Geography of Mexico and The World

Geography of Mexico and the World.
indb 1 12/04/16 17:54

The book Geography of Mexico and the World was created by
Ediciones Larousse, S.A. de C.V. with the contribution of:
Editorial Direction Technical Editing and Prepress Coordination

Tomás García Cerezo Héctor Rafael Garduño Lamadrid
Basic Education Content Manager Interior Design
Blanca Estela Sánchez Gayosso Astrid Guagnelli Sagarmínaga
English Language Content Coordinator Layout
Jean Denise Salazar Wolfe ictus (Berenice Hinojosa, Pablo Guzmán)
Content editor Photography
Luis Ricardo Chávez Amezcua © Archivo gráfico Larousse
Technical Reviser Illustration
Verónica B. Prieto Beracoechea © Archivo gráfico Larousse
Editorial Assistance Cover design
Jean Denise Ruanova Ediciones Larousse, S.A. de C.V. with the collaboration of Nice Montaño Kunze
Translation Cover photography
Paula Villanueva Ordás © Shutterstock
ISBN: 978-607-21-1254-4
Geography of Mexico and the World

© 2016 Ediciones Larousse, S.A. de C.V.
Renacimiento 180, Colonia San Juan Tlihuaca
Delegación Azcapotzalco, C.P. 02400, México D.F.
First edition, march 2016
All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Publisher.
Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution
and civil claims for damages.
Geography of Mexico and the World.indb 2 12/04/16 17:54

Presentation
For the students:
W elcome to the wonderful world of Geography, and especially to this course
where you will learn about some of the problems that affect our planet at
global, national and local scales and where you will learn to propose solutions that
In Unit IV, Economic areas and socioeconomic inequality, you will
distinguish the different ways to manage the natural resources and recognize
the importance of mineral and energy resources for the economy of the
will allow us all to live in a much better way. Geography of Mexico and the World countries and the importance of the development of industries, trade,
offers maps, images, charts, statistical tables and diagrams that will contribute transportation networks and tourism in the economy of the world and Mexico.
to your education. As you progress at reading and working throughout this book, It is advisable to pay special attention to reflect on the socioeconomic
you’ll notice that one of the best ways to learn is by doing; that is, by constantly differences in Mexico and the world. Lastly, in Unit V, Our world, you will
participating in the construction of your own knowledge, either individually, in understand the relationship between quality of life and environmental
pairs or in teams, always presenting your results to the group to discuss them sustainability, and learn about the importance and usefulness of the laws and
under your teacher’s guidance and supervision. civil actions to protect the environment. In this unit you will also approach the
relationship between risk factors and areas of vulnerability population suffer
Working with maps - geography’s very own language -, will be an essential
from, which will help you propose measures to prevent disasters.
tool to facilitate the analysis and interpretation of information. You will also
find the section To Learn More very attractive since you will be provided with Each unit ends with a project or case study, which are working practices that
interesting links and videos to watch and where you will work with interactive you’ll learn to apply your knowledge in topics that are in close relation to you,
maps and presentations, check data and expand the contents of the topics as since we try to raise them from young people’s perspective.
you work along.
After completing this course, you will realize that learning Geography is an
The book is comprised of five units that will help you understand the opportunity to change the way you perceive and live in the planet, assuming
organization of the geographic space. By studying Unit I, The geographic the challenges, responsibilities and commitments made to the future
space, you will identify the components of the geographic space and their generations.
diversity, as well as the essential categories of spatial analysis. Furthermore,
Finally, this course is an opportunity to:
you will recognize the importance of numerical and graphic scales by
locating places and time zones, as well as the importance of the different • Recognize and value your own as well as your classmates’ performance
representations of Earth and technologies, like the Global Positioning Systems and effort, since it will allow you to become aware of your learning process
(gps), the Geographic Information Systems (gis) and satellite images to identify and be more responsible about it.
the geographic space.
• Create and promote an atmosphere of respect and collaboration in your
In Unit II, Earth’s natural diversity, you will distinguish the distribution of the group, in order for you to voice your opinion freely, solve problems, propose
natural resources and biodiversity. In Unit III, Dynamics of population, you actions and improve your arguments, creativity and imagination.
will learn about the composition, distribution and growth of the population,
All the best throughout your school year!
and reflect on the economic and social implications of these features; you’ll
have the opportunity to review the interactions between the countryside The author
and the city, the migration trends in Mexico and in the world, as well as
appreciate cultural diversity.

Table of Contents
Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Unit II. Earth’s natural diversity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Distribution of seismic and volcanic regions in the world
and in Mexico and their relationship with Earth’s
Getting to know your book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 tectonic plates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Configuration and distribution of continental

and oceanic relief in the world and in Mexico, based
Unit I. The geographic space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 on Earth’s internal and external dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Diversity of natural, social, cultural, economic and political Importance of the distribution, composition and
components that make up the geographic space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 dynamics of oceanic and continental waters in the world
and in Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Categories of spatial analysis: place, area, landscape,
region and territory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 The importance of water collection in drainage basins, as well
as water availability in the world and in Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Use of numerical and graphic scales to represent
territory on maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Elements and factors of the different types of climates
in the world and in Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Location of places and time zones on maps, based
on geographical coordinates and time zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Importance of the geographical conditions that favor
biodiversity in the world and in Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Different representations of Earth’s surface through
map projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Project: Water availability in Mexico and the world.
The example of Hermosillo, Sonora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Use of satellite images, Global Positioning System
and Geographic Information Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Evaluate what you learned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Project: The importance of knowing our geographic space . . . . . . . . . . 44

Unit III. Dynamics of the population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Evaluate what you learned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Social and economic implications of growth,
composition and distribution of the population
of the world and Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Social, cultural and economic interactions between the

countryside and cities of the world and Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Social problems of the population in the world and in Mexico . . . . . . 122

Social, cultural, economic and political causes and Unit V. Our world. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
consequences of migration in the world and in Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Relationship between quality of life and environmental
Cultural diversity in the world and in Mexico, as well sustainability in the world and in Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
as the importance of intercultural coexistence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Participation of Mexico and representative countries in protecting
Factors that impact the changes in the cultural the environment and sustainable development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
manifestations of the population of the world
and Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Importance of Natural Protected Areas, environmental services
and clean technologies in the world and in Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Case study: The population in poverty in the Northern
Sierra of Puebla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Relationship between the main risks and the vulnerability
of the population of the world and Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Importance on how governments and society participate
in preventing natural disasters in the world and in Mexico . . . . . . . . . . 219
Unit IV. Economic areas and socioeconomic inequality . . . . . . . 149
Basic actions to prevent natural disasters in the
Differences in managing natural resources in agricultural,
local environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
livestock, forest and fishing areas in the world
and in Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Case study: Risks of natural origin where we live:
Vulnerability to landslides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Importance of the mineral and energy resources in the
world and in Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Types of industries and the importance of industrial areas
in the world economy and in Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Sources of reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Importance of trade and transportation networks Iconographic credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

in the context of economic globalization in the
world and in Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Types of tourism and their economic importance in the world

and in Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Compare socioeconomic differences in the world and in Mexico . . . . . 181
Case study: Transnational corporations in your locality.

The local analysis of a global issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Getting to know your book
Unit opener
Unit
Dynamics of th
III
e population
It presents a guide for you to Content
population. lation density.
work in the unit: Core topic:

ral
Expected learn
ing
l and economic
implications
•
•
Growth and comp
Population distrib
Concentration
osition of the world
ution in the world
and dispersion
. Absolute popu
of the population
growth, comp
lation and popu
in the world and
in Mexico.
osition and distrib
ution of the
Social and cultu Explain the socia ution of the
•
econo mic implications of
and in
• Core topic
osition and distrib Social and Mexico.
components of growth, comp
•
the world and areas in the world
the world and
Mexico. population of of rural and urban
population of characteristics
l, cultu ral and economic
Competence: • Socia
l mic Mexic o. and in Mexic o. world and Mexico.
Appreciating socia econo world of the
• Competence
l, cultural and process in the between the rural
sity Identify the socia e and the • Urbanization mic interactions
and cultural diver en the countrysid ral and econo of the world and
Mexico.
interactions betwe • Social, cultu of the population
and Mexico. marginalization
Mexico.
cities of the world • Poverty and of the world and
the population and in Mexico.
and hunger of
• Malnutrition
• Expected learning ems of the population socia l injust ice in the world
l probl and
Analyze the socia o. • Discrimination
Mexic
in the world and
in s in the world. ces of
• Migration trend world. s and consequen
tion flows in the political cause
mic and • Major migra economic and
• Content political cause

migration in
s and
Mexic
l, cultural, econo
Analyze the socia consequences of
o.
• Analyze the
social, cultural,
migration in Mexic
o.
ity of the world popu lation: traditional,

contemporary
and emerging
• Cultural divers and Mexico.
• Representative images of topics to Appreciate cultu

in Mexico, as
ral diversity in
well as the impo
stence.
the world and
rtance of
cultures.
• Multiculturalism
• Importance
as a current cond
of intercultura
ition of the world
l coexistence.
by advertising
in the media.
Mexico.
interc ultura l coexi s influe nced the world and
genization trend population of
be covered Distin guish factor s that influence
manifestations
the changes
of the popu lation
• Cultural homo
• Changes in
• Importance
the cultural mani
of local cultu res
festations of the
facing processes
of cultural homo
genization.
in the cultural
Mexico
of the world and of Puebla.
Northern Sierra
poverty in the
population in
Case study: The 105
Hong Kong.
in the city of
*Busy avenue
104
Unit II Competence: Valuing natural diversity.
Elements and factors of the different types of climates in the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
Lesson Plans based on Learning Outcomes
Activity Develop the contents in 3 stages:
How much do you know about climate? In pairs, answer the following 3. Why do you think different climates exist on the planet?
questions. When you are finished, share your answers with the group
and with your teacher’s help, draw conclusion as a group.
4. Briefly describe the characteristics of the climate and the
landscape where you live (if it’s temperate, dry, tropical, or cold,
• Show what you know
1. What is climate? if it rains all year or only in summer, the type of vegetation,
2. Which one of these two sentences is incorrect? “The climate for
today” or “The weather forecast for today” Why?
mountains, etc.).
5. According to your description, what type of climate exists where
It is the starting point in the development of the expected learning, it
you live?
is a way to explore your previous knowledge from a more significant
Expand your horizons
Elements (temperature and precipitation) and factors (latitude and altitude) of the climate
Your answer to question in the previous activity was probably the first sentence, which is a common mistake
perspective, individually and as a whole group.
• Expand your horizons
made by certain newscasts and newspapers. Why is it a mistake? The difference between these concepts is that
atmospheric time or meteorological time change from one moment to another and are manifested in the variations
of temperature, precipitation, wind and cloudiness found in the place during the day. For example, in a certain
It is the presentation of the lesson’s contents which are clearly

place in the morning, it may be sunny, with clear skies, high temperatures and moderate winds; in the afternoon,
there might be cloudy skies, with intense rain and strong winds, and at night, once Unit IIIagain have clear skies, but low
ration in the
sequences of mig
temperatures and almost imperceptible winds.
inic and politica l causes and con
cultural, econom
In contrast, climates are the result of the most frequent state of the atmosphere a determined area; that is
to say, if atmospheric time is registered over many yearsSoc
if winters are cold, with snow and ice, or if summers are
in ial,
wor
a region, a climatic pattern appears. For example,
and in
ld and
warm theMex
ico
rain in June is similaroftomigr
types
the ation
one inis from the caus
es or reaso
migration; but
ns that cause it. For
if there’s a com
pelling
).
identifiable and provide complete and updated information. Activities
November. This pattern of atmospheric behavior constitutesther the way
climate of arenti
to diffe ate theregion.
specific Therefore, is a voluntary
ce, itthe ation (fig. 3.15
ry or forced migr
regions on the equator have warm and humid climate, in the ple,
each part of the world has a different climate. Now we will
Ano
exam
reaso
deserts
explain
n for
it’s ging
if chan
the
peop le
dry and
elements
ence
residin is by free choi
polar regions,
the place
to leave and factors
where they
of
ns the
relat
it’s cold.
the
climate,
ed to
is an involunta
live, itThus,
places of origi
n or exit are calle
ld be note d that the
d push factors and
importance of
n,
that engage you to interact with the lesson’s contents have been
without forgetting that these also define atmospheric time. hica lly, these causes or reaso n as pull factors. It shou to their final destinatio
way
included through various didactic proposals.
Geograp nation are know while on their cted in the
The elements of the climate are perceived directly: we feel thehot of arriv
or scold, al or desti
disheveled by the wind, we migr get wetstay for a
ants e; this is also refle
place
it whein re sometimes en tend to mov
under the rain and we feel dizzy when we climb mountains, thosor when
e place wetrans
s of navigate the sea (fig. 2.21). h men and wom food to migrants.
igure “flyw ays” through whic offer ing housing and
A climatic element is a property or condition of the atmosphere. gradually Asconf
a whole, said elements determinetutio ns the state
ion of insti
Fig. 2.21 Knowing the elements of the climate,
allows us to plan our economic activities, to care
for our health and it even influences the way we
of the weather and the climate of a place
unemployment cause
Wars, conflicts and pressure
Fig. 3.15(temperature,
thermodynamics
homes. In the picture
abandon their the
for atospecific moment
people
andl Americ
, Centra wind) an migran
States of America.
geographor icperiod. in the creat
space, Climate elements are classified in
andtsaqueous, like humidity, from which cloudiness and precipitation • Practice what you learned
rest
results with the
are created. Observe following
headin diagram.
g to the United
dress, eat and have fun. on a Mexican train
, compare your
80 vity
Acti
migr ation in table 3.11
With your teac
of the class
her’s guidance
. Discuss your
answers and
listen carefully
and
It is an activity for you to apply what you have learned throughout the
reasons for others.
the causes or rs where it says respectfully to
In teams, read n the push facto
carefully. In fig.
“Place of origi
3.16, write dow
n,” and the pull
factors where
it says “Destinat
ion.”
Fig. 3.16 Push and

pull factors of migrat
ion.
Definite migration
lesson. Additionally, all activities are performed in different working
Destination
models:
tion.
s or reasons for migra ati o n f o w
Table 3.11 Main cause M
ig r
Place of origin
ts 7 Famine
1 Wars and conflic
tion for
Promise of protec
political
s 8 refugees and
2 Job opportunitie asylum
Transit points
Individually Pairs
e
9 Higher incom
3 Family ties Temporary migration
by humans 10 Religious tolerance

Disasters caused
4 etc.)
(explosions, fires, Transit points
yment
sion 11 Lack of emplo
Teams
expres
5 Freedom of
Group
Pendulum or circular Pull factors
(hurri- migration
Natural disasters
uakes, floods, Push factors
12 canes, earthq
6 Slave trade etc.)
130

Unit I
Practice what
you learne d
and human com
ponents of the
cribe the
To Learn More
Activity ity of natural where you des
ntify the divers shown below
As a team and in ord er for you to ide
figs. 1.6 and 1.7. Ma ke a tab le like the one This section enriches some of the contents in each unit
ce, look at graphic spa ce.
geographic spa ents of each geo
characteristic
s and compon
ce 1
Geographic spa
ce 2
through tasks that ask for the use of specialized Websites
of the Geographic spa
Characteristics ce
geographic spa and books that belong to the “Corner Books Collection”
Location
Distribution
that you will easily find in your classroom library.
Diversity
Change
are a Relationship
ps in Centla, Tab., ce 2
Fig. 1.6 The swam e which has been declared Geographic spa
geographical spac
to its biodiversity. ce 1
protected area due Geographic spa
Components
Natural
Social
Economic
Cultural
your notebook
Political the places in
differences of teacher’s.
similarities and nts and your
te dow n the most relevant rs with the group’s comme
en you are finished, wri Com plete your answe
Wh class.
r results to the
and present you
rect
to use the cor
and learn how owing link http
://goo.
raphic space graphic space
h Riviera is a geog
Fig. 1.7 The Frenc on of natural and
human To learn more the topic of diversity in the geo rs, go to Google Earth, in the follit and look over different
where the combinati the touristic attraction. to enrich ies , in pai m, ope n
components is part
of In order mu nic ation technolog do not have the progra the ir nat ural and
com If you and
information and ober 3, 2015). down the places ults to the gro
up.
trieved on: Oct lves and write sent your res
gle/2dVMEb (Re amongst yourse notebook. Pre
planet. Then talk ght your attention in your
places on the st cau
ents that mo
human compon
16 Social, cultural, Dynamics of the
economic and po population
in the world and litical causes an

in Mexico d consequences
Show what you know of migrat ion
Activity
Let’s explore
what you kno
activity. Individ w on the topic
Topics of social relevance ually, and wit of migration in
following que h your teache the next
stions. r’s guidance, move to anothe
• What is mig answer the r country?
ration? In Mexico, ma
• What are the ny
has gone to the people have a relative, acq
Throughout each unit, some topics of social relevance are reasons a per
son decides to
leave his hom
e and
causes to exp
United States uaintance or
frie
lain why every . As a group, discuss two pos nd that
Expand your try to go to tha year a large
group of Mexica sible
addressed in a transversal way. These topics are: cultural Migration trend
horizons t country.
ns leave or
s in the world
diversity, gender equality, health education, sex education, Migration is the
of origin to a
displacement
of people on the
destination, wit geographic spa
ce, either individ Glossary
environmental education for sustainability, financial education the latter also h the purpose
known as circ of relocating tem ually or collecti
periodically. The ular migration porarily, definit vely, from their Migration. Peop
re are two typ because it form ively or through place they
le leaving the place
where
involves crossin es of migration a circuit where pen dulum migrati live or were born
, to live elsewhere
and consumer education, school violence prevention, education g the borders of according to the the population on, .
country are not a country, we borders they cro changes residen
crossed, it wil speak of extern ss along their ce
In early 1960, l the n be internal mig al or international mig rou te. If the migration
a permanent mig ration; if the bou
for peace, human rights as well as the inclusion of people with
ration.
South and Sou ration began
and increased ndaries of a
theast Asia and in intensity from
the UK, France North and Sub
, Germany, Ital -Saharan African countries in Lat
in America, Eas
disabilities. According to
almost 150 mil
the Internation
lion; by 2010,
y, the United Sta
al Organization
tes of Americ
for Migration
countries toward
a and Canada
.
s to developed
countries, mainly
t,
origin, represe it was estimated (iom), the yea

nting about 3% that there wer r 2000, interna
1. The mobili of the world pop e about 214 mil tional migrants Fig. 3.14 The searc
Glossary ty of the workfo ulation, which lion living out were h for better incom
2. The excessi rce across bor shows that the side their country people to migrate e forces many
ve population der tendency to mig of to developed coun
leave their pla growth in certain s. rate persists bec picture, undocume
nted
tries. In the
ce of residence countries, as wel ause of: arrested by US Borde Mexican immigrants
arrival of mig to often go to l as economic r Patrol.
It offers the meaning of the 3. Rising incom
rants.
e inequalities
between the mo
countries where cris
the population es, factors that push people
has declined or
aged, allowing
to
migration (fig re and less dev the
. 3.14).
words being presented to 4. The effects cau
degradation and
sed by various
natu ral processes, interact
eloped nation
s, contributes
to the expansion
of
global warmin ing with conditions of ove
facilitate the understanding In pairs, check
reasons for mig
your answers
g, cause thousa
for the activity
nds of people
in the section
to leave the plac
rpopulation, pov
erty, environmen
tal
of migration are
ration describ
ed in the previo “Show what you e where they live every year.
and reading of texts. valid for the Me us paragraphs? know;” do you
conclusions wit xican population Assess whether agree with the
h the group. that wants to go the fou r reasons that
to the United prove the tren
States of Americ d
a. Discuss you
r
127

Unit III
On map 3.7 you will notice that there are cities in Map 3.7 Mexico’s major metropolitan areas, 2015.
Mexico with several million people, from the colossal 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
urban concentrations of Mexico City, Guadalajara and 32°

Mexicali
Unit II
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32°
Monterrey, to cities with a million and 3 million people,
Maps, tables and figures

in the world.
Tijuana
Ciudad Juarez
like Puebla, Toluca, Tijuana, Leon, Ciudad Juarez and La es and volcanoes
Map 2.3 Earthquak 0°
180°
135°
90°
Laguna, the latter includes the cities of Gomez Palacio
G
45°
est CEAN
one of the larg
ARCTIC O
ul
45° 75°
90°
and Lerdo in Durango, and Torreon and Matamoros in see that 135°
f
ew map 2.3, we 180°
of
20° 20° 66°33’
When we revi g of Arctic Polar Circle
Besides providing essential information to

28°
Coahuila. Currently, the country has 59 metropolitan Valley of Mexico 28°
the Pac ific Rin 60°
is found along
Ca
areas, with a total of around 70 million inhabitants, which seismic zones seismic and
75°
li
area of intense
Toluca
fo
represent about 60% of the total population of the country ed afte r the ple of
45°
Fire, nam
Puebla-Tlaxcala
rn
La Laguna
in; an exam
ity it is located
ia
facilitate the understanding of the topics
60°
and over 86% of the national urban population; as a whole, volcanic activ that occur in
stant earthquakes
Monterrey 30°
Pac
this population segment comprises 79% of the wealth this are the con Japan, the Aleu
tian
24° 24°
100°
ippines, China,
i fi
Tropic of Cance 45°
generated in Mexico.
r 23°27’
cR
the Phil coas ts of 15°
most of the
being learned in each lesson, you will
ATLANTIC
Islands, and in
im
Aguascalientes G u l f
an
in the Americ
o f
of
P A C I FI C León 30° OCEAN
Pacific Ocean
23°27’ ir
M e x i c o Tropic of Cancer
re
0°
F
Merida the
e
es of strong
OC E A N
i
zon
m of F
Activity er Mi
contine nt. Oth d-
mountainous
Valley of Mexico At
work with each one of them through clear

20°
Guadalajara 20° 15° l INDIAN
LEGEND
ity are the P A C I F I
C 15°
seismic activ
an
In pairs, identify some of the major metropolitan areas anean OCEAN
Ri
of the Mediterr
Size of the locality
tic Ridge
O C E A N
regions north
(millions of people) Toluca
Pacific
of Mexico based on the information in table 3.7 and
Puebla-Tlaxcala
Iran , and the 0°
rn 23°27’
the south of
Tropic of Caprico 30°
map 3.7. In the library or on the Internet, search for toCaribbean

and precise instructions that will allow
sea,BELIZE
19 and more
es of high
representative images of three of these metropolitan HimalaySeaas, marked as zon 15°
1.0 to 18.9
the
seismicity, with
16° 1: 24 000 000 16° e 45°
areas and glue them on a poster to make a collage.
ATLANTIC
GUATEMALA maximum
g
ts.
id
less than 1.0
and enter poin
ND
R E
0 240 480 km
Gulf g L E G East Pac
of numerous epic es that

OCEA N r ific
be
With your teacher’s guidance, explain the differences
of
you to analyze as much information as

HONDURAS 30° rls SEISMICITY
R
presence
i
Te h u a n t e p e c Ca
dg
an ridg
c zone)
Maximum (seismi zone)
ge
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
em of mid-oce
60°
you found in the selected areas to your classmates.
e
ismic
syst
id
High (penise
The s of kilometers
R
ic zone)
Source: inegi , 2015. ic Low (aseism
along thousand
45° if
Date of elaboration: Septembernd ac
exte 25, 2015. world, also
None
d to tsunamis 75°
Table 3.7 Mexico’s major metropolitan areas, 2015 and 2020. ns of the tP Epicenters Coasts expose
possible and to estabish the relationship

ocea as
through all the

E Active volcano
60° Antarctic Polar
Circle 66°33’ 1: 228 000 000
Metropolitan 2015 2020
Social, cultural and economic interactions between the rural and urban earthquakes.
have frequent
4560 km
2280 180°
Renwick, 2010.
0 phy, Bergman and
135°
areas (inhabitants) (inhabitants) 75° 45°
90°
0° Source: Human geogra of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
Valley of Mexico 21,339,781 22,086,499 population of the world and Mexico. 90°
45° Date
among the elements, factors and natural

135°
d? Usually, two
180°
Guadalajara 4,796,050 5,066,976 s and millions in
Throughout the previous topics, it has been shown that the tendency of the population a tsunami cause
d thousands of death Ocean. This was hquakes measure Richter
Monterrey 4,477,614 4,788,437
2.7 In December 2004, s countries along the coast of the
Indian
, the coastal nsity of the eart h’s crust. The
Puebla-Tlaxcala 2,954,767 3,101,539
Fig.and
is to live in cities, at a global and national scale, leading to a series of social, cultural variou In the photographs How is the inte vibrations of Eart
material losses in tra in Indonesia. the tsunami. to measure the ated during a
rn coasts of Suma
and human processes which model the
Toluca 2,189,481 2,359,883 economic interactions between them and the rural areas. the case of the northe tsunami. b) after scal es are used the ener gy liber
Tijuana 1,938,597 2,080,191 Economic growth is pursued in the cities; there are also centers of innovation and zone of Banda Ache, Indone
sia: a) before the
sures the magnitude of the Mer calli scale, which
scale mea ees, and ees.
Leon 1,714,464 1,783,951 b) imum of 10 degr e of 1 to 12 degr
technological development, places where planning gets done and decisions are made, and seism, with a max a seism in a rang ed
Ciudad Juarez 1,423,166 1,488,357 age caused by place in the seab
La Laguna
Merida
1,313,161
1,064,114
1,383,303
1,131,784
where social and cultural movements are frequently carried out.
Likewise, the rural population plays an essential role in the lives of people that live in
a) measures the dam volcanic eruptions that take
Earthquakes and create 30 m high waves kno
ts, can
wn as tsunamis
h and ,
geographic space.
Mexicali 1,025,740 1,091,604 cities because, for generations, much of it has been dedicated to agriculture, livestock,
or near the coas g ocea ns at 500 to 950 km/ and
Aguascalientes 1,016,592 1,081,321 fishing and food production practices. In addition, people from rural areas are involved in ble of traversin ers into islands
(fig. 2.7), capa hundreds of met t.
the construction of highways, dams, bridges and other infrastructure works, as well as to can penetrate s close to the coas
Source: conapo, 2015. Estimates.
sometimes, they damage to area that
causing severe provoke damage
120 continents and rate d by a seism can ena
Hence, the ener
gy libe . These phenom
ditio ns of the populations of the plan et
depends on the
con dynamics
intense internal
a constant and is
show there is a lithosphere that
the existence of
that allows for
ging.
constantly chan
60
Unit II
Activity With your teacher’s guidance and with the

Table 2.6 Water availability by Hydrological-administrative region. support of the data presented in table 2.6,
Natural availability of calculate the water that Mexico and other
Administrative Population (millions of
hydrologic region
water (millions of hm3
people) in mid 2013
Water availability per capita regions of the country have. Write down the Unit I
per year) 2011
answers in the table and answer the questions
Projects and
Northeast 8,324.9 2.76 below in your notebook. winter. The aver
age annual tem
Lerma-Santiago-Pacific 3,575.4 23.60 • What region has more availability per is 387 mm3. Wit perature is 14.2
h its almost 30,0 °C and the aver
capita? people belong 00 inhabitants, age annual prec
North Gulf 28,114.6 5.19 to the nahua and mainly mestizo ipitation
Case studies
• What regions have less than 5,000 m3/ activity primarily otomi ethnic grou (a little over 1,00
Yucatan Peninsula 29,856.3 4.43 , because it ben ps), it has indu 0
people/year? the mayor and efits from its clos strial and com
South Border 163,845.5 7.48 eight city council eness to Pachuc mercial
• How do rainfall and population impact communication members are in a de Soto. Poli
to Pachuca and charge of the tically,
Mexico 47,149.7 118.4 water availability to have more or less? goes to Tampico the nearby mun government. The
At the end of each unit, you will Source: conagua, 2014. To complement
to value relevant
and through seco
ndary roads.
the collected data
icipalities is thro
, a few photogr
ugh the highway
main
that
aspects of this aphs were add
have the opportunity to apply what
locality of Hid ed that allow
The average natural availability of water in Mexico is 476 km3 and the amount of water per inhabitant is Fig. 1.45 Satellite view of Pachu algo (figs. 1.46 students
, 1.47, 1.48 and
4,237 m3/year, even though in the interior of the country there are significant variations.
quilla. 1.49).
you have learned by doing a project Map 2.20 Water availability by hydrological regions, 2014.
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° Activity
to solve a concrete problem or by
32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 32°
LEGEND Analyze map 2.20 in teams and answer the following questions.
Average natural availability • In what hydrological-administrative region is Sonora located?
G
per capita
• What water availability does it have?
ul
analyzing a current case study.

North East Extremely low
f
Very low
• What do you attribute this availability to?
of
28°
Low
28°
Ca
Average
Rio Grande High
li
Baja California
The activities will guide you in the

fo
Peninsula Very high

rn
North Central Now that you have a better panorama of water availability in Sonora,
ia
Basins
24° G u l f 24° we will discuss the situation of the town, which may well exemplify
Tropic of Cancer
Fig. 1.46 Inside the Fig. 1.48 Dry enviro
practice of some of the procedures

23°27’ North Pacific the case of much of the country and its water problems. Hermosillo 18th nment
Sangre in Pachuquilla century parish of Preciosa surroundings of Pachu and scattered vegetation in the
o f
is the capital of Sonora and is located in a semi-desert area, which . Fig. 1.47 Patriotic quilla.
North Gulf
M e x i c o monument in the
Pachuquilla. main square of
has maximum temperatures above 30 °C, and in some cases, it can
that are used in social sciences to

P A C I F I C Lerma-Santiago-Pacific
20°
Valley of
20° reach 45 °C, so that in certain years rain may reach 600 mm in a year,
Mexico Yucatan
O C E A N Peninsula while in others it hardly reaches 200 mm per year; the latter makes the Activity
Balsas Center natural availability of water difficult, causing a shortage of liquid, if we After collecting
the data, the
build knowledge over social reality.
of the Gulf
political compon information was

BELIZE
combine this with an accelerated increase in water demand resulting
1: 18 000 000 South Border
ents, and the classified into
South Pacific
region our loca natural, social,
16°
from population growth, there is a clear problem of water availability in presenting the
16°
0 180 360 km
information in lity cultural, econ
a clear and prec belongs to was identified,
GUATEMALA
the city. Based on the omic and
in order to faci
HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
data compiled ise manner. litate
1. What are and the images
Source: conagua, 2014. the natural com presented, ans
Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
2. What social ponents of Pac wer the followin
and economic huq uilla ? g que stions individu
98 3. Mention thre components did ally.
e cultural com you identify?
4. What region ponents and
Fig. 1.49 Panoramic
does the town two political
view of Pachuquilla components of
. of Pachuquilla Pachuquilla.
belong to?
48

Using videos Unit IV Competence: Reflect on the socioeconomic differences.
To strengthen the content, we will use audiovisual Types of tourism and their economic importance in the world and in Mexico
resources like film or video documentaries with the Show what you know
Activity
purpose of exploring attractive didactic resources. To start off with the topic, make a brief analysis of the experience that you, your acquaintances or relatives have had as tourists. In pairs, and
with your teacher’s guidance, think of two places that you’ve visited, in the country or abroad, and answer the following questions in your no-
tebooks. When you are finished, present your results and compare them with the rest of the group’s.
1. Write down the name of the place or places you visited. 4. Was the place you visited in the country or elsewhere?
learned
2. How long where you there for? 5. Where did you eat? Evaluate what you .
cept
3. Where did you stay? 6. How much money did you spend approximately? rsity is a con
geographic dive
to the author,
1 According
u learned related to: dive rsity
Evaluate what yo
Expand your horizons hic space or geo scales
of the geograp hic
A) The diversity ribution at different geograp
Types of tourism dist ents are related
aluation Uni
tI B) The spatial human compon
Ev syst em whe re natural and amo ng whi ch location and
C) A objects,
properties of
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (unwto), tourists are visitors thatdard spend
ized a night or
stan
more in a different location than their place of residence foryou recreation, familiar with
becomerelaxation Read ever
or entertainment y
purposes. D) The spatial d out interpreted
Unlike them, travelers are thoseThis at a on
stay uati
that eval will helpfor less than
destination will middle school.
have24inhours. distribution stan quently, the space can be ,
an expe rien ce you aske d. ment: “Co nse even nations
ing,there
testthat what isThe
ofetourism. 2. In the frag viduals, and
solv societies, indi
Based on these two, we can see are severaland types following classification includes
fully
the most common types: instruction care text . as a terr itory because itor y corresp onds to:
the word terr
the followin g
• Beach tourism: includes all
stion s 1
those and 2,
places use
that, because of their coastal condition, besides app ropr iate ...”
To answer que
hic component
graphic dive rsity) and
Evaluate what you learned

beaches, have a number of natural elements like a welcoming iversity (geoclimate, vegetation ce
study of geod m where Arambol A) a geograp geographic spa
attractive landscapes. TheIn theleng es of the
world, Copacabana in Brazil,defin
Aroa ed as systeZealand,
in aNew eristic of the
B) a charact
chal ic space can be in
andraph can take place
in India, Palawan theoretical term
s, the geog
in the Philippines the French ed,Riviera
whose proc esses
stand out.
a spa tial category
Using videos the In
components are relat
ic components
have spati al C) e
numbe r of tourist destinations and humanvisits raph grap hic scal
To reflect on the of the series • Adventure tourism:
natu ral includes to faraway and
The geog
relatively inaccessible places
dedi cates
where D) a geo
A brief stop at the end of the unit to reinforce
manner. graphy
any of the episodes t it in the ous or isolated ng others. Geo
country offers, get simu
tourists expecta to ltane
find unusual attractions distr
thatibuti on, amo
include landscapes or practicing eciate
adventure
to appr
your teacher to projec as location and utes are relevant
suggested and ask or risk sports, attrib utes such
including mountaineering, or facts, who
adventure se attribrock
racing, climbing and rappelling.
media room. tion to objects
Series). Discovery.
BBC, most of its atten
knowledge, skills, attitudes and values you’ve • Discovery Atlas (TV

2006- 2008
Episodes: Mexico Revea
led, China Revealed,
lia Revealed, Russia
to accommodate• The
value:place in rural communities
it takes
• Rural tourism:and
diversity
tourists, of the geograph
they
ic space. where people rent
organize ecotours
ips that occur
or between
in a placethrough
places.
part of their houses
local trails and offer food
raphic space can
be made
4 and 5, use the
following map
.
India Revealed, Austra • The relationsh sity of the geog er questions 3,
+4h +5h
ists of
+3h
from local products. plexity and diver
+2h
ing point cons To answ

developed during the unit. In addition, you will
+1h
led.
-1h 0h
Revea
-2h
revealed and Japan g the com the start

-4h 60° -3h 75°
five questions
-5h
15° 30° 45°
Understandin ns. Which is why,
-6h
e
-7h
and come up with

0°
a geographic spac
-9h -8h 5°
-10h 45° 30° 1
Form teams of four society’s actio
-11h
+11h +12h -12h ° 75° 60°
y space into
mentioned in the countr
0° 105° 90
+10h
ed from
+9h
• Urban tourism:appr theeciat
variety of attractions in thisthe
type ofraltourism dependsinter on prete
the cityd as you 50° 135° 12
+8h
natu a +6h +7h
that relate to the placesof tourism that corresponds ty transforms

180° 165° 1
space can beamusement
150° 165°
Greenwich meridian
OCEAN
howtour
hering the socieof 105° 120° 135° ARCTIC
you chose and the

type visit; it primarilydecip
includes historical Con sequently, the museums, opria
monuments, te, delim parks,
it,
find some suggestions to identify the aspects

lopm ent. ns, appr
75°
own deve
ensure its streets ls, and even natio
to each one. shopping malls,to buildings, and famousidua avenues.
societies, indiv
territory because e.
geographic spac
age and use the
75°
man 60°
you may have difficulty with. A Self-evaluation

176
like that
Territories are
Anchorage
nature itself
h comes from 45°
sity: that whic t and
nts a double diver uction, settlemen
60°
ory prese ifica lly from prod to
The territ ible then
30°
esses, spec
and a Co-evaluation have also veen includes in from social proc rent, it is poss
C
Date Line
ATLANTI
and is derived historic and diffe OCEAN

l processes are
45° 15°
Beca use socia ory at diffe rent times.

circulation. of the territ the nature and
0°
formationWit
International
30°
s of trans h you esses , on
determine the
level nds on its r teacher’s guid
proc ysis. Evaluate what you
territory depe the ,anal
15°
inance learned
each unit. sity of a ic scale used begi n the evaluati

15° Antananarivo
The level of diver nts, and on the geograph to the spatial 0° on sess
ion in PACIFIC
OCEAN 30°
its com pone relative conc ept the stag es of self-evaluati

complexity of
O
is defined as a
O CÉANO
OCÉAN
GEND
raphic diversitySelf-e
15°
on and co-evalu L E half 45°
raphic scales. valuation

atio
ce O
That is why geog n.
an hour differen
ÍND C
D IC
ÍNDICO
Countries with
,”
different geog de la geodiversidad
30° time
219 100 000 with the local
distribution of desafíos del estudio
MONDAY
SUNDAY
Rojas López, “Los 3, 2015)
In this stag
d from: José ved on: October, 4 382 km 5 pm 6 pm
e, you oo.gl/NzbK2v (Retrie 2 191
4 pm
Adapte 45° 3 pm
will 0 2 pm
identify the Co -evaluati
1 pm
in: http://g
143-15. Available
Noon
10 am 11 am
kno progress you mad
9 am
pp.wled 8 am
46(1), 2005,
on
7 am
ge,
6 am
Venezolana, Vol. skills, attitude 4 am 5 am
e in terms of the
3 am
Revista Geográfica
1 am 2 am
Identify the leve s and values you 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm Midnight
acquired in Uni
6 pm 7 pm
l of difficulty t II. In this second

following tabl you faced with stage, you will
e and mark them the situations in Unit II; it you evaluate your
classmates’ perf
with a ✓. 51 listed in the always taking
must do it in a
fair, correct and ormance
into account the specific manner,
different activ attitudes your and
ities. classmates had
Learn to:
For me it was To do so, mar in the
Very k the cell that
by your classma corresponds to
easy Difficult
Not Very tes with a ✓. the performance
that mentioned
Relate the distributio difficult
n difficult
regions in the world of seismic and volcanic
and in Mexico with
Sources of reference
tectonic plates. Earth’s Activity Performance
Very
Identify the struct good Good Enough
ure and distributio Individual presentatio Unsatisfactory
continental and n of the n
oceanic relief in
loping contents the world and
Bibliography used at deve -El Colegio de México, 2006.
in Mexico, based
on the internal and
Online sources a de la biósfera El Cielo
(Tamaulipas)”, México
desconocido,
era-el-cielo-
dynamics of Earth
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external Team presentatio
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y sociedad, México, sep Adame, Homero, “Reserv m.mx/reserva-de-la-biosf
Agua, medio ambiente Iowa, McGraw-Hill, 2008. w.mexicodesconocido.co
of world politics, 8a. ed., disponible en http://ww Differentiate the
Allen, John, Student atlas to geography, People,
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H. Renwick, Introduction tamaulipas.html (Consult imperio automot riz composition and distribution, te
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al., World regional geography, Nueva recursos hídricos .pdf (Consulta: 29 de
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Bradshaw, Michael et la gestión integral de los pdf/676/67613199007 o.gob.mx/ (Consulta: 6
de octubre
, Julia, Agua, medio ambiente y sociedad: hacia Río Arronte, México, 2005, p.119. le en http://www.bancodemexic Distinguish the impo
Carabias Gonzalo Banco de México, disponib rtance of water
México-UNAM-Fundación en materia de in drainage basin collection Poster creation
en México, El colegio de de reforma constitucional octubre de 2015) s, as well as wate
insuficiente. Propuesta de 2015) ank.org. (Consulta: 6 de r availability
Carbonell, Miguel, Igualdad le en http://www.worldb depweb/spanish/ in the world and
, 2009. Alianza, 2000. Banco Mundial, disponib http://www.worldbank.org/ in Mexico.
no discriminación, México, potable, disponible en Creation of prese
cndh
informac ión. Econom ía, sociedad y cultura, Madrid, las personas, _______, Acceso a agua a: 6 de octubre de 2015) ntation material
Castells, Manuel, La era
de la
de los deberes y derecho
s de /index02.html (Consult i.worldbank. Relate elements (slides, mockup,
Derechos Humanos, Cartilla modules/environm/water rs: Fresh water, disponible en http://wd and factors of the
different etc.)
Comisión Nacional de _______, The world develop
ment indicato types of climates
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México, cndh, 2004. sobre discriminación y org/table/3.5 (Consult a: 6 de octubre
adores, disponible en
https:// in Mexico. Participation in team
entos internacionales es” Biblioteca de investig
_______, Principales instrum “Ciclones tropicales: huracan ias-de-la-tierra/huracane
s-tifones- Value the importanc
e of the geographi
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cndh, 2004. Encuest a Naciona l sobre la discriminación adeinve stigacio nes.wordpress.com/cienc 2015) conditions that favor c
Prevenir la Discriminación, bibliotec octubre de
Consejo Nacional para guios/ (Consulta: 2 de (Consulta: 6 biodiveristy in the Participation in the
Conapred, 2011. urgo, Oficina de ciclones-tropicales-o-ba w.cenam.mx/hora_oficial. and Mexico. world project
en México 2010, México, protección civil, Luxemb ía, disponible en http://ww
de la UE en materia de Centro Nacional de Metrolog
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de las Comunidades Europea México Agua, Estadísticas del
Agua en México edición Compare the I accomplished the
Publicaciones Oficiales Pueblos indígenas del Comisión Nacional del es/EAM2014.pdf results of you activities on time. homework
Desarrol lo de los Pueblos Indígenas, GUA07/ Publicaciones/Publicacion classmates. The r evaluation with
Comisión para el Norte. México, 2004 http://www.conagua.gob.m
x/CONA
n, discuss with the
indígenas de la Sierra
contemporáneo. Nahuas en México, 1997-2 007”, Revista Digital
(Consulta: 6 de octubre
de 2015)
disponible en http://ww
w.cndh.org.mx. group found to your teacher wha rest of your
“Desarrollo Sustentable los Derechos Humanos, be the most diffi t aspects most
Escobar Delgadillo, J.L. 2007 Comisión Nacional de of the
Volumen 9 Número 3, , México, municipio your notebooks. cult to develop Use the data coll
Universitaria, UNAM. Tratado de geografía humana (Consulta: 6 de octubre
de 2015)
lo Social, Pobreza a nivel Lastly, listen care and write them
y Alicia Lindón, coords. ión de la Política de Desarrol suggests to deal fully to the stra down in ected to identify
Hiernaux-Nicolás, Daniel os), 2006. Consejo Nacional de Evaluac ion/MP/P aginas/Medicion-de-la- with these diffi tegies that you down in your the areas you
Metropolitana (Anthrop México, cndh, 2002. w.coneval.gob.m x/Medic notebook the can improve, and
Universidad Autónoma en el derecho internacional, 2010, disponible en http://ww de 2015) your learning. culties and prop r teacher aspects you need
nación racial y religiosa Síntesis, 2008. aspx (Consulta: 6 de octubre x/(Consulta: 6 de ose others to imp performance in to correct to have write
Lerner, Natan, Discrimi historia del presente, Madrid, pobreza-municipal-2010. en http://www.conapo.gob.m rove the following
ica, La larga ción a la geografía n, disponib le activities. a better
Lacoste, Yves, Geopolít sociedades. Introduc Consejo Nacional para
la Població
o Molinero, Espacios y
Méndez, Ricardo y Fernand octubre de 2015) horas”, Crónica.com.
a, Ariel, 2002. oficial de durante las últimas 24
regional del mundo, Barcelon 012 [publicada en el Diario “Detectan en Popocat
épetl 18 exhalaciones 2012/637738.html (Consult
a: 2 de
l de Protección Civil 2008-2 w.cronica.com.mx/notas/
México, Programa Naciona 2008]. mx, disponible en http://ww
septiembre de ación, Barcelona, 103
la Federación el 19 de ica, identidad y globaliz octubre de 2015) mayor parte del territorio nacional”
Vicente Rufí, Geopolít con tormenta eléctrica
en la
Nogué Font, Joan y Joan derechos “Existe potencial de lluvias lo, disponib le en http://universitam.com/
sobre los ía y desarrol
Ariel, 2001. de las Naciones Unidas Universitam, ciencia tecnolog
s Unidas, Declaración 2 de octubre de 2015)
Organización de las Nacione Nueva York, onu, 2007. academicos/ (Consulta: . Statistics Division, disponib
le en http://
de los pueblos indígena
s, El estado de la tion of United Nations
ura y la Alimentación, Food and Agriculture Organiza de octubre de 2015)
ción de las Nacione s Unidas para la Agricult ria en crisis prolongadas, d/Q/QA/E (Consulta: 6 de los
Organiza
en el mundo. La inseguri
dad alimenta faostat3.fao.org/downloa para todos. Consecución
inseguridad alimentaria 2000 un mundo mejor -BM,
io Internac ional, América , FMI-OC DE-ONU
Fondo Monetar Unidos de
Roma, fao, 2010. internacional, Estados lt/files/bwa_s.pdf (Consult
a: 25
Geografía humana, Barcelon
a, Ariel, 2004.
Madrid, objetivos de desarrollo w.paris21.org/sites/defau
Romero, Juan, coord., una geografía del género, 2000, disponible en: http://ww
, espacio y sociedad, Hacia
Sabaté, Ana et al., Mujeres de septiembre de 2015) h Network , The World According
to GaWC
Síntesis, 1995. enos Aires, Eudeba, 1999. Cities (GaWC) Researc
008t.html (Consulta: 6
de octubre
Nueva York, Londres-Tokio-Bu o, Estado, nación y Globalization and World w.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2
To complement your learning, we have included a list of
La ciudad global,
Sassen, Saskia,
Colin, Geografía política,
economía-mund 2008, disponible en http://ww
Peter J. y Flint w.prosperity.
Taylor,
Trama Editorial, 2002. de 2015) dad, disponible en http://ww
Localidad. 2a. Ed., Madrid, r, Collins-World Bank,
2007. dad, Índice de prosperi
development, Singapu Instituto Legatum de Prosperi
World Bank, Atlas of global Nuevo atlas nacional de octubre de 2015) le en http://www.
Instituto de Geografía, com/#!/ (Consulta: 6 de es, disponib
additional resources that offer bibliography, electronic

Autónoma de México. nacional
Universidad Nacional a de México, 2007. ica y Geografía, PIB y cuentas (Consulta: 6 de octubre de 2015)
dad Nacional Autónom Instituto Nacional de Estadíst lt.aspx
México, México, Universi Estados Unidos, s/proyectos/cn/pibe/defau mx/monografias/
tes en el mundo “hispano” de inegi.org.mx/est/contenido http://cuentame.inegi.org.
Yúdice, George, Culturas
emergen entidad, disponible en octubre de 2015)
Miami, 2008. _______, Información por e&e=21 (Consulta: 6 de
Miami, Universidad de iv_municipal.aspx?tema=m
informacion/pue/territorio/d
238
references and multimedia.

*Panoramic view of Cholula, Puebla.
10

Expected Learning
Unit
The geographic space
Content
I
Core topic:
Identify the diversity of natural, social, • Characteristics of the geographic space.
Geographic space cultural, economic and political • Natural, social, cultural, economic and political components of the geographic space.
and maps components that make up the • Diversity of the geographic space.
geographic space
Competence:
Distinguish the categories of geographic • Categories of spatial analysis: place, area, landscape, region and territory.
Managing analysis: place, area, landscape, region • Relationship between the natural, social, cultural, economic and political components of the
geographic and territory. place, area, landscape, region and territory.
information • Differences in the various places, areas, landscapes, regions and territories.
Identify the use of numerical and graphic • Differences in local, national and global cartographic representation.
scales to represent territory in maps. • Numerical and graphic scales on maps.
• Calculate scales and distances on maps.
• Usefuiness of numeric and graphic scales in cartographic representation.
Locate places and time zones on maps, • Earth’s circles and points: parallels, meridians and poles.
based on geographic coordinates and • Importance of geographic coordinates: latitude, longitude and altitude.
time zones. • Importance and use of time zones
• Location of places and time zones on maps.
Compare different representations of • Main map projections: cylindrical, conical, azimuthal.

