Endless beaches and ancient stone temples breaching the jungle canopy is only one stroke of the diverse and colorful painting that is Mexico. Each city and local community has its own unique personality that builds on local influences and diverse cultures from the Olmec civilization to the Spanish Empire. Spanning arid deserts and tropical jungles home to ancient cave drawings and festivals that captivate audiences worldwide, the best way to understand Mexico’s bounty is to step in and experience it firsthand.

Transport yourself to another world by celebrating indigenous cultures and exploring natural wonders from Tijuana to the Yucatán Peninsula. Whether embracing the traditions of Día de los Muertos with local residents or swimming alongside your family in a cenote’s shimmering waters, Mexico’s diversity knows no bounds.

• Official Name: Estados Unidos Mexicanos — United States of Mexico
• Population: 124,574,795 (11th in the world)
• Language: Spanish
• Capital: Mexico City
• Currency: Mexican Peso
• Total Size: 758,449.4 sq mi (15th in the world)
• Coastline: 5,797.4 miles
• Major Cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana, Puebla

Known as Tlachihualtepetl (“man-made mountain”), the Great Pyramid of Cholula is the largest monument ever constructed. The pyramid — with a base four times larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza — has been covered in vegetation for over a thousand years and is the oldest continually-occupied building on the continent thanks to the Church constructed upon its peak. First constructed in 200 BCE, the pyramid’s origins remain a mystery. 

The National Autonomous University of Mexico — established by Charles V of Spain in 1551 — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Mexico City and the oldest university in North America. 

The Aztec language of Nahuatl is still spoken by approximately 1.7 million people worldwide and is the root of many English names for foods including chocolate (cacahuatl), avocado (āhuacatl), tomato (tomatl), chili (chīlli) and chipotle (a combination of chīlli and pōctli, meaning “smoked”). 

In 2016, Mexico City set out on an unprecedented experiment to crowdsource the city’s first-ever constitution. Using the platform change.org, 340 petitions received a combined total of more than 275,000 signatures — this project resulted in a collaborative constitution that was drafted with the input of the public. In pursuit of making Mexico City a better home for all of its residents, the government created the experimental Laboratory for the City (Laboratorio para la Ciudad). This new office’s goal is to turn the city into an open-air laboratory via public innovation to create a more open, imaginative and livable city.