Teotihuacan is a, site in central Mexico that in ancient times was one of the largest cities in the world. Located about 40 km (25 mi) northeast of present-day Mexico City, Teotihuacán reached the peak of its prosperity and influence around ad 500 or ad 600. During this period, the city covered an area of 21 sq km (8 sq mi) and had at least 125,000 inhabitants; estimates of its population range as high as 200,000.

The city of Teotihuacan was founded around 200 bc, although the site may have been inhabited as early as 1000 bc. Teotihuacán developed into an important city-state in the 1st century ad. It had two great stone pyramids, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, built between the 1st and 2nd centuries ad. With an original height around 75 m (246 ft) and a square base more than 213 m (700 ft) on each side, the Pyramid of the Sun was one of the largest structures ever built by Native Americans. Teotihuacan was organized around a central thoroughfare, known as the Avenue of the Dead, which was flanked by temples and other structures. In the center of the city stood the Ciudadela (the Citadel), a massive rectangular enclosure that contained a large plaza and served as the city’s administrative center. The Ciudadela also housed the large Feathered Serpent Pyramid (named for its stone carvings of legendary feathered serpents) along with 15 smaller pyramids. The buildings of Teotihuacán housed the religious leaders, nobles, merchants, and craftspeople, with neighborhoods determined by rank and occupation. Farmers, who provided food for the growing urban population, lived in surrounding villages.

Like the overlapping Olmec civilization, Teotihuacan was a source for many of the cultural elements that developed throughout Mesoamerica: architecture, sculpture, carvings, wall painting, and pottery; agricultural techniques, including irrigation; belief systems; glyph writing and number and calendar systems; and tools. Teotihuacános, as the people of the city are known, had close contacts with the Maya of the early Classic Period (about ad 300 to 900), especially at Tikal in Guatemala. It is not known what caused the decline of Teotihuacan civilization beginning around ad 650. Drought, crop failure, and invasion may have all played a part. Teotihuacán cultural achievements endured among other Mesoamerican peoples, however, such as the Toltec and Aztec, who rose to dominance in the same region, and the Zapotec and Mixtec, who flourished to the south of the Valley of Mexico. The ruins of Teotihuacán became known to the Aztec as the “Abode of the Gods.” Today, Teotihuacán is an important archaeological site and a popular tourist attraction.

This is an in depth exploration of the many regions, sights and sounds of Mexico. Dance, arts and crafts, religion and culture are explored and celebrated in this award winning production. From Baja to Oaxaca, Acapulco to Cozumel, Huichol Indians, to Aztec dancers, every facet of this fascinating country is covered. Mexico, in full United Mexican States (Spanish Estados Unidos Mexicanos), is a federal republic in North America. Mexico is the fifth largest country in the Western Hemisphere and is rich in natural resources such as petroleum and natural gas. Mexico's efforts to develop and modernize its economy-one of the 15 largest in the world-have been slowed by the nation's rugged terrain, limited farmland, a rapidly growing population, and a series of economic crises. The nation's capital, Mexico City, is one of the largest cities in the world. In Latin America, only Brazil has a larger population than Mexico.

Mexico is bordered by the United States on the north, the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea on the east, and Guatemala and Belize on the south. It is characterized by an extraordinary diversity in topography and climate and is crossed by two major mountain chains, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental. The high central plateau between these two mountain ranges historically funneled most of the human population toward the center of this region. Mexico features volcanic peaks, snow-capped mountains, tropical rain forests, and internationally famous beaches. Mexico City is an enormous metropolitan area and dominates the rest of the country's culture, economy, and politics. Nearly one-fifth of the nation's population lives in the immediate vicinity of the capital. Mexico City is also a central hub for Mexico's transportation network-including railroads, highways, and airlines.

Map Mexico

Much of northwest Mexico-including Baja California and the northern regions of the Pacific Coast lowlands-is quite arid, receiving less than 130 mm (5 in) of rain per year. The northern Gulf Coast plains are semiarid, receiving about 250 to 560 mm (about 10 to 22 in) of rainfall annually. As on the central plateau, rainfall increases toward the south on both the western and eastern coasts.

The Tropic of Cancer, which marks the northern limits of the tropics, passes through the southern tip of Baja California and crosses central Mexico. Much of southern Mexico has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons; the Gulf Coast has more regular and abundant rainfall than the southern regions of the Pacific Coast. Temperatures in these coastal regions range between 21 and 27°C (70 and 80°F) during the year. Annual rainfall, which generally ranges between 1,500 and 2,000 mm (60 and 80 in), comes mainly during the rainy season of May to October. Mexico's Gulf Coast is subject to hurricanes that pass through the region and often cause extensive damage.

The northern Yucatan Peninsula is hot and semiarid. Annual rainfall ranges between 500 and 1,000 mm (20 and 40 in). The extreme southern part of Mexico, including the Chiapas Highlands and the southern regions of the Yucatan Peninsula, is rainy and tropical. The climate in this region is generally hot and humid, with annual average temperatures of more than 24C (75F). Maximum precipitation occurs in summer, with average annual rainfall exceeding 2,030 mm (80 in) in some areas.