Earth’s surface through cartographic • Use of Mercator, Peters and Robinson projections.
projections. • Implications of the representation of the world on Mercator, Peters and Robinson maps.
Identify the use of satellite images, Global • Satellite images, Global Positioning Systems and Geographic Information Systems
Positioning System and Geographic • Elements of geographic space on satellite images, Global Positioning Systems and Geographic
Information Systems Information Systems: cities, agricultural lands, forest areas and communication networks,
among others.
• The use of geographic information from satellite images, Global Positioning Systems and
Geographic Information Systems for geographic knowledge.
Project: The ignorance of the geographic space we live in.
11

Unit I Competence: Managing geographic information
Diversity of natural, social, cultural, economic and political components that make
up the geographic space
Show what you know
Everybody has a perception of the space we find ourselves in, that is, we all think and act geographically. We suggest you do the following activity to
acquire your own notion of the geographic space you inhabit and how you perceive it. Draw a map of your hometown, include most of the natural
elements found in it and compare with others in your group.
In pairs, write a list of elements found on a map of a boy living in the Sonora Desert. With this and the
previous activity, you have applied some of the knowledge learned in elementary school on the various
components that make up the geographic space; however, our sketch only shows a minute portion of Earth’s
surface, so, if you wanted to represent the geographic space at other scales –national, continental or global–,
you’d have to think of other components, natural or human.
Characteristics of the geographic space
To travel and talk about the places you’ve visited or those you’d like to go to; to read books, newspapers and
magazines, or look at photographs, watch television, movies or the Internet, allows you, not only to expand
your knowledge ON geography, but to strengthen the idea that Earth is a vast mosaic of accessible places that
Fig. 1.1 The distribution of the natural and human are distributed in different ways on ITS surface, which, together or separate, constitute our geographic space,
components is very clear in any geographic space. a terrestrial (fig. 1.1), maritime or aerial space where humans live and go about their activities. Thus, it is
surprising to see the great diversity of geographic spaces that exist in the world that constantly change as a result
of the relationship between societies and nature.
Activity
In pairs, read the explanations described in table 1.1 carefully; on the right; look at the examples. When you are finished, share
you will learn in greater detail about the main characteristics your answers with the group and express the doubts or difficulties
of the geographic space. In different pages of your book, look for you had finding the topics corresponding to each characteristic of
two topics that correspond to the characteristic of the geographic the geographic space. Ask your teacher for help to answer your
space described and write down the page number in the column questions.
Table 1.1 Characteristics of the geographic space. Pages. Págs.
Accessible: Any geographic space in the world has a location, be it absolute (that is, 34 Diverse: It refers to the variety and differences regarding quantity, characteristics and organization of natural, social, 116
defined by its geographic coordinates: latitude, longitude and altitude) or relative (that economic, political and cultural components that distinguish a geographic space from another. A representative
which is determined by its situation regarding other spaces and taking as a reference the example is the contrast between the countryside (rural areas) and the city (urban areas).
cardinal points: North, South, East and West). Changing: This means that the geographic space is transformed because it is part of physical or human processes 86
Distribution: It’s the way that natural and human components are distributed in the 110 of short, medium and long duration that modify it incessantly. For example, the actions of the rain, wind or waves, or
geographic space. It is classified by density, which describes the number of times a due to the construction of bridges, highways, cities, ports, agricultural fields, etc.
component appears on a specific surface (for example, people per square kilometer, Relationship: It is the degree of connection between the natural and human components of the geographic space, 156
people/km2); by concentration or dispersion, which indicates how close or how separate which implies that the components are not isolated: if one of them is altered, one way or another, it will have effects
the components are, or by patterns, meaning, if there is an element that influences the on the other, be it in the short, medium or long run. For example, excessive logging, air, water and soil pollution, or
location of the components, such as rivers or cities. the loss of biodiversity.
12

Natural, social, cultural, economic and political components of the geographic space
With the previous activity, you identified some of the natural and human components that make up the
geographic space and the relationship or relationships that exist between them. Study fig. 1.2 and you will
have a better understanding of how the geographic space is the result of the dynamic relationship and
interaction of the natural, social, economic, cultural and political components that modify
it incessantly.
In that regard, geography, as a scientific discipline, analyzes where, how and why these
Fauna
natural and human components are located on Earth’s surface, what causes originate S Earthquakes Work SO
N T CI
them, how they relate to each other, what effects result from them. E AL
P ON Health CO
To identify the natural, social, economic, cultural and political components Relief
C OM Oceans Migration
MP
ON
that make up the geographic space, it is necessary to explain what each one is A L
R Astronomical Composition of EN
made of. T U Lakes TS
N A elements the population
The natural components are made up of all the physical and Education
Vegetation Development
biological elements that are part of Earth’s natural environment Climate and Rivers Rural areas Housing
(living or biotic elements and non-living and abiotic elements), atmospheric time Underground
whose main characteristic is that human beings have not water Cities
intervened in their creation; for example: sunlight, continents, Forestry Religions
islands and peninsulas, oceans, seas, rivers and lakes, rocks, soil, Trade Geographic Custom
vegetation, fauna, rain, wind and relief. Industry space
TS
The social, economic, cultural and political components are derived Tourism Types of food
ECO
NEN
from the activities made by people, individually or collectively, which Agriculture Science
NOM
Language
is why they are often referred to as human components. That is the
MPO
Transport
case of the religion they practice, the language they speak, the cities
IC CO
Traditions
L CO
and ports they inhabit, the products they make, consume, buy and sell, Communication
Borders Ethnic groups
URA
MPO
the type of transportation they use, they type of government they have, Armies
the sports they practice and the different artistic expressions they develop Stockbreeding
CULT
NEN
Governments Technology
such as painting, sculpture or dance, among others. In fig. 1.2 you will see International
TS
some examples of each one of the human components. Services treaties
States Art
Nations
International cooperation
Fig. 1.2 A pentagonal diagram like the one shown here is used to represent the interaction between natural, Armed conflicts agencies
social, economic, cultural and political components that make up the geographic space.
POLITICAL COMPONENTS
Activity
As a team, go through the pages of units II and V of this book and identify six other natural components of
the geographic space that are not mentioned in the diagram in fig. 1.2. Write them down in your notebook,
and with your teacher’s help, compare your results with those of the other teams.
13

Unit I
Activity
To strengthen your ability to identify the natural and human a)
components that participate in the construction of the
geographic space, in pairs, look carefully at the photographs
of the different places in Japan (figs. 1.3 a, b, c, d and e),
identify the natural, social, economic, cultural and political
components, and write down three examples for each one.
Then answer the questions below.
b) c) d) e)
Fig. 1.3 Different aspects of Japan. a) Tokyo. b) Temple of Taketomi Island in Okinawa. c) Mount Fuji. d) Shops on a
street in Tokyo and e) Government building in Tokyo.
Human Components
Natural Social Economic Cultural Political
a) W hat were the easiest components to identify? Explain your d) W

hat differences did you find between the components featured in
answer. the pictures and the ones you drew in your sketches?
b) What were the hardest components to identify? Why?
c) What is the relationship between the natural components and the When you are finished, compare your results with the other pairs and
human components? with your teacher’s help, complete or correct your answers.
14

Diversity of the geographic space

If you go over page 12, you will remember that diversity is one of the fundamental characteristics of the geographic
space because every place in the world is made up of a combination of natural and human components that, when
interacting with the rest, originate and organize various geographic spaces. In figs. 1.4 and 1.5 you will notice the
diversity that exists between two geographic spaces as contrasting as the city and the countryside.
Fig. 1.4 Panoramic view of Mexico City. Fig. 1.5 Terrace farming system in the island of Bali, Indonesia.
Although as a general norm certain places present some similitudes and uniformities, in reality they are
unique and incomparable because, as we mentioned earlier, another essential characteristic of the geographic
space is its constant transformation. For example, if you observe two forest landscapes, your first impression
might be that these are the same, however, if you analyze in detail the types of relief, vegetation, fauna and
rivers that exist in each one, you will notice the difference between these landscapes.
Table 1.2 mentions some of the places that are part of the planet we inhabit. In pairs, look for photographs
of these spaces to identify the diversity of the geographic space.
Table 1.2 Examples of the diversity of places on Earth.

Basque Country City of Monterrey Port of Veracruz Strait of Gibraltar
Nile Valley Panama Canal Border of Mexico and Guatemala Copper Canyon
Cozumel Island Sahara Desert Andes mountains Italian Peninsula
Mediterranean Sea Mixtec Region Cacahuamilpa Caves Palestine territories Glossary

Atoll. Ring-shaped island or horseshoe,
Tepito neighborhood Popocateptl volcano New York City Gulf of Campeche created by coral barrier reefs that grow on
Acapulco Bay Island of Madagascar Chuquicamata mine Mururoa Atoll the highest parts of an elevated submarine
seamount of volcanic origin, with a lagoon
State of Sonora Amazon rainforest in its interior.
15

Unit I
Practice what you learned

Activity
As a team and in order for you to identify the diversity of natural and human components of the
geographic space, look at figs. 1.6 and 1.7. Make a table like the one shown below where you describe the
characteristics and components of each geographic space.
Characteristics of the
Geographic space 1 Geographic space 2
geographic space
Location
Distribution
Diversity
Change
Fig. 1.6 The swamps in Centla, Tab., are a
geographical space which has been declared Relationship
protected area due to its biodiversity.
Components Geographic space 1 Geographic space 2
Natural
Social
Economic
Cultural
Political
When you are finished, write down the most relevant similarities and differences of the places in your notebook
and present your results to the class. Complete your answers with the group’s comments and your teacher’s.
Fig. 1.7 The French Riviera is a geographic space

where the combination of natural and human
components is part of the touristic attraction. To learn more
In order to enrich the topic of diversity in the geographic space and learn how to use the correct
information and communication technologies, in pairs, go to Google Earth, in the following link http://goo.
gle/2dVMEb (Retrieved on: October 3, 2015). If you do not have the program, open it and look over different
places on the planet. Then talk amongst yourselves and write down the places and their natural and
human components that most caught your attention in your notebook. Present your results to the group.
16

Competence: Managing geographic information The geographic space
Categories of spatial analysis: place, area, landscape, region and territory

Show what you know
Activity
To begin studying this content, let’s start with a simple exercise. c) City, port or rural area that you’ve visited on vacation:
Individually, write down the information that is asked below and
with your teacher’s help, compare your answers with those of your d) Region of the American continent where our country is located:
classmates.
a) Name of the suburb or neighborhood
where your house is located: By solving this activity, you worked on certain spatial categories
(the words that appear in italics) which, along with others, are
b) Delegation or municipality of the national territory where your representations of the geographic space, used by humans to
school is located: explain the multiple and complex components and the natural and
human processes expressed at a global, national and local scale
(topic we will address later on).

Categories of spatial analysis: place, area, landscape, region and territory
The first category of analysis we will address is place, which can be understood as a site with a specific location that
adapts to the transformations adapts to the man-made transformations, based on human experiences and ideas.
From the previous activity, the words in italics: suburb, neighborhood and home, are examples of places. But,
what happens to those sites in nature where the presence of men and women is almost unnoticeable? Are they
considered places? The answer is yes, because societies are the ones who define them, study them, and oftentimes
use them to develop some sort of activity or simply to preserve them.
Each place is the direct or indirect reflection of some sort of social, economic, cultural or political activity Fig. 1.8 For the Inuit peoples living in the Arctic,
made by humans, which gives people an identity and a sense of belonging, and thus creates emotional links the place they live in is the cultural heritage
of their ancestors.
between individuals or communities and a specific place. This feeling allows us to understand why there are
people in the world that do not abandon the places where they live, even though the natural, social, economic Fig. 1.9 The Tuareg, a nomadic people of the Sahara,
consider every place they live in as a “temporary
or political conditions are not the most “favorable” to live in; such is the case with people that live in rainforests, home” due to their constant movement through
polar ice caps (fig. 1.8), deserts (fig. 1.9), or war and conflict zones. the African desert.
The concept of area, as a category of analysis of the geographic space, refers to the surroundings or
environment in which living beings get on, be it terrestrial, subterraneous, aerial or aquatic, and in the specific
case of humans, corresponds to the surroundings of the place where they live, which is oftentimes, transformed
by societies to adapt it, condition it and obtain the resources needed to survive. Which is why the area has suitable
characteristics for its inhabitants. If you go over the first activity, you will notice that in section c you wrote the
names of different areas.
17

Unit I
Depending on the activities humans do, we can distinguish between the rural and urban areas because they are
made up of a series of natural and human components that you will identify better by doing the following activity:
Activity
Fig. 1.10 In rural areas, natural components are more In pairs and with your teacher’s guidance, look at figs. 1.10 and 1.11, and make a table where you write
notorious and agriculture and herding are common. down the natural, social, economic, cultural and political components that identify each type of area
(rural or urban).
Then, answer the following questions:
a) What components are predominant in the rural area?
b) What components are predominant in the urban area?
c) What activities do you think the people living in each area do?
Discuss your results with other teams and check with your professor if needed.
Now, look carefully at figs. 1.12 and 1.13 and you will notice that each one has its own and singular aspect,
which reflects how each place in the world has a unique view that can be captured by humans through a specific
image. That visible appearance of each place on Earth is known as landscape.
Landscapes change over time, either because of physical processes like the eruption of volcanoes, earthquakes,
Fig. 1.11 In urban areas, trade is conducted and hurricanes, etc., or due to man’s intervention, such as the construction of buildings, highways, damns or logging.
cultural spaces exist.
Landscapes are natural when there is a predominance of components in the physical and biological areas are
predominant, and cultural when social, economic or political activities are notorious in the population. There
are also altered landscapes that have suffered disruptions in their natural and social balance due to pollution and
the excessive use of its resources (fig. 1.12), and organized landscapes, where there is an evident planning of the
geographic space and it reflects the sustainable use of the resources and an appropriate social and environmental
development.
The spatial category of a region refers to a portion or fragment of the geographic space that is differentiated and
Fig. 1.12 The deforestation of the Amazon rainforest delimited by a characteristic by a predominant natural or human characteristic or function. There are two main types
is an example of an altered natural landscape. of regions:
a) The natural region, characterized by elements of the physical and biological environment: relief, lands,
continental an oceanic waters, vegetation, fauna and climates, among others.
b) The human region, made up of the economic, political, social or cultural activities people do.
If a natural component is predominant in the terrain, vegetation, for example, regions of rainforest, desert,
steppe, taiga and tundra are distinguished. If the human component stands out, like the economic, it is possible to
differentiate between the agricultural, industrial, touristic (map 1.1), commercial regions, etc. If natural and human
components are combined in a determined portion of the geographic space, a geographic region is then formed; like
the Sahel region in Africa, where the nomad group Fulani lives, the regions of the Tarahumara in Chihuahua and the
Mixtecs in Oaxaca and Guerrero.
Fig. 1.13 The Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. is
an example of an organized cultural landscape.
18

Map 1.1 Examples of natural and human regions in Mexico.

Activity 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
As a team, apply what you learned on the

32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32°
category of spatial analysis in regions and answer

the following questions with your teacher’s
G
guidance.
ul
f
1. In the activity on page 17, in what region did
of
20° 20°
28° 28°
Ca
you locate Mexico?
li
fo
rn
ia
2. What type of region does it correspond to?
24° 24°
100°
Tropic of Cance
r 23°27’
3. Look at map 4.1 of the agricultural regions of

G u l f
the world (p. 151), what type of region does it P A C I F I C
correspond to? O C E A N
o f

20° M e x i c o 20°
4. The Balkan Peninsula is a region located in LEGEND
Southeast Europe delimited by the Balkan Mountain
Mountains. Various ethnic groups live in Rainforest

Railway line
BELIZE
Caribbean
it, such as Croats, Serbs and Albanese. Do

Sea
16° Tourist flow 1: 24 000 000 16°
you consider it to be a natural, human or

City
0 240 480 km
Gulf GUATEMALA
of
HONDURAS
geographic region?
Tehuantepec
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Source: Created by the author.

Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015.
The category of territory spatial analysis refers to the terrestrial, subterraneous, maritime, submarine or aerial
geographic space, attributed and delimited by humans for survival, identity, security or protection reasons.
The delegation or municipality that your school belongs to is an example of these delimitations made by
human beings.
The territory is of vital historic and political importance, because it is considered a unique space by the people
who inhabit it, to exercise their exclusive right of it; proof of that is the frequently used expression to refer to our
country as the “national territory.”
19

Unit I
Activity
In pairs, research in the library or on the Internet, the fundamental concepts associated with the term territory: sovereignty
and border. Write down your results, book references or website you used in your notebook, and compare them with your
classmates.
Then, as a group and with your teacher’s
guidance, choose what the best definition for each Map 1.2 Political division of the United States of Mexico.
concept is. 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Make a territorial recognition of the political

Mexicali
organization of the United States of Mexico, the BAJA

official name of our country. Based on map 1.2,
VERACRUZ
CALIFORNIA QUERETARO
answer the questions, and with your teacher’s help,
G
SONORA Queretaro
HIDALGO
ul
complete or correct your answers.
f
Pachuca
Hermosillo Chihuahua
of
20° 20°
28° 28°
1. What border states with the United States of

CHIHUAHUA Mexico Jalapa
Ca
City TLAXCALA
Toluca
li
COAHUILA
America (USA) are not on the coast?
Tlaxcala
STATE D.F.
fo
OF Puebla
rn
NUEVO Cuernavaca
MEXICO MORELOS
ia
BAJA LEON
Saltillo Monterrey PUEBLA
CALIFORNIA Culiacan
SUR La Paz DURANGO GUERRERO
24° 24°
Durango 100°
Tropic of Cance ZACATECAS
r 23°27’ SINALOA Ciudad Victoria
SAN
Zacatecas LUIS TAMAULIPAS G u l f
2. What state of the Republic of Mexico has the POTOSI
AGUASCALIENTES San Luis Potosi
largest number of borders with other federal Tepic
NAYARIT
Aguascalientes
GUANAJUATO
o f
Merida
entities? Write down the name of each of the states.

Guanajuato
M e x i c o YUCATAN
20° Guadalajara 20°

JALISCO Morelia
Campeche
Colima
Jalapa QUINTANA ROO
VERACRUZ CAMPECHE

COLIMA MICHOACAN
P A C I F I C TABASCO Chetumal
GUERRERO Villahermosa
O C E A N Chilpancingo Oaxaca
Tuxtla
BELIZE
Caribbean

Gutierrez Sea
16° 1: 24 000 000 OAXACA 16°
CHIAPAS
Gu l f GUATEMALA
0 240 480 km of
Te h u a n t e p e c HONDURAS

112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Source: Created by the author

3. Which federal entity has the largest territorial Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015.
extension and which one has the smallest?

4. What states have borders with the southern neighboring countries and what kinds of problems do you think they face?

20

Relationship between the natural, social, cultural, economic and political

components in the place, area, landscape, region and territory Using videos
between
see the relationship
Based on concrete examples, the following boxes show how certain natural and human In order for you to ge og rap hic sp ac e in the
the
the components of detail, find
components (social, economic, cultural and political) are related amongst each other and analysis in greater
categories of spatial s suggested below.
rie
participate in the conformation of various categories of spatial analysis, studied in the an episode of the se
previous topic. scovery. BBC, 2010
• Human Planet. Di s,
ea ns , Deserts, Arctic, Plain
Episodes: Oc s.
Ci tie
Mountains, Rivers,
estions that
come up with five qu onents
Form teams of four, hu ma n co mp
tural and
are related to the na categories mentioned in it
Place that ex ist in the sp ati al
der your
en, in turns and un
and answer them. Th ch tea m wi ll as k the other
In this spatial category, one or various natural and human n, ea
teacher ’s supervisio
components acquire a spatial meaning for the population of the learned.
specific site, because it provides a sense of identity and belonging; to verify what was
for example: the Grand Canyon in Colorado, USA, is a natural
component that has become a very attractive site for tourism.
Likewise, the Louvre Museum in Paris is a human component
that is part of the city’s identity.
Landscape Region
In this spatial category, the natural and human components make In the case of this spatial category, one or the combination of
up a specific image of a portion of Earth’s surface, subject to various natural and/or human components conform zones that
an attentive observation that allows us to analyze the origin and present certain uniformity or areas of influence, giving place to an
evolution of each one of the components or the whole. For example, intermediate scale between the global and national, and between the
the Mississippi-Missouri River is a natural component that works as national and the local. An example is the formation of the Amazon
a means of communication to the transportation of passengers and rainforest where its abundant and diverse vegetation is exploited for
cargo by boat in the south east of the United States. the production of wood and by the pharmaceutical industry.
Area Territory
For this spatial category, certain natural and human components
This spatial category comprises the environment where living beings,
(rivers, mountains, geographic coordinates, etc.) are used by the
among them humans, transform and condition it constantly through
governments of countries, states or municipalities to establish its
their actions, be it a marine, aquatic, terrestrial, subterraneous or
borders, this is the case of the Rio Grande which is the international
aerial environment. For example, climate, soil and relief are natural
boundary between Mexico and the United States of America
components that are considered essential for the development of
or parallel 38 North that divides the countries of North
agriculture in rural areas in Mexico.
and South Korea.
21

Unit I
Differences in the various places, areas, landscapes, regions and territories in the world
As mentioned in the previous topics, there isn’t a place, area, landscape, region or territory
in the world identical to another, because the natural and human components that conform
it can have certain similarities, but present a wide variety and differences associated with
quantity, features and organization, as well as its constant transformation.
Let us emphasize these differences in the following exercise. In pairs, look at figs. 1.14,
1.15, 1.16 and 1.17 and write down the most evident components that differentiate them in
Fig. 1.14 Dharavi is a neighborhood
in the city of Mumbai and an your notebook. Compare your answers with the group.
urban space with one the largest
concentration of poverty in
the world.
Fig. 1.15 Monument Valley

is a reserve of the
Navajo tribe in
Arizona, USA.
Fig. 1.16 Angel Falls is the highest waterfall in the Fig. 1.17 The city of Abu Dhabi, capital of the United
world, 976 meters high, located in Venezuela. Arab Emirates, is an urban space with the largest
concentration of wealth in the world.

Activity
To verify that you have learned to identify the categories of analysis of the geographic space, do the
following activity in teams. Check newspapers and magazines, and cut out news where the following
categories are mentioned: place, area, landscape, region and territory. Visit the website http://kiosko.net
(Retrieved on: October 3, 2015) to check different newspapers of the world. Paste the images in your
notebooks and write down the most outstanding natural, social, economic, cultural and political
components that were mentioned. Present your work to the class and write down the observations that
your classmates and teacher made in your notebook.
22

Use of numerical and graphic scales to represent territory on maps

Show what you know
In the first topic of this book, you made a sketch to discover how you think and act geographically at a local
scale. In the same manner, since ancient times, human beings have had the need to locate and represent the
most important geographic features of places, territories and regions that they’ve inhabited or known directly or
through tales of travellers and sailors, including the landscapes they’ve imagined.
In Mexico, some of the first representations of the geographic space are the pre Hispanic codices, which
are pictorial documents made on paper, fabric or animal skin, that portrayed themes of the main cultures and
civilizations that inhabited the regions of what we currently know as the Mexican territory; this is the case of the
Boturini Codex (fig. 1.18).
Activity
To begin the study of this topic, answer the following questions individually:
• Given the dimensions that Earth’s surface covers, what are the three scales you identified in the maps Fig. 1.18 The Boturini Codex makes reference to
you worked with in elementary school? the migration of the Aztecs. This codex is in the
National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
• What are the names given to the two scales that appear on the maps?
With your teacher’s help, present your answers to the group and complete the information you wrote
down.

Differences in cartographic representation at local, national and global scales
With the previous activity, you remembered that in the study of the geographic space there are different levels to
represent cartographical the natural, social, economic, cultural and political components that conform it. These
levels are known as scales.
Activity
In pairs, read the explanations on the types of scales, write down the name of the scale on top of maps 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 that correspond to each one
and answer the questions. When you are finished, with your teacher’s guidance, compare your answers with those of the rest of the group.
Global scale: it’s used when you want National scale: it’s used in very specific sites on
Scale types in to cover the whole planet. Earth’s surface.
the study of the Local scale: it’s used when the territorial
geographic space dimension represented corresponds to a
country.
23

Unit I
Map 1.3
What scales identified in these maps did you
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
already know? 75° 75°
60° 60°
45° 45°
ATL AN TIC
What (natural and human) components 30°
O C EAN
30°
can you see in each of the maps? 15°

PACIFIC
15°
OCEAN
P A C I F I C
0° 0°
O C E A N
15° 15°
INDIAN
30° OCEAN 30°
ATL A N T I C
OC E A N
45° 45°
60° 60°
1: 290 000 000
75° 75°
0 2 900 5 800 km
Map 1.4
135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135°
116° 112° 108°
UNITED STATES Map 1.5
OF AMERICA
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32°
32° 32°
Baja U N I T E D S T A T E S
1: 15 000 000 California
G
Gulf of O F A M E R I C A
u
l f
0 150 300 km California
o
S o n o r a 28° 28°
f
C
P A C I F I C
a
l i
30°
f o
G u l f
r n
Baja 30°
O C E A N Santa Rosalía
i a
California
I. SAN MARCOS Chihuahua 24° o f 24°
Sur 7’
Tropic of Cancer 23°2
110° Rosarito M e x i c o
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ Gulf I. CARMEN
of Ulloa
Sinaloa
San Carlos Constitución 20° 20°
PACIFIC San José I. SAN JOSÉ
OCEAN del Cabo I. MAGDALENA
I. ESPÍRITU SANTO
Bahía SANTA
P A C I F I C
San Lucas I. CERRALVO
Cabo San Lucas MARGARITA ISLAND La Paz
28°
Tropic of Cance 28°
110° r 23°27’ O C E A N BELIZE
San José del Cabo 1: 27 000 000 16°
16°
116° 112° Cabo San Lucas 108°
0 270 540 km GUATEMALA
Source: Created by the author. 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
24

Now, in order for you to better understand the

different dimensions of global, national and local Page Map Type of scale
scales, we’ll use some of the maps in this book.
184 Map. 4.18 Core and peripheral countries.
In pairs, go over the maps mentioned on the table
and write down the corresponding scale in the 61 Map 2.4 Volcanism and seismicity in Mexico.
right column. Then, comment in groups: What
maps present the information with greater detail? 46 Map 1.15 State of Hidalgo and adjacent federal entities.
What maps do the opposite?
32 Map 1.11 World time zones.
When you are finished, with the help of your
teacher, as a group, write a brief text in your 200 Map 5.1 Quality of life in the world.
notebook as a conclusion that describes the
differences in cartographic representation at 112 Map 3.3 Distribution of the population in Mexico.
local, national and world scales. 31 Map 1.10 South Sudan.
Numerical and graphical scales on maps Map 1.6 Independent countries and colonial dependencies
In elementary school you learned that maps are a type of scaled of the Caribbean
graphic representation of a part or the total of Earth’s surface that, as 84° 82° 80° 78° 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64° 62° 60°
opposed to blueprints, consider the curvature of the planet, which is 24°

24° Lambert Conic Projection 3
why it is necessary to make them based on map projections (which we Tropic of Cancer 23°27
’
A T L A N T I C
will explain later on). BAHAMAS
Turks and Caicos
22°
O C E A N
Other issues you learned in elementary school in relation to maps
22° (UK)
C U B A
are that they must include essential elements for their analysis and United States
Virgin Islands
(USA)
British Virgin
Islands
20°
interpretation, therefore, a universal “cartographic language” has been 20° (UK)
Puerto Rico
agreed upon. Let’s recover that knowledge associated to the essential
Caiman Islands DOMINICAN
(UK) HAITI (USA) Anguilla (UK)
REPUBLIC 18°
elements of any map with the following exercise. 18° JAMAICA

ANTIGUA
AND
BARBUDA
Netherlands Antilles
Guadalupe
C A R I B B E A N S E A SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS (FR) 16°
Activity
Montserrat (UK)
16°
DOMINICA
Martinique (FR)
As a team, look carefully at map 1.6 and, in each box, write down 14°
SAINT LUCIA
14°
REGION OF THE CARIBBEAN

the number that corresponds to each element according to the Independent countries
Netherland
Antilles
ST. VICENT AND
THE GRENADINES BARBADOS
following list. Look at the example.

ARUBA (Netherlands)
Colonial dependencies GRENADA 12°
12° International land boundary
1: 24 000 000 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
International maritime boundary
Elements of a map 0 240 480 km
10°
1. Title  5. Map projection 84° 82° 80° 78° 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64° 62°
2. Symbology or legend  6. Scale
3. Orientation  7. Source of reference Source: Anuario geoeconómico y geopolítico mundial, Akal, Madrid, 2012.
4. Geographic coordinates Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015.
25

Unit I
Among the elements you identified, you found the scale, in cartography is the numeric relation between the
To learn more real dimensions of a terrain and its representation in a model, either dimensional like maps, blueprints, aerial
Watch the video “Maps photographs and satellite and computer images, or three-dimensional like the globe, mockups and digital terrain
and their interpretation” models created with software.
on the Telesecundaria The scale on maps allows us to increase or reduce the dimensions of the geographic space for study purposes,
channel to remember some but preserves the size and shape proportions of the territory that is represented.
of the elements of maps.
It is available at https:// Maps can have two types of scales:
goo.gl/ Te8iR3 (Retrieved

on: October 3, 2015). Make Numerical scale Graphic scale
a concept map with the The numerical form marks how many times the real size of the It is identified as a bar or straight line divided into segments, similar
represented surface is reduced; it appears on maps as a proportion;
elements and their function. for example, the scale 1:1 000 000 is read “one to one million,”
to a ruler, that shows the unit of measure that was established to
represent the reality on the map, that is, each segment on the line
Present your work to the which means that one centimeter in the map is equivalent to one which is a centimeter long, indicates how many meters or kilometers
rest of the group and pay million centimeters of the terrain, meaning, ten thousand meters or of the surface are being represented in that centimeter.
ten kilometers.
attention your teacher’s One cm on the map is equivalent to:
0 10 20 30 km
comments. 1:1 000 000. . . . . . . . . . . 10 km or 10,000 meters

1:100 000. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 km or 1,000 meters 1 cm
1:10 000. . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 meters or 1 hectometer (hm)
1:1 000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 meters o 1 decameter (dam) 0 10 20 30 km
1:100. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 meter
1:10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 decimeter (dm) or 10 centimeters
1:1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 centimeter 1 cm
In cartography, it is said that the scale is large not because of the number of the numerical or graphic scale, but
because of the level of detail in the map, hence, the higher the number on the scale, the smaller the detail, making
it a small scale. Thus, due to their scale, maps can be differentiated in three broad categories:
Small scale maps 1: 1 000 000 Medium scale maps 1: 100 000 Large scale maps
Example: map 5.5, page 216 Example: map 1.14, page 46 Example: map 1.16, page 47
Calculation of scales and distances on maps

Before learning to calculate the distance between two points on a map based on a given scale, it is important to
specify that when we work with the scale on a map, be it numerical or graphic, the units of measurement represented
must be converted to centimeters, otherwise, the result of the operations will be incorrect.
Let’s look at the example with the graphic scale, where one centimeter (1 cm) is equivalent to 10 km. If you add
a zero to the 10 of the 10 km, you will have an equivalent in hectometers: 10 km = 100 hm; if you add another
zero to this quantity, it will then be equivalent to 1,000 decameters; if another zero is added, it will be equivalent
to 10000 m; if you add another zero, you will get an equivalent in decimeters: 10,000 m = 100,000 dm, and if we
26

Map 1.7 Regions of the Sahara and Sahel deserts.

30° 20° 10° 0° 10° 20° 30°
add another zero, we will get an equivalent in centimeters:
M LEGEND
100,000 dm = 1,000,000 cm, that is, 10 km equivalent
to 1 000 000 cm.
e
Desert
ite
d
Semidesert
TUNISIA
rran
ean Sea Dry savannah Hence, the numerical scale of this example is: 1:1,000,000.
30°
MOROCCO
Mediterranean
30°
To calculate the graphic scale, you only need to find out how many
ALGERIA
kilometers are equivalent to 1,000,000 cm.
WEST ERN
SAHARA
L IB Y A
EGYPT If necessary, ask your Math teacher for help.
(Occupied by
Morocco) S a h a r a D e s e r t If you want to calculate the actual distance between two
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’
different points on a map, you first have to measure the distance
Re
20°
that separates them in a straight line, then you multiply it by the
N ile R iv er
dS
20°
MAURIT ANIA
number on the right of the numeric scale and the result is the
ea
S a h e l
SENEGAL
MALI
NIGER E RITRE A distance between these two points in centimeters, which has to be
BURKINA
CHA D S UDA N converted to kilometers.
FASO
10° E THIO P IA
0 640 1 280 km NIGERIA 10°
20° 10° 0° 10° 20° 30°
Source: Contemporary World regional geography, Michael Bradshaw et al., McGraw Hill, 2004. Map 1.8 Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015. 90° 88°
Activity 22°
To calculate the scales and distances on maps, solve the following exercises in pairs.
G u l f Cancun
1. Based on the graphic scale on map 1.7, calculate the distances in kilometers and the
numerical scale asked below . o f Merida
South border of the Sahel region: YUCATAN

Cozumel
Longitude of the Nile River: M e x i c o
  African coastline of the Mediterranean Sea:

20°
20°
Numerical scale:
Campeche
2. In a similar manner, but with map 1.8, based on the numerical scale, calculate the QUINTANA ROO
graphic scale and complete its distances. Then, determine the distances asked.
From Merida to Cancun: Ciudad del Carmen Chetumal
From Cancun to Chetumal: Numerical scale: 1:9 000 000 CAMPECHE C a ri b b e a n

Se a
0 km.
From Chetumal to Ciudad del Carmen: Scale: 1: 9 000 000
BELIZE
From Ciudad del Carmen to Merida:
TABASCO GUATEMALA
90° 88°
1 cm
Source: inegi, 2011.
With your teacher’s help, correct and complete your answers. Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015.
The calculation of scales and distances on maps is used in different fields, for example, for trade, because when you know
the distance you need to travel from one place to another, you will know how much time it takes to transport products.
For what other activity do you think it is useful to know how to calculate scales? Discuss your conclusions as a group.
27

Unit I
Usefulness of numerical and graphic scales in mapping

Throughout this topic, we’ve seen that the analysis of any geographic space and its natural
and human components can only be done with a system of variable scales, that is, global,
national, local or regional. When changing scales, the physical or social processes are also
modified, not only in dimension and reach, but in meaning as well; thus, the comprehension
of certain geographic phenomena makes sense when they are done with comparable scales,
which is why the transfer of one form of scale representation to another is not always viable
and convenient.
The scales 1:5 000 and 1:10 000 are oftentimes used to identify certain features of the
urban spaces in detail, such as roads, houses buildings, avenues, land use, or rural areas,
like parcel boundaries and type of crop; they are commonly used to create a public registry
of the land, to charge taxes associated with the location and dimensions of the properties
of the terrains (land registry) or to produce the blueprints of neighborhoods, suburbs or
delegations with various purposes.
At a 1:25 000 or 1:50 000 scale, maps cover areas of large terrain (fig. 1.19), that
decrease the detail; however, they are regularly used as base maps, meaning, topographic
Fig. 1.19 Topographic map of Acapulco.
maps that represent the relief and the main physical and human features of the territory, which constitutes the
platform to make maps on other subjects with the same scale.
Maps with a scale of 1:1 000 000 and greater, display larger extensions of Earth’s surface and cover various
subjects and are also used on national and global atlases.

Activity
Based on what you learned about scales and in order for you to identify their usefulness, as a team, read the situations presented and write
down the type of scale or the level of corresponding detail in the parenthesis.
Situation Type of scale
( ) A tourist travels to London. On his first day, he decides to visit the city center with the help of a map where he can see the streets, avenues, important a) Global scale
places, etc.
( ) In Spanish class, the teacher asked you to locate on a map the Mexican states where nahuatl is spoken. b) Level of detail 1:500 000
( ) If you want to portray the type of vegetation of a particular region, you need a map with... c) Local scale
( ) To calculate the distance between the equatorial circumference, or between Mexico and China, you need a map of... d) National scale
( ) To know how many municipalities exist in the state of Veracruz, you need a map of... e) Level of detail 1:25 000 or 1:50 000
Check your results with your teacher and correct your answers if necessary.
28

Location of places and time zones on maps, based on geographic

coordinates and time zones
Show what you know
Activity Map 1.9 Absolute and relative positions of Mexico.
Recover what you learned in elementary 112° 104° 96° 88°
school and in the first topics in this book and 32°

32° 43’ 06” Latitude North 32°
answer the following questions:

1. What are the geographic coordinates?
118° 22’ 00” Latitude West
2. What are they for?

Look at map 1.9 and circle the geographic 24°
coordinates represented. In page 12 of this Tropic of Ca 24°

ncer 23°27’
book, you learned that any geographic

space in the world has a location, be it 86° 42’ 36” Latitude West
absolute, defined by its by its geographic
coordinates, or relative, determined by its
situation regarding others, taking cardinal
points as
a reference. In pairs, write down the
absolute and relative positions of Mexico. 16° 1: 27 000 000 16°
0 270 540 km
14° 13’ 27” Latitude North
With your teacher’s help, compare your 112° 104° 96° 88°
results with those of your classmates and

make corrections if necessary. Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015.

Circles and points of Earth: parallels, meridians and poles
Geographic coordinates are used to determine the absolute position of any component of the geographic space,
which are derived from a series of imaginary lines, points and circles invented by humans to locate themselves on
Earth and study it. Now, in pairs, do the following exercises in order to identify them.
29

Unit I
Activity
1. Based on fig. 1.20, suggest the order (from number 1 to 6) that you consider the explanations of parallels, meridians, tropics and polar circles
should be read. Don’t forget to compare your results with the rest of the group’s.
Fig. 1.20 The main parallels and meridians of Earth Then, in your notebooks, make a representation
Among the parallels, the Tropic of 66° 33' N North Pole
Another important parallel is the
of Earth’s main parallels and meridians. To do
Cancer stands out, located at 23° 90° Arctic Polar Circle, located at 66° 33’ that, take into account what you learned in the
27’ in the Northern Hemisphere. in the Northern Hemisphere.
previous diagram:
23° 27'
0° 1. The angular distance from the equator to

W
Parallels are circles The meridians are semi-circles from the elliptic is 23° 27’, which will allow you
pole to pole; the Greenwich meridian,
equidistant to the equator that
also known as Zero Meridian or Prime to determine and trace the Tropics of Cancer
maintain the same distance
and Capricorn in both hemispheres.
23° 27'
Meridian, divides the earth in two
between each other and hemispheres: Western and Eastern.
decrease in size as they reach Ecuador 2. The angular distance from the equator to the
the poles. E
0° vertical (perpendicular line to the elliptic)
66˚ 33'
The Tropic of Capricorn is located at 23° 27’ in the is 66° 33’, which will allow you to determine
The Antarctic Polar Circle
is located at 66° 33’ in the 90°
Southern Hemisphere. and trace the Arctic and Antarctic circles.
Southern Hemisphere. South Pole Present your work to your teacher.
S
In the diagram in fig. 1.20, the most convenient geographic order is that,
starting from the equator, you identify the tropics and the polar circles, and
N from the Greenwich meridian, we determine the meridians. How were the 23°
Arct 27’ of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the 66° 33’ of the Arctic and
ic P
olar Antarctic poles established?
Trop Circ
i le If you look at fig. 1.21, you will see that, due to Earth’s almost spherical
c of
Can shape, its tilt and orbit around the Sun, the polar circles indicate the north and
cer
south extremes where sunlight illuminates the earth for a period of the year.
Equ
ator In the case of the tropics, they also indicate how far the Sun’s rays reach the
Trop intertropical zone on a specific day of the year, but in a perpendicular manner,
i c of that is, creating a 90° angle.
Cap
rico
rn
Ant
arct
ic Po Importance of geographic coordinates:
lar C
ircle latitude, longitude and altitude
S As you’ve seen since elementary school, humans use geographic coordinates
as well as imaginary lines, points and circles to locate any place on Earth’s
Fig. 1.21 The angle with which solar radiation surface. Let’s make a brief recap with a simple exercise.
reaches Earth is called angle of incidence.
30

Map 1.10 South Sudan became independent on July 15, 2011. Activity
24° 30° 36°
12° 12°
12° 14’ 15” Latitude North
NORTH SUDAN In pairs, locate South Sudan on map 1.10, the country most recently created (July
2011) that resulted from the division of Sudan. Imagine that the population of this new
country needs urgent international assistance and it is necessary to locate it accurately.
r
Based on the map, write down the end parallels and meridians that provide its absolute
ve
Ri
24° 09’ 22” Latitude East
position. With your teacher’s help, compare your results with those of the group. .
Nile
ETHIOPIA
Extreme North Parallel: Extreme South Parallel:

CENTRAL SOUTH SUDAN
Extreme East Meridian: Extreme West Meridian:

AFRICAN
REPUBLIC
6° 6°
35° 56’ 46” Latitude East
Escala: 1: 15 000 000

DEMOCRATIC
0 150 300 km
3° 29’ 58” Latitude North KENYA
REPUBLIC
90°
24°
OF CONGO
30° UGANDA 80°
70°
Latitud Norte 60°
Source un, 2011. 60° N
Hemisferio
50°
Primer meridiano
Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015. 40° N Norte 40° (0°)
30° Hemisferio
20° N 20° Oeste
Longuitud
As we’ve seen, parallels and meridians make up a network 0° of geographicEcuador (0°) Este
60° E
10°
60° O 30°
0°
coordinates that allow us to locate places more accurately because they define 20° S 0°
40° O
20° O
40°
20° E
E
110°
20°
10°
the distance in degrees of a specific point on Earth’s surface
Hemisferio regarding the
Sur
40° S 10°
20°
Longuitud
Oeste 100° 0°
60° S
equator, which is known as latitude (fig. 1.22); and the angular distance
Latitud Sur
with 30° Hemisferio
Este
90°
80°
70° 60° 30°
20°
10°
0°
50° 40°
respect to the Greenwich meridian, called longitude (fig. 1.23). 40°
50°
Fig. 1.24 shows altitude, considered the third geographic coordinate, which
is established by calculating the vertical distance between a point on Earth’s
surface and the extension of the average sea level. Altitude allows us to deduce Fig. 1.22 Parallels are numbered from 0° to 90° in Fig. 1.23 Meridians are numbered from 0°
both hemispheres, from the equator to the poles. to 180° in both hemispheres, from the
the environmental conditions of a place; usually, for each 100 m increase in Greenwich meridian to the antimeridian.
altitude, the temperature decreases 0.65 °C, which proves that the atmosphere
is heated directly by heat radiated by the Earth’s surface and only indirectly by
solar radiation due to diathermancy, that is, the property of atmospheric air
crossed by sunlight without heating. height altitude
altitude
Importance and use of time zones
positive altitude
In elementary school you also learned that due to the time differences in the
different regions of Earth as a result of its rotation, international agreements
were made to organize time in the world. sea level
Thus, a way, a system of time zones was established, consisting of the
altitud negativa
imaginary division of Earth in 24 segments of 15° of amplitude each.
Fig. 1.24 Diagram showing the difference between altitude and height.
31

Unit I
Map 1.11 shows that from the Greenwich meridian (also known as prime meridian or zero meridian), for each time zone going east, an
hour is added, and for each time zone going west, it decreases an hour. For example, if it is 07:00 in Anchorage, Alaska, it is 17 hrs at the
Greenwich meridian. What time will it be in Antananarivo in Madagascar? Compare your answer with your classmates.
If we follow almost the same trace as the antimeridian or the 180th meridian, we will locate the International Date Line where the day
is considered to begin and end. In map 1.11, you can see that the International Date Line displays certain deviations to avoid separating
certain islands and having different days in one territory.
Before establishing the times zones in the world, many of the activities that involved different countries, such as trade and transportation,
presented delays and chaos, because every nation was governed by its on schedule. With time zones, there is a better coordination between
countries and they are of great use, for example, they allow us to schedule the exit and entry of people and goods that move between
different places in the world, either by air, sea or land; it dictates when international financial markets open and close, and is a reference of
warning and prevention in case of tsunamis (fig. 1.25) or tropical cyclones (called hurricanes in America and typhoons in Asia).
Map 1.11 World time zones.

+6h +7h +8h +9h +10h +11h +12h -12h -11h -10h -9h -8h -7h -6h -5h -4h -3h -2h -1h 0h +1h +2h +3h +4h +5h
105° 120° 135° 150° 165° 180° 165° 150° 135° 120° 105° 90° 75° 60° 45° 30° 15° 0° 15° 30° 45° 60° 75°
Greenwich Meridian
ARCTIC OCEAN
Tide monitoring
Tsunami monitoring
75° 75° Origin of tsunamis
Anchorage
60° 60°
45° 45°
ATLANTIC
International Date Line
30° 30°
OCEAN
15° 15°
0° 0°
Fig. 1.25 The tidal wave that occurred on March 11, 2011
PACIFIC OCEAN in Japan, created waves of up to 10 meters, known as
15°
Antananarivo
15°
tusnamis, which alerted various coastal regions of the
Pacific ocean.
30° 30°
IN D IA N
45°
LEGEND 45°
1: 227 000 000 Countries with half an hour OC E A N
MONDAY
SUNDAY
difference with the local time

0 2 270 4 540 km
6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm Medianoche 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am Mediodía 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm
Source: Rand McNally, Answer Atlas, Rand McNally and Company, United States of America, 2009.
32

To value the importance and use of time zones at a national scale, let’s analyze the following example. It is important to remember that, because
of the how the national territory extends from east to west, our country is regulated by four time zones.
Let’s think back to the 2012 London Olympic Games. Map 1.12 Time zones in Mexico. Source: Cenam, 1990.
Suppose a track and field competition begins at 13:00 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32° Tijuana
hrs, London time. What time must you turn on your TV UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32°
in Mexico to watch the competition if we consider that Ciudad Juarez
the competition if the transmission is live? If you look
G
at maps 1.11 and 1.12, you will notice that there are
ul
f
of
four possible answers: first one is at 8:00 hours, if you 20° 20°
28° 28°
Ca
Mexico City
consider the time zone VII, whose central meridian is
li
fo
75° West; the second one is at 7:00 hours, if time zone
rn
ia
VI is considered, whose central meridian is 90° West,
which establishes central time; the third option is at 24°
100° 24°
6:00 hours, if you find yourself in another entity in time

Tropic of Cance
r 23°27’
zone V, linked to the central meridian 105° West, which G u l f

indicates Pacific Time; the fourth one is at 5:00 hours Tepic
o f Cancun
for cities in time zone IV, associated with the central 20°
P A C I F I C
M e x i c o 20°
meridian 120° West, which establishes northeastern
O C E A N Morelia
time.
In pairs, verify the previous statement in the following LEGEND
Time zone VII BELIZE
website http://24timezones.com/map_es.htm, (Retrieved Time zone VI
Caribbean
Sea
1: 24 000 000
on: October 3, 2015) and do other similar exercises.
16° Time zone V 16°
Time zone IV
0 240 480 km
Gul f GUATEMALA
As in other countries in the world, the time zone of
T ehuant epe c HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
system in Mexico maintains a close relationship
with the international system, which allows for the Note: In 1996, to save energy, Mexico established a Daylight Saving Time, which consists of setting the clocks an hour forward on the first Sunday
correspondence between nations located in the same of April and to delay the advanced time the last Sunday of October.
longitude and those that share a time zone with (look at
map 1.11 again).
In Mexico, the National Metrology Center (Cenam) is the specialized institution that the Congress resorts to; the latter is in charge of
establishing the official times across the national territory, according to the distribution of time zones and changes based on the Daylight Saving
Time, a measure that was established to save energy.
To learn more
For homework and in pairs, research what federal entities in Mexico are not part of the Daylight Saving Time and find out why. Go to the
Cenam website at http://www.cenam.mx/hora_o cial (Retrieved on: October 3, 2015) and other websites where you might find information.
Share your answers as a group to improve or modify them, according to the case.
33

Unit I
Location of places and times zones on maps

To locate a place on a map, remember that you must consider the geographic coordinates that provide its absolute position, that is, the longitude and
altitude that determine its position. Thus, we know, for example, that Cairo in Egypt, is located at 30° latitude North and 31° longitude East. Moreover,
to know the time zone of a specific place, you must locate your local time and subtract hours for each time zone to the West or add hours for each time
zone to the East. Remember that all the places in the same time zone have the same time.

