Destinations › North America · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Mexico.
North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States. 1,964,375 sq km and 131,946,900 people, 9,330 km of coastline, varies from tropical to desert.
Region · North AmericaPopulation · ~131,946,900Languages · Spanish, plus 68 Indigenous languages including Nahuatl, Maya, Mixtec, Zapotec and OtomiEco Index · 72/100 · Passable
97,406,000 visitors a year · 131,946,900 residents
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Mexico.
Mexico carries one of the world's richest bodies of living heritage, rooted in Mesoamerican civilisations and still practised daily. Dia de Muertos, mariachi and the Danza de los Voladores of Papantla are all recognised by UNESCO, alongside son jarocho, son huasteco and the jarabe tapatio.
Where the name comes from
From Mēxihco, the Nahuatl name for the Mexica heartland around what is now Mexico City. Under Spanish rule it was called New Spain; the country took the Nahuatl name back at independence. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: high rugged mountains, high plateaus, desert, and low plains along both coasts. Its high point is Pico de Orizaba, 5,636 m. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
Where it starts
The plant that fed the world
Starch grains and phytoliths from the Central Balsas valley show domesticated maize by around 8,700 years ago, the earliest anywhere, from a plant that now feeds much of the world. The Olmec produced colossal stone heads, early calendrics and the first monumental architecture in Mesoamerica. Monte Albán carries some of the earliest writing in the Americas, Teotihuacan held well over 100,000 people, and the Maya developed Long Count dating, a written script and the concept of zero independently.
How it got here
Tenochtitlan to revolution
Tenochtitlan, founded in 1325, was an island city of around 200,000 people, with causeways, a twin aqueduct carrying fresh water, and chinampas raising crops on the lake itself. It was among the largest cities in the world. Spanish conquest in 1521 brought three centuries of colonial rule, silver mining and forced labour. A war of independence ended Spanish rule between 1810 and 1821. Revolution from 1910 led to land reform and the constitution of 1917.
The timeline
c. 8,700 years ago
Maize.
Starch grains and phytoliths from the Central Balsas valley are the earliest evidence of domesticated maize anywhere, from the plant that now feeds much of the world. ↗
c. 1500 to 400 BC
The Olmec.
San Lorenzo and La Venta produce colossal stone heads, early calendrics and the first monumental architecture in Mesoamerica. ↗
c. 500 BC
Monte Albán.
The Zapotec city carries some of the earliest writing in the Americas. ↗
c. AD 100 to 550
Teotihuacan.
A planned city of well over 100,000 people, among the largest in the world at the time, with apartment compounds and painted murals. ↗
c. AD 250 to 900
The Maya.
Long Count dating, a written script, and independent use of the concept of zero. ↗
1325 to 1521
Tenochtitlan.
An island city of around 200,000 people, with causeways, aqueducts, a twin aqueduct carrying fresh water, and chinampas raising crops on the lake itself. ↗
1521 to 1821
New Spain.
Spanish conquest and three centuries of colonial rule, with silver mining and forced labour. ↗
1810 to 1821
Independence.
A war that began in 1810 ends with the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire on 28 September 1821, closing three centuries of Spanish rule. ↗
1910 to 1920
Revolution.
Revolution from 1910 to 1920 removes a thirty-year dictatorship and produces the constitution of 1917, which put land reform, labour rights and subsoil ownership into law. The land redistribution that followed reshaped rural Mexico. ↗
About 14.5% of land was in terrestrial protected areas in 2021 and 22.6% of territorial waters in marine protected areas by 2024 (World Bank), a large national system including major biosphere reserves. Marine protection is genuinely strong, but chronic underfunding and enforcement gaps mean some areas function as paper parks. Mexico has pledged to reach 30% marine protection by 2030.
Is wild Mexico protected? 15.3% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Mexico?
Forest cover33.7%
Terrestrial protected area14.5%
Marine protected area22.6%
1899 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in Mexico and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Axolotl
Ax
Vaquita
Va
Volcano rabbit (teporingo)
Vo
Mexican prairie dog
Me
Hundreds of endemic reptiles
Hu
Cacti
Ca
The watchlist
ThreatenedPygmy Raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedAmazona auropalliataCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedHawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedOaxaca Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura oaxacana)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (reptile).
