Exam topic 7 of 10
Mexican geography, for the naturalization exam.
The numbers, the extremes and the names. Geography questions are the most literal on the exam, which makes them the most learnable.
What this topic gets asked about
Borders, seas, the largest and smallest of everything, and the states most likely to be named. If you learn the state capitals for nothing else, learn the ones below.
Mexico has 32 federative entities: 31 states and Mexico City.
It borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast.
Its coasts are on the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California to the west, and the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
The largest state by area is Chihuahua; the smallest is Tlaxcala. Mexico City is the smallest federative entity.
The highest mountain is the Pico de Orizaba, also called Citlaltépetl, on the border of Veracruz and Puebla, at about 5,600 metres.
The Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes stand between the State of Mexico, Puebla and Morelos. Popocatépetl is active.
The longest river is the Bravo — the Río Grande — which forms much of the border with the United States. The Grijalva-Usumacinta system in the southeast carries the most water.
The Sierra Madre Occidental, the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre del Sur are the three great mountain ranges.
The Tropic of Cancer crosses the country, which is why the north is largely arid and the south tropical.
The Yucatán Peninsula is flat limestone with no surface rivers; its water runs underground and surfaces in cenotes.
The Baja California Peninsula is separated from the mainland by the Gulf of California, also called the Sea of Cortés.
State capitals worth knowing: Jalisco — Guadalajara, Nuevo León — Monterrey, Yucatán — Mérida, Puebla — Puebla de Zaragoza, Oaxaca — Oaxaca de Juárez, Michoacán — Morelia, Guanajuato — Guanajuato, Chiapas — Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Veracruz — Xalapa, Hidalgo — Pachuca.
The most populous states are the State of Mexico and Mexico City and its surroundings; Mexico’s population is over 120 million.
Mexico is one of the world’s megadiverse countries, with a large share of global species.
Cozumel is the largest inhabited island, and Chichén Itzá, Teotihuacan and the historic centre of Mexico City are among its UNESCO World Heritage sites.
A practice question from this topic
In Spanish, like the real exam. Open the answer to read the Contexto, or pick an option first.
Question 1 of 1 · Geography
¿En qué estado se encuentra El Tajín?
Show the answer
Answer
Veracruz
Contexto
Estado del Golfo de México; se asocia con el son jarocho, El Tajín y el histórico puerto de Veracruz.
The other 626, with an explanation each.
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Questions people ask
Which countries border Mexico?
The United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast. Three in total.
What is the highest point in Mexico?
The Pico de Orizaba, or Citlaltépetl, on the Veracruz–Puebla border.
Do I need to learn all 32 capitals?
It helps, but the exam draws on the better-known ones. Start with the ten listed above and add the rest if you have time.