Map 1.13 Geographic coordinates.
Activity 180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Do the following activity as a team based on what you ARCTIC OCEAN
Greenwich Meridian
learned on geographic coordinates and time zones. Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
Locate the coordinates shown below and write down 60°

Saint Petersburg
60°
what place it refers to on map 1.13 (look at the Ulan Bator
example).Then, write down the time zone that A T L A N T I C

each place belongs to. 30° O C E A N Cairo
30°
P A C I F I C
Latitude 30° North and Longitude 31° East
O C E A N
Cairo, Egypt
0° Equator 0°
P A C I F I C
O C E A N
I N D I A N
Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’
O C E A N
Latitude 30° South and Longitude 51° West 30°
Porto Alegre
Durban
30°
A T L A N T I C
O C E A N
60° 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’
1: 274 000 000
Latitude 39° South and Longitude 30° East 0 2740 5480 km

180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
When you are finished, verify the results with Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015.
your group and teacher. Based on maps 1.11 and 1.12,
do the following activities.
1. Determine how many hours difference there is between the cities of Anchorage, Alaska and Antananarivo in Madagascar. Write down your
answer: .
2. You are going to watch a soccer/game match of the National Team playing at the Azteca Stadium on television. The match starts at 12:00
hours, Mexico City time. Write down the time it will start in:
Tijuana: Cancun: Ciudad Juarez: Tepic: Morelia: .
With your teacher’s help, compare your results with those of your classmates.
34

Different representations of Earth’s surface

through map projections
Show what you know
Activity
In elementary school you learned about the different representations of Earth’s surface and their use. Do
the following activity to recall some of that knowledge. Answer in your notebook. What representations of
Earth’s surface do you know? Now that you have worked with maps, you must have noticed that there are
different maps that represent the same place, why do you think this happens?
In pairs, draw the outline of continents on the peel of a grapefruit or orange, trace a line that represents
the equator or the Greenwich meridian and cut it in half; take out the wedges without breaking the peel.
Try to extend that same half flat, making the necessary cuts. What happened? (fig. 1.26). When you are Fig. 1.26 Exercise of cutting an orange.
finished, with your teacher’s guidance, discuss in groups: What difficulties did you face when transferring
the outlined continents from a curved surface to a flat one? What changes would improve your work?
Research what solutions were proposed by the people who made the first flat representations of Earth.
You’ve seen how difficult it is to represent Earth’s curved surface

on a plane. There are methods for that called map projection where b)
a)
parallels and meridians create a web known as caneva, which works as
a reference to trace geographic features.
It is difficult to capture the spherical surface on a plane without it
suffering distortions, either in its distances, surfaces or angles; which is
why they have proposed various types of map projections to reduce the
distortions to a minimum. However, depending on the map projections
Waterman
used, it will allow you to preserve one of the three priorities, even if Equirectangular
the others are affected. To compare map projections and identify the c)
d)
problem of distortions, we will use an element called Tissot’s indicatrix,
which are small circles whose shape and size variation correspond to
the degree of distortion according to their location on the map.
In your notebooks, in pairs, describe what parts of figs. 1.27 a, b, c
and d representing different cartographic projections have more or less
distortions. Present your results to the group and listen to your Sinusoidal Mollweide
teacher’s comments. Figs. 1.27 a, b, c, d. An important aspect of cartography is to choose what projection to use depending on the area
and topic of interest we wish to represent.
35

Unit I

Main map projections: cylindrical, conic and azimuthal
To continue comparing the different map projections, it is necessary to identify the fundamental differences of
how they are made.
Because of the shape of the geometric body that the terrestrial sphere is projected on, map projections are
cylindrical and conic. As for azimuthal (also known as zenithal projections), they are made on a plane starting from
an interior point on Earth to an exterior point (figs. 1.28 a, b, c).
a) b) c)
Fig. 1.28 Main map projections.
Cylindrical Conic Azimuthal
Cylindrical projections depict the earth as if it were

wrapped in a cylinder that is then extended. On it,
parallels and meridians are represented as straight
perpendicular lines (forming 90º angles), that maintain
the same distance between them (equidistant). On
cylindrical projections, the most evident distortion is
the exaggeration in the areas closest to the poles. On
the other hand, the surfaces closest to the equator don’t
display major distortions. Cylindrical projections are
used to create planispheres or to make navigational,
maritime and aerial maps (fig. 1.29).
Fig. 1.29 Planisphere on Mercator projection.

36

In conic projections, the geometric body where Earth is represented is cone-shaped; parallels
appear as concentric arches and meridians as radius. Usually, meridians and parallels are
drawn based on one or two base parallels that serve as reference to trace a projection, allowing
represented areas to be less distorted. The limitation to these types of projections is the distortion
they suffer in the areas closer to the top and bottom margins; in the first case, the area decreases,
while in the second, the surface increases. Another important disadvantage is that they don’t
allow for a proper representation of Earth’s surface. The conic projections are used to represent
continents, regions of medium latitudes or specific countries. It is frequently the case with maps
that represent Europe (fig. 1.30) or Mexico.
Regarding azimuthal projections, the plane only contacts one point on the surface on the Earth’s
surface, in such a way that the place where it unites with the plane does not present distortions.
However, as the distance increases with regard to that contact point with the plane of Earth’s
sphere, the distortions are evident. This projection is commonly used in the used to map polar Fig. 1.30 Europe represented on a conic projection.
areas, for example, maps of Antarctica and the Arctic Ocean (fig. 1.31). However, these types
of projections can also be done by placing the plane on the equator. Depending on the location of the luminous
source or visual point of construction, projections can be gnomonic, if the visual point is located at the center of
Earth; stereographic, where the visual point is any point on Earth’s surface and, orthographic, if the visual point is
located in infinity.
180°
160° 160°
Be
Use of Mercator, Peters and Robinson projections
rin
gS
tra
it
140° CANADA 140°
RUSSIA
Among the most used map projections is Mercator (fig. 1.32), proposed in 1569 by Gerardus East
InternationalD ate Line

Siberian
Mercator (1512-1593). This projection represents Earth’s spherical surface on a cylindrical surface, Beaufort
Sea
’
33
tangent to the equator, that when unfolded, creates a terrestrial map on paper or digital, where
Sea
120° 120°
6°
o6
rtic
meridians appear as straight lines, uniformly spaced, while parallels cut meridians in a straight
arÁ
P ol
80° Laptev
ulo
Sea
angle, but the spacing increases as it reaches
C írc
ARCTIC
to the poles, which makes it impossible 100°
OCEAN
100°
0˚
for these to be represented. Besides, in this
RUSSIA
90˚ CANADA
Nort
h Pole
projection, there is a disproportion between
ost
the Northern and Southern Hemisphere that
afr
80° 80°
erm
increases the dimensions of North America,
fp
ito
Kara
Lim
Sea
it
Europe and Asia. The Mercator projection
ra
80°
St
is
v
Da
has been of great use for navigation by
GREENLAND
60°
60°
Barents
facilitating the tracing of maritime routes. Sea RUSSIA
G reenw ich m eridian

1: 53 000 000
0 530 1 060 km
40° 40°
0˚ Norwegian
Denmark Strait NORWAY
Sea
20° 20°
0°
60˚ Fig. 1.31 The Arctic Ocean represented on an

Fig. 1.32 Mercator Projection. azimuthal projection.
37

Unit I
0˚
90˚ Another cylindrical projection is by Arno Peters (1916-2002). On it, through mathematical
calculations, the distortion of high latitudes on the Mercator projection were corrected,
which is why the areas of the countries shown are closer to reality, even though their outlines
are lengthened. Some cartographers consider that it is right to call it Gall-Petters projection
because it is almost identical to the projection created by James Gall in 1856. Certain
0˚ international organizations use the Peters projection (fig. 1.33) to create educational materials
to address social topics and create awareness on other ways to “see” the world.
As for the Robinson projection, it was created in 1961 by Arthur H. Robinson, who proposed
a representation where meridians slightly curve, stretching the poles in long lines that distort
them, although this distortion decreases as they move away from them. The Robinson
60˚ projection (fig. 1.34) is widely accepted by companies and cartographic institutions and is used
to represent both natural as well as human components of the geographic space in atlases,
Fig. 1.33 Peters Projection.
books and magazines.
0˚ 90˚
Implications of the representation of the world on Mercator, Peters and
Robinson maps
At present, currently, there is an ongoing controversy about the implications associated with
the Mercator and Peters projections and, to a lesser extent, with Robinson’s. The reason
0˚
is the exaggeration of the areas closest to the poles on the Mercator projection, where
the disproportion between
0˚
the northern and southern
90˚
hemisphere is evident, increasing
the dimensions of North
90˚
America, Europe and Asia.
Fig. 1.34 Robinson Projection. In fig. 1.35 you can see that
Greenland appears to have the
same dimensions as the North
American region and is bigger
than South America, when in
reality, its surface is slight larger
0˚ than Mexico’s.
With the following activity,
you will know what the
discussion is about. In pairs,
draw a map of the world on a
Fig. 1.35 Greenland’s surface is 2,166,086 km2, piece of paper, as accurate as
while South America’s is 17,819,100 km2. possible and with your teacher’s
Sudamérica es de 17 819 100 km2. 90˚ help, place it on the board
38

and compare it with the other pairs. On the board, write down how many drawings look like the Mercator Glossary
projection, how many like Peters and how many like Robinson; also write down what continent appeared more
Eurocentrism. Worldview referring to
often at the center of the “map.” As a group, comment the results and listen to what your teacher has Europe being at the center of the world and
to say. that the rest is secondary to that continent.
The purpose of this exercise is to experiment what a prestigious international geographic institution did
in 1988, by asking 3,800 girls and boys from 49 countries to draw a map of the world. When they were
done, researchers found that, although most children were from Africa, Asia and America, the drawings
where Europe occupied the center of the map were predominant, and a very similar projection to Mercator
was used. For some, this circumstance reinforced what decades ago Arno Peters had confirmed, that the
Mercator projection promoted eurocentrist visions, which implied that maps weren’t exempt of ideological
content and political propaganda; that is to say that, by exaggerating the dimensions of countries in the
Northern Hemisphere, somehow, the idea of Europe’s superiority over the rest of the world was
transmitted. Contrary to these arguments, many cartographers maintain that there is no
political intention of representing certain regions larger than others; it simply depends
on the selection of a specific map projection. Who is right?
Regarding the Robinson projection, it frequently displays the European
continent at the center of the map; however, in recent years, it has been
replaced by the Winkel tripel projection (fig. 1.36), because it
has fewer errors.

Activity
Let’s take advantage of the previous explanations on Mercator and
Peters projections to have a debate where the following topics are
addressed: technical advantages and disadvantages of each projection,
ideological interests behind each projection and the utility of each
projection. If necessary, use figs. 1.32 and 1.33 (pages 37 and 38) Fig. 1.36 Winkel tripel Projection.
for support.
To conduct the debate, do the following: 3. Write your notes and arguments in your notebook.
1. With your teacher’s guidance, organize the group in two teams 4. Before starting the debate, establish an order for the interventions
and decide what team will defend the Mercator projection and and listen carefully to the other team’s opinions.
what team the Peters projection.
5. To conclude, as a whole group, draw three conclusions in favor
2. Both teams must research in books, newspapers, magazines or on and three against one of the projections and ask your teacher to
the Internet, the information that supports the position they are comment on the development of the debate.
representing. Ask your Math and History teachers as well.
39

Unit I Competence: Managing geographic information
Use of satellite images, Global Positioning System and Geographic Information Systems
Show what you know
Activity
In elementary school you learned that, in addition to maps and aerial photographs, other
technological resources have been developed, which are used to study the geographic space, such as
satellite images, Global Positioning System (gps) and Geographic Information Systems (also known as
gis). Let’s broaden our knowledge; to do so, let’s do an activity to tackle the topic. Ask your teacher
to play the video The robot explorers (No. A/EG/05) from the school’s video library. Another option is
that you search on the Internet on the use of satellite images, gps and gis. After watching the videos,
discuss the following questions in pairs: What are satellite images for? What is global positioning?
What does it mean when a car has the inscription “unit equipped with gps”? Where are Geographic
Fig. 1.37 Mosaic of satellite images of the artificial islands in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Information Systems used? Finally, write down in your notebooks one or two applications that each
one of these technological resources have and, with your teacher’s help, share them with the class.

Satellite images, Global Positioning System, Geographic Information Systems
Fig. 1.39 In a gis, every layer represents a different segment of
information on the natural and social environment that can The previous exercise shows that with the progress of technology, different instruments emerge to contribute
be viewed individually or combined. to the development of geographic science. We must not forget that satellite images (fig. 1.37) are achieved by
Layer that represents the
artificial satellites that register and send electric impulses through a series of devices that
information of a satellite image. are interpreted and converted to images by computers; while Global Positioning Systems are
Layer that represents electronic devices that capture satellite signals to determine the geographic coordinates
information on the property of
Earth.
(latitude and longitude) of a point on Earth’s surface (fig. 1.38). As for Geographic
Layer that represents Information Systems, they are computer
information on rivers and lakes. programs designed to capture, store
Layer that represents
and process georeference information,
information on vegetation. that is, numeric data that represents
Layer that represents
each component of the geographic
information on land. space, natural, social, historic,
economic, political, cultural or
environmental, linked to a system of
Layer that represents geographic coordinates (fig. 1.39).
information on relief.
Fig. 1.38 gps have been installed in cars as tools to expedite traffic.
40

Elements of the geographic space on satellite images, Global Positioning System and Geographic Information Systems: cities,
agricultural lands, forest areas and channels of communication, among others
After reviewing what the geographic technologies consist of, it is time to
a)
study some of the elements of the geographic space that can be identified on
satellite images, how they are located with a GPS receiver and how this
and other data, can be managed in a Geographic Information Systems.
To identify these elements in satellite images, it is worth mentioning
that there are different types of satellites that detect the type of items and
processes depending on their characteristics. For example:
• NOAA and GOES satellites show clouds, perceive moisture and the
temperature of the atmosphere.
• Landsat and Spot satellites capture images of natural resources like
vegetation, bodies of water, and certain environmental problems like as
pollution and various types of erosion, among others.
• The satellite series SeaWiFS capture temperature, the content of
microscopic marine algae that live in oceans and serve as food for b)
certain fish (phytoplankton), as well as the movement of schools of fish
and carbon on the oceans’ surface.
• Other more recent ones like IKONOS and QuickBird are very accurate
commercial satellites whose goal is to detect human settlements,
urban as well as rural, channels of communication, farming plots and
industrial locations, just to mention a few.
Any component of the geographic space, be it natural or social,

terrestrial, maritime or aerial, can be detected by satellites; it all depends
on the specific purpose that each one has.
Fig. 1.40 In March 2011, a tsunami caused thousands of deaths and millions in material losses in Japan.
a) Area of the East coast of Japan before the tsunami. b) Area of the East coast of Japan after the tsunami.
Activity
To have a better idea of how the geographic elements are pictured finished, and with your teacher’s help, exchange notebooks with
on a satellite image, in pairs, look at figs. 1.40 a and b, and write another pair and discuss the elements they noticed and those you
down the natural and human components you identify. Write down did. Be receptive of your classmates’ comments.
the changes you observe by comparing both images. When you are
41

Unit I
Satellite 3
Satellite 2 As for Global Positioning Systems (GPS), the
Satellite 1 implementation of these devices has evolved;
Satellite 4 previously they only provided location through
geographic coordinates, now there are more
complex devices that facilitate land, sea and air
Signal receiver in
transportation based on digitalized mapping, which
the vehicle allows us to view various natural and human
elements of the geographic space at different scales
(global, national or local).
The United States of America was the first
country to establish a GPS system referred to as
Fig. 1.41 All gps have the same working Fig. 1.42 On the gps, you can see streets, certain “NAVSTAR Constellation,” then the Russians
ACCURACY principle, the satellite constellation the services like gas stations and restaurants, the followed with a system called “GLONASS
1 meter receiving devices. direction of traffic and street names.
Constellation” and, more recently, the European
Union created the system “GALILEO Constellation”
(fig. 1.41).
Nowadays, it is common for GPS not only to detect site specific
coordinates, but villages, territories and property boundaries, road shaft,
local roads, railroads, power lines, drainage, water and energy, such as a
gas, oil and gasoline (fig. 1.42).
Meanwhile, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) process satellite
images as previous cartographic bases or aerial photographs that, when
associated with a statistic database, create thematic maps that allow
for the analysis of the relationship between physical, social, economic,
cultural, political or environmental components present in a specific place,
region or territory; for example, maps displaying polluted areas according
to the economic activity; cartography that portrays the links between a
migrant population, its socioeconomic level and a sense of belonging to
a certain ethnic group, or maps displaying cross information on traffic
accidents, types of vehicles and the profile of a driver, such as age and
gender (fig. 1.43).
Fig. 1.43 gis may show all or part of the elements of the geographic space.
Usefulness of geographic information by satellite images, Global Positioning System and

Geographic Information Systems for geographic knowledge
Satellite images are of great use for geographic science. Its applications include: the weather report, hurricane
detection, the inventory of natural resources, risk and disaster analysis, the identification of polluted and
environmentally depleted areas, the identification of various types of land use and the creation and update of
maps, of course.
42

Activity
In pairs, look at the sequence of satellite a) b) c)
images (fig. 1.44 a, b and c), and discuss
what you think the information in these
images could be used for. Write down your
answers in your notebooks, and with
you teacher’s help, exchange them with the
other pairs and compare your solutions and
expand your own.
Fig. 1.44 Detachment of a huge iceberg in Antarctica.

September 16, 2000 November 4, 2001 November 12, 2001
Initially, GPS emerged for military purposes, but over time their use has spread to various civil issues; this
way, electronic locations systems are more frequently used in mobile phones, public and private transportation,
movement of air, land and sea cargo, as well as for the construction industry and scientific research tasks. GPS are
even implanted on animals and people to facilitate their location if lost or for security reasons.
Some of the uses of GIS are: the registration of urban and rural land, that is, it identifies whether the land use is
residential, agricultural, for breeding, forestry, industrial, commercial or touristic and, based on this, it is mapped
and decisions are made. Other uses for the GIS are related to mapping to prevent and manage disasters; to deploy
water, light, telephone, transportation and security services, as well as social and protection development and to
preserve nature, which allows for better planning and organization of the territory.

Activity
To apply what you’ve learned regarding satellite images, gps and gis, • http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx (Retrieved on: October 3, 2015) Select
ask your teacher to take you to the school computer lab, and in pairs, the Digital Map Library section and explore the various options
search the following websites: displayed by the gis.
• http://www.atlasdemexico.gob.mx (Retrieved on: October 3, 2015)
• http://maps.google.es (Retrieved on: October 3, 2015) Search Select the Map option and look at the different map collections
two places (one global and one national) and switch to satellite that are displayed.
image mode. Zoom in and out to identify some of the geographic When you are finished, as a group, discuss the advantages and
components. disadvantages of the use of technological devices. Write down your
conclusions in your notebook.
43

Unit I
Project: The importance of knowing our geographic space

Beginning
Once you have finished studying unit I, you will be able to strengthen and enrich what you’ve learned through the
following project, where you will test your knowledge, skills and geographic attitudes. To do so, remember that in
this unit you worked on the following:
Core topic: Geographic space and maps

Competence: Managing geographic information
Main idea: To acquire the necessary methodological bases to study the geographic space by identifying its natural, social, cultural, economic and political components, backed by
categories such as place, area, region, landscape and territory to do an adequate analysis.
Expected learning: Identify the diversity of natural, social, cultural, economic and political components that make up the geographic space. Distinguish the categories of spatial analysis:
place, area, landscape, region and territory. Identify the use of numeric and graphic scales to represent territory on maps. Locate places and time zones on maps based on
geographic coordinates and time zones. Compare the different representations of the Earth’s surface through map projections. Identify the use of satellite images, Global
Positioning System and Geographic Information Systems.
Concepts: Location, distribution, diversity, relationship and interaction to study changes in the geographic conditions of the place we live in.
Skills: Observation, analysis, integration, representation and interpretation of documental, graphic, statistical and visual information of the place we live in.
Attitudes/Behaviors: Become aware of the space. Identify spatial belonging. Value spatial diversity.
Planning
The first thing to do when starting a project is to identify and define a problem that relates to what you have just
studied, and is of interest to all your classmates.
With your teacher’s guidance and orientation,we propose you discuss what situations caught your attention
or you are curious or worried about, as a group. Write down three to five (they can be more, but it is not very
practical) situations on the board, in a table like the following, and then choose by majority of vote, which one
you will work on.
Problem for project Votes
1.
2.
3.
Selected problem: Total votes =
To exemplify what you will do in the project with the problem you’ve selected, we will address the problem:
“The lack of awareness of the geographic space we live in” in the following pages, since not many people truly
know the place they live in and do not have sufficient information to organize themselves to have better use of the
resources and protect the environment, or to propose urban improvements, or explore the touristic possibilities
that would provide higher revenue for the locality.
44

Project: The lack of awareness of the geographic space we live in.
Justification: Every project must explain why it is important to carry it out; to do so, you must explain
–in your opinion– why it is important to address the problem that they chose. For example, the problem “The
lack of awareness of the geographic space we live in.” is justified because the methodical knowledge of where we
live favors not only the feeling of belonging and identity, but a more participative and conscious attitude for the
community, and greater responsibility to care for and preserve the environment. Searching for data and collecting
images of a place to present everything in an organized manner, is the most practical way to do it.
Purpose: For the project that is being presented as an example, the purpose is to look for and find information
on the place where you live with the purpose of sharing it with the school community, to spread it and promote
the appreciation and recognition of its characteristics and values.
Goal: It is important to understand what the final product of the work that was done during the project is. The
goal of this project is to create a brochure where the results of the research are presented. To do this, you will use
tables, graphs, photos or drawings that can be seen and shared by the community.
Having defined the above, depending on the problem you have selected, and with your teacher’s support, you
must consider what sources of information can be queried to execute the project, what activities will be carried
out, what products will be created and, very importantly, how much time you will need to invest to complete the
project. In order to facilitate the planning of the activities mentioned, you can create a timetable which is a very
useful resource to do everything in an organized manner.
To work on the problem exemplified in this project, the students decided to divide the work in teams according
to the following timetable.
Project Timetable
Activity Goal Duration
1 session
Look for maps of the locality in books, stationary shops, Internet, etc. Check cartographic information for reference.
Locate texts with geographic information in books, newspapers, etc. Compile reliable geographic data for the research.
Visit the local Ministry of Tourism or contact them by email. Collect geographic information from the locality’s points of interest.
Collect precise information on the town to verify what you obtained from other
Contact the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (inegi).
sources. Make data tables if needed.
Visit one of the points of interest (hills, caves, monuments, museums) and take Compile first hand geographic information. Create simple planes or sketches of
photographs of them. some of the points of the locality.
Present the materials collected to the class and discuss how to spread the information. Select the information and organize it in a hierarchy to later present it.
Create the final products that will help your community be known. Create posters, brochures, banners, etc.
Total sessions
45

Unit I
Development
After making the timetable, the first five activities were divided among the same number of teams and they began
to work. Since Pachuquilla, located in the State of Hidalgo, is the locality that the project in the example will
spread information on, the first thing was to look at a map of Mexico and locate the federal entity that the locality
corresponds to.
Activity
Look at map 1.14 and locate the state of Hidalgo. Then, with the Once the entity was located, we looked for a map of the State of Hidalgo.
information on the map, answer these questions in your notebook:
Look at map 1.15; it represents a larger scale of map 1.14. Why do
1. What federal entities does Hidalgo have borders with?
you think it is necessary to use a different scale? Reflect on this with
2. What is the capital of Hidalgo?
your classmates and remember what you saw about this in Unit I.
3. According to the map, is Hidalgo on the east or west of our
Locate Pachuquilla on map 1.15 and circle it in red. Observe and
country?
answer in your notebook:
4. In what coordinates is the state of Hidalgo located in? In groups,
a) Is this locality close or far from the state capital?
and with your teacher’s help, check your answers and correct
b) What adjacent federal entities are closer to Pachuquilla?
if necessary.
c) Can you measure the distance between Pachuquilla and
Pachuca de Soto using the scale that appears on the map?
Map 1.14 Mexican Republic. Check your answers as a group with your teacher’s guidance.
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 32°
Map 1.15 State of Hidalgo and adjacent federal entities.
100°
99° SAN LUIS

POTOSI
G
Capital
ul
City
f
of
20° 20°
28° 28° San Felipe
San Antonio
Ca
Orizatlán Huejutla
Chapulhuacan de Reyes
li
VERACRUZ
fo
rn
QUERETARO
ia
24° 100° 24°

Tropic of Cancer Zimapan Zacualtipan
23°27’ de Angeles
G u l f Metztitlan
o f Ixmiquilpan
20° P A C I F I C M e x i c o 20° Huichapan

Atotonilco
Actopan el Grande
O C E A N 20° 15’ Tezontepec 20° 15’
de Aldama Mixquiahuala Pachuca
BELIZE de Juárez de Soto
Atitalaquia Tulancingo
16° 1: 27 000 000 de Bravo
16°
Pachuquilla PUEBLA
0 270 540 km Gulf
of
GUATEMALA Atotonilco de Tula
Tehuantepec HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Zempoala
1: 2 800 000 Tizayuca
Ciudad Sahagun
Source: Created by the author. 0 28 56 km
Date of elaboration: September 30, 2015. STATE OF MEXICO TLAXCALA
99°
46

The students also got a map with the political division

Map 1.16 Political division of Hidalgo.
of the state of Hidalgo (map 1.16) and in it they located
Mineral de la Reforma, which is the municipality where 99° SAN LUIS 97° 45’
Pachuquilla is located; in fact, this city is the county seat POTOSI 30
or the most important locality of this territorial division. Pisaflores
This is how they found out that Mineral de la

29
13 27
Reforma borders with Pachuca de Soto at the North

La
Mision Tepehuacan Huautla
de Guerrero Tlalchinol 28
VERACRUZ
West; with Mineral del Monte at the North East; with Jacala 25
Pacula
de
Epazoyucan at the East; and with Zempoala to the Ledezma Tlahuiltepa 24 Calnali 32
QUERETARO 26
31
South.
20
Nicolas 23 22
Flores
Then, more geographic information was researched Zimapan
Eloxochitlan
on Pachuquilla, in books at the school library, at the Zacualtipan

de Angeles
county library as well as on the Internet. This is how

Cardonal
Tecozautla Metztitlan
Tasquillo
21
they found out that it has an altitude of 2,420 MASL, Ixmiquilpan San Bartolo Huehuetla
Tutotepec
and its geographic coordinates are 20°08’ latitude North
Santiago
Alfajayucan de Anaya
Huichapan Atotonilco 40 Tenango
and 98°40’ longitude West. Which is why it is regulated 14 18
19 Actopan
el Grande de Doria
20° 15’ 20° 15’
by the 90° time zone and the so-called Central Time, Nopala de
12
17
16 Mineral
15 del Chico
Huasca
de Ocampo
Metepec
Villagran 9
which covers most of the national territory. Pachuquilla 10 6 7
39
11 Tulancingo
42 Ajacuba 5 3 de Bravo
is only 7.5 km away from Pachuca de Soto, which is 43 1
Tula de
41 2
Allende 4 8 Cuautepec
why it is included in the metropolitan area of the city, Atotonilco 38 Singuilucan de Hinojosa
PUEBLA
de Tula
with which it shares physical geographic features, the Tepeji del Rio
de Ocampo
36
37
Zempoala
most prominent being the amount of hills undulating 1: 2 300 000

Tizayuca 35 34
the terrain with ups and downs, as well as the traces of 0 23 46 km

Almoloya
Apan
mining activity from the past. No wonder the town is STATE OF MEXICO
33
TLAXCALA
called Mineral de la Reforma. 99° 97° 45’
Pachuquilla (whose name means “little Pachuca”) 1 Pachuca de Soto 11 Tlahuelilpan 22 Tianguistengo 33 Emiliano Zapata
2 Mineral de la Reforma 12 Chapantongo 23 Xochicaotlan 34 Tepeapulco
has less than 30,000 inhabitants, and enjoys a quiet 3 Mineral del Monte 13 Chapulhuacan 24 Molango de Escamilla 35 Tlanalapa
4 Epazoyucan 14 Chilcuautla 25 Huazalingo 36 Tolcayuca
environment, although in the last two decades, 5 San Agustin Tlaxiaca 15 El Arenal 26 Lolotla 37 Villa de Tezontepec
economic activity has increased. 6 Omitlán de Juarez

7 Acatlan
16 Francisco I. Madero
17 Mixquiahuala de Juarez
27 Huejutla de Reyes
28 Atlapexco
38 Zapotlan de Juarez
39 Acaxochitlan
A satellite image of Pachuquilla was found on 8 Santiago Tulantepec
de Lugo Guerrero
18 Progreso de Obregon
19 San Salvador
29 Jaltocan
30 San Felipe Orizatlan
40 Agua Blanca de Iturbide
41 Atitalaquia
the Internet (fig. 1.45), giving them an idea of how 9 Tepetitlan
10 Tezontepec de Aldama
20 Juarez Hidalgo
21 San Agustin Metzquititlan
31 Xochiatipan
32 Yahualica
42 Tetepango
43 Tlaxcoapan
the natural and human elements are distributed.
Additionally, by walking around Pachuquilla, they Source: inegi, 2015.
realized that the distribution of the streets follows the structure of the terrain, which is why they are not all
straight or create a perfect grid. The residential developments and part of the old town are also visible.
You will notice some elevations or higher hills in the surroundings. Furthermore, it is evident that the
vegetation is scarce and dispersed, as it often is in this part of the state of Hidalgo, where water is scarce, winds
are constantly blowing in the afternoon, and because to its elevation, cold weather becomes intense in the
47

Unit I
winter. The average annual temperature is 14.2°C and the average annual precipitation
is 387 mm3. With its almost 30,000 inhabitants, mainly mestizo (a little over 1,000
people belong to the nahua and otomi ethnic groups), it has industrial and commercial
activity primarily, because it benefits from its closeness to Pachuca de Soto. Politically,
the mayor and eight city council members are in charge of the government. The main
communication to Pachuca and the nearby municipalities is through the highway that
goes to Tampico and through secondary roads.
To complement the collected data, a few photographs were added that allow students
to value relevant aspects of this locality of Hidalgo (figs. 1.46, 1.47, 1.48 and 1.49).
Fig. 1.45 Satellite view of Pachuquilla.
Fig. 1.48 Dry environment and scattered vegetation in the

surroundings of Pachuquilla.
Fig. 1.46 Inside the 18th century parish of Preciosa Fig. 1.47 Patriotic monument in the main square of
Sangre in Pachuquilla. Pachuquilla.
Activity
After collecting the data, the information was classified into natural, social, cultural, economic and
political components, and the region our locality belongs to was identified, in order to facilitate
presenting the information in a clear and precise manner.
Based on the data compiled and the images presented, answer the following questions individually.
1. What are the natural components of Pachuquilla?
2. What social and economic components did you identify?
3. Mention three cultural components and two political components of Pachuquilla.
4. What region does the town of Pachuquilla belong to?
Fig. 1.49 Panoramic view of Pachuquilla.
48

Communication
Once the material had been collected, as a group and with their teacher’s guidance, each team presented the
information gathered: they showed the maps and photographs, read the articles and summaries and, together,
discussed the results of the research and commented on what the most difficult and most fun activities were,
what they had learned and what aspects could be improved. The teacher led the discussion so that all the students
participated in an orderly manner and everyone had a chance to express their opinion.
Lastly, they determined the best way to present the results of the research to share it with the school
community. Students suggested to create bulletin boards, oral presentations in the class, explain the materials to
other groups through an exhibition, etc.
After reflecting on the great importance of studying the geographic space, the students decided that it would
be appropriate to create a brochure (they asked the Spanish teacher for orientation) and present it first to the
group; then, add the improvements that sprung from the comments and criticism made in the classroom, and
then present it to the teachers, authorities, parents, and even the neighbors of the community, all of whom could
benefit from the research. Finally, a copy of the brochure was also given to the municipal library, available for
public enquiry.
Therefore, it was decided that the geographic data is clearer if it’s organized in a table like the one below:
General information on Pachuquilla
Federal Entity Hidalgo
Municipality Mineral de la Reforma
Type of locality County seat
Location 20° 08’ north, 98° 40’ west
Altitude 2,420 MASL
Adjacent municipalities Pachuca de Soto, Mineral del Monte, Epazoyucan and Zempoala
The photographs were displayed in a clear and attractive manner, each one with its respective caption. To
present the maps, students adapted them to the size of the brochure, respecting the most suitable scale in order to
facilitate their understanding.
Sometimes, when we lack photographs with the appropriate size, we can use well-made, detailed drawings,
that are, essentially, faithful to the scene or object represented. Lastly, before presenting it to the community, a
proofread was done to review any writing and spelling errors.
49

Unit I
Evaluation
After presenting the results of the research, students conducted a self-evaluation to allow them to value the
progress of the geographic knowledge acquired through the project; they made a table like the one below:
I have
I do it very I need help to
Aspect to evaluate I do it well difficulty doing
well do it
it
I participate in the definition of the problem to research.
I analyze the previous ideas and the possible solutions to the

problem.

problem.
I search different sources of information on the place I live in to

better understand its geographic characteristics and components.
I process the information obtained to create products.
I apply and share my geographic knowledge.
I actively collaborate in team activities.
I actively participate in the creation of the final product.
I participate in the presentation of the results and conclusions of

the research.
It is important to note that self-evaluations help to improve the knowledge and be aware of how to learn better.
To learn more
If you want to know more about Pachuquilla and Mineral de la Reforma visit its official website, available
at http://goo.gl/TC9Jt7 (Retrieved on: Jan, 2016).
50

Evaluate what you learned 1 According to the author, geographic diversity is a concept
.
Evaluation Unit I related to:

A) The diversity of the geographic space or geodiversity
B) The spatial distribution at different geographic scales
This evaluation will help you become familiar with standardized
testing, an experience you will have in middle school. Read every C) A system where natural and human components are related
instruction carefully and solve what is asked. D) The spatial properties of objects, among which location and
distribution stand out
To answer questions 1 and 2, use the following text. 2. In the fragment: “Consequently, the space can be interpreted
as a territory because societies, individuals, and even nations,
The challenges of the study of geodiversity (geographic diversity) appropriate...” the word territory corresponds to:
In theoretical terms, the geographic space can be defined as a system where
natural and human components are related, whose processes can take place in A) a geographic component
a simultaneous or isolated manner. The geographic components have spatial B) a characteristic of the geographic space
attributes such as location and distribution, among others. Geography dedicates C) a spatial category
most of its attention to objects or facts, whose attributes are relevant to appreciate D) a geographic scale
and value:
• The diversity of the geographic space.
• The relationships that occur in a place or between places.
Understanding the complexity and diversity of the geographic space can be
appreciated from society’s actions. Which is why, the starting point consists of
deciphering how society transforms the natural space into a geographic space To answer questions 3, 4 and 5, use the following map.
to ensure its own development. Consequently, the space can be interpreted as a +6h +7h +8h +9h +10h +11h +12h -12h -11h -10h -9h -8h -7h -6h -5h -4h -3h -2h -1h 0h +1h +2h +3h +4h +5h
territory because societies, individuals, and even nations, appropriate, delimit, 105° 120° 135° 150° 165° 180° 165° 150° 135° 120° 105° 90° 75° 60° 45° 30° 15° 0° 15° 30° 45° 60° 75°
manage and use the geographic space.

ARCTIC OCEAN
Greenwich meridian
Territories are like that 75° 75°
The territory presents a double diversity: that which comes from nature itself
and is derived from social processes, specifically from production, settlement and Anchorage
60° 60°
circulation. Because social processes are historic and different, it is possible then to
determine the levels of transformation of the territory at different times.
International Date Line

45° 45°
The level of diversity of a territory depends on its processes, on the nature and 30°
ATLANTIC
30°
OCEAN
complexity of its components, and on the geographic scale used in the analysis.
15° 15°
That is why geographic diversity is defined as a relative concept to the spatial
0° 0°
distribution of different geographic scales. PACIFIC OCEAN
15° 15°
Antananarivo
Adapted from: José Rojas López, “Los desafíos del estudio de la geodiversidad,” 30° 30°
Revista Geográfica Venezolana, Vol. 46(1), 2005, pp. 143-15. Available in: http://goo.gl/NzbK2v (Retrieved on: October, 3, 2015) LEGEND OCÉANO
O C ÉAN O
219 100 000
MONDAY
SUNDAY
45° Countries with half an hour difference 45°

ÍNDICO
ÍNDD IC
CO
with the local time
0 2 191 4 382 km
6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm Midnight 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am Noon 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm
51

Unit I
3. Based on what you’ve learned on time zones, use the map to for Geography: GIS or Geographic Information Systems. GIS are computer
fill the following table. resources (hardware and software) that relate a territory with databases on any
topic: vegetation, fauna, altitude, population, number of cars, etc. For example, on
Country Time What time is it in... Time vegetation, it can tell us the number of trees in each county; on fauna, the places
England 11:30 Spain the grizzly bear still inhabits; on transportation, the number of cars that go through
a highway, etc.
Mexico 01:15 India
GIS allow us to obtain very detailed maps on any topic, which is why they’ve
Brazil 08:00 Turkey become an essential element to plan cities, do construction works and
environmental projects, engineering, etc. They allow us to discover the most
4. According to the scale presented on the map, the distance efficient tracing to build a highway respecting the environment, to project the ideal
between Anchorage and Antananarivo is: place to construct a new hospital by calculating the transportation times of the ill
A) 150 km from different towns, etc.
B) 15,117 km Source: Created by the author.
C) 151,117 km
D) 1,511 km 6. According to the text, gis (Geographic Information Systems) are:
5. According to what you’ve learned in the topic of map A) It resources (hardware and software) that relate a territory
projections, the time zone map is presented on a: with databases on any topic: vegetation, fauna, altitude,
population, number of cars, etc.
A) Azimuthal projection
B) remote sensors of artificial satellites and airplanes to
B) Robinson projection
obtain data on Earth’s surface.
C) Winkel tripel projection
C) very detailed maps on any topic.
D) Mercator projection
D) advances in communications, photography, video and
Answer the question with the following text. computing.
GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

In the past, maps were handmade. The accuracy depended on the skill of the
draftsman and his artistic abilities more than scientific rigour. The advances in
communications, photography, video and software, as well as satellite images,
allow us to create maps with computers.
The most used technique is teledetection, which uses remote sensors of artificial
satellites and airplanes to obtain data on Earth’s surface, which is later transformed
to digital images and to maps. Thus, extremely accurate and updated maps can be
made, avoiding human error. In recent years, a very useful tool has been developed
52

Under your teacher’s coordination, begin the evaluation session in the stages of self-evaluation and co-evaluation.
Self-evaluation Co-evaluation
In this stage, you will identify the progress you had in terms of the knowledge, In this second stage, you will evaluate your classmates’ performance
skills, attitudes and values you acquired in unit I. in unit I; remember to do it in a fair, correct and specific manner, and
Identify the level of difficulty you faced with the situations listed in the always taking into account the attitudes your classmates had in the
following table and mark them with a ✓. different activities.
To do so, mark the cell that corresponds to the performance mentioned
For me it was
by your classmates with a ✓.
Learn to: Very Not that Very
Difficult
easy difficult difficult
Performance
Identify the diversity of natural, social, Activity Very
cultural, economic and political components Good Enough Unsatisfactory
good
that make up the geographic space.
Individual presentation
Distinguish the categories of spatial
analysis: place, area, landscape, region and
Team presentation
territory.
Round table or debate

Identify the use of numerical and graphic
scales to represent territory on maps.
Mapping
Locate places and time zones on maps,
based on geographic coordinates and time Poster creation
zones.
Creation of presentation material
(slides, mockup, etc.)
Compare the different representations of
Earth’s surface through map projections.
Participation in team activities
Identify the use of satellite images, Global Participation in the project

Positioning System and Geographic
Information Systems.
I accomplished the additional
activities on time.
Compare the results of your evaluation with the rest of your
classmates. Then, discuss with your teacher what aspects most of the Use the data collected to identify the areas you can improve, and write
group found to be the most difficult to develop and write them down in down in your notebook the aspects you need to correct to have a better
your notebooks. Lastly, listen carefully to the strategies that your teacher performance in the following activities.
suggests to deal with these difficulties and propose others to improve your
learning.
53

*Misol-Ha waterfall in Chiapas
54

Unit
Earth’s natural diversity
II
Expected learning Content
• Dynamics of Earth’s internal layers.
Relate the distribution of seismic and volcanic
Core topic: • Location of Earth’s tectonic plates on a map.
regions in the world and in Mexico with Earth’s
Natural components • Distribution of Earth’s seismic and volcanic regions.
tectonic plates.
• Seismicity and volcanism in Mexico.
Competence: Identify the structure and distribution of the • Structure of Earth’s continental and oceanic relief.
Valuing natural continental and oceanic relief in the world • Distribution of continental and oceanic relief.
diversity and in Mexico,based on Earth’s internal and • Erosion as a process that modifies relief due to the actions of wind, water and ice.
external dynamics. • Distribution of the relief in Mexico.
Distinguish the importance of the distribution, • Importance of the distribution and composition of ocean waters.
composition and dynamics of oceanic and • Importance of the dynamics of ocean waters: ocean currents, tides and waves.
continental waters in the world and in Mexico. • Importance of the distribution of continental waters in the world and in Mexico.
Distinguish the importance of water collection • Water collection in drainage basins.

in drainage basins, as well as water availability • Location of the main drainage basins in the world and in Mexico.
in the world and in Mexico. • Importance of water collection and availability in the world and in Mexico.
• Elements (temperature and precipitation) and factors (latitude and altitude) of climate.
Relate elements and factors of the different • Types of climates on Earth according to the Köppen classification: tropical, dry, temperate,
types of climates in the world and in Mexico. continental and polar.
• Climatic diversity of the world and Mexico.
• Distinctive characteristics of the natural regions of the world and Mexico.

Value the importance of the geographic
• Geographic conditions that favor Earth’s biodiversity.
conditions that favor the biodiveristy of the
• Location of megadiverse countries on maps.
world and Mexico.
• Importance of the biodiversity of the world and Mexico.
Project: Water availability in Mexico and the world. The example of Hermosillo, Sonora.
55

Distribution of seismic and volcanic regions in the world and in Mexico and their
relationship with Earth’s tectonic plates
Show what you know
Activity
To begin with the study of this content, remember want you learned in
elementary school about tectonic plates and their relationship to seismicity
and volcanism. In pairs, discuss and solve the following questions. Your
teacher will guide you to remember the important concepts.
1. What are tectonic plates?
Fig. 2.1 San Carlos Plain in Costa Rica.

2. What are the causes for tectonic plate movement?
3. What consequences does tectonic plate movement have?
Look at figs. 2.1 and 2.2, compare them and briefly present your points
of view on the following proposal to the group. Explain the relationship
between the presence of landscapes with volcanoes and Earth’s internal
movement, and why there are areas of Earth’s surface that have no
Fig. 2.2 View of the Himalayas.
mountains or volcanoes.

Dynamics of Earth’s inner layers
To confirm how accurate your answers were to the previous activity, review the information presented below. The
lithosphere is the rocky layer that surrounds the earth, and it is important because a large part of living organisms
reside in it. As you can see in fig. 2.3, this layer is made up of a very thin oceanic crust - about 10 km thick - which
forms the oceans and a continental cortex of about 60 km in the continent’s mountainous systems. The most
abundant elements in this layer are silicon, oxygen, aluminum and iron.
56

The lithosphere as an oceanic and continental crust is, along with the Fig. 2.3 When the earth formed, it was in liquid state; upon cooling, the heavier materials went to the center and
the lighter ones were left on the surface. This arrangement of materials alowed for the formation of three layers:
mantle and the core, one of the three large layers that make up Earth’s crust, mantle and core.
internal structure, which has been studied through the behavior of the
seismic waves when they go through materials of different physical states.
In fig. 2.3, you can see that the mantle is located between the core and the 640 km in
the space
crust, it has a thickness of 2,840 km and is primarily made of magnesium, Atmosphere
(gas sphere)
silicon and aluminum. It represents more than 84% of Earth’s volume

and is divided into the inferior mantle and superior mantle (also known as 10 to 60
km
biosphere
(sphere of life)
Hydrosphere
asthenosphere). (water sphere)
-200 m to 5,000 m
-12km to 12 km
Between Earth’s internal layers, there are two transition zones,
called discontinuities, where the materials present different properties 700
Upper, continental crust
or granite layer
Oxygen, silicon,
aluminum and iron
Lithosphere
km (rock sphere)
with regard to the closest layers: the Mohorovicic discontinuity, which Interior, oceanic crust
or basaltic crust
Oxygen, silicon,
aluminum and iron
separates the mantle’s crust, and that of Gutenberg, which separates the 2,140
km The Mohorovicic discontinuity
mantle from the core. Upper Viscous

Silicon, iron and magnesium Mantle
The core is the deepest and thickest layer, it has a thickness of 3,370 km, Lower solid
2,250
reaches a temperature of 6,000 °C and is made up of iron and nickel. It is km The Gutenberg discontinuity
divided into the inner core, which is in a solid state, and an external core, External or liquid
Core or center
of liquid nature. 1 120
Nickel and iron
Lower or solid
km
Location of Earth’s tectonic plates on a map Source: Physical Geography, available at http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/6h.html
(Retrieved on: October 3, 2015).
The theory of tectonic plates establishes that Earth’s crust is made
up of several units of large rock called tectonic plates that move on
the asthenosphere and are affected, as can be seen in fig. 2.4, by the
expansion of the ocean floor due to the impulse produced by the output Fig. 2.4 The theory of tectonic plates explains how the continental and submarine relief is formed.
of lava in areas where rising convection currents meet. The oceanic trenches where
In map 2.1 you can see how some of the main tectonic plates and other a plate submerges
under another.
Volcanic activity
secondary ones, when separated, create a new crust characterized by associated at the limits
of the plates
elevations such as mid-ocean ridges, which are large underwater mountain
Fault where plates slide.
ranges created from the accumulation of lava.
There are areas where the plates converge and one sinks under the
other (subduction), a phenomenon that can cause the lifting of gigantic
mountain ranges like the Alps, the Andes, the Himalayas or the formation Mid-ocean ridges
where a new oceanic
of trenches, which are areas of crust is created. lithosphere
great underwater depth, such as Glossary

Asthenosphere.
the Mariana Trench, of nearly Asthenosphere. Area of the upper upper mantle
11 km in depth. In other cases, mantle that is in contact with the crust and
The convection cycles in Subduction area where
the plates move sideways. where ascending and descending convective the mantle are responsible the plate submerges
for the movement under another and returns
movements of lava occur. of the plates. to the mantle.
57

Unit II
Activity Map 2.1 Tectonic plates of the world.

In order for you to know the location of the twelve 180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
main tectonic plates in the world, in teams, look 75°

ARCTIC OCEAN
75°
at map 2.1, and write down the names of Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
the plates and, according to the symbols 60° 60°
on the map, identify an example of es

Eurasian Plate
border plates that are separating and

45° Alp 45°
North American Plate

another example where they are in
Juan de Fuca
Hi
Plate alayas
m
30° 30°
subduction. Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ ATLANTIC
Arabian Plate
Pacific
Plate
OCEAN Philippine
15°
Caribbean Plate 15°
Plate Marianas
P A C I F I C Cocos African Plate Trench
Plate
O C E A N Caroline
0° 0°
INDIAN Plate
A nd
Pacific Plate
Nazca OCEAN
es
15° Plate Bismark 15°
mo
South American
Plate
untain range
Plate Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’
30° 30°
ATLANTIC
OCEAN Indo-Australian
Plate
45° 45°
• Separating plate:
Antarctic Plate
LEGEND
60° 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ Subduction zone
1: 228 000 000 Scotland
• Subduction plate: Plate Separation zone
75° 75°
0 2280 4560 km
With your teacher’s help, review your answers

180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
Source: Human geography, Bergman and Renwick, 2008.

with the whole group. Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
To understand the dynamics of tectonic plates, it is essential to know where and why earthquakes and volcanoes
Juan de CANADA originate, since the borders of plates - when converging, separating or displacing sideways among each other -
Fuca liberate huge quantities of energy that tend to produce great earthquakes and spectacular volcanic eruptions.
Su
bduction zo
Crest
The land portion of our country is located on two large tectonic plates: the North American, which
Blanco
Fracture corresponds to the largest part of the national territory, and the Pacific plate, on which the Baja California
ne
Zone peninsula extends (map 2.2).