ThreatenedElkhorn coral (Acropora palmata)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (coral).
ThreatenedStenocereus chacalapensisCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedGrusonia reflexispinaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedBursera exequieliiCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Mexico in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Mexico. GBIF holds 19 verified occurrence records.
Amazona auropalliata
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Mexico. GBIF holds 10 verified occurrence records.
Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Mexico. GBIF holds 63 verified occurrence records.
Oaxaca Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura oaxacana)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Mexico. GBIF holds 16 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Mexico filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Botanical garden in Jalisco, mapped and named in the open record for Mexico. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Mexico.
Mexico's water is unevenly spread, with a wetter, water-rich south and a dry, over-extracted north, while Mexico City is sinking as its aquifer is drained. Only about 43% of the population used safely managed drinking water in 2020 (WHO/UNICEF JMP), and tap water is widely treated as non-potable, so bottled and purified water dominate. Basic access is near-universal, but true safety and security are the constraint.
Does Mexico have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
43% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Coverage is well short of universal, so a visitor should not assume the tap is safe.
Cleanest water: Yucatan cenotes, Chiapas rivers such as Agua Azul, and Baja California waters.
How much fresh water does Mexico have, per person?
3,180 m³
Mexico
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Mexico withdraws about 89,804 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 44.9% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as high water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 76%, homes and towns 15%, industry 9%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Mexico beaches?
✕Tap water: Not drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: State and city bans (Mexico City banned plastic bags in 2020 and other single-use plastics in 2021); no single national ban..
✕Solo travel: rated take care on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 22.6% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Named on the open map: Playa "Las Peñitas, Playa Azul, Playa Ballenas, Playa Cangrejo, Playa Chac Mool, Playa Cuevas, Playa Delfines, Playa Gaviota Azul. That is 17 named beaches in the public record for Mexico, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
62.8%
of people have safely managed sanitation
62.7% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around Mexico doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Rainy season May–Oct with hurricane risk on the coasts; the monarch migration peaks Nov–Feb.
Nearshore
Protected water
22.6% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Yucatan cenotes, Chiapas rivers such as Agua Azul, and Baja California waters..
The record
Measured
Mexico's water is unevenly spread, with a wetter, water-rich south and a dry, over-extracted north, while Mexico City is sinking as its aquifer is drained. Only about 43% of the population used safely managed drinking water in 2020 (WHO/UNICEF JMP), and tap water is widely treated as non-potable, so bottled and purified water dominate.
Sea protected
22.6%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
1899 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Yucatan cenotes, Chiapas rivers such as Agua Azul, and Baja California waters..
Is the tap water safe in Mexico?
43% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 3,180 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 2 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 22.0% of what Mexico renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Mexico? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Mexico actually have?
Nature renews about 3,180 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Mexico 113 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the wetter half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Mexico is a major producer and exporter of avocado, tomatoes, berries, chillies and agave, and the milpa system of maize, beans and squash is still farmed widely. It nonetheless imports large volumes of basic grains such as yellow maize and wheat for feed and industry. Domestic food production is deep and diverse.
Where does the food in Mexico come from?
6.3% imported
about US$43,194m a year
On the plate: Maize tortillas, beans, squash, chillies, nopales, avocado, tomatoes.
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Maize tortillas60%
Beans51%
Squash42%
Chillies33%
Nopales24%
Avocado15%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$43,194m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
Food is 6.3% of everything Mexico imports (2025, World Bank). Farming itself is 3.9% of the economy and 50.7% of the land is agricultural, of which 10.3% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Mexico? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined53.6%
Diabetes16.4%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 73.4%.
Can Mexico feed itself?
10.3%
Arable land
50.7%
Agricultural land
7,034,890
Farmers
49,479,303
Arable acres
3.9%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Rain-fed maize harvested in autumn; avocado year-round; highland coffee from November to March.
Feeding itself
Mexico is a major producer and exporter of avocado, tomatoes, berries, chillies and agave, and the milpa system of maize, beans and squash is still farmed widely. It nonetheless imports large volumes of basic grains such as yellow maize and wheat for feed and industry.
