THE AMAZING COUNTRY OF Mexico!
By Sai Vegasena, Surbhi Kumar, Joseph Overman, and Katy Yut
Location
- One of the three countries in North America, Mexico is located near the equator, directly below the United States.
- Mexico City, the country's capital, is located at 19º26'N 99º8'W.
Seasons
- Similar to the United States
- Due to it's proximity to the equator, Mexico has a distinct rainy and dry season
- Rainy season from May to October
- Dry season the rest of the year, from October to May
- Mexico experiences a multitude of varying weather at once because of its immense size.
- In one location it may be moderate, warm, and sunny, while in another it could be snowing.
C L I M A T E S
There are three main climates found in Mexico:
- HOT AND HUMID: extremely warm weather (average= 26 degrees Celsius) since the Tropic of Cancer is present; covers 23% of Mexico and is observed along the coasts of the country (ex: Gulf Coast and Pacific Coast)
- TEMPERATE HUMID: tropical, sub-humid weather near lake cities and places like Guadalajara (21% of territory)
- DRY/COLD TEMPERATURES: places like Mexico City in the winter (snow-capped volcanoes are not uncommon).... generally the climate of the very elevated inlands of the country, but all places in Mexico can experience chilly weather, especially at night
M E X I C O ' S
V A R I O U S
(Guadalajara, Mexico)
C L I M A T E S
Biomes in Mexico
-Desserts
-Grasslands
-Deciduous forests
-Coniferous forests
-Shrubland
A biome is defined by the climate and the plants and animals in the area. So if a lush tropical rain forest stops getting rain; pretty soon all the plants and animals will either die out, adapt, or flee from that area. Temperature is also a big part in this various temperatures and amounts of rainfall all define what a biome is. So all of these biomes are located in. Mexico because in the regions more specifically in the regions where these biomes are located the climate and wildlife is just perfect enough for it to be classified as so.
LANDFORMS OF MEXICO
Valley- Caused by the presence of mountains, or erosion from rivers
Mountain- Caused by the lash of tectonic plates under the surface
Plateau- Caused by erosion from glaciers, or rising of magma beneath the surface
Desert- Caused by low annual rain averages, primarily due to climate conditions
Lake- Caused by low elevation areas that gather rain water
Peninsula- Present when water surrounds a piece of land on 3 sides
Gulf- Present when salt water is partly enclosed by land
Archipelagos- Originate from inactive volcanoes
Ocean- In prehistoric times, water vapor accumulated in the atmosphere. As Earth cooled, the water vapor became clouds that rained down and formed oceans.
Continent- Formed long ago, when the supercontinent Pangea slowly drifted apart into separate pieces
pictures of landforms are in order according to above definitions
Natural Disasters
Mexico is located in the hurricane belt, a prime location for storms.
Regions near the Gulf of Mexico, Tijuana, Tabasco, and all coastal areas are main locations for hurricanes and storms to hit.
Storms are more frequent from June to October, during the rainy season.
Several hurricanes strike every year, bringing high winds, heavy rain, and extensive damage.
Hurricane Hugo struck in 1988 and Hurricane Gilbert struck in 1989, both yielding incredible damage.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Presidencia de la República. 2004. Cuarto Informe de Gobierno. http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/
http://blog.syracuse.com/yourphotos/2006/11/index.html http://www.clicktraveltips.com/category/mexico/ http://www.johntoddjr.com/141%20Weather/weather1.htm