Paquete de Bienvenida

La beca Fulbright-García Robles y tu estancia en México

Comisión México - Estados Unidos para el Intercambio Educativo y Cultural

English Teaching Assistantship

México, D.F. 2012 Índice de Contenidos

I. Comisión México-Estados Unidos para el Intercambio Educativo y Cultural a. What is COMEXUS? b. Programas de beca Fulbright-García Robles c. Estadísticas básicas d. Staff distribution e. Mundo organizacional

II. Programa Fulbright a. What it means to be a “Fulbrighter” b. Asociación de Exbecarios Fulbright, EUA c. Fulbright Program Fact Sheet

III. Información Cultural a. Welcome to Mexico b. Mexico City and tourist information c. Mexico Fact Sheet

IV. Información General a. Teléfonos de emergencia b. Tabla de conversión de medidas c. Comparative Chart of U.S. and Mexican Educational Systems d. The Grading System in Mexico e. ¿Como hacer una llamada telefónica? f. Mensajería y paquetería local, nacional e internacional g. Librerías en México h. Lista parcial de acervos, archivos y bibliotecas en el Distrito Federal i. Aerolíneas y autobuses j. Días de descanso obligatorios y días festivos

What is COMEXUS?

The U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange, COMEXUS, was founded on November 27, 1990, in Monterrey, Nuevo León, by means of a bilateral agreement, signed before the presidents of both countries.

The goal of the Commission consists of promoting mutual understanding between Mexico and the U nited S tates b y m eans of educational a nd c ultural e xchanges. In ord er t o a chieve t his goal, COMEXUS offers d istinct s cholarship p rograms f or s tudents, r esearchers, u niversity professors, public school teachers and administrators, and professionals of both countries.

The Commission is a Mexican non-profit organization that receives its funding from both the U.S. and Mexican governments. Additionally, the Commission is managed by a Board of Directors made up of five Mexican citizens and five United States citizens. Within each group of f ive, t wo a re p ublic s ervants a nd t he r emainder a re representatives of t he p rivate s ector and academia.

The U nited S tates g overnment’s f lagship a cademic e xchange p rogram w as e stablished in 1946, t hanks to t he i nitiative o f th en Ar kansas Se nator, J. W illiam Fulbright. So on a fter, it became known worldwide as t he “Fulbright Program.” U nder an agreement b y t he Board o f Directors in January of 1992, all of the Commission’s sch olarship programs financed by both governments from this date on were to be henceforth named “Fulbright-García Robles,” thus incorporating t he s urnames of M exican A mbassador Em eritus a nd N obel P eace Prize w inner, Alfonso García Robles.

Programas de Beca Fulbright-García Robles

Mexicanos Estadounidenses

- Beca de Posgrado - Todas las disciplinas - Beca de Posgrado para - Iniciativa de Políticas Públicas Estudiantes de los Pueblos Estudiantes - Estudiantes de Posgrado Indígenas de México - Negocios Binacionales - Ciencia y Tecnología - Fulbright-Hays - Iniciativa de Políticas Públicas

- Todas las disciplinas - TEFL - Académicos de la Frontera - Investigadores - Fulbright Carlos Rico Award for - Tesis Doctorales North American Studies Investigación y - Hubert H. Humphrey - Alumni Initiative Award Docencia - Profesores Visitantes - Fulbright-Hays - Distinguished Fulbright Award in - Fulbright Specialist Teaching - Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching

- Intercambio de Maestros - Intercambio de Maestros - Asistente de Lengua Extranjera Intercambio de - Asistente de Lengua Extranjera - Seminario de Verano Fulbright- Maestros Hays

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U.S. – MEXICO COMMISSION FOR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE Staff Distribution

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT TO E.D. Hazel Blackmore Julie Jack María Elena Méndez González Victoria E. Hernández Uralde ● Strategic Planning ● Board Meeting ● Fundraising Campaign ● Assists Executive Director ● General Management ●Materials Statistics ● Alumni Association ● Visas MX and US grantees ● Fundraising ● Binational Business Program ● Hubert H. Humphrey ● Building Administration ● Workshops for indigenous ● Human Resources students. ● General support to FB Programs

TEACHER EXCHANGE AND FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION US GRANTEES MEXICAN GRANTEES MEXICAN RESEARCHERS Francisco J. Soto Solano Esther Mendoza Ramos Marcela Cruz Caballero Claudia González

● Accounting Systems ● US Students, All Disciplines ● Faculty Development ● Teacher Exchange Program ● Banking Systems (US & MX) ● Graduate Degree Program (LASPAU) ● Foreign Language Teaching ● Budget Management ● Public Policy Initiative ● Regional Competition Assistants ● Auditing ● US Scholars, All Disciplines ● Selection / Interview ● English Teaching Assistants ● Fulbright-Carlos Processes ● Distinguished Fulbright Rico Award North for American ● Scholars in Residence Award in Teaching ●Studies Fulbright Hays Programs ● Fulbright Specialist ● Enrichment Activities

MEXICAN GRANTEES PROMOTION AND MEXICAN GRANTEES ASSISTANTS PROGRAM ASSISTANTS

Michelle Ceballos García Tania Miranda Rueda Marcelino López Romano

● Open Competition ● Promotion ● Messenger ● Public Policy Initiative ● Assistant to the ● Driver Diego Angeles ● Science & Technology Development Office ● Procedures INM ● Researchers Gabriela Maldonado Rosalia Muñoz ● Reception Area ● Update of alumni & promotion databases

PART TIME STAFF ACCOUNTANT and FULBRIGHT-HAYS SUMMER SEMINAR ASSISTANT: Alejandra Páramo FULBRIGHT-HAYS SUMMER SEMINAR : Jacques Paire SUMMER TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS IN US AND MEXICO : Lucas Medina COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND WEB DESIGN : Yvette Fanghanel Mundo Organizacional de COMEXUS

US State Department

Consejo Directivo Secretary for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs

Educational & Cultural Affairs SRE SEP Office of Academic Office of Global Exchange Programs Educational Programs en México en Asuntos Culturales Agregado Cultural Embajada EUA de

Direcciónde General Foreign Direcciónde General Scholarship Relaciones Internacionales Board

Western Hemisphere Teacher Exchange Programs Branch Program Dirección Ejecutiva COMEXUS Cooperating Agencies

US Department of Agriculture IIE CIES LASPAU Graduate School

US Universities

What It Means To Be A “Fulbrighter”

“Fostering these - leadership, learning, and empathy between cultures - was and remains the purpose of the international scholarship program ... It is a modest program with an immodest aim - the achievement in international affairs of a regime more civilized, rational and humane than the empty system of power of the past...” (Senator J. William Fulbright)

Becoming a Fulbrighter means you have joined a very special group of more than 250,000 alumni in approximately 140 countries who, since 1946, have become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEO’s, university presidents, journalists, artists, and especially professors and teachers who have influenced thousands of others. You have been awarded a Fulbright grant not only for your academic and/or professional excellence but because of your leadership potential. While each grantee has a specific teaching, research or professional project to pursue, it is important to recognize that all Fulbrighters ultimately promote mutual understanding and respect between the United States and other nations. In this sense, Fulbrighters are “cultural ambassadors” to their host countries and active and involved members of their communities upon returning home. Here are some ways to enrich your Fulbright experience:

In the host country, Fulbrighters: • Meet as many people as possible in all walks of life by speaking and writing about their countries to interested groups. • Participate in a broad range of social and community activities in addition to pursuing their academic or professional objectives. • Continue to learn about the history and culture of their host countries.

Upon returning home, Fulbrighters: • Speak and write about their Fulbright experience as widely as possible. • Support the Fulbright Program in their countries through various activities such as becoming involved with alumni activities, serving on selection committees, and hosting visiting Fulbrighters.

Becoming a Fulbrighter is a life long commitment!

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Washington D.C. 20547

666 11th Street, NW, Suite 525, Washington, DC 20001 (202) 347-5543 FAX (202) 347-6540 http://www.fulbright.org E-mail: [email protected]

FOUDIG HOORARY CHAIRMA J. William Fulbright EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jane L. Anderson, CAE BOARD OF DIRECTORS President R. Fenton-May Atlanta, GA Vice President Katherine E. White Wayne State University Law School, MI Secretary Marilyn Berg Callander Lebanon, NJ Treasurer Dolores F. Rinke Purdue University, IN Kirsten J. Aoyama University of Washington John F. Ausura Capital Resolution, Inc., NC Cynthia A. Baldwin The State Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Miguel A. Bretos Smithsonian Institution, DC Terri Brooks New York University Medical Center, NY Mark F. Brzezinski McGuireWoods LLP, DC Rep. Tom Cole 4th District, OK Todd Flynn Blue Bridge Management Corporation, CA Ivan K. Fong Cardinal Health, Inc., OH Alison L. Gardy 92nd Street Y, NY Patricia Krebs King, LeBlanc & Bland, LA Robert Lemelson Foundation for Psychocultural Research, CA University of California, Los Angeles Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann Wells Fargo, CA Maria E. Martin Antiqua, Guatemala H. Andrea Neves Sonoma State University, CA Philip A. Odeen McLean, VA Hoyt Purvis University of Arkansas Wadie E. Said New York, NY Yvonne Scruggs–Leftwich National Labor College, MD Bruce R. Sievers Stanford University, CA Suzanne Siskel Ford Foundation, NY FOUDIG PRESIDET Arthur P. Dudden Bryn Mawr, PA DIRECTOR EMERITUS Maurizio A. Gianturco Atlanta, GA Easy Ways to Get Involved in the Fulbright Association The Fulbright Alumni Community!

Become Active in the Fulbright Association Chapter in your Area Our chapters, run by alumni volunteers, hold over one hundred fifty events for Fulbright alumni and visiting Fulbrighters each year. Many also receive special funding from the U.S. Department of State to provide programs for visiting Fulbrighters. Check out www.fulbright.org/events for a list of chapter, national and international events for Fulbrighters. Visit our web site at www.fulbright.org/chapter to find your chapter and contact information for the chapter. Not a chapter in your area? Interested in starting one? Check out the “How to Start a Chapter,” “Chapter Manual,” and “Chapter System Overview” sections for information. Contact us at (202) 347-5543 for assistance.

Use our New Website to Exchange Ideas! The Fulbright Association has recently announced a brand-new website with features that will connect you to your Fulbright colleagues . On the homepage, click on the “current grantees” section of the portal. Next, you will be prompted to enter your demographical information. After a short authentication process, you will be ready to share ideas with other Fulbrighters!

Visit www.fulbright.org and click on “current grantees” within the portal!

Contact your Members of Congress Contact the members of your Congressional delegation and let them know what your Fulbright experience meant to you and how it has influenced your community. By informing Congress of the importance of the Fulbright Program, you will be assisting the Fulbright Association in its efforts to secure continued funding for the program, ensuring it survives and prospers for future generations. Use the tools available in the Advocacy section of the Fulbright Association’s web site to contact your members of Congress easily and quickly. Go to www.fulbright.org and click on “Take Action”.

Join a Fulbright Association Task Force Fulbright Association task forces offer members with common interests a network to share information on leadership opportunities, on specific projects, or on programs that address their priorities. Currently active are the Arts and International Education Task Forces. For more information about the different task forces and how to join, please see www.fulbright.org.

Tell your Friends and Colleagues about us! Our network of Fulbrighters and friends is constantly growing, thanks to Fulbright Association members asking their colleagues and friends to get involved. Know a Fulbright alum at your institution? Have a friend who is interested in joining one of the most intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and multicultural organizations in the world? Tell them about us today!

Participate in the Fulbright Association’s Annual Conference! The Fulbright Association’s 33rd annual conference will be in Buenos Aires, Argentina from Nov. 4- Nov.7, 2010. Present your work and collaborate with colleagues! Check www.fulbright.org for updates.

1100 G Street, N.W., Suite 525 Washington, DC 20005 http://www.fulbright.org [email protected] (202) 347-5543

The Fulbright Program in Brief

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program has provided more than 300,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Program History The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by then-Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

More than 300,000 “Fulbrighters,” 114,000 from the United States and 188,000 from other countries, have participated in the Program since its inception more than sixty years ago. The Fulbright Program awards approximately 8,000 grants annually.

Currently, the Fulbright Program operates in over 155 countries worldwide.

Program Funding The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the United States Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.

The Congressional appropriation for the Fulbright Program in fiscal year 2010 was $253.8 million. Foreign governments, through binational commissions or foundations abroad, contributed approximately $68.5 million directly to the Program in fiscal year 2009.

Program Administration The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the Program under policy guidelines established by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) with the assistance of binational commissions and foundations in 50 countries, U.S. embassies in more than 100 other countries and cooperating agencies in the United States.

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, composed of 12 educational and public leaders appointed by the President of the United States, formulates policies for the administration of the Program, establishes criteria for the selection of candidates and approves candidates nominated for awards.

Binational commissions and foundations develop priorities for the program, including the numbers and categories of grants. In a country without a commission or foundation, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy develops and supervises the Fulbright Program. Currently, 50 commissions are active, most of which are funded jointly by the United States and the respective government. Each commission or foundation has a board, composed of Americans and citizens of the participating nation.

United States Department of State • Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs • Washington, D.C. • 20522 • http://fulbright.state.gov Fulbright programs are administered with the assistance of cooperating agencies. (Contact addresses and telephone numbers for each cooperating agency are provided on page four of this fact sheet.) Foreign citizens interested in the Fulbright Program should contact the Fulbright Commission or Foundation in their home country or, where no commission exists, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy. Fulbright Grant Categories The term "Fulbright Program" encompasses a variety of exchange programs. For further information, please visit http://fulbright.state.gov/. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study abroad for one academic year. The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships (ETA) Program, an element of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, places U.S. students as English teaching assistants in schools or universities overseas, thus improving foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the United States while enhancing their own language skills and knowledge of the host country. ETAs may also pursue individual study/research plans in addition to their teaching responsibilities. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to research and study in the United States for one year or longer. The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program, a component of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, provides young teachers of English as a Foreign Language the opportunity to refine their teaching skills and broaden their knowledge of American culture and customs while strengthening the instruction of foreign languages at colleges and universities in the United States. The International Fulbright Science and Technology Award, a component of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, supports doctoral study at leading U.S. institutions in science, technology, engineering or related fields for outstanding foreign students. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program sends American scholars and professionals to approximately 125 countries, where they lecture and/or conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields. The Fulbright Specialist Program, a short-term complement to the traditional Fulbright Scholar Program, sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning and related subjects at overseas academic institutions for a period of 2 to 6 weeks. The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program provides grants to foreign scholars from over 150 countries to lecture and/or conduct postdoctoral research at U.S. institutions for an academic semester to a full academic year. The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (SIR) Program enables U.S. colleges and universities to host foreign academics to lecture on a wide range of subject fields for a semester or academic year. Preference is given to institutions developing an international agenda and/or serving a minority audience, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges, small liberal arts colleges and community colleges. The Fulbright New Century Scholars global program brings together a group of approximately 30 outstanding research scholars and professionals, from the U.S. and participating countries around the world, who are selected through an open competition to conduct multi-disciplinary research on a global theme. The Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange Program is a direct one-to-one exchange of teachers from primary and secondary schools. The program operates between the United States and seven countries worldwide.

