Mexico City

Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México, knownPre-Columbian times as Tenochtitlán) iscapitalMexico;geographically spans bothMexican Federal District (a special administrative unit alonglines ofDistrictColumbia inUSA),part ofstateMexico, tonorth ofFederal District. Mexico Cityone ofworld's most populous,about 30 million people. It also has one oflargest urban areas inworld; greater Mexico City formsrough ellipse 40 kilometers eastwest60 kilometers northsouth.

Mexico Citycentered at latitude 19°0'26" north, longitude 99°0'08" west. The city's average elevation2,240 meters above sea level (about 7,200 feet).

History

ForPre-Columbian history ofcity, see: Tenochtitlán.

Muchcurrent areaMexico City was underwatersLake Texcoco until16th century.

Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés first arrived inarea ofcity, thenAztec capital Tenochtitlán,1519, but did not succeedconqueringcity until August 13, 1521, afterfierce fighting that destroyed most ofold Aztec city.

Mexico City was built onruinsTenochtitlán andcity becamecenterpolitical, religious, economicalcultural power ofSpanish colony, New Spain. On top ofruins ofAztec empire,very often using materials from destroyed Aztec buildings,Spanish builtnew city. The area betweenisland andclosest shore towest was drainedfilled in, makingcitypeninsula rather than an island. Further draining oflake allowed further expansion ofcity overensuing centuries, as Mexico City becamelargest city inAmericas, from where allNew SpainlaterPhilippines would be governed.

After independence from Spain1821, Mexico City was brieflycapital ofMexican Empire under Iturbide,from 1823 oncapital ofRepublicMexico.

The city has twice been occupied by foreign invaders:1847 byUnited States, duringMexican-American War;in 1864 byFrench, who fortime installed puppet ruler MaximilianHabsburg.

In 1873first railroad line linkingcapital tocoast at Veracruz opened.

Mexico City hosted1968 Summer Olympics, duringperiodpolitical unrest that led toTlatelolco massacrestudent protestors immediately precedinginauguration ofgames.

Modern Mexico City

Mexico Cityone ofworld's largest cities. Most ofgrowth occurred inlate 20th century. In 1950city had about 3 million inhabitants. In 2000estimated populationMexico City proper was 18,131,000. Estimates forgreater Mexico City metropolitan area range as high as 28 million peoplean urban area covering some 5,000 km square.

The mountains surroundingcity likerim ofbowl contributes tocity's serious problemair pollution.

The city's construction onformer lake bed means thateffectsearthquakes tendbe magnified bygeology. At 0717 on 19 September 1985city was struck by an earthquakemagnitude 8.1 onRichter scale, which resulted indeaths5000 (government estimate)20,000 people,rendered 50,000-90,000 people homeless. 100,000 housing units were destroyed, togethermany government buildings. Up$4,000,000,000damage was causedthree minutes. There was an aftershockmagnitude 7.5 thirty-six hours later.

Mexico Cityserved byMetro, an extensive subway system (207 Km),first portionswhich were opened in1960s. It transports more than 4 million peopleday, only surpassed by Moscow's (7.5 million)Tokyo's (5.9 million). Itheavily subsidized,it ischeapest inworld, each ticket costing around USD 0.20. A numberstations display Pre-Columbian artifactsarchitecture that was discovered duringmetro's construction.

Mexico Cityalso served by Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX).

Attractions

Famous sightsMexico City includeZócalo,main central squareits Spanish CathedralAztec ruins;wide elegant avenuesPaseo de la ReformaInsurgentes; Chapultepec,hill withpalace museum on top surrounded byparkmany attractions;National MuseumAnthropology,PalaceFine Arts,PlazaThree Cultures inneighborhoodTlatelolco, andshrineBasilicasOur LadyGuadalupe.

The city has some 160 museums, over 100 art galleries,some 30 concert halls.

In many places theremurals by Diego Rivera. Hehis wife Frida Kahlo lived insouthern suburbCoyoacán. Nearby washouseLeon Trotsky, where he also was murdered.

Economy

Politics

Dueits special situation as home ofMexican Federal government, Mexico City has gone through several transformationsits local government. Since Mexico's independencecity sometimes hadlocal government,sometimes (and forlarge part of20th century)government depended directly onPresident ofRepublic, who delegated his authorityone person that heldpost at ministerial level (the Regente, "Regent"English).

This kindpolitical organization caused much resentment amongstinhabitants ofcity becausemany yearswere deprived ofgovernment that properly represented them. The most serious situation arose1988 when people from Mexico City clearly votedopposition candidates, despite whichwere ruledsix years byparty that wonfederal presidency.

Under these circumstances political reform became inevitable. Firstlocal congress was established,people were ableelect their mayor (jefe de gobierno) forfirst time (both institutions still had limited powers dependent onfederal congresspresident).

The first democratically elected chiefgovernment was Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas,former presidential candidate (who was, accordingmany, cheated outvictory inclosely fought 1988 presidential election).

A measure ofdemocratic developmentMexico Citythatcurrent (2000-06) chiefgovernment inFederal DistrictAndrés Manuel López Obrador, fromPRD which hasleft-leaning ideology (with former members ofCommunist Party among its numbers), while atsame timefederal government hasconservative President.

External Links

• Guia Roji – Excellent streetmapsMexico City
• Federal District Government
• Chilangolandia – Informal guiderestaurants, barsnightclubs
• Mexico City – From Wikitravel,free travel guide
• El Metro de la Ciudad de México – Mexico City metro