Mexico is a rather large South American state, which is characterized by a long history of its existence and a very powerful economic potential, which has not been fully disclosed to this day. In this regard, the article will examine in detail the industry of Mexico and its features.
Historical basis
Agriculture is the real stronghold and foundation of the economy of this Latin American country. The natural conditions for the development of Mexico's industry allow it to fully engage in the extraction of various minerals on its territory, but since the time of the Aztecs, land cultivation has staked out a dominant position in the development of the state.
From ancient times, the Aztecs created artificial islands called chinamps. In these areas, ancient farmers harvested up to seven crops a year, and they cultivated grain and various garden crops on them. At the same time , cocoa beans, which were sometimes used as a bargaining chip to pay for services and goods, were considered a rarity.
The era of modernity
And in our time, natural resources for the development of Mexico's industry are drawn, as they say, directly from the earth. So, still in agriculture, the leading position is crop production. Most Mexicans grow soybeans, beans, fruits, tomatoes, rice, corn and beans. An impressive portion of fruits and coffee is exported to other countries. In the coastal zones of the state fishermen are actively working.
In general, agriculture fully covers the needs of the local population for products of this kind. The bulk of rural production is concentrated on small private farms. At the same time, 6.1 million hectares of all sown areas were provided with artificial irrigation.
Sugarcane is grown in large enough quantities - about 42 million tons per year. Pineapples, citrus fruits, avocados, mangoes, vegetables, and peanuts are shipped abroad in large quantities.
Livestock
The main direction is cattle breeding, which is carried out mainly in the central and northern regions of the country. A rather large percentage of the population is exported. In the Gulf of Mexico, a zebu breed is bred. In addition, there are millions of heads of sheep, goats, pigs, mules and horses.
Forestry
Studying the industry of Mexico, one can not help but point out that the main forests are concentrated in the Western Sierra Madra and the southeast. The timber is harvested in the amount of 7.5 million cubic meters. meters per year. The state is rich in valuable species of red trees.
Textile industry
Mexico's light industry is most concentrated in the area of Puebla - Orisaba - Cordoba, as well as in Mexico City and Guadalajara. In this area of the national economy, most of them are medium and small enterprises, which employ a small number of personnel. The country is famous all over the world for its medium-fiber cotton, on the basis of which very high-quality fabrics are produced. In terms of the production of denim, Mexico is firmly holding the fourth position on the planet.
Engineering
The specialization of industry in Mexico is such that the production of various equipment is now gaining momentum. So, in particular, there are 39 factories in the country that produce cars of various classes and buses. They also assemble televisions, microwave ovens, refrigerators, and automatic washing machines. But the most interesting thing is that recently, Mexico is included in a cohort of countries - the largest exporters of computer equipment. Railway cars, machine tools, and agricultural equipment are produced in the state.
Aerospace industry
The country is assembling airliners of foreign companies, as well as the release of control systems. Many enterprises in the country began to master the creation of helicopters and commercial jets. The local company, Aeromarmi, produces light propeller aircraft, while Hydra Technology is developing unmanned aerial vehicles. What is important is that Mexico has its own television satellite in the geostationary orbit of the Earth.
Oil industry
The specialization of Mexico's industry is oil refining and its extraction. In the state, over 90% of oil extraction from the bowels is carried out within the framework of a state company called Petroleos Mexicanos.
In the mid-1970s, the country became one of the world leaders in the sale and production of oil. However, after 10 years, there was a sharp drop in oil prices on the world market, and Mexico became a big debtor, which led to the default on external debts in 1982. As a result, the government leadership was forced to allow private investors into the industry, which gave impetus to its development. Today, the petrochemical sector, by its very nature, consists of 15 branches, among which are the pharmaceutical sector and the production of plastics. By the way, the specialization of industry in Mexico and Canada is almost the same, since the North American country also has oil production at the base of its economy.
Gas production
Despite the fact that Mexico has its own gas reserves of 13.2 trillion cubic meters. feet, this volume is not enough for her, and she is forced to import it. The main supplier of gas to the country are the United States. Almost 60% of the country's gas is produced in the north and south of the Mexican territory. The state also has two large liquefied natural gas terminals.
Metallurgy
Mexico's industry in this area is very powerfully developed. The complex of enterprises in this industry is concentrated in the northern part of the country, which has rich deposits of non-ferrous metals and iron ore. Metallurgical enterprises provide the internal needs of the state completely and a significant part of the products is exported. Non-ferrous metallurgy plants are based in Mexico City and Veracruz.
Mining
When considering Mexican industries , it is worth paying attention to and mining of various ores. The country takes first place in the world in the extraction of silver from the bowels (2368 tons). In addition, iron ore, copper, zinc, cadmium, manganese, antimony, and mercury are mined in a fairly large amount. Gold, tungsten, molybdenum, uranium, and high-quality coal are extracted in slightly smaller volumes. Almost half of all sulfur reserves on the American continent are located in Mexico.
Food products
The industry is represented by the production of tortillas and flour. A stable and large-scale production of coffee, sugar, and alcoholic beverages has also been established. Almost all food products are produced in the country by multinational companies.
Energy sector
Mexico in total produces about 32 thousand megawatts. At the same time, half of all electricity is supplied to thermal stations operating on coal, oil, and gas. A third of the electricity is produced by hydroelectric power plants and only 3% is owned by geothermal stations. Nuclear energy accounts for only 2% of the generated electricity.
Interesting Facts
Mexico is the second country in the world to produce a drink called Coca-Cola. The country concentrated 54 manufacturing plants on its territory.
Mexico is the third country on the planet that does not have a budget deficit, but at the same time has a low standard of living, forcing people to migrate to the United States.