United States Department of State • Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs • Washington, D.C. • 20522 • http://fulbright.state.gov The Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching Program sends U.S. teachers abroad and brings international teachers to the U.S. for a semester to pursue individual projects, conduct research, and lead master classes or seminars. The program is open to teachers from the U.S. and selected countries in multiple world regions. The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program brings outstanding mid-career professionals from countries in states of development or transition to the United States for highly tailored programs of non-degree, graduate study and professional development. Fellowships are awarded in a range of public policy and social science- related fields. A portion of the Fulbright Program, funded at approximately $15.6 million in fiscal year 2010, is a Congressional appropriation to the United States Department of Education for the Fulbright-Hays Program. These grants are awarded to individual U.S. K-14 pre-teachers, teachers and administrators, pre- doctoral students and post-doctoral faculty, as well as to U.S. institutions and organizations. Funding supports research and training efforts overseas, which focus on non-western foreign languages and area studies. The U.S. Fulbright Association is a private, non-profit organization started in 1977 by U.S. alumni of the Fulbright Program. It is one of approximately 70 national Fulbright alumni associations worldwide. For additional information, contact the Fulbright Association at 202-347-5543. The U.S. Fulbright Association’s website is http://www.fulbright.org.

United States Department of State • Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs • Washington, D.C. • 20522 • http://fulbright.state.gov

FULBRIGHT PROGRAM(S) POINT OF CONTACT

U.S. Department of State (General info about all programs) http://fulbright.state.gov

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board http://fulbright.state.gov/root/resources-for/fsb

U.S. Student Program Institute of International Education (IIE) Foreign Student Program (general information only) 809 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017-3580 Telephone: 212-883-8200 Website: www.iie.org; www.us.fulbrightonline.org; www.foreign.fulbrightonline.org; www.flta.fulbrightonline.org

Foreign students from the Middle East and North Africa America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20036 Telephone: 202-776-9600 Website: www.amideast.org

Junior Faculty from Central and Latin America LASPAU: Academic and Professional Program for the Americas 25 Mount Auburn Street Cambridge, MA 02138-6095 Telephone: 617-495-5255 Website: www.laspau.harvard.edu

U.S. Scholar Program Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) Visiting Scholar Program 3007 Tilden Street, NW, Suite 5L Washington, DC 20008-3009 Telephone: 202-686-4000 Website: www.cies.org

Teacher Exchange Program Academy for Educational Development (AED) 1825 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20009-5721 Telephone: 202-884-8649 Website: www.fulbrightteacherexchange.org/

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowships Program Institute of International Education Humphrey Fellowship Program 1400 K Street, NW, Suite 650 Washington, DC 20005 Tel: (202) 326-7701 Website: www.humphreyfellowship.org

Fulbright-Hays Programs United States Department of Education International Education Programs Service 1990 K Street, NW, 6th Floor Washington, D.C. 20006-8521 Telephone: 202-502-7700 Web: www.ed.gov/HEP/iegps

Last updated 6/24/2010

United States Department of State • Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs • Washington, D.C. • 20522 • http://fulbright.state.gov

Centros de Asesoría en México

 EducationUSA es una red global de más de 420 centros de asesoría afiliados al Departamento del Estado, Buró de Asuntos Educativos y Culturales de los Estados Unidos.

 Los centros de asesoría EducationUSA proporcionan información exacta, completa, actualizada e imparcial sobre las oportunidades educativas en todas las instituciones acreditadas de educación superior en los Estados

Unidos.

Dirección Regional Mexicali, Baja California Saltillo, Coahuila Tim Wright, Director Regional Gaby Galaz, Adviser Micaela Martínez, Adviser Mexico, Central America, Caribbean CETYS Universidad Instituto Mexicano-Norteamericano de [email protected] Programas Internacionales Relaciones Culturales Calzada CETYS s/n, Col. Rivera Presidente Cárdenas Poniente 840 Rachel Josephs, Coordinadora Nacional Tel. (686) 567-3745 25000 Saltillo, Coahuila, México [email protected] [email protected] Tel. (844) 414-8422 [email protected] [email protected] Instituto Internacional de Educación [email protected] Liverpool 31, Col. Juárez

06600 México, DF México, D.F. Tel. (55) 5080-2801, -2802 Megan Lewis, Adviser San Luis Potosí, SLP Instituto Internacional de Educación Salomon Valles, Adviser Chihuahua, Chihuahua Liverpool 31, Col. Juárez Centro de Idiomas 06600 México, DF, México Uni. Autónoma de San Luis Potosí Silvia Muñiz, Adviser Tel. (55) 5080-2801; -2802 Zaragozza 505, Centro Secretaría de Educación y Cultura, [email protected] 78000 San Luis Potosí, SLP Oficina de Becas y Programas en el [email protected] Tel. (444) 812-8676 Extranjero [email protected] Bogota No. 1905, Col. Centro [email protected] 31130 Chihuahua, Chihuahua Monterrey, Nuevo León

Tel. (614) 442-5607, ext. 21051 Sofía de la Garza, Adviser [email protected] Instituto Mexicano-Norteamericano de San Cristobal, Chiapas Relaciones Culturales de Nuevo León Michael Greces, Adviser Cuernavaca, Morelos Hidalgo 768 Pte. Col. Centro Universidad Intercultural de Chiapas 64000 Monterrey, Nuevo León Norma Angélica Juárez Salomo Edificio J Pi't Yaya (Esperanza) Tel. (81) 8343-3907, 8004-9090 x116 Casa de la Ciencia, UAEM Corral de Piedra No. 2, [email protected] Av. Morelos #275 Ciudad Universitaria Intercultural [email protected] Col. Centro C.P. 62000 C.P. 29299,

Cuernavaca, Morelos San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas (777) 318-36-07 Morelia, Michoacán [email protected] [email protected] Jackie Murillo, Adviser Universidad Vasco de Quiroga 555 Av. Juan Pablo II Tijuana, Baja California Guadalajara, Jalisco Santa María de Guido CP 58090 Noé Marín, Adviser Daniel Ramos, Annel Vázquez, Adriana Morelia, Michoacán Universidad Autónoma de Baja Vázquez, Advisers Tel. (443) 323-5171, Ext. 2181 California - Tijuana Instituto Cultural Mexicano- [email protected] Departamento de Información Norteamericano de Jalisco [email protected] Académica, 3 Piso Enrique Díaz de León Sur #300 Calzada Tecnológico 14418 Col. Moderna Oaxaca, Oaxaca Mesa de Otay Tel. (33) 3825-4101; -5838 x110 Elia Bautista, Adviser 22390 Tijuana, BC, México [email protected] Uni. Aut. “Benito Juárez” de Oaxaca Tel. (664) 683-3325 [email protected] Biblioteca Lic. Benito Juarez, PB [email protected] Ex-Hacienda de Cinco Señores, Mérida, Yucatán 68120, Oaxaca, Oaxaca Xalapa, Veracruz Claudia Chapa, Adviser Tel. (951) 502-0700 x20133 Héctor Rangel, Adviser Coordinación General de Relaciones (045-951) 309-6104 Universidad Veracruzana Interinstitucionales, UADY [email protected] Escuela para Estudiantes Extranjeros Biblio. de Ciencias Sociales, 3er. Piso [email protected] Zamora 25, Col. Centro Km. 1 Carretera Mérida-Tizimín Oaxaca, Oaxaca 91000 Xalapa, Veracruz Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97305 México Mark Leyes, Adviser Tel. (228) 817-8687 Tel.(999) 928 27 11 US Consular Agency [email protected] [email protected] Plaza Santo Domingo, PA [email protected] Alcalá 407 Int. 20, 68000 Oaxaca [email protected] EducationUSA: Your Guide to U.S. Higher 48Education - www.educationusa.state.gov

Directorio de Consulados 2010

Consulado General Cd. Juárez Consulado General Guadalajara Paseo de la Victoria #3650 Progreso 175 Fracc. Partido Senecú Col. Americana, Sector Juarez Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. Guadalajara, Jalisco. C.P. 44160 Tel. (656) 227-3000 Tel. de Emergencia (656) 3277877 Tel. 33-3268-2100; Tel. de Emergencia 3268-2145 http://spanish.ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/index.html http://spanish.guadalajara.usconsulate.gov/index.html

Consulado Hermosillo Consulado General en Matamoros Monterrey #141 entre las calles Rosales y Galeana Calle Primera y Azaleas #2002 Col. Esqueda Col. Jardín Hermosillo, Sonora 83000 Matamoros, Tamps. 87330 Tel. 045-662-256-0741; Fax.662-217-1890 Tel. 868-812-4402; Tel de Emergencia 044-868-818-1507 http://spanish.hermosillo.usconsulate.gov/index.html http://spanish.matamoros.usconsulate.gov/index.html

Consulado Mérida Consulado General Monterrey Calle 60 No. 338 K x 29 y 31 Ave. Constitución 411 Pte. Mérida, Yucatán 97050 Monterrey, Nuevo León 64000 Tel. 999-942-5700; Fax. 999-942-5758 Tel. (81) 8047-3100; Tel. de emergencia (045 81) 8362-9126 http://spanish.merida.usconsulate.gov/index.html http://spanish.monterrey.usconsulate.gov/

Consulado Nogales Consulado Nuevo Laredo Calle San Jose s/n Allende 3330 Fraccionamiento los Alamos, Nogales, Sonora 84065 Col. Jardín, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas 88260 Tel. 631-311-8150; Tel. de emergencia 52 1 (631) 318 0723. Tel. 867-714-0512; Tel. de emergencia 044 867-727-2797. http://spanish.nogales.usconsulate.gov/ http://nuevolaredo.usconsulate.gov/

Consulado General Tijuana Av. Tapachula # 96 Col. Hipódromo Tijuana, Baja California 22420 Tel. 664-622-7400; Tel. de emergencia (664) 622-7400. http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/index.html

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Directorio de Agencias Consulares

Agencia Consular en Acapulco Agencia Consular en Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S. (Adscrita a la Embajada en México, D .F.) (Adscrita al Consulado en Tijuana) Hotel Continental Emporio Blvd. Marina Local C-4 Costera M. Alemán 121 - Local 14 Plaza Náutica, Centro 39670 Acapulco, Guerrero 23410 Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S. Oficina: (744) 469-0556 Tel/Fax: (744) 484-0300 Tel: (624) 143-3566 Fax: (624) 143-6750 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Agencia Consular en Cancún, Q.R. Agencia Consular en Cd. Acuña/Del Río, Coah. (Adscrita al Consulado en Mérida) (Adscrita al Consulado en Nuevo Laredo) Segundo Nivel No. 320-323 Plaza Caracol Dos Ocampo No. 305 (esquina con Morelos) Blvd. Kukulkan Zona Hotelera Centro 77500 Cancún, Q. R. 26200 Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila Tel: (998) 883-0272 Fax: (998) 883-1373 Tel: (877) 772-8179 Fax: (877) 772-4505 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Agencia Consular en Cozumel, Q.R. Agencia Consular en Ixtapa (Adscrita al Consulado en Mérida) (Adscrita a la Embajada en México, D .F.) Locales 8 y 9 (2o. Piso, subiendo por la escalera a la derecha Local 9 Plaza Ambiente Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo, Guerrero. al fondo) Tel: (755) 553-2100 Plaza Villa Mar (localizada dentro del Parque Juárez que Fax: (755) 554-6276 también es conocido como Plaza Principal) Entre Melgar y 5a. Avenida 77600 Cozumel, Q.R. Tel: (987) 872-4574/872-4485 Fax: (987) 872-6662 Email: [email protected]

Agencia Consular en Mazatlán, Sin. Agencia Consular en Oaxaca, Oax. (Adscrita al Consulado en Hermosillo) (Adscrita a la Embajada en México, D .F.) Hotel Playa Mazatlán Macedonio Alcalá No. 407, Interior 20 Playa Gaviotas No. 202 68000 Oaxaca, Oax. Zona Dorada 82110 Mazatlán, Sin. Tel: (951) 514-3054/516-2853 Fax: (951) 516-2701 Tel/Fax: (669) 916-5889 Email: [email protected]

Agencia Consular en Piedras Negras Agencia Consular en Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo (Adscrita al Consulado en Nuevo Laredo) (Adscrita al Consulado en Mérida) Prol. General Cepeda No. 1900 Fraccionamiento Privada “La Palapa” Blanca Piedras Negras, Coahuila, C.P. 26700 Calle 1 Sur entre Av. 15 y Av. 20 77710 Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo Tel: (878) 795-1986 Tel: (984) 873-0303 Fax: (878) 795-1989 Email: Fax: (984) 873-0481 [email protected] Email: [email protected]

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Directorio de Agencias Consulares Continued

Agencia Consular en Puerto Vallarta, Jal. Agencia Consular en Reynosa, Tamps. (Adscrita al Consulado en Guadalajara) (Adscrita al Consulado en Matamoros) Zaragoza #160, Col. Centro Edificio Vallarta Plaza, Int. 18 Calle Monterrey No. 390 (esquina con Sinaloa) Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco 48300 Col. Rodríguez Tel: (322) 222-0069 88630 Reynosa, Tamps. Fax: (322) 223-0074 Tel: (899) 923-9331 Fax: (899) 923-9245 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Agencia Consular en San Luis Potosí, S.L.P. Agencia Consular en San Miguel de Allende, Gto. (Adscrita al Consulado en Monterrey) (Adscrita a la Embajada en México, D. F.) Edificio "Las Terrazas" Dr. Hernández Macías No. 72 Ave. Venustiano Carranza 2076-41 San Miguel de Allende, Gto. Col. Polanco 78220 San Luis Potosi, S.L.P. Tel: (415) 152-2357 Fax: (415) 152-1588 Tel: (444) 811-1226 Email: [email protected] Fax: (444) 811-7803 Email: [email protected]

Directorio de Consulados Virtuales

Consulado Virtual del Bajío Virtual Presence Post Tabasco & Chiapas (Consulado en San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato) (Con oficinas en la Cd. De México) Dr. Hernández Macías No. 72. San Miguel de Allende, Emb. de USA en México, Oficina 101 Guanajuato. Paseo de la Reforma #305 Teléfono: (415) 152-2357 Col. Cuauhtémoc, Delegación Cuauhtémoc Fax: (415) 152-1588 C.P. 06500, Ciudad de México, D.F Email: [email protected] Teléfono: (01-55) 50-80-20-00, ext. 4369 Web: http://spanish.elbajio.usvpp.gov/index.html Email: [email protected] Web: http://chiapas-tabasco.usvpp.gov/index.html

Agosto 2011

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WELCOME TO MEXICO!!!

