Watch La Primavera’s geological history unfold via a short video animation

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Jun 292013
 

Only days after we published our third post about the Primavera Forest, near Guadalajara, we were alerted to an excellent 9 minute video animation of how the area was formed. This short video about “The Exciting Geology of Bosque La Primavera” was produced by geologist Barbara Dye during her stint as a Peace Corps volunteer […]

How well do you know Mexico? The geography of Mexico: Quiz 4

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Jun 272013
 

Welcome to our fourth quiz about the geography of Mexico. Previous quizzes: How well do you know Mexico? The geography of Mexico: Quiz 1 How well do you know Mexico? The geography of Mexico: Quiz 2 How well do you know Mexico? The geography of Mexico: Quiz 3 How many of the following can you […]

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Disparities in wealth in Mexico: trends include a growing middle class as well as more millionaires

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Jun 242013
 

Two recent studies shed an interesting light on the distribution of wealth in Mexico. The first, carried out by the the National Statistics Agency (INEGI) is that agency’s first ever analysis of Mexico’s social classes. The study found that 12.3 million homes and 44 million people (39% of the total population) were “middle class” in […]

What are the 10 main pressures threatening the Primavera Forest in Jalisco?

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Jun 222013
 
What are the 10 main pressures threatening the Primavera Forest in Jalisco?

A 1988 Management plan for the Primavera Forest (Plan de Manejo Bosque La Primavera), published by the University of Guadalajara, included a detailed list of the then-existing pressures on the forest. Sadly, not much has changed since then, and almost all the sources of pressure mentioned in that study still apply today. The management plan […]

Mexico and the Happy Planet Index

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Jun 202013
 
Mexico and the Happy Planet Index

Chapter 30 of Geo-Mexico, the geography and dynamics of modern Mexico includes a look at the Happy Planet Index (HPI). The HPI is a compound index that combines three measures: life expectancy life satisfaction ecological footprint In essence, the HPI shows how successfully people are achieving the good life without having to consume a disproportionate […]

The geography of droughts in Mexico

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Jun 172013
 
The geography of droughts in Mexico

Today (June 17) is the UN’s “World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.” How does Mexico stand right now in relation to drought? Drought currently affects about 40% of the country (see map). Some parts of northern Mexico have been experiencing a severe drought for almost three years. The worst affected states are Chihuahua, Nuevo […]

Early maps of Mexico

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Jun 152013
 
Early maps of Mexico

If you find maps, especially old maps, as fascinating as I do, you’ll enjoy reading the chapter on “Mesoamerican Cartography” (link is to pdf file) in the University of Chicago’s History of Cartography. In this wide-ranging chapter, author Dr. Barbara Mundy explores many aspects of Mesoamerican Cartography, from the different styles and materials used to […]

Mexico and the Environmental Sustainability Index

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Jun 132013
 
Mexico and the Environmental Sustainability Index

Environmental sustainability is a highly politicized term which almost all nations now eagerly claim as one of their goals. How true are these claims? The Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) combines five major components (see diagram) which include 76 separate measurements in all. It assesses how close countries are to environmental sustainability. The ESI includes the […]

How was the Primavera Forest caldera in Jalisco formed?

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Jun 102013
 
How was the Primavera Forest caldera in Jalisco formed?

In a previous post, we described the considerable geotourism potential of the Primavera Forest near Guadalajara: Mexico’s geomorphosites: the Primavera Forest, Guadalajara, Jalisco In this post, we take a closer look at how this unusual area was formed. Stages 1 and 2 (see diagram): 140,000 BP. The magma chamber beneath the surface began to fill […]

Mexico the fourth most obese country in the world

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Jun 062013
 

Earlier this week, the headline “Ocupa México primer lugar mundial en obesidad; supera a EU” (Mexico in first place for obesity; more obese than the USA)  grabbed my attention. The headline appeared in the Mexican magazine Proceso, normally a stickler for getting its facts straight. Last time we checked (October 2012)–Obesity in Mexico compared to […]

