and stages many film festivals, including the annual International
Showcase, and many smaller ones ranging from Scandinavian and Uruguayan cinema, to
Jewish and LGBT-themed films. Cinpolis and Cinemex, the two biggest film business
chains, also have several film festivals throughout the year, with both national and
international movies. Mexico City tops the world in number of IMAX theatres,[citation needed]
providing residents and visitors access to films ranging from documentaries to popular
blockbusters on these especially large, dramatic screens.
Cuisine
The now globally popular taco originated in pre-Hispanic Mexico City. It was first eaten by
indigenous Nahua people living near the lakes of the Mexico City region who ate tacos
filled with seafood and avocado
Mexico City offers a variety of cuisines. Restaurants specializing in the regional cuisines of
Mexico's 31 states are available in the city. Also available are restaurants representing a
spectrum of international cuisines, including French, Italian, Croatian, Spanish (including
many regional variations), Jewish, Lebanese, Chinese (again with regional variations),
Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese; and of course fellow Latin American cuisines
such as Argentine, Brazilian, and Peruvian. Haute, fusion, kosher, vegetarian and vegan
cuisines are also available, as are restaurants solely based on the concepts of local food and
slow Food.
Mexico City is known for having some of the freshest fish and seafood in Mexico's interior.
La Nueva Viga Market is the second largest seafood market in the world after the Tsukiji
fish market in Japan.
The city also has several branches of renowned international restaurants and chefs. These
include Paris' Au Pied de Cochon and Brasserie Lipp, Philippe (by Philippe Chow); Nobu,
Morimoto; Pmpano, owned by Mexican-raised opera legend Plcido Domingo. There are
branches of the exclusive Japanese restaurant Suntory, Rome's famed Alfredo, as well as
New York steakhouses Morton's and The Palm, and Monte Carlo's BeefBar. Three of the
most famous Lima-based Haute Peruvian restaurants, La Mar, Segundo Muelle and Astrid y
Gastn have locations in Mexico City.
For the 2014 list of World's 50 Best Restaurants as named by the British magazine
Restaurant, Mexico City ranked with the Mexican avant-garde restaurant Pujol (owned by
Mexican chef Enrique Olvera) at 20th best. Also notable is the Basque-Mexican fusion
restaurant Biko (run and co-owned by Bruno Oteiza and Mikel Alonso), which placed
outside the list at 59th, but in previous years has ranked within the top 50.[123]
Mexico's award-winning wines are offered at many restaurants, and the city offers unique
experiences for tasting the regional spirits, with broad selections of tequila and mezcal.
At the other end of the scale are working class pulque bars known as pulqueras, a
challenge for tourists to locate and experience.
Sports
Team
Amrica
Universidad Nacional
Cruz Azul
Diablos Rojos del Mxico
Stadium
Azteca Stadium
University Olympic Stadium
Azul Stadium
Foro Sol
League
Liga MX
Liga MX
Liga MX
Mexican League
250 by the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. Both races were removed from their series'
schedules for 2009. Baseball is another sport played professionally in the city. Mexico City
is currently home to Mexican League baseball's Mexico Red Devils, considered Triple-A by
U.S/Canadian Major League Baseball. The Devils play their home games at the Foro Sol
sports and concert venue, adjacent to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Mexico City has
some 10 Little Leagues for young baseball players.
In 2005, Mexico City became the first city to host an NFL regular season game outside of
the United States, at the Azteca Stadium. To date, the crowd of 103,467 people attending
this game is the largest ever for a regular season game in NFL history. The city has also
hosted several NBA pre-season games and has hosted international basketball's FIBA
Americas Championship, along with north-of-the-border Major League Baseball exhibition
games at Foro Sol.
Other sports facilities in Mexico City are the Palacio de los Deportes indoor arena,
Francisco Mrquez Olympic Swimming Pool, the Hipdromo de Las Amricas, the Agustin
Melgar Olympic Velodrome, and venues for equestrianism and horse racing, ice hockey,
rugby, American-style football, baseball, and basketball.
Bullfighting takes place every Sunday during bullfighting season at the 50,000-seat Plaza
Mxico, the world's largest bullring.
Mexico City's golf courses have hosted Women's LPGA action, and two Men's Golf World
Cups. Courses throughout the city are available as private as well as public venues.
Education
Media
Mexico City is Latin America's leading center for the television, music and film industries.
It is also Mexico's most important for the printed media and book publishing industries.
Dozens of daily newspapers are published, including El Universal, Exclsior, Reforma and
La Jornada. Other major papers include Milenio, Crnica, El Economista and El
Financiero. Leading magazines include Expansin, Proceso, Poder, as well as dozens of
entertainment publications such as Vanidades, Quin, Chilango, TV Notas, and local
editions of Vogue, GQ, and Architectural Digest.