HEALTH HINTS Below are some recommendations to help you acclimate to Mexico.

 To acclimatize to the altitude (especially if you are in Mexico City):  Drink lots of fluid (bottled water, juices, etc.) helps your body adjust to the altitude.  Eat light meals – especially in the evening.  Limit your alcoholic beverages.  Get lots of sleep.  Avoid vigorous exercise for the first 2- 4 weeks.

 To limit Gastro-intestinal problems:  Do not drink tap water. Only drink bottled water or filtered water when from a reliable source.  Don’t eat raw salad when eating out.  Don’t eat tacos, ice cream, fresh juices or fresh fruit cups from off the street.  Don’t eat raw fish or meat.

GENERAL HINTS Watch where you walk as the sidewalk and streets can be uneven with open manholes and holes in general. Wait until all traffic has stopped before crossing the street, even when you have a green light. Pedestrians have the right of way in Mexico but unfortunately drivers do not respect it! Also, remember to look BOTH ways before crossing a street – even on one-way streets. Cars and motos do not always respect the direction of the road, and they often fly in reverse down the street!

TAXES There is a 16% government tax (known as IVA, impuesto al valor agregado or value added tax) on consumable goods, including food and beverages consumed in a restaurant. The government tax also applies in bars and nightclubs. This tax is almost always already included in the total.

PUBLIC TELEPHONES Public phones in Mexico require phone cards, which can be purchased from most convenience stores in Mexico.

SOCIALIZING Mexico is often more formal than in the US. Casual dress for Mexico can be a skirt for women and a jacket for men. Semi-formal is usually a cocktail dress/suit, while formal signifies a gown/tux. Younger people (teenager to 25 years) will be a little more relaxed in their dress. When deciding what to wear, take into consideration the company with whom you will be mixing. Wearing shorts is still not common in Mexico, so save them for resort areas. Make sure your dress is low-key and leave your jewelry at home when exploring new areas.

MEALS Lunch, called comida, is the main meal of the day and is usually served between 2:00-3:00pm, followed by dinner late in the evening (8:00-9:00pm). If you are invited for dinner at 8:00pm you may not eat until around 10:00pm. You may notice that many restaurants do most of their business in the afternoon (lunch) and are relatively empty in the evenings. Breakfast is served between 8:00-9:00 am.

SMOKING Mexico went smoke free and it is now illegal to smoke in public establishments. In some parts of the country, however, smoking is still very much accepted. When you go to a restaurant ask to be seated in the “No Smoking” section, if you prefer (area de no fumar).

PUNCTUALITY The perception of time in Mexico is different from that in the United States. Some Americans find this to be one of the hardest things in Mexico to deal with, however, if you keep in mind that it is common to arrive anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes late to an event you will find yourself being less impatient. If you issue an invitation for dinner at 7:30 pm, don’t be surprised if your guests don’t show up before 8:00pm. When setting a business meeting, the client (or counterpart) may show up late and still expect the meeting to go on as usual, so do be prepared. Of course, this is not a golden rule and there are always exceptions. When in doubt, it is better to err on the side of punctuality.

MEXICAN NAMES AND TITLES The Mexican custom, just like the Spanish, is to take two surnames. The first surname is from the father and the second from the mother. Traditionally, when a woman marries she drops her mother’s surname and adds her husband’s father’s surname proceeded by de, although this has been recently changing. When addressing someone, it is most common to use only their paternal surname.

Culturally, titles are more important than names in Mexico and Mexicans are never shy about using them, especially in a professional setting. When a person graduates from a university with a Bachelors degree they receive the title Licenciado/a. Upon graduating with a Masters degree, they are then called Maestro/a and if they hold a Ph.D. they are called Doctor/a. Depending on the individuals specific degree, individuals can be referred to as Ingeniero/a, Biólogo/a, Médico/a, Antropólogo/a, Abogado/a, etc.

COURTESY AND MANNERS Manners and formality are important in Mexican society. When attending social events, you should say hello and introduce yourself to everyone before you begin conversing with one particular person. Always inquire about the family of an acquaintance if you’ve met the family at a previous event. When departing, it is expected that you make the rounds and tell everyone good night before making your exit. A person raised in the United States may, unintentionally and without realizing it, snub or offend a Mexican by not saying hello or goodbye properly. These hints may be helpful:

Handshaking: In Mexico, handshaking is the minimum greeting and farewell on any and every occasion and among both men and women. Even if you’ve only spoken to a person for a few seconds, having greeted them with a handshake requires another handshake when departing. When in doubt, always shake hands - you can’t overdo it. Abrazos: The abrazo, warmer than the handshake, is exchanged among men who are friends and it is done to show great cordiality. Abrazos are often exchanged upon greeting a good friend or on special occasions, such as birthdays or leaving on or returning from a trip. To give an abrazo, you approach the person with a hug – you lean to the right side - and at the same time that you are hugging that person you will slap the person on the back with two sharp thumps. As you pull away, you end the abrazo with another handshake.

Kissing on the Cheek: Women will often kiss other women on the cheek when introductions are made. To do this, one would, upon shaking hands or greeting a friend, immediately lean in to give a small kiss to the area of the cheek while at the same time touching your cheek to their cheek. Great care is given not to mess the make-up or leave lipstick. As with handshaking, if you greet someone with a kiss upon arrival it is customary to kiss them upon departure as well. Men will greet female friends with a kiss also. It depends on the women’s attitude to show and/or understand in the man will kiss her.

HAND MOTIONS There are many hand motions that are used on a regular basis in Mexico. Our suggestion is to be attentive, patient and don’t allow yourself to be easily offended. Of the many hand motions, the most commonly confused is the flip of the back of the hand, which in Mexican culture means “thank you.”

HISSING Hissing is like hand motions in the sense that there are many different types and meanings, and they are used frequently. The “hiss” can be a greeting, a cat-call, a warning to move out of the way, a way to get your attention, or an insult.

HOISTING A GLASS Before tasting their drinks for the first time, Mexicans wait until everyone is served and then raise their glasses to each other with the greeting salud (health). The proper reply is a glass raised similarly, perhaps touched to the other glasses, and the word salud is repeated.

PROVECHO! While dining either in private or public you will quite often hear provecho, which means “enjoy your meal”. Do not be surprised if you are just walking through a restaurant and someone tells you provecho as it is very customary to wish this to friends and strangers alike.

TALKING DISTANCE Americans in their native habitat usually stand about two feet from each other when talking. This space is usually referred to as your “personal space.” To a Mexican, this is too far and feels unfriendly, as if one has to shout at you. Do not be surprised if you end up doing the “gringo jig” that is to say you (the American) will attempt to keep personal space while backing up, while the Mexican will keep stepping forward in a step-by-step dance.

TIPPING Many foreigners in Mexico tend to over-tip in some areas and disregard tipping in other areas, according to their own experiences and customs. The value of tips (propinas) given in Mexico is somewhat lower than in the U.S. In regular restaurants, ten percent is the normal tipping amount while 15-20 percent can be expected in more upscale establishments. Here are a few examples:  Restaurant: 10-20%, depending on the restaurant and the service.  Beauty parlor: 10%  Supermarket bag boy: $3-5 pesos  Parking lot guard: $3-5 pesos  Parking attendant (viene-viene): $5-10 pesos, depending on how much effort was given.  Gas station attendant: $5 pesos for a fill up; $10 pesos for gas, air, oil, and water checks.

 Hotel porter/bell boy: $10 pesos  Mailman Day (November 12): $20 pesos

CREDIT CARDS Credit cards are used throughout Mexico although not extensively. Credit card usage in restaurants in Mexico is different than what we are used to in the U.S. When you give your credit card to the waiter, sometimes he will return with the slip so you can add the tip and your signature. Often times the waiter will ask you directly how much you wish to tip, and they will add it to the credit card machine. Your slip is then taken away and then your credit card is returned to you. Remember not to leave the restaurant after signing the credit card slip until the waiter brings you your card! Most of the larger credit cards can be used throughout Mexico (Visa, MC, Diners, AMEX) but always check first and be prepared with a cash-based plan B.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES In Mexico City, the U.S. Embassy recommends the ABC Hospital (known to taxi drivers in Mexico City as the “Hospital Inglés”) which has been used by Embassy staff for several years. The Commission or your corresponding U.S. Consulate in Mexico can give you a list of medical providers outside of Mexico City. When in an emergency, go to the ER and present proper identification. Please bear in mind that all “outpatient care” is at your own expense so take a credit card with you. If you have an emergency:  FIRST, if it is a life threatening situation, GO DIRECTLY TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE NEAREST HOSPITAL. If you are in a hotel, call the front desk for assistance.  SECONDLY, ambulance service is not always prompt or reliable. If at all possible, TAKE PATIENT TO THE HOSPITAL BY PRIVATE CAR. If the patient’s condition indicates assistance will be necessary for movement or life support, the front desk in a hotel can assist in calling an ambulance.

The two ambulance services in Mexico City are: Medica Móvil: (Tel: 5598 6222 or 01-800-009-69-00) This ambulance service is the equivalent to an American ambulance service. A physician or well-trained paramedic travels on each ambulance. It is equipped the same as an American ambulance. They will respond to non-member although group members will be given priority. The current cost of this service is 7,000 pesos. Cruz Roja: (Tel: 5395-1111 or 065) The Red Cross ambulances are poorly equipped and have EMTs trained in basic life support only. The Red Cross ambulance services are based upon donation, generally a donation of $150 pesos is expected.

SECURITY HINTS Cities in Mexico, as in most cities in the world, have robberies, carjackings, pick pocketing, purse snatching and other petty crimes. For that reason, we recommend that as a new arrival or visitor you should exercise the following precautions appropriate to any city:  Carry only copies of your passport, visa, driver’s license, etc. Losing a copy of a document is less of a problem than losing the original.  Keep your wallet in a front pocket and never leave your purse, camera, or backpack around, especially in crowded areas.  Never leave briefcases, purses, or personal computers unattended in public areas.

 Women should carry only essentials in their purses and grip them securely at all times. Men and women should exercise caution when riding the buses or subways.  Never flash large amounts of money and only carry the amount you will be spending each day. Try not to carry credit cards. ATM assaults are common in big cities and when using one, be sure that it is located in a safe place. At night, we recommend using ATM’s in malls or supermarkets.

TAXIS  Everyone is strongly advised to avoid taking roving type taxis due to taxi robberies and assaults. Only use taxis operating from established taxi stands, called sitios or hotels.  Do not flag down taxis on the street.  Walk to the nearest sitio or call to send a taxi to your location.  When calling a sitio, ask for the vehicle number and ensure that the taxi you get is in fact the one sent by the sitio.  When entering a taxi, note the taxi number, the driver’s name, and a physical description of the driver. Each licensed driver is required to clearly display a photo identification card.  Request that the taxi driver lock all doors and keep windows rolled up sufficiently to prevent access.  Know a route to the location where you are traveling. If unsure, try to ascertain the route prior to taking a taxi.  Pay attention to your surroundings. Indicators that you are being targeted include another vehicle or taxi following your vehicle, a driver that appears to be taking a roundabout route, your taxi goes into an unfamiliar neighborhood, or your taxi driver slows down and appears to be trying to spot someone on the street.  If you become suspicious of the taxi driver, insist that the driver take you to the nearest public facility.

METRO In Mexico City, tickets can be bought at the ticket booths located in every metro station or you could get an electronic card to access to the station which you can reload every time you need it. The cost of the ticket is $3.00 pesos. One ticket is good for a ride in any direction or length, including any change of line. You may want to buy tickets at once or get the electronic card as the ticket line is generally very long especially during rush hours.

BUSES / COLECTIVO Public transportation is much more common than in the U.S. The national bus system is affordable, has multiple options depending on your required level of comfort, and is quite extensive. Peseros and micros are very common in major cities and in Mexico City the rate varies from $3-$5 pesos according to the distance you travel. You will need exact change to pay your fare. Route maps are usually displayed in each pesero window.

OTHER

In different parts of Mexico, there are new and modern types of transportation like the Metrobús (Mexico City, León, Monterrey and Guadalajara), Light rails (Mexico City and Guadalajara), Trams or Cable cars. Choose the best option for you.

Mexico City CITY & TOURIST INFORMATION

A. Security: Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world and there are certain precautions that should be taken. That being said, single females have not had a problem living alone, walking alone (during the day and in well lit areas at night) and taking public transportation alone. Many Fulbrighters feel comfortable taking street cabs during the day when they know where they’re going. Many taxi drivers do not know how to get where you’re going, so it’s advisable to know or at least have a really good idea before getting in. The bottom line: Treat Mexico City like you would any large city, use precaution and stay alert.

B. Water: Most people feel tap water is not safe to drink unless boiled first. Twenty liter bottles of water cost about $20-$25MXP and there are men that ride around the residential areas in especially designed bicycles equipped with a big rack in the front that will deliver the H2O directly to your house. They yell “AGUA” and it can take awhile to figure out what they are saying… Bonafont and ElectraPura also offer an economical delivery service of jugs of water on a weekly basis. Water is not a huge expense, but it is one to keep in mind, around US$40/month depending on how much water you drink.

Mexico City has a very high altitude and is generally extremely dry and many people drink more water than while living in the States. (Upon arrival, you can expect super chapped lips and dry skin……chapstick and lotion are a must!)

C. Gas: If you rent an apartment that does not include gas, there is a man who will deliver in a similar fashion as the water guy, but the gas man actually has a truck. (Note that the men on the truck roll through the streets yelling ¨gaaaaaaaaaaassss,¨ and it can be hard to understand what they’re saying at first.) You can also buy gas at a local convenience store. Don’t feel surprised if you run out of gas unexpectedly or if gas varies in how long it lasts.

D. Fruits and Vegetables: Most fruits and vegetables (especially lettuce) should be washed with an iodine solution prior to consumption. This is available at your local supermarket. On the other hand, many Fulbrighters opted not to do this and instead usually washed vegetables with purified water or even tap water! Also, you should definitely enjoy the fruit/juice stands on the street, but check with a local first.

E. Gym information: The university that you attend may have a gym/pool; otherwise, Mexico City offers a plethora of options including yoga, pilates, spinning and step aerobics, but be prepared to pay the price. “Nautilis” at the corner of Masaryk and Hegel is nothing special and costs $900/month plus a $500 joiners fee. If living in Condesa, for the best deal, you might try the Fun & Fit Gym on the corner of Insurgentes with Coahuila (which is the same street as Michoacán) next to Woolworth. It has weights, aerobic machines and different classes, and they usually cut the joiners fee and charge from $300-$450 a month depending on how many months you buy at a time.