Certification
FiBL records about 215,634 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.2% of agricultural land in 2020, though Mexico is a leading organic exporter of coffee, agave and cacao. The small share reflects a very large total farmland base, much of it extensive grazing.
Water for crops
Mexico's water is unevenly spread, with a wetter, water-rich south and a dry, over-extracted north, while Mexico City is sinking as its aquifer is drained. Only about 43% of the population used safely managed drinking water in 2020 (WHO/UNICEF JMP), and tap water is widely treated as non-potable, so bottled and purified water dominate.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Mexico, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 50.7% of the country is agricultural land and 10.3% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Mexico are sugarcane, maize and oranges (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Mexico's electricity still leans heavily on fossil fuels, with renewables supplying only around a fifth of generation (roughly 20 to 24 per cent in 2024) while the state favours oil and gas through Pemex and the utility CFE. Emissions per person are relatively modest at about 3.5 tonnes in 2024, well below the world average, reflecting a large population and lower industrial intensity rather than a clean grid. National climate policy has weakened in recent years, with an updated NDC targeting a 35 per cent cut by 2030 but continued investment in refining and fossil generation. The country holds strong solar and wind potential that remains underused. Low per-person emissions lift the score, yet fossil dependence and fossil-favouring policy hold it back.
What powers Mexico?
Renewable 23.1%Fossil 74.1%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
3.64 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
4.2 tonnes
The grid
Mexico's electricity still leans heavily on fossil fuels, with renewables supplying only around a fifth of generation (roughly 20 to 24 per cent in 2024) while the state favours oil and gas through Pemex and the utility CFE. Emissions per person are relatively modest at about 3.5 tonnes in 2024, well below the world average, reflecting a large population and lower industrial intensity rather than a clean grid.
Pollution
Mexico City and several states have introduced single-use plastic bans, with the capital prohibiting plastic bags in 2020 and other single-use plastics in 2021, though there is no single national ban. Annual mean PM2.5 was about 20.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir), moderate, with urban and industrial hotspots.
Water stress
Mexico's water is unevenly spread, with a wetter, water-rich south and a dry, over-extracted north, while Mexico City is sinking as its aquifer is drained. Only about 43% of the population used safely managed drinking water in 2020 (WHO/UNICEF JMP), and tap water is widely treated as non-potable, so bottled and purified water dominate.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.78%
2IndustryOver-touristed resort belts damaging reefs, captive-dolphin swims, the sea-turtle-egg trade, and avocado-driven deforestation; avoid dolphinariums and bullfights..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.20.1
4On the recordMexico City and several states have introduced single-use plastic bans, with the capital prohibiting plastic bags in 2020 and other single-use plastics in 2021, though there is no single national ban.
What has Mexico promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today23.4% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target15.3% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target22.6% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in political pledge. Measured against it, 23.4% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 76.6% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year3.64 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy2.99 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy2.63 t CO2e
Dubai return, economy2.58 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy2.34 t CO2e
Frankfurt return, economy1.72 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Mexico emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Mexico.
Data centres
54
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
23.1 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Mexico?
Almost everything a machine here consumes is burned fossil fuel.
Renewable 23.1%Fossil 76.9%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 23.4% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Mexico has 54 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Queretaro (7), Mérida (4), León (4), alongside 9 internet exchanges (IXP.MX - Mexico City, IXP.MX - Querétaro, Equinix Mexico, IXSY). Named sites include Maxcom, KIO Querétaro 1 (QRO1), KWN-IXP-MXN-PUE, KIO México 1 (MEX1).
Where the cables land. 14 landing points · Cancún, Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas, Isla de Cozumel, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo
58% residents to 42% visitors across a year. 97,406,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 131,946,900 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Mexico
51,128k
Visitors a year
0.4
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Mexico?· for every $100 Mexico earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 63What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 64The IMF's own forecast has this rising to $64 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Mexico earns in a year, it owes $63 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Mexico?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 97,406,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 131,946,900 residents, 0.7 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Mexico is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 6.3% of everything Mexico imports (2025, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, sugarcane, maize, oranges, sorghum, tomatoes, chillies/peppers, wheat, lemons/limes, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
76.6% of the electricity is fossil (2021, World Bank). Lighting, cooling and hot water are paid for largely in imported fuel.
burns away
5
What actually stays
On the parts that can be measured, the power leaves and the plate stays. It is genuinely a coin toss, decided by what you book.
split
6
Pay the bank first
Mexico owes $63 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$63 per $100
7
No plan B
26.3% of everything Mexico sells abroad is vehicles (2023, UN Comtrade). One market moving takes the whole board with it.