Mendocino The border between these two plates is due to the San Andreas Fault. The movement of these plates causes
Fracture UNITED STATES
Zone OF AMERICA the Baja California Peninsula, as well as a small portion of the north of the peninsula, to be displaced 5 cm north
Displacement of
east every year, which in a couple million years, will create another island in the Pacific Ocean (fig. 2.5).
Murray Fracture
Zone
the North American Plate
Fig. 2.5 The San Andreas Fault goes through the Activity
Displacement of state of California for more than a thousand In pairs, identify in map 2.2 what other tectonic plates are found
the Pacific Plate kilometers in a parallel direction to the west coast.
in the national territory and write down their name and location
Sa
In the image shows the separation process of

n
An
California and the Baja California Peninsula from in your notebook; these partly explain the movement of the vast
dre
Molokai Fracture MEXICO

as
the continent.
Zone au
majority of earthquakes that occur in Mexico.
F
lt
58

Distribution of Earth’s seismic and volcanic Map 2.2 Tectonic plates in Mexico.
regions 32°
112°
San Andreas Fault
104° 96° 88°
32°
LEGEND
If you look at map 2.1 again and relate to map 2.3, you Trench
will find a close connection between the limits of the Main fault
Direction of the movement
tectonic plates and the volcanic and seismic activity in of tectonic plates
the world. International Limit
Coastline
Volcanism, understood as the combination of Border river
processes linked with the output of magma to the
surface, occurs to more intensity in certain edges of
the tectonic plates, such as the ridges, the limits where
they converge or subduction zones; a typical case is the 24° N o r t h A m e r i c a n 24°
Pacific Ring of Fire. Tropic of Cancer 23°27’
Volcanoes constitute one of the most visible P l a t e

Pacific
manifestations of volcanism, they are formed by a Plate
magma chamber (cavity where liquid rock can be Rivera
Plate
found), the main chamber and the secondary chambers
(cracks where magma moves through), the crater
(hole through which the materials exit) and the cone t
sform Faul
or volcanic edifice (formed by the accumulation of Orozco Tran
u lt
Fa
cast material; this last one can vary in shape and size 16° 1: 24 000 000
ota
gua 16°
hic M
according to the type of eruption and material). 0 240 480 km Potoc
Caribbean Plate
However, there are also volcanoes of atypical shapes 112° 104° Cocos Plate 96° 88°
that originate from the eruption of cracks and crevices, Source: Nuevo atlas nacional de México, Instituto de Geografía, 2007.
with almost leveled reliefs, because the lava is quite fluid Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
and creates horizontal layers; this is the case of various Epicenter or epifocus
volcanoes in Iceland). By emitting new materials, the
different forms of volcanic eruption change the relief of
the place where it is located, as well as the lifestyle of
that geographical space.
Both, the volcanic activity and the displacement
of tectonic plates, create movements in Earth’s crust
called earthquakes. In fig. 2.6, the exact location of the
interior of Earth where the seism takes place, is known
as focus or hypocenter, and the site on Earth’s surface,
located on top of the focal point, refers to the epifocus
or epicenter.
Fig. 2.6 Diagram of the parts
Focus or Hypocenter of a seism.
59

Unit II
When we review map 2.3, we see that one of the largest Map 2.3 Earthquakes and volcanoes in the world.
seismic zones is found along the Pacific Ring of 180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
Fire, named after the area of intense seismic and 75°

ARCTIC OCEAN
75°
volcanic activity it is located in; an example of Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
this are the constant earthquakes that occur in 60° 60°
the Philippines, China, Japan, the Aleutian

45° 45°
Islands, and in most of the coasts of
the Pacific Ocean in the American 30° 30°
Paci
continent. Other zones of strong Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ ATLANTIC
fi c
seismic activity are the mountainous
r
OCEAN
m of Fi
Rim
15° 15°
regions north of the Mediterranean P A C I F I C Mi

d-
of
A
sea, to the south of Iran, and the O C E A N tl
Ri
Fi
0° e 0°
r
an
c
INDIAN
Himalayas, marked as zones of high
Pacifi
tic Ridge
OCEAN
and maximum seismicity, with the 15° 15°
presence of numerous epicenter points. Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’
The system of mid-ocean ridges that 30°

ATLANTIC e
30°
dg
extend along thousands of kilometers Ri
ge
OCEAN erg
lsb LEGEND
id
45° Car 45°
through all the oceans of the world, also
R East P
fic SEISMICITY ac
ifi
ci c
Pa Maximum (seismic zone) R
have frequent earthquakes. t
id
s
Ea High (peniseismic zone)
ge
60° Low (aseismic zone) 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ Epicenters None
1: 228 000 000 Active volcano Coasts exposed to tsunamis
75° 75°
0 2280 4560 km
Fig. 2.7 In December 2004, a tsunami caused thousands of deaths and millions in 180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
material losses in various countries along the coast of the Indian Ocean. This was Source: Human geography, Bergman and Renwick, 2010.
the case of the northern coasts of Sumatra in Indonesia. In the photographs, the coastal Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
zone of Banda Ache, Indonesia: a) before the tsunami. b) after the tsunami.
How is the intensity of the earthquakes measured? Usually, two
a) b) scales are used to measure the vibrations of Earth’s crust. The Richter
scale measures the magnitude of the energy liberated during a
seism, with a maximum of 10 degrees, and the Mercalli scale, which
measures the damage caused by a seism in a range of 1 to 12 degrees.
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that take place in the seabed
or near the coasts, can create 30 m high waves known as tsunamis
(fig. 2.7), capable of traversing oceans at 500 to 950 km/h and,
sometimes, they can penetrate hundreds of meters into islands and
continents and causing severe damage to areas close to the coast.
Hence, the energy liberated by a seism can provoke damage that
depends on the conditions of the populations. These phenomena
show there is a constant and intense internal dynamics of the planet
that allows for the existence of a lithosphere that is
constantly changing.
60

Seismicity and volcanism in Mexico

In the activity on page 58, you surely identified that Mexico is located on the North American, the Pacific, Rivera, Cocos and Caribbean Plates, which
generate a lot of earthquakes and a significant presence of volcanoes. For study purposes, three large seismic zones are distinguished:
• Seismic, where earthquakes occur frequently, from
the imperceptible ones to those causing major Map 2.4 Volcanism and seismicity in Mexico.
damage. 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
• Penseismic, characterized by mild earthquakes that

32°
Cerro Prieto
are less frequent. Pinacate
• Aseismic, where no frequent earthquakes of great

intensity have been registered. Coronado
Regarding volcanoes, they can be distinguished as 28°

20° Cofre de Perote 20°
28°
Iztaccíhuatl
active if they present some sign of material emission, Tres Vírgenes Nevado La Malinche
and inactive if they have stopped having any type of
de Toluca
eruption or emanation. In map 2.4 you can see how the Ajusco Citlaltépec
volcanoes are distributed in the national territory. Popocatépetl
24° 24°
100°
Activity
Tropic of Cancer
23°27’
LEGEND
G u l f
To know where the three zones of seismic activity
SEISMICITY
Maximum (Seismic zone) o f
are located in the national territory, in pairs, look
Sangangüey
High (Penseismic zone)
Low (Aseismic zone) Ceboruco M e x i c o
at map 2.4 and write down in your notebooks three 20° Epicenters
Nevado de Colima Paricutín San Andrés
20°
entities located on the penseismic zone, three in Bárcena
the seismic zone and three in the aseismic zone;

Fuego de Colima Tancítaro San Martín Tuxtla
Jorullo
Evermann
additionally, write down the name of three active

Caribbean
Sea
Transversal Volcanic System BELIZE
volcanoes and three inactive ones. With your
Chichonal
16°
OVolcanic
C É Risk
A Zone
N O
teacher’s guidance, correct and compare your
Pochutla 16°
Active Volcano 1: 24 000 000
Golfo
P AInactive
C Í Volcano
F I C O GUATEMALA
results with the rest of the group. 0 240 480 km Submarino de Pochutla de
TehuantepecTacaná HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Source: Nuevo atlas nacional de México, Instituto de Geografía, 2008.

Practice what you learned Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
Activity
1. Explain why there are seismic zones of maximum level and more again and locate the zone where this plate is located. Point out
active volcanoes in the countries where the limits of tectonic plates what zone of seismic activity it is and the names of the active
are in subduction. volcanoes in the area.
2. List five countries, by continent, that are in the situation described When you are finished, write down some conclusions on the relationship
in the previous section. between tectonic plates and volcanic and seismic activity in Mexico and
3. In map 2.2 point out what limit of tectonic plate affects our country the world. Present your results to the class, and with your teacher’s
and if it is in subduction or in separation. Then, look at map 2.4 guidance, draw a group conclusion on the topic.
61
02 Geography Unit 2 (054-103).indd 61 13/04/16 11:35

Unit II Competence: Valuing natural diversity
Configuration and distribution of continental and oceanic relief in the world and in
Mexico, based on Earth’s internal and external dynamics
Glossary Show what you know
Weathering. It’s a process of
In the previous topic, you identified Earth’s internal dynamics and the processes they trigger on its surface, these
fragmentation and decomposition of rocks
and minerals produced by the action of processes are very important because they are also an essential part of the formation of terrestrial relief.
physical, chemical and organic agents, Activity
without involving movement. Meanwhile,
erosion is a process that separates and To begin with the study of the topic, in pairs, answer the questions, and write down the answers in
transports rocks and materials that were your notebook.
fragmented or detached through the action 1. How do you think mountains were formed?
of rain, wind, rivers and seas. 2. Do you think mountains have always had the same height? Why?
3. What happens to the soil of the mountains when it rains and water currents are formed?
4. What mountain ranges of the world and Mexico do you know?
With your teacher’s guidance, compare your answers with the rest of the group. When you are finished
Montaña
with the topic, check your answers with what you learned in class.
Montaña
The dynamics of the tectonic plates has a pressure effect on them,
Configuration of Earth’s continental and oceanic relief their separation and friction. The movement that creates pressure
is denominated convergent, and causes the continental plates to form
As you’ve seen, Earth’s crust is part of the surface of its internal layers, its
continental relief (mountain ranges and volcanoes), while in oceanic plates,
formation results from the cooling of the surface magma and its external
sinking occurs, creating trenches like the Marianas or Japan Trench,
forms are a result of the movement of the tectonic plates.
Meseta considered oceanic relief.
Meseta
When plates separate, the process known as divergent movement forms
new crust due to the magma emerging from the underwater mountain
ranges, such as the mid-Atlantic ridge.
Transformational movements are lateral displacements where crust is
neither created nor destroyed, however zones of high seismicity are
formed. One of the most important areas with this type of movement is
Fig. 2.8a Plain.Planicies o llanuras Fig. 2.8b Mountain. Montaña the San Andreas Fault in the United States of America and Mexico.
Montaña Planicies o llanuras
The internal forces of the earth, convection and subduction, that you
studied in the previous pages, which create mountain ranges, volcanoes,
oceanic trenches and other forms of relief, are known as internal agents.
There are other agents that are responsible for shaping the visible
landform; they are weathering and erosion, also known as external agents.
Both types of agents interact to give way to the landform we know.
Depresión Meseta
Fig. 2.8c Plateau. Meseta Fig. 2.8d Depression.Depresión
62

In continental reliefs we can distinguish forms such as plains, mountains,

plateaus and depressions (fig. 2.8 a, b, c and d), which can be seen at plain sight
Mountain ranges
because they are part of the landscape that surrounds us. (maximum altitude: Mount Everest 8,848 m)
Oceanic relief is similar to continental relief because plains, mountains,
Altitude
plateaus and depressions, mainly shaped by internal agents, can be found in the
sea and oceans.
In the contact areas between underwater relief and continents and islands, it Plateau
Islands Coastal
is important to note that continental platforms, which are underwater flatlands plain Relative
depression
close to the coasts whose extension is variable and its depth do not exceed 0m Sea level
Continental Absolute
200 m. Offshore, where the platform ends, the continental slope begins, which Ocean
ridge platform depression
Continental
is a steep slope in the shape of steps, with depths up to 3,000 m. The seabed slope
consists of abyssal plains crossed by mid-ocean ridges, abyssal trenches or Abyssal

Abyssal trench (maximum depth:
Marianas Trench 11,034 m)
underwater trenches, which are deep depressions of underwater relief (fig. 2.9). plain
Fig. 2.9 Sketch of oceanic relief.

Glossary
Distribution of continental and oceanic relief Abyssal plains. Plain located in the
deepest part of the ocean floor; it is the
As you saw in the previous topics, landforms, continental and oceanic, are created by terrestrial physical largest planet landform.
processes. On map 2.5 (page 64) you can see how relief is distributed in the world. Mountains, caused by
convergent movements and volcanism, have the highest altitude of world relief, among them, the Himalayas,
between India and China, the Andes in South America and the Rocky Mountains in the United States of
America and Canada. In Mexico, the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Transversal
Volcanic System stand out. The plateaus or areas with low slope, with altitudes above 500 MSL stand out in
North America, to the south of Africa and in Asia. The most important plateau in Mexico is called the Mexican
Plateau, located in the north, between the two Sierra Madres. The plains of low altitude border coastal areas
and due to their characteristics, are located in regions of the planet where little or not seismic or volcanic activity
exists. The most extensive plains are located on different sides the subduction zones of tectonic plates and and
especially those of South America Northern Europe and East Asia stand out. Mexico has plains in its coastline,
on the Pacific and the Atlantic.
With regards to the distribution of oceanic relief, both the platform and the continental slope extend along
the continents. The narrow platforms, like the one West of the American continent, have been caused by the
proximity to subduction zones. While large platforms are found on the continental edges corresponding to the
convection zones of the plates. In turn, the slope borders the platform in a logical sequence of unevenness.
On the seabed, the main landforms are mid-ocean ridges, which are marine mountain ranges produced
by volcanism at the edges of separating tectonic plates; the longest of all being the mid-Atlantic plate. Their
counterpart are the trenches, caused by subduction, and depressions are the most notorious on Earth’s crust,
among them, the Mariana Trench and Kuril Trench in the North Pacific. In Mexico, the Central American
Trench stands out, off the coast of the South Pacific.
63

Unit II
Activity
To know more about the distribution of continental and oceanic relief, certain specific characteristics. You can expand your information by
in teams, read the topic again, and identify the shapes of continental researching on their origin or with data provided by your teacher or
and oceanic relief that are mentioned, and identify two examples the Internet. When you are finished, with your teacher’s guidance,
per continent on map 2.5. Then, in your notebooks, make a table to share your answers with the rest of the group.
classify, by continent, the continental and oceanic landforms, and
Map 2.5 Distribution of the continental and oceanic relief in the world.
180° 165° 150° 135° 120° 105° 90° 75° 60° 45° 30° 15° 0° 15° 30° 45° 60° 75° 90° 105° 120° 135° 150° 165° 180°
ART IC O C E A N ARTIC OCEAN

ARTIC OCEAN
75° 75°
ps Ve
Al r
M kho C
n M her
via ou ya
nt ns ou sk
ina ain k nt y
ain
s
d
Mackenzie s
Ural Mountain
West s
Sca
Mountains Siberian
Norwegian
60° Basin East European Plain 60°
Plain
ns
Laurentian tai
o un
Plateau ATLANTIC Al oi
M
Aleutian Trenc
h
ta
Caspian iM on
Co
Central Carpathian l
s Depression Tian
ou ab
pe
ast Ranges
nt Y
s
Plains Mountains C
Al
ain
Shia ain
h
45° au c 45°
OCEAN Pyren ca nM s en
nt
ees su oun Gobi Tr

tains
ou
Rocky s
an
Desert
M
Iberian Pontic Mountains
Jap
Mountains
n
hia
Basin
Hindu Kush
lac
Za
China
S ie
Mountains
pa
gr
North American ins
S ie
e
Tibetan Plain
os
idg
Ap
ta
rra
Basin un
rra
Plateau
M
ic R
Qattara
H
30° Mo 30°
ou
Ma
im
Canary al
Ma
las Depression
nt
North Atlant
ay
dre ccide
ai
Basin At as
dre
ns
Mar nch
Ahaggar
Orie n
Ka
Tre
O
ne Massif
iana
Tibesti
Fr
Mi
nta
s
he
PACIFIC OCEAN Zo actu Mountains Deccan
dd
l ta
s
Tr e Am
Phil ench
at
l
l ne re Plateau
G
enc eric
Tr
ippin
h a
15° 15°
Guatemala
es
Bongo Ethiopian PACIFIC OCEAN
Basin
Highlands Highlands
e
idg
Guiana
sR
Shield Congo Carolinas

nche
co
Roma h Guinea Basin Trench

Co
0° Trenc Basin 0°
LEGEND Amazon M
Peru-Ch
Basin
Central Indian R
as
South Atlantic R
carene Platea
High mountains: Arafura
more than 3,000 m
il e
Mato Grosso Na sert Central Indian Platform

Tr
Peru Plateau Basin

De
A
en
mib
15° Plateaus and medium mountains: Basin Brazil 15°
ch
n d
Nazca R
Brazil Basin
s
from 1,000 to 3,000 m
u
tain
ria
ne
Plateau Great Sandy

e s
Plateaus and hills:
iso
Zo
ri un Desert
dg i
ha
dillera Div
la ert
ure
e rg M o
from 200 to 1,000 m
idge
id
e
Indian-Australian
East Pacific Rise
Ka es
e
ct
ge
Atacama
dg
D
Fra
Plains and low plateaus: Gran Basin Great Victoria

Chile
Ri
sb
Chaco Madagascar Desert

ina
30° less than 200 m Basin en 30°
Cor
Drak
an
Basin
nt
Continental Shelf: ma INDIAN
di
Pampas
Dia
Tren
an
n
m
South
tI
Gr
0 to -200 m
or
es
OCEAN
atf
Australian
ch
Maritime and oceanic base: ATLANTIC Tasmania

hw
Pl
Basin
gonia
Mornington Argentina
ell
ut
Basin
from -200 m to -6,000 m o
pb
Abyssal Plain Basin S
m
1: 170 000 000
Pata
45° Oceanic trenches: Au 45°
Ca
str
below -6,000 m OCEAN alia
n-Antarctic
ge Ridg
Meteor Deep ndian
Rid 0 1700 3400 km e
Antlantic-I
180° 165° 150° 135° 120° 105° 90° 75° 60° 45° 30° 15° 0° 15° 30° 45° 60° 75° 90° 105° 120° 135° 150° 165° 180°

64

Erosion as a process that modifies relief due to the actions of wind, water and ice
In the previous topic, you saw how internal forces can create relief; however, through a series of Erosive agents
Fig. 2.10 Diagram of erosive agents.
slow but continuous actions, this relief is modified by external agents.
External agents can be differentiated, based on the factors that produce them and the types of
changes they create, weathering and erosion. Water Pluvial erosion
Weathering is the process by which rocks disintegrate or decompose through the action of
physical, chemical and biological agents in the same place where they are found. According to Rain
Fluvial erosion
the above, weathering is classified in three types, depending on the agents that create them
(table 2.1). Rivers
Marine erosion
Sea
Table 2.1 Weathering and its agents.
Weathering Agents Karst
Underground
Physical or mechanical Temperature changes between day and night.
Chemical Oxygen contained in rainwater or steam. Ice
Glacial erosion
Biological Living beings, such as plants, fungi or animals.
Wind erosion
On the other hand, erosion is an external process that modifies the relief. It consists of three Wind
stages: the weathering of rocks, their transportation and storage; and it is caused by agents such
as water, wind and man.
Living beings
Erosion takes place in different forms and intensities, it depends on factors such as landform,
Anthropic erosion
climate and soil type. Therefore there are different types of erosion (fig. 2.10) and its action can
be fast or slow.
Pluvial erosion. The impact of raindrops when falling on rocks causes materials
to loosen, which are then carried by runoff water. Its action is more intense in
farmlands and unprotected vegetation.
Fluvial erosion. It is caused by rivers that carry small rocks to sand. This type of
erosion is more intense as the slope where the river passes increases.
Marine erosion. It is the result of the action of waves, tides and currents in their
continuous strike against coastal areas, which causes the creation of cliffs, sandy
beaches and coastal lagoons.
Underground erosion. It is characteristic of areas where limestone rocks are
predominant, which are dissolved by seeping water or through the action of
underground rivers, giving rise to caves. When erosion continues, the roof of the
cave collapses and underground water reservoirs called sinkholes are exposed,
which are called cenotes in Yucatan (fig. 2.11).
Fig. 2.11 Cenotes are typical formations of underground erosion on limestone.
65

Unit II
Glacial erosion. It is carried out by the action of ice and presented in the polar regions or mountains of high
altitude, where snow accumulates, is compacted and then slowly glides to form rivers of ice called glaciers, which
can be continental or mountain (fig. 2.12).
Wind erosion. It is produced by the wind and is characteristic of dry climates. Wind raises dust and sand, which
act as projectiles wearing and perforating the rocks on their path and creating arcs and mushrooms, among other
forms (fig. 2.13).
Anthropic erosion. Although erosion is a natural process, humans have also favored it through deforestation,
inadequate farming practices, pollution, overgrazing and the overexploitation of aquifers (fig. 2.14).
Distribution of relief in Mexico

Map 2.6 shows the continental relief at a national scale. Its
Fig. 2.12 Glacial erosion. In the picture, the Alaska Glacier.
formation, like the rest of the relief of the planet, is also a result
of Earth’s internal dynamics. As you can see, the continental
platform is submerged and surrounds the entire coastal territory.
Likewise, on the surface, the areas near the coast are plains and
are located close to sea level; the Gulf Coastal Plain is wider
than the Pacific Coastal Plain. Most of the Yucatan Peninsula is
also almost leveled.
The greater mountain ranges, resulting in foldings caused by
the collision of the North American and Pacific plates, are the
Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre Occidental, which
cross the territory from the northwest to the southeast, parallel to
the Baja California Peninsula. The Mexican High Plateau covers
most of the area comprised between them. The Sierra Madre del
Sur is from the same origin, but is located in the southern part of
Mexico.
Fig. 2.13 Wind erosion. In the picture,
Ciudad Encantada in Spain.
When the Sierra Madre del Sur and the Trans-Mexican
Volcanic Belt were formed, they gave way to an area with a
lower altitude than these structures, which is called the Balsas
Depression.
The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, created by the presence
of a fault and through intense volcanic activity, has the highest
elevations in the country (Pico de Orizaba, Popocatepetl and
Iztaccihuatl with 5,747, 5,428 and 5,386 MASL, respectively). In
all mountain ranges, we find important valleys caused by pluvial,
Fig. 2.14 Anthropic erosion. In the picture, fluvial wind or glacial erosion.
the Isla del Sol on the Titicaca lake in
Bolivia.
66

Map 2.6 Distribution of Mexico’s continental relief.

Activity 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Sierra Juarez
To identify how the main forms of continental
SI
ER
Sierra
relief are distributed throughout the national
RA
San Pedro
Martir
M
territory, in teams, and based on map 2.6, write
AD
RE
G
OR
down the name of the federal entities that some
ul
IE
BA
NT
f
JA
of these forms of relief go through, or extend on or
LA
of
20° 20°
S I
28°
AL
28°
IFO
have contact with.
Ca
E R
RN
li
Mexican High
IA
S I
Sierra Madre Occidental:
fo
Plateau
MO
A
rn
E R
UN
TRANS-MEXICAN VOLCANIC BELT
M
ia
Gulf Continental Platform:
TA
R
IN
Sierra de Bal
A
la Breña sas
RA
Dep
R
Mexican High Plateau:
NG
ressi
M
24° on
E
24°
E
100°
A
Tropic of Cance Sierra
O
r 23°27’
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt:
D
of Zacatecas
C
Sierra of
R
C
San Luis
E
Potosi
I
G u l f o f M e x i c o
Sierra Madre del Sur:
O
E
N
R
T
LEGEND
Baja California mountain range:
A
I E
L Continental
Altitude (MASL) Continental Platform Yucatan
N
20° Platform Plain 20°
T
When you are finished, with your teacher’s help, More than 4,001
A
L
TRANS-MEXICAN VOLCANIC BELT
from 3,001 to 4,000
share your results with the group. from 2,001 to 3,000 S
Ba
ls
I E as D
R R epre
from 1,001 to 2,000 PACIFIC A ssio
n
MA
from 201 to 1,000 DR BELIZE
E
from 0 to 200 OCEAN DE
L S
Sierra Norte
of Chiapas
Caribbean
UR Sea
16° from -200 to 0 1: 24 000 000 Northern Sierra
16°
less than -201 Gu l f of Chiapas GUATEMALA
0 240 480 km of
Practice what you learned 112° 108° 104° 100°

Te h u a n t e p e c
96° 92°
HONDURAS
88°
Source: Nuevo atlas nacional de México, Instituto de Geografía, 2008.

Activity Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
To establish the relationship between the configuration and the 3. What limits of plates that are in separation are related with the
distribution of the continental and submarine relief due to Earth’s areas of greatest underwater depth?
internal and external dynamics, in pairs, look at map 2.5 (page 64)
4. Mention the names of the oceans where these are found.
and, with your teacher’s guidance, compare it with the map 2.1 of
the tectonic plates of the world (page 58). Answer the following Now, relate map 2.2 (page 59) with map 2.6 and, in your notebook,
questions in your notebook: write down the name of the plates that give rise to the largest
mountain ranges in Mexico.
1. What limits of the plates that are in subduction gave origin to
Moderated by your teacher, review your answers and write a
the mountain ranges of over 3,000 MASL?
conclusion about how Earth’s internal and external dynamics
2. Mention what countries these mountain ranges are located in. influence the distribution of the continental and oceanic relief.
67

Importance of the distribution, composition and dynamics of oceanic and continental

waters in the world and in Mexico
Due to the predominance of oceans over landmasses, Earth is often called the Blue Planet. 71% of Earth’s surface
is covered with large bodies of salt water surrounding continents and islands and form a mantle of continuous
water that occupies the lower crust areas. However, the existence of water in the globe is not limited to those
oceanic masses. Water (H2O) is found anywhere on Earth, either in a liquid state –in streams, rivers, river, lakes–,
solid state –in mountain snow ice caps, glaciers or ice floes– or in gaseous state, which is part of the atmosphere.
The ocean waters along with the continental ones make up the hydrosphere, which is the layer of water covering
much Earth’s surface. But, where do the oceans and continental waters come from?
Show what you know

Activity
For you to remember what you learned in elementary school on water
and its changes, do the following: Ask your teacher to show you a Fig. 2.15 Hydrologic cycle or water cycle.
diagram of the water cycle on the board as you solve the activity.
Then, identify the stages of the water cycle in fig. 2.15.
1. The heat from sunlight evaporates huge amounts of water from
oceans, seas, lakes and rivers and even from the humidity that
plants and animals contain. This creates clouds.
2. When water vapor rises, it cools and condenses, meaning that it
goes from a gas state to a liquid state.
3. The wind carries the clouds, formed by millions of drops that fall
into the oceans or continents in the form of rain, hail or snow.
4. On the continents, the water that fell, drains or infiltrates and
forms rivers, lakes or underground reservoirs.
5. Water drains due to gravity and flows into oceans. When water
returns to the atmosphere, the water cycle is complete, allowing
water to be in constant movement; the Sun is its main driver.
Compare your results with those of the rest of the group and with
your teacher’s guidance, answer the question: Where does the water
in ocean and continents come from? At the end of this lesson, answer
the question again.
68


The importance of the distribution and composition of ocean waters
According to what was observed in the diagram of the water or Map 2.7 Distribution of the oceans of the world.
hydrologic cycle, water is in constant motion. Due to solar 90°
120° 160° 160° 120° 80° 40° 0° 40°
90°
ARTIC OCEAN
radiation and the force of gravity, water moves in the form Baffin
Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’ Bay
of steam, from Earth to the oceans, to the atmosphere, 60° Bering
Hudson North
Sea 60°
Bay
and, eventually, returns to Earth and the oceans as Sea Gulf
of
Bay of
precipitation. In map 2.7, you can see that the Alaska
Gulf of
Saint Lawrence
Bizcay
Med
iterr
anea
distribution of the oceans in our planet is irregular, 30°
East Sea
ATLANTIC
n Se
a
30°
because the surface they cover is larger in the
Re
OCEAN
d
Se
Gulf of
Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Bay Mexico Caribbean Sea Arabian
a
of Philippine Sea
Bengal
Hemisphere. According to the separation between
Sea
P A C I F I C Persian
Equator Gulf
0° 0°
the continents, in this continuous mantle of water O C E A N INDIAN
OCEAN
on the planet, four oceans are distinguished, write
Gulf of
Carpentaria
down their names:

30°
ATLANTIC 30°
OCEAN
Great
Australian
Bight
60° 60°
Polar Antarctic Circle 66°33’
1: 290 000 000
0 2900 5800 km
90° 90°
120° 160° 160° 120° 80° 40° 0° 40°
Source: Created bu the author.

The seas are masses of saltwater of smaller extension than the Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
oceans and adjacent continents. The gulfs are masses of salt water that
go deep into the continent and are almost enclosed by tips or capes. Instead, the bays are entries to the sea
surrounded by land except for an opening to the oceans.
Glossary
Importance of the dynamics of ocean waters: ocean currents, tides and waves Density. It’s the unit of measure that
allows us to know what the relationship is
One of the most important characteristics of the oceans is their constant movement, which results from the between the mass of a body and the volume
interaction of other physical and chemical properties, such as temperature, salinity or hydrostatic pressure, which of the space it occupies.
causes changes in density and when combined with the Sun and the Moon Sun’s force of attraction, the wind Hydrostatic pressure. It’s the force
and the movement of Earth’s rotation, produces a complex system of horizontal and vertical movements in the that water exerts on the walls and bottom
oceans, which include three types: ocean currents, tides and waves. of the container that holds it, and on any
Ocean currents are large masses of ocean water moving through the oceans on permanent paths; their origin object that is immersed in it. For example:
at greater depths, a submarine has to
is due to the sweeping winds on the ocean surface, the differences in density and pressure of the water and the
withstand higher pressure.
movement of rotation, factors that determine the intensity and direction in which these currents move.
69

Unit II
The Coriolis effect influences the direction of ocean currents by diverting them to the right in the Northern
Glossary Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. But what is the process of ocean currents? Ocean
Coriolis effect. It’s the wind deviation waters move in the opposite direction to the movement of the earth in equator; then, when they hit the eastern
that results from the earth’s rotation. coasts of continents, they are diverted towards the poles and from there return to the equator and close the cycle.
Depending on the temperature they aquire from the areas they go through, ocean currents (map 2.8) differ in:
Warm currents. ( ) They move from equatorial to polar regions along the coastlines east of the continents
(in low latitudes) and are diverted to the western coasts (at middle latitudes). The warm Gulf Stream increases
the temperature and humidity in the coastal countries of the North Atlantic, fostering rains and a more beneficial
climate to develop human activities. Look at map 2.8 and, in your notebook, write down two examples of
warm currents.
Cold currents. ( ) They are created in the polar regions and move toward the equator, facing the west
coasts of continents. The Humboldt Current, also known as the Peru Current, is a cold current that carries a large
quantity of nutrients and washes the coastal areas of western South America, creating one of the most productive
fishing areas in the world. Look at map 2.8 and, in your notebook, write down two examples of cold currents.
Map 2.8 Ocean currents in the world.

180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
ARCTIC OCEAN
Arctic Glacial Stream
Derives from the
North Atlantic Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
60° 60°
Labrador Current
LEGEND
Warm currents
ia
t
Californ
Curren
North Pacific m Cold currents

Current Strea
G ulf
30° Kuroshio Current 30°

PACIFIC
North Equatorial OCEAN
North Equatorial Current Current
Equatorial Current
Curren e
biqu
Equator
t
0° 0°
Mozam
South
PACIFIC OCEAN ATLANTIC Equatorial Current
Hum Curr
ela
OCEAN INDIAN
t
South Equatorial Current
Curren
bold ent
Bengu
Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’ OCEAN
t (o
r Pe
30° 30°
u) r
Falkland
Current
60° Antarctic Circumpolar Current 60°

Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
1: 228 000 000
0 2 280 4 560 km
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Source: Geografía 1, Enríquez et al.

70

Another movement of ocean waters are tides, caused by the force of attraction Spring tides Neap tide
of the Moon and the Sun on our planet (fig. 2.16).
Although this force of attraction also acts on the continents and the Lunar
tide Crescent
Solar
moon
atmosphere, it is more evident on the oceans, where large bodies of water rise tide
Solar
and fall near the coasts regularly: twice every 24 hours and 50 minutes, which is tide
the time it takes the Moon to go through the meridian of each place. New Lunar
tide
Moon
The tides are easily noticed on the beaches because of the marks of humidity Earth
Earth
they leave on the sand. When sea waters rise and reach their highest point, it is
called high tide, and when they descend to their lowest level, it is called low tide. Lunar
Solar
tide
Twice every 28 days, the first day and at half of this period, the Sun aligns tide
Solar
with the earth and the Moon, which causes the gravitational pull of the Sun and tide
the Moon to combine and produce very large bulges on the oceans, creating a Full Lunar
Earth
range of high tide called spring tide. moon
Earth
tide
The 7th and 21st, the Sun and the Moon are at a 90° angle regarding the Waning
moon
earth; in that position, the forces of attraction partially offset and create a range
of lower tide called neap tide. Fig. 2.16 The position of the Sun and the Moon
Tides, due to the recurrent force of the force of ocean flows and reflows, relative to Earth, determines the magnitude of
constitute a potential source of energy for our planet; proof of this is the tidal the tides.
stations that have been built, such as Saint-Malo in the France, located at the
mouth of Rance river, which uses the entry and exit of water to activate the dam
turbines and generate electricity.
Waves in the oceans are oscillatory movements of surface water created by
wind, although there are waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions that Glossary
occur on the seabed; in some cases, as seen on page 60, they are called tsunamis. Marino flow and reflow. The flow is
Due to the intensity of the wind and the location of the seas or oceans, there the entry and the reflow is the exit of ocean
water to closed areas of the coast because
are two types of waves (fig. 2.17): of to the tide.
Oscillatory waves: They consist of water particles that rotate in one place,
giving the sea surface an ascending and descending effect. You can verify that
there is no movement in these waves by letting an object float in it.
Gravity waves: They result when the oscillating waves find support on the Shallow water
seabed and move towards the coast. By breaking close to the beach, the water of Oscillatory waves waves
these waves returns to the sea as a reverse current called rip tide.
Gravity waves
Seabed
Fig. 2.17 Process of wave formation.
71

Unit II
Map 2.9 Ocean waters and currents in Mexico.
119° 113° 107° 101° 95° 89° Ocean waters are a driving factor for the social
LEGEND and economic development of the population. Map
UNITED STATES Continental platform
2.9 shows that, because of its geographical location,
Ba
OF AMERICA
Territorial sea
Mexico is a bioceanic country, that is, it has coasts on
ja
Contiguous zone
Ca
Co
both the Pacific Ocean to the west as well as on the
lif
Exclusive economic zone
or
ld
ni
Cold currents 27°
cu
27°
Atlantic Ocean to the east, across the Gulf of Mexico
a
Gu
rr
Warm currents
Pe
en
lf
and the Caribbean Sea.
ni
of
t
ns
of
Ca
ul
G u l f o f
The Pacific coastline is influenced by the cold
C
lifo
a
a
li
M e x i c o
rn
fo
rn
California current that carries great quantities of
ia
Tropic of Can i
c er 23°27’ a
nutrients, which explains why 60% of fishing in the
Warm curr
21° 21°
country comes from the waters adjacent to the west
n f
Yucatan
coast of the Baja California Peninsula and Gulf
e
t o ul Peninsula
f the G
C a ri b b e a n of California.
Se a
W
ar
m
The coastline of the Gulf of Mexico is influenced
BELIZE
No
rt
h
Eq
by the warm current of the Gulf that contains fewer
ua
nutrients; however, the warm waters of this current
e
Bo
on
rd to 15°
er ive Z ria GUATEMALA
15° us Economic l C
increase the temperature and atmospheric humidity in
of HONDURAS
the Excl u rre
Gu l f
nt of
P A C I F I C 1: 27 000 000
Te h u a n te p e c
EL SALVADOR the region, encouraging the necessary rainfall
O C E A N 0 270 540 km
NICARAGUA
for agriculture.
119° 113° 107° 101° 95° 89°
Source: Instituto de Geografía, 2007.

Activity
In pairs, look at map 2.9 and write down the names of the coastal states of Mexico
in your notebooks. Subsequently, moderated by your teacher, discuss what are the
advantages and disadvantages of having access to the sea and write them in your
notebooks.
Glossary
Importance of the distribution of continental waters in the world and in
Aquifers. Underground layer of porous
and cracked rock that acts as a reservoir for Mexico
the infiltration of rainwater.
Continental waters are the group formed by currents and bodies of surface and underground
water from every continent and island, that is, from rivers, lakes, lagoons and aquifers, to the
tanks built by humans, such as dams, canals and ponds (fig. 2.18).
72

Rivers and lakes are the result of the interaction between the climate,
the traits of the relief and soil types and the rocky substrate; based on these
characteristics, it is possible to determine their location, distribution, longitude,
extension and navigation possibilities, for example, the Nile is one of the
longest rivers in the world with nearly 6,700 kilometers. Table 2.2 lists the
most important rivers and their routes kilometers. Regarding lakes, the most
important ones are: in Africa, Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake
in the world; in America, the Great Lakes form the largest group of freshwater
lakes in the world; they are a group of five lakes (Lake Superior, Michigan,
Huron, Erie and Ontario) located on the border between the United States and
Canada; of less importance, Lake Maracaibo lake and Lake Titicaca; in Asia,
there is the Caspian Sea, which is a sea or closed lake that extends between
Europe and Asia and is mainly supplied by the Volga River and Lake Baikal
in Siberia.
Fig. 2.18 Yucatan has one of the largest underground
river networks in the world. In the photograph, the
Activity Zaci Cenote in Valladolid, Yucatan.
To expand your knowledge on the distribution of continental waters in the world, in teams, look for three
rivers by continent in a Universal Atlas that do not appear in table 2.2 and other major lakes of the Table 2.2 The most important rivers of
the world, by continent and length in
world. If possible, include the length of rivers. With your teacher’s guidance, share your results with your
kilometers.
classmates and write down the rivers and lakes you did not take into consideration.
Africa America
Nile (6,700) Amazon (6,500)
Rivers and lakes are important for the development of human life, plants and animals, for they transport the Congo (6,700) Mississippi (6,210)
vital liquid for their subsistence. These can even be found in arid regions. Rivers create their own channels by Niger (4,200) Mackenzie (4,040)
Yukon (3,185)
collecting rain, snow or meltdown water and carry it downhill until the sea as explained in the water cycle. They San Lorenzo (3,058)
sculpt canyons, valleys and ravines, and drag sediments that are deposited on fertile soils. They are very efficient Grande (3,034)
because they hold 0.5% of the world’s fresh water. Likewise, the history of the first civilizations began in the Colorado (2,250)
Orinoco (2,160)
major rivers and from these, agriculture, transport, industry, trade and human settlements have developed. La Plata (287)
Despite having large arid regions, Mexico has 371 surface and underground aquifers, especially in the Asia Europe
southeast, in states like Tabasco and Chiapas; in these places, for example, the heavy flow and potential of the Yangtse (5,980) Volga (3,690)
Huang Ho (4,854) Danube (2,850)
Usumacinta river is used to generate hydropower, used as alternative energy sources and to meet the needs of the Amur (4,440) Rhine (1,320)
population. Additionally, it has one of the largest underground river networks in the world and there are projects Obi (4,345) Seine (776)
geared to preserve of their ecosystem. Lena (4,270)
Yenisey (3,354)
In map 2.10 (page 74) you can see the distribution of continental waters throughout the Mexican territory. Ganges (3,090)
Most of the main rivers that exist are fed by rain. The rivers of the Pacific watershed are short and medium Indus (3,040)
length and on their path, erode mountains, that is, they erode the relief, which favors the fall of water and leads Oceania
to waterfalls that give them the power to modify the relief, creating cliffs and canyons, some of them exploited to Murray (2,589)
generate hydropower.
73

Unit II
Map 2.10 Continental waters in Mexico.
116° Colorado River112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° The rivers of the Gulf watershed are longer and with
32°
heavier flow, that is, they carry larger amounts of water
Pa
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA nu 100° 32°
co
er
River a Ri v
es Mocte
zum due to the amplitude of the coastal plain and the higher
d
Laguna Guzmán
precipitation.
sas Gran
Jalpan II Dam er
Laguna Santa María
n Riv
armen xpa r
Tu ive
aría
In the watershed inside the country, there are
G
el C
Río Ca
ra
R
oD
es
no
ul
Río Santa M
qui
Rí ho
s
Presa
So
on
Río Ya
nc
Río er
permanent rivers that discharge their waters in lakes and
La Amistad
f
az
Co
Riv
Presa
C
of
tla 20°
Río
El Novillo 20°
28° lu
Río
Le co 28°
r ma Te lagoons or dams built by humans, but there also exist
Bra
Ca
yo
Ri
vo
Ma
ad
Sal o
ve
sporadic rivers that carry water only during a certain
o r
li
Rí Río
fo
Presa
period of the year, because the type of rock favors
rn
rte Falcón Valle de

a
lo
ue
F Sina erí Bravo Dam
a
ia
Río ío Presa Río

Pesqu
as
R n Lázaro
acá Cárdenas
infiltration or the intense heat that evaporates large
Naz
Culi
Río
Humaya Río Ag Laguna
Río
Río u
Madre
an
Río S Fernando Ba
amount of liquid.
anaval
24° lsas River
100° 24°
Tropic of Cance
r 23°27’ Soto la
It is important to ackowledge the benefits that
r
ive
Río Marina
ero ta R er
v
n P pone
Ri
Tam
P A C I F I C Aca
Sa
esi
Rive
r
G u l f humans obtain from continental waters because without
Tamiahua
the vital liquid we would not survive. Therefore, it is
r
Gra ive Lagoon
Panuco R
nd
O C E A N de o f
e
River
Sant ezuma
M oct r
Rivever
very important to take care of the continental waters,
iag
o Jalpan a n
Ri p Ri
Tux es
20° LEGEND ve
r
II Dam er M e x i c o 20°
n
o Riv
because according to the Global Freshwater Program
Lerm z
Chapala tla
Ca
aR olu
Lake ive ec
Pacific watershed r T
WWWF (World Wildlife Fund ) the global panorama is

Laguna
Valle de Río
Gulf watershed Bravo Dam J Laguna de Alvarado de Términos ondo
H
Río
am
Presa Presa
ío
Can
that more than half of world’s rivers are polluted or
va
Interior watershed Caribbean
an
Rí l
ap
El Infiernillo Miguel rija de
A R
oB ap Rí l
lco
o lar zu
a
Alemán alo
Río G
alsas Sea
Río Pap
oa
Watershed limit
ia
c
Usu
Río
BELIZE
their low riverbeds are dry most of the year due to their
oatza
Presa
Rí
ac
m
Nezahualcóyotl
Main river
oP
C inta
apaga
Río
e
overuse (fig. 2.19). Of the 500 main rivers of the world,
Verd
16° Branch of a river 1: 24 000 000 yo 16°
Río
Lake Presa
GUATEMALA
250 are severely polluted; it is calculated
La Angostura
0 240 480 km Tehuantepec hia
te
Suc
Gulf HONDURAS
that every day, two million tons of waste end up
ío
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° R 92° 88°
Source: Created by the author based on the Nuevo atlas nacional de México, Instituto de Geografía, 2007.
in waterbeds.

Activity
In order to learn more about the distribution of the continental and ocean waters in the world,
in pairs, do the following. With your teacher’s guidance, design and make a summary table of
the distribution of oceanic and continental waters in the world. You can classify rivers, lakes,
seas and oceans by continent or with the distinguishing criteria you decide. Briefly include the
characteristics of each type and the importance of their distribution.
Fig. 2.19 Only 10% of the Nile reaches the Mediterranean, which
means that from the 47 variants of fish marketed 30 years ago,
today only 17 remain.
74

Competence: Valuing natural diversity. Earth’s natural diversity
The importance of water collection in drainage basins, as well as

water availability in the world and in Mexico
Water (H2O) is the vital element by excellence, which means that without this liquid, life - at least as we know
it on our planet - would be impossible. However, only 3 percent of the water that exists on Earth is fit for
human consumption, agriculture or stockbreeding; the rest is saltwater. This is why the supply of fresh water, its
preservation, the recycling of residual waters (of domestic, industrial or agricultural use) is so important, and
above all, not to incur in its waste. The water you do not care for today, you might not have tomorrow!
Show what you know

Activity
Answer the following questions individually. • Why do some countries have more water than others?
• ¿Where does the water you consume daily come from?
• Do you know if there is any country or region completely deprived
• Why do you think dams, rivers and lakes are important for life of water?
on the planet? Check your answers and exchange them with your team. Discuss and
• What actions do humans take to dispose of water? correct what’s necessary with your teacher’s guidance.


Water collection in drainage basin
As you saw earlier, the relief of Earth’s crust is very important, because it
determines where rainwater will flow once it reaches the ground and where it
will accumulate, including the places where it will form underground deposits,
as occurs in the Yucatan Peninsula (fig. 2.20) with its famous cenotes and
underground rivers of calcareous soil.
Now, it would be convenient to specify what a water basin is.
A water basin is a set of land whose waters are drained by a main river
and its affluents, also called branches, with which they form a river network.
The water collection area looks like a bowl and is delimited by the dividing
or parting water, which marks the drainage basin where rain or melting
water drains.
The basins are exorheic if they flow into the oceans and endorheic when the
drainage doesn’t flow into the sea, as is the case of Lake Chad. Fig. 2.20 Satellite image of a portion of the Yucatan Peninsula.
75

Unit II
Location of the main drainage basins in the world and in Mexico

Map 2.11 shows the main drainage basins in the world. The largest drainage basin in the world is the Amazon, with
more than 7 million km2, followed by the basins of the rivers Parana-Plata, Congo, Nile and Mississippi.
Map 2.11 Main drainage basins of the world.

180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
ARCTIC OCEAN
75° 75°
Great Bear Lake Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
Yukon
1 Great Slave Lake Obi 20
60° 2 60°
Volga 19
17 18
16
Columbia 3
4 Da 21
45° nu 8 45°
be Huang He
5 ATLANTIC
15
Colorado 22
Mississippi OCEAN 24
30° Indus 23 Yangtze 30°
Grande 25 P A C I F I C
Ganges
9 10 O C E A N
15° Niger Nile 15°
11
INDIAN Equator
0° zon 0°
P A C I F I C Ama Congo
12
OCEAN
O C E A N 6
15° 13 15°

7
Orange
30° Paraguay Parana 30°
14 26
ATLANTIC LEGEND
45° 1. Yukon 10. Lake Chad 19. Lena 45°
OCEAN 2. Mackenzie 11. Nile 20. Kolyma
3. Nelson 12. Congo 21. Amur
4. Saint Lawrence 13. Zambezi 22. Huang He
60° 5. Mississippi 14. Orange 23. Yangtze 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ 6. Amazon 15. Tigris-Euphrates 24. Indu
1: 228 000 000 7. Danube 16. Volga 25. Ganges and
8. Danubio 17. Obi Brahmaputra
75° 75°
9. Niger 18. Yenisei 26. Murray-Darling
0 2 280 4 560 km
Source: unep/grid-Arenal, 2001.
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180° Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
Activity
To know in what countries the main drainage basins are located, in pairs, look carefully at map 2.11
and with the help of an atlas, find the countries where they are located and write them down in your
notebook. Compare your results, and with your teacher’s help, complete or correct if necessary.
In the case of Mexico, there is a peculiar problematic: on one hand, many urban centers, large and medium
sized, are located far from the basins and they are obliged to transport the water through pipes and hydraulic
engineering works. Certain industrial zones dump their waste directly, without treating the residual waters, into
rivers and lakes, which affects the quality of the water to the point of turning it non-potable (not apt for human
76

consumption) and toxic for the aquatic life and wild Map 2.12 Main river basins of Mexico.
vegetation that grows on the edges of the currents and 116° Colorado River112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
bodies of water. On certain occasions, the prolonged 32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA R
i v 100°
er a
32°
P á n u c o octezum
droughts in the center and north of the country create Casas
River
M
Santa
agricultural, livestock and even human disasters; on the Sonora River
Grandes
Maria
Presa Jalpan II
er T
uxp
an
ria
G
l Carm
en
R iv es
on
River Santa Ma
De
contrary, extreme abundant rains that are characteristic
ul
er s
ora
aqui
ho
z
Yaqui Riv nc
a
rC
on
Presa
f
S Ri
River Y
o
er La Amistad
rC
a
utl
e
Riv ve
in the east, south and southeast of the country, cause
Presa
of
iv
col
ve
r L Pánuco-Tamesí
R
El Novillo 20°
Ri
20° Te
Riv
28° er r
River Bravo m ve 28°
Ca
er
a
Ri
floods, landslides and breeches of hills, resulting in the
Br
o
ay
av
rM
li
o
ala
er S do
Riv
ive
loss of lives and goods.
fo
R
Mayo Sinaloa Mapimí
rn
a
lo Presa
ina
te
Presa
In order to make better use of the resources in a
Falcón ía
er
Fu r S
ia
r Valle de Bravo
er ve Riv ue
Riv Ri án
Presa s er Pesq
za
Lázaro
liac Cárdenas
r Cu
Na
sustainable manner, but also to prevent disasters and
Riv
r Humaya r er Balsas-Mezcala
e
Rive Laguna
Riv
Rive Ag
San Fe Madre Ri Papaloapan
Nazas River ver B
uan
rnando alsas
the lack of the valuable liquid, we must know the 24° Culiacán a
24°
San Fernando 100°
val
Tropic of Cance Salado
r 23°27’ er Soto la
a Riv Marina
geographic configuration of our country well.
Pe net
o
dr
San apo
Rive
Ac
River
Soto la
Marina r Ta
mes G u l f
er
í
Riv co
Rive nu
P A C I F I C River P
á
Lagoon de Tamiahua
rG
an Santiago- o f
ma
de de Lerma Moctezu
r
River
O C E A N pan
Activity Tux nes

an
S
tia Presa er
Ameca Jalpan II Ri v o
20° go az tla M e x i c o 20°
Rive Pánuco- iver C ecolu
Lago de R rT
erm Tamesí
rL e
Chapala
a Riv
In order for you to know the configuration of drainage

Riv Lagoon
Presa er Lagoon of of Términos
Ja Candelaria Hondo
os
Valle de Bravo m Alvarado
Riv
LEGEND
basins in Mexico, in teams and with your teacher’s
ver
a
Presa apa
alc
Presa RBalsas-Mezcala er
alv
aco os
an
j Can Caribbean
Gri
Ri
El Infiernillo ive Miguel p Ri de ul
oa
Co coalc
r Balsas Alemán pal
ve la Az
a Sea
r
P
Rive
Basin limit
guidance, look at map 2.12 and do the following.
River
r U
r
ria
Rive
a
atz
Coatz
Papaloapan Presa BELIZE
su
Pa
Main river Nezahualcóyotl ac
m
pag
int
r
r
ive
Rive
1. How many basins exist in Mexico?

