Mexico

Mexico (in Spanish officially México, Distrito Federal abbreviated México, DF, and generally ciudad de México, literally: Mexico City) is the capital and the most populous city in Mexico. It is located in the center of the country, in the Valley of Mexico, a plateau at an altitude of 2400 meters which is surrounded by mountains that overlook more than 5,000 feet above the average level of the sea.

It is often referred to as the official name Distrito Federal (DF, Distrito Federal) to avoid confusion with the country of the same name in Spanish or with the State of Mexico contiguous it is not also part.

The word "Mexican" is already used to refer to the natives, the French language does not have a gentile to designate the inhabitants of Mexico City. Spanish are used defeño (DF) or Capitalino (the capital), while mexicano (Mexican) is reserved for the country and mexiquense the State of Mexico. Mexicans across the country nicknamed the people of Mexico pejoratively chilangos while residents of the Federal District are using this word without pejorative intent.

Founded in the early fourteenth century by the Mexica (Aztecs), the pre-Columbian city of Tenochtitlan was completely destroyed by the Spanish conquerors in the early sixteenth century. This community has become, with an approximate 20 million population inhabitants4, the fourth in the world after Tokyo, Delhi and Shanghai. Political, economic and cultural center of Mexico, Mexico City is one of the most dynamic cities in Latin America. Nevertheless, it must deal with the typical problems of megacities in emerging markets: the population explosion, the saturation of roads, crime and corruption.

Mexico City is located in central Mexico. It extends over the territory of the Federal District is divided into 24 districts and with 43 million in 20005; The Federal District is not completely urbanized. It is surrounded by the states of Mexico and Morelos. Mexicans also distinguished several geographic features that go well beyond the limits of Mexico City proper:

Zona Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México (ZMCM): 16 boroughs (delegaciones) and 40 municipalities (municipios) of 4986 km ²
Zona Metropolitana del Valle de México (ZMVM): 58 km ² Commons 7815
the Megalopolis del Centro de México (MCM): 249 municipalities associated with Zonas Metropolitanas Cuernavaca-Cuautla, Pachuca, Puebla-Tlaxcala and Toluca on 9763 square kilometers
The urban area of Mexico City, the third most populous in the world, spans 60 km / 100 km [What?] About.

Mexico has a temperate climate and altitude (Cwb according to Koppen's classification). Although located in the tropics, the average annual temperature is moderated by the effects of altitude. Winter is rather dry, spring is the hottest season and summer is the rainy season (June to September). The prevailing winds blow from the north-northeast. The lowest areas receive less rainfall than the southern part. The southern regions of Tlalpan and Milpa Alta (es), located in the mountain Ajusco (es) have a vegetation of conifers and oaks.

The earthquake of 19 September 1985 that shook the Mexican capital, with a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale, lasted two minutes. With his answer, which took place the next day (7.5 on the Richter scale), he made between 0005 and 50 000 10 morts9. Eighty-one hundred to twelve buildings were completely destroyed and 5 000-9 000 buildings were endommagés5 and there are still many sequels, such as abandoned buildings around the Alameda Park. The damage is concentrated in the central districts, an area of ​​40 km2 (4% of the urbanized area in 1980). Several districts have even been without electricity for several days. The government district, among others, has been severely affected. Part of the building collapsed telecommunications. More than 100,000 homes were destroyed, especially in buildings with more than six étages5. The earthquake was considered by some Mexicans as a divine5 punishment. Its epicenter was 400 km from Mexico5.

The earthquake of 20 March 2012 (en), with a magnitude of 7.4, with the epicenter located on the border between the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, is the strongest earthquake felt in Mexico City since 1985. occurred at noon, it triggers a sharp panic, but still controlled. All buildings were evacuated, including Parliament, then in full session.10. The earthquake had a dozen wounded in the Federal District and hundreds of homes were touchées11. A replica was felt April 2, 2012.

Mexico City deploys seismic detectors to prevent the arrival of an earthquake a few minutes before it started, through mobiles12 phones. Mexico is threatened by a seismic gap which originates in Guerrero, close to the original quake zone 2012 This area between the coast and Mexico City is the subject of a research program and is equipped with GPS stations measures installed by researchers from UNAM and CNRS13,14.