26.3% one export
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 2.6% of everything Mexico makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
2.6% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Singapore a return economy seat is 2.99 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.99 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$2,121 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$2,121bn
GDPUS$1,832.6bn
Agriculture, share of GDP3.9%
Visitors a year51,128,000
Visitors per resident0.4
Residents~131,946,900
Agriculture
Farming is 3.9% of the economy. Mexico is a major producer and exporter of avocado, tomatoes, berries, chillies and agave, and the milpa system of maize, beans and squash is still farmed widely.
Natural materials
Mexico has an exceptionally rich living textile and natural-fibre tradition, from backstrap-woven cotton and wool to agave-derived ixtle and henequen fibre, palm basketry and cochineal and indigo natural dyes. These crafts remain in daily use and are central to Indigenous economies.
Energy
Mexico's electricity still leans heavily on fossil fuels, with renewables supplying only around a fifth of generation (roughly 20 to 24 per cent in 2024) while the state favours oil and gas through Pemex and the utility CFE. Emissions per person are relatively modest at about 3.5 tonnes in 2024, well below the world average, reflecting a large population and lower industrial intensity rather than a clean grid.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Mexico?
By rooms · company records and press.
Posada Arigalan · ~11 roomsOwnership not publishednot published
Playa Viva · ~19 roomsIndependentnot published
Hacienda Chichen Resort · ~28 roomsIndependentnot published
Terrestre · ~14 roomsIndependentnot published
Hotel Xcaret Mexico · ~900 roomsCorporatenot published
Aldea Kuká · ~15 roomsIndependentnot published
Hacienda Xcanatun · ~54 roomsCorporatenot published
Azulik · ~48 roomsIndependentnot published
Copal Tulum · ~76 roomsIndependentnot published
Destino Mío Mayan · ~12 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
201587,129k
201694,853k
201799,349k
201896,497k
201997,406k
202051,128k
International tourism receipts run at about US$11.45 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 2.6% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking maize tortillas, beans, squash, chillies, nopales, avocado, tomatoes. over imported menus. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Extensive ADO and long-distance buses, domestic flights, colectivos, the Mexico City metro, and the new Maya Train in the south-east.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
A megadiverse country and the birthplace of maize, with vast domestic agriculture, living Indigenous cultures and strong marine protection, set against water stress, uneven enforcement and resort-belt pressures.
Best time: Dry season.
Getting around
Extensive ADO and long-distance buses, domestic flights, colectivos, the Mexico City metro, and the new Maya Train in the south-east.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate is maize tortillas, beans, squash, chillies, nopales, avocado, tomatoes.. Mexican cooking is one of the world's great plant-forward cuisines, built on maize tortillas, beans, squash, nopales, chillies, tomatoes, avocado and a vast range of produce.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cash in markets, cards in cities. Haggle politely; carry small bills.
None of the 10 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Mexico.
How well is Mexico actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Mexico scores 42 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
How well is Mexico run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 29 of 100
Control of corruption scores 28.8 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is below the halfway mark of governments measured.
29
Freedom and rights, scored 51 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 50.9 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens have some room to question their government.
51
Government effectiveness, scored 47 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 47.1 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated below average, so a pledge on paper is not the same as a pledge kept.
47
Income equality, scored 43 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 42.6 (2024, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Above 40 is the level usually treated as socially strained, and Mexico sits above it.
43
LGBTQ+ status: MixedSolo female travel: Take care95.6% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Over-touristed resort belts damaging reefs, captive-dolphin swims, the sea-turtle-egg trade, and avocado-driven deforestation; avoid dolphinariums and bullfights.
What is daily life in Mexico really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Extensive ADO and long-distance buses, domestic flights, colectivos, the Mexico City metro, and the new Maya Train in the south-east.
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 20.1. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest Baja California Sur, highland forests and rural coasts away from cities.
·Tap water Not drinkable
✓What to drink Bottled water everywhere, including for teeth-brushing outside big hotels; ice is fine when from sealed bags.
