Obviously everyone in Brazil has heard of Chaves or the most traditional drink in Mexico, Tequila. However, there are other curiosities about Mexico that few people know about.
We are used to reading and hearing about the beautiful beaches of Cancun and archaeological sites like Chichén Itzá , home to one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, the pyramid of Kukulcán.
On the other hand, Mexico is a fascinating country that offers much more to the thousands of tourists who visit it every year.
To help you understand better, we have put together a list of 20 interesting facts about Mexico.
20 curiosities about Mexico that you didn't know
#1 – Humans have been present in Mexico since 30 years ago, and after thousands of years of cultural development, the Mesoamerican, Arid American, and Oasis American cultures emerged in Mexican territory.
#2 – Mexico has a population of 119 million people (2016). The country has approximately 287 languages, is the most populous Spanish-speaking country, and the seventh most linguistically diverse country in the world. The state recognizes Spanish as an official language along with 67 indigenous languages.
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#3 – The current constitution, promulgated in 1917, establishes that the official name is United Mexican States.
#4 – The real name of Mexico's first president is José Miguel Fernández Guadalupe Victoria. José Miguel Fernández changed his surname to Guadalupe Victoria in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the victory in the fight for independence.
#5 – Mexico has an area of 1,964,375 km², making it the fourteenth largest country in the world and the third largest in Latin America.
#6 – According to the World Tourism Organization, Mexico is the leading tourist destination in Latin America and the tenth most visited in the world. This is due to the 35 cultural or natural sites that are considered World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, making it the leading destination in Latin America and the sixth in the world.
#7 – According to the National Institute of History and Anthropology (INAH), there are 37.266 registered archaeological sites in Mexico.
#8 – Chapultepec Castle, located in Chapultepec Forest in Mexico City, is the only royal castle built on the American continent.
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#9 – Mexico is the world's largest per capita consumer of Coca-Cola and the country with the highest obesity rate in the world, according to a UN report.
#10 – Mexico is the fourth most biodiverse country in the world; we can find between 10% and 12% of all the world's species in Mexican territory.
#11 – Mexico City has a land area of only 1.499 square kilometers and is currently the second most populated region in the world (after Tokyo, Japan). It surpasses hundreds of countries in population and economy, and its population is similar to that of all of Central America.
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#12 – Mexico City is the city that consumes the most drinking water in the world.
#13 – In 2010, Mexican gastronomy was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The origin of modern Mexican cuisine is established during the Spanish colonization, being a mixture of Spanish cuisine with that of the native Indians.
From indigenous origins, corn, pepper, beans, pumpkins, avocados, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cocoa, fruits, condiments and much more are added.
#14 – In 1981, while Pemex employees were drilling for oil in the Yucatán Peninsula , they detected a sudden change in depth.
They discovered that it was a crater from the meteor that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
The impact formed a crater 180 km in diameter that is currently buried 600 meters deep in what is now the city of Chicxulub, in Yucatán.
#15 – Mexico City is the second city in the world with the most museums, second only to London, England.
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#16 – The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered the second most visited Catholic shrine in the world, receiving more than 20 million worshippers a year.
#17 – Mexico City is built on the ruins of an ancient Aztec city, Tenochtitlán.
#18 – The largest pyramid in the world is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, in the state of Puebla. The pyramid's volume is approximately 4.5 million cubic meters.
The base measures 450 x 450 meters, four times the size of the pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
#19 – Thousands of Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico every year from the United States and Canada, and unfortunately deforestation is destroying their natural habitat.
#20 – Caesar Salad wasn't created in ancient Rome, as many thought; its true origin is the city of Tijuana. The recipe emerged in 1942 at César Cardini's restaurant.
Did you already know any of these interesting facts about Mexico? If you know any more, leave a comment, or write directly to Guia México on Instagram.
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