Mexico

D

Political Parties

The Partido Revolucionario Institucional (Institutional Revolutionary Party; PRI) is the largest and most important political party in Mexico. For 71 years after its establishment in 1929, it was continuously in power. Only in the 1980s did opposition parties begin to present a serious challenge to the PRI. Chief among them is the Partido Acción Nacional (National Action Party; PAN), a conservative, pro-Catholic group drawn primarily from the middle class, which formed the first non-PRI government in 2000. The Partido de la Revolución Democrática (the Revolutionary Democratic Party; PRD) is the third largest party.

E

Health and Welfare

Most public-health activities are administered by the Mexican health and welfare ministry. Diseases such as smallpox and cholera have been eliminated; however, a shortage of medical personnel exists in the rural areas, and population growth continues to outpace the installation of modern water and sewage systems. In 2004 there were 583 people for every doctor. Average life expectancy at birth in 2007 was 79 years for women, 73 years for men; the infant mortality rate was 20 deaths per 1,000 live births. The government spent 4.95 per cent of total expenditure on health care in 2000.

The Mexican Social Security Institute supervises welfare programmes, which are financed by contributions from the government, employers, and employees. Services include medical care for the poor, low-cost housing, and accident, illness, maternity, and old-age insurance. As part of an “Alliance for Economic Recovery”, an agreement reached by the government, trade unions, and business in 1995, the government agreed to increase unemployment benefits.

F

Defence

Military service in Mexico is voluntary, although men may be conscripted for a year’s part-time service. In 2004 the country maintained an army of 144,000 members, a navy of 37,000 members, and an air force of 11,770.

G

International Organizations

Mexico is a member of the United Nations (UN), the Organization of American States (OAS), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and NAFTA. A free trade agreement was signed with the European Union in 1999.

VI

History

Mexico was the site of some of the earliest and most advanced civilizations in the western hemisphere. There is evidence that a hunting people populated the area in 21,000 bc or earlier. Crop cultivation began around 8000 bc; squashes were probably the first produce. The first major Mesoamerican civilization was established by the Olmec, who flourished between about 1500 and 300 bc. The Maya culture, according to archaeological research, attained its greatest development about the 6th century ad. Another group, the warlike Toltec, migrated from the north and in the 10th century established an empire in the Valley of Mexico. They founded the cities of Tula and Tulancingo (north of present-day Mexico City) and developed a great civilization still evidenced by the ruins of magnificent buildings and monuments.