Grijalva
a
ayo R
River branch Usumacinta
rde R
16° 1: 24 000 000 ive Verde 16°
r
Lake
Ve
Dam
0 240 480 km
Gulf of La Angostura GUATEMALA
e
at
i
Tehuantepec uch
HONDURAS
r S
2. Write down the names of the three largest
Usumacinta
ive
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° R 92° 88°
basins in our country. Source: Created by the author based on the Nuevo atlas
nacional de México, Instituto de Geografía, 2007.
3. Write down the name of a closed or endorheic basin.
4. What river systems forms the Chapala Lake?
Share your answers with the group and check the answers you got right with your teacher; correct if necessary.
Importance of water collection and availability in the world and in Mexico

Humans once believed that the natural resources (among them, water) were endless. The truth is, they are
significant, but us humans have multiplied irresponsibly and, as if that were not enough, we waste and misuse
water and other non-renewable resources.
The total amount of water that exists in the planet does not increase or decrease, it simply circulates in a
great water cycle, but the amount of water available for human consumption decreases. Until now, there is no
technology that “creates” water, thus the best thing to do is to use it responsibly and look for efficient ways to
recycle it, without abandoning the research that might, in a near future, allow us to have a continuous and secure
water supply.
77

Unit II
According to the UN, almost 783 million people do not have access to drinking water (11% of the world
population) and according to the WHO, children that live in places without access to drinking water, such as
Sub-Saharan Africa, have 15 times more probability of dying than children who live in places with access to it.
Agriculture is the activity that consumes the highest amount of water because it uses 70% of what it supplies; it
is followed by the industry with 18%, and human consumption with 12%. Due to the overexploitation of aquifers
and the dessication of rivers and lakes, water as a resources is more scarce every day, a situation that forces us to
use water more responsibly.
Map 2.13 Percentage of the population with access to water.
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90° 90°
Arctic Polar Circle

60° 60°
30° 30°
0° Equator 0°
30° 30°
LEGEND
Population with access to drinking water
(% of total population)
less than 50 from 80 to 90
60° from 50 to 60 more than 90 60°
1: 228 000 000 Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’
from 60 to 70 data no available
from 70 to 80
0 2 280 4 560 km
90° 90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Source: World Bank, 2010.

Activity
In order for you to reflect on the differences that exist with regard to accessing a reasonable amount of
water for human consumption (20 liters daily per person), in pairs, and based on the information in table 2.3,
of the population with access to the vital liquid on the lines in map 2.13.
78

Table 2.3 Percentage of the population with access to water by selected countries, 2010.
Country % Country % Country % Country % Country %
Niger 46 USA 100 Mexico 97 Saudi Arabia 90 Mozambique 43
China 77 Ethiopia 22 Spain 100 Cambodia 41 Haiti 54
Papua New Guinea 39 India 86 Somalia 29 Madagascar 46 UK 100
With your teacher’s guidance, relate maps 2.11 (page 76) and 2.13 and discuss as a group: Why do you
think that certain countries where large watersheds are located, present low percentages of population
with access to water for human consumption?
In Mexico, the availability of water coincides, in general terms, with the distribution of the natural regions: Glossary
this vital resource lacks in arid zones and is abundant in tropical regions. However, there are places in the country Pressure on water. It’s the measure
where, despite the large amount of rain, rivers, lakes and underground waters available, the population does not on the relationship between the demand of
water and it availability.
have drinking water because the necessary infrastructure does not exist (supply networks), which causes a serious
risk for their health and a severe obstacle for their development.
According to the National Water Comission (CONAGUA), as a natural resource, 78% of the water used in
Mexico is obtained from superficial sources (rivers, streams and lakes), while the remaining 22% is extracted
from underground sources (aquifers). In 2014, in the national territory, 75% of water was used for irrigation,
15% for public supply, 4% to create energy and 6% for industrial use. Additionally, water in Mexico is also used
as a medium (marine or continental) where fishing and tourism take place. At a national scale, the country goes
through a moderate degree of pressure on water; however, at a regional scale, the north and northeast suffer a
high degree of pressure and, in the center, the degree of pressure becomes very high, which causes the restraint of
overexploitation, waste and pollution of this important resource, promoting a culture of of responsible water use.
Activity
To understand the importance of water collection in drainage basins, • Do you consider that humans protect and preserve the area of
with your teacher’s guidance and orientation, organize a group water collection?
debate with what you’ve seen up to now. Consider the following main • What actions do you take to preserve the ecosystems as providers
ideas for the debate, and incorporate others that are of your interest. of water?
• What would happen in the world if drainage basins didn’t exist? When you finish the debate, conclude on the importance of water
• How would human life be like if water was not available? collection in drainage basins and the availability of water in the
• What actions have humans made to have more water availability? world and in Mexico.
79

Elements and factors of the different types of climates in the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
How much do you know about climate? In pairs, answer the following 3. Why do you think different climates exist on the planet?
questions. When you are finished, share your answers with the group
4. Briefly describe the characteristics of the climate and the
and with your teacher’s help, draw conclusion as a group.
landscape where you live (if it’s temperate, dry, tropical, or cold,
1. What is climate? if it rains all year or only in summer, the type of vegetation,
2. Which one of these two sentences is incorrect? “The climate for mountains, etc.).
today” or “The weather forecast for today” Why? 5. According to your description, what type of climate exists where
you live?

Elements (temperature and precipitation) and factors (latitude and altitude) of the climate
Your answer to question in the previous activity was probably the first sentence, which is a common mistake
made by certain newscasts and newspapers. Why is it a mistake? The difference between these concepts is that
atmospheric time or meteorological time change from one moment to another and are manifested in the variations
of temperature, precipitation, wind and cloudiness found in the place during the day. For example, in a certain
place in the morning, it may be sunny, with clear skies, high temperatures and moderate winds; in the afternoon,
there might be cloudy skies, with intense rain and strong winds, and at night, once again have clear skies, but low
temperatures and almost imperceptible winds.
In contrast, climates are the result of the most frequent state of the atmosphere in a determined area; that is
to say, if atmospheric time is registered over many years in a region, a climatic pattern appears. For example,
if winters are cold, with snow and ice, or if summers are warm and the rain in June is similar to the one in
November. This pattern of atmospheric behavior constitutes the climate of a specific region. Therefore, the
regions on the equator have warm and humid climate, in the deserts it’s dry and in polar regions, it’s cold. Thus,
each part of the world has a different climate. Now we will explain the elements and factors of the climate,
without forgetting that these also define atmospheric time.
The elements of the climate are perceived directly: we feel hot or cold, disheveled by the wind, we get wet
under the rain and we feel dizzy when we climb mountains, or when we navigate in the sea (fig. 2.21).
A climatic element is a property or condition of the atmosphere. As a whole, said elements determine the state
Fig. 2.21 Knowing the elements of the climate, of the weather and the climate of a place for a specific moment or period. Climate elements are classified in
allows us to plan our economic activities, to care thermodynamics (temperature, pressure and wind) and aqueous, like humidity, from which cloudiness and precipitation
for our health and it even influences the way we
dress, eat and have fun. are created. Observe the following diagram.
80

Atmospheric
pressure
It’s the weight of the air
Temperature Wind
on Earth’s surface. In areas of
It’s the degree of heat or cold It’s the moving air created
high pressure, the air is heavy
present in the atmosphere and by the difference in temperature
and descends, creating clear days.
it varies throughout the day and atmospheric pressure.
In areas of low pressure,
and the year.
the air is hot, which gives rise
to clouds and rain.
Cloudiness
Humidity It’s the amount of clouds Precipitation
It’s the amount of water steam that cover the sky and it is It’s the amount of water North
in the atmosphere. If the atmosphere measured with a scale that that falls on the surface of 90°
Pole
90°
no longer accepts more water steam, goes from 0 (clear skies) to 10 the planet as a result of Deficit
of polar energy 23° N
it is said that the point of (totally cloudy skies). Clouds are the condensation of water vapor, Energy
transport toward
saturation or dew point formed from to the condensation in the form of rain, the poles
has been reached. of water vapor in the snow or hail.

23° 27’ N 23° 27’ Tropic of Cancer
atmosphere.
Entry Exit
0° 0° Equator
Energy Energy
gain loss
23° 27’ S 23° 27’ Tropic of Capricorn
Unlike elements, weather factors are conditions of the environment that influence the climate of Energy
transport toward
a place. Deficit of 60° S the poles
polar energy
90°
• Latitude. Depending on the latitude, the curvature of the planet and the tilt of Earth’s axis, the degree South
of impact that the sun’s rays reach the earth’s surface varies (figs. 2.22 and 2.23). This circumstance Pole
90°
determines the gain and loss of energy and thermal matching of large areas of our planet. In general,
as latitude increases, temperature decreases. In the equator, average temperatures are above 18 °C, and Fig. 2.22 The energy Earth gains and looses according
as we get closer to the poles, the climate is cooler and there are recorded temperatures below 0 °C. to latitude, curvature of the planet and the tilt of
Earth’s axis.
81

Unit II
Sun • Altitude. On page 31, it was stated that the altitude

confirms that the atmosphere is heated directly by the
heat radiated from Earth’s surface and only indirectly
Free atmosphere
by solar radiation, which helps to determine, in part, the
30% loss atmospheric conditions of a place. In general, forecasters
Solar radiation
100% say that for every 1,000 m that altitude increases,
Latent heat the temperature drops 6 °C. As a result, the peaks of
Restitution due to evaporation towering volcanoes and mountain ranges are usually
20% loss
70% covered with snow (fig. 2.24).
Infrared
Sensitive heat radiation
5% 10% 30%
200 m approx.
Absorption
Storage Thermoclimate
Deep ocean layer
Fig. 2.23 The absorption of solar radiation that the ocean receives and stores is related to the energy gain and loss you see in Figure 2.22.
The greater the stored energy (latitudes close to equator), the hotter the climate, and vice versa.
Activity
To reinforce your idea on why a higher altitude makes the temperature
drop, solve the following problem in pairs: If the temperature of a place
is 26 °C at an altitude of 2,300 m, what is the approximate temperature
when you reach the top of a volcano at 5,300 m above sea level? Write
down your answers and compare it with your classmates’.
Fig. 2.24 The higher the altitude, the lower the temperature.
82

Types of climates on Earth according to the Köppen classification: tropical, dry, temperate,
continental and polar
Based on the interaction of the elements and climatic factors, you will have a better understanding of why there are
places in the world that have temperate or cold climates, despite being near the sea or located in tropical regions, or why
there are places that should have very cold climates because of their proximity to the poles and are temperate due to the
influence of ocean currents.
In order to study the different types of climates and their distribution on the planet, German Vladimir Köppen
(1846-1940) proposed this classification, in which he ordered the climates into five groups, using the following criteria:
capital letters to distinguish the temperature prevailing in each place.
A B C D E
For humid tropical climates For dry climates For humid temperate climates For cooler climates For polar climates
Lowercase letters used to designate the rainy seasons prevailing in each place.
f w m s
With rain all year With rain in summer With monsoon rain With rain in winter
In places where there is no rainfall or it is scarce, the existing vegetation is considered to determine climate
type, and two capital letters are assigned: one for the weather and one for the type of vegetation.
BS BW
With steppe vegetation With desert vegetation
ET EB EF
For tundra climate with vegetation For high mountain vegetation For ice cap climate without vegetation
Activity
The combinations between the criteria of temperature, rainy season and type of vegetation result in 13
different types of climates. Analyze how the first combination was made and complete the rest. With
Glossary
your teacher’s guidance, review your combinations and correct them necessary. Monsoon. Constant summer winds
blowing in from the sea to land, and in
Climate Meaning Climate Meaning winter from land to sea. The wet summer
Af Tropical with rain all year Cs monsoon brings heavy rain; a representative
example is the monsoon rain in India and
Am Df
Bangladesh.
Aw Dw
Bs ET
Bw EB
Cf EF
Cw
83

Unit II
Map 2.14 Climates of the world. Climatic diversity of the world and Mexico
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
ARCTIC OCEAN If you look at map 2.14 you will notice that the
75° 75°
geographic distribution of climates is closely
Polar Arctic Circle 66°33’
60° 60°
related with large thermal areas of the world
(warm intertropical zone, located between
45° 45° the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn;
the two temperate zones, located in the
A T L A N T I C
30° 30° middle latitudes of the tropics to the
O C E A N
Arctic and Antarctic polar circles;
P A C I F I C
15°
O C E A N
15°
and two cold or polar areas, from the
LEGEND
Af Tropical with polar circles to the north and south
Equator 0°
0° rain all year
Am Tropical with I N D I A N
poles respectively), not to mention the
monsoon rain
O C E A N
influence of the elements and climatic
15° Aw Tropical with 15°
summer rain
A T L A N T I C
factors in their configuration. Roughly
BW Dry desert O C E A N one can establish that tropical climates
30° BS Dry Steppe 30°
are located on both sides of the equator,
45° P A C I F I C
Cf Temperate with rain all year
45°
between latitudes 25° north and south.
Cw Temperate with rain in summer
O C E A N Cs Temperate with rain in winter Dry climates are found in subtropical areas,
60°
Df
ET
Cold with rain all year
Tundra climate
60° in desert strips such as the Sahara, Arabia
Polar Antarctic Circle 66°33’
1: 228 000 000 EF Ice cap climate and Gobi, among others. The humid temperate
EB High mountain polar climate
75°
0 2 280 4 560 km
75°
climates are located between the latitudes of 25° to
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180° 45° in both hemispheres, while cold climates are specific
Source: Created by the author. to the latitudes between 45° and 65°, but are only relevant
in the northern hemisphere. Polar climates are located between
the latitudes 65° and 90° north and south. Antarctica and Greenland are the most
important regions with this climate.
Activity
In pairs, look at map 2.14 again and, using a universal Atlas, answer
this activity. When you are finished, with your teacher’s guidance, 2. Point out two countries where BW climate predominates:
share and correct your results with the group.
1. Write down two climates that predominate in the following countries: 3. Identify two countries where EB climate predominates:
Australia:
Brazil:
Canada:
In map 2.15, you’ll be able to see that the predominant climatic groups in Mexico are tropical, dry and
temperate, while the cold and polar climates are almost nonexistent, except for some major mountain peaks and
ranges as well as volcanoes.
84

Tropical climates dominate the coastal plains south of the Tropic of Map 2.15 Distribution of the climates of Mexico.
Cancer, the Balsas Depression and most of the Yucatan Peninsula. Dry 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32°
climates extend in much of central and northern Mexico, and small UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
LEGEND
32°
portions of northern Yucatan. Af Tropical with rain

all year
G
The temperate climates are characteristic of the Sierra Madre Occidental
ul
Aw Tropical with rain
f
in summer
and Oriental. It is worth mentioning that the climate significantly influences
of
28° Cf Tropical with rain
28°
all year
both the distribution of the population as well as the development of
Ca
Cw Temperate with rain
li
economic activities, a relationship you will identify in units III and IV. in summer
fo
Cs Temperate with rain
rn
in winter
ia
BS Steppe dry
BW Desert dry
Activity
24° 24°
Tropic of Cancer
23°27’
With the information you have reviewed up to now, look at map G u l f
2.15 again to locate your state, and according to the legend, o f
write the type of climate it presents:

P A C I F I C M e x i c o
20° 20°
O C E A N
Contrast this answer with that of question 5 on page 80 and with
your teacher’s guidance, indicate how correct or incorrect your
BELIZE
1: 27 000 000
initial answer was.
16° 16°
HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Practice what you learned Source: Created by the author.

Activity
To better understand how the elements and factors Climatological elements
Climate type Climate factors that influence
of the different types of climates in the world and (Koppen classification)
Country or place that influence
the type of climate
in Mexico relate to each other, work in teams of the type of climate
four and do the following activity.
1. Choose five types of Köppen climates and
choose a country or place in the world that has
that kind of climate.
2. Draw a table in your notebook like the one on
the right, and indicate the characteristics of
the elements (temperature and precipitation)
and factors (latitude and altitude) of the
climate of the place you chose. Remember
that a climatological element is a property or When you are finished, ask your teacher to help you review your work and in a
condition of the atmosphere and climate factors plenary, draw some conclusions to explain why the climate elements and factors define
are conditions of the natural environment. the climate of a country, a region of the world and of Mexico.
85

Unit II Competence: The value of natural diversity
Importance of geographical conditions that favor biodiversity in the world

and in Mexico
Show what you know
The geographic characteristics that you have reviewed up to now (relief distribution, water and climates) as well as the characteristics of the soil, foster
variations in vegetation and fauna of the world.
Glossary Activity
To remember what you learned in elementary • What is biodiversity?
Ecosystem. Name given to communities
of living beings that are interrelated with
school about the natural regions of the world, • Are there differences between the vegetation
each other, and at the same time, with the answer the following questions as a group: and fauna of different natural regions? Why do
elements of the environment they inhabit. • What is a natural region? you think this occurs?
Name three natural regions that you remember
and some of their characteristics.
Map 2.16 Natural regions of the world.

90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
Polar Arctic Circle 66°33’

Distinctive characteristics of the natural
60° 60° regions of the world and in Mexico
From the point of view of biology, the
ecosystems of our planet are grouped
30°
A T L A N T I C into biomes, a concept used to refer
30°
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ O C E A N to a vast area of the surface where a
P A C I F I C type of vegetation associated with
O C E A N certain climates is predominant. In
0° Equator 0°
the case of Geography, the concept
P A C I F I C of natural region is used, as you saw
O C E A N
I N D I A N
in the study of spatial categories
A T L A N T I C O C E A N (page 17), to describe a portion of a
30°
O C E A N 30°
geographic space formed of one or
more components of the environment:
relief, types of rocks, soil, water, climate,
LEGEND fauna and vegetation or the combination
60°
Rainforest
Temperate woods
Desert
Taiga 60°
of all of them. Thus, in the case of natural
Polar Arctic Circle 66°33’ 1: 228 000 000 Mediterranean region Tundra regions with emphasis on flora and fauna
0 2800 5600km
Steppe
Pasture
High Mountains
Permafrost and its relation to climate different regions
90° 90° of rainforest, pasture, steppe, desert, forest, high
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
tundra mountain, permafrost and Mediterranean can
be seen, as shown on map 2.16.
86

Activity Learn more about

Identify the links between climate and vegetation. Relate map 2.14 of climates of the world (page Get together with a classmate
84) with map 2.16 of the natural regions of the world and write down the relations you find in the and watch the video “Natural
corresponding column. Look at the example and, with your teacher’s help, present your results to regions” on the official page of
the group. Telesencundaria, available at
http://goo. gl/LNiJpz (Retrieved
Map 2.16 Natural regions of the world Map 2.14 Climates of the world
on: October 5, 2015). Then,
Tropical rainforest Af: Tropical with rain all year draw a conceptual map in your
notebooks with the basic ideas
and present them to the class.
Next, we will go over the most important characteristics of the main natural
regions of the world, look at map 2.16 as you read, to identify their geographic
distribution.
Fig. 2.25 Strata in a climax rainforest.
Region: Rainforests
Location: Amazon and Congo Basin, Southeast Asia, Central America and
Emerging tree
in the islands of Madagascar and New Guinea, among others.
Vine
Canopy
Characteristics Climbing 3
plant
They thrive primarily in equatorial latitudes, with 12 hours of solar light
365 days a year, causing intense heat and constant rainfall, a situation that Roof of
produces an abundant vegetation and wildlife. As fig. 2.25 shows, there are the woods
Smooth trunk Understorey
different layers in rainforests, resulting from the strong competition of the without branches 2
Clear light
plants to capture sunlight. Fungi, vines, fig. trees and plants predominate
which, like orchids, grow on top of others (epiphytes); trees like mahogany
are also abundant. There is, a large number and variety of insects, birds, Coverage of
reptiles and certain mammals like chimpanzees, elephants and wild boars. 1 vegetation
on the ground
Layer of weeds
Giant fern
Support root
87

Unit II
Region: Pasture or savanna

Location: central North America, central Asia, south of the Sahara,
eastern and southern Africa, southeastern South America and
southwestern Australia.
Characteristics
They thrive in deep, fertile soils, in areas with rainfall that vary depending
on the season. There are two types: temperate grasslands like the prairies
of North America characterized by perennial grasses where trees only
grow on riverbanks and streams; rodents, moles, ferrets, owls, wolves,
bison, earthworms, and beetles can be found in them. The second type
are the tropical grasslands, called savannas (fig. 2.26), like the ones in
southern Sahara, East Africa and northern Australia, home to antelopes,
zebras, wildebeests, gazelles, lions, hyenas, vultures, kangaroos
and anteaters.
Region: Forests
Location: northern areas of North America and central and northern
Fig. 2.26 The Serengeti, northwest of Tanzania, in Africa, is one of the savanna regions with the greatest mammal
population worldwide. Eurasia, South America and in major mountain ranges.
Characteristics
Located in areas of temperate and cold climates, mountainous terrain
and nutrient-rich soils. Forests can also be classified by the predominant
tree, for example: broad-leaved forests, which are large and flat to favor
the uptake of light and gas exchange, and coniferous forests, which are
Permafrost narrow to reduce the loss of water due to transpiration, such as pines and
firs, typical vegetation of the taiga in the region of Siberia. In regions
3,500 MASL of temperate forests in mountain ranges, pine and oak forests are in the
Coniferous forest lowlands. The mix of trees changes with altitude, which is why conifers
appear. The typical forest animals are bears, deer, moose, reindeer, birds
and insects, such as butterflies (fig. 2.27).
1,500 MASL
Deciduous
forest
1,000 MASL
Fig. 2.27 The climatic limit of tree growth is located at 3,500 m of altitude. At higher altitudes,
alpine pasture and weeds start to dominate.
88

Region: Deserts
Location: The Deserts of Sahara in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula,
the Thar in Pakistan and India, Sonora in North America, Atacama in
South America, Gobi in Asia and those of Namibia and Kalahari
in South Africa.
Characteristics
They are characterized by high temperatures (up to 50 °C during the day),
intense and constant dry winds that quickly evaporate the humidity, and
transport and accumulate large quantities of sand that form dunes
(fig. 2.28). Dry soil is vulnerable to erosion and weathering processes.
Deserts can be rocky or sandy, arid or semi-arid, plants and animals
adapted to water scarcity live in them, as well as cacti and thorny
pastures, camels, snakes, vultures, scorpions and even frogs and turtles.
Region: Steppe
Location: From the southern United States of America to the north of
Mexico, central and southern Argentina and Chile, and Central Asia
(except the mountain ranges).
Characteristics
They are large flat lands where the herbaceous layer predominates due Fig. 2.28 A dune is formed through accumulation of sand that falls when the winds that transport it loose strength.
In the photograph, the Rub ‘al Khali desert in the Arabian Peninsula.
to low precipitation (less than 250 mm per year). Scrubland can also be
found. The lack of humidity is emphasized by its remarkable distance
from the ocean (fig. 2.29). Species like horses, rodents, ratites and eagles
can be found; in North America, the bison.
Fig. 2.29 The steppe is usually in contact with deserts, establishing restrictions to life and diversity.
89

Unit II
Fig. 2.30 Permafrost soil, depending on the amount Region: Tundra

of time they remain frozen, can be distinguished
by being permanent, semi-permanent or sporadic.
Location: In North America it is located in Alaska, northern
Canada and the coasts of Greenland. In the Eurasian zone it
stretches from western Iceland to the north of Scandinavia,
up to Russia.
Characteristics
Tundra is a Lapp word that means “infertile ground,” which
describes the low-growing vegetation of the Arctic, beyond the
wooded area. The ground swept by by the cold winds are frozen
most of the year (permafrost soils), but their surface layers melt
in spring and summer, leaving an active layer that holds plant
life such as moss, lichens, poppies, blueberries, blackberries, and
willow trees, and animals such as mosquitoes, beetles, ducks,
wading birds, foxes, caribou. A typical characteristic of tundra
Map 2.17 Natural regions in Mexico. soils is the display of geometric patterns (fig. 2.30) that
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32°
appear on the surface, formed through the repeated
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 32°
100°
freezing and melting of the soil.
As you can see on map 2.17, Mexico has a large
variety of ecosystems. The deserts are located mainly in
G
ul
the north of the territory, both on the Mexican Plateau

f
of
20°
as well as the Baja California Peninsula; plants have
28° 20°
28°
Ca
xerophyte features like cacti, agaves and huizaches, and

li
fo
animals such as snakes and wild sheep.

rn
The forests are located on the major mountain ranges

ia
24° 24°
(Sierra Madres and Transversal Volcanic System),
where there are coniferous trees like pine and fir;
100°
Tropic of Cance
r 23°27’
G u l f
hardwoods such as oak, and animals such as deer,
P A C I F I C coyotes, squirrels and owls.
o f
O C E A N
The rainforests stretch out on the coastal plains of the
20° M e x i c o 20° Pacific and the Gulf, south of the Tropic of Cancer.
There you will find abundant vegetation such as
LEGEND
Desert Campeche logwood, rubber and sapodilla tree, and
Temperate forest
BELIZE bats, wild boar, ocelots and jaguars, as well as other
Deciduous and semi-deciduous rainforest Caribbean
16° Perennial and “semi-perennial” 1: 24 000 000
Sea
16°
ecosystems of smaller extensions, such as mountain
Cloud mountain forest
0 240 480 km
G ul f GUATEMALA forest or that are wetland mainly in Tabasco.
of
T ehuant epec HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Source: Based on the Nuevo atlas nacional de México, Instituto de Geografía, 2007.
90

Geographic conditions that favor Earth’s biodiversity Map 2.18 Biogeographic regions of Mexico.
With the information you’ve studied until now, you must have 116°
32°
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32°
identified that geographic conditions change from one place to another
U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A
in the world. In this sense, there are variations in the continental relief,
a different distribution of water and the gradual change of climate by
G
ul
altitude and latitude throughout the continents, while the mobility of
N
of
28° 28°
ocean waters allows for the variation of temperature; all this favors the
e
C
al
a
differences in vegetation and wildlife on the planet.
if
r
or
c
ni
The possibilities of combination of all the elements mentioned are
t
i
vast and each combination favors the development of different living
c
24° 24°
R 7’
Tropic of Cancer 23°2
species, which is why there is a great diversity of flora and fauna on the e
g
planet; this diversity is known as biodiversity. i
o
G u l f
n o f
Relief is one of the geographical components that most influences
M e x i c o
the distribution and arrangement of the rest. In general, the relief works 20° 20°
as a geographic barrier that favors the variety of climates and thus the P A C I F I C
presence of various plant and animal species in a smaller area of land, N e
o t
O C E A N r o p BELIZE
as is the case in Mexico with biogeographic regions where the Trans- 1: 27 000 000
i c a l
r e g i o n 16°
16°
Mexican Volcanic Belt separates two different regions of America, one 0 270 540 km GUATEMALA
where species of temperate environments (Nearctic) live and one with 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
species of warm environment (neotropical) (map 2.18). Source: Instituto Nacional de Ecología, 2011.
Among the natural regions, the rainforest has greater biodiversity, because Date of elaboration: October 1, 2015.
by being located in areas that are close to the equator, the climate is characterized by
constant rain throughout the year and high temperatures that create a warm and moist
environment, favorable for the growth of numerous plant and animal species.
As we move away from the equator toward the poles, rain is scarce and the climate
becomes drier. In desert areas, the lack of moisture directly affects the decrease in the
variety of plant species, while at the poles, due to the low temperatures, the growth of
plants and animals is limited (fig. 2.31).
Location of megadiverse countries on maps

It is estimated that there are more than 10 million animal and plant species of which
70% are distributed in 17 countries only, they are known as megadiverse countries
because they have the largest number of animal and plant species in the world; these
are : Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Fig. 2.31 Despite the low temperatures of the Antarctic
Madagascar, Australia, Indonesia, India, China, Philippines, the United States of permafrost, it has organisms that have adapted to its
America, Venezuela, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. conditions and managed to survive, such as penguins,
seals and sea elephants.
91

Unit II
In megadiverse countries there is a combination and abundant variation of geographic conditions, which allows
them to be exceptional areas within the rest of Earth’s natural diversity.
There are about 200 countries in the world, and 70% of Earth’s total biodiversity concentrated in only 17 of them.
them. Which is why they are known as megadiverse countries. This biological wealth should be considered the
property of each nation; its natural heritage must be exploited in a sustainable manner for the benefit of mankind.
Map 2.19 Megadiverse countries in the world.

180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
ARCTIC OCEAN
60° 60°
7
9
30° 30°
3 2
PACIFIC
4
OCEAN
12
14
8 10 Equator
0° 15 0°
6
PACIFIC OCEAN ATLANTIC
17 1
OCEAN
INDIAN 5
OCEAN 11
30° 16 30°
13
60° 60°
1: 230 000 000
0 2300 4600km
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Source: Le Monde Diplomatique, 2009.

Activity
To know where the 17 megadiverse countries are located, look at map 2.19 and, in teams, draw a table
in your notebook to sort the megadiverse countries according to their place in the world. The titles of
your columns will be: country and place in megadiversity. Then, choose a country included in the table
and research in the library or on the Internet why it is considered a megadiverse country. Write your
conclusions in your notebooks and with your teacher’s help, present your results to the rest of the group.
92

As shown on map 2.19, Mexico is also considered a megadiverse Table 2.4 Biodiversity in the world and in Mexico.
country. Biodiversity in Mexico is due to geographical conditions, which Species in the Species in
Group %
result in a diversity of climates ranging from tropical humid to the cold of world Mexico
the high mountains. Mammals 4,381 564 12.87
Birds 9,271 1,123
Activity Reptiles 8,238 864
Frogs and toads 4,780 376
To get a better idea of why Mexico is a megadiverse country,
with the information on table 2.4 calculate the percentage of Fish 27,977 2,692
each group that Mexico has with regard the total found in the Centipedes and millipedes 15,200 585
world. Write in your notebook the five groups of species that Spiders and scorpions 92,909 5,579
have the highest percentages with regard to the world total.
Animals
Insects 915,350 47,853
Starfish and sea urchin 44,920 5,387
Estrellas y erizos 7,000 503
Snails, clams and octopus 93,195 4,100
Worms and marine worms 16,500 1,393
Rotifers (microscopic animals) 1,800 303
Flatworms 20,000 550
Jellyfish and coral 10,000 318
Sponges 5,500 268
Magnolias and daisies 199,350 19,065
Palm trees and grass 59,300 4,726
The importance of the biodiversity in the world Cycads and pines 980 150
Plants
and in Mexico Ferns 13,025 1,067
The geographic conditions of each place determine its biodiversity. To Mosses and hepatica 19,900 1,482
appreciate the importance of said conditions is one of the attitudes that Algae 27,000 2,702
the study of Geography allows you to acquire. It must be clear to you Otros Fungi 70,000 7,000
that living beings, as well as inert matter on the earth’s surface are useful Total of species described 1,666,576 108,650
resources for humanity, because our needs are satisfied through their use;
Source: conabio, 2013.
however there are other more important reasons to value biodiversity.
With the previous activity you were able to see the amount of animal
and plant species that currently exist (table 2.4). This biodiversity provides
humans with food, substances for health care and wood to make furniture.
93

Unit II
But if you think of the amount of organisms that live interdependently on the ground, on the water or in the
tree strata, and if you consider that these beings have been around for millions of years inhabiting the earth - way
before the appearance of human beings -, as well as the infinite sizes, shapes and colors of this living ensemble,
you can infer the enormous importance of the interaction between geographic conditions with biodiversity.
Activity
To better appreciate how geographic conditions favor biodiversity in the world and in Mexico, in pairs,
recover the table you created in the activity on page 92 and add three columns (as shown in the example
below). Based on maps 2.14 and 2.16 complete the corresponding information and in the last column,
describe the interactions between the climate and natural regions that favor megadiversity. When you
are finished, review your work with the rest of the group and ask your teacher to help you complete and
correct your insights.
Megadiverse Place it holds in Types of predominant Predominant natural Interactions that favor
country megadiversity climates regions megadiversity
Brazil 1 Af Tropical with rainfall Rainforest
all year
Aw Tropical with rainfall in Temperate forest and
summer prairie
Cf Temperate with rainfall
all year Savanna
To learn more
To expand your knowledge on Mexico’s biodiversity, in pairs, watch the video “The Biodiversity of Mexico”
on the official website of Telesecundaria, available at https://goo.gl/fbzBZL (Retrieved on: October 5, 2015),
and make a report that highlights the percentage of biodiversity that Mexico has worldwide, the threats to
biodiversity and the endangered species. Present your work to the class, and with your teacher’s guidance,
discuss it.
94

Project: Water availability in Mexico and the world. The example of Hermosillo, Sonora
Projet: Water availability in Mexico and the world. The example of Hermosillo, Sonora
Beginning
Once you complete Unit II, you’ll be able to consolidate and enrich what you learned in it, displaying your
knowledge, skills and geographic attitudes to do the following project; remember that in this unit you worked on
the following:
Core topic: Natural components.

Competence: Valuing natural diversity.
Main idea: Reflect on the importance of water availability in Mexico and the world.
Expected learning: Distinguish the importance of the distribution, composition and dynamic of oceanic and continental waters in the world and in Mexico. Distinguish the importance of water
collection in drainage basins, as well as water availability in the world and in Mexico.
Concepts: Location, distribution, diversity, relationship and interaction.
Skills: Observation, analysis, integration, representation and interpretation of documental, graphic, statistical and visual information of the place where we live.
Attitudes: Become aware of the space. Identify spatial belonging. Value spatial diversity. Assume the changes of space.
Planning
As you recall, the first thing you should do to start a project is to identify and determine a problem that relates to
what you have just studied, and that is of interest to all your classmates. To do this, it is necessary for the whole
group to propose the problems that can be addressed in the project. You can divide into groups and each propose
a problematic and choose the most appropriate one as a group based on relevance, the time it will take you and
the materials you will need to do it.
With your teacher’s guidance and orientation, we propose you discuss, as a group, what situations caught you
attention or your are curious or worried about. Write down three to five on the board in a table like the following,
and then vote which one you will work on.
Proposed problems Votes

1.
2.
3.
Selected problem: Total votes =
To illustrate the method to follow, we will develop a project proposal. The problem to address is “Water
availability in Mexico and the world. The example of Hermosillo, Sonora.” to work on an issue that concerns
us all and becomes increasingly important, in order to identify why and what the study of geography is good for
specific topics.
95

Unit II
Justification: Population growth implies an increasing demand of fresh water for the consumption and
development of economic activities, which leads to a serious problem of water availability in the locality, state,
and around the country, as well as in many other parts of world, which is why certain measures have to be taken
to ensure that it won’t be a factor that limits economic growth in a few years, or a public health issue as it already
is in certain regions of the world. In Hermosillo, Sonora, this problem has worsened over the past fifteen years.
Purpose: To know the causes that limit water availability in Hermosillo, Sonora, and from this, propose actions
and measures to maintain and preserve the vital fluid.
Goal: To publicize the information on water availability in Hermosillo, Sonora, we will resort to create a
newspaper article and a poster. This article will be the product of the research done and the poster will represent
certain proposals that intended to help solve the problem.
Having defined the above, depending on the project presented, remember that with your teacher’s support,
you should consider what sources of information are available to develop the project, what activities to do, the
products created and the time needed to complete the project, for which you will develop a timetable, allowing you
to organize your work.
Assign each team an activity, including the development of the timetable to which all must stick to; we propose
one below.
Project Timetable
Activity Goal Duration
Look for maps of the locality in books, stationary shops, Internet, etc. Check cartographic information for reference. 1 session
Locate texts with geographic information in books, newspapers, etc. Compile reliable geographic data for the research.
Visit the local office of conagua or contact them by email. Get geographic information on water availability.
Contact the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (inegi). Collect precise information on the locality to verify what you obtained from other
sources. Make data tables if needed.
Present the materials collected to the class and discuss how to share the information. Select the information, organize it in a hierarchy and present it.
Develop the final products that will serve to publicize the results of the investigation. Create posters, brochures, banners, etc.
Total sessions
Having done that, divide the five activities among the same amount of teams and start working.
Development
Based on the justification of the topic, you will start analyzing the problem with your team members, formulating
questions and answering them over the course of the project.
• What is water availability?
• How is water availability measured per capita and what is it for?
96

• What is the availability of water in Mexico?

• What entities in the country have more or less water availability?
• Why is water availability low in Hermosillo, Sonora?
• Why is it important for Hermosillo, Sonora to have water availability?
• What alternatives have to be taken to maintain a good amount of water availability in that locality?
Once you’ve looked for information in different sources of reference such as books, websites, maps and
magazine and newspaper articles, among others, which provide solutions to the questions you developed, create
short summaries, maps, charts, graphs, posters, brochures, drawings, videos, photo albums and presentations. The
following was done in the case of the water availability problem in Hermosillo, Sonora.
Water is a natural component of great importance as it is a fundamental part of the structure of living things, it
influences the the distribution of water of life on Earth and the location of human settlements, and is a resource
that has been linked to the daily life and economic development.
However, distribution around the world is not uniform; therefore water availability is also uneven which leads
to a serious problem to develop productive activities and to meet the basic needs of the population (table 2.5).
Table 2.5 Water availability in certain countries of the world.

Category Availability m3/person/year Examples
High 10,000 or more Canada, Brazil
Average 5,001 to 10,000 United States of America
Low 1,001 to 5,000 Mexico, Turkey
Very low less than 1,000 North of Africa
Source: Human Development Report, United Nations Development Programme, 2013.
There are several ways to estimate water availability in a country or region, but is commonly assessed by the
volume of water per capita, which is simply calculated by dividing the natural availability of water (this is the
amount of water received by rain or snow minus the amount of water that plants evaporate or transpire) divided
by the total population.
To learn more
To review the basic concepts of water, in Mexico and the world, check the
following websites: Water advisory council, available at http://www.aguas.
org.mx/ (Retrieved on: October 5, 2015). Digital atlas of water, Mexico, 2012,
available at http://www.conagua.gob.mx/atlas/ (Retrieved on: October 5, 2015).
97

Unit II
Activity With your teacher’s guidance and with the

Table 2.6 Water availability by Hydrological-administrative region. support of the data presented in table 2.6,
Natural availability of calculate the water that Mexico and other
Administrative Population (millions of
hydrologic region
water (millions of hm3
people) in mid 2013
Water availability per capita regions of the country have. Write down the
per year) 2011
answers in the table and answer the questions
Northeast 8,324.9 2.76 below in your notebook.
Lerma-Santiago-Pacific 3,575.4 23.60 • What region has more availability per
capita?
North Gulf 28,114.6 5.19
• What regions have less than 5,000 m3/
Yucatan Peninsula 29,856.3 4.43
people/year?
South Border 163,845.5 7.48 • How do rainfall and population impact
Mexico 47,149.7 118.4 water availability to have more or less?
Source: conagua, 2014.
The average natural availability of water in Mexico is 476 km3 and the amount of water per inhabitant is
4,237 m3/year, even though in the interior of the country there are significant variations.
Map 2.20 Water availability by hydrological regions, 2014.
32°
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° Activity
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 32°
LEGEND Analyze map 2.20 in teams and answer the following questions.
Average natural availability • In what hydrological-administrative region is Sonora located?
G
per capita
• What water availability does it have?
ul
North East Extremely low

f
Very low
• What do you attribute this availability to?
of
28°
Low
28°
Ca
Average
Rio Grande High
li
Baja California
fo
Peninsula Very high

rn
North Central Now that you have a better panorama of water availability in Sonora,
ia
Basins
24° G u l f 24° we will discuss the situation of the town, which may well exemplify
Tropic of Cancer
23°27’ North Pacific
o f the case of much of the country and its water problems. Hermosillo
M e x i c o is the capital of Sonora and is located in a semi-desert area, which
North Gulf
has maximum temperatures above 30 °C, and in some cases, it can
P A C I F I C Lerma-Santiago-Pacific
20°
Valley of
20° reach 45 °C, so that in certain years rain may reach 600 mm in a year,
Mexico Yucatan
O C E A N Peninsula while in others it hardly reaches 200 mm per year; the latter makes the
Balsas Center
of the Gulf
natural availability of water difficult, causing a shortage of liquid, if we
BELIZE
1: 18 000 000 South Border
combine this with an accelerated increase in water demand resulting
16° South Pacific
16°
from population growth, there is a clear problem of water availability in
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92°
HONDURAS
88°
the city.
Source: conagua, 2014.
98

The main source of water in Hermosillo, Sonora are the aquifers in the region, which have been subject to
intense exploitation by the pumping for irrigation in agriculture, one of the most important economic activities
of the locality and the state, similarly, the severe droughts it goes through, not only in the locality, but in all of
Sonora, affect water availability and limit the production of sotckbreeding.
Competition for water between urban sectors (which is increasing), agriculture, livestock, industry and tourism,
can lead to tensions over this vital liquid for human consumption and productive activities.
Activity
Based on the previous information, write down the natural and human causes that intervene in the
scarce availability of water in Hermosillo, Sonora.
Fig. 2.32 A solution to the lack of water in Hermosillo

and other municipalities in Sonora is to build
a water desalination plant by the end of 2011,
which supplies water to the cities of Hermosillo,
Guaymas and Empalme primarily.
To revert the limited availability of water in Hermosillo and the entire state
of Sonora in recent years, there have been investments in infrastructure for water
management and to ensure its supply in the coming years (fig. 2.32), but the culture
of water preservation certainly needs to be strengthened among the population, since
there isn't a real culture to care for the vital liquid.
In your notebook, list at least 10 actions that the population and government
agencies can take to collaborate to reduce the lack of the resource and thus to improve
water availability in the locality.
Communication
Once you have collected the material, as a group and with your teacher’s support, each
team must present the information they collected: show the maps, graphs, tables and
images, read the notes and summaries, and together discuss the results of the research.
The teacher will lead the discussion so that all students can participate in an orderly
manner and everyone can express their opinion.
99

Unit II
In this stage of the project, you will present your research and possible solutions to your group and to
the school community through activities such as oral presentations, essays, debates, dramatization, forums,
conferences, round tables or other ways that you can think of, to communicate your research to your classmates
and the school in general.
For the case of the problem of water availability in Hermosillo, Sonora, you will create a newspaper article
that you will share with the community and a poster with actions to improve water availability, which will lead
you to create a campaign in school; photocopy enough articles to give out, talk to your teacher about the place
where you will place the posters, as well as the date and time to present your information to the group.
To write a newspaper article, consider the following:

• Do not write more than one page.
• Use an attractive and concise title.
• Include a photograph to go with the information.
And to create a poster, you must considered that it is very similar to an ad. It must include:
• An attractive or striking image that relates to the message you want to transmit.
• A strong statement that summarizes the campaign proposal it is part of.
Evaluation
After presenting the results of the research, we conducted a self-evaluation which allowed us to value the progress
of the geographic knowledge acquired through the project; we made a table like the one below:
I have difficulty I need help to

Aspect to evaluate I do it very well I do it well
doing it do it
problem.
I search different sources of information on water availability in
the world, in Mexico and in Hermosillo, Sonora.
I participate in the presentation of the results and conclusions of
the research.
It is important to note that self-evaluations help to improve the knowledge and be aware of how to learn better.
100

2. Which of the following options is an example of the relief

Evaluate what you learned formed in the continental plates when Earth’s internal
Evaluation of Unit II force act?
A) Trenches y ridges.
This evaluation will help you become familiar with standardized testing, an
B) Volcanoes and ridges.
experience you will have in middle school. Read every instruction carefully
and solve what is asked. C) Mountain ranges and volcanoes.
D) Lakes and rivers.
Use the following information to answer question 1.
Read the following text to answer question 3.
Earthquakes and seismic zones
Earthquakes are movements of Earth’s crust. The main seismic zones in the world
One of the properties of water is its large heat capacity. The warm currents to the
match the contours of the tectonic plates and the position of the active volcanoes
west of ocean basins, such as the Gulf Stream, can transport large amounts of energy
on Earth since the displacement, convergence or separation of the plates releases
in the form of heat towards the poles. On the other hand, cold currents, such as
a lot of energy that produces earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. The main seismic
the Labrador current, run down east of the poles, and help cool the tropics. Warm
belts in the world are: the Ring of Fire, the Alpide belt (Himalayas, Iran, Turkey,
currents, cause an increase in air temperature and higher concentration of water
Mediterranean Sea, south of Spain) and the mid-ocean ridge located in the middle
vapor in the atmosphere and thus increases the moisture. The cold currents decrease
of the Atlantic Ocean.
the air temperature and the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere, lowering
Source: Created by the author. humidity.
Deep Atlantic water starts south of Greenland where colder and salty waters sink
1. Why do the major seismic zones in the world match with the and move along the bottom and begin their journey to the south of the Atlantic. On
contours of the tectonic plates and with the position of the the other hand, superficial bodies of water have to replace water bodies that sink.
active volcanoes on Earth? In the northern hemisphere, mostly, they are replaced by the warm waters coming
A) Because they are movements of Earth’s crust. from the Gulf Stream. As a result, there is a global interconnection in the patters
B) Because seismic belts are formed. of ocean circulation. This complex link between ocean currents is known as the
C) Because earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur due to Ocean Conveyor Belt. But this connection is vulnerable and could be interrupted
the displacement, convergence or separation of the tectonic or change direction. It has been proved that they have caused global changes in
plates. weather patterns. These include changes in wind patterns, the retreat and advance
D) Because of the presence of mid-ocean ridge. of ice, precipitation fluctuations, among others. Therefore the permanence and
operation of this Ocean Conveyor Belt is necessary for the planet’s stability.
Fluctuations in the direction or speed of this current would have adverse effects.
Read the following text to answer question 2.
Some of the factors that could be affected are the fluctuations in the exchange of
oxygen and nutrients between the bodies of surface water and deep water. The
The appearance of Earth’s crust has changed over the centuries due to factors such
distribution and formation of the winds would be altered, and a modification in
as the erosion of rain and wind on rocks that have slowly modified it, by phenomena
global weather patterns would occur. On the other hand, the factors that would be
such as the eruption of a volcano or earthquakes that modify it violently and
affected in the short term would be the frequency and formation of hurricanes and
dramatically. The causes that provoke these changes can be internal or external.
the changes in time and space of the areas of drought and precipitation. All these
The internal causes are the forces that come from inside the earth, exert vertical
changes translate into an impact and deterioration of the patterns we know today,
and horizontal pressures, causing the crust to lift, sink and fold. External causes
consequently affecting the planet and the organisms that inhabit it.
occur outside the earth and cause the slow transformation of the relief: changes in
Adapted from: Jenine T. Ramírez. “Corrientes oceánicas” Revista de Investigación 360° (2), 2006.
temperature, rainfall, wind, mountain ice, man’s action, and so on. available at http://goo.gl/dycW2c (Retrieved on: October 5, 2015).
Source: Created by the author
101

Unit II
3. According to the text, what would happen if the direction of 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
the patterns of oceanic currents were interrupted or changed? 32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 32°
LEGEND
A) The flow of nutrients in the oceans would increase and there Af Tropical with rain
would more precipitations. all year
G
ul
Aw Tropical with rain
B) Earth’s stability would be affected and the organisms that
f
in summer
of
Cf Tropical with rain
inhabit it.
28° 28°
all year
Ca
C) The oceanic currents would change Earth’s thermostat.
Cw Temperate with rain
li
in summer
fo
D) Life on Earth would not be affected.
Cs Temperate with rain
rn
in winter
ia
BS Steppe dry
24° BW Desert dry
Read the following information to answer question 4.
24°
Tropic of Cancer
23°27’
G u l f
The Institute of International Renewable Resources invites you to the course: o f
RAINWATER COLLECTION. How to design and install rainwater systems in 20°
P A C I F I C M e x i c o 20°
Mexico City.
O C E A N
This course will cover the fundamentals of collecting rainwater, from the principles
that need to be taken into account, to designing a system and how to install it. It BELIZE
focuses on the particularities of Mexico City in order to enable the participants to 16°
1: 27 000 000
16°
install their own systems and thus combat the water crisis and protect themselves 0 270 540 km GUATEMALA
from shortages. It is ideal for builders, architects, students, homeowners, and 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92°
HONDURAS
88°
anyone living in an area that suffers from shortages.