F. Transportation:

Metro: The Mexico City metro is highly subsidized, and offers the cheapest rate in the world, $3 pesos per ticket. Although the metro is very quick and convenient, the peak hours are extremely packed and can be quite hot and uncomfortable. However, it can definitely be worth the discomfort as opposed to taking a taxi and sitting in traffic for an hour. Depending on your location, you may have to take a microbus or “pesero” to the metro. During rush hours, the first two cars are reserved for women and children. Although not compulsory, it is a good idea for women traveling alone. As in any big city, beware of pick-pockets.

The metro system is extremely accessible and user-friendly. For instance, the signage and lay-out of the metro was designed with illiteracy in mind so the metro lines are distinguished by a color and number, and each metro station has a name and picture symbol as an easy visual reference. Entire metro system maps are also available near the entrance or by the ticket booth. Even though trains and platforms usually have line diagrams, make sure you have a pocket metro map with you to facilitate transfers.

Weekday operating hours are 5:00 AM to midnight, 6 AM on Saturday, and 7 AM on Sunday.

Taxis: Everyone is strongly advised to avoid taking taxis off the street (especially the green and white VW bugs) due to robberies and assaults. As a general rule, only take taxis operating from established taxi stands, called “sitio taxis” or at hotels. Sitio taxis are more expensive, and can start around $20 pesos. It really depending on which sitio taxi stand you use and what time of day it is, as prices can increase dramatically at night (11 pm-6am). You can also use “radio taxis” that you call and have pick you up directly. These are very safe, and often more expensive. They typically do not use a taxi meter but charge a flat rate. When you arrive at the airport, you should use the sitio taxi stands that are found inside the airport. You will pay a flat rate at the booth and they will give you a ticket for the cab. We recommend you use “Sitio 300.”

If you get comfortable enough to take taxi’s off the street, make sure to check that their license plate and cab number start with an ¨L¨ (“libre”) or “S” (“sitio”) and we would only suggest taking them if you know where you are going or if you are with someone else. Again, when you are going somewhere new, make sure to bring a map to show the cab driver how to arrive…often they don’t know how to get there and will run up your meter searching. Taxis off the street usually start at around $5.80 (two door taxis) or $6.40 (four door taxis). You should make sure to understand the taxi meter system to make sure that the taximeters are set to charge you the appropriate amount (i.e. two door taxis on the street should show a 1 on the taximeter during the day and a 2 after 11:00pm while four door taxis on the street show a 3 during the day and a 4 after 11:00pm).

Micro-buses & “peseros”: The pesero bus system is privately run and the buses are generally big, loud and run-down. They start at $3 pesos for shorter distances and the bigger buses may cost as much as $5.00. Also, one thing to know about

the peseros is that when you get on you should tell the driver the street or area that you are going, as this will determine the rate you pay. Short distances generally are $3 pesos. You should also have correct change as they often do not have change to give back. The buses stop both at bus stops and randomly on the street (usually at the street or block corner). You can flag a bus down anywhere on the street and they will most likely stop. Make sure to get on quick as they will not wait for you to be safely inside before they roar off down the street. Peseros can also get very packed, and you may find yourself standing (squeezing) in some treacherous space (i.e. the exit steps of the bus) and you might literally be hanging out the bus! Make sure you pay attention to your stop, and be ready to get off because they will only pause or stop very quickly. There is usually a button/buzzer above the rear door that you should press when you want to get off. If it doesn’t work, you can yell to the driver that you want him to stop (“bajan!”).

Metrobus: The metro bus was finished in 2005 and is the new public transit system that runs along Avenida Insurgentes, the longest avenue in Mexico City and even said to be the longest in the world. Insurgentes runs on a north-south axis for 18 miles, and you can literally cross the entire city just staying along Insurgentes. You must buy a reusable metro bus card, which costs 10 pesos for the card. Each ride costs $5 pesos. Riding the metro bus is less chaotic than the actual metro, but it definitely gets packed during peak times. There is a second route that runs east-west as well.

Eco-Bicis: The government of Mexico City has just implemented a new transportation project aimed for short distances. If you live or work in areas like Hipódromo, Hipódromo-Condesa, Condesa, Roma Norte, Juárez y Cuauhtémoc, or use famous avenues like Reforma or Insurgentes on your daily life while living in Mexico City, you can rent a bicycle paying $300 MXN pesos a year (less than $30 USD). Eco-Bicis are a comfortable way to move between short distances and a good alternative to avoid traffic or crowded transportations systems like the Metro or Metro–Bus. In order to become a member of the Eco-Bici program, you must register and pay the annual fee (link below) or go to the central module, located in Rosas Moreno Street 152-B, Colonia San Rafael. After you register, you will receive a welcome package at home from the government which includes the electronic card you will need every time you want to use a bicycle and a route map. It´s important to get a mailing address in the city before your registration. The bicycles are ready to be picked up at the designated Eco-Bici bike stations. This new eco-friendly transportation initiative is a great way to get exercise while improving to the environment of Mexico City.

For more details, click the link: http://www.ecobici.df.gob.mx/

G. Communication: To use the public telephones, you must purchase a phone card at an OXXO or other convenience store. (They’re sold just about everywhere). Long distance from your home phone can be expensive and you will be charged for calling local cell phones which can add up very quickly (4.5 pesos a minute from your cell phone or 2.5 pesos from your house phone –that’s .25 or .45 cents a minute). To call information to find a phone number, dial 040.

These are some of the services that past becarios have used:  Koala Calling – cheap service for long distance. www.koalacalling.com  http://uwtcallbackservice.com/faq.shtml, www.uwtservices.com - register whichever numbers you choose (I did my cell and landline) and it gives you a number for each number you registered. When you want to call internationally you call the number given to you from the service for that phone. It rings once, you hang up and then it calls your phone back. Then it will ask you dial the number you are trying to reach and the service connects you. Seems confusing but it’s not really and worked better for me than calling cards. Calls to the States were about 10 cents/minute.  Movistar allows you to buy minutes and has a special plan for calling the United States that charges per call (up to 30 minutes) rather than by minute. Calls to the U.S. for 30 minutes on this plan should cost $1 usd or $.50 if buying minutes during a promotion.  Additionally, really good rates to LANDLINES FROM the U.S. can be found at http://www.uniontelecard.com/destinations/529/mexico-mexico-city/. Please note that the posted rates are generally for Mexico City and generally only for landlines (they jack up the prices for calling cellphones). Some of these are for less than 2 cents a minute:

H. Moctezuma’s revenge: Pepto is your friend! If you get sick, don’t be afraid to ask your Mexican friends/co-workers what to take as almost every drug is available OTC at Mexican pharmacies. Make sure you always ask if they have a generic (cheaper!) brand. Do not be afraid to eat at taco stands so long as you're not afraid to go to the pharmacy. Expect to get sick at least a couple times. The taco stands are worth it.

I. Other miscellaneous information: Spend the $260 and buy the Guia Roji. It is an exhaustive book of Mexico City maps including subway information (there are Guia Roji maps from almost all cities). Extremely helpful since almost all streets which cross colonia / delegacion lines change names at the colonia border (this ends up being every 5-7 blocks in some cases!) Also, some cab drivers don’t know how to get places so be prepared to give directions. The guia roji comes in different sizes and we recommend buying the larger one, so that the page is not bound in the middle, and that way you don’t miss seeing the streets that get lost in the crack of the binding.

J. Cable and Internet: Some of the choices for cable are Sky and Cablevision. Internet would be Prodigy or Cablevision. If you buy both Internet and Cable together, you get the best combined price at Cablevision, although in prior experience, Cablevision is difficult to cancel and may attempt to hold you to longer-term contracts leading to headaches at the end of your stay in Mexico. Upfront for the year costs around $700 a month for both together. If you want wireless in your house, bring your router down with you. You can buy them here, but they’re more expensive. Also, consider how often you will use the services. Although cable tv might be a necessity at home, we seldom turned to TV viewing and much preferred to be out and about. On the other hand, some Fulbrighters highly recommend purchasing a TV for down-time and recommended it as a great tool for getting even more exposure to Spanish.

Other Information

A. Restaurants and Bars: http://www.allaboutmexicocity.com/restaurants.htm

This is something that all of you will discover on your own, but here is a short list of our favorites! (When you get that first taste of culture shock, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Papa John’s will deliver

to give you a little taste of home! And there are, of course, a number of other U.S. dining options.)

POLANCO:  Adonis (Horacio & Hegel) Middle Eastern/Lebanese.  Bar Fly (Masaryk) Salsa, merengue, Latin music.  Cambalache (Arquimedes 85 & Horacio) Great Argentine restaurant. Excellent steak.  Como (Horacio & Federico Petrarca) Argentine, hip, chill. Live jazz on Friday nights.  Dawat (Below Masaryk, close to Pemex) Indian restaurant.  Non-Solo Pasta (Julio Verne) Pasta and more. Best for weekend lunch / people watching.  Gruta Eden (Lope de Vega between Horacio y Masaryk) Lebanese.  Rincón Argentino (Masaryk 177 & Arquimedes) Yet another Argentine dining option…It's strange, but there are a LOT of good Argentine restaurants in DF.  Spuntino's (Campos Eliseos & Julio Verne) Great Argentine restaurant.  Villa María (Homero 704) For the “authentic” Mexican experience: fabulous (and huge!!!) flavored margaritas and mariachis. Great option for friends/family that visit.  Oscar Wilde 9 (Oscar Wilde) A great restaurant owned by two young girls, who offer a different menu every week, ranging from traditional Mexican to excellent Asian.

CONDESA:  Black Horse (Tamaulipas & Mexicali) Scottish pub.  Café Gloria (Tamaulipas & Sonora) A 2007 favorite, provides a variety of contemporary dishes and excellent desserts at a reasonable price. Also offers excellent and reasonably priced wine list.  Daikoku (Michoacan & Amsterdam) Fantastic, reasonably priced sushi  Don Asado: El Uruguayo (Michoacan & Tamaulipas) Great steaks.  Frutos prohibidos (Michoacan & Amsterdam) Fresh fruit, salads and sandwiches. Reasonably priced and I love the concept: benches on the sidewalk, super casual.  Kaliman (In Condesa close to the Black Horse) REALLY great tacos!  Koffie Café (Amsterdam & Celaya) Supurb breakfast: meal, freshly squeezed juice and coffee for about $50.  Pendulo (Michoacan & Nuevo Leon: additional location in Polanco) Café/coffee shop with a book/music store. Great for browsing on the weekends.  Rojo Bistro (Amsterdam & Parras) Hip ambiance, outdoor seating, international cuisine.  T Gallery (Campeche & Saltillo) Live music, eclectic décor, appetizers.  Tizoncito (all over the place!!!) Yummy tacos, agua de horchata, etc.

ANZURES:  El Tandoor (Leibnitz & Copernico) Fabulous Indian food, reasonably priced.  Selene (Leibnitz) Another favorite taco place.

COYOACAN:  La Posta (best pizza in Mexico City)  Los Danzantes (member of the Slow Food movement) great, but expensive  El Caracol de Oro (contemporary Mexican food)  Jarocho (coffee) cheap and good, it’s a Mexican tradition  Bi-Polar (Calle Malince) offers a variety of “gourmet” Mexican dishes, with a very trendy but informal atmosphere

ZONA ROSA:  Pepperland (bar- restaurant and live music from the 60´s)  La Noria (banda, ranchero and all kind of northern Mexican music)

 Lipstick (gay-friendly bar-club)  La Gay-ta (gay-friendy club)

NÁPOLES  Sky Bar, one of the most exclusive and famous clubs in the city located on the top of the WTC Mexico tower.

B. Salsa Dancing Clubs

 Mama Rumbas (all Cuban music and all Cuban dancing and a Thursday night ritual for myself!) Classes are on Wednesdays and Thursdays and start at 9:15. The cover charge is $60 on weekdays and $70 on weekends and includes the class. Located on the edge of Roma and Condesa and located in San Angel, near the Plaza Jacinto  Mambo Café (down on Insurgentes, cover charge $100, and I believe there are classes on Thursdays and Saturdays).  Pata Negra (corner of Tamaulipas and Juan Escutia): On Wednesday nights they have live music and dancing in their upstairs bar. No cover and the mojitos are highly recommended.

C. Travel:

Buy the Lonely Planet or some other travel guide before leaving the states: there are great tips for restaurants, lodging at all price ranges and other popular and obscure tourist destinations throughout the country. Of course, your Mexican friends and colleagues can’t be matched for traveling suggestions.

Weekend trips rule! Living in Mexico City makes it very convenient to take weekend trips mainly due to its central location. Although traffic leaving the city on Fridays and returning Sunday afternoons can be heavy, it’s worth it to escape the craziness and contamination.

Some popular destinations have been Valle de Bravo and Tequisquetengo (both are lake towns about 2-3 hours away). Tepoztlan and other ruin sites are also close to the city (Comexus will arrange occasional group trips at minimal cost to some of the closer destinations). Taxco (an amazing silver mining town—don’t bring too much cash or you’ll spend it all on the beautiful jewelry!) and Puebla (famous for its churches) can be done as day trips. If you want to get away to the beach, but you don’t want Acapulco, Pie de la Cuesta is a nice alternative, 20 minutes south of Acapulco, less expensive and more remote. Every Fulbrighter has loved Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca as well. It is a very unique surfer beach town where you will find international backpackers, pro-surfers, hippies, and many other “personajes.” We recommend the Hotel Arcoiris on the main beach strip, Playa Zicatela. All rooms have an ocean view balconies, and they offer a Fulbright student discount. San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato are just 4 and 5 hours away respectively. Oaxaca is 6 hours away (awesome—if you don’t go anywhere else, you should try to go to Oaxaca).

Also recommended if you have a block of time (6-9 days…many of us went during Semana Santa) would be Chiapas or the Yucatan. In Chiapas it is recommended to see San Cristóbal, San Juan Chomula (an indigenous village, make sure to go in the church), the 3 Waterfalls (Agua Clara, Misol Ha, Agua Azul), the Canyon de Sumidero in Tuxla Guttierez (a must! take the boat tour and spend the day rappelling, zip lining and kayaking at the ecologic park) and of course the ruins of Palenque (I recommend staying in El Panchan, which is on the way to the ruins and not in the town itself).

And in the Yucatan, Merida, the ruins of Uxmal (some of the more detailed ruins and they have a

cool light show at night), the cenotes around Merida (they take you out there on a wooden cart contraption pulled by a pony), Chichen Itza (make sure to go the cenote 5 minutes away from there, it’s incredible and costs $60, you can do both in the same day), Playa Del Carmen, Xcaret (although it’s expensive), Tulum (the ruins are small but alright, but the beach is incredible…also go to the cenote 5 minutes away and rent snorkeling equipment or bring goggles with you, $80 but you can negotiate) and Cozumel (the snorkeling isn’t fantastic especially after the hurricanes, but you can rent a scooter and drive around to the other side of the island where there’s expansive beach stretches with no one on it!).