Five Mexican beaches gain international Blue Flag certification

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Jun 032013
 
Five Mexican beaches gain international Blue Flag certification

For the first time ever, five Mexican beaches have been awarded Blue Flag certification. The Blue Flag system is a voluntary, international eco-label program run by the non-government, non-profit organization the Foundation for Environmental Education that recognizes beaches where water quality is excellent, where information and environmental education is readily available, and which are well managed, […]

Mexico’s geomorphosites: the Primavera Forest, Guadalajara, Jalisco

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Jun 012013
 
Mexico's geomorphosites: the Primavera Forest, Guadalajara, Jalisco

The Primavera Forest (aka Bosque de la Primavera, Sierra de la Primavera) is a volcanic region located immediately west of Mexico’s second-largest city, Guadalajara. The Primavera Forest occupies an ancient volcanic caldera, where the last eruptions are thought to have been about 30,000 years ago. The Primavera is a wilderness area of pine and oak […]

How does Mexico score on the Social Progress Index?

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May 302013
 
How does Mexico score on the Social Progress Index?

The Social Progress Index measures the extent to which countries provide for the social and environmental needs of their citizens. It is a compound index, based on  52 indicators in the areas of Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity that show relative performance in order to elevate the quality of discussion on national […]

Major factual inaccuracies in “Water Pollution Plagues Mexico’s Scenic Pacific Coast” result in its removal from Earth Island Institute website

 Mexico's geography in the Press  3 Responses »
May 272013
 
Major factual inaccuracies in "Water Pollution Plagues Mexico’s Scenic Pacific Coast" result in its removal from Earth Island Institute website

Kudos to the Earth Island Institute for responding to the many criticisms we and others made of a blog article (“Water Pollution Plagues Mexico’s Scenic Pacific Coast”) by pulling it from their website. The following post has been edited to reflect that fact. Water quality is a serious concern in many parts of Mexico and […]

Tultepec: the fireworks capital of Mexico

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May 252013
 

No Mexican festival is complete without a dazzling display of fireworks. Gunpowder was unknown in Mexico prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, but its use in fireworks quickly caught on. Firework production is usually a small-scale family affair, and there are workshops specializing in fireworks throughout the country. The undisputed  capital of fireworks is […]

How well do you know Mexico? The geography of Mexico: Quiz 3

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May 232013
 

Welcome to our third quiz about the geography of Mexico. Previous quizzes: How well do you know Mexico? The geography of Mexico: Quiz 1 How well do you know Mexico? The geography of Mexico: Quiz 2 How many of the following can you answer correctly? If you answer a question incorrectly, you can have more […]

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How can Mexico City find sufficient water?

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May 202013
 
How can Mexico City find sufficient water?

What happens if or when Mexico City needs more water than it is using at present? There are several options, depending on whether authorities choose to modify demand, supply, or both in order to improve the future situation. In terms of managing (reducing) demand, conservation measures are one possibility. Changing consumer habits may require not […]

Review of Geo-Mexico by Felisa Churpa Rosa Rogers (The People’s Guide to Mexico)

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May 152013
 
Review of Geo-Mexico by Felisa Churpa Rosa Rogers (The People's Guide to Mexico)

Our grateful thanks to Felisa Churpa Rosa Rogers for the following review which appeared in The People’s Guide to Mexico, March 2011: Growing up in a parochial school system, I was under the impression that the subject geography was limited to identifying countries by their shapes. Richard Rhoda and Tony Burton’s Geo-Mexico: The Geography and […]

Mexico’s Rivers

 Excerpts from Geo-Mexico  2 Responses »
May 132013
 
Mexico’s Rivers

Mexican rivers are not well suited for navigation and thus have had only a minor influence on Mexico’s historical development. Their most important use has been as sources of irrigation water and hydroelectric power. Mexico’s annual flow of river water (roughly 410 km3) is about 25% more than the St. Lawrence River, but 25% less […]

Hurricane names and forecast for 2013

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May 112013
 
Hurricane names and forecast for 2013

The 2013 hurricane season in Mexico is underway. The “official” hurricane season is from 15 May to 30 November each year for Pacific coast storms, and from 1 June to 30 November for Atlantic storms, though most hurricane activity is concentrated in the months from July to September. Hurricanes are also known as typhoons or […]

Where does Mexico City get its water?