The course ocuses on relatively simple systems that are easy to install highly Read the following text to answer question 6.
effective, tailored to the economic and architectural realities of our country, and to Why is Mexico a megadiverse country?
learn to collect rainwater. No previous experience required. Mexico is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, not
Source: Agua.org.mx, available at http://goo.gl/Rp9XhP (Retrieved on: October 5, 2015). only because it has a large number of species, but for its genetic diversity and
ecosystems. It occupies one of the first places in terms of the diversity of plants,
4. According to the text, what is the main objective sought for amphibians and reptiles. In Latin America, Mexico is one of the countries with
water use? the greatest diversity of vegetation types. Worldwide rivals in the same category,
A) Rainwater collection. are only China and India. It is also rich in aquatic ecosystems, in its little over 11
B) To train the participants to install their own systems. thousand kilometers of littoral, ecosystems may be entirely marine - such as coral
C) None. reefs, coastal lagoons or communities of seagrass - or where the brackish waters
D) Tackle the water crisis and protect ourselves from shortages. predominate, such as estuaries, where freshwater from the rivers confluences with
5. According to the map of the climates of Mexico on the right, salt seawater.
specify the nomenclature that corresponds to the following Source: ¿Y el medio ambiente? Problemas en México y el mundo, Sniarn-Semarnat, Mexico, 2007.
places in Mexico.
Mexico City A) Cf B) Cw C) Df D) BS 6. According to the text, in addition to the diversity of species,
animals and plants, Mexico is among the megadiverse
Hermosillo, Sonora A) BW B) Cs C) BS D) Af
countries, because of:
Tonala, Chiapas A) Cf B) Cw C) Aw D) BS A) its aquatic ecosystems.
Nuevo Laredo, Tamps. A) Cs B) BS C) Ct D) Df B) its richness in inland freshwater bodies.
C) its genetic and ecosystem diversity.
D) its artificial reservoirs.
102

With your teacher’s guidance, begin the evaluation session in the stages of self-evaluation and co-evaluation.
In this stage, you will identify the progress you made in terms of the In this second stage, you will evaluate your classmates’ performance
knowledge, skills, attitudes and values you acquired in Unit II. in Unit II; it you must do it in a fair, correct and specific manner, and
Identify the level of difficulty you faced with the situations listed in the always taking into account the attitudes your classmates had in the
To do so, mark the cell that corresponds to the performance mentioned
For me it was
by your classmates with a ✓.
Learn to: Very Not Very
easy Difficult that difficult Performance
difficult
Activity Very
Relate the distribution of seismic and volcanic Good Enough Unsatisfactory
good
regions in the world and in Mexico with Earth’s
tectonic plates. Individual presentation
Identify the structure and distribution of the Team presentation

continental and oceanic relief in the world and
in Mexico, based on the internal and external Round table or debate
dynamics of Earth.
Differentiate the importance of the distribution, Mapping

composition and dynamics of oceanic and
continental waters in the world and in Mexico. Poster creation
Distinguish the importance of water collection Creation of presentation material

in drainage basins, as well as water availability (slides, mockup, etc.)
in the world and in Mexico.
Relate elements and factors of the different
types of climates in the world and in Mexico.
Participation in the project
Value the importance of the geographic
conditions that favor biodiveristy in the world I accomplished the homework
and Mexico. activities on time.
Compare the results of your evaluation with the rest of your

classmates. Then, discuss with your teacher what aspects most of the Use the data collected to identify the areas you can improve, and write
group found to be the most difficult to develop and write them down in down in your notebook the aspects you need to correct to have a better
your notebooks. Lastly, listen carefully to the strategies that your teacher performance in the following activities.
suggests to deal with these difficulties and propose others to improve
your learning.
103

*Busy avenue in the city of Hong Kong.
104

Unit
Dynamics of the population
III
Core topic: Expected learning Content
Social and cultural • Growth and composition of the world population.
components Explain the social and economic implications • Population distribution in the world. Absolute population and population density.
of growth, composition and distribution of the • Concentration and dispersion of the population in the world and in Mexico.
Competence: population of the world and Mexico. • Social and economic implications of growth, composition and distribution of the
Appreciating social population of the world and Mexico.
and cultural diversity • Social, cultural and economic characteristics of rural and urban areas in the world and in
Identify the social, cultural and economic
Mexico.
interactions between the countryside and the
• Urbanization process in the world and in Mexico.
cities of the world and Mexico.
• Social, cultural and economic interactions between the rural of the world and Mexico.
• Poverty and marginalization of the population of the world and Mexico.
Analyze the social problems of the population
• Malnutrition and hunger of the population of the world and Mexico.
in the world and in Mexico.
• Discrimination and social injustice in the world and in Mexico.
• Migration trends in the world.
Analyze the social, cultural, economic and
• Major migration flows in the world.
political causes and consequences of
• Analyze the social, cultural, economic and political causes and consequences of
migration in Mexico.
migration in Mexico.
• Cultural diversity of the world population: traditional, contemporary and emerging
Appreciate cultural diversity in the world and
cultures.
in Mexico, as well as the importance of
• Multiculturalism as a current condition of the world and Mexico.
intercultural coexistence.
• Importance of intercultural coexistence.
Distinguish factors that influence the changes • Cultural homogenization trends influenced by advertising in the media.
in the cultural manifestations of the population • Changes in the cultural manifestations of the population of the world and Mexico.
of the world and Mexico • Importance of local cultures facing processes of cultural homogenization.
Case study: The population in poverty in the Northern Sierra of Puebla.
105

Unit III
Social and economic implications of growth, composition and distribution of the

population of the world and Mexico
Show what you know Chart 3.1 According to the United Nations, the world population will exceed
9,725,000 people by 2050.
Activity
In this unit, you will study the main characteristics of the population, Millions
9 725
10,000
both globally and nationally. In teams of three, discuss and answer 9,000
the following questions:
1. Do you think that the population grows equally in all regions 7 758
8,000
and countries? Why? Millions of people

7 349
7,000
Projected
2. What determines the population to settle in a specific place? 6 126
6,000
5 309
5,000
3. What is the main problem: the increase in world population or 4 439
how it is distributed? 3 682 4,000
With your teacher’s guidance, compare your answers with the 2 525
3,000
group and identify the ones that are closest to being correct. 2,000
Visit the websites http:// www.worldometers.info/es or http://www.
1 613
poodwaddle.com/clocks/worldclockes (Retrieved on: October 6, 2015) 968 1,000
to know the current population of the world, including those who

429 458
152 250 205 257
Years 0
are born every day. -400 0 500 1000 1300 1500 1800 1900 1950 1970 1980 1990 2000 2015 2020 2050
Source: un, 2015.

Growth and composition of the world population
Chart 3.1 shows that the population growth remained moderate until the nineteenth century, there were even periods
when the population decreased as a result of war, famine and, above all, epidemics and pandemics. In the same
chart, you can see that from the second half of the twentieth century, the world population began to grow rapidly:
Glossary from 2,519,000 people in 1950 to 7,349,000 in 2015 due to improving life conditions, breakthroughs in health and
Epidemic. Disease that spreads rapidly food production, which decreased the number of deaths and increased the number of years people lived.
among the population, infecting a large Even though in the last 60 years the population growth in the world has dramatically increased, it should be
number of people in a region, state or noted that this increase has not been uniform across all regions and countries, because as shown in table 3.1, the
country. When it spreads beyond the borders less developed regions have registered further population growth, while those living in more developed regions
of a country, it is called a pandemic.
have maintained a stable and moderate growth.
106

Activity Table 3.1 Growth of world population by regions, 1950-2020.

To learn the differences in population growth between various regions of the world, Population of the Population of the
in pairs, calculate the percentage of the population of the less developed and more Year less developed % more developed %
developed regions with regard to the world total for each year (table 3.1); write down regions regions
the result in the corresponding column. To do this, first obtain the total population 1950 1,712,161,000 67.8 812,989,000
of the world for each year by adding the population of the more developed regions 1960 2,103,393,000 914,951,000
with that of the less developed regions. Then, apply a rule of three to calculate the 1970 2,674,806,000 1,007,682,000
percentage represented by the population of each region in the corresponding year. 1980 3,357,789,000 1,081,844,000
Look at the example of the year 1950. 1990 4,165,205,000 1,144,463,000
2000 4,937,810,000 1,188,812,000
If 2,525,150,000 people are equivalent to 100%, then 1,712,161,000 people 2010 5,696,349,000 1,233,376,000
are equal to x%. Multiply 1,712,161,000 by 100 and and divide it 2020* 6,491,797,000 1,266,360,000
by 2,525,150,000. The result is 67.8%.
Source: un, 2015.
*Note: The figures for 2020 are estimates.
Table 3.2 Evolution of the population of Mexico, 1521-2020.

Meanwhile, Mexico has experienced rapid population growth in Year Total population Year Total population Year Total population
the last 65 years mainly due to: 1) the idea that having more children 1521 9,120,000 1910 15,160,369 1980 66,846,833
represented a larger number of hands to work, and 2) the policies of 1795 5,200,000 1921 14,334,780 1990 81,249,645
the federal, state and municipal governments to populate uninhabited 1810 6,122,354 1930 16,552,722 2000 97,483,412
areas. Even if the data in table 3.2 is compared to that of table 3.1, 1830 7,996,000 1940 19,653,552 2005 103,263,388
you will see that from 1950 to 2015, the Mexican population almost 1857 8,287,413 1950 25,791,017 2010 112,336,538
fivefold, while the world population, in that same period, only grew 1900 13,607,272 1960 34,923,129 2015* 121,020,296
2.9 times. 1910 15,160,369 1970 48,225,238 2020* 127,555,761
Source: iis-unam, 1961; inegi, 2015 and; conapo, 2015.
*Note: The figures for 2015 and 2020 are estimates.
Composition of the population Chart 3.2a Population pyramid of the world, 2015. Chart 3.2b Population pyramid of the world, 2050.
Age Age
Understanding how the structure of the 100 +
95-99
100 +
95-99
population is conformed by age and sex 90-94
85-89
90-94
85-89
Men Women
allows us to identify and meet its needs 80-84
75-79
80-84
75-79
Men Women
70-74
in a specific place, region or territory, in 65-69
60-64
70-74
65-69
terms of education, housing, food, health,

60-64
55-59
50-54 55-59
50-54
employment, recreation, and so on. 45-49
40-44 45-49
35-39 40-44
In order to know the structure of the 30-34
25-29
35-39
30-34
population by age and sex, we can use 20-24
15-19
25-29
20-24
an instrument called population pyramid, 10-14

5-9
15-19
10-14
0-4
which graphically represents the number 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
5-9
0-4
of inhabitants by age and sex groups found Millions 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
2015 (7,349,472,000 people) Millions
in a specific moment, whether it be global, 2050 (9,725,148,000 people, estimated figure)
107 Source: un, 2015.

Unit III
regional, national, state, municipal or local. For example, if you look closely at the population pyramids of the world estimated for 2015 and
2050 (charts 3.2 a and b), you will distinguish how after a few decades, the younger population groups (0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 years) will no
longer be predominant, since the age groups 20-24, 25-29, 30-34 and 35-39 years will be the majority, which will mean an increased demand
for job opportunities and health services, housing and leisure.
Activity
Individually, identify the four main population pyramids. In charts 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6, assign the number of the corresponding paragraph
according to the characteristics described. With your teacher’s guidance, check your answers with the rest of the group.
1 Expansive pyramids 2 Constrictive pyramids 3 Stationary pyramids 4 Asymmetric pyramids

Wide base and narrow top, they Very narrow base and wide They display a similar number With an age or gender group
represent a large number of peak known as “inverted,” which of people in most age groups that stands out compared to others,
infants and youngsters; which we can determine by show an (except for the ends), which shows they reveal intense movement
is related to a low elderly aging population that is not being a balance between births and of people that attract or expel a
population and high mortality; renewed, which implies a series of deaths. An example of this type determined population group; this
they are typical of African social and economic problems; this of pyramids is a country from the is the case of a country located in
countries. is the case of an island country in North American region. the Persian Gulf or in Asia.
Asia.
100 + 100 +
95-99 95-99
90-94
90-94
85-89
85-89
80-84 Women
Men Women 80-84 Men
75-79
70-74 75-79
65-69 70-74
60-64 65-69
55-59 60-64
50-54 55-59
45-49 50-54
40-44
45-49
Chart 3.3 Population pyramid of

35-39
Chart 3.4
40-44
30-34
25-29
35-39
20-24
15-19
the United States of America, 30-34
25-29 Population
10-14
5-9 2015. 20-24
15-19 pyramid of
0-4
Japan, 2015.
10-14
15 000 10 000 5 000 0 5 000 10 000 15 000 5-9
0-4
6 000 4 000 2 000 0 2 000 4 000 6000
90+
85-89
80-84
75-79 90+
85-89
70-74 Men Women
80-84
65-69
75-79
60-64 70-74 Women
Men
55-59 65-69
Chart 3.5 Population pyramid

50-54 60-64
45-49 55-59 Chart 3.6
of Angola, 2015.
50-54
40-44
35-39
45-49
40-44
Population pyramid
30-34
25-29
35-39 of the United Arab
30-34
20-24 25-29 Emirates, 2015.
15-19 20-24
10-14 15-19
10-14
Source: un, 2015.
5-9
5-9
0-4
0-4
1 500 1 000 500 0 500 1 00 1 500 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300
108

Activity
What population pyramid does Mexico have? In pairs and with your teacher’s guidance, identify the main features of the
composition of the population of Mexico, based on the data in table 3.3. Then, answer the following questions in your notebook.
Table 3.3 Population pyramid of Mexico, 2014.

1. What sex is the majority and by
Men Age,groups Women Population,pyramid,of,Mexico,2014
how much? Add up the columns of
men and women and determine the 221,182 85-89, years 290,966
difference with a subtraction. 417,624 80-84, years 515,730
655,637 75-79, years 779,417
2. What are the two main groups that
945,340 70-74, years 1,093,562
have the greatest number of people
1,295,373 65-69, years 1,462,669
by age? To determine this, add the
1,738,832 60-64, years 1,938,207
total number of men with the total
number of women in each range. 2,237,077 55-59, years 2,494,309
2,733,252 50-54, years 3,043,768
3. What is the predominant sex in the 3,289,014 45-49, years 3,643,801
first age groups (0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and
3,770,800 40-44, years 4,187,559
15-19 years)?
4,073,288 35-39, years 4,553,212
When you are finished, suggest two 4,295,116 30-34, years 4,767,086
main needs that must be covered 4,651,468 25-29, years 5,010,274
for the population groups with the 5,220,903 20-24, years 5,375,712
greatest number of people. 5,634,049 15-19, years 5,538,521
5,734,709 10-14, years 5,515,284
5,732,886 05-09, years 5,478,077
5,661,598 00-04, years 5,402,008
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Men Women
(Thousands of people)
Source: conapo, 2015.
Get Connected
In pairs, go to the website “Cuéntame INEGI” available at http://goo.gl/nlGPy
(Retrieved on: September 25, 2015), to review how the composition of Mexico’s population
from 1940 to 2010 has changed.
109

Unit III
Distribution of the population in the world. Absolute population and population density
After you’ve learned how the structure of the Map 3.1 Countries with the highest population density in the world, 2015.
population is composed by age and sex in the 90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120°
ARCTIC OCEAN
150° 180°
90°
world and in Mexico, let’s analyze how the

population of the world is distributed. In Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
unit I (page 12), you learned that one of 60° 60°
the characteristics of the geographic

space is the distribution of its natural A T L A N T I C
and human components and that it 30° O C E A N 30°
can be explained in three different Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ P A C I F I C
ways: by density, by concentration O C E A N
and dispersion or by patterns.

Therefore, it is important to 0° Equator
P A C I F I C
0°
note that the countries with the O C E A N 1 032.5

greatest number of people are
not necessarily the most
I N D I A N
densely populated. What does this
30° 30°
A T L A N T I C
O C E A N
mean? Let’s see the difference between O C E A N LEGEND
absolute and relative population. Pop/km 2
More than 300

• The absolute population is the total 60° 75-299 60°
1: 228 000 000 25-74
number of inhabitants of a country,
0-24
0 2 280 4 560 km
state, municipality or locality.
• The relative population or population 90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90° Source: un, 2015.
density is the number of inhabitants
Table 3.4 Countries with the largest population in the world and their relative population, 2015.
of a territory per square kilometer,
Relative Relative
and is obtained by dividing the Absolute Surface Absolute Surface
Country population Country population
absolute population by the size of population (km 2
) population (km 2
)
(pop./km2) (pop./km2)
the territory and is expressed as: China 1,376,049,000 9,596,960 Nigeria 182,202,000 923,768
inhabitants per square kilometer India 1,311,051,000 3,287,263 Bangladesh 160,996,000 148,460 1,084.4
(pop/km2). USA 321,774,000 9,826,675 Russia 143,457,000 17,098,242
Indonesia 257,564,000 1,904,569 Mexico 127,017,000 1,964,375
Brazil 207,848,000 8,515,770 Japan 126,573,000 377,915
Pakistan 188,925,000 796,095 Philippines 100,699,000 300,000
Source: un, 2015 and WORLD FACT BOOK, 2015.
Activity Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015.
In pairs, discuss table 3.4 that shows the 12 most populated countries write down the result in the table and on map 3.1. Look at the
in the world, including Mexico. To find out which countries are the example of Bangladesh.
most densely populated, determine their relative population and With your teacher’s help, review your answers.
110

In the case of Mexico, the distribution of absolute and relative population by federal entity also shows
significant differences. Discover them in the following activity.
Activity
In pairs, calculate the population percentage for each federal entity with regard to the national total based on the information in table 3.5; then,
obtain the population density of each entity and represent it on a map of Mexico, coloring each entity according to the ranges in the legend.
Then discuss with your partner: what are the three entities with the highest and lowest population density? After discussing, with your teacher’s
guidance, compare your conclusions with those of your classmates.
Range Color Absolute Surface Relative population Federal Absolute Surface Relative population
Federal Entity % %
1,001 pop/km2 and more population (km2) (pop/km2) Entity population (km2) (pop/km2)
From 201 to 1,000 pop/km2 Aguascalientes 1,287,660 5,618 Morelos 1,920,350 4,893
From 101 to 200 pop/km2 Baja California 3,484,150 71,446 Nayarit 1,223,797 27,825
From 51 to 100 pop/km2
Baja California Sur 763,929 73,922 Nuevo Leon 5,085,848 64,222
Campeche 907,878 57,924 Oaxaca 4,012,295 93,793
From 0 to 50 pop/km2
Chiapas 5,252,808 73,289 Puebla 6,193,836 34,292
Chihuahua 3,710,129 247,514 Queretaro 2,004,472 11,684
Coahuila 2,960,681 151,563 Quintana Roo 1,574,824 42,361
Colima 723,455 5,625 San Luis Potosi 2,753,478 60,982
Federal District 8,854,600 1,486 Sinaloa 2,984,571 57,377
Durango 1,764,726 123,444 Sonora 2,932,821 179,503
Table 3.5 Mexico: Absolute and State of Mexico 16,870,388 22,357 Tabasco 2,383,900 24,737
relative population by federal entity Guanajuato 5,817,614 30,608 Tamaulipas 3,543,366 80,175
and percentage of the population Guerrero 3,568,139 63,620 Tlaxcala 1,278,308 3,991
by entity with regard to the national Hidalgo 2,878,369 20,842 Veracruz 8,046,828 71,823
total, 2015. Jalisco 7,931,267 78,609 Yucatan 2,118,762 39,612
Michoacan 4,596,499 58,644 Zacatecas 1,576,068 75,520
Source: conapo, 2015; and inegi, 2015.
Concentration and dispersion of the population in the world and Mexico

If you look at map 3.2 on the next page, you will distinguish, on the one hand, that the population is concentrated
in certain regions, forming large urban agglomerations; on the other, it is scattered over wide areas of the world,
creating demographic gaps; that is, sparsely populated areas where only 2% of the world population lives. In
general, these correspond to jungles, deserts, mountaintops, polar, arid or very humid regions.
Certain population patterns can be explained by two main criterion:
1. The climate, because humans prefer to settle in temperate regions, away from places with extreme conditions.
2. Residential areas, because based on the development of the industry, in the mid-nineteenth century, the
population settled in the cities and left the countryside. Compare map 3.2 with the maps of climates and urban
agglomeration on pages 84 and 110.
111

Unit III
Map 3.2 Distribution of the world population. 90°

180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
135° 180°
90°
75° 75°
Source: Dahlman and Renwick, Introduction to Geography, 2015. Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015. 60°

Moscow
60°
London
45° 3 45°
Beijing
New York
Los Angeles
4 ATLANTIC Tokyo
30° El Cairo 1 30°
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ OCEAN
Mexico City
P A C I F I C
15° Bombay 2 O C E A N
15°
0° Equator 0°
P A C I F I C
Jakarta
O C E A N
15° I N D I A N 15°
Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’ Rio de Janeiro O C E A N

30° Johannesburg 30°
Sydney
Buenos Aires
ATLANTIC
45° 45°
OCEAN
LEGEND
60° More populated regions 60°
1: 228 000 000 Each dot represents
100,000 people
75° 75°
0 2280 4560 km
90° 90°
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
Map 3.3 Distribution of the population in Mexico.

116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

5 5 100° 32°
3
5
G
ul
f
of
20° 20°
28° 28°
Ca
li
fo
rn
4
ia
2 In Mexico, as in other countries, the population tends

1
24°
Tropic of Cance
100° 24° to settle in regions close to the natural resources (water,
r 23°27’
fertile soils, minerals, among others) or that have certain
G u l f
environmental conditions (temperate climate, flat relief, coastal
3 o f
4 areas, etc.). However, other historical, political, cultural, and
20° M e x i c o 20° above all, social factors, have influenced people’s decisions to
P A C I F I C
settle in specific areas of our country; this is the case of urban
4
O C E A N 2 or cities (map 3.3).
BELIZE
Caribbean
LEGEND Sea
16° 1: 24 000 000 16°
More populated regions 4
0 240 480 km
Gulf GUATEMALA
of
HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100°
Tehuantepec
96° 92° 88°
Source: conapo, 2011.
112

Activity
In pairs and based on map 3.3, write down in the boxes of the table, (maps 2.6 and 2.12, pages 67 and 77). In your notebooks, write down
the number that corresponds to the most populated regions of the the relationships you identify; when you are finished, discuss the
national territory. Then, associate these regions with the geographic situations you identified with your group.
distribution of the types of relief and drainage basin in the country
Region No. Region No. Region No. Region No. Region No.
Central East (includes the entities Central West (comprises the North East (includes parts Northern border Metropolitan areas (it
of the Federal District, State of entities of Jalisco, Michoacan, of the federal entities of (corresponds to Ciudad is the case of Torreon,
Mexico, Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Queretaro, Guanajuato and Nuevo Leon, Coahuila and Juarez, Tijuana and Merida, Acapulco and
Morelos and Veracruz). Aguascalientes). Tamaulipas). Mexicali). Villahermosa).
Social and economic implications of growth, composition and distribution of

the population of the world and Mexico
The increase in the world’s population has not been uniform, because as you saw in the
population pyramids (page 108), there are countries with a large number of births per year, which
implies that their governments seek to meet the needs of the children and youth sectors, for
example: vaccination campaigns, building schools and family planning programs, such as those
made in most African countries and in several others in Asia and Oceania.
Conversely, other nations direct their efforts to the adult population, such as the creation
of jobs and housing in Latin American countries. Even countries that face the problem of an
aging population (fig. 3.1) encourage the arrival of foreigners or motivate, through economic
and social stimuli, young families to have more children, because a large part of its population
is made up of adults and the elderly, which could create a serious problem regarding the labor
required by the different productive sectors, in addition to the difficulty of providing all services
to that segment of society.
With regards to the distribution of the world population, in map 3.2 (page 112), the high
concentration of inhabitants in certain regions and places is evident, as occurs on the banks of
lakes and river, for example. In general, people prefer to settle in coastal areas or areas that have
temperate climate, in plateaus and plains and, especially, in cities and ports, which creates large
Fig. 3.1 One of the problems arising from the low number of births in
developed countries like Japan is that the population is aging and is not
renewed.
113

Unit III
urban agglomerations where traffic, overcrowding, poverty, the pressure on natural resources
and pollution worsens (fig. 3.2).
In contrast, there are large uninhabited regions in the world, where the dispersion of the
population makes the provision of infrastructure (roads, electricity, drinking water, drainage,
etc.) and attention to basic services (health, food, education and employment) difficult for
those who inhabit these places, resulting, on one hand, in a progressive deterioration of
their living conditions, and, on the other, in abandoning their homes, increasing flows in
the movement of the population in order to change residence (migration), mainly from the
countryside to the cities, and causing great imbalances between the regions of a country, or
tensions in the relations with other nations.
In the case of Mexico, the steady population growth during the twentieth century,
particularly from 1950 to 2015 (table 3.2, page 107), caused the number of inhabitants in the
country to increase almost fivefold during that period, a situation that alerted the Mexican
government, which is why it established population policies aimed at family planning, as
Fig. 3.2 Kibera is an informal settlement (known as slum) in Nairobi, Kenya; shown by the phrase that has lasted since the 1970s until today and that promotes birth control:
about 2.5 million people live there in conditions of severe poverty. “A small family lives better.”
Regarding the composition of the population in
Mexico, if you look over the population pyramid
you created (on page 109), you will notice that
Mexico is a country of young people (fig. 3.3),
which represents a number of challenges for the
government at federal, state and municipal levels,
both to provide adequate food, education and
health services, as well as to implement sports,
cultural and recreational activities programs.
Likewise, it is necessary to create a sufficient
number of jobs and homes that these youngsters
Fig. 3.3 The child and adolescent population is a dependent group that, Fig. 3.4 The aging population is considered unproductive; a will require when they become adults; without
by law, should not be working. In the picture, girls and boys of the misconception, for their wisdom and experience are important guides neglecting the attention that today’s adult
Mixtec region of Oaxaca. for society. In the picture, a council of elders in the Cora region of
Nayarit.
population deserves; they are the main economic
engine of the country, as well as the elderly (fig.
3.4), who we must respect and value for their
dedicated and continuous effort to build our
country.
114

Activity
With the information reviewed until now, form teams and identify a down the economic and social problems they face. With your teacher’s
region with high population growth and another one with low growth. guidance, compare your results with those of the group and discuss
In your notebooks, make a table like the one below, where you write the possible solutions.
Region with high population growth Region with low population growth
Social problems
Economic problems
Then, research the challenges and opportunities that Mexican population pyramid (that you made on page 109). Present your
society will face in the coming decades according to the current results to the group in a plenary.
To learn more
The National Population Council (conapo) is the institution responsible for demographic planning in the
country. It aims to promote higher birth control especially among young people. For homework, go to the
website “Planificanet” available at http://www.plani canet.gob.mx (Retrieved on: September 25, 2015),
choose a section and write down the main ideas in your notebook. Present your results to the class and
listen carefully and respectfully to what the others did. Then, watch the video “Sobrepoblación” on the
official Telesecundaria channel available at https://goo.gl/rhyQaB (Retrieved on: September 25, 2015) and
create a mental map of the factors that favor overpopulation and its consequences. Present your results to
the class.
115

Unit III
Social, cultural and economic interactions between the countryside

and cities of the world and Mexico
Show what you know
In Unit I you learned that diversity is a fundamental
feature of the geographic space, that is, that there are
differences in quantity, attributes and organization of the
various natural, social, economic, cultural and political
components that comprise it. An example of this diversity
are the contrasts between the countryside (rural areas) and
the city (urban areas). It is worth mentioning that there is
no general consensus on the number of inhabitants that
a human settlement must concentrate to be considered a
city, a situation we will discuss later on; for now, we say it
is more convenient to distinguish the urban from the rural Fig. 3.6 The Valley of the Yaqui in Sonora,
Fig. 3.5 Bangkok, Thailand. Mexico.
due to a number of features of the territory, so we will use
the concept of landscape, a category of analysis of the
geographic space that you learned in previous topics. To
better understand it, do the following activity.
Activity
In pairs, read that are presented and identify which correspond to an urban
space and which to a rural one. Then observe figs. 3.5, 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8 and
according to the components you identify, write down the number in each
image corresponding to the features that describe the landscape. Fig. 3.7 Central Bohemian Region,
Czech Republic.
Ideas on urban and rural spaces
1. L andscape where there is a high concentration of people is observed and trade and services are
preferably developed.
2. L andscape where low population densities are seen, and agricultural, stockbreeding, forestry
and fisheries dominate.
3. L andscape where an abundance of housing projects, highways, bridges, shopping centers,
entertainment and government and business headquarters are evidently abundant.
4. L andscape with scarce and scattered presence of houses and buildings, with vast spaces where
nature can be contemplated.
When you are finished, with your teacher’s help, confirm your answers and
correct them if necessary. Fig. 3.8 Istanbul, Turkey.
116


Social, cultural and economic characteristics of rural and urban areas in the world and in Mexico
As you saw in the previous page, there is no single, universal definition of urban or rural space,
since each country or group of countries set their own criteria, whether demographic, political or
economic. In some European countries, like the Czech Republic, a city is an agglomeration of more
than five thousand inhabitants, as long as the population dedicated to agriculture does not exceed
25% of the total, while in Brazil the small towns are only called cities because they are the capitals
of the municipality or district. In the case of Mexico, INEGI states that areas are considered urban
when they exceed 2,500 people.
Thus, it is more convenient to differentiate urban from rural through a series of social, cultural
and economic features that identify them; for example, in the cities there are shopping malls,
factories, buildings, streets, huge housing complexes equipped with infrastructure, such as running
water, drainage, electricity, telephone and other services. It is also common to see a lot of schools,
museums and people of diverse religions and customs, in addition to streets with heavy traffic
of vehicles; many people in a hurry, great shows and entertainment centers, small families and availability of Fig. 3.9 Inhabitants of Bougainville Island in Papua
New Guinea.
cutting edge health services. In the city, the natural components have been modified and are integrated into the
urban landscape; therefore, going to zoos or parks, having pets or activities - such as gardening - are some of the
possibilities that people have when living with these components.
In contrast, in rural areas, economic characteristics are shaped by farming, fishing, stockbreeding and forestry
activities. There is lower population and housing density, the pace of life is more quiet and peaceful, with the
possibility that its inhabitants know each other, and it is easier to be in contact with nature. In addition, in rural
areas, people tend to preserve their customs and traditions, a fact that provides security and a sense of belonging
and identity in relation to where they live (fig. 3.9).
Urbanization process in the world and in Mexico Chart 3.7 Evolution of the urban population in the world,
According to the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), in 2008, the world 1950-2030.
population became predominantly urban when 6,750 million people inhabited the % Urban population % Rural population
planet, for the first time, more than half (3,400 million people) lived in cities. In chart 80
71%
3.7, the evolution of the urban and rural population in the world is shown over the 70
63%
61%
60
last 60 years as well as the projection for 2030, the year it is expected to reach almost 5 50 47%
53% 51% 49% 53%
47%
billion new urban dwellers. 40

37% 39%
29%
Among the reasons for the steady increase in urban population, especially in less 30
20
developed regions are, abandoning the countryside due to low income, lack of jobs 10
other than agriculture, and the pursuit of better education and health, as well as other 0
1950 1975 2000 2008 2015 2030
types of political, social and cultural expectations, that are frequently not met. Source: un, 2015
117

Unit III
Activity Map 3.4 Percentage of urban population in the world, 2015.

180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90° 90°
To locate the countries that stand out for their share of

ARCTIC OCEAN
urban population, in pairs and based on table 3.6, locate Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
the countries on map 3.4 and write down their names

60° 60°
and percentages of urban population. Then, choose three

of them and search in the library, on the Internet, in
A T L A N T I C
30° O C E A N 30°
newspapers or magazines, data that indicates the Tropic of Cancer 23°27’

P A C I F I C
decade where their population started to increase and O C E A N
explain the causes. 0° Equator 0°
With your teacher’s guidance, present your P A C I F I C
conclusions to the group and correct if necessary.

O C E A N
I N D I A N
O C E A N
30° A T L A N T I C 30°
O C E A N
LEGEND
% Urban population
Source: un, 2015. From 80.0 to 100 From 20.0 to 39.9
Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015. 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ 1: 228 000 000 From 60.0 to 79.9 From 00.0 to 19.9
60°
From 40.0 to 69.9

0 2 280 4 560 km
90° 90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Table 3.6 Percentage of urban population in the world, by selected countries, 2015.
Papua
New Uruguay India
COUNTRY Mexico Nigeria China Romania Zealand Ukraine Namibia New Singapore UK Libya Nauru USA Russia Cuba Turkey Oman Ethiopia
Guine
% URBAN POP. 79% 18.5 54.4 54.4 86.3 95.2 32.4 69.5 45.7 13 100 82.3 78.4 100 81.4 73.9 77 72.9 77.2 19.0
Source: un, 2015.
At present, four out of five inhabitants in Mexico, live in an urban location, and only a fifth of
the population (around 25 million people) live in one of the 200,000 rural towns with less than
2,500 inhabitants.
The distribution of the urban population in Mexico is irregular (map 3.5), which is due to the
influence of physical, social and economic factors. Among the physical factors, latitude, altitude,
topography, the proximity to bodies of water (rivers and lakes) and coasts, as well as the climate,
stand out. In the case of socio-economic factors, the functions that certain urban areas have
to attract employment, trade centers, municipal or state capitals, tourist destinations, access to
border crossings or centers of cultural diffusion, stand out.
118

Map 3.5 Percentage of urban population in Mexico, 2015. Now, let us specify certain fundamental concepts associated with
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
urbanization in the world and in Mexico.
100° 32° Conurbation is the process by which cities of different sizes
(small, medium and large), and their peripheries, or the edges or
margins of the latter, have joined others to bring about a continuous
G
ul
28°
f
of 20° 20° urbanized area, such as the Rhine-Ruhr conurbation in Germany.
28°
Usually, the conurbation factor is a communication channel, such
Ca
li
as roads, railways and, in some cases, rivers or canals that connect

fo
rn
two or more locations. When the conurbation reaches an exceptional

ia
24°
Tropic of Cancer
23°27’
100° 24°
territorial extension beyond the limits of the municipalities, states
G u l f
and even countries, a megalopolis is formed, like the northeastern
o f
United States of America. The term megacity refers to urban areas
20°
LEGEND
Percentage of urban M e x i c o 20° with more than five million inhabitants.
population in 2000
85 - 100
70 - 84.9
55 - 69.9 BELIzE
40 - 54.9 1: 27 000 000
16° 16°
28 - 39.9
0 270 540 km Gulf GUATEMALA
of
Source: inegi and conapo, 2015.
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015.
Activity Map 3.6 Major urban agglomerations in the world, 2015.

In order for you to identify the main urban centers in 180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
the world, in pairs and in a table, as the one below, 75° 75°
write down the number of inhabitants of each of the 60° 60°
megacities indicated on map 3.6. Look at the Tokyo London

example. Then, select two of them and search in the 45°
New York 21.9
14.3
Beijing 20.7
Seoul 24.3
45°
library or on the Internet about the problems they 30° Los Angeles
17.5 AT L AN T I C
Delhi 26.0
Shangai 30.4
Tokyo 39.5
30°
face and create a poster that has text, images Cairo Osaka
Karachi Dacca 17.8
O C EAN 16.7 24.0 17.3 Guagzhou 46.9
and mapping. With your teacher’s guidance, 15°
Mexico City Mumbai
Calcutta
15.9 Manila PACIFIC
15°
present your work to the rest of your classmates. 0° 22.5 23.0 23.1
OCEAN
0°
Lagos
16.8
Jakarta
P A C I F I C 27.7
15° Sao Paolo 21.8
INDIAN 15°
Megacity Inhabitants OCEAN
O C E A N Rio de Janeiro
Tokyo (Japan) 39.5 million 30°
12.7
LEGEND 30°
A TL A N TI C
Buenos Aires Large agglomerations
15.9 OCEAN (millions of people)
45° 45°
More than 20
60° 60°
1: 290 000 000 From 15 to 19
From 10 to 14
75° 0 2 900 5 800 km 75°
Source: Major urban agglomerations in the world, Brinkhoff, 2015.
Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015. 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135°
119

Unit III
On map 3.7 you will notice that there are cities in Map 3.7 Mexico’s major metropolitan areas, 2015.
Mexico with several million people, from the colossal 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
urban concentrations of Mexico City, Guadalajara and 32°

Mexicali
Monterrey, to cities with a million and 3 million people, Tijuana

Ciudad Juarez
like Puebla, Toluca, Tijuana, Leon, Ciudad Juarez and La
Laguna, the latter includes the cities of Gomez Palacio
G
ul
and Lerdo in Durango, and Torreon and Matamoros in
f
of
20° 20°
28°
Coahuila. Currently, the country has 59 metropolitan Valley of Mexico 28°
Ca
areas, with a total of around 70 million inhabitants, which
li
Toluca
fo
represent about 60% of the total population of the country Puebla-Tlaxcala
rn
La Laguna
ia
and over 86% of the national urban population; as a whole, Monterrey
this population segment comprises 79% of the wealth 24°

Tropic of Cance
100° 24°
generated in Mexico.
r 23°27’
Aguascalientes G u l f
PACIFI C León o f
M e x i c o
OCEAN
Activity
Merida
20° Valley of Mexico
Guadalajara 20°
LEGEND
In pairs, identify some of the major metropolitan areas Size of the locality
(millions of people) Toluca
of Mexico based on the information in table 3.7 and
Puebla-Tlaxcala
map 3.7. In the library or on the Internet, search for

19 and more BELIZE
representative images of three of these metropolitan

Caribbean
1.0 to 18.9 Sea
16° 1: 24 000 000 16°
areas and glue them on a poster to make a collage. less than 1.0
0 240 480 km
G u lf GUATEMALA
With your teacher’s guidance, explain the differences

of
T e h u a n te p e c HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
you found in the selected areas to your classmates.
Table 3.7 Mexico’s major metropolitan areas, 2015 and 2020.
Metropolitan 2015 2020 Social, cultural and economic interactions between the rural and urban
areas (inhabitants) (inhabitants)
Valley of Mexico 21,339,781 22,086,499 population of the world and Mexico
Guadalajara 4,796,050 5,066,976
Monterrey 4,477,614 4,788,437
Throughout the previous topics, it has been shown that the tendency of the population
Puebla-Tlaxcala 2,954,767 3,101,539 is to live in cities, at a global and national scale, leading to a series of social, cultural and
Toluca 2,189,481 2,359,883 economic interactions between them and the rural areas.
Tijuana 1,938,597 2,080,191 Economic growth is pursued in the cities; there are also centers of innovation and
Leon 1,714,464 1,783,951 technological development, places where planning gets done and decisions are made, and
Ciudad Juarez 1,423,166 1,488,357
where social and cultural movements are frequently carried out.
La Laguna 1,313,161 1,383,303
Merida 1,064,114 1,131,784 Likewise, the rural population plays an essential role in the lives of people that live in
Mexicali 1,025,740 1,091,604 cities because, for generations, much of it has been dedicated to agriculture, livestock,
Aguascalientes 1,016,592 1,081,321 fishing and food production practices. In addition, people from rural areas are involved in
Source: conapo, 2015. Estimates.
the construction of highways, dams, bridges and other infrastructure works, as well as to
120

their valuable contribution to culture through the traditions and customs that they still
practice and so fiercely protect.
However, the cities that have grown uncontrollably are also dangerous sources of
Using videos , get one of
environmental pollution and scenarios of severe contradictions and social inequalities. h of cities in the world
To reflect on the growt ur tea che r to pro ject it in
d ask yo
The cultural role of cities, their political power, the prospect of a better education, the suggested films an
but above all, the hope of finding employment and higher incomes, have become the media room. 8.
. Dir. Danny Boyle, 200
important factors that attract the rural population, a situation that has intensified the • Slumdog millionaire arc hli gh t Pic tures.
. Fo x Se
Duration: 120 min o Meireilles,
depopulation of the countryside and the abandonment of economic activities that take de Deus). Dir. Fernand
• City of God (Cidade ms .
. Miramax Fil
place in it. 2002. Duration: 130 min that
of fou r an d for mulate five questions
The constant influx of people to the cities from other urban locations as well as Form teams h of cit ies and
ces of the growt
rural, accentuate the difficulties for their functioning, among which the growing address the consequen eac h gro up wil l ask the
turns,
answer them. Then, in the movie.
s what you thought of
demand for water, continuous traffic congestion (fig. 3.10), waste management (solid other. At the end, discus
waste), the emission of gases into the atmosphere and the proliferation of poverty and
crime stand out, conditions that are more often seen in countries of less developed
regions such as India, Brazil, Kenya, Philippines and Mexico.
As we saw earlier, in Mexico, only a quarter of the population is scattered in rural
areas. This dispersion has implied serious difficulties in meeting the demand for basic
services required by the rural population, which in turn has affected it, making it the
least benefited from the social and economic progress made so far. The desertion
of rural life, the lack of schools and health centers, as well as the loss of family and
cultural heritage, are some of the main problems faced in rural areas; this represents
an excellent opportunity for various specialists (including geographers) who wish to
propose plans and programs that promote social and ecological balance between the
city and the countryside.

Activity Fig. 3.10 Traffic jam on Circuito Interior in Mexico City.
In pairs, do the following exercise on geographic observation. In with selected photographs, incorporate a world map where the
newspapers, magazines or on the Internet, look for photographs of places depicted on photographs are located, as well as some ideas
places where social, cultural and economic differences of the city that explain the social, cultural and economic interactions that occur
and the countryside can be seen in the world and in Mexico. With between the countryside and the city.
your teacher’s guidance and in a plenary, create a bulletin board
To learn more
To get a better idea of the social problems associated with the uncontrolled growth of cities and the formation of shanty houses, favelas, or
slums, search the Internet for videos on these marginalized neighborhoods and write a brief summary in your notebook. With your teacher’s
guidance, discuss your results in class.
121

Unit III
Social problems of the population in the world and in Mexico

Show what you know
Activity
In the first sections of this unit, we studied the main characteristics marginalization, malnutrition, hunger, discrimination and social
of the population, such as growth, composition and distribution, injustice. In pairs, explain in your notebook what poverty is and why
and the interactions between the population of the countryside and there are rich and poor people. Then, with your teacher’s guidance,
the cities. We will now analyze some of its main problems: poverty, discuss your answers as a group.

Poverty and marginalization of the population of the world and Mexico
When people in a specific place have insufficient income to meet their basic needs for food, health,
education and housing, they are said to live in poverty. However, measuring it is quite complicated, by
virtue of setting a parameter to define the amount of money a person can live with decently every day.
Thus, according to the World Bank, an individual is poor when living on less than $2.00 a day; but if the
person has less than $1.25 a day, his condition is considered of extreme poverty.
Geographically, poverty is accentuated in Africa, especially in sub-Saharan countries where more than
60% of its inhabitants live in this condition. In Asia, poverty has declined, however, India and China
Fig. 3.11 The un, fao and World Bank are international institutions remain the countries with the largest number of poor people.
whose work contributes to the reduction of poverty in the world.
In the picture, a Somali population receiving humanitarian aid. In the Caribbean region, more than 25% of the population in proportions smaller than 20% are Latin
America and from the Caucasus regions, Central and West Asia and North Africa. The problem of poverty
is such that the UN and various international institutions are dedicated to reducing and trying to eradicate
this situation (fig. 3.11).
In Mexico, the National Council for Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) is in charge
of measuring poverty. To obtain this indicator, it uses a series of social and economic variables such as
education, access to health services, housing materials, overcrowding and the disposal of goods, such as a
refrigerator and a washing machine.
The results indicate that poverty has more impact in rural areas and in some areas within cities.
Activity
To know how patrimony poverty (insufficient income destined to buy food and pay for health, housing, clothing, transportation and education
expenses) is distributed in our country, individually, and based on the data in table 3.8, color the federal entities on map 3.8 depending on
he degree of poverty and based on the legend. When you are finished, answer the following questions in your notebook. Moderated by your
teacher and in a plenary, discuss your answers.
122

Map 3.8 Level of patrimony poverty by federal entity in Mexico, 2015.

1. What federal entities have a very high level of 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
poverty and which ones have low level? 32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 32°
Explain why you think these differences exist.
100°
2. Of the coastal and border states, which ones

present the lowest poverty levels? Why?
G
ul
3. What level of poverty prevails in the country?
f
of
Why?
20° 20°
28° 28°
Ca
li
fo
rn
ia
24° 24°
100°
Tropic of Cance
r 23°27’
G u l f
P A C I F I C o f
O C E A N
20° M e x i c o 20°
LEGEND
Very high
High BELIZE
Caribbean
Average Sea
16° Low 1: 24 000 000 16°
Very low
0 240 480 km
Gulf GUATEMALA
of
T ehuant epec HONDURAS
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Source: coneval, 2015.

Despite the efforts of national governments and international agencies to reduce Table 3.8 Level of patrimony poverty by federal entity in Mexico, 2015.
poverty in the world, there are certain portions of the population that also suffer Entity Level Entity Level Entity Level
from marginalization or social inequality, that is, they are excluded from the benefits,
Aguascalientes High Guanajuato High Quintana Roo Low
opportunities, resources and satisfactory results of the progress of towns; this
Baja California Very low Guerrero Very high San Luis Potosi High
omission exposes them to a condition of deprivation, risk and social vulnerability.
Among the most vulnerable groups to suffer marginalization are children, women Baja California Sur Low Hidalgo High Sinaloa Average
and indigenous groups. Campeche High Jalisco Average Sonora Low
Marginalization is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that has Chiapas Very high Michoacan High Tabasco High
different forms of expression, including the lack of access to the knowledge that Chihuahua Low Morelos Average Tamaulipas Average
education, health services and the lack of adequate housing provide, as well as Coahuila Average Nayarit Average Tlaxcala High
the unavailability of goods, the remoteness of the distribution centers for goods Colima Low Nuevo Leon Low Veracruz High
and services or the difficulty to get to them, among others. The remoteness of the Federal District Low Oaxaca Very high Yucatán High
distribution centers for goods and services or the difficulty to get to them. Durango High Puebla High Zacatecas High
State of Mexico Average Queretaro Baja
123

Unit III
Marginalization index Map 3.9 Marginalization index of Mexico, 2015.

In Mexico, the Marginalization Index (MI) is used as a tool to allocate 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
the resources to fight poverty. With this indicator the marginalized 32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32°
geographical areas in states, municipalities and localities are identified

depending on the shortcomings the people face, and measures the
G
ul
percentage of the population that does not have the enjoyment of basic
f
of
20° 20°
28° 28°
goods and services to develop its basic skills.
Ca
li
fo
The marginalization index in Mexico takes four dimensions into
rn
ia
consideration: lack of access to education, inadequate housing,
insufficient monetary income and living in small, scattered or isolated 24°
Tropic of Cancer
100° 24°
conditions that complicate the delivery of basic services.

