Mexico

Mexico is located in the southern part of North America. It is the 13th largest country in the world and the 10th most populous country with a population of nearly 130 million. The presence of man in Pre-Columbian Mexico dates back to 8000 BC. It was one of the six cradles of civilization in the world. The Mesoamerican region has been home to a number of intertwined civilizations, among them the Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihuacan and Purpecha. The Aztecs had dominated the region in the century prior to European contact. In terms of biodiversity, Mexico ranks fourth in the world and is among the 17 megadiverse countries. With more than 200 000 species, it is home to 10-12% of the biodiversity in the world. In terms of biodiversity, Mexico ranks first in the world for reptiles with 707 known species, second for mammals with 438 species, fourth for amphibians with 290 species and fourth for flora with 26 000 different species. Mexico has 170,000 square kilometers of Protected Natural Areas, including 34 biosphere reserves, 67 national parks, 4 natural monuments, 26 protected flora and fauna areas, 4 natural resource reserves and 17 sanctuaries. Mexico's diverse fauna is particularly remarkable in the southern selvas. The Gulf Coast and Chiapas Highlands rainforests and the semi-deciduous forests of the Pacific coast are home to monkeys, parrots, jaguars, tapirs, anteaters and other tropical species. While rabbits, snakes and armadillos are abundant in deserts and steppes, deer, coyotes and pumas are mainly found in remote or mountainous areas.