Be prepared to travel by bus: there are a number of bus stations in the city and all are accessible by metro. Bus tickets can be reserved and purchased at ticketbus.com or at the bus stations. You should buy tickets in advance, especially during holidays. Unlike anything else in Mexico buses actually leave on time, so don’t be late. Also, ask about using your student I.D. because during the holidays they will sometimes give you discounts. Some buses are very nice and offer different levels of service/luxury.

Renting a car is also an option and can provide a bit of freedom when you travel. Car rental locations are similar to those in the states (Thrifty, Budget, Dollar, etc…) and you can easily make reservations online. However, be prepared to deal with hidden costs and irregularities in customer service (i.e. lost reservations). When booked through www.kayak.com, Thrifty charges US$11 per day for their basic economic package, insurance is an additional US$15 per day and taxes are about US$5. In reality the price of renting a car for one day is around US$30 per day, then add on the price of gas and toll fees. Toll feels can be significant (i.e. $80 USD round trip tolls to Veracruz).

Domestic flights tend to be expensive, but there are some new sights where deals can be found such as, www.clickmx.com, www.aviacsa.com (they have discounts if you buy tickets on Tuesdays, but the internet site is cheaper than calling), www.interjet.com.mx (leaves from the Toluca airport, there’s an $80 bus that will take you from the metro to get there, but taxi’s there are expensive), www.statravel.com, www.volaris.com.mx, and www.despegar.com.

Additional information for Travel/Events: Ticketmaster http://www.ticketmaster.com.mx Ticketbus (busticketing) http://www.ticketbus.com.mx Mexico Travel http://travel2.nytimes.com/top/features/travel/destinations/mexico

D. A Short List of Must-See Events:

 Sanmiguelada (The running of the bulls) in San Miguel de Allende: Usually the 3rd Saturday of September  Grito en el Zócalo: 15 de septiembre  Festival Cervantino en Guanajuato: del 12 al 30 de octubre de 2011  Día de los Muertos en Patzcuaro, Michoacán (Isla Janitzio): the parade of boats with candles is November 1st and not Nov. 2nd  Día de Muertos en Xochimilco: it includes a theatrical performance about one of the most famous Mexicans legends: La Llorona.  Día de los Muertos in Mixquic: this little town is 40 minutes south east way from Mexico City.  Monarch butterfly sanctuary in Michoacán: octubre-febrero  Carnaval en Veracruz: febrero  Feria del caballo de Texcoco: at the beginning of spring time.

 Feria de San Marcos: this is an international event celebrated annually in the city of Aguascalientes 14 abril al 6 de mayo 2012.

E. Museums and Culture

Mexico City has an enormous variety of museums and cultural houses. Actually the city is known for having the biggest offer of theatres and museums from the western hemisphere. This is something you ought not lose. Here is a list of the most famous museums and theatres in the city, nevertheless you could find more in the weekly magazine “Tiempo libre” which you can get in any magazine store or by asking your Mexican friends.

Museums:

Museo Nacional de Historia: located in the Castillo de Chapultepec, and old castle that has witnessed directly the history and development of Mexico.

Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia: the largest and most important museum of anthropology and history in the country.

Museo Nacional de Arte: Located in the centro and presents a collection of the finest art from ancient and modern Mexico.

Museo “Dolores Olmedo”: A hacienda ranch-style home that houses paintings and works from Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo, and a big collection of Mexican antiques as well.

Museo de Frida Khalo “Casa Azul”: the former home of the most famous artist from modern Mexico.

Museo del niño “Papalote”: this is a museum dedicated to children and science. Nevertheless, a very popular museum for all ages.

Museo de Arte Popular: located close to Bellas Artes, this museum comprises modern and folkloric pieces of Mexican art.

Cultural Centers:

Centro Histórico: Located in the heart of Mexico City, the historic centre of Mexico has been a main hub for historical and political events along the history of the country. Because of the varied architecture of the town, Mexico City was once known as the City of the Palaces, named by the Baron Alexander von Humboldt. This town comprises lots of museums, cultural and artistic houses and historical places as well as modern malls, restaurants and bars.

Plaza de Las Tres Culturas: Comprises architecture of the three most important moments of Mexican history: the pre Hispanic period, the colonial era and modern times.

Palacio Nacional: the colonial palace the once was the seat of State of the former New Spain and Mexico post independence. It is located in the city Zocalo, the heart of Mexico City.

Palacio de Bellas Artes: this is the house of the national art school of Mexico and the cradle of modern Mexican art. It also holds rotating exhibits of foreign famous artists as well as concerts of the National Orchestra of Mexico.

Ciudad Universitaria: the main campus of the UNAM, considered by some to be the biggest and

best university not only in Mexico but of all Spanish speaking countries. It has several faculties, auditoriums and museums, like the Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno, the newest museum in Mexico City dedicated to modern art.

La Villa: the largest Catholic basilica dedicated to the patron saint of Mexico: la Virgen de Guadalupe. Thousands of people from all over the country embark on this sacred pilgrimage to arrive on the Patron Saint’s day, December 12th.

Another excellent way to find out about cultural events is by checking the activities of the different boroughs of Mexico City. Each one of the 16 boroughs has its own history and personality and the local municipal governments organize periodic exhibits, festivals and “ferias.” Review the websites of each borough to find out when events are scheduled.

Similarly, the government of the city prepares excellent events and exhibitions throughout the year. Check the newspapers frequently or the official site of the government to be updated about the information. Most of these events are located in the Zocalo, the main square of the city.

Also remember to use your student I.D. for discounts. It will get you in for free at the Museo de Antropología, el Castillo de Chapultepec, many of the Ruins in Mexico, and discounts at almost all museums including the Frida Kahlo Museum, the Trotsky Museum and possibly long distance bus rides. It also comes in handy for buying flights at STA Travel in order to get your student discount with your ISIC card ($130).

Links: http://www.mexicocity.gob.mx - http://www.df.gob.mx

Links to Boroughs:

Delegación Álvaro Obregón http://www.aobregon.df.gob.mx/ Delegación Iztapalapa http://www.iztapalapa.df.gob.mx/ Delegación Azcapotzalco http://www.azcapotzalco.df.gob.mx/ Delegación La Magdalena Contreras http://www.mcontreras.df.gob.mx/ Delegación Benito Juárez http://www.delegacionbenitojuarez.gob. Delegación Miguel Hidalgo mx/ http://www.miguelhidalgo.gob.mx/

Delegación Coyoacán Delegación Milpa Alta http://www.coyoacan.df.gob.mx/ http://www.milpa-alta.df.gob.mx/

Delegación Cuauhtémoc Delegación Tláhuac http://www.cuauhtemoc.df.gob.mx/ http://www.tlahuac.df.gob.mx/

Delegación Cuajimalpa de Morelos Delegación Tlalpan http://www.cuajimalpa.df.gob.mx http://www.tlalpan.gob.mx/

Delegación Gustavo A. Madero Delegación Venustiano Carranza http://www.gamadero.df.gob.mx/ http://www.vcarranza.df.gob.mx/

Delegación Iztacalco Delegación Xochimilco http://www.iztacalco.df.gob.mx/ http://www.xochimilco.df.gob.mx/

F. Shopping, recreation, and luxury:

The city has a wide range of places for recreation and shopping. If you want to have a blast with your friends on a free day or weekend you might want to visit Six Flags, the biggest amusement park in Latin American, or La Feria de Chapultepec, located in the Chapultepec forest.

Mexico City offers an amazing range of large shopping malls and craft markets. You can find high- end malls like Antara, in the exclusive colonia of Polanco, or Perisur (near Ciudad Universitaria), Santa Fé (in the west), Mundo E (the north) and Plaza Delta (in the south central part of the city). Avenida Presidente Mazarik in Polanco is the main strip where you should go for designer apparel (Louis Viutton, Cartier, Channel, Tiffany & Co., Hermés, Gucci, Robert Cavalli, and many others).

If your budget is a bit more modest, there are many options for people who like to buy in retail shops or popular markets, like the Ciudadela market where you can find all sorts of Mexican artisan crafts.

G. General Mexico Info

El Universal http://www.el-universal.com.mx Economist City Guide http://www.economist.com Latin Focus http://www.latin-focus.com/ Mexico economic reports http://www.lloyd.com.mx/en/ CONAPO - population projections http://www.conapo.gob.mx INEGI - census figures http://www.inegi.gob.mx Cinemex http://www.cinemex.com http://www.reforma.com *On Fridays they publish “Primera Fila” an Reforma entertainment guide for the city

F. US Interests

American Chamber of Commerce http://www.amcham.com.mx U.S. Embassy - Mexico City http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov Mexican ExPat portal http://www.solutionsabroad.com US Commercial Service / ABIC http://www.buyusa.gov/mexico/en/ Partnership for Prosperity http://www.p4pworks.org/docs/p4p2003.pdf

**Note: every reference to pricing in this document is stated in pesos except unless otherwise noted.

We hope that this information will be helpful to all of you as you prepare for your upcoming grant period, now you will find more information about this Country. Good luck and enjoy your time in Mexico!

CIA – THE WORLD FACTBOOK :: Mexico page last updated on June 14, 2011

Introduction ::Mexico Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The global financial crisis beginning in late 2008 caused another massive economic downturn the following year. As the economy recovers, ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON. National elections, including the presidential election, are scheduled for July 2012. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful drug-trafficking organizations have engaged in bloody fueding, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides.

Geography ::Mexico Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States

Geographic coordinates:

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Area: total: 1,964,375 sq km country comparison to the world: 15 land: 1,943,945 sq km water: 20,430 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline:

9,330 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: varies from tropical to desert

Terrain: high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 12.66% permanent crops: 1.28% other: 86.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:

63,000 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources:

457.2 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 78.22 cu km/yr (17%/5%/77%) per capita: 731 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards: tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts volcanism: Mexico experiences volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (elev. 3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (elev. 5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon,

Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana

Environment - current issues: scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico

People ::Mexico Population: 113,724,226 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.2% (male 16,395,974/female 15,714,182) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 35,842,495/female 38,309,528) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 3,348,495/female 4,113,552) (2011 est.)

Median age: total: 27.1 years male: 26 years female: 28.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.102% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Birth rate:

19.13 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Death rate:

4.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Net migration rate:

-3.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Urbanization: urban population: 78% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) note: Mexico City is the second-largest urban agglomeration in the Western Hemisphere, after

Sao Paulo (Brazil), but before New York-Newark (US)

Major cities - population:

MEXICO CITY (capital) 19.319 million; Guadalajara 4.338 million; Monterrey 3.838 million; Puebla 2.278 million; Tijuana 1.629 million (2009)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 17.29 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 104 male: 19.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.47 years country comparison to the world: 72 male: 73.65 years female: 79.43 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.29 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

220,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Drinking water source: improved: urban: 96% of population rural: 87% of population total: 94% of population unimproved: urban: 4% of population rural: 13% of population total: 6% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 90% of population rural: 68% of population

total: 85% of population unimproved: urban: 10% of population rural: 32% of population total: 15% of population (2008)

Nationality: noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8% note: indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.1% male: 86.9% female: 85.3% (2005 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

4.8% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 70

Government ::Mexico Country name: conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico

Government type: federal republic

Capital: name: Mexico City (Distrito Federal) geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October note: Mexico is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:

31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana

Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence:

16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution:

5 February 1917

Legal system: civil law system with US constitutional law theory influence; judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general, the head of the Bank of Mexico, and senior treasury officials require consent of the Senate (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012) election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote - Felipe CALDERON 35.9%, Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR 35.3%, Roberto MADRAZO 22.3%, other 6.5%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 seats allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are elected by popular vote; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote; members to serve three- year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 2 July 2006 for all of the seats (next to be held on 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 5 July 2009 (next to be held on 1 July 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 26, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 5, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 237, PAN 143, PRD 72, PVEM 21, PT 13, CD 6, other 8; note - as of 1 January 2011, the current composition of the Senate is: PAN 50, PRI 33, PRD 25, PVEM 6, CD 6, PT 5, independent 3; the current composition of the Chamber of Deputies is: PRI 237, PAN 142, PRD 69, PVEM 21, PT 13, CD 8, other 10

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:

Convergence for Democracy or CD [Luis WALTON Aburto]; Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Humberto MOREIRA Valdes]; Labor Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Gustavo MADERO Munoz]; New Alliance Party (Partido

Nueva Alianza) or PNA/PANAL [Jorge Antonio KAHWAGI Macari]; Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Jesus ORTEGA Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Businessmen's Coordinating Council or CCE; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate of Education Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:

APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-3, G-15, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo SARUKHAN Casamitjana chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Albuquerque, Anchorage (Alaska), Boise (Idaho), Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas City (Missouri), Las Vegas, Little Rock (Arkansas), McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), New Orleans, Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh (North Carolina), Saint Paul, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Washington DC, Yuma (Arizona); note - Washington DC Consular Section located in a separate building from the Mexican Embassy and has jurisdiction over DC, parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos PASCUAL embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000 telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000 FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana consulate(s): Merida, Nogales

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; Mexico's coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band; green signifies hope, joy, and love; white represents peace and honesty; red stands for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor; the coat of arms is derived from a legend that the wandering Aztec people were to settle at a location where they would see an eagle on a cactus eating a snake; the city they founded, Tenochtitlan, is now Mexico City note: similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter, uses lighter shades of red and green, and does not have anything in its white band

National anthem: name: "Himno Nacional Mexicano" (National Anthem of Mexico) lyrics/music: Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA/Jaime Nuno ROCA note: adopted 1943, in use since 1854; the anthem is also known as "Mexicanos, al grito de Guerra" (Mexicans, to the War Cry); according to tradition, Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA, an accomplished poet, was uninterested in submitting lyrics to a national anthem contest; his fiancee locked him in a room and refused to release him until the lyrics were completed

Economy ::Mexico Economy - overview: Mexico has a free market economy in the trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is roughly one- third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, Mexico's share of US imports has increased from 7% to 12%, and its share of Canadian imports has doubled to 5%. Mexico has free trade agreements with over 50 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. In 2007, during its first year in office, the Felipe CALDERON administration was able to garner support from the opposition to successfully pass pension and fiscal reforms. The administration passed an energy reform measure in 2008 and another fiscal reform in 2009. Mexico's GDP plunged 6.5% in 2009 as world demand for exports dropped, asset prices tumbled, and remittances and investment declined. GDP posted positive growth of 5% in 2010, with exports - particularly to the United States - leading the way, while domestic consumption and investment lagged. The administration continues to face many economic challenges, including improving the public education system, upgrading infrastructure, modernizing labor laws, and fostering private investment in the energy sector. CALDERON has stated that his top economic priorities remain reducing poverty and creating jobs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.567 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $1.486 trillion (2009 est.) $1.582 trillion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.039 trillion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 -6.1% (2009 est.) 1.5% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $13,400 (2009 est.) $14,400 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.2% industry: 33.3% services: 62.5% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

46.99 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13.7% industry: 23.4% services: 62.9% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

5.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 5.5% (2009 est.) note: underemployment may be as high as 25%

Population below poverty line:

18.2% note: based on food-based definition of poverty; asset based poverty amounted to more than 47% (2008)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 36.3% (2008)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

48.2 (2008) country comparison to the world: 27 53.1 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Budget: revenues: $237 billion expenditures: $267 billion (2010 est.)

