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11 Awesome Things About Mexico That Don't Get The Attention They Deserve

11 Awesome Things About Mexico That Don't Get The Attention They Deserve
Roque Planas

In honor of Mexico's Independence Day we're revisiting a post we originally published in May 2013.

Mexico gets a bad rap. The mainstream media, with its bias for bad news, gives the impression that Mexico is a violence-ridden narcotocracy. Many of the more strident voices in the contentious immigration debate paint Mexicans themselves as poor and desperate.

These stereotypes don't mesh well with reality. Mexico, in fact, is the second-largest economy in Latin America, with a growing middle class. The drug war that has left some 70,000 people dead is no doubt a tragedy, but Mexico's homicide rate isn't high by regional standards.

In fact, there's a lot of positive developments and historical context that often get left out of media coverage, with its steady drumbeat of drug war assassinations.

Mexico creates jobs
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Our southern neighbor buys more of our products than any country other than Canada. Some 6 million U.S. jobs depend on trade with Mexico, according to the Wilson Center's Mexico Institute.
Mexico's economy is growing
Flickr:Gobierno de Aguascalientes
Despite the common conception in the United States that Mexico is a poor country, Mexico's economy is growing faster than its northern neighbor's -- 3.9 percent compared to 1.7 percent in 2011, according to the UK Independent.
Mexico has more professional elections than the United States
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According to Robert A. Pastor, a professor and co-director of the Center for Democracy and Election Management at American University who has observed Mexican elections since 1986, the Mexican system is more professional, non-partisan and independent than the American one.
Mexico gave us chocolate
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Along with corn, avocados, chili peppers, tequila and many other awesome foods.
Mexico has amazing cultural diversity
AP
While Mexico may be the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, that's not the only language spoken in the country. More than 60 indigenous languages are spoken in Mexico.
It's the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world
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With a population of 112 million, Mexico is the country with the most Spanish speakers in the world.
Mexico City is massive
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If size impresses you, you’ll probably admire Mexico City. With around 20.5 million inhabitants, it sits among the world’s largest cities. And it’s massiveness has a long history -- when the Spanish arrived in the sixteenth century in Tenochtitlán, the heart of the Aztec empire where Mexico City currently stands, it may have been the largest urban area in the world.
Mexico has awesome tourism
AP
Beaches? Ancient ruins? Mountains? Cultural diversity? Awesome food? Mexico's got it all.
It's not as violent as you may think
Flickr:Lee Edwin Coursey
As we’ve pointed out before, Mexico's murder rate isn't particularly high by Latin American standards. Mexico had a murder rate of 23.7 per 100,000 residents in 2011, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. That's about equal to Brazil's and roughly half as high as Detroit. Plenty of places in the region have higher murder rates -- including Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Jamaica.
Mexico has a thriving film industry
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Many Americans are already familiar with crossover successes like Gael García Bernal, Salma Hayek and director Guillermo del Toro. But those stars account for just a small fraction of a booming industry.
Home to some of the oldest civilizations of the Americas
AP
Mexico's first major civilization, the Olmecs, established themselves by around 1200 BC.

Before You Go

Higher GDP growth

5 Ways Mexico Outperforms The U.S.

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