✓Plastic rules State and city bans (Mexico City banned plastic bags in 2020 and other single-use plastics in 2021); no single national ban.
✓Sockets and voltage Type A/B, 120V
95.6%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 4.1% of GDP and 14.2% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 103.1% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022 to 2024).
Made in Mexico.
Mexico has an exceptionally rich living textile and natural-fibre tradition, from backstrap-woven cotton and wool to agave-derived ixtle and henequen fibre, palm basketry and cochineal and indigo natural dyes. These crafts remain in daily use and are central to Indigenous economies. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Mexico actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Mexico sells the world is vehicles, 26.3% of all exports in 2023 (about US$156.47 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are electrical machinery and electronics at 17.4%, machinery and mechanical appliances at 15.7%, mineral fuels and oils at 5.5%, optical, medical and precision instruments at 4.6%.
Made now · natural materials
Mexico has an exceptionally rich living textile
Worked in Mexico from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Natural-fibre tradition
Worked in Mexico from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
From backstrap-woven cotton
Worked in Mexico from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Wool to agave-derived ixtle
Worked in Mexico from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Henequen fibre
Worked in Mexico from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Palm basketry
Worked in Mexico from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Could make · grown here already
Maize tortillas
Grown in Mexico and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Beans
Grown in Mexico and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Squash
Grown in Mexico and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Mexico produces about US$1,833 billion a year, which is roughly US$13,889 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 3.9% of that, while food is 6.3% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in. With 10.3% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
A living tradition of Mexico, still practised rather than archived.
Son jarocho
A living tradition of Mexico, still practised rather than archived.
Son huasteco music
A living tradition of Mexico, still practised rather than archived.
Danza de los Voladores
A living tradition of Mexico, still practised rather than archived.
Jarabe tapatio dancesA living tradition of Mexico, still practised rather than archived.
Dia de MuertosA living tradition of Mexico, still practised rather than archived.
Does Mexico protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Mexico carries one of the world's richest bodies of living heritage, rooted in Mesoamerican civilisations and still practised daily. Dia de Muertos, mariachi and the Danza de los Voladores of Papantla are all recognised by UNESCO, alongside son jarocho, son huasteco and the jarabe tapatio. Indigenous nations including the Maya, Nahua, Zapotec, Mixtec, Purepecha and Wixarika keep their languages, festivals and ancestral traditions alive, often blending pre-Hispanic spirituality with Catholic practice in celebrations such as the Guelaguetza.
Who it belongs to. Mexico is home to around 68 Indigenous peoples with living languages, cuisines, crafts and community governance, and a strong tradition of comunidad and ejido land holding. Community and Indigenous tourism thrives in states such as Oaxaca and Chiapas, keeping income local. This coexists with extractive resort development along the Riviera Maya.
Only here. The vaquita, the world's most endangered marine mammal, found only in Mexico's northern Gulf of California..
Three futures for Mexico, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: MUSA Cancun Underwater Museum of Art (Isla Mujeres), Cancun Underwater Museum (Cancún), Frida Kahlo Museum (Mexico City), Museum of Masks (San Luis Potosí City), Jumex Museum (Mexico City). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Arte Metal México, Ek Zaci -Jewerly and Tequila Store, Fantasías Miguel, La Esquina, Mayola, Piña Palmera.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
-6%
Forest cover
1995: 35.7 % → 2023: 33.6 %
-1%
Renewable electricity
1995: 23.7 % → 2021: 23.4 %
+1%
CO2 per person
1995: 3.59 t → 2024: 3.64 t
-40%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 85446 k → 2020: 51128 k
+19%
Protected land
2013: 12.9 % → 2025: 15.3 %
-52%
Farm workforce
1995: 23.5 % → 2025: 11.4 %
+1089%
Protected sea
2013: 1.9 % → 2025: 22.6 %
-7%
Agricultural land
1995: 54.6 % → 2023: 50.7 %
+9%
Urban population
1995: 73.3 % → 2025: 80 %
-22%
Air pollution
1995: 21.4 µg/m³ → 2023: 16.6 µg/m³
-29%
Fresh water per person
1995: 4501.3 m³ → 2022: 3180.1 m³
+34%
Adult overweight
1995: 54.7 % → 2022: 73.4 %
+4%
Electricity access
1995: 95.9 % → 2024: 99.8 %
+232%
GDP per person
1995: 4184 → 2025: 13889
+45%
Population
1995: 90862 k → 2025: 131947 k
-2%
Renewable energy use
1995: 13.3 % → 2021: 13 %
+7%
Energy per person
1995: 1461 kg → 2024: 1559 kg
+232%
Protected area, total
2013: 6 % → 2025: 19.9 %
+6%
Life expectancy
1995: 70.7 yrs → 2024: 75.3 yrs
+69%
Cereal yield
1995: 2520 ha → 2023: 4262 ha
+65%
Fertiliser use
1995: 57 ha → 2023: 94.3 ha
-25%
Rural population
1995: 26.7 % → 2025: 20 %
+29%
Water productivity
1995: 11.1 $/m3 → 2022: 14.3 $/m3
+30%
Health spending
2000: 4.24 % → 2023: 5.5 %
-6%
Forest area
1995: 694865 km2 → 2023: 653088 km2
+86%
Electric power use
1995: 1432 kWh → 2024: 2658 kWh
