Capital of Mexico: Mexico City — Facts & 5-Question Quiz
The capital of Mexico is Mexico City. Mexico sits in North America, has a population of 127,504,125, and uses the MXN. Official languages include Spanish.
Quick facts
- Capital: Mexico City
- Continent: North America
- Population: ~127,504,125
- Area: 1,964,375 km²
- Population density: 64.9 people per km²
- Official language: Spanish
- Currency: MXN
- ISO code: MX
How big is Mexico?
By population, Mexico ranks 10th in the world, holding roughly 1.60% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 13th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Mexico has 64.9 people per square kilometre, which is close to the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.
Within North America, Mexico is the 2nd most populous country of 23.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Mexico in population are Japan (125,124,989) and Ethiopia (123,379,924).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Indonesia (1,904,569 km²) and Sudan (1,861,484 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.
Mexico uses the MXN, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.
How to remember Mexico
Mexico City is built where the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan stood, on islands in Lake Texcoco, so the eagle on the flag points to the capital. Without the eagle, Mexico's flag would look almost the same as Italy's.
The flag of Mexico: green, white and red
🇲🇽 The flag is three vertical stripes of green, white and red, with the coat of arms in the centre: an eagle on a cactus with a snake in its beak. Green stands for hope, white for peace and honesty and red for bravery. The eagle recalls the Aztec legend of an eagle on a cactus eating a snake, the sign that showed where to found their city, Tenochtitlan.
Region and neighbours
Mexico is a country in North America, south of the United States, between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to the east. It shares land borders with 3 countries: United States, Guatemala and Belize.
- United States 🇺🇸 — capital Washington, D.C.
- Guatemala 🇬🇹 — capital Guatemala City
- Belize 🇧🇿 — capital Belmopan
Three facts about Mexico
- Mexico has more native Spanish speakers than any other country.
- Maize, tomatoes and beans were first domesticated in Mexico.
- Mexico City lies about 2,240 m above sea level and is the most populous city in North America.
Sources: Wikipedia: Mexico, Wikipedia: Flag of Mexico, Wikipedia: Mexico City, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Mexico
- North American capitals quiz — match Mexico to Mexico City
- North American flags quiz — spot the Mexico flag among its neighbours
Mexico capital quiz
What is the capital of Mexico 🇲🇽?
- Mexico City
- Guatemala City
- Managua
- Basseterre
Show answer
Mexico City
What is the capital of United States 🇺🇸?
- San José
- Bridgetown
- Washington, D.C.
- Guatemala City
Show answer
Washington, D.C.
What is the capital of Canada 🇨🇦?
- Ottawa
- Guatemala City
- Santo Domingo
- San José
Show answer
Ottawa
What is the capital of Guatemala 🇬🇹?
- Guatemala City
- Roseau
- Managua
- Kingston
Show answer
Guatemala City
What is the capital of Haiti 🇭🇹?
- Kingston
- Port of Spain
- Managua
- Port-au-Prince
Show answer
Port-au-Prince
Mexico in North America
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are United States, Canada, Guatemala and Haiti.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — North America is the block Mexico belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Mexico?
The capital of Mexico is Mexico City.
What is the population of Mexico?
About 127,504,125, making it the 10th most populous country in the world.
How big is Mexico?
1,964,375 square kilometres, ranking 13th by land area, at a density of 64.9 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Mexico use?
The MXN, which no other country uses.
What are the colours of the Mexico flag?
The flag of Mexico is three vertical stripes of green, white and red, with the coat of arms in the centre: an eagle on a cactus with a snake in its beak. Green stands for hope, white for peace and honesty and red for bravery. The eagle recalls the Aztec legend of an eagle on a cactus eating a snake, the sign that showed where to found their city, Tenochtitlan.
Which countries border Mexico?
Mexico shares land borders with United States, Guatemala and Belize.
How can I remember the capital of Mexico?
Mexico City is built where the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan stood, on islands in Lake Texcoco, so the eagle on the flag points to the capital. Without the eagle, Mexico's flag would look almost the same as Italy's.
More capitals to learn
- Capital of Grenada: Saint George's
- Capital of Guatemala: Guatemala City
- Capital of Haiti: Port-au-Prince
- Capital of Honduras: Tegucigalpa
- Capital of Jamaica: Kingston
- Capital of Nicaragua: Managua
- Capital of Panama: Panama City
- Capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis: Basseterre
- Capital of Saint Lucia: Castries
- Capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Kingstown
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