Date of independence, or formation date: 1836
Date when current borders were established: 1848
National day: Sept 16
Vehicle country identifying code: MEX
Time zone (hours plus or minus from GMT): -6
International telephone dialling code: +52
Internet country identifying code: .mx

Increasingly considered a part of North rather than Central America, Mexico separates the US from the rest of Latin America. Coastal plains along its Pacific and Caribbean seaboards rise into an arid central plateau, which includes one of the world's biggest conurbations, Mexico City, built on the site of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán. Colonized by the Spanish for its silver mines, Mexico achieved independence in 1836. In the "Epic Revolution" of 1910–1920, in which 250,000 died, much of modern Mexico's structure was established. In 1994, Mexico signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004