¡Information about México!

Mexico is a land of extreme diversity: the superficial glitz of fly-in fly-out tourist resorts coexists with awe-inspiring ancient cities, and snow-capped volcanoes slope down to pine forests, deserts and balmy tropical beaches. The bursting industrial megalopolis of Mexico City is a one-hour flight from the resource-rich southern state of Chiapas, where Indian insurgents recurrently tangle with the ruling party's paramilitary forces. Up along the northern border, Mexico's disorienting tumult of heritages merge with the air-conditioned cultures of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

Mexico's landscape and its people reflect the country's extraordinary history - part Indian, part Spanish. One look at this country is enough to remind visitors that there is nothing new about the so-called `New World'. Despite the considerable colonial legacy and rampant modernization, there are still over 50 distinct indigenous peoples, each with their own language, maintaining vestiges of their traditional lifestyles.

Mexico is a mountainous country with two north-south ranges framing a group of broad central plateaus known as the Altiplano Central. In the south, the Sierra Madre del Sur stretches across the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. From the isthmus, a narrow stretch of lowlands runs along the Pacific coast south to Guatemala. These lowlands are backed by the Chiapas highlands which merge into a steamy tropical rainforest area stretching into northern Guatemala. The flat, low Yucatán Peninsula is tropical savanna to its tip, where there's an arid desert-like region.

Mexico's climate varies according to its topography. It's hot and humid along the coastal plains on both sides of the country, but inland, at higher elevations, such as in Guadalajara or Mexico City, the climate is much drier and more temperate. The hot, wet season is May to October, with the hottest and wettest months falling between June and September over most of the country. The low-lying coastal areas receive more rainfall than elevated inland regions. December to February are generally the coolest months, when north winds can make inland northern Mexico decidedly chilly, with temperatures sometimes approaching freezing.

Mexico's frequent fiestas are full-blooded, highly colorful affairs which often go on for several days and add a great deal of spice to life. There's a major national holiday or celebration almost every month, to which each town adds almost as many local saints' days and fairs. Carnaval (Carnival), held late February or early March, the week or so before Ash Wednesday, is the big bash before the 40-day penance of Lent. Día de los Muertos is held on 2 November (when the souls of the dead are believed to return to earth), and is perhaps Mexico's most characteristic fiesta. Families build altars in their homes and visit graveyards with garlands and gifts to commune with their dead ancestors. Sweets resembling human skeletons are sold in almost every market.

Mexicans have had a talent for art - and a love of bright colors - since pre-Hispanic times. Today, Mexico is covered with murals and littered with galleries of contemporary and historic art, which are a highlight of the country for many visitors. Mexican creativity is also expressed through the country's vibrant folk-art tradition. Pre-Hispanic art consists mainly of stone carvings, frescoes and murals, and ceramics.

(Information about Mexico from The Lonely Planet Guide to Mexico)