UF: Mexico City Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the location of Mexico City
A
- Central city in Mexico
- Mexico is south of North America & north west of South America
- South west of Gulf of Mexico
- Broken up into boroughs
2
Q
Explain the cultural importance of Mexico City
A
- Most important cultural centre in Mexico with Spanish & indigenous traditions & food, national theatres - this preserves culture & protects it
- Metropolitan Cathedral - historical site (UNESCO World Heritage site)
- Home to national opera & theatre
3
Q
Explain the economical importance of Mexico City
A
- Has one of the largest urban parks called Bosque de Chapultepec
- Important financial centre regionally in North & South America, e.g. domestic product of US $411 billion - high access to jobs
4
Q
Explain the political importance of Mexico City
A
- Seeking new political power in 2016 to become a federal entity (in transition) - important for independence of city
5
Q
Describe the way of life in Mexico City
A
- Dangerous place & city controlled by gangs - 500 kidnaps a month, 300 murders per year
- Slums attached to houses - social divide
- 25,000 stands for tacos and other traditional foods on the street as a hub for tourists & social interactions
- Sunday - dancing day sociable event
- Uncontrolled population growth with 10 lanes of traffic in the morning along with insufficient infrastructure, pollution, crime and endemic corruption
- Ineffective waste disposal - 6,000 tonnes
- An upland basin around 2,240m above sea level surrounded by rings of mountains + active volcanoes which confines them to the area
- Unhealthy living - rapid level of obesity, chronic illness, and diabetes
- Countries mariachi band on streets & boulevard
6
Q
Explain the urban growth in Mexico City
A
- 127% increase in population from 1950-1970
- Urban areas have increased most, with federal districts increasing slightly and city centre + inner areas decreasing slowly
- Home to large number of immigrants - influence of migrants from Asia pacific countries e.g. China
7
Q
What are the pull factors of Mexico City? (economic investment & growth)
A
- Economic + investment growth: free trade zones encourage TNC’s like nike to set up manufacture
- 45% of Mexico’s production occur here
- Cities + factories
8
Q
What are the push factors of Mexico City? (rural to urban migration)
A
- 2/3 lack proper housing
- 65% literacy rate
- 6% with no clean water
- A rising rate in population due to declining death rate
- Large no. of immigrants - large influx in South Korean + Chinese immigrants, 70% of exparriates from US, internal migration from Guatemala ride train through Mexico City to get to USA
9
Q
Explain the impacts of growth on character in Mexico City
A
- Chinese diaspora - small, growing community along Dolores Street (popular location)
- Chinese cafes that serve Mexican and Chinese food
- Comunidad de Mexico sponsor Chinese festivals and activities
- Indian diaspora - gurdwaras, sai baba temple + vaishnav temple
- Indian community organisation celebrate festivals + organise cultural programs - more knowledge on diversity
- German diaspora - colony pursue respectable trades + subsidise language institutions
- German accordions influence Mexican music
- Cultural traditions
- Economic partners: German companies register there (e.g. Mercedes-Benz)
10
Q
How are they making Mexico City more sustainable?
A
- Inputting bikes + buses to aid sustainable transport + new parking measures to improve city life
- Taking cars off the road one Saturday per month to tackle air pollution
- Building designed to eat smog
- Spending $150 million to transform city transport
11
Q
How does an increase in public transport + parking measures make Mexico City more sustainable?
A
- Reduces stress + anger of drivers, less traffic
- Cars removed from narrow streets to make way for buses + bikes, and free flow of pedestrians, limiting noise & air pollution as part of the ecobici program
- Increases informal economy - unofficial attendants charge drivers fees to park in a specific place to protect their own space
12
Q
How does taking cars of roads make Mexico City more sustainable?
A
- Lower emissions, maintains the green environment, away from the high pollution index of 108 - good for public health
- Creates inconvenience for important vehicles like police, ambulance and fire trucks
- Disrupts peoples jobs + their communicate to work, negative impact on economy
13
Q
How do buildings designed to eat smog make Mexico City more sustainable?
A
- Decorative beautiful building adds to the liveliness of the city - encourages tourism, can boost city economy & sustain cultures of Mexico
- Only neutralises 1000 cars worth of pollution; insufficient in tackling problem, waste of money
- Its longer lasting - easy to replace
- Expensive to build - £20 billion investment
14
Q
How does transforming city transport make Mexico City more sustainable?
A
- Proven successful as care ownership has risen to reduce the 3.5 million cars in the streets
- Improves accessibility to the historic city centre (UNESCO World Heritage Site) by reducing vehicles on street
- New, sustainable microbuses are said to be unsafe and expensive, accruing to 48% of users
15
Q
What are the contemporary challenges Mexico City faces?
A
- Housing
- Informal economy
- Waste + pollution
