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Mexico’s official name is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, or the United Mexican States. Besides this, there are so many fun facts about Mexico, as well as interesting facts about Mexico, that you’re about to discover.
SO, WHAT IS MEXICO KNOWN FOR?
Though most know it simply as one big tropical Spring Break party town, you’re about to discover a plethora of interesting tidbits about Mexico.
As a large country, Mexico is packed with rich culture, world-class food, and incredible heritage and history.
Mexico has 32 states, including Mexico City, which is both the capital city and a state. Much like in the U.S., each state has its own unique identity, customs, and culture.
Keep reading to discover the 33 most interesting facts about Mexico — including facts about Mexico City, general fun facts about Mexico, and all the fun facts about Mexico that make it so unique!
1. Mexico has the World’s Largest Pyramid
Not Egypt, but Mexico – The pyramid of Cholula in the Mexican Federal State Puebla happens to be the largest pyramid in the world. Featuring a height of 66 meters, 400-meter base, and a total volume of 4.5 million cubic meters the pyramid is significantly larger than the pyramid of Giza, even though it is less popular.
Despite its impressive size, it can literally be overlooked, the reason being: The pyramid of Cholula is hidden under a mountain. The eye-catching construction is in fact the church built by the Spaniard conquerors on top of the pyramid.
2. MEXICO HAS MORE THAN 30 PYRAMIDS
Many of the best pyramids in Mexico are located in the Yucatan Peninsula, though some are located near the peninsula, like the El Tajín and Palenque Mayan Ruins.
There’s also the Teotihuacan Pyramids in Mexico City, just one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mexico.
There are hundreds of Mexican pyramids open to the public; though most visitors don’t make it to see them all! So which are the best Mexican Mayan ruins?
For most, no Mexico trip is complete without seeing El Castillo, the pyramid at Chichen Itza. As one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO Heritage Site, this is the most famous of all Mexican Mayan Pyramids.
The Teotihuacan Mexico City Pyramids rank at a close second.
Ready to discover these Mexico pyramids, and so many more? Let’s get to the list of the 25 best pyramids in Mexico, as well as everything you need to know about visiting these ancient structures.
3. 69 different languages are spoken in Mexico
This makes Mexico one of the countries with the richest linguistic diversity in the world. In addition to Spanish, there are 68 indigenous languages that include náhuatl, mixteco, and otomí, amongst others.
No other country in the American continent has a comparable diversity of indigenous languages as Mexico. Just as Spanish, the indigenous languages are recognized as national languages.
4. Mexicans DON’T Really Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Outside of Puebla, Mexico, most Mexicans don’t celebrate 5 de Mayo.
For those who make the trip to Cinco de Mayo in Puebla, it’s a festive time with parades, music in the streets, battle reenactments, special foods like chile en nogada, and more.
The holiday, which commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over France in the 1862 Battle of Puebla, is much more popular in the U.S. than in Mexico.
It also is often incorrectly labeled as Mexican Independence Day.
5. Mexico Has NO Official Language
More so than not having one single official language, Mexico actually has 68 official languages! This places Mexico as one of the most linguistically-diverse countries in the world.
Though Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world, and most Mexicans do speak Spanish, there are 68 other recognized languages.
The Maya language and Aztec Nahuatl (pronounced nah-wah-tull) language are among the most prominent.
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