Explore the Geography of Mexico
Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) is a third largest country in North America (Norte America) and covers some 770,000 square miles, (2 million square kilometers). It's bordered on the north by United States (Estado Unidos), sharing a 2066 mile (3336 km) long border, half of which is defined by the Rio Grande (known in Mexico as El Rio Bravo del Norte). To the south the country extend into Central America beyond the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The easternmost portion of the country is the Yucatan Peninsula. The borders of the southeast are with Guatemala and Belize. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west and south.
The Sea of Cortes (Mar de Cortes), also known as the Gulf of California separates Baja California, the earth's longest peninsula, from mainland Mexico. At its widest point, Baja is just 125 miles (200km) wide and stretches an amazing 800 miles (1300km) to its southernmost point, just below the Tropic of Cancer, at Cabo San Lucas. Mexico's eastern coast fronts the Gulf of Mexico, and stretches over 1200 miles from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the easternmost tip of the Yucatan, Cabo Catoche in the state of Quintana Roo. From there south to Belize, Mexico faces the Caribbean Sea.
Two long mountain ranges stretch from the northern border to Mexico City; the Sierra Madre Occidental (to the west) extending 1125 miles (1500km) from southern Arizona in the US to it's junction with the Sierra Madre Oriental (east) that extends 620 miles (1000km) to the south from Coahuila. At ether side of these ranges are coastal plains with a highland plateau between them referred to as the Altiplano central. At the rugged northern end of the Sierra Madre Occidental amidst spectacular mountain scenery is an area of canyon land known as Barranca del Cobra (Copper Canyon) that rivals the Grand Canyon of the US. South of these converging ranges, running west to east is the Cordillera Neovolcanica. This beautiful and rugged country has many active volcanoes that include Popocatepetl at 17887ft (5452m). At an altitude of 7545ft (2300m) the capital, Mexico City, is located in the center of this volcanic country.
Two additional mountain ranges extend to the south, the Sierra Madre del Sur runs west of the narrow Isthmus of Tehuantepec and in the east, the Sierra Madre de Chiapas stands tall. Beyond the Sierras of the Chiapas range, is a huge expanse of rain forest that stretches east into the Peten of Guatemala and merges to the north with the low, flat, limestone tableland of the broad Yucatan Peninsula.