+14%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 91.7 e → 2023: 104.3 e
+3%
Emissions: Building
1990: 23.5 e → 2023: 24.2 e
+121%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 94.5 e → 2023: 209.3 e
+60%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 306.5 e → 2023: 491 e
+346%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 13.4 e → 2023: 59.9 e
-17%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 53.6 e → 2023: 44.5 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 35.7% to 33.6% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 23.6% to 23.4% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 3.6 t to 3.6 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 85446k to 51128k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 12.9% to 15.3% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 23.5% to 11.4% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 1.9% to 22.6% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 54.6% to 50.7% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 73.3% to 80.0% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 21.4 µg/m³ to 16.6 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 4501.3 m³ to 3180.1 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 54.7% to 73.4% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 95.9% to 99.8% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 4184 to 13889 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 90862k to 131947k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 13.3% to 13% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 1461 kg to 1559 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 6% to 19.9% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 70.7 yrs to 75.26 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 2520 kg/ha to 4262 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 57.0 kg/ha to 94.25 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 26.7% to 19.96% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 11.12 $/m3 to 14.34 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 4.24% to 5.5% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 694865 km2 to 653088 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 1432 kWh to 2658 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 91.71 to 104.28 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 23.47 to 24.19 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 94.5 to 209.29 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 306.54 to 490.96 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 13.42 to 59.88 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 53.55 to 44.5 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, organic farming at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Mexico already shows it can do this: plant-based eating scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift organic farming
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Mexico's record. FiBL records about 215,634 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.2% of agricultural land in 2020, though Mexico is a leading organic exporter of coffee, agave and cacao. The small share reflects a very large total farmland base, much of it extensive grazing. Certified organic is significant in absolute terms but a small percentage. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift recycling
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Mexico's record. Mexico has no strong national recycling rate; formal municipal recycling is low, commonly estimated under 10%, while informal pepenadores recover a meaningful share of materials from waste. Deposit and scrap markets drive much of the recovery. Scored from documented reality rather than a single published rate. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift water
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Mexico's record. Mexico's water is unevenly spread, with a wetter, water-rich south and a dry, over-extracted north, while Mexico City is sinking as its aquifer is drained. Only about 43% of the population used safely managed drinking water in 2020 (WHO/UNICEF JMP), and tap water is widely treated as non-potable, so bottled and purified water dominate. Basic access is near-universal, but true safety and security are the constraint. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Mexico.
Who is in charge of Mexico now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Claudia Sheinbaum
President
Claudia Sheinbaum is the head of government of Mexico, in office since 1 October 2024. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 50.9 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 28.8 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 53.7 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 37.1 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 51.8 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Claudia SheinbaumPresident
Congress of the Union (Congreso de la Unión)Legislature, bicameral
Next election2030
Last election2 June 2024
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1917
Government typefederal presidential republic
Mexico national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Political Pledge
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Political Pledge (11/21/2024) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Mexico sustainable?
Mexico scores 72 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. A megadiverse country and the birthplace of maize, with vast domestic agriculture, living Indigenous cultures and strong marine protection, set against water stress, uneven enforcement and resort-belt pressures.
