The capital of Mexico, Mexico City is one of the oldest cities in North America and one of the largest cities in the world. Mexico City sits on the bottom of an ancient dried-up lake. The city is about 7,350 feet (2,240 meters) above sea level and surrounded by mountains. Nearby are two volcanoes that can only be seen from the city on days when wind has cleared out the pollution. Mexico City has a very bad pollution problem because the mountains around the city act as walls and block in dust and smog. Despite this pollution, however, Mexico City is visited by many tourists each year who want to see the important cultural buildings and attractions in the city.

Places of interest

The plaza known as the Zócalo is the center of the city. Some of Mexico's great buildings, including the National Palace, City Hall, and the Metropolitan Cathedral, surround the plaza. The cathedral was begun in the late 16th century by the Spaniards. The cathedral is slowly sinking because it was built on unstable ground. Builders continue to struggle to correct this problem.

The Alameda Central, a park, is west of the Zócalo. Near this large park is the Palace of Fine Arts. A few blocks away is the Monument to the Revolution, which houses the tombs of heroes of the Mexican Revolution. Near the monument is the Paseo de la Reforma. This wide street is lined with trees and gardens. It leads to Chapultepec Park, which is wooded and hilly. The park has a zoo, an amusement park, a castle, museums, gardens, lakes, and fountains.

The Zona Rosa (Pink Zone), with its hotels, shops, and restaurants, is one of Mexico City's main tourist and entertainment areas. At the southeastern tip of the city lies a small town called Xochimilco. It is a popular tourist attraction because of its chinampas, or floating gardens. These are rafts made out of reeds on which plants and flowers are grown. Brightly colored boats called trajineras (gondolas) are available for visitors to ride.

People and culture

Two main groups of people live in Mexico City. People known as mestizos are of mixed European and Indian descent. People called criollos can trace their family back to Europeans only. In addition, many Indians moved to the city from the countryside in the late 20th century. Most of the population of the city is Christian, and the vast majority is Roman Catholic. There is also a small but important Jewish community.

Mexico City has always been one of the main cultural centers of Latin America, and much of the culture there is uniquely Mexican. For example, in the Plaza Garibaldi, mariachi bands perform traditional songs. The Palace of Fine Arts is the home of the famous Mexican Ballet Folklórico, which is known for its colorful costumes as well as its dancing.

Art can be seen all over the city. Large murals painted by Diego Rivera are displayed in the National Palace and other government buildings around the Zócalo. In addition, there is a museum dedicated to the art of Frida Kahlo, Rivera's wife, located in her former house in a quiet neighborhood about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the Zócalo.

The most popular sports in the city are soccer and bullfighting. The Plaza México bullring is the largest in the world. The National Museum of Anthropology is one of the best in the world. On display there is a large Aztec sun calendar.

Economy

Because Mexico City is the capital of Mexico, it is an important economic center for the country. Industry, retail stores, finance, and communications are all centered there. In addition, banking, construction, and tourism are also very important to the city's economy. The city's products include chemicals, plastics, cement, yarns, and textiles. Mexico City has a large gap between the rich and poor. Some people have high-paying jobs working for large corporations while many others work as vendors in the street selling everything from food and gum to clothes and crafts.

History

The Aztec Indians founded a city on the site of modern-day Mexico City in the 14th century. They believed that they received a sign from their god Huitzilopochtli when they saw an eagle perched on a cactus eating a serpent. The eagle was on an island in Lake Texcoco. On that island they founded the city they called Tenochtitlán. The city grew rapidly and was the center of the Aztec's great empire. By the beginning of the 16th century, this empire covered northern Mexico all the way to Guatemala.

In 1519, Aztec culture was forever changed when the Spaniards arrived. Led by Hernán Cortés, the Spaniards fought a war against the Aztec. Because the Spaniards had better weapons, Cortés and his army took over Tenochtitlán by 1521. They quickly destroyed the Aztec city and built a Spanish city in its place. It soon became the most important city of the Americas. For the next three centuries, however, many people fought to end Spanish rule in Mexico.

Finally, in 1821, the Spanish left, and the government of the new country of Mexico became centered in Mexico City. In the early 20th century the city was the site of fighting during the Mexican Revolution. After the revolution ended in 1917 improvements were made to the city and new buildings were built. The city continued to grow through much of the 20th century. However, an earthquake shook Mexico City in 1985, destroying many buildings and killing thousands of people. The buildings were rebuilt, but Mexico City's economy continued to struggle for many years. Population (2000 estimate), 8,591,300.