Yet there is much more to learn about the cultural and environmental variety of Mexico. A few more aspects of Mexico that you almost surely were not aware of will be revealed by the following list of 10 surprising facts about Mexico.
1 - In Mexico, 69 different languages are spoken.
Mexico now ranks among the nations with the greatest linguistic variety. There really are 69 indigenous languages in addition to Spanish, some of which are Nahuatl, Mixteco, and Otomi. Mexico boasts the highest diversity of indigenous languages on the American continent. Similar to Spanish, the indigenous languages are recognize as national languages.
2 - The real name of Mexico is not Mexico.
The United Mexican States is the nation's full legal name. A republic where the three arms of government are combined: the executive, judicial, and legislative. It is made up of 32 governmental entities, including Mexico City, where the three union powers are located and which serves as the nation's capital.
3 - Christmas presents aren't given to Mexican children on December 25.
Christmas presents are given to Mexican children on January 6. Mexico celebrates the day the Three Wise Men visited to present gifts to Jesus, not the day of his birth. When Jesus receives gifts, everyone does too!
4 - Mexico invented color television.
The creator of color television, Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena, was raised in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. The first color image transmission system was invented by a 23-year-old in 1940, and it was later used in the Voyager 1 spacecraft.
5 - It was the place where North American prints were created.
Mexico was the center of North American literature long before phones and the internet were taken for granted. Mexico City used the printing press first across all of North America in 1539. Even the house where it was used is accessible.
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6 - The meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs struck Mexico.
The asteroid responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs approximately 65 million years ago hit the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. There was a 180 square meter crater that was more than 600 meters deep. The crater was found by PEMEX employees in 1981 while they were drilling an oil well.
7 - You can eat spiders, crickets, or even scorpions.
Spiders, crickets, or even scorpions are all available for purchase to serve as dinner in any market in Mexico. Some people find this scary, but foodies who are willing to take a chance can find some delicious fare in these marketplaces, along with other creepy items.
8 - Mexico City is sinking year after year.
The oldest and highest-elevation city in North America is Mexico City. Not only that, though. Additionally, Tenochtitlán, a significant Aztec city on a lake, is built upon its remains. However, after the Spanish had a taste of the labor-intensive effort required to preserve their aquatic existence, they insisted on draining the lakebed, unlike the Aztecs, who built complex networks of dikes and canals for flood control. As a result of pumps drawing water out of the ground for the city's expanding population, Mexico City is sinking at a rate of 6 to 8 inches each year.
9 - Mexico welcomes LGBTQ+ people.
Both same-sex weddings and same-sex adoptions are permitted for Mexican citizens! Mexico used to lean conservative due to its close ties to the Roman Catholic Church, but societal attitudes have changed, and the country is now actively marketing itself as a gay-friendly vacation spot, with Mexico City as the front-runner.
10 - In Mexico, there are no private beaches.
In Mexico, it is legal to visit any beach. Owners of coastal property are not permitted to obstruct public access to the beach or erect any permanent structures within 20 meters of the high tide line.