Is the water in Mexico safe and plentiful?
Mexico's water is unevenly spread, with a wetter, water-rich south and a dry, over-extracted north, while Mexico City is sinking as its aquifer is drained. Only about 43% of the population used safely managed drinking water in 2020 (WHO/UNICEF JMP), and tap water is widely treated as non-potable, so bottled and purified water dominate. Basic access is near-universal, but true safety and security are the constraint.
Can Mexico feed itself?
Mexico is a major producer and exporter of avocado, tomatoes, berries, chillies and agave, and the milpa system of maize, beans and squash is still farmed widely. It nonetheless imports large volumes of basic grains such as yellow maize and wheat for feed and industry. Domestic food production is deep and diverse.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Mexico?
Mexican cooking is one of the world's great plant-forward cuisines, built on maize tortillas, beans, squash, nopales, chillies, tomatoes, avocado and a vast range of produce. Markets and street food make cheap, unprocessed plant meals easy across the country. This is a whole-food plant culture by heritage.
How much of Mexico is actually protected?
About 14.5% of land was in terrestrial protected areas in 2021 and 22.6% of territorial waters in marine protected areas by 2024 (World Bank), a large national system including major biosphere reserves. Marine protection is genuinely strong, but chronic underfunding and enforcement gaps mean some areas function as paper parks. Mexico has pledged to reach 30% marine protection by 2030.
What wildlife is left in Mexico?
Mexico is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, holding a large share of global reptile, mammal and plant diversity with high endemism. Iconic species include the overwintering monarch butterfly, the jaguar, the axolotl and the critically endangered vaquita porpoise. It anchors flagship phenomena such as the monarch migration and grey whale calving lagoons.
Is Mexico on clean energy?
Mexico's electricity still leans heavily on fossil fuels, with renewables supplying only around a fifth of generation (roughly 20 to 24 per cent in 2024) while the state favours oil and gas through Pemex and the utility CFE. Emissions per person are relatively modest at about 3.5 tonnes in 2024, well below the world average, reflecting a large population and lower industrial intensity rather than a clean grid. National climate policy has weakened in recent years, with an updated NDC targeting a 35 per cent cut by 2030 but continued investment in refining and fossil generation.
How polluted is Mexico?
Mexico City and several states have introduced single-use plastic bans, with the capital prohibiting plastic bags in 2020 and other single-use plastics in 2021, though there is no single national ban. Annual mean PM2.5 was about 20.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir), moderate, with urban and industrial hotspots. Litter and open dumping persist in many areas.
Does recycling work in Mexico?
Mexico has no strong national recycling rate; formal municipal recycling is low, commonly estimated under 10%, while informal pepenadores recover a meaningful share of materials from waste. Deposit and scrap markets drive much of the recovery. Scored from documented reality rather than a single published rate.
Is the farming in Mexico organic?
FiBL records about 215,634 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.2% of agricultural land in 2020, though Mexico is a leading organic exporter of coffee, agave and cacao. The small share reflects a very large total farmland base, much of it extensive grazing. Certified organic is significant in absolute terms but a small percentage.
Are there natural materials and craft in Mexico?
Mexico has an exceptionally rich living textile and natural-fibre tradition, from backstrap-woven cotton and wool to agave-derived ixtle and henequen fibre, palm basketry and cochineal and indigo natural dyes. These crafts remain in daily use and are central to Indigenous economies. It is one of the strongest surviving natural-materials cultures in the Americas.
Is there living culture in Mexico?
Mexico is home to around 68 Indigenous peoples with living languages, cuisines, crafts and community governance, and a strong tradition of comunidad and ejido land holding. Community and Indigenous tourism thrives in states such as Oaxaca and Chiapas, keeping income local. This coexists with extractive resort development along the Riviera Maya.
What heritage does Mexico keep alive?
Mexico carries one of the world's richest bodies of living heritage, rooted in Mesoamerican civilisations and still practised daily. Dia de Muertos, mariachi and the Danza de los Voladores of Papantla are all recognised by UNESCO, alongside son jarocho, son huasteco and the jarabe tapatio. Indigenous nations including the Maya, Nahua, Zapotec, Mixtec, Purepecha and Wixarika keep their languages, festivals and ancestral traditions alive, often blending pre-Hispanic spirituality with Catholic practice in celebrations such as the Guelaguetza.