Public debt:

41.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 39.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 3.6% (2009)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.07% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 8.71% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$135.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $119.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money:

$583.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $493 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$342.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $288.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$340.6 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 24 $232.6 billion (31 December 2008) $397.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - production:

245 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - consumption:

181.5 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - exports:

1.288 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

584 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3.001 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - consumption:

2.078 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Oil - exports:

1.225 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Oil - imports:

521,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Oil - proved reserves:

12.42 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - production:

60.35 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - consumption:

59.8 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - exports:

688 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - imports:

11.84 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - proved reserves:

359.7 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Current account balance:

$-7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 $-6.23 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$303 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $229.8 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:

US 80.5%, Canada 3.6%, Germany 1.4% (2009 est.)

Imports:

$306 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $234.4 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities: metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners:

US 48%, China 13.5%, Japan 4.8%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4.1% (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$116.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $99.86 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$212.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $204.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$328.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $308.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$62.93 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $53.46 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - 12.687 (2010) 13.514 (2009) 11.016 (2008) 10.8 (2007) 10.899 (2006)

Communications ::Mexico Telephones - main lines in use: 19.425 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 14

Telephones - mobile cellular:

83.528 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 13

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate telephone service for business and government; improving quality and increasing mobile cellular availability, with mobile subscribers far outnumbering fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable domestic: despite the opening to competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; Fixed-line teledensity is less than 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 75 per 100 persons in 2009 international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 120 (32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections (2009)

Broadcast media: large number of television stations and more than 1,400 radio stations, most are privately owned; the Televisa group once had a virtual monopoly in TV broadcasting, but new broadcasting groups and foreign satellite and cable operators are now available (2007)

Internet country code:

.mx

Internet hosts:

12.854 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 9

Internet users:

31.02 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 12

Transportation ::Mexico

Airports: 1,819 (2010) country comparison to the world: 3

Airports - with paved runways: total: 250 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 85 914 to 1,523 m: 83 under 914 m: 40 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,569 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 66 914 to 1,523 m: 438 under 914 m: 1,063 (2010)

Heliports:

1 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 16,594 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,152 km; oil 7,499 km; oil/gas/water 4 km; refined products 7,264 km; water 33 km (2010)

Railways: total: 17,166 km country comparison to the world: 16 standard gauge: 17,166 km 1.435-m gauge (22 km electrified) (2010)

Roadways: total: 366,095 km country comparison to the world: 17 paved: 132,289 km (includes 6,279 km of expressways) unpaved: 233,806 km (2008)

Waterways:

2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals mostly connected with ports on the country's east coast) (2010) country comparison to the world: 33

Merchant marine: total: 60 country comparison to the world: 65 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 3, chemical tanker 12, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 22, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 5 (Denmark 2, Greece 1, South Africa 1, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 18 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Honduras 1, Marshall Islands 4, Panama 6, Portugal 1, Spain 2, Venezuela 1, unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Salina Cruz, Veracruz

Military ::Mexico Military branches: Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico (ARM), includes Naval Air Force (FAN),

Mexican Marine Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina, Mexmar or CIM)) (2011)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 28,815,506 females age 16-49: 30,363,558 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 23,239,866 females age 16-49: 25,642,549 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 1,105,371 female: 1,067,007 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.5% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Transnational Issues ::Mexico Disputes - international: abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States; Belize and Mexico are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 5,500-10,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2007)

Illicit drugs: major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in 2007 rose to 6,900 hectares yielding a potential production of 18 metric tons of pure heroin, or 50 metric tons of "black tar" heroin, the dominant form of Mexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana cultivation increased to 8,900 hectares in 2007 and yielded a potential production of 15,800 metric tons; government conducts the largest independent illicit-crop eradication program in the world; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America, with an estimated 90% of annual cocaine movements toward the US stopping in Mexico; major drug syndicates control the majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market (2007)

Fuente: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/geos/countrytemplate_mx.html

AGUASCALIENTES Teléfonos de Emergencias OAXACA Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Bomberos 516-2231 Bomberos 970-0065 / 0075 066 Cruz Roja 516-4455 Cruz Roja 065 GUANAJUATO Policía Federal Preventiva 517-5397 / 5356 Policía Federal Preventiva 970-0325 /3801 /0928 Emergencias 066 Policía preventiva 516-1155 /3618 Procuraduría de Justicia 910-2800 Urgencias (Estatal) 733-0911 Policía Municipal 514-4525; 516-0455 Seguridad Pública 970-0029 Bomberos 732-3357 Ángeles Verdes 516-3810 Cruz Roja 732-0487 ó 065 Alas del Socorro 511-5079; 515-8065 BAJA CALIFORNIA Inspección de Policía 732-0266 / 0292 Emergencias (Estatal) 066 PUEBLA Cruz Roja 122-1222 HIDALGO Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Bomberos 122-0054 Bomberos 713-7856 Cruz Roja 234-0000; 213-7703 Tránsito 122-0477 Ministerio Público 713-2524 Rescate 222-2130; 222-1547 Centro de salud 713-5912 Bomberos 245-7392 /7799 /6965 BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR Emergencias (Estatal) 066 JALISCO QUERÉTARO Emergencias (Estatal) 080 Emergencia (Estatal) 066 COLIMA Ambulancias 3616-9616 Bomberos 212-0627 / 3939 / 0314 Emergencias (Estatal) 060 Ángeles Verdes 3668-1800 ext. 1487 Policía Judicial del Estado 216-1149 / 2427 Procuraduría de Justicia (312) 3143408 Bomberos 3619-5241 / 0794 Policía Federal Preventiva 229 0621 Gobierno del Estado 3162000 Cruz Ámbar - GDL 3605-0092 Cruz Roja 229-0505 / 0669 Angeles verdes 78 Cruz Roja 3613-1550; 3614-5600 Cruz Verde 3614-5252; 3613-1572 SONORA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO Policía Municipal - GDL 3668-0800 Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Emergencias 066 ó 061 Bomberos y Cruz Roja 060 Cruz Roja 065 ó 5395-1111 MICHOACÁN Policía Estatal 066; 080 LOCATEL 56581111 Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Protección Civil 56832222 VERACRUZ Bomberos 068 ó 5768-3700 MORELOS Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Emergencias (Estatal) 080 ó 060 Ambulancia Rescate 815-9511 CHIAPAS Cruz Roja 315-3505 ó 060 Ángeles Verdes 01800-903-9200; 818-4847 Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Ambulancias (ERUM) 329-1536 Bomberos 815-0002 / 3767 Policía Judicial 616-5363 Bomberos 317-1489 ó 060 Cruz Roja 817-3431 / 8158 Bomberos 613-5025; 611-2019 Seguridad Pública 317-3266 Policía Judicial 818-1810 / 9986 Cruz Roja Mexicana 612-0492 / 9514 Policía Judicial 329-1500 Policía Intermunicipal 818-7199 / 0301 Accidentes de Tránsito 316-1166 Radio Patrullas 060 CHIHUAHUA Emergencias (Estatal) 060 NUEVO LEÓN YUCATÁN Cruz Roja Centro 411-1484 / 2211 Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Emergencia (Estatal) 066 Cruz Roja Noroeste 434-0666 Cruz Roja 065 Central de bomberos 924-9242; 923-2971 Cruz Roja Norte 417-9765 Cruz Verde 8371-5050; 8311-0149 Policía Meridana 942-0060 Cruz Roja Sur 435-6377 Cuerpo de Bomberos 8342-0053 al 55 Cruz Roja 065 Policía Municipal Zona Nte. 442-7300 Policía y Tránsito 8125-9400 Policía Municipal Zona Sur 429-6000 ZACATECAS Policía Judicial del Estado 429-3382 Emergencias 066 Policía Judicial Federal 414-5544 Bomberos 922 53 50 Policía preventiva 922 01 80 y 922 92 50 ESTADO DE MÉXICO Cruz Roja 922 30 05 Y 922 33 23 Emergencias (Toluca) 060 Emergencias (Estatal) 066 Cruz Roja 065 Ángeles Verdes 078 Tablas de Conversión

LONGITUD PESO SUPERFICIE O AREA CAPACIDAD centimetros cm o kilogramos hectareas litros l ó pulgadas kg o libras libras ha ó acres acres galones (cm) pulgadas (kg) (ha) (l) galones

2.54 1 0.394 0.454 1 2.205 0.405 1 2.471 4.546 1 0.220 5.08 2 0.788 0.908 2 4.410 0.810 2 4.942 9.092 2 0.440 7.62 3 1.182 1.362 3 6.615 1.215 3 7.413 13.638 3 0.660 10.16 4 1.576 1.816 4 8.820 1.620 4 9.884 18.184 4 0.880 12.70 5 1.970 2.270 5 11.025 2.025 5 12.355 22.730 5 1.100 15.24 6 2.364 2.724 6 13.230 2.430 6 14.826 27.276 6 1.320 17.78 7 2.758 3.178 7 15.435 2.835 7 17.297 31.822 7 1.540 20.32 8 3.152 3.632 8 17.640 3.240 8 19.768 36.368 8 1.760 22.86 9 3.546 4.086 9 19.845 3.645 9 22.239 40.914 9 1.980 25.40 10 3.940 4.540 10 22.050 4.050 10 24.710 45.460 10 2.200 50.80 20 7.880 9.080 20 44.100 8.100 20 49.420 90.920 20 4.400 76.20 30 11.820 13.620 30 66.150 12.150 30 74.130 136.380 30 6.600 101.60 40 15.760 18.160 40 88.200 16.200 40 98.840 181.840 40 8.800 127.00 50 19.700 22.700 50 110.250 20.250 50 123.550 227.300 50 11.000 152.40 60 23.640 27.240 60 132.300 24.300 60 148.260 272.760 60 13.200 177.80 70 27.580 31.780 70 154.350 28.350 70 172.970 318.220 70 15.400 203.20 80 31.520 36.320 80 176.400 32.400 80 197.680 363.680 80 17.600 228.60 90 35.460 40.860 90 198.450 36.450 90 222.390 409.140 90 19.800 254.00 100 39.400 45.400 100 220.500 40.500 100 247.100 454.600 100 22.000 Comparative Chart of U.S. and Mexican Educational Systems

United States México Years in Years Years in Years Level of Education Level of Education School of Age School of Age

Professional 10+ Schools 9 9+ (including Ph.D. Doctorado Medicine, 8 8 Teaching, Law) 7 7 Maestría 6 6 18+ Master's years 18+ 5 5 years Licenciatura 4 4 Bachelor's 3 3 Normal Associate of Arts 2 2 Tecnológico 1 1

12 3 Preparatorias 15-18 11 (General, Vocational, 2 years Secondary School Teaching, University Track) 10 1 12-18 (High School, levels 9/10-12; years Junior High School, levels 7-9; 9 3 Middle School, levels 6-8) Secundaria 12-15 8 2 (Vocational or General) years 7 1

6 6

5 5

4 4 6-12 6-12 Elementary School Primaria years years 3 3

2 2

1 1

K 5 2 5-6 yrs. Early Childhood Education Preescolar Pre-K 4 1 3.5/4-5

Head Start* 3-5 40 days Inicial to 3.5/4- Even Start* 0-7 5 years

* Federally Funded Program All ages are approximations Adapted, courtesy of Dr. Margarita Gomez-Palacios, Independent Consultant

The Grading System in Mexico

The majority of schools and universities in the Mexico use a ten-point grading system with corresponding numerical grades for academic work. The passing grades are from 6 to 10 where 1 0 i s t he m aximum g rade. A g rade of 5 a nd below is n ot a passing grade, and this grade can be abbreviated as NA for Not Acreditado.

This 0-10 grading system can also be translated to a 0-100 scale with the same equivalencies: 60 to 100 for passing grades, and 0 to 59 for a failing grade.

The following table shows a comparison between the 0-10 scale used in Mexico and the 0-4 scale used in USA.

Grades according to the 4.0 system

Corresponding Grade Numerical Grade Letter Grade On 4.0 scale 9.5-10 A 4.0 9.0-9.4 A- 3.7 8.7-8.9 B+ 3.3 8.4-8.6 B 3.0 8.0-8.3 B- 2.7 7.7-7.9 C+ 2.3 7.4-7.6 C 2.0 7.0-7.3 C- 1.7 6.9-6.5 D+ 1.3 6.4-6.0 D 1.0 5 and below F 0

¿Cómo hacer una llamada telefónica en México?