It is also a leading center of the advertising industry. Most international ad firms have
offices in the city, including Grey, JWT, Leo Burnett, Euro RSCG, BBDO, Ogilvy, Saatchi
& Saatchi, and McCann Erickson. Many local firms also compete in the sector, including
Alazraki, Olabuenaga/Chemistri, Tern, Augusto Elas, and Clemente Cmara, among
others. There are 60 radio stations operating in the city and many local community radio
transmission networks.
The two largest media companies in the Spanish-speaking world, Televisa and Azteca, are
headquartered in Mexico City. Other local television channels include: XEW-TV 2 XHTV-
Shopping
Mexico City offers an immense and varied consumer retail market, with thousands of
options for everything from the very basic foods to ultra high-end luxury goods. Consumers
may buy in fixed indoor markets, mobile markets (tianguis), from street vendors, from
downtown shops in a street dedicated to a certain type of good, in convenience stores and
traditional neighborhood stores, in modern supermarkets, in warehouse and membership
stores and the shopping centers that they anchor, in department stores, big-box stores and in
modern shopping malls.
Traditional markets
See also: Traditional fixed markets in Mexico
Multi-storey Sanborns department store with the faade of a 19th-century home being used
as an entrance area
Downtown shopping
Avenida Presidente Masaryk, in Polanco, home of many luxury boutiques and stores
Nicknames
Mexico City was traditionally known as La Ciudad de los Palacios ("the City of the
Palaces"), a nickname attributed to Baron Alexander von Humboldt when visiting the city
in the 19th century, who, sending a letter back to Europe, said Mexico City could rival any
major city in Europe.
During Andrs Lpez Obrador's administration a political slogan was introduced: la
Ciudad de la Esperanza ("The City of Hope"). This motto was quickly adopted as a city
nickname, but has faded since the new motto Capital en Movimiento ("Capital in
Movement") was adopted by the administration headed by Marcelo Ebrard, though the
latter is not treated as often as a nickname in media. Since 2013, to refer to the City
particularly in relation to government campaigns, the abbreviation CDMX has been used
(from Ciudad de Mxico).
The city is colloquially known as Chilangolandia after the locals' nickname chilangos.[130]
Chilango is used pejoratively by people living outside Mexico City to "connote a loud,
arrogant, ill-mannered, loutish person".[131] For their part those living in Mexico City
designate insultingly those who live elsewhere as living in la provincia ("the provinces",
the periphery) and many proudly embrace the term chilango.[132] Residents of Mexico City
are more recently called defeos (deriving from the postal abbreviation of the Federal
District in Spanish: D.F., which is read "De-Efe"). They are formally called capitalinos (in
reference to the city being the capital of the country), but "[p]erhaps because capitalino is
the more polite, specific, and correct word, it is almost never utilized".[133]
Law enforcement
Main article: Federal District Police
Gallery
View of Central Mexico City
Polanco
Plaza Garibaldi.
Southern edge of the city.
House of Leon Trotsky
Casa Carranza
Acueducto de Chapultepec
Kiosco Morisco
Herico Colegio Militar
Bosques district in Cuajimalpa
Correos de Mxico
Hemiciclo a Jurez
Panorama
360 panorama of the city, made from Torre Latinoamericana in May 2014.
International relations
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (April 2015)
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Mexico
Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Andorra la Vella,
Andorra
Arequipa, Peru
Astana,
Kazakhstan [137]
Asuncin,
Paraguay
Athens, Greece
Beijing, China
Doha, Qatar
Panama City,
Panama
Guatemala City,
Guatemala
Paris, France
Havana, Cuba[140]
Quito, Ecuador[147]
Istanbul, Turkey[141]
Ranchi, India
[142]
Jakarta, Indonesia
Kaliningrad, Russia
Kiev, Ukraine[143]
Beirut, Lebanon
Berlin,
Kuwait City,
Kuwait[144]
La Paz, Bolivia
Reykjavk,
Iceland[148]
Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
Rome, Italy
Santiago, Chile
So Paulo, Brazil
Germany[138]
Bogot, Colombia
Brussels, Belgium
Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Cairo, Egypt
Lima, Peru
Lisbon, Portugal
Chicago, United
States
Ciudad Jurez,
Mexico
Cusco, Peru[139]
Los Angeles,
United States
Madrid, Spain
Malm, Sweden
Manila, Philippines
Caracas,
Venezuela
San Salvador, El
Salvador
Seoul, South
Korea[149][150]
Stockholm,
Sweden
[145]
Montevideo,
Uruguay
Stuttgart, Germany
Sydney, Australia
Nagoya, Japan
Nairobi, Kenya[146]
Toronto, Canada
Nicosia, Cyprus
Dolores Hidalgo,
Mexico
See also
Mexico portal
Latin America portal
North America portal
New Spain portal
Outline of Mexico
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