So is Mexico actually green? The measured answer
What is working: the record is thin on the headline measures, and the sourced numbers below say why.
What is not: renewable electricity at 23.4% against a 100% mark.
Mexico sits 25 of 77 at 72/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Mexico particularly good at?
✓Culture, scored 5/5. Mexico is home to around 68 Indigenous peoples with living languages, cuisines, crafts and community governance, and a strong tradition of comunidad and ejido land holding. Community and Indigenous tourism thrives in states such as Oaxaca and Chiapas, keeping income local. This coexists with extractive resort development along the Riviera Maya.
✓Heritage, scored 5/5. Mexico carries one of the world's richest bodies of living heritage, rooted in Mesoamerican civilisations and still practised daily. Dia de Muertos, mariachi and the Danza de los Voladores of Papantla are all recognised by UNESCO, alongside son jarocho, son huasteco and the jarabe tapatio. Indigenous nations including the Maya, Nahua, Zapotec, Mixtec, Purepecha and Wixarika keep their languages, festivals and ancestral traditions alive, often blending pre-Hispanic spirituality with Catholic practice in celebrations such as the Guelaguetza. Curanderismo and ancestral healing knowledge remain widely held. This is deep, widely alive heritage across dance, music and living spirituality.
✓Natural fibres, scored 5/5. Mexico has an exceptionally rich living textile and natural-fibre tradition, from backstrap-woven cotton and wool to agave-derived ixtle and henequen fibre, palm basketry and cochineal and indigo natural dyes. These crafts remain in daily use and are central to Indigenous economies. It is one of the strongest surviving natural-materials cultures in the Americas.
Where does Mexico score worst?
✕Organic farming, scored 2/5. FiBL records about 215,634 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.2% of agricultural land in 2020, though Mexico is a leading organic exporter of coffee, agave and cacao. The small share reflects a very large total farmland base, much of it extensive grazing. Certified organic is significant in absolute terms but a small percentage.
✕Recycling, scored 2/5. Mexico has no strong national recycling rate; formal municipal recycling is low, commonly estimated under 10%, while informal pepenadores recover a meaningful share of materials from waste. Deposit and scrap markets drive much of the recovery. Scored from documented reality rather than a single published rate.
✕Water, scored 2/5. Mexico's water is unevenly spread, with a wetter, water-rich south and a dry, over-extracted north, while Mexico City is sinking as its aquifer is drained. Only about 43% of the population used safely managed drinking water in 2020 (WHO/UNICEF JMP), and tap water is widely treated as non-potable, so bottled and purified water dominate. Basic access is near-universal, but true safety and security are the constraint.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
CanadaScored on the same twelve pillars as Mexico.63
United StatesScored on the same twelve pillars as Mexico.62
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Mexico's electricity still leans heavily on fossil fuels, with renewables supplying only around a fifth of generation (roughly 20 to 24 per cent in 2024) while the state favours oil and gas through Pemex and the utility CFE. Emissions per person are relatively modest at about 3.5 tonnes in 2024, well below the world average, reflecting a large population and lower industrial intensity rather than a clean grid.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Mexico's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 4/5
Mexico is a major producer and exporter of avocado, tomatoes, berries, chillies and agave, and the milpa system of maize, beans and squash is still farmed widely. It nonetheless imports large volumes of basic grains such as yellow maize and wheat for feed and industry.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Mexico's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 5/5
Mexico carries one of the world's richest bodies of living heritage, rooted in Mesoamerican civilisations and still practised daily. Dia de Muertos, mariachi and the Danza de los Voladores of Papantla are all recognised by UNESCO, alongside son jarocho, son huasteco and the jarabe tapatio.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Mexico's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Mexico Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Mexico, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
47.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
37.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
53.7 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
50.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
44.2 / 100 · 97 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 97 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
46.6 / 100 · 117 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 117 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
31.7 / 100 · 142 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 142 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
89.1 / 100 · 30 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 30 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
46.5 / 100 · 101 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 101 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
53.7 / 100 · 87 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 87 of 131 countries assessed.
How Mexico Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