1. Llamadas locales

a) Para hacer llamadas locales de un teléfono fijo a un teléfono celular, marca:

Ejemplo, para Clave lada Número 044 marcar a: de la Ciudad celular

D. F. 044 55 13931662

Aguascalientes 044 449 8960770

b) Para hacer llamadas locales de un celular a otro celular, marca:

Ejemplo, para Clave lada Número marcar a: de la Ciudad celular

D. F. 55 13931662

Aguascalientes 449 8960770

2. Llamadas de larga distancia nacional

a) Para hablar de otros estados del País a las ciudades de México, Guadalajara y Monterrey, marca:

01 + 2 dígitos + 8 dígitos

Número local Clave lada

Código larga Cd. De México 01 + 55 + 8 dígitos (número local) distancia Guadalajara 01 + 33 + 8 dígitos (número local) Monterrey 01 + 81 + 8 dígitos (número local)

b) Para hablar al resto del país, marca:

01 + 3 dígitos + 7 dígitos

Clave lada Número local Código larga Ejemplo:

distancia Mexicali, Baja 01 + 686 + 7 dígitos (número California local)

c) Para hacer llamadas de larga distancia nacional de un teléfono fijo o celular a un celular, marca:

Ejemplo, para Clave lada Número 045 marcar a: de la Ciudad celular

D. F. 045 55 13931662

Aguascalientes 045 449 8960770

3. Llamadas de larga distancia internacional

a) Para llamar del extranjero a un teléfono fijo en México se marca:

10 dígitos Área de acceso 52 del país + Código de país + extranjero de México Clave lada de la + Número local Ciudad 011 55 52 5292-3083 (E.U.A.) (D. F.) 449 00 52 (Aguascalientes) 973-6744 (Europa)

b) Para llamar del extranjero a un teléfono celular en México se marca:

10 dígitos Área de acceso 52 del país + Código de país + 1 + extranjero de México Clave lada de la Número + Ciudad local 011 55 52 1 1393-1662 (E.U.A.) (D. F.) 449 00 52 1 (Aguascalientes) 896-0770 (Europa)

4. Llamadas de larga distancia a Estados Unidos:

001 + código de área + 7 dígitos del número local

Ejemplo: Richmond, VA. 001 + 804 + 555 5555 Clave Lada + Número de Dígitos del No. Localidad Anterior Clave Lada Actual Número Local +7 or 8 digits local telephone No. City/Town Old Area Code Correct Area Code number

1 Acapulco,Gro. 7 744 siete 2 Aguascalientes,Ags. 4 449 siete 3 Apizaco,Tlax. 2 241 siete 4 Atlixco,Pue. 2 244 siete 5 Campeche,Camp. 9 981 siete 6 Cancún,Q.Roo 9 998 siete 7 Celaya,Gto. 4 461 siete 8 Ciudad Cuauhtémoc,Chih. 1 625 siete 9 Ciudad de México, D.F. y Zonas Conurbadas No tenía 55 ocho 10 Ciudad del Carmen,Camp. 9 938 siete 11 Ciudad Delicias,Chih. 1 639 siete 12 Ciudad Guzmán,Jal. 3 341 siete 13 Ciudad Juárez,Chih. 1 656 siete 14 Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas,Mich. 7 753 siete 15 Ciudad Mante,Tamps. 1 831 siete 16 Ciudad Obregón,Son. 6 644 siete 17 Ciudad Valles,S.L.P. 1 481 siete 18 Ciudad Victoria,Tamps. 1 834 siete 19 Coatzacoalcos,Ver. 9 921 siete 20 Colima,Col. 3 312 siete 21 Córdoba,Ver. 2 271 siete 22 Cuautla,Mor. 7 735 siete 23 Cuernavaca,Mor. 7 777 siete 24 Culiacán,Sin. 6 667 siete 25 Chetumal,Q.Roo 9 983 siete 26 Chihuahua,Chih. 1 614 siete 27 Chilpancingo,Gro. 7 747 siete 28 Chinameca,Ver. 9 922 siete 29 Durango,Dgo. 1 618 siete 30 Ensenada,B.C. 6 646 siete 31 Fresnillo,Zac. 4 493 siete 32 Guadalajara, Jal. y Zonas Conurbadas No tenía 33 ocho 33 Guanajuato,Gto. 4 473 siete 34 Guaymas,Son. 6 622 siete 35 Hermosillo,Son. 6 662 siete 36 Irapuato,Gto. 4 462 siete 37 Ixtepec,Oax. 9 971 siete 38 Jalapa,Ver. 2 228 siete 39 Jiménez,Coah. 8 878 siete 40 La Paz,B.C.S. 1 612 siete 41 La Piedad,Mich. 3 352 siete 42 Lagos de Moreno,Jal. 4 474 siete 43 León,Gto. 4 477 siete 44 Lerma,Méx. 7 728 siete 45 Los Mochis,Sin. 6 668 siete 46 Manzanillo,Col. 3 314 siete 47 Matamoros,Tamps. 8 868 siete 48 Mayanalán,Gro. 7 733 siete 49 Mazatlán,Sin. 6 669 siete 50 Mérida,Yuc. 9 999 siete Clave Lada + Número de Dígitos del No. Localidad Anterior Clave Lada Actual Número Local +7 or 8 digits local telephone No. City/Town Old Area Code Correct Area Code number 51 Mexicali,B.C. 6 686 siete 52 Monclova,Coah. 8 866 siete 53 Monterrey, N.L. y Zonas Conurbadas No tiene 81 ocho 54 Morelia,Mich. 4 443 siete 55 Moroleón,Gto. 4 445 siete 56 Navojoa,Son. 6 642 siete 57 Nogales,Son. 6 631 siete 58 Nuevo Laredo,Tamps. 8 867 siete 59 Oaxaca,Oax. 9 951 siete 60 Ocotlán,Jal. 3 392 siete 61 Orizaba,Ver. 2 272 siete 62 Pachuca,Hgo. 7 771 siete 63 Parral,Chih. 1 627 siete 64 Polotitlán,Méx. 4 427 siete 65 Poza Rica,Ver. 7 782 siete 66 Puebla,Pue. 2 222 siete 67 Puerto Vallarta,Jal. 3 322 siete 68 Querétaro,Qro. 4 442 siete 69 Reynosa,Tamps. 8 899 siete 70 Sabinas,Coah. 8 861 siete 71 Sahuayo,Mich. 3 353 siete 72 Salamanca,Gto. 4 464 siete 73 Saltillo,Coah. 8 844 siete 74 San José del Cabo,B.C.S. 1 624 siete 75 San Luis Potosí,S.L.P. 4 444 siete 76 San Luis Río Colorado,Son. 6 653 siete 77 San Marcos Nepantla,Méx. 5 594 siete 78 San Martín Texmelucan,Pue. 2 248 siete 79 San Miguel de Allende,Gto. 4 415 siete 80 Singuilucan,Hgo. 7 775 siete 81 Tampico,Tamps. 1 833 siete 82 Tapachula,Chis. 9 962 siete 83 Tehuacán,Pue. 2 238 siete 84 Tepatitlan,Jal. 3 378 siete 85 Tepeji del Rio,Hgo. 7 773 siete 86 Tepic,Nay. 3 311 siete 87 Texcoco,Méx. 5 595 siete 88 Tijuana,B.C. 6 664 siete 89 Tlaxcala,Tlax. 2 246 siete 90 Toluca,Méx. 7 722 siete 91 Torreón,Coah. 1 871 siete 92 Tuxpan,Ver. 7 783 siete 93 Tuxtla Gutiérrez,Chis. 9 961 siete 94 Uruapan,Mich. 4 452 siete 95 Veracruz,Ver. 2 229 siete 96 Villahermosa,Tab. 9 993 siete 97 Zacatecas,Zac. 4 492 siete 98 Zacatepec,Mor. 7 734 siete 99 Zamora,Mich. 3 351 siete 100 Zihuatanejo,Gro. 7 755 siete Mensajería y Paquetería Local, Nacional e Internacional

Local. Nacional. Internacional.

Centro de Información desde: Ciudad de México: 5531 1613 www.pakmail.com.mx Tel/ fax: 5531 1604 Interior de la República: 01 800 410 4100

Nacional. Internacional.

Centro de Información desde: www.dhl.com.mx Ciudad de México: 5345 7000 Interior de la República: 01 800 765 6345

Internacional.

Centro de Información desde: Ciudad de México: 5228 9904 www.fedex.com Interior de la República: 01 800 900 1100 Estados Unidos: (011 52 55) 5228 9904

Nacional

Centro de Información desde: Ciudad de México: 5270 8300 www.estafeta.com.mx Guadalajara: 3942 5909 Monterrey: 8133 3339 Interior de la República: 01 800 903 3500

Nacional. Internacional

Centro de Información desde: Ciudad de México: 5729 5100 www.paqueteriaestrellablanca.com.mx Interior de la República: 01 800 508 9600

Nacional. Internacional

Centro de Información desde: www.ups.com Ciudad de México: 5228 7900 Interior de la República: 01 800 902 9200

Librerías en México

Librerías en la Zona • CENTENO No. 7 9,C COL. GRANJAS ESMERALDA C.P.09810, MÉXICO, D.F. Metropolitana LIBRERÍAS LA BALANZA • REVOLUCIÓN 1 818 G , C ol. SA N A NGEL, C.P. 01 000, LIBRERÍA PORRÚA ALVARO OBREGON, D.F. TEL. 5550-4978 • REPÚBLICA DE ARGENTINA 15, Col. CENTRO, C.P. 06020, CUAUHTÉMOC, D.F. TEL. 5704 7578 EL PARNASO DE COYOACÁN • CONDESA: INSURGENTES S UR No.357-B C OL. • FELIPE CARRILLO PUERTO 2, Col. COYOACAN CENTRO, HIPÓDROMO TEL. 5584-8177 y 5584-8397 C.P. 04000, COYOACAN, D.F. TEL. 5659-5978

• PASEO DE LA REFORMA No. 222 CENTRO COMERCIAL EL TOMO SUELTO REFORMA L OCAL 21 9-220. C OL. J UÁREZ. DEL. CUAHUTÉMOC TEL. 5511-0863 • DONCELES 42, C ol. C TO. L A C D D E MÉXICO AREA 2, C.P. 06010, CUAUHTEMOC, D.F. TEL. 5521-0213 • DONCELES No. 104, COL. CENTRO C.P.06020, MÉXICO,

D.F. TEL. 5704-7581 GLOBALBOOK • AV. INSURGENTES No. 701, Col. NAPOLES C.P.03810, • GANTE 4 A, Col. CTO. LA CD MÉXICO AREA 1, C.P. MÉXICO, D.F. TEL. 5543 8212 06000, CUAUHTEMOC, D.F. TEL. 5510-9362 • http://www.porrua.com/tienda_sucursales.asp LIBROS LIBROS LIBROS LIBRERÍAS EL SOTANO • MONTE ARARAT 22 0 M EZZ, C ol. L OMAS DE • AV. JUÁREZ No. 20, COL. CENTRO C.P.06050, MÉXICO, BARRILACO, C .P. 11 000, M IGUEL H IDALGO, D.F. TEL. D.F. TEL. 5510-2593 5540-4778G • CARLOS ARELLANO No. 4, Col. CIUDAD SATELITE C.P.53100, EDO. DE MÉXICO TEL. 5393-8333 LIBRERÍA ARQUITECTURA INTENACIONAL (MR. • ALLENDE NO. 38 COL. DEL CARMEN, COYOACÁN BOOK) CP. 04100 MÉXICO, DF TEL. 5659-9672 • VERACRUZ 10 COL. ROMA C.P. 06700, CUAUHTEMOC, D.F. TEL. 5553-1022 AMERICAN BOOK SA DE CV • CONSTITUYENTES 920, Col. LOMAS ALTAS, C.P. SUPERLIBROS 11950, MIGUEL HIDALGO, D.F. TEL. 5259 5800 • ANILLO PERIFERICO 4690 274, Col. JARDINES DEL • BOLIVAR 23, Col. CENTRO. C.P. 06000, CUAUHTÉMOC, PEDREGAL D E S AN A NGEL, C .P. 04500 , C OYOACAN, D.F. TEL. 5512-0306 D.F. TEL. 5606-1910

LIBRERÍAS DE CRISTAL LIBRERÍA AVALON • TEHUANTEPEC 170, Col. ROMA SUR, C.P. 0676 0, • DARWIN No. 78, PISO. 13 DESPACHO. 1301 Col. CUAUHTÉMOC, D.F. TEL. 5564-4100 ANZURES C.P.11590, MÉXICO, DF TEL. 5545 0575 • AV. FELIX CUEVAS No. 209 COL. DEL VALLE C.P.06760, MÉXICO, D.F. TEL. 5524 3565 LIBRERÍA BELLAS ARTES • AV. JUAREZ No. 18,D COL. CENTRO C.P.01000, CASA DEL LIBRO MÉXICO, D.F. TEL. 5512.2593 5521.9251 • BARRANCA DEL MUERTO 40, Col. FLORIDA, C.P. 01030, ALVARO OBREGON, D.F. TEL. 5662-1599 LIBRERÍA BRITÁNICA • AV. CANAL DE MIRAMONTES No. 2739, COL. JARDINES • ROSAS MORENO No. 152, COL. SAN RAFAEL DE COYOACAN C.P.04890, MÉXICO, D.F. TEL. 5677 C.P.02010, MÉXICO, D .F. TEL. 5 705-2474 0614 LIBRERÍA CIENCIAS SA • CDA CERRO DEL AGUA No. 274, COL. COPILCO FONDO DE CULTURA ECONÓMICA C.P.04350, MÉXICO, D.F. TEL. 5658-0714 • TAMAULIPAS. 202, Col. CONDESA, C.P. 06170, CUAUHTEMOC, D.F. TEL. 52767118 FONDO DE CULTURA ECONÓMICA • PICACHO AJ USCO 227, Col. JARDINES D EL AJUSCO, • TAMAULIPAS. No. 202, Col. CONDESA, C.P. 06170, C.P. 14200, TLALPAN, D.F. TEL. 5227-4672 CUAUHTEMOC, D.F. TEL. 5276-7110 • EJE LAZARO CARDENAS EJE CTAL 24 S/N, Col.CENTRO C.P.06000, MÉXICO, D.F. TEL. 5518 3225 LIBRERÍA INTERNACIONAL SA DE CV • FILOSOFÍA Y LE TRAS 34, COL. C OPILCO LIBRERÍAS GANDHI UNIVERSIDAD, C .P. 04360, COYOACAN, D.F. TEL. • AV. PROLONGACION PASEO DE LA REFORMA 880, Col. 5265-1165 LOMAS DE SANTA FE, C.P. 01210, D.F. TEL. 2625-0606 LIBRERÍA UMBRAL • MIGUEL ANGEL DE Q UEVEDO N o. 121, C ol. • AV. CANAL DE MIRAMONTES No. 2735, GUADALUPE CHIMALISTAC, C.P. 01050, D.F. COL. JARDINES DE C OYOACAN C.P. 04890, MÉXICO, D. F. TEL. 56841149 • MARIO PANI S/N,2 COL. PASEO DE LAS LOMAS

C.P.01330, MÉXICO, D.F. THE NEW OPTION BOOK STORE S.A. DE C.V. • BENJAMIN FRANKLIN No. 98,P 1 Y 3 COL. ESCANDON I • CALLE R OSALES 6 L OCAL 7 C OL. T ABACALERA SECCION C.P.11800, MÉXICO, D.F. C.P.06030 , MÉXICO, D. F. TEL. 5512-9626 • AV. JUAREZ No. 4 C ol.CENTRO C .P.01050, MÉXICO, D.F. AV. P DE L AS P ALMAS No. 840 C OL. LOMAS D E CHAPULTEPEC C.P.01050, MÉXICO, D.F.

