a republic in North America, on the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific: early Mexican history includes the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec civilizations; conquered by the Spanish between 1519 and 1525 and achieved independence in 1821; lost Texas to the US in 1836 and California and New Mexico in 1848. It is generally mountainous with three ranges of the Sierra Madre (east, west, and south) and a large central plateau. Official language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: peso. Capital: Mexico City. Pop: 129 163 276 (2017 est). Area: 1 967 183 sq km (761 530 sq miles)

a state of Mexico, on the central plateau surrounding Mexico City, which is not administratively part of the state. Capital: Toluca. Pop: 13 096 686 (2000). Area: 21 460 sq km (8287 sq miles)

country in North America, south of the U.S.: 759,529 sq mi (1,967,173 sq km); pop. 81,250,000; cap. Mexico City

state of SC Mexico: 8,286 sq mi (21,461 sq km); pop. 9,816,000; cap. Toluca

Gulf ofarm of the Atlantic, east of Mexico & south of the U.S.: c. 700,000 sq mi (1,812,993 sq km)