Mexico City is located in central Mexico within the Valley of Mexico. Globally, it is situated in North America, while regionally it lies near the country's borders with the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico City serves as the capital and largest city of Mexico. The urban structure of Mexico City consists of a central business district surrounded by inner city, suburbs, and an urban rural fringe. Land use varies across these zones from services and high-cost housing in the center to informal settlements at the urban periphery.

1. The location, function and
structure of Mexico City

2. Definitions
• Emerging country - A country which has a
‘medium’ level of development.

3. 1. Mexico City’s location
• Locate Mexico and Mexico City on the world map.
Use your iPad to help you locate it.
• Answer theses questions around the map, use the
information from the the four bullet points from
p170 to help you.
1. Where is it globally?
2. Where is it regionally? (i.e. relation to bordering
countries)
3. Where is it within Mexico?

4. Globally Mexico
……………………………
……………………………
…………………………..
Regionally …
Within Mexico,
Mexico City is …..
……………………………
……………………………
…………………………….

5. 2. Land use in Mexico City
• Have a look at the map of urban land use below and see
how it is different to B’hams land use.
Typical land use model in an emerging
country city

7. Mexico City CBD
• Function: Multi functional. Mainly focused around
providing services for the city. Lots of important
global businesses (e.g. Volkswagen or McDonalds)
as well as banks, government services and
headquarters. Also hub for transport.
• Age: Old buildings here, such as the Cathedral and
the buildings around the Zocalo.
• Short video here

9. Mexico City Inner City
• Function: High Cost housing mainly as well as some
services. Some houses are large and old and some
more modern apartment blocks.
• Age: Bigger ‘colonial’ style buildings are older and
have large grounds. More modern apartments have
also been built for wealthy residents.
• E.g. Rincón del Bosque

13. Mexico City Suburbs
• Function: Residential and commercial. Mix of old
shanty towns and new modern homes. The
international airport is in this area of the city. So
too are some of the best schools, hospitals and the
University.
• Age: Most buildings have been built since the
1970’s.
• E.g. Romero Rubio Suburb

15. Mexico City Urban Rural fringe
• Function: Housing for in-migrants from the rural
areas. Large percentage of the land is made up of
squatter settlements (illegally built). Informal
services have appeared too such as hairdressers,
convenience shops and water vendors.
• E.g. Neza-Chalco-Itza Slum – 4 million people
• Age: New. Built over the last 20years.

17. POST CARD
• Write a post card home from Mexico City,
describing your bus ride out of the CBD to the
suburbs.
• Use the handout to help you!
Hi Mum,
I’m here at the final stop – …………………
Station. Its on the rural-urban fringe and
boy … … …. There are lots of shanty towns
here, like …………… Its not like where I was
half an hour ago in …………