10 things you might not know about Mexico!

Mexico is known for many things - Ancient civilisations, picture-perfect scenery, and tequila, just to name a few! But the country is also home to some fascinating figures, facts, and events that fly under the radar. So, read on for ten things you might not know about Mexico!

1. Mexico was home to the first printing press in North America!

The home of Mexico's - and North America's - first printing press

The continent’s first printing press, la Casa de la Primera Imprenta de América, first operated in Mexico City in 1539, well before it was used in the United States.

2. Mexico is the site of the smallest "volcano" in the world

Cuexomate

Mistakenly named the smallest volcano in the world, this inactive geyser located in Puebla City, attracts many tourists every year.

Situated in the middle of the ‘Ring of Fire’, where almost 90% of all earthquakes and 81% of volcanic eruptions take place, Mexico is home to this geyser that is believed to have formed before the year 1064. At just 43 feet tall (barely a hill), this attraction is commonly mistaken for a volcano because of its shape.

3. The largest pyramid in the world can be found in Mexico

The Great Pyramid of Cholula complex

The Great Pyramid of Cholula stands at 54 metres high and is 45 acres wide, making it the largest pyramid on Earth - even bigger than Giza!

4. Mexico City is sinking!

Stairs inside the Cuexcomate volcano, the smallest volcano on Earth, in Puebla, Mexico

Constructed on Lake Texcoco by Spanish colonisers, Mexico City is sinking at a rate of around 10 inches every year, as the city administration continues to pump water from the lake supporting it. In fact, Mexico’s capital has sunk so much that it has fallen from 7th to 8th highest capital in the world.

5. Mexico is the largest Coca-Cola consumer in the world!

Coca-Cola, made in Mexico

Mexicans consume a staggering 163 litres of Coca-Cola per person each year! The company’s dominance in the Mexican economy has caused all manner of health issues across the country, including widespread diabetes.

6. Mexico hosts the oldest university in North America

UNAM's main library

The National University of Mexico (UNAM) was founded in 1551 by King Charles V of Spain, 85 years before Harvard.

7. Birth control was invented in Mexico!

Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas

Chemist Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas first synthesised norethisterone at the age of 25, and was subsequently involved in creating the first birth control pills in 1951.

8. Mexico has no single official language, though 69 are officially recognised

Part of the Aztec calendar in Náhuatl

In addition to Spanish, 68 indigenous languages including Náhuatl are widely spoken by the country’s indigenous communities. As a result, Mexico enjoys stunning linguistic diversity found in few other parts of the world.

9. Chile con candy?

A strange combination for some

If you’re not Mexican, this combination could sound very weird and extreme. But the fact is, Mexicans of all ages adore their dulces de chilito.

In Mexico, there’s a wide range of candy with added chilli. Tamarindo, guava or apple flavoured with chilli. They come as bubble gum, candy dust, hard candy, candy sticks, gummy bears or even popsicles! Some people even add more chilli sauce to them or include them in savoury preparations like salsas and snacks.

10. Cenotes in Mexico can be as old as 66 million years

Cenote Sac Actun, near Tulum city

Cenotes are surface connections to subterranean freshwater bodies, and form part of very complex underground freshwater cave systems. The largest, the Sac Actun system, at more than 300km in length, is the longest in the world.

The vast majority of Cenotes are located in the Yucatan Peninsula. These stunning sinkholes started forming about 66 million years ago, with the impact of the great meteorite in Chicxulub. The impact plus the soil and rock composition in the area created deep underground depressions that were flooded, changing the flow of water in the area forever.

Cenotes have great importance to the Mayan people, as they are considered sacred places. Today they are visited by millions of tourists per year.

If you visit a Cenote, please be mindful of the environment and don’t leave any traces behind you.

Has Mexico piqued your interest? Considering a trip to Mexico City or Cancún? Take a look at our enrolment page to find the right course for you, and prepare yourself for more of Mexico!

Sasha

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