Librerías en los Estados • EDITORIAL SANTILLANA. 3-C NO. 125 S/N COL. RESIDENCIAL P ENSIONES CP. 972 17 M ERIDA,

YUCATÁN TEL. (999)920-0970 OAXACA • MÉRIDA ENGLISH LIBRARY. CALLE 53 NO. 524 • LIBRERÍAS CODICE SA DE CV OAXACA DE JUAREZ, ZONA CENTRO. C.P.97000 TEL. (999)924.84001 OAXACA MACEDONIO ALCALA NO. 406, Col. OAXACA • http://www.portal- CENTRO, C.P. 68000 yucatan.com/regional/dir/librerias.html Tel. (951)516.9596 • LIBRERÍAS DE CRISTAL. 5 DE M AYO N O. 114 S /N COL. OAXACA CENTRO. C.P. 68000 NUEVO LEÓN TEL. (951) 516.3996 • LIBRERÍA PORRUA, PADRE MIER 501, Col. • LIBROS Y ARTE CONACULTA. ALCALÁ S/N COL. MONTERREY CENTRO, C.P. 64000, MONTERREY, NL. OAXACA CENTRO. C.P. 68000 Tel. (0181)8343-4208 TEL. (951) 514.1398 • ARTE Y CULTURA ESPIRAL SA DE CV MELCHOR • http://www.portal- OCAMPO 904 C OL. C ENTRO C.P. 6400 0 ( 81) 8 340- Ñoaxaca.com/regional/dir/librerias.html 3634

• LIBRERÍA PATRIA DE MONTERREY SA DE CV

WASHINGTON 118 O TE, Col. CE NTRO, C.P. 6400 0, VERACRUZ MONTERREY, NL TEL. (81)8340.1618 • LIBRERÍA INTERNACIONAL DE XALAPA SA DE CV • LIBRERÍA BETANIA, FELIX U. GOMEZ 302 COL. XALAPEÑOS I LUSTRES 39 , Col. J ALAPA ENRIQUEZ CENTRO C .P. 64000 MONTERREY, NUEVO LEÓN (81) CENTRO, C.P. 91000, XALAPA, VER. TEL. (228)8180152 8342.2804 • LA RUECA DE GANDHI LIBRERÍA, URSULO GALVAN, • http://www.portal- COL. CENTRO, C.P. 91000, VER. TEL. (228)818.1920 monterrey.com/regional/dir/libreriasL.html • LIBRERÍA ARBOL DE LECTURA, XALAPEÑOS ILUSTRES 51 B, Col. JALAPA ENRIQUEZ CENTRO, C.P. 91000, XALAPA, VER. SONORA TEL. (228)812.0635 • LIBRERÍA DEL PACIFICO, RODOLFO ELIAS CALLES • SERVICIO BIBLIOGRÁFICO UNIVERSITARIO. 290 , Col. CAMPESTRE , C.P. 85160 , CIUDAD XALAPEÑOS I LUSTRES N O. 37 S /N C OL. J ALAPA OBREGON , SON. ENRIQUEZ CENTRO C.P. 91000 XALAPA, VERACRUZ • LIBRERÍAS DE CRISTAL, AV AQUILES SERDáN 178 , TEL. (228) 812.0939 Col. C ENTRO , C .P. 8 3000 , H ERMOSILLO , S ON. T el. • http://www.portal- (662)213-7197 veracruz.com/regional/dir/librerias.html • LIBRERÍA DEL PACIFICO, BLVD. ELIAS CALLES

CALLE 200 CD OBREGÓN, SONORA. TEL. (644)417.3844 JALISCO • http://www.portal- • LIBRERÍA BUHO S. A. MARIANO BARCENAS 99 sonora.com/regional/dir/librerias.html COL. CENTRO C.P. 44200 GUADALAJARA, JALISCO (33) 3614.8499 PUEBLA • BRITANICA BOOKSTORE LORENZA 725 COL. JARD • BRITÁNICA LIBRERÍA, 25 PONIENTE , Col. LOS DEL BOSQUE C.P. 44520 GUADALAJARA, JASLICO (33) VOLCANES , C.P. 72410 , PUE. Tel. (222) 240-8549 3647-4290 • LIBRERÍA MÉXICO, 7 PONIENTE 1314 , Col. CENTRO • DISTRIBUIDORA AMERICAN BOOK S . J OSE M ARIA , C.P. 72000 , PUEBLA , PUE. Tel. (222)232-4300 VIGIL 2364, Col. JESUS GARCIA, C.P. 44520, • CENTRO LIBRERO DE PUEBLA, 3 PTE 524 B , Col. GUADALAJARA, JAL. TEL. (33)3642-9951 CENTRO , C.P. 72000 , PUEBLA , PUE. (222)242.5016 • GLOBAL BOOK CHAPULTEPEC SUR NO. 155 COL. • http://www.portal- AMERICANA C.P. 44160 GUADALAJARA, JALISCO (33) puebla.com/regional/dir/librerias.html 3827.4669

• http://www.portal- jalisco.com/regional/dir/librerias.html MORELOS

• LIBRERÍAS DE CRISTAL EDIF LAS PLAZAS LOC-38 ,

Col. CENTRO , C.P. 62000 , CUERNAVACA , MOR. Tel. GUANAJUATO (777)314-1945 EDITORIAL PRODIED. • AV. INDEPENDENCIA 511 • LA RANA SABIA LIBRERÍA RAYÓN. NO. 107-4 ZONA COL. CENTRO C.P. 37000 LEÓN, GTO. CENTRO. CP. 62000 CUERNAVACA, MOR. TEL. (477) 712.6600 • http://www.portal- LIBRERÍAS DE CRISTAL • , P LAZA A GORA DE morelos.com/regional/dir/librerias.html BARATILLO LO C. 4 N O. S /N C OL. GUANAJUATO CENTRO C.P. 36000 GUANAJUATO, GTO. TEL. (473) 732.2448 BAJA CALIFORNIA • CENTRO LIBRERO DEL BAJÍO. PROL. B LVD • LIBRERÍA UNIVERSITARIA BLVD BENITO JUÁREZ CAMPESTRE 1501 COL. LOMAS DEL CAMPESTRE C.P. S/N , Col. CENTRO COM 19 , C.P. 21280 , MEXICALI , 37150 LEÓN, GTO. TEL. (477)718.6240 BC. TEL. (686)566-0555 • http://www.portal- • LIBRERÍA SOR JUANA. AV. LAS PALMAS NO. 4390 guanajuato.com/regional/dir/librerias.html COL. LAS PALMAS C.P. 22106 TIJUANA, BC

(664)622.9059 YUCATÁN http://www.portal- • LIBRERÍA BURREL SA CALLE 59 Nº 502, Col. bajacalifornia.com/regional/dir/librerias.html CENTRO, C .P. 97 000, M ERIDA, Y UC. TEL. ( 999)928- 0489 Lista parcial de acervos, archivos y bibliotecas en el Distrito Federal

Centro de Estudios de Historia de México CARSO Biblioteca Daniel Cosío Villegas Plaza Federico Gamboa No. 1 El Colegio de México Col. Chimalistac Camino al Ajusco, No. 20 5326-5175, 5326-5174 Colonia Pedregal Santa Teresa Atención: Lunes a viernes 9:00 a 14:00 y 15:00 a 18:00 5449-3000, ext. 2113 horas Atención: Lunes a viernes 8:30 a 20:30 horas. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] (Miguel Angel de Quevedo: green line metro) http://biblio.colmex.mx/ http://www.cehm.com.mx/

Biblioteca Nacional de México Sala de consulta electrónica Departamento Fondo Reservado Banco Nacional de Comercio Exterior Centro Cultural, Ciudad Universitaria Periférico Sur, No. 4284 UNAM Jardines de la Montaña 5622-6800, 5622-6821 5449-9008 (Universidad: green line metro, then UNAM transport, (Just north of El Colegio de México) “Ruta 3”) http://www.bibliog.unam.mx/bib/biblioteca.html

Biblioteca Francisco Xavier Clavigero Archivo Histórico “Genaro Estrada” de la Secretaria de Universidad Iberoamericana Relaciones Exteriores Av. Prolongación Paseo de la Reforma No. 880 Ave. Ricardo Flores Magón No. 2, Edificio Triangular, Nivel 2, Col. Lomas de Santa Fé Ala B, Col. Guerrero 9177-4400 3686-5017, 3686-5021, 3686-5024 Horarios de atención: Lunes a viernes 7:00 a 20:45, sábados Atención: Lunes a viernes 9:00 a 17:00 horas. de 9:00 a 13:45 E-mail: [email protected] Acervos Históricos/ Libros antiguos: Lunes a viernes 8:00 a (Tlatelolco: green line metro) 18:00 horas. http://www.sre.gob.mx/Acervo/agenaroe2007.htm www.bib.uia.mx

Biblioteca de la Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Archivo General de la Nación Transportes Antiguo Palacio de Lecumberri Av. Telecomunicaciones S/N Eduardo Molina y Albañiles Col. Leyes de Reforma Del. Iztapalapa Col. Penitenciaria Ampliación CP 09300 5133-9900 5090-1100, ext. 4551 Atención: Lunes a viernes de 8:30 a 17:00 hrs. Atención: Lunes a viernes 9:00 a 15:00 y 16:0 a 18:30 (San Lázaro: pink line metro) http://www.agn.gob.mx/

Archivo Histórico Militar Hemeroteca Nacional Archivo de Historia General Centro Cultural, Ciudad Universitaria Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM Blvd. Manuel Ávila Camacho S/N, esquina Av. Industria 56226818 Militar Col. Lomas de Sotelo Del. Miguel Hidalgo (Universidad: green line metro, then UNAM transport, “Ruta Atención 8:00 -14:00 3”) 2122-8800, ext. 3479 http://biblional.bibliog.unam.mx/hem/hemeroteca.html (Cuatro Caminos: blue line metro)

U.S. Agency for International Development Biblioteca Juan Comas del Instituto de Investigaciones U.S. Embassy Antropológicas Reforma No. 305 oficina 216 Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación 5080-2000 Coyoacán, México, D. F., C. P. 04510 Área de Salud, x 2800 Teléfonos 56 22 96 53 y 56 65 29 59 Área de Medio Ambiente, x 2167 [email protected]

Aerolíneas

REGIONALES · Aerosaab · Aerotucán (tours around the Mayan region) (flights within the state of Oaxaca) Ciudad de México: ( 998 ) 8654225 Teléfono: 01 800 640 4148 www.aerosaab.com www.aerotucan.com.mx

. Aerocalafia . Magnicharters (flights within the west cost region) (from Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey www.aerocalafia.com.mx to the main beaches of Mexico) www.magnicharters.com.mx

NACIONALES · Interjet · Viva Aerobús Ciudad de México: 1102 5511 México: 01 81 8215 0150 Interior de la República: 01 800 322 5050 EE.UU.: 1 888 9359 8482 www.interjet.com.mx www.vivaeaerobus.com

· Click (Mexicana) · Volaris Ciudad de México: 2282 6262 Ciudad de México: 1102 8000 Interior de la República: 01 800 112 5425 Interior de la República: 01 800 786 52747 www.clickmx.com EE.UU.: 1 866 988 3527 www.volaris.com.mx

NACIONALES E INTERNACIONALES · Aeroméxico · Aerocalifornia Ciudad de México: 5133 4050 México: 01 800 2376225 Interior de la República: 01 800 021 4050 EE.UU.: 1 800 237 6225 www.aeromexico.com www.aerocalifornia.com

· Aeromar · Mexicana Ciudad de México: 5133 1111 Para consultas de Internet - Interior de la República: 01 800 237 6627 Ciudad de México: 2881 0000 www.aeromar.com.mx Interior de la República: 01 800 801 2030 Información general - Ciudad de México 5998 5998 Interior de la República: 01 800 801 2010 www.mexicana.com.mx

Líneas de Autobuses

· ETN · Omnibus www.etn.com.mx www.odm.com.mx Atención a clientes: 01 800 800 0386 Atención a clientes: 01 800 765 6636 Monterrey, Torreón, Tampico, Saltillo, Cd. Victoria, San Nogales, Chihuahua, Cd. Juárez, Saltillo, Monterrey, Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Pto. Reynosa, Cd. Victoria, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Vallarta, León, Guanajuato, Celaya, Colima, Morelia, Potosí, Tepic, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Querétaro, Toluca, Cd. de México (Norte, Observatorio), Pachuca, Toluca, Uruapan, Morelia, Zihuatanejo, Cd de entre otros. México, (Norte, Poniente) Poza Rica, entre otros.

· Estrella Blanca · ADO www.estrellablanca.com.mx www.ado.com.mx Atención a clientes: 01 800 507 5500 Córdoba, Coatzacoalcos, Campeche, Cárdenas, Mérida, Acapulco, Querétaro, León, San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, Jalapa, Pachuca, Oaxaca, Puebla, Poza Rica, Tampico, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Chihuahua, Monterrey, Laredo, Veracruz y Villahermosa. y puntos intermedios entre todas sus rutas.

· Greyhound de México · Estrella de Oro www.greyhound.com.mx http://www.autobus.com.mx/edo/ Atención a clientes: 01 800 710 8819 Atención a clientes: 01 800 900 0105 México, Cuernavaca, Taxco Acapulco, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Cd. Lázaro Cárdenas, Chilpancingo.

Portal de venta de boletos para todo México: www.ticketbus.com.mx

Centrales de autobús de la Ciudad de México:

• Terminal Central del Sur: Av. Taxqueña No. 1320, México, D.F. Línea Dos (Azul). Estación Taxqueña. ¿Cómo llegar a la terminal? - www.centraldelnorte.com/sitpaginf.cfm?tema_id=613

• Terminal Central del Norte: Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas No. 4907, Colonia Magdalena de las Salinas, Delegación Gustavo A. Madero. www.centraldelnorte.com.mx/ Línea Cinco (Amarilla). Estación Autobuses del Norte. ¿Cómo llegar a la terminal? - www.centraldelnorte.com/sitpaginf.cfm?tema_id=109

• Terminal Central de Oriente (Tapo): Calz. Ignacio Zaragoza No. 200, México, D.F. Línea Uno (Rosa). Estación San Lázaro. ¿Cómo llegar a la terminal? - www.centraldelnorte.com/sitpaginf.cfm?tema_id=611

• Terminal Central Poniente: Entre Avenida Sur 232 Y Avenida Río De Tacubaya. Colonia Real Del Monte. Línea Uno (Rosa) Estación Observatorio. ¿Cómo llegar a la terminal? http://www.centraldelnorte.com/sitpaginf.cfm?tema_id=612

2012-2013

DÍAS DE DESCANSO OBLIGATORIO

1 Enero Año nuevo 5 Febrero Aniversario de la Constitución Mexicana 21 Marzo Natalicio de Benito Juárez 1 Mayo Día del Trabajo 16 Septiembre Día de la Independencia 2 Noviembre Día de los Muertos 20 Noviembre Aniversario de la Revolución Mexicana 1 Diciembre Toma presidencial (cada 6 años) 25 Diciembre Navidad

DÍAS FESTIVOS

16 Septiembre Día de la Independencia 1 Noviembre Día de Todos los Santos 2 Noviembre Día de los Muertos 20 Noviembre Revolución Mexicana 12 Diciembre Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe 24 Diciembre Nochebuena 25 Diciembre Navidad 6 Enero Día de los Santos Reyes 14 Febrero Día del Amor y la Amistad 24 Febrero Día de la Bandera 18 Marzo Aniversario de la Expropiación Petrolera 21 Marzo Natalicio de Benito Juárez 28 Marzo Jueves Santo 29 Marzo Viernes Santo 30 Abril Día del Niño 1 Mayo Día del Trabajo 5 Mayo Aniversario de la Batalla de Puebla 10 Mayo Día de las Madres 15 Mayo Día del Maestro 19 Junio Día del Padre (3er. Domingo de Junio)