23°27’
G u l f
Source: conapo, 2015. P A C I F I C o f

Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015. 20° O C E A N M e x i c o 20°
Activity LEGEND
Very high
To see how the marginalization index in Mexico is distributed, in High BELIZE

Caribbean
Average
pairs, identify the three federal entities that have the highest and
Sea
16° Low 1: 24 000 000 16°
Very low Gul f GUATEMALA
lowest marginalization index in the country on map 3.9, and write
0 240 480 km of
Tehuant epec HONDURAS
them down in your notebook.

112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Then, compare maps 3.8 on the level of patrimony poverty and map Write down the names of the entities that are scattered and those
3.9 on marginalization in Mexico and answer the following questions in that are grouped by areas.
your notebooks. 4. In relation to both maps, are there entities that match the very high
level of poverty and very low marginalization index? Write down the
1. What entities have very high marginalization index and level of
patrimony poverty? names that match.
2. What entities have very low marginalization index and level of Compare your answers with the rest of the group and in a plenary,
patrimony poverty? discuss the relationship between poverty and marginalization with
3. In both maps, what is the range that predominates in the country? your teacher.
Malnutrition and hunger of the population of the world and Mexico

Do hunger and malnutrition have any relation to poverty and marginalization? Why? Why are hunger and
malnutrition considered social problems of the population?
People require energy to do light activities and maintain a minimum acceptable weight in relation to their
height. When a person does not eat enough food to get his minimum energy, he is considered to be living in
hunger conditions. In addition, when the population suffers from hunger or poor nutrition, it generally presents
problems of malnutrition. This situation makes people, especially the elderly, children and adolescents, more
susceptible to infectious diseases and anemia that cause serious health complications in the body, primarily in
124

the digestive immune system (defense mechanisms) and Map 3.10 Distribution of hunger and malnutrition in the world, 2015.
the respiratory system. Likewise, they affect physical 90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
and mental development, and reduce labor productivity.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of
60° 60°
the United Nations (FAO): there are currently 925 million

malnourished people in the world; that is, at least one A T L A N T I C
in seven people in the world lacks sufficient food to be 30° O C E A N 30°
healthy and live a decent life. Most of the population Tropic of Cancer 23°27’
P A C I F I C
living in hunger and malnutrition live in developing O C E A N
countries (map 3.10), in Bangladesh, China, India, 0° Equator 0°

P A C I F I C
Afghanistan and Pakistan (fig. 3.12). O C E A N
In Mexico, the population living with hunger A T L A N T I C
I N D I A N
O C E A N
and malnutrition is mainly concentrated in rural 30°
O C E A N
30°
municipalities, where subsistence farming or subsistence

LEGEND
activities are practiced; but also in areas with indigenous % OF TOTAL POPULATION IN
HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION
population. The federal entities with the highest number 60° 35% or more less than 5% 60°
from 25% to 34%
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ Lack of data or
of people that suffer hunger and malnutrition are: 1: 230 000 000 from 15% to 24%
from 5% to 14%
insufficient data
0 2300 4600km
Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Veracruz, Yucatan, Hidalgo and 90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90°
Campeche. In contrast, in the north of the country, the outlook is Source: fao, 2015. Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015.
different, severe hunger and malnutrition are only recorded in indigenous
regions, specifically in the Tarahumara region in the state of Chihuahua.
According to data from the National Institute of Nutrition, people who suffer from hunger and malnutrition, Fig. 3.12 Malnutrition is
generally related to
especially children of short stature and low weight show severe developmental problems, have various diseases hunger. In contrast, in
such as anemia and are more susceptible to chronic disorders of the digestive and respiratory system, and in developed countries,
extreme cases, death. excess weight and
obesity are some of the
major problems of
Discrimination and social injustice in the world and in Mexico the population.
Throughout history, mankind has lived different events where its rights have been violated, they have been
excluded or segregated or have been denied access to services such as education, the right to work, transportation,
among others. When a person or a group of people face discrimination and social injustice, they suffer psychological
damage, physical abuse and in extreme cases, loss of life (fig. 3.13).
Generally, discrimination and social injustice are presented simultaneously and occur due to intolerance,
rejection and ignorance of certain individuals or groups that create repudiation to those they consider different
than them. In the United States in South Africa people were segregated because of the color of their skin; in the
former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, successive governments exterminated ethnic groups on grounds of alleged racial
superiority; in Germany, Hitler and the Nazi party did the same with people of Jewish origin. The excuses used
by these people are numerous and take advantage of stereotypes: the brown are dirty, the Sicilian are a mafia, Fig. 3.13 The abuse suffered by Mexican migrants
from immigration agents is not only physical, it is
gypsies are thieves, Jews are abusive, etc. also psychological.
125

Unit III
Throughout history, the UN has had the task of legislating and promoting respect for the equality of human
beings and condemning discrimination and social injustice. Therefore, various international instruments
(declarations, conventions, treaties) have been established to defend the rights of minorities and condemn
discrimination based on ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, gender, religion, sexual preference, way of thinking
and so on. In the case of our country, discrimination against indigenous peoples, women, homosexuals, children,
the disabled, the elderly, among others, is common, which is why the first article of the Political Constitution of
the United States of Mexico added the right to non-discrimination and in 2003 enacted the Federal Law to Prevent
and Eliminate Discrimination; likewise, in 2004 the National Council to Prevent Discrimination (CONAPRED)
was created, which works to prevent, prohibit and eliminate this problem. Since the first National Survey on
Discrimination in Mexico in 2005, it was detected that in our society significant discrimination exists towards
certain sectors and that it is deeply rooted as part of the national culture.
Activity
In teams of three, read the information presented namely, poverty and marginalization, hunger and
in the following boxes carefully. At the top of malnutrition, discrimination and social injustice.
each box, write down which of the social problems When you are finished, analyze your answers
addressed in the topic refers to the information; as a group.
90% of children with chronic food deficit live mainly in A revealing statistic of a municipality in Mexico states that:
sub-Saharan African countries such as the Democratic More than 1,000 million children suffer a serious lack of at
70.62% of the population is not entitled and therefore has no
Republic of Congo, Burundi, Eritrea and Chad, and in least one of the goods and services needed to survive, grow
access to public health services; 9.9% of the homes have dirt
Southern Asia (India) and in the American continent, and develop.
floors; 16.96% are households without piped water from the
especially in Haiti. official network and 10.25% do not have drainage.
The Iranian Christian community is increasingly being persecuted since the Although severe deprivation of goods and services
A survey reveals that one in three interviewees
disputed 2009 presidential elections. Senior government officials, including hurts every human being, it is more threatening to
believes that it is normal that men earn more than
the supreme leader, have repeatedly expressed the need to combat “false the rights of children: to their survival, health and
women and that women have less abilities than
beliefs,” which presumably refer to evangelical Christianity, the Baha’i Faith nutrition, to their education, and their participation
men to hold important positions.
and Sufism. and protection from harm and exploitation.
126

Social, cultural, economic and political causes and consequences of migration

in the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
Let’s explore what you know on the topic of migration in the next move to another country?
activity. Individually, and with your teacher’s guidance, answer the In Mexico, many people have a relative, acquaintance or friend that
following questions. has gone to the United States. As a group, discuss two possible
• What is migration? causes to explain why every year a large group of Mexicans leave or
• What are the reasons a person decides to leave his home and try to go to that country.

Glossary
Migration trends in the world
Migration. People leaving the place where
Migration is the displacement of people on the geographic space, either individually or collectively, from their place they live or were born, to live elsewhere.
of origin to a destination, with the purpose of relocating temporarily, definitively or through pendulum migration,
the latter also known as circular migration because it form a circuit where the population changes residence
periodically. There are two types of migration according to the borders they cross along their route. If the migration
involves crossing the borders of a country, we speak of external or international migration; if the boundaries of a
country are not crossed, it will then be internal migration.
In early 1960, a permanent migration began and increased in intensity from countries in Latin America, East,
South and Southeast Asia and North and Sub-Saharan African countries towards to developed countries, mainly
the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the United States of America and Canada.
Fig. 3.14 The search for better income forces many
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the year 2000, international migrants were people to migrate to developed countries. In the
almost 150 million; by 2010, it was estimated that there were about 214 million living outside their country of picture, undocumented Mexican immigrants
origin, representing about 3% of the world population, which shows that the tendency to migrate persists because of: arrested by US Border Patrol.
1. The mobility of the workforce across borders.

2. The excessive population growth in certain countries, as well as economic crises, factors that push people to
leave their place of residence to often go to countries where the population has declined or aged, allowing the
arrival of migrants.
3. Rising income inequalities between the more and less developed nations, contributes to the expansion of
migration (fig. 3.14).
4. The effects caused by various natural processes, interacting with conditions of overpopulation, poverty, environmental
degradation and global warming, cause thousands of people to leave the place where they live every year.
In pairs, check your answers for the activity in the section “Show what you know;” do you agree with the
reasons for migration described in the previous paragraphs? Assess whether the four reasons that prove the trend
of migration are valid for the Mexican population that wants to go to the United States of America. Discuss your
conclusions with the group.
127

Unit III
Main migration flows in the world Map 3.11 Main migration flows in the world, 2014.
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
After learning about the main reasons for migration, it 90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
90°
is important to emphasize that the vast majority of 27

Arctic Polar Circle
these migration movements have the fundamental 60° 170 295
66°33’ 17
60°
Russia
motivation of finding better job opportunities 340 65
Central and
23
To North
America
and higher incomes. Although the global 2 285 Western
Europe
Eastern
Europe 97 1 129
713
economic crisis in recent years has reduced to Japan
North
America
2 068 4
Turkey and
the Balkans
753
Eastern
Asia
Japan
128
migration in many parts of the world, 30°
314 1 497
13
10
Persian
30°
PACIFIC
the economic difficulties that some Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ 363 Gulf
South
Mexico 570 Asia
215 226 OCEAN
546
developed countries have undergone Caribbean
55
126
8
such as the USA, UK, France, Japan, 262 69 Africa Southeast
23 Asia
2
Equator
Italy and Spain, among others, has not 0°
212 12
97
0°
led to significant movements of the South

America
113
migrant population returning to their Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’
countries of origin until now. 30° A T L A N T I C South
3 3
Australia
30°
On map 3.11 we identify the main
Africa
17 6 12
P A C I F I C O C E A N
flows of international migration and the O C E A N
I N D I A N
three major destinations of migrants in
New
Zealand
O C E A N
the world: the Eastern European region, the 60°
LEGEND 60°
United States of America and Australia and 1: 228 000 000 Flow of migrants
113 Number of migrants in thousands
New Zealand. Other places that are attractive for 0 2 280 4 560 km
90° 90°
migration are Japan, the United Arab Emirates and 180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Source: un, 2014.
Qatar, the last two located in the Persian Gulf. In the case
of Latin America and the Caribbean, the migrant population of
that region accounts for just over 13% of international migration. Table 3.9 Major countries sending and receiving international migrants 2010.
Migratns Immigrants
Country Country
sent received
Activity Mexico 11.5 million USA 38.4 million
To identify the countries that send and receive the highest number of international Russia 11.5 million Russia 12.1 million
migrants, in pairs, and based on table 3.9, locate these countries on a map, with India 10.0 million Germany 10.1 million
the help of an Atlas. Write SM if it is a country that sends migrants and RM if it China 7.3 million Ukraine 6.8 million
is a country that receives migrants. If you use the Internet, search for one of the Ukraine 6.1 million France 6.5 million
Bangladesh 4.9 million Saudi Arabia 6.4 million
planispheres with political division and updated names, created by the Government
Turkey 4.4 million Canada 6.1 million
of Canada, available at http://goo.gl/12TPU6 (Retrieved on: September 26, 2015).
UK 4.2 million India 5.7 million
Compare your results with the rest of the group.
Germany 4.1 million UK 5.4 million
Kazakhstan 3.7 million Australia 4.1 million
Source: un, 2011.
128

If you look back at table 3.9, you will notice that Mexico is the Map 3.12 Major migration flows Mexico-United States of America, 2013.
country with the largest number of migrants and the United States 110° 90° 70°
of America of immigrants. Is there any relationship between them?

Of course, the main destination of Mexican migration is the United Washington
States and to a lesser extent Canada, Spain, Germany, France and the
UK. In fact, according to the US Census Bureau, it is estimated that Oregon
New York
currently 15% of the total population of the country is made up of 40°
Hispanic people (45 million), a situation that places Hispanics as the 40°
largest group among the minorities, followed by African Americans, Nevada

Illinois
with 41 million people. Of that Hispanic population, an estimated

Colorado
70% are Mexican (31.5 million), 11.5 million were born in Mexico North
Carolina
and between six and seven million are undocumented; that is, they California
New
are not allowed to live in that country. The remaining 20 million Arizona Mexico
Georgia
have Mexican roots, but they were born in the United States. What
drives the Mexican population to go to the United States? The most Texas Florida
Gu
mentioned reasons among the migrant population are: lack of jobs
lf
of
in Mexico and significant wage differences, as well as the demand
Ca
for Mexican labor for agricultural and service activities in the United
lif
G u l f
or
Tropi
States of America. c
ni
of Can
cer 23° o f
a
2 7’
M e x i c o
20°
20°
P A C I F I C Caribbean Sea
O C E A N 1: 47 000 000
0 470 940 km
110° 90°
Source: sre, 2013.

Activity
Table 3.10 Major migration flows Mexico-United States of America, 2013.
To identify the main migration flows from Mexico to the Migration Mexico-United States Migration Mexico-United States
United States, individually and with your teacher’s guidance, State of Mexico Texas, Washington and California Guerrero North Carolina, Texas and Georgia
trace dotted lines of different colors on map 3.12 to represent Guanajuato California, New Mexico and Arizona Oaxaca Nevada, New York and California
Jalisco California, Colorado, Illinois and Nevada San Luis Potosí California, Colorado and Florida
the origin and destination of Mexican migration to the Michoacan New York, California and Arizona Veracruz Florida, California and New York
northern country, based on the information in table 3.10. Look Mexico City Texas, California, Illinois and Arizona Zacatecas California, Illinois and Texas
at the example of Guanajuato. Source: sre, 2013.
129

Unit III
Social, cultural, economic and political causes and consequences of migration in the
world and in Mexico
Another way to differentiate the types of migration is from the causes or reasons that cause it. For
example, if changing residence is by free choice, it is a voluntary migration; but if there’s a compelling
reason for people to leave the place where they live, it is an involuntary or forced migration (fig. 3.15).
Geographically, these causes or reasons related to the places of origin or exit are called push factors and
the places of arrival or destination are known as pull factors. It should be noted that the importance of
those places of transit where sometimes migrants stay for a while on their way to their final destination,
gradually configure “flyways” through which men and women tend to move; this is also reflected in the
Fig. 3.15 Wars, conflicts and unemployment cause people to
abandon their homes. In the picture, Central American migrants geographic space, in the creation of institutions offering housing and food to migrants.
on a Mexican train heading to the United States of America.
Activity
In teams, read the causes or reasons for migration in table 3.11 With your teacher’s guidance, compare your results with the rest
carefully. In fig. 3.16, write down the push factors where it says of the class. Discuss your answers and listen carefully and
“Place of origin,” and the pull factors where it says “Destination.” respectfully to others.
Table 3.11 Main causes or reasons for migration. Fig. 3.16 Push and pull factors of migration.
Definite migration
1 Wars and conflicts 7 Famine ion flow
Place of origin grat Destination
Mi
Promise of protection for

2 Job opportunities 8 refugees and political
asylum
3 Family ties 9 Higher income

Transit points
Disasters caused by humans

4 10 Religious tolerance Temporary migration
(explosions, fires, etc.)
5 Freedom of expression 11 Lack of employment

Transit points
Natural disasters (hurri-

6 Slave trade 12 canes, earthquakes, floods, Pendulum or circular
etc.) Push factors migration Pull factors
130

Mexico is a country of origin, transit and destination of internal and international Mexico: Immigration by main countries of origin, 2015.
migration, and while immigration from abroad has been relatively low (less than (Foreigners in Mexico)
0.5% compared to the national total), our nation has offered protection and shelter USA 509,251
to tens of thousands of people who for various reasons have had to leave their Guatemala 35,022
Spain 30,580
places of origin. As shown in chart 3.8, the current foreign population in Mexico Cuba 9,761
comes from different countries, with the largest group being of US origin. On Argentina 9,508
Countries
the International Organization for Migration website available at https://www. Colombia 8,957
8,401
Canada
iom.int/world-migration available (Retrieved on: October 1, 2015) there is an France 8,378
interactive map of the origin and destination of some of the migratory flows. Germany 8,230
El Salvador 7,869
Explore it and with your teacher’s guidance, discuss your perceptions in class. Chile 5,665
One of the most relevant aspects of migration are remittances; that is, monetary 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 45,000 50,000 55,000
resources sent by migrants to their places of origin. These are used for education, People
health, or to start a business such as pharmacies, grocery stores, workshops, tortilla Chart 3.8 Mexico: Immigration by main countries of origin, 2015. Source: iom, 2015.
shops, cafes and restaurants that the family that stayed manages. According to Millions of dollars
the World Association of Mexicans Abroad, of every 10 Mexicans living in the 30,000
26,059
United States, more than eight send money somewhere in the country, which puts 25,000 23,645
22,438
remittances, along with the sale of oil and tourism, among the top three sources of 21,688 21,304
20,000
foreign income in our country (foreign currency). In chart 3.9, you will notice that 18,331
15,139
between 2003 and 2007 there was a steady increase in family remittances sent by 15,000
the Mexican working population in the United States of America to our country,
10,000
and although 2008 and 2010 saw a decrease due to the global economic crisis,
some experts in the field believe that there will be a recovery. 5,000
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Practice what you learned Years
Chart 3.9 Evolution of remittance income 2004-2014. Source: Banco de Mexico, 2014.
Activity
Do the following activity with what you’ve learned Causes and consequences of migration
on this topic, where you will analyze the social, a) Giving up customs and traditions that are part of the cultural identity.
economic, cultural and political causes and
consequences of migration in the world and in b) Obtaining higher incomes that allow a better quality of life.
Mexico. Read the instructions in the box on the right   c) Discrimination and abuse by certain groups that see migrants as a threat.
carefully and identify what causes migration and
what its consequences are. Then, in your notebook, d) Death life while trying to cross the border through increasingly dangerous places.
write a proposal to help solve one of the situations e) Protection for refugees of wars and conflicts.
described. Present your findings to the class and
with your teacher’s guidance, in a plenary, make a f) Political conflicts between countries due to the violation of the human rights of migrants.
selection of the best proposals. g) Freedom of speech and religious worship.
131

Unit III
Cultural diversity in the world and in Mexico, as well as the importance

of intercultural coexistence
Show what you know
Activity
Before we begin this topic, remember what you learned in primary school on cultural diversity. In pairs and with your teacher’s guidance,
answer the following questions in your notebook. What elements make up culture? Are these elements the same in every place? What is
cultural diversity?

Cultural diversity of the world’s population: traditional, contemporary and emerging cultures
Culture is the heritage of accumulated social teaching, shared and transmitted by a community; therefore it covers
Glossary all creations and representations produced by humans throughout history in any place or region of the planet.
Material works. Objects made by Culture is shaped by the mindset, values, religion, customs, eating habits, symbols, legends and myths, as well
humans, such as paintings, sculptures,
as by material works, technology, ways in which production is organized, currency system (dollars, euros, pesos,
architecture, etc.
etc.), social and political institutions, and the set of laws that govern a society.
From your explanations and the group’s, and in addition to what is stated in the previous paragraph, it is clear
that there is great cultural diversity among human beings; that is, there are contrasts between individuals and
societies with regards to the ways of understanding and experiencing the world; proof of that are the different
customs, beliefs, values and norms that govern us, manifested in the way we eat, dress, speak and think
(fig. 3.17). While there are some cultures in the world that have remained almost intact for many years, the vast
majority have experienced constant changes, either by the will of the human group or by the influence of an
external factor, such as conquests, invasions and migrations or, more recently, by the influence of the media and
communications.
Traditional cultures
A traditional culture transmits and shares its customs, lifestyle, values and feelings as faithful as possible to future
generations. Those who receive this legacy are obliged to respect what is transmitted and not modify it to inherit it
to their children.
In the world there are people who, for generations, preserve their traditional customs; for example, the Bushmen
living in the Kalahari Desert, mainly between Botswana and Namibia, are organized in small family groups to
obtain resources for food and clothing, they live in small huts, caves and even those without a home sleep in
Fig. 3.17 In some parts of the world, the population
feeds on animals that for some societies seem shrubs and bushes. Just as the Bushmen, different villages across the world preserve their traditions as best they
almost impossible to conceive as food. In the can, just like the Sherpas in Tibet, the Inuit in Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland; the Irulas in southern
picture, selling dogs to eat in Korea.
India and Sri Lanka; Mongols in the Gobi Desert in central Asia; Yanomami in the Amazon jungle between
Venezuela and Brazil; the Maasai in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania in Africa, and the Sami in northern
132

Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. In Mexico, some indigenous peoples like the Zapotec and Mixtec in the
state of Oaxaca and the Huichol in Nayarit still preserve their pre-Hispanic customs and, as part of a cultural
heritage, they celebrate their ancestors’ holidays and ceremonies every year. Even in this century, and despite
external influences from other cultures, they remain firm in their conviction and comply with their traditions
(fig. 3.18).
Contemporary cultures
Contemporary cultures are defined not only by language, religion, literature and other art forms and customary
practices. Today, the contemporary culture of a people is a complex tissue composed of remnants of traditional Fig. 3.18 Every year the Huichol undertake a long
culture and numerous fragments of modern life that spread through television, film and other media and are walk from Nayarit to San Luis Potosi, an important
integrated through fashion, points of view and certain social behaviors associated with show business, sports and part in their traditional religious ceremony.
music personalities.
Currently many people in the world adopt models and lifestyles beyond their traditional culture. For example,
in some countries like Japan (fig. 3.19), Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the contemporary lifestyle is a mix of
deep-rooted local traditions, tied to their religion, and customs from countries as far away as the United States of
America, Great Britain and France, for example. Thus, the growing consumption of fast food and foreign goods,
the construction of buildings and shopping centers with non-traditional designs, mark the current lifestyle in these
countries. In Mexico, clothing, cars and recently electronic devices are a part of today’s contemporary culture.
If we compare contemporary cultures to traditional ones, the latter are reluctant to incorporate new ways of life,
dress and doing.
Emerging cultures
Emerging cultures are the result of social expressions from different human groups in the world and in Mexico
Fig. 3.19 The current fashion designs are contrasted
that are not traditional, but have not fully integrated to contemporary cultures either. In essence, they seek to with the traditional costumes of Japanese culture.
build an identity that stands out from other conventional social manifestations; for example, certain groups of
Hispanics born in the United States have created the so-called “Spanglish” language, a mixture of English and
Spanish, also associated with a particular way of dressing, speaking and behaving. Another example is Malaysia,
where “Singlish” is spoken, a combination of English, Malay and a local language called Hokkien.
In London in the seventies, a sector of the population emerged known as punk with very different ways of
dressing and behaving from the rest of the inhabitants; they sought their own identity based on their lifestyle.
Currently, in Mexico as in the rest of the world, mainly in the cities, there are groups of people who refuse to
follow the models of generalized behavior, which, influenced by the media, adopt very unique behaviors from
various parts of the world; thus, so-called “urban tribes” have emerged, claiming their right to be respected by the
rest of society (fig. 3.20).
Fig. 3.20 Urban tribes have the right to express their

culture and be respected. In the picture, “emos”
in Mexico City.
133

Unit III
Multiculturalism a the current condition of the world and Mexico

Before addressing the concept of multiculturalism, let’s do an activity to reflect on the attitudes that tend to be
adopted when faced with cultural diversity. In pairs, think if you know cases of people that have been treated
differently because of their skin color, socioeconomic status, or nationality, or because of the customs and
traditions they practice, and write them down in your notebook. When you are finished, discuss your answers
with the class.
The purpose of the previous exercise was to identify the two types of attitudes or behaviors that, in general, are
adopted regarding cultural diversity, which are:
Attitudes towards cultural diversity
Discriminatory Tolerant
The attitude of rejection and discrimination based on The attitude of recognizing and respecting the various
unfounded prejudices and fears of certain individuals forms of life and accepting that they all have the same
or groups of people with regard to other ways of rights and responsibilities. The difference between
being, feeling, thinking and acting; that is, towards human beings must not be considered a threat or
different cultural manifestations of their own, such as obstacle to coexist, on the contrary, it is an opportuni-
religion, language, customs, tastes and preferences, ty to dialogue and interact with common goals that
type and way of dressing and even the music thatthey contribute to building a more just and including
hear or the foods consumed. society, where all voices are heard.
Thus, we understand multiculturalism as a social proposal that favors the recognition of diversity and is against
discrimination by gender, ethnicity, abilities, language, religion, customs, traditions, artistic expressions and any
other cultural element. Multiculturalism implies respecting the different cultures that exist in a geographic space,
promoting tolerance and preventing the standardization of different ways of thinking and acting.
In the case of Mexico, the Constitution of the United States of Mexico establishes that our nation has a
pluricultural (multicultural) composition based on its origin; that is, on the indigenous peoples that descend from
populations that inhabited the present territory of the country before the colonization and preserve their own,
customs, traditions and forms of economic, political, cultural and environmental organization (fig. 3.21).
In pairs, discuss if you’ve ever been victims of an act of discrimination or if you’ve witnessed one. Describe
it in your notebooks and share it in class. Afterwards, as a group, and based on everyone’s experiences, propose
Fig. 3.21 It is important to know that the identity and
dignity of any ethnic or social group living in the some actions to promote multiculturalism in the school, community or neighborhood.
country must be respected through intercultural
practices that prevent and combat discrimination.
In the picture, Otomi peoples in Temoaya, State
of Mexico.
134

The importance of intercultural coexistence

Unlike multiculturalism, interculturalism consists of the peaceful and harmonious interaction that should prevail
between different individuals and groups that inhabit the world (fig. 3.22), be it that they live in the same territory
or located in distant regions. The key to interculturalism is dialogue, mutual listening, consensus, agreement and
empathy, of course, which means putting yourself in the shoes of the other, a fundamental principle for healthy
coexistence.
For example, Costa Rica is a country made up of indigenous, African, Asian and European population. They
are all are proud of their history, they assume Spanish as the official language and do not consider their cultural
identity to be lost; even foreign minorities have been absorbed in the mainstream culture. In contrast, Nigeria
is a country that has not yet assimilated interculturalism and more than 250 ethnic tribes coexist in its territory,
among which are the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, Ijaw, Kanuri and Ibibio. Ethnic groups are not considered part Fig. 3.22 Acknowledging of differences is the key to
coexistence. In the picture, children of different
of the same culture, which has led to serious internal ethnic conflicts and bloody civil wars. races in a school in the United States.

Activity
To conclude with this topic, do the following activity on indigenous economy and ways to maintain the unity of the social group to
and cultural identity based on fieldwork from Mexico, which will which it belongs.
help you better appreciate the cultural diversity in the world and 3. A third group answered: being indigenous is having your own
in Mexico, and the importance of intercultural coexistence. The territory, adapting to it and learning to manage its natural
fieldwork mentioned was developed from an interview made to 20 resources, in accordance with the values and traditions of the
people (adult men and women) on the streets of the Miguel Hidalgo community, even though these areas are considered, by non-
municipality in August, 2011. In said interview, the following was indigenous peoples, hostile and inadequate for living.
asked: “What does it mean to be indigenous in Mexico?” With your teacher’s guidance, organize a debate and discuss
1. Part of the interviewees said that being indigenous meant being which of the three answers reflects an attitude of multicultural and
ignorant and opposing progress and modernity, because they are intercultural coexistence and why. Write down your conclusions in
marginalized as they try to preserve their strange customs and your notebook. For homework, ask your parents, relatives or friends
traditions, which is why they should abandon them and fit in to the same questions and assess whether there is, an attitude of
the development of the country, and even worse: “sometimes they tolerance and multicultural respect, coexistence and intercultural
don’t even speak Spanish.” practice in their answers. If that is not the case, suggest a way to
2. For others, being indigenous means to have been proudly born encourage this attitude and present your findings
within a particular ethnic group that recognizes the value of to the class.
preserving its language, their dress style, their history, traditions,
To learn more
As a team, read the fundamental principles of human rights, available at http://www.ohchr.org/ SP/
Issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspx (Retrieved on: September 25, 2015). Create a poster that
represents each principle and present it to the class.
135

Unit III
Factors that impact the changes in the cultural manifestations of the population of the
world and Mexico
Show what you know
It is important to remember that interculturalism consists of the peaceful and harmonious interaction that should
prevail between different individuals and groups that inhabit the world, be it that they live in the same territory or
are located in distant regions. But, how does globalization influence this interaction? Globalization is an economic
process characterized by the increasing liberalization of the markets that has particularly favored the rich and
powerful countries, which have huge amounts of capital (money and goods) and are at the forefront of scientific
and technological progress. This privileged and beneficial position allows them to dominate the world economy
and subordinate other countries. Globalization has a “dark side” associated with the negative effects it generates;
for example: increasing poverty and the accentuated marginalization in several regions of the world, including
Fig. 3.23 Despite having an ancient legacy and one some of the most developed nations.
of the richest and most varied cuisines due to Globalization (seen as the globalized world) is comprised of, the economic side as well as social and cultural
their flavors and recipes, China has not escaped
aspects that manifest themselves in significant changes, both as ideas and customs, as well as the mindset and the
the influence of fast food from the United States.
way people act. Then, there is a trend of cultural homogenization that influences our consumption habits (fig. 3.23),
but also our fears, aspirations and desires.
Activity
To reflect on how globalization culturally affects our daily lives, in three that you believe have been shown in various parts of the world.
pairs, answer the following questions in your notebooks. 4. Write down the equivalent, in Spanish, of the following words or
1. What are your favorite foreign TV shows, where do you think they sentences: Chatting, ok, Do you want a Kleennex?, Can I borrow
are produced? your ipod? Let’s park the truck!, Check your email, Are you going
2. Without making them up, write down three English, Arabic and to eat your lunch?
Chinese songs and the names of the respective singers. What Present your answers to the group. Then, in a plenary and with your
nationalities did you leave out and why? teacher’s guidance, think of what culture broadcasts the television
3. Of the films that you’ve recently watched at the movies, write down programs, movies, songs, etc., that you mentioned in your answers.

Cultural homogenization trends from the influenced of advertising in the media
As you solved the previous activity, it is evident that products and ideas are mainly shared in cultural
globalization, and to do so, the media, commercial networks and advertising use different channels that are
commonly found in people’s daily lives, such as newspapers, magazines, the Internet, videos, television, movies,
music, fast food restaurants, cafes and shopping centers. The global cultural identity is largely based on Western
culture; that is, on the lifestyle of certain countries in Europe, North America and Asia (particularly the United
136

States, UK, France and Japan). Cultural globalization in the world is manifested in a number of situations,
among which the following stand out:
• The increasingly intense and frequent migration American behavioral and performance patterns,
flows. especially based on excessive consumption.
• The steady growth of the tourism sector. • The type and form of information broadcasted by
• The “need” to incorporate the latest technology some of the global news networks
to our daily lives: computers, cell phones, stereos, (FOX, CNN, BBC).
video cameras and other devices that quickly • The trends in the way we dress, what and how
become obsolete. much to eat and even how we should express
• The ideas and values transmitted through ourselves and what to buy.
television, film and music, reflect European or
Look carefully at fig. 3.24. Can you identify these elements? You might have used them when sending an
email, on your chat or when sending a message from a cell phone to express a feeling or emotion without words. Fig. 3.24 Cultural globalization tends to create
At present, this type of language is part of the daily lives of millions of people around the world, resulting from universal languages; for example, cell phones and
computers frequently use symbols that express
the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). emotions and feelings, called Smileys/emoticons.
Sometimes adverting, incessantly transmitted by the various media (television, Internet, radio, newspapers, To understand them better, turn your book a
etc.), is able to modify not only the consumer habits of a population, but also the uses, practices and customs of quarter clockwise.
towns and communities with a long cultural tradition, jeopardizing the existence of the elements that distinguish
them, for example: food, clothing, language and the way they talk, games and toys; even the attitudes and
values practiced in their community (such as respect and care for the elderly or the way one lives in and with the
environment).
The influence of advertising in culture is more notorious when the physical traits of a particular group are
praised or when promoting the consumption of products and services that appear to provide certain status,
creating stereotypes and lifestyles that are meant to be imposed on everybody. An example are the aspirations of
many Mexicans, Pakistanis and Senegalese that copy the “lifestyle” of an average resident of the United States
of America, Great Britain or France.
Changes in the cultural manifestations of the population in the world and in Mexico
Surely you’ve tried a typical Mexican dish, you’ve seen a distinctive handcraft from a federal entity or watched
a traditional dance by an indigenous Mexican group, situations that constitute cultural manifestations of our
nation. Every country in the world has different cultural manifestations that convey through music, food,
clothing, architecture, dance, crafts, language, religious beliefs or sports practices (fig. 3.25), the cultural identity
preserved for generations, and the sense of belonging to a certain community, place or region.
However, as you know, the current process of globalization has led to changes in several of these cultural
expressions, including their progressive abandonment and disappearance; for example, certain indigenous peoples
of Ecuador, when returning to their places of origin no longer want to speak their native language, they prefer
Fig. 3.25 Soccer in Mexico is considered by much of
to communicate in Spanish or English; in Panama, the typical music adopted new instruments that produce a the population a cultural element of our nation.
more modern sound and accelerate the compass; to haul cattle, Uruguayan gauchos used traditional baggy linen
137

Unit III
trousers, shirt, scarf, hat, leather boots and rode horses; nowadays, this has changed to them wearing jeans, tennis
shoes, shirt, hat and motorcycles to do the same activity. In the case of Mexico, there have been changes in our
eating habits, because burgers, pizzas, soft drinks and other foods have been more and more incorporated into our
daily lives.
Importance of local cultures facing processes of cultural homogenization

Cultural homogenization has caused significant changes in the cultural manifestations of different peoples of
the world, including those living in Mexico. The loss of traditions, values and customs to the cultural leveling
of globalization demands that the government authorities, businesses, educators and society in general, to
establish strategies and measures to preserve the identities of local cultures, avoiding rejection, unknowingly
of certain ideas from abroad. In some countries, like Bolivia, they’ve gone as far as to rename the country, in
order to acknowledge its multinational nature, that is, the fact that it is comprised of various ethnicities. Another
representative example are the campaigns
that promote the use of the traditional dress
in Arab countries or in the case of Mexico,
bilingual education, which refers to the teaching
of both Spanish as well as the respective
indigenous languages spoken in the different
communities of the country, which ensures
the transmission of the rich cultural heritage
of indigenous peoples. Therefore, if we know
and appreciate the local cultures of Mexico and
other countries of the world, it will be possible
to defend and preserve the processes of cultural
homogenization. In figs. 3.26 and 3.27 you will
see some of the most representative expressions
of local culture in Mexico.
Fig. 3.26 Mexican cuisine is varied depending on the Fig. 3.27 The offering of the Day of the Dead is a more rooted tradition in certain parts of the
region. In the picture, tamales from Oaxaca. country. In the picture, the celebration of the Day of the Dead in Mixquic, municipality of
Tlahuac, in the Federal District.
Activity
In teams of three, think of other traditions, customs and values that changes in your notebooks. Present your work to the group and, with
identify the local cultures in Mexico and write them down in you your teacher’s guidance, think about the importance of local cultures
notebooks; then research if local customs in your state or municipality based on the following questions: Do you consider that the loss of
have changed as a result of cultural homogenization and list the major customs and traditions has affected your state? Why?
138


Activity Brand Product or Type of people Wrapping or Country
service in it presentation of origin
As you have learned throughout this topic, there are
currently factors that have led to changes in cultural
manifestations in Mexico and the world. Identify said factors
in the following activity.
In teams, choose two ads you like. Look at them carefully
and write down the product or service they offer in the
Current ads
table, how they advertise it, the kind of people that appear
in it, the wrapping or presentation, and the purchasing
or condition services offered. Then, ask your parents or
grandparents if they remember an ad they liked and what
characteristics it had. Write them down in the table and
compare them with the characteristics of the ads you chose.
Based on the information you gathered, answer the
following questions: What ads match the traditions and
customs of the place where you live?, What ads have created
a change in the cultural manifestations of the place where
you live?
Lastly, make a report where you describe what customs
and traditions have changed the place where you live based Old ads
on the lifestyles that appear in advertising and media.
Present your findings to the class and as a group, make
a proposal to keep the customs and traditions that you
consider important and representative of the place where you
live.
To learn more
1. In pairs, go to the unesco website, available at http://portal.unesco.org/culture/es (Retrieved on:
September 25, 2015) and make a table of two columns in your notebooks where you write down the most
representative cultural features of two different places. Present your results to the class.
2. To expand your knowledge on the importance of local cultures facing processes of cultural
homogenization, visit the online gallery of “Hungry Planet,” available at http://goo.gl/LaaKFZ (Retrieved
on: September 25, 2015.) Based on the comparison of the images, write down the contrasts between the
different foods you see in your notebooks. Present your results to the class.
139

Unit III
Case study: The population in poverty in the Northern Sierra of Puebla

Beginning
Review the table to know what the purposes, expected learning and concepts are, as well as the main idea and the skills
that will be addressed in this unit’s case study.
Purpose Assess natural diversity at a local level, the dynamics of the population, the cultural manifestations and socioeconomic inequality at national and global scales.
Core topic Social and cultural components.
Competence Appreciate social and cultural diversity.
Main idea Social problems of the population of world and Mexico.
Expected Analyze the social problems of the population the world and in Mexico. Appreciate cultural diversity in the world and in Mexico, as well as the importance of intercultural coexistence.
learning Distinguish factors that influence the changes in the cultural manifestations of the population, contextualizing them at a national and global scale.
Concepts Location, distribution, diversity, relationship and interaction.
Skills Observation, analysis, integration, representation.
Attitudes Become aware of the social and cultural components. Appreciate cultural diversity.
To have a clear idea about what you are going to do, Situation Why is it important to
Number of votes
consider the main steps you need to follow: of interest study it?
a) Definition of the problem you will address in the case 1
Selected problem:
study.
b) Development (implementation of planned activities,
source selection, search and collecting information; To illustrate the method to follow in the case study,
reading, selection, classification and processing of we propose to work on the problem of the population
information; creation of products such as maps, charts, living in poverty in the Northern Sierra of Puebla, with
presentations, etc.). which you will be able to analyze, from a geographic
c) Presentation of the final product and conclusions, and perspective, the causes of poverty and the implications it
d) Evaluation. has on the people of the Northern Sierra of Puebla. By
developing this case study, you will apply and broaden
Definition of case study your knowledge on poverty and marginalization, cultural
The selection of the case must be based on a situation diversity and changes in the cultural manifestations of
related to what you have just studied and is of interest to the population in Mexico. During the development of
all your fellow classmates. You can begin from a news the case, remember that it is essential to implement your
story or an article, or comments made by adults in your ability to analyze social problems. The title of the case
community. With your teacher’s guidance, and as a group, study we propose is: “The population in poverty in the
discuss what situations caught your attention or are Northern Sierra of Puebla.”
interested in or worried about, related to Unit III; discuss Likewise, to have a benchmark and delimit the case
in each case why it is important to analyze such issues. study we will address, you can look for journalistic or
When you have chosen three to five of them, draw a table literary fragments, maps or graphs like the one shown
on the board like the following to vote for the ones you will below:
address in the case study and choose one by majority vote.
140

Puebla has nine municipalities considered to be Tlacotepec, Zoquitlan and Chiconcuautla.

the poorest In his presentation “Poverty and marginalization in
the state of Puebla. A vision of context”, he emphasized
PUEBLA, PUEBLA (11/17/2010). The state of that the more equitable the distribution of wealth,
Puebla has nine municipalities with high levels of income and assets, the higher the growth rates and the
poverty and marginalization, revealed Ramon Montes lower the poverty levels.
Barreto, director of the Institute of Evaluation and He added that there is no single definition of poverty,
Measurement of Marginalization and Poverty of the but that it encompasses having nothing to eat, high
State of Puebla (iemmp). infant mortality, low life expectancy, poor educational
He specified that these municipalities were located opportunities, among others, which may lead to absolute
in the Northern and Black Sierra of Puebla, highlighting poverty or relative poverty.
Camocuautla, Eloxochitlan, San Felipe Tepatlan, Source: “Tiene Puebla nueve municipios considerados como los más pobres,” El
Coyomeapan, Huehuetla, Hueytlalpan, San Sebastian informador, November 17, 2010. Available at http://goo.gl/QTthOq
(Retrieved on: September 24, 2015).
Initial questioning Fig. 3.28 In the state of Puebla, there are more than
three million 174 thousand 228 individuals in
Once you’ve determined the situation to analyze, you must lay out an initial question that serves as the central patrimony poverty, that is, they don’t have a home
concept for the research.We propose the following question: Why do some municipalities of the Northern Sierra or any property. In the picture, an inhabitant of the
sierra of Puebla.
of Puebla have high levels of poverty and marginalization?
You should then consider a series of questions to help you analyze the central approach and lead you to
explain your answer and perform follow-up activities; for instance: Where is the Northern Sierra located? What
geographic area does the Northern Sierra of Puebla occupy? What municipalities conform this region? How
many people live in these municipalities? How has the demographic growth been? What is the population
composition of this place? What percentage of the population lives in poverty? What factors influence the
population to live in poverty? Why is poverty accentuated in indigenous communities such as the Totonac region?
How is poverty manifested in the different areas of life of the population (education, health care, jobs, culture)?
Selection, search and collection of information sources
After establishing the questions, you must consider what sources of information we can check to conduct
the research. For the current example, we can choose news from newspapers, geographical, sociological and
anthropological studies, information from websites like INEGI, CONEVAL, the Committee for the Development of
Indigenous Peoples, and mapping on the topic.
Don’t forget to select the topic; it is advisable to use the class and school library, as well as the materials that are
available in our homes, such as newspapers, files, books, etc., as well as the oral history the locals. Then, you must
organize and analyze the information and create a case study document.
After identifying the sources, you must select those that are really useful and allow for in-depth reading.
Your teacher can help you select the information, orienting you on their relevance. Remember that it is about
understanding a local situation, meaning, one that is relevant to you. To achieve the purpose of this case study, it
is necessary to work as a team in order to do the different tasks the best way possible.
141

Unit III
Map 3.13 Mexican Republic

116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Development
100° 32°
Based on what we studied in Unit III, you know what happens when
G
the population grows, when its composition changes, and how it is
distributed; likewise, you can identify the interactions between the
ul
f
countryside and the city, and have learned to analyze problems such
of
20° 20°
28° 28°
as poverty.
Ca
li
The region known as the Northern Sierra of Puebla is a set of small

fo
rn
localities, mainly indigenous, Nahua and Totonac, that are among the
ia
24°
Tropic of Cancer
100° 24° poorest areas in the country. Predominantly hot and humid in climate,
these communities are located between significant slopes, ravines and
23°27’
G u l f
valleys, which makes communication in general difficult. This region
o f
holds important biological and cultural wealth. Plant species, many
P A C I F I C
of them medicinal. The region consists of 35 municipalities; five of
20° M e x i c o 20°
O C E A N them (Camocuautla, San Felipe Tepatlan, Huehuetla, Hueytlalpan

BELIZE
and Chiconcuautla), according to the CONEVAL, are among the
16° 1: 27 000 000
16°
municipalities with the highest levels of poverty and marginalization in
0 270 540 km Gulf
of
GUATEMALA the state (fig. 3.28 on the previous page).
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Activity
To begin applying your research skills, individually and with the IU8pwX (retrieved on: October 1, 2015) and locate the municipalities
help of an atlas of Mexico, locate the state of Puebla on map that belong to the Northern Sierra region and color in red the
3.13 and color the region where the Northern Sierra of Puebla is municipalities with high poverty levels. With this approach, research
located. Then, in groups look for a political map of Puebla divided the biological diversity of the region and the composition of the
by municipalities on the inegi website, available at http://goo.gl/ population living there.
To continue making progress in the analysis of our situation, use the following text to know a little more about
the current conditions of the population in the region of study.
Regional-territorial configuration labor shortages in the cities. In geographically-ecological terms, the sub-regionalization of
the Northern Sierra of Puebla is based on four major regions, related in turn to the various
The Northern Sierra of Puebla is a predominantly rural region, with a significant percentage predominant crops in each one that obey the ecological character. The entrance to the region
of indigenous population and a high degree of marginalization, especially among this from the Puebla-Tlaxcala high plateau is called Bocasierra, a strip that sits between 1,500
population group, which explains the rate of labor being expelled from. This phenomenon and 2,500 meters above sea level; the prevailing climate is temperate-cold, and the crops
took a notorious turn: until about ten years ago, migrants headed to the cities of Puebla that grow there are apples, plums, pears, peaches, avocadoes, as well as their own flowers
and Mexico, where they usually worked in the construction industry, and an even more typical of this climate.
marginalized section of the population looked for work in coffee farms in Puebla and
Source: Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples, (2004) Indigenous Peoples of contemporary Mexico. Indigenous
Veracruz; currently, the migration to the US has increased significantly due to the crisis that Nahuas of the Northern Sierra. Mexico, 2004, available at http://www.cdi.gob.mx. (Retrieved on: September 25, 2015).
seriously affected the cultivation of coffee, the few opportunities of growth in the region and
142

Activity
Based on what you read and with your teacher’s guidance, in teams, 3.12). If you want to know the percentage of the population that is in
discuss the relationship that exists between the biodiversity and the this situation, calculate the percentage of the population in poverty,
wealth or poverty of the people living there. Because it is essential to in extreme poverty and in moderate poverty. Then, based on the
understand the selected information, you must systematize it. To do percentage obtained for each municipality, according to the following
so, aside from the reading, the team must meet to discuss what each ranges: from 0% to 20% low; 20% to 40% average; 40% to 60% high, and
person has researched. For this purpose, you must research data on 60% or more, very high; indicate the degree of poverty that applies for
the population living in poverty in the selected municipalities (table each one.
Table 3.12 Total population and population in poverty in some municipalities of the Northern Sierra of Puebla.
% of the
Total Population Population in % of the population Population in % of the population in
Municipality population in
population in poverty extreme poverty in extreme poverty moderate poverty moderate poverty
poverty
Camocuautla 1,404 1,279 91.1 830 59.1 448 31.9
Chiconcuautla 8,862 8,112 5,083 3,028
Huehuetla 11,369 9,825 5,249 4,576
Hueytlalpan 4,032 3,646 2,062 1,585
San Felipe Tepatlán 2,092 1,866 1,150 717
When you are finished, compare your results and search online which other municipalities of Mexico present these percentages in the
population and if there is any place in the world that presents similar percentages. Check table 3.8 on page 121 and indicate which entities
have the same poverty level. What are the differences between the percentages? Why do you think these differences occur? With your teacher’s
help, write a conclusion on this issue in your notebook.
As you saw in the topic on poverty and marginalization in Mexico, the CONEVAL is responsible for measuring poverty, for which it uses a series of social
and economic variables. The results of these variables in the municipalities of the Northern Sierra of Puebla are shown in table 3.13.
Table 3.13 Population with social lacks in some municipalities of the Northern Sierra of Puebla.
Lack due to access to Lack due to social Lack due to quality Lack due to access to Lack due to
Municipality Total population Education gap
health services security and living spaces basic housing services access to food
Camocuautla 1,404 615 1,198 1,332 634 1,202 600

Chiconcuautla 8,862 4,032 4,612 8,554 5,432 6,939 3,490
Huehuetla 11,369 5,391 2,952 10,192 5,665 9,184 3,767
Hueytlalpan 4,032 1,940 1,565 3,782 1,311 3,676 1,393
San Felipe Tepatlan 2,092 931 2,004 1,921 981 1,473 807
143

