Physical Geography of Mexico

Physical Geography of Mexico

Mexico's landscape consists mainly of highlands and coastal plains.

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Physical Features

Mexico is our neighbor to the south. Forming the border between the United States and Mexico is the Rio Bravo. In the United States it is known as the Rio Grande

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Bodies of Water

Mexico is Mostly surrounded by water. In the west is the Pacific Ocean. Stretching south into the Pacific Ocean from Northern Mexico is

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Bodies of Water

Stretching south into the Pacific Ocean from Northern Mexico is a narrow peninsula, or piece of land surrounded on three sides by water, called Baja California.

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Bodies of Water

To the east, Mexico's border is the Gulf of Mexico.

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Bodies of Water

The Gulf of Mexico is separated from the Caribbean Sea by a part of Mexico called the Yucata'n Peninsula.

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Bodies of Water

​Much of the interior landscapen of Mexico consists of a high, mostly rugged region call the Mexican Plateau.

Plateaus and Mountains

This plateau spreads between two mountain ranges. One range, the Sierra Madre Oriental, lies in the east.

Plateaus and Mountains

The other range, The Sierra Madre Occidental, lies in the west.

Plateaus and Mountains

Together, these two mountain ranges and another shorter one in southern Mexico make up the Sierra Madre or "Mother Range".

Plateaus and Mountains

Between the two ranges in the south lies the Valley of Mexico, Mexico City, the country's capital is located in this valley.

Plateaus and Mountains

The Mountains south of Mexico City include towering, snow-capped volcanoes. The volcano Popocatépetl has been active as recently at 2010.

Plateaus and Mountains

Volcanic Ash has created a rich soil for farming in Mexico.

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Plateaus and Mountains

​From the highlands in Central Mexico the land slopes down to the coasts.

Coastal Lowlands

​Beautiful, sunny beaches stretch all along Mexico's eastern and western coasts.

Coastal Lowlands

​#8 and #12 are Gulf Coast Plains. This area of land is wide and flat. The soils and climate are good for farming

Coastal Lowlands

​#15 is the Yucatán Peninsula. Limestone rock underlies much of this area. Erosion there has created caves and sinkholes (steep-sided depressions that form then the roof of the cave collapses)

Coastal Lowlands

​Cave divers in the Yucatan Peninsula

Coastal Lowlands

Check What You Know

Open Ended

What are Mexico's three major physical features?

Open Ended

Identify the three major bodies of water that surround Mexico.

Open Ended

The river that serves as a border between Mexico and the United States is known as ___ __________ in Mexico.

Multiple Choice

The Yucatan Peninsula separates the Gulf of Mexico from the ____________ ___

• Pacific Ocean

• Caribbean Sea

• Mexican Sea

Multiple Choice

Which body of water is located on the west coast of Mexico?

• Pacific Ocean

• Gulf of Mexico

• Caribbean Sea

Multiple Choice

The interior landscape of Mexico consists of high, rugged regions called the

• Low land coastal plains

• Sierra Madre Mountain Range

• Mexican Plateau