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May 092013
 
Where does Mexico City get its water?

Mexico City is one of the world’s largest cities, and the metropolitan area of Greater Mexico City (map) extends well beyond the borders of the Federal District (Mexico City proper) into neighboring states, especially the State of Mexico.  The total population of Greater Mexico City is about 22 million, all of whom need safe access […]

Swim at your peril through the murky data for Mexico’s beaches

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May 062013
 
Swim at your peril through the murky data for Mexico's beaches

In the past few months, it has become harder than ever to assess the cleanliness of Mexico’s beaches. Alejandro Calvillo, director of the consumer rights organization “El Poder del Consumidor” recently published an alarming blog post alleging that Mexican authorities have gone to considerable lengths in recent months to mask the true state of Mexico’s […]

Cinco de Mayo – The Battle of Puebla, 1862

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May 052013
 
Cinco de Mayo - The Battle of Puebla, 1862

Note: This is a copy of an article by an unknown author (publication date also unknown) as found originally at http://webspace.webring.com/people/hi/ilg21/puebla.htm and cached on waybackmachine.com: Author’s Note: This article was drawn from a set of notes created during a trip to Mexico City, most of which were destroyed in a subsequent flood. Details on the […]

Will Mexico City add cable cars to its mass transit system?

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Apr 292013
 
Will Mexico City add cable cars to its mass transit system?

Mexico City is one of the world’s largest cities, and the metropolitan area of Greater Mexico City (population about 22 million) extends well beyond the borders of the Federal District (Mexico City proper) into neighboring states. The city is ringed by hills. Homes have sprawled up the hillsides, often in a haphazard or unplanned way, […]

Several Mexican cities rank among the American Cities of the Future

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Apr 272013
 
Several Mexican cities rank among the American Cities of the Future

The American Cities of the Future 2013/14 rankings were published recently by the fDi Intelligence division of the U.K. Financial Times. The rankings are designed to identify the most promising destinations around the world for future inward investment. Data were collected for 422 cities relating to more than 70 criteria, grouped into five main categories: […]

Mexico’s major cities confront serious water supply issues

 Updates to Geo-Mexico  1 Response »
Apr 262013
 
Mexico’s major cities confront serious water supply issues

An amendment to Mexico’s constitution in 2011 made access to potable water a basic human right, but Mexico’s major cities face unprecedented challenges in meeting future demands for drinking water. In this post we look at some of the water supply issues relating to Mexico City and Guadalajara. In 2009, the National Water Commission (Conagua) […]

How tall is the average Mexican?

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Apr 232013
 
How tall is the average Mexican?

According to Mexico’s National Chamber for the Clothing Industry (Cámara Nacional de la Industria del Vestido, Conaive), this was an unanswered question prior to a randomized survey of 17,364 individuals carried out by INEGI in 2010-11 in four areas of the country. 49.3% of those measured were men, 50.7%  women. The survey, limited to people […]

Whistling your way from A to B: the whistled language of the Chinantec people in Oaxaca (video)

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Apr 212013
 
Whistling your way from A to B: the whistled language of the Chinantec people in Oaxaca (video)

One of the most curious of Mexico’s dozens of indigenous languages is the whistled language of one group of the Chinantec people who live in the state of Oaxaca. This group’s conventional spoken language is complemented by a language based entirely on whistles. Only a few people remain who speak this whistled language fluently. The […]

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