Mexico’s Natural Resources

Mexico’s Natural Resources ’

Location
The Tropic of Cancer divides the country of Mexico into northern temperate, and southern subtropical zones that can be further divided into desert, steppes, savannas, and tropical rain forests.
Due to a combination of its climate, location, and topography (landforms), Mexico is rich in natural resources.

Landforms
There are the Sierra Madre mountain ranges,
the Central Mexican Plateau,
the flat lands of the Yucatan Peninsula,
and tropical rain forests in Chiapas.
Mexico is located in one of the most geologically
active regions in the world. Because of this, it has
many different landforms.

Agriculture
Mexico’s most fertile growing area is found on the Central Plateau and the southern states of Oaxaca and Veracruz.
Main crops include corn and beans.
Other crops that Mexico exports are cocoa beans, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, tropical fruits, tomatoes, cotton, and tobacco.

Livestock
Mexico also produces cattle, pigs, goats and sheep for export on the Central Plateau and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Mining
Mexico is the largest producer of silver in the world and is in the top 15 producers of gold, copper, and iron.
Silver is mined in the central state of Zacatecas and in the southern coastal state of Guerrero.

Mining
Gold is found in Baja California Sur, near Santa Bárbara in Chihuahua, and near Pachuca in the state of Hidalgo.
Copper is mined in the northern state of Sonora, and the
central State of Zacatecas.
Most of Mexico’s iron ore
reserves are located in the
northern border state of
Coahuila, and the Pacific
coastal state of Colima.

Fishing
Mexico has 5,798 miles of coast along the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.
In 2007, Mexico’s total catch of fish and shrimp was 1.02 million tons, which ranked them 17 th in the world.

Petroleum Products
Oil is Mexico’s main export.
Mexico’s petroleum industry is the sixth largest in the world.
Money from the sale of oil and natural gas generates over 10% of Mexico's export earnings.
Oil wells are found along the Gulf Coast of Mexico.

Forestry
39% of Mexico’s
land is comprised of
forests and woodland.
Mexico’s forests are
commonly used for providing timber, as well as
ecological and wildlife reserves, and ingredients for
pharmaceuticals.
Mexico’s forest industry is located mainly on the
Yucatan Peninsula near the Caribbean coast.

Tourism
Sunset at Los Cabos
Tourism is not usually considered a natural resource, but in Mexico, tourism is based on the natural beauty and diversity of the environment.
Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in Mexico.

Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a type of tourism that actually helps conserve local environments and helps support the economy in rural areas.
Cave of the Giant Crystals Coral Reef
Chihuahua Cozumel

Ecotourism The Sonoran Desert Central Mexico Cabo San Lucas Rio Azul

Instructional Module: “Location, Climate, and Natural Resources of Mexico” Georgia Performance Standards Grade Six Social Studies Prepared by Firas Marenkos, Miguel Peña, Pam Roshio, and Brandon Whitworth for Valdosta State University; ITED 7500 Spring 2011 Guadalupe Victoria Dam, Durango, Mexico

Mexico’s Natural Resources

by pam_roshio on Apr 12, 2011

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Mexico’s Natural Resources — Presentation Transcript