Unit III
Activity
With the data in table 3.13, and as a team, calculate the • The differences between the percentage of each of the variables at
corresponding percentages for each of the variables. Then, research a national level and what you calculated for the municipalities of
the percentages of these variables at a national scale and compare the Northern Sierra.
them to those obtained from the municipalities of the Northern Sierra. • The causes for the differences found between the percentages.
With your teacher’s guidance, think about:
Closure
Your teacher will set a specific time to make an analysis of the case in order to answer the initial question: Why do some
municipalities of the Northern Sierra of Puebla have high levels of poverty and marginalization? Take into account the
conditions of the population of Mexico and world that you have reviewed throughout Unit III.
The proposal for this presentation is that the group builds a school bulletin board. With your teacher’s coordination, collect all
the materials that the teams made: texts, conclusions, maps, images, graphs, and reproduce the tables and graphs you worked on
in the book. Select and organize all the material and present it at the given time.
The conclusions can be presented on a poster where each of the teams collaborates with an idea that summarizes what you’ve
learned or the most important concept of the development of the case study.
Evaluation
To evaluate this study, prepare a table in the classroom where you voluntarily and in an orderly manner determine, to what extent
you completed he purpose and activities. Likewise, contend if you understood the main idea, what you learned and what factors
lead to them; what is your opinion on the concepts, skills and attitudes that were created? You can use the following table for
this stage.
doing it do it
I analyze the previous ideas and the possible solutions to the problem.
I search different sources of information on the poverty of the
population that lives in some municipalities of the Northern
Sierra of Puebla.
I participate in the presentation of the results and conclusions
of the research.
144

Case study:
Evaluate what
Theyou
population
learned in poverty in the Northern Sierra of Puebla
Evaluate what you learned A)

B)
I.
I.
Urban, II. Urban, III. Rural, IV. Rural.
Rural, II. Urban, III. Urban, IV. Rural.
Evaluation of Unit III C) I. Rural, II. Urban, III. Rural, IV. Urban.
D) I. Rural, II. Rural, III. Urban, IV. Urban.
This evaluation will help you become familiar with standardized testing,
Read the following text and answer question 3.
an experience you will have in middle school.
Poverty
Both the number as well as the proportion of people living in extreme poverty
Observe and read the following information to answer question 1.
worldwide fell slightly in the mid-1990s. Much of the decline occurred in Eastern
Factors affecting the distribution of the population. Asia, particularly in China. However, at the end of the decade, progress stalled for
The physical conditions of the planet determine the location of the population and some time in certain Asian countries and in others it stopped or even reversed.
their activities. In turn, the population modifies these conditions to adapt them to Elsewhere in the world, although the proportion of poor people decreased,
their needs and lifestyle. The number of people living in a place depends on various
demographic growth caused an increase in the poor in absolute terms. In the
physical and human factors.
countries of the former Soviet Union that were in economic and social transition,
Some physical factors are:
the number of poor people tripled, or even more. In absolute figures, most of the
• Climate: The population is concentrated in areas with tropical and temperate
poor are in South Asia, but the proportion of poor is higher in Africa, south of
climate with rain because extremes do not favor their settlement.
• Vegetation:
The areas where there is a high concentrations of vegetation do the Sahara. Most of the poor population live in rural areas, but urban poverty is
not favor the settlement of human groups. growing rapidly.
• Relief:
To the extent possible, societies select areas that are easily accessible Text taken from: International Monetary Fund, 2000 a better world for all.
and enable them to perform the relevant economic and social activities. Achieving the international development goals, United States of America, IMF-OECD-World Bank-un, 2000,
available at: http://goo.gl/QxxT1S (Retrieved on: September 25, 2015)
• Soil:
Humans seek to settle in places where the soil favors the development
of agricultural activity. 3. Where is the highest proportion of poor people?
• Hydrography:
Areas close to rivers and seas are preferable for the
development of activities. A) Former Soviet Union C) South of the Sahara
Source: Text created by the author.
B) South Asia D) East Asia
1. According to the text above, what factor does the following Use the following data to answer question 4.
passage make reference to?: “to the extent possible, societies
select areas of easy access...” Internal migration (state)
Migrant population by federal entity according to place of birth, 2000 and 2010
A) Soil B) Hydrography C)Vegetation D) Relief Federal Entity 2000 2010
Aguascalientes 116,039 125,309
Read the following statements carefully and answer question 2. Baja California 127,074 167,728
I. They are places with low population density.
Baja California Sur 29,883 30,770
II. These places are characterized for having better infrastructure for shopping
malls, factories, buildings and large avenues. Campeche 89,223 106,849
III. It’s a place where there is great diversity of cultures, religions and a large Coahuila de Zaragoza 425,338 422,648
number of museums. Colima 78,375 84,909
IV. In this place, the pace of life is quieter and it is likely that its inhabitants know Chiapas 336,140 480,956
each other. Chihuahua 202,864 230,780
2. According to the previous information, identify which statements Mexico City 4,457,713 4,994,445
Durango 447,731 452,490
mention the social, cultural and economic characteristics of the
Guanajuato 669,729 641,657
rural area and which mention the urban ones.
145

Unit III
Federal Entity 2000 2010 The protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions must be
Guerrero 655,538 700,168 considered in every decision-making process and in every policy at local, national,
regional and international level. Thus, culture could become a priority in global
Hidalgo 579,937 597,194
governance. Therefore, the active participation and involvement of the civil society
Jalisco 726,021 774,074
is essential to achieve this vision.
Mexico City 654,711 890,725
Note: The U40 Program was created as an initiative of the German Commission for unesco in 2007; it aims to train young people under
Michoacan de Ocampo 909,120 919,775
40 (U40 or “under forty years old”).
Morelos 143,964 162,999 Adapted from: “Proposals for Cultural Diversity 2030,” U40 World Forum, Paris, 12-14 June, 2009.
Note: Migration according to the data place of birth. Figures correspond to February 14 (2000) and June 12 (2010). Available at http://goo.gl/QxxT1S
It refers to the people born in the state that no longer live in it.
(Retrieved on: September 25, 2015).
Retrieved from: inegi, Population and Housing Census 2000 and 2010.
5. What was the interest of the group of young Mexican
4. According to the data on the table, mention three states that
professionals to participate in the Interamerican U40 Meeting
have presented higher migration from 2000 to 2010.
for Cultural Diversity 2011?
A) Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Morelos. A) To debate on cultural diversity and the unesco Convention
B) Chiapas, Federal District and Mexico City. on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural
C) Federal District, Guerrero and Mexico City. Expressions and its current implementation in the American
continent.
D) Federal District, Jalisco and Michoacan.
B) To create the U40 Network in Mexico.
To answer questions 5 and 6, read the following text. C) To offer the opportunity to participate in the international
U40 Interamerican Meeting for Cultural Diversity 2011 debate on cultural diversity and the application of the
Proposals for local measures and programs to protect and promote the diversity unesco Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the
of cultural expressions Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
In the U40 Interamerican Meeting for Cultural Diversity 2011 (May 19 to 22,
D) To show the Meeting organized by the city council of Toluca
2011, Toluca, Mexico) 43 young professionals and experts, specialists in cultural
to the world in the context of the U40 Network “Cultural
policy, academics, civil servants, researchers, cultural managers, and students from
various regions of the world participated. This Meeting was organized by the city
Diversity 2030.”
council of Toluca in the context of the U40 Network “Cultural Diversity 2030,” in 6. According to the participants of the U40 meeting, the
cooperation with the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural
and the German Commission for UNESCO, among others. It brought together expressions must be considered in every decision-making
U40 members with a group of young Mexican professionals interested in the process and in every policy at local, national, regional and
debate on cultural diversity and the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and international level. What is the intention of these young people
Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and its current implementation to pursue this goal?
in the American continent.
A) To create the U40 Network in all states of the Mexican
Participants shared good local practices to promote the diversity of cultural
Republic.
expressions in their country and discussed the weaknesses, strengths and challenges
of these practices. This space for reflection let the creation of the U40 Network in B) For culture to become a priority in global governance.
Mexico, whose primary goal is to give visibility to the UNESCO Convention of C) To ensure the active participation and involvement of
2005 in the 32 states that make up the Mexican federation. international civil society.
Vision 2030 was created, as a result of this meeting, envisioning a world in
which culture and cultural diversity are actively recognized as a value, an objective,
D) To discuss the weaknesses, strengths and challenges of the
a priority and an instrument for the progress of humanity and human progress. practices on the protection and promotion of diversity of
cultural expressions and their current application in the world.
146

With your teacher’s guidance, begin the evaluation session in the stages of self-evaluation and co-evaluation.
In this stage, you will identify the progress you made in terms of the In this second stage, you will evaluate your classmates’ performance
knowledge, skills, attitudes and values you acquired in Unit III. in Unit III; remember to do it in a fair, correct and specific manner,
Identify the level of difficulty you faced with the situations listed in the and always taking into account the attitudes your classmates had in the
When it is your turn to be evaluated, use the following table to
For me it was
register the results submitted by your group. To do so, mark the cell that
Learn to: Very easy Not that Very corresponds to the performance mentioned by your classmates with a ✓.
Difficult
difficult difficult
Explain the social and economic
implications of growth, composition Performance
and distribution of the population of Activity
the world and Mexico. Very
Good Enough Insufficient
good
Identify the social, cultural and
economic interactions between the Individual presentation
countryside and the cities of the
world and Mexico. Team presentation
Analyze the social problems of
the population in the world and in Round table or debate
Mexico.
Analyze the social, cultural, Mapping
economic and political causes
and consequences of migration in
Poster creation
Mexico.
Appreciate cultural diversity in Creation of presentation material
the world and in Mexico, as well (slides, mockup, etc.)
as the importance of intercultural
coexistence.
Distinguish factors that influence
the changes in the cultural
manifestations of the population of Participation in the project
the world and Mexico.
I accomplished the homework
Compare the results of your evaluation with the rest of your activities on time.
classmates. Then, discuss with your teacher what aspects most of the
group found to be the most difficult to develop and write them down in
your notebooks. Lastly, listen carefully to the strategies that your teacher Use the data collected to identify the areas you can improve, and write
suggests to deal with these difficulties and propose others to improve down in your notebook the aspects you need to correct to have a better
your learning. performance in the following activities.
147

*Container ship covering the Singapore-Mexico sea route.
148

Economic areas and socioeconomic inequality
Unit IV
Expected learning Content
Core topic:
Economic • Distribution of agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas of the world.
Distinguish the differences in managing natural • Relationship between the natural resources and the agricultural, livestock, forest and
components
resources in agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas.
fishing areas in the world and in Mexico. • Ways to manage natural resources in agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas in the
Competence: world and in Mexico.
Reflect on the
• Distribution of the main mineral deposits and energy resources in the world.
socioeconomic
Explain the importance of mineral and energy • Extraction and processing of mineral and energy resources of the world and Mexico.
differences resources in the world and in Mexico. • Importance of mineral and energy resources for the economy of Mexico and other
countries of the world.
Identify the types of industries and the • Types of industries in the world.
importance of industrial areas in the economy • Distribution of the major industrial areas in the world and in Mexico.
of the world and Mexico. • Importance of the industry in the economy of Mexico and other countries in the world.
Distinguish the importance of trade and • Trade and transportation networks in the world and in Mexico.
transportation networks in the context of • Commercial regions, global cities and financial services in the world.
economic globalization in the world and in • International economic institutions and transnational corporations in the world and in
Mexico. Mexico.
Identify the types of tourism and their • Types of tourism.

economic importance in the world and in • Distribution of the main tourist centers in the world and in Mexico.
Mexico. • Economic importance of tourism in the world and in Mexico.
• The Human Development Index and its expression in the world and in Mexico.
• Categorization of core and peripheral countries according to their economic activity.
Compare the socioeconomic differences in the
• Differences between the Human Development Index map and the map of core and
world and in Mexico.
peripheral countries.
• Socioeconomic inequality in the world and in Mexico.
Case study: Transnational corporations in your locality. The local analysis of a global issue.
149

Unit IV Competence: Reflect on the socioeconomic differences.
Differences in managing natural resources in agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas
Show what you know
a)
In this unit we will examine how the major agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas in the world and in
Mexico are distributed, as well as their relation to the distribution of natural resources and the different ways to
handle them.
Activity
In order to recover the knowledge you acquired • How do economic activities affect the
in elementary school on the topic, let’s start with organization of a place?
some questions for you to discuss in pairs, then
b)
write down your answers. When you are finished,
compare them with your classmates and ask your
teacher how correct they are.
• Do you think natural resources are used the
• Do you think the distribution of natural
same way in different parts of Mexico and the
resources has any relationship to the economic
world? Why?
activities of a place?
Fig. 4.1 Economic activities organize the territory
based on its features and functions. In the
pictures: a) shopping center in Mexico City; b)
hotel zone of Ixtapa, Guerrero.

The practice of different economic activities (fig. 4.1) allows us to produce, distribute, market and consume food,
goods and services that meet our needs. Economic areas are formed based on the exploitation and transformation
of the natural resources and products demanded by the population, economic areas are formed.
Activity
Some of the products made in economic areas are listed below. To P from a fishery. When you are finished, exchange your book with a
relate them, write under each one: A if the satisfactor originates from classmate and, moderated by your teacher, review and verify if the
an agricultural economic area, L from a livestock, F from a forest or answers are correct.
TYPE OF SATISFACTOR 1. Milk 2. Tuna 3. Ham 4. Cereal 5. Firewood 6. Vegetables 7. Chicken 8. Wood 9. Sardine 10. Egg
ECONOMIC AREA
150

Distribution of agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing regions of the world

Agricultural areas
Agriculture is one of the oldest activities practiced by Map 4.1 Main agricultural regions in the world.
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
humans. It is known that in the ancient civilizations of 90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
90°
Mesopotamia, the first crops of plants were set out

in the Central American region and East Asia. Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
Due to factors such as relief, climate and water 60° 60°
availability in the world, there are various

agricultural regions and the largest ones are
A T L A N T I C
located in Asia, America and Europe. Map 30° O C E A N 30°
4.1 shows that the most productive crops Tropic of Cancer 23°27’
in the world are cereals; for example in P A C I F I C
the agricultural region of the central O C E A N

plains of the United States of America, 0° Equator 0°
corn, wheat and oats are mainly grown, P A C I F I C
while in the region of Mato Grosso in O C E A N

I N D I A N
Brazil, corn and wheat are harvested. Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’
O C E A N
In the central plains of European 30° 30°
countries the cultivation of barley, oats A T L A N T I C
and wheat prevails, and in regions of O C E A N
East and Southeast Asia, it’s rice. In Africa, LEGEND
countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe and 60°

REGIONS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
60°
Cereals Fruit trees
South Africa stand out for corn and cereal with 1: 228 000 000
Vine Sugar
the largest agricultural extension in this continent. 0 2 280 4 560 km
Vegetable oil Other products
Oceania, Australia and New Zealand are known for 90°

180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90°
the production of wheat and barley. Source: fao, 2013. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
Activity Table 4.1 Most productive agricultural crops in the world (metric tons), 2013.
With the following activity, you will be able to identify how the agricultural COUNTRY/PRODUCT CANE SUGAR CORN RICE WHEAT
areas in the world are distributed according to the most productive crops. World production 1,911,179,775 1,018,111,958 740,902,532 715,909,258
According to the data in table 4.1, in pairs, calculate the percentage of the three China 128,850,908 218,623,645 205,206,520 121,930,527
countries with the largest production of each crop and all the percentages that USA 27,905,943 353,699,441 8,613,094 57,966,658
India 341,200,000 23,290,000 15,9200,000 93,510,000
correspond to Mexico. Then, locate the countries on map 4.1 and write down the Brazil 768,090,444 80,273,172 11,782,549 5,738,473
corresponding percentage for each one. Finally, answer the following questions: Argentina 23,700,000 32,119,211 1,563,450 9,188,339
1 Which countries have the largest agricultural production? Russia NA 11,634,943 934,943 52,090,797
Bangladesh 4,434,000 1,485,000 51,500,000 1,255,000
2. In what continent are the countries with the highest percentage of production Ukraine NA 30,949,550 145,050 22,793,000
located? Canada NA 14,193,800 NA 37,529,600
3. What crop has the highest percentage of production in Mexico? Vietnam 20,131,089 5,190,895 44,039,291 NA
Present your results to the class and with your teacher’s help, complement or MEXICO 61,182,077 22,663,953 179,776 3,357,307
correct your answers. Source: fao, 2013.
151

Unit IV
Map 4.2 Main agricultural areas in Mexico, 2009.
116° 112°
Valley of Mexicali
108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
In Mexico, the largest agricultural areas are located
in the coastal plains, the center and certain highland
regions covering the north of the country (map 4.2).
G Irrigated agriculture excels in the north of the
country, where dry climates prevails, while in the
ul
f
center and southern regions, agriculture is rainfed. The

of
20° 20°
28° 28°
Ca
Yaqui Valley difference between the two types of agriculture is that,

li
in the first one, artificial systems are used, providing

fo
rn
water for crops from artesian wells, rivers, lakes or

ia
Lagunera
region
reservoirs through canals, and it is supplied by spraying
Del Fuerte Valley
24°
or dripping, which is why they are very productive. This
100° 24°
Tropic of Cance
r 23°27’
type of agriculture is characterized by the production of

G u l f
tomatoes, grapes, cotton, fruit and vegetables, mainly
LEGEND
o f for sale in foreign markets. In contrast, the second type
Rice Agave
20°
Corn Ixtle
Bajío
M e x i c o 20° depends on the rainy season, which is why, the output
Wheat Cotton per hectare is generally very low. In Mexico, rainfed
Beans Grape
O C
Chickpea
É A N O
Cocoa
agriculture is distributed throughout the territory and
Sugar cane
P A C Í F Coffee
I C O BELIZE represents 81%; a variety of products are cultivated,
Sugar
Irrigated agriculture
Tobacco Caribbean
Sea among others: sugar cane, corn, orange, wheat, tomato,
16° 1: 24 000 000 16°
Rainfed agriculture Gulf GUATEMALA
banana, lemon, mango, peppers, potatoes, onions,
0 240 480 km of
Tehuantepec HONDURAS avocado, beans and coffee.
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Source: sagarpa, 2010. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
Livestock areas
Stockbreeding or livestock farming consists on the domestication and breeding of animals to produce food (milk,
meat, eggs), footwear and clothing (leather and fur), and cosmetics (oils, lanolin and lecithin). Livestock farming
is very varied and is classified according to the type of livestock: bovine, ovine, goats, porcine, equine, asinine,
Glossary
mules and camelids.
Artesian well. It is a deep vertical Other activities of the livestock sector include poultry (breeding birds), rabbit breeding and apiculture
perforation in the earth from which water
is drawn.
(beekeeping).
Spraying. Artificial agricultural irrigation Stockbreeding, like agriculture, has a close relationship with the climate. In temperate areas, breeding cows,
system where water is expelled by pressure pigs and sheep predominates; while in semi-arid and desert areas, the usual livestock is horses, camels, dromedary
through a tube to get to plants most similar and goats. In tropical areas, zebus, birds, pigs and buffaloes are bred, while in cold areas, due to the altitude, the
to how rain would. yak and alpaca are domesticated.
Dripping. Artificial irrigation system If map 4.3 is compared with map 2.14 on climates of the world (page 84), you will see that the regions with
where water is given to plants at low
greatest livestock activity are found in temperate areas like the Great Plains in the United States of America,
pressure through hoses, so it gets to them as
steady drops. Argentina, Brazil, Australia, China, India and in a large area of Europe. You can also see that in tropical and dry
areas, livestock production is much lower, and in the African continent, the major agricultural regions are located
152

in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Nigeria. About 80% of the
global stockbreeding production is concentrated in ten countries. Map 4.3 Main stockbreeding areas in the world, 2010.
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90° 90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
Activity
60° 60°
To better identify how stockbreeding

areas are distributed, in teams of
three, identify the five countries A T L A N T I C
where there are more than 100 30°

O C E A N 30°
heads of cattle per km2 in their P A C I F I C
stockbreeding area and write down O C E A N

their names on map 4.3. Then, with 0° Equator 0°
the data in table 4.2 and map 4.3, P A C I F I C
answer the following questions with O C E A N I N D I A N
you teacher’s guidance. Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’

O C E A N
1. What countries have the largest 30°

LEGEND
30°
livestock area? A T L A N T I C NUMBER OF HEADS OF

2. What countries have the highest O C E A N
CATTLE PER KM2
volume of production?
More than 100
From 51 to 100
3. Which continent has the largest

60° From 26 to 50 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ From 11 to 25
1: 228 000 000
livestock areas? And which From 2 to 10
From 0 to 1
ones have the highest volume of
0 2 280 4 560 km
90° 90°
production?
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Source: fao, 2013. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
Table 4.2 Countries with the largest stockbreeding production, 2013 (million heads).
COUNTRY PRODUCTION COUNTRY PRODUCTION COUNTRY PRODUCTION COUNTRY PRODUCTION COUNTRY PRODUCCIÓN
China 113 Brazil 211 India 189 USA 89 European Union 88
Argentina 51 Australia 29 Mexico 32 Russia 19 Canada 12
Source: fao, 2013.
In our country, stockbreeding production occupies 60% of the national territory; cattle breeding is one of the
most important, not only for the number of heads but because it goes to the production of meat and milk. In
second place is porcine farming, which is exploited industrially for the production of ham, bacon and sausages.
153

Unit IV
Map 4.4 Main stockbreeding areas in Mexico, 2015. On map 4.4, you can distinguish the major stockbreeding
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° regions in Mexico and the type of livestock that prevails in
32° Tijuana-Mexicali
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32° them. The entities with the largest stockbreeding areas are
Huasteca
in the North, in Chihuahua, Coahuila and Durango; in the
Ciudad Juarez
Center-West in Jalisco, Michoacan and Guanajuato; in the
center, in the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala and Queretaro; East, in
G
ul
North of
Puebla
Tamaulipas, Veracruz; Southeast, in Tabasco and Yucatan, and
f
of
20° 20°
28° 28°
in the South, in Chiapas.
Ca
Central of
Chihuahua Mexico
li
Center
Forest areas
fo
Zongolica
rn
Saltillo-Monterrey
Forest areas tend to be divided into timber and non-timber,
ia
La Laguna
the former are of great importance for the value of their
Tierra Mixteca
Caliente
24° 24°
Tropic of Cance
r23°27’
Coast of Sinaloa 100°
production and the various applications to our daily life.
Los Cabos
G u l f Timber forest regions are grouped into two categories:
Huasteca The rainforest represents 56% of the forest area It is found
P A C I F I C o f
in Central and South America, Central and West Africa and
Southeast Asia. These forests have hardwood trees like ebony,
M e x i c o Yucatan
20° O C E A N 20°
North of Puebla
Central Mexico mahogany and walnut, which are used to make furniture.
LEGEND
Bovine, intensive farming Tierra Zongolica Tabasco Temperate pine and oak forests represent 44% of the forest
Bovine, extensive breeding
Caliente
Mixteca BELIZE area; these types of forests are predominant in the United States
Central Chiapas
Porcine and birds Coast of
Caribbean
Sea of America, Canada, Europe, Russia, Chile and New Zealand.
16° Equine, asinine and mules 1: 24 000 000 Chiapas 16°
Apiculture Coasts of Gulf GUATEMALA
Trees are made of soft woods such as pine, fir, cypress and birch.
0 240 480 km
Most of the trunks of these forests are processed and converted
Guerrero and Oaxaca of
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
into wood to build houses, boats, furniture, or for the extraction
Source: sagarpa, 2013. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015
of cellulose and the production of paper, cardboard and natural fibers.
Moreover, non-timber species are characteristic of arid areas and the resources they exploit are leaves, shrubs,
roots and other plants for domestic use. Cacti, candelilla, jojoba or ixtle, are examples of the vegetation in these
types of regions.
Mexico’s forest wealth occupies 40% of its surface. The states with the largest area of temperate forest are
Durango, Chihuahua, Michoacan, Jalisco and Oaxaca. This region contributes 80% of the logs that are primarily
intended for the manufacture of pulp, paper and wood. Rainforest regions predominate in Quintana Roo, Campeche
and Chiapas. In these areas, red cedar and mahogany are extracted to make a high-value of furniture and boats.
Fishing areas
Fishing is an activity that takes place in oceans, seas, gulfs, bays and coastal lagoons, but is also practiced in rivers,
dams, lakes or ponds.
Fig. 4.2 The groups of animal defenders do not
agree with capturing animals and putting them in Fishing consists in catching aquatic species in order to satisfy human needs, mainly to feed, but what is
captivity for fun and entertainment. In the picture, captured is also used for the industry (as food for cattle), agriculture (as fertilizer) or entertainment, that is, when
Sea World in Florida. species are intended for aquariums and marine parks (fig. 4.2).
154

Various factors come into play in the development of fishing activities: physical, because of Chart 4.1 The ten countries with the highest volume of fish
the characteristics of the continental shelf and ocean currents; economic, which relate to the caught in the world, 2013.
ability to build ports, vessels, cooling systems and transportation networks, and social factors China 16
that are related to food culture and the preservation of resources. Indonesia 6
Of the 92.5 million tons of fishing products obtained worldwide in 2014 (chart 4.1), the Peru 5.8
largest volume was caught by China, nearly three times that obtained by Indonesia and Peru, USA 5.2
and three times what the United States of America and India caught. India 4.6
Anchoveta, tuna, cod and herring are the varieties that are most caught in the world. Almost Russia 4.3
63% of production is concentrated in four fishing regions: the Pacific Northwest, has 27% of Japan 3.6
the world total; the Pacific Southeast has 10%; the Central Pacific West region has 15%, and the Myanmar 3.7
Atlantic Northeast has 10%. Vietnam 2.8
Thailand 1.8
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
Activity Millions of tons
Map 4.5 Fishing areas in the world, 2010. Source: fao, 2013.
With the following activity, you’ll be

180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
75°
75°
able to relate the distribution of fishing
60° 60° areas with the countries that excel in
Atlantic this economic activity. In teams, look at
chart 4.1 and the data on the volume of
45° Northeast 45°
fish cuaght, calculate the percentage of

17.1%
Pacific
30° 30°
Southeast
each country; don’t forget to take into
15° 15°
account the total catch mentioned in
Central
Equator Pacific West the text. Subsequently, write down the
percentage of fishing nations on map 4.5.
0° 0°
15° 15° Finally, with the data obtained, identify

Pacific Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’
which of the fishing regions is the most
Northwest
30° 30°
productive. With your teacher’s guide,
45° 45°
comment why this occurs in a plenary.
LEGEND
60° 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ 1: 274 000 000 Warm currents
75° Cold currents 75°
0 2 740 5 480 km
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180° Source: World Resources Institute, 2011. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
Because it is a bioceanic country, Mexico has the opportunity to use marine resources that exist both in
the 7,828 km of the Pacific Ocean coastline, whose continental shelf is narrow, as well as the 3,294 km of the
Atlantic Ocean coastline (Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea) with a wide continental shelf.
155

Unit IV
In addition, due to the geographic location of our country, national seas provide varied fishing resources. In
2014, of 1.7 million tons of fish products obtained in the country, 82% were caught in the Pacific coasts, 15% in
the Gulf coasts and 3% in landlocked entities.
These figures place Mexico in sixteenth place worldwide. It is important to note that of the fishing products
caught in Mexican waters, 96% are intended for human consumption and the rest are used in the manufacture of
processed animal food, fertilizers or aquariums.
Relationship between the natural resources and the agricultural, livestock,

forest and fishing areas
What are the pages of this book made of ? Do you know any objects of animal origin that are not eatable?
Where do the ingredients for your favorite meal come from? As you answer these questions, you will realize
that the answers refer directly or indirectly to certain existing natural resources in our planet. Natural resources
are elements or substances of the physical environment that humans exploit to meet their needs (food, clothing,
housing, health, transportation, entertainment) by transforming them into a wide array of products that become
materials for the production of other goods depending on the degree of processing.
Based on the previous information, it is clear that agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas coexist due
to the presence of certain natural resources. Thus, for example, logging is the predominant activity in forests.
Fig. 4.3 In the grasslands of the Argentinian pampa,
hundreds of heads of cattle graze freely. This is Agriculture is an activity that is practiced in areas where there is fertile soil, sufficient water and weather
one of the most important stockbreeding areas in conditions for crops to grow productively. In places where natural grasslands prevail, stockbreeding is usually
the world developed because animals feed on them (fig. 4.3). In fishing areas, water is the main resource, so that in ponds,
reservoirs, lakes, rivers and mainly; in the sea, fish resources are exploited; their abundance or scarcity depends on
the quality of the water bodies themselves, environmental conditions or both.
If you see the relief (page 64), watershed (page 76), and climate (page 84) maps, and compare them with map
4.1, you’ll notice the coincidence between agricultural areas, temperate and tropical climates, as well as the great
flatlands or plains.
Activity
Identify the relationship between the natural resources and and organize the information by continents (look at the example).
agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas in the next activity. In If necessary, look for information on the Internet or the library to
teams, and with your teacher’s guidance, compare maps 4.1, 4.3 and complete your answers. Present your results to the class and listen
4.5 with the relief, watersheds, climate and natural regions maps of carefully to any additional information provided by your teacher.
Unit II. Create a table in your notebook like the one shown below
Continent Agricultural region Climate Shape of relief Rivers and water bodies
America East of the United States of America Temperate (Cf and Cw) Flatlands and plains Missouri, Mississippi and the Great Lakes
156

Ways to manage natural resources in agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing

areas in the world and in Mexico
With the previous topic, you probably noticed that the different economic areas are linked to one or more natural
resources. In addition to the place where they are established, the use and handling that results from them them is
different depending on factors such as the environment, needs or requirements, historical past, culture, financial
resources and technological capabilities, among others.
When we speak of the “managing natural resources,” we refer to the different ways of exploiting and using the
resources of nature. Each society adopts a particular pattern of use and transformation. Historically, in Mexico
and the world, three forms of management of the natural resources in agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing
areas can be distinguished:
• The one characterized by extracting as much of the natural resources in the shortest possible time and at
the lowest cost, regardless of the natural laws of ecosystem function; this method of extraction causes the Fig. 4.4a Although fishing for endangered whales
has been prohibited, Japan continues practicing
depletion of the latter or the abandonment of its exploitation when it ceases to be economically profitable (figs. of this activity.
4.4a and 4.4b).
• The one that considers the relation between the resources and the natural system where they are embedded. It
delimits their exploitation according to their rhythms of regeneration and the amount existent in nature.
• The one that considers necessary to respect the natural and social times and proposes to use resources in a way
that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the satisfaction of the needs of future
generations. In short, it considers relevant to respect the laws that dictate the functioning of ecosystems to
prevent its exhaustion or extinction.
From this last scheme sprung the sustainable integrated management of natural resources in recent years,
whose purpose is the existence of ecologically stable, diverse and mainly sustainable resources. That is, it pursues
the harmony between economic development and the maintenance of resources through a series of balanced Fig. 4.4b The overexploitation of the fodder with
strategies. The sustainable integrated management of resources considers three main elements: environmental, which livestock is fed causes soil erosion and the
whose task is to maintain the natural resources steadily through the preservation of vegetation, soil, hydrology, deterioration of soil fertility and structure.
climate and wildlife; economic, which involves the constant acquisition of goods and services; and social,
which promotes and ensures the participation of society in decision making processes related to resource Fig. 4.5 The forest certification is a system that
ensures that the forest product (paper, cardboard,
management and the distribution of profits. In Finland, for example, forest certification is carried out, which etc.) comes from a forest managed with criterion
combines a system of selective logging with immediate reforestation of the same species, to develop forests of of sustainability and to improve the management
good quality because the trees grow better in open areas (fig. 4.5). In recent years in Mexico, there have been of forest resources.
changes to national laws that relate to the management of natural resources, which promote this form of resource
management, encouraging rural communities and businesses to adopt the sustainable integrated way.
157


Activity
To distinguish some forms of managing the natural resources that are them on a cardboard and under each one, write down the activity
used in different agricultural, livestock, forest and fishing areas, form that is being performed and the country that carries it out. Lastly,
teams of three and look for three to five pictures in magazines or on discuss the differences found in the management of natural resources
the Internet, that exemplify each of the management types; then glue in each of the spaces you illustrated as a group.
Importance of the mineral and energy resources in the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
In elementary school you learned that minerals are natural resources tables, chairs, tools, medicines or fuel.
that humans transform and are part of society’s daily activities. Do you know what materials these objects are made of? Are any of
Recover this knowledge and reflect on the presence of minerals in those materials a mineral? Where can we find them? How do you think
everyday life with the following activity. In pairs, think of the items life would be if those objects didn’t exist? Write down your conclusions
or products in the classroom, at home, the means of transportation in your notebook and with your teacher’s guidance, discuss your
that you use to go to school, for example: boards, benches, trash cans, answers in class.

Distribution of the major mineral and energy deposits and energy in the world
As you solved the previous exercise, you realized that many of the objects that we use every day are made of
materials obtained from minerals.
As you recall, the earth’s crust is made up of a large variety of rocks formed by the association of minerals.
Most of the natural resources of the subsoil are minerals, that is, inorganic substances composed of different
chemical elements of which we have identified over three thousand different ones; however, only a few are used
by humans that transform them into resources that are classified as:
• Metallic minerals, with which metals such as iron, lead, and copper (fig. 4.6) are made.
• Nonmetallic minerals, have an earthy look and cannot manufacture metals; clay, gypsum, mercury, cadmium,
antimony, sulfur, boron, kaolin, fluorite are a few examples.
• Energy minerals, which are sources of energy; like coal, oil, uranium and other radioactive minerals.
• Metals and gemstones, such as gold, silver and diamond, among others.
The extraction of these minerals from Earth is known as mining activity and it takes place in areas where
there are deposits, that is, in places with a high concentration of one or more minerals, which is why mining is a
very accurate activity in the geographic space and, unlike agriculture, livestock or fishing, it is not conformed of
large spaces. In general, mineral deposits are located in mountainous areas of volcanic origin, although others,
Fig. 4.6 Sonora is the entity with the richest copper deposits. like oil and natural gas, are also located beneath the ocean floor.
158

Activity
To identify the geographic distribution of the main mineral deposits 2. Name two countries where diamond deposits exist:
in the world, in teams, look at map 4.6, and answer the questions
that are below. Use your atlas. When you are finished, and with your 3. Which African countries have uranium?
teacher’s guidance, compare your results with those of other teams.
1. What energy minerals are found in Mexico? 4. List two countries where there are silver deposits:
Map 4.6 Distribution of the major mineral deposits in the world, 2010.
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
ARCTIC OCEAN
75° 75°
60° 60°
45° 45°
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
30° 30°
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ PACIFIC
OCEAN
15° 15°
INDIAN Equator
0° 0°
P A C I F I C
OCEAN
O C E A N
15° 15°
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
30° 30°
LEGEND
45° Metallic minerals Nonmetallic minerals Metals and 45°
Chromium Bauxite Sulfur gemstones

Iron ore Copper Baryta Diamond
60° Manganese Lead Fluorite Gold 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ Molybdenum Titanium Gypsum Silver
1: 167 000 000 Nickel Uranium Phosphorite Energy minerals
75° Zinc Oil Coal 75°
0 1 670 3 340 km
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180° Source: Human geography, Bergman and Renwick, 2011.
159

Unit IV
Map 4.7 Distribution of the major mineral deposits in Mexico. At a global scale, the main deposits of metallic and
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° nonmetallic minerals such as iron, copper, aluminum,
32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32° zinc, lead, gold and silver are located in Australia,
Zimapan
Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, USA, Peru, Russia
Asencion
Caborca
Cananea
Colon
Misantla
and South Africa. Moreover, the most important oil
Nacozari Molango
deposits are located in Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United
G
de García
ul
Acuña Tula
States of America, Iran, China, Mexico, the United
f
La Colorada Aquiles
of
Serdan Nava 20° 20°

28° 28°
Muzquiz
Arab Emirates and Venezuela.
Ca
Guerrero Negro Saucillo

Navojoa Sabinas
In Mexico, the metallic mineral deposits (copper,
li
Sierra
Santa Barbara Mojada
fo
Mulegé Zacazonapan
lead, zinc, silver and gold) are found on the main

Monclova
rn
Inde Monterrey
ia
Torreon Mina
mountain ranges, while in northern Coahuila lie
Santiago Cadereyta
Matamoros
Papasquiro
Burgos Taxco
Galeana
24°
Tropic of Cance
Dimas
Cuencame
100° 24° the coal deposits; oil and natural gas deposits are
r 23°27’
located in the maritime area of Campeche, on the
Sombrerete Charcas
Fresnillo Zaragoza Ciudad
LEGEND Tampico G u l f
Major minerals Morelos Cerritos
Fernandez
Ciudad
continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico, of which the
Copper Graphite San Luis Potosi
Villa Zaragoza
Madero o f Cantarell Field stands out and several wells in Tabasco,
Lead Gypsum Zimapan
20° Zinc Sulfur
Guanajuato
Salamanca Molango
Misantla M e x i c o
20°
Veracruz and Tamaulipas. We can see the location
Colón
Silver
Gold
Barite
Fluorite
Tamazula
de Gordiano Tula
Sureste
and distribution of the major mineral deposits in the
Salt Minatitlan Zacazonapan
Veracruz
country on map 4.7.
Molybdenum Coal Cactus Nuevo Pemex
Arsenic Iron Taxco
PACIFIC Lazaro Cárdenas Minatitlan Pemex
Bismuth Coke BELIZE
Extraction and processing of mineral and
City
Antimony Manganese
OCEAN Caribbean
Sea
16° 16°
Coal extraction 1: 24 000 000 Salina Cruz
Oil and gas extraction
0 240 480 km
G ul f
of
T ehuant epec
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
energy resources in the world and in Mexico
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92°
s you saw earlier, there are underground mineral
A 88°
Source: Mexican Mining Chamber, 2015. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015. resources that humans extract and exploit in multiple
ways, depending on whether they are metallic,
nonmetallic or energetic.
Extraction is done in two forms:
• Opencast. It is used when mineral deposits are found near the surface. This is a process
in which large amounts of soil and subsoil are removed then processed to extract the
mineral (fig. 4.7).
• Underground. The mineral is extracted from below the surface, which is why tunnels,
shafts (vertical excavations) and galleries need to be built.
Once the minerals are extracted, the impurities called gangue, are separated to leave
them pure and concentrated. They are then taken to the plants where the metallic minerals
are melted into bars, the nonmetallic minerals are emptied into sacks and the energy
minerals, like oil, are placed in containers. Thus, different industries transform them into
items of use and consumption.
Fig. 4.7 The opencast diamond mine in Mirny, Russia, is the largest in the world, with a
1,200-meter diameter and 525 meters deep.
160

Activity To learn more

With the following activity, you will understand the importance of processing of minerals in the world In pairs, look for the
and in Mexico. As a team, look at table 4.3 where certain minerals and their uses are shown. In the video “The consequences
library or on the Internet, search for two or three more uses for each mineral and write them down in of opencast gold mining
your notebook. When you are finished, answer these questions: (parts I and II)” on the
Internet. Then, based
1. What mineral do you consider more relevant with regard to the uses it is given? on what you learned
about managing natural
2. Write the name of a mineral that is essential good for the health, another that is processed into resources, determine
raw material and finally one that is used as energy.
what type of management
Compare your answers with those of the other teams and, draw a table summarizing your results the videos refer to and
on the board. write down five ideas to
explain it.
Table 4.3 Minerals and uses.
Mineral Uses Mineral Uses Mineral Uses
Electrical conductor in
cables and plugs, electrical Fuels, lubricants, polyethylene, Galvanized steel, deodorants,
Copper items such as computers, Oil synthetic fibers, like nylon, fertilizer, Zinc lithography, lotions, sunblock,
watches, calculators, ovens, plastic containers and detergents. medicines and cosmetics.
irons.
Sheets, beams, steel, auto

parts, ships, railways and Coins, fine jewelry, musical Batteries, cable covers, paint,
Iron Gold Lead
structures of bridges and instruments, dental pieces. plumbing, glass, ceramics and fuses.
buildings.
Coins, jewelry, photography, Glass, optic instruments,

Bronze manufactures, textiles,
Silver chemicals, electrical and Quartz gemstones, jewelry, polisher, Tin
special steel and kitchenware.
electronic components. watches, radio devices.
Source: camimex, 2010.
161

Unit IV
Importance of mineral and energy resources for the economy of Mexico and the world
Now that you know the distribution of mineral and energy deposits and you know how they are extracted and
processed, it is necessary to understand their importance in the economy of Mexico and other countries of
the world.
Activity
In the following activity you will reflect on the importance of minerals and energy in the economy
of Mexico and the world, through a historical fact. Individually, research, in the library or on the
Internet, the main causes of the 1982 economic crisis in Mexico. Prepare a brief report and answer the
following questions: What was the main reason for the economic problems of Mexico in those years?
Fig. 4.8 At different moments in the history of the
contemporary economy, the value of minerals What implications did these problems have regarding the price of the peso against the dollar? What
has averted or spurred the existence of national, international economic consequences did our country face? What happened to the national economy?
regional and international financial crises. With your teacher’s guidance, as a group, prepare a summary table where you redeem the role of
minerals in this historic event.
In the previous activity, you realized that the production of minerals is the economic basis of different countries
because of its value in the international market (fig. 4.8), and the diversity its everyday uses. What’s more, the
finances of certain countries depend fully or partially on the extraction of one or more minerals, either for sale
abroad or for consumption and transformation in the local industry.
The economic growth of countries is associated to the industrial development of minerals, such as bismuth,
fluorite, celestite, lead, sodium, titanium and a long list of other minerals that are essential to the chemical and
pharmaceutical industries (fig. 4.9).
At a global scale, countries like Canada, China, Peru, Jamaica, Russia, South Africa and Chile, for example,
base much of their revenue on the exploitation and export of various minerals such as bauxite, zinc, copper,
diamonds, iron, gold, silver, lead, uranium and nickel.
On the other hand, energy resources are considered a base for the economic security of a country, that is, they
are strategic resources because the countries that possess them have economic and political advantage over those
that don’t and their position in foreign policy is outstanding.
Coal and oil are considered fossil fuels, while uranium, plutonium and thorium are nuclear fuels. Oil, in
particular, is important to the economy of the countries for its crucial role in the generation of electricity and
the production of fuels such as gasoline, diesel and fuel oil, which are used to operate the different means of
transportation and industries. Natural gas is used directly in homes and industries for heaters, stoves and water
heaters. In thermal power plants, coal is used as fuel to generate 30% of the world’s electricity; in steel mills, it is
Fig. 4.9 We usually ignore the minerals used in the used to cast iron and other minerals mixed to obtain different types of steel. Likewise, nuclear energy is used in
manufacture of medicines, household and industrial nuclear power plants to obtain large amounts of electricity.
cleaners, pesticides and food preservatives.
162

In Mexico, mineral resources have been an essential part of the historical, social
and economic development of its population. It is an indisputable fact that gold and
silver mining in our country prompted the birth of towns and cities and, therefore,
the construction of highways, railways and ports to ship minerals abroad. Thus,
since the sixteenth century (after the arrival of the Spanish), our country bases part
of its economy on the exploitation of minerals.
Oil activity is one of the most active in Mexico, it is controlled by Petroleos
Mexicanos (Pemex), a company that since the oil expropriation decreed by
President Lazaro Cardenas in 1938, took the leadership of this industry in the
country to turn it into the property of all Mexicans, administered by the State.
However, in December 2013, the “energy reform” was approved, where the
participation of foreign and private companies was permitted for the tasks of
exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons (oil and gas), as it is alleged that
they have the technological and financial resources necessary to modernize the Fig. 4.10 Oil in Mexico is running out, which is
parastatal organization (fig. 4.10). why the diversification of the economy must be
accelerated in order not to depend on oil sales. In
the picture, an oil platform in the maritime area
of Campeche.
Activity
To demonstrate the importance of mineral and 1. Minerals, like other natural resources, are
energy resources, do the following activity. In distributed in large mining areas and located
pairs, look for two news articles in newspaper anywhere in the world.
clippings or magazines that mention the political, 2. Depending on the location of minerals, their
social, economic or cultural impact of a country exploitation is done opencast or underground
that has mineral or energy resources. Then, make through tunnels, shafts and galleries
a poster with photographs that illustrate the
3. Mineral resources can be classified in three
information you found. You can also search in
groups: metallic, nonmetallic and energy; all
webpages.
three are equally important.
Present your work to the class and write down
the other minerals your classmates present in 4. Minerals like copper, manganese and fluorite
your notebook. have significantly influenced the historical,
Then, moderated by your teacher, strengthen social and economic development of the
what you’ve learned up to now. Discuss with the population of Mexico.
whole group which of the proposed statements 5. In some countries energy minerals are
below are key ideas of the topics covered. Write considered strategic because they are the Glossary
down in your notebooks other important ideas base of energy and economic security. Parastatal. Company managed by the State.
that come up from the discussion.
163

Types of industries and the importance of industrial areas in the

world economy and in Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
In elementary school you learned that the industry is divided in two major groups. To recover this knowledge,
do the activity below.
The following table presents a number of products. Write under each item an L if they belong to the light
industry or an H if they come from the heavy industry. Then, answer the questions in your notebooks.
Tortillas Clothing Steel Machinery Shoes Ships Computers Petrol Cement Candy
1. What are the characteristics of the light industry?

2. What are the characteristics of the heavy industry?
3. In your notebook, write a list of five other products produced by the light industry and another ten for
the heavy industry.
Check your answers with those of your classmates. Ask your teacher to help you solve any questions.

Fig. 4.11 Aircraft manufacturing is one of the most
important industrial activities. In the picture, an Types of industries in the world
Airbus assembly plant in France.
The industry is responsible for transforming raw materials created in the primary sector into products with a
higher degree of processing. The different types of industries belong to secondary activities. As you saw in the
Fig. 4.12 Robots in factories increase production previous activity, the products commonly used in the classroom or at home, others more complex ones such
significantly, but what happens to the workers
that are replaced by machines? In the picture, the as bridges, ships, trains, planes (fig. 4.11), and the energy we use daily are examples of products created by
facilities of a flour production company in Mexico. industrial activities. Since the eighteenth century, the industry has undergone a series of dramatic changes related
to scientific and technological advances, changing its operation and dynamics. Additionally, today’s world faces
changes driven by the development of computers (fig. 4.12) and improved transportation and communication
systems. The latter makes their classification a complex issue due to many of the factors considered, such as:
the type of resource that is being transformed, the economic destination, the technical level, the way in which
the industries are presented within the geographic space, particularly in cities, or the geographic scale of their
operations. Thus, the industry is a highly diversified and dispersed economic activity in the world.
Because of the kind of inputs it requires - raw material, labor, technology, money -, and because of the finished
product it creates, the industry is divided in two groups:
164

a) Basic or heavy industry. It is named so because it creates goods to make

other products. This activity uses a large volume of raw materials, requires
specialized transportation facilities (ships and railways); its facilities extend
over very large areas, and their location substantially alters the geographic
landscape (warehouses, offices, manufacturing plant), and it needs skilled
workforce. The investment is large and the time it requires to recover the
investment made for the purchase of machinery and equipment (amortization)
is long term. However, the economic spill it produces in the place where it is
located is very high.
The main subsectors that make up the basic industry are:
• The mining and metals industry transforms an extraordinary volume of minerals
into a variety of products. Fig. 4.13 Steel production is intended for the
• The steel industry produces steel and wrought iron from the alloy of iron and mineral coal (fig. 4.13). construction of buildings, tunnels and bridges. In
• The power generating industry is one of the key subsectors for the economic development of countries. This the picture, a steel producing factory in the United
States of America.
energy has a thermoelectric origin, when fossil fuels are burned; hydropower, generated from the construction
of dams that harness the power of rivers; nuclear power, by means of nuclear plants, and wind and tidal farms
that employ the wind and tides.
• The petrochemical industry obtains byproducts such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and fueloil from various
refining processes. It uses raw materials from the refining of crude oil and natural gas that produces over 56
petrochemical products that need other industries to produce plastics, resins, adhesives, pigments, dyes and
fertilizers, among others.
• Other basic industries are the metalworking and machinery and equipment industries, that manufacture heavy
machinery, transportation units or specialized tools such as railway cars, tractors, forklifts and so on.
b) Light or fixed asset and consumer goods industry. This activity produces finished products that are consumed
directly. Compared to the heavy industry, the light industry has a lower economic impact, because it uses
smaller amounts of energy and raw materials.
For the type of products they manufacture, the light industry uses smaller but faster means of transportation;
Fig. 4.14 Trucks made in Japan from parts coming
the workforce it hires is not necessarily qualified; its amortization takes less time; wages are low and sometimes from all over the world and finally reach Mexico.
this industry goes unnoticed because it is relatively easy to install in houses and workshops.
The light industry is made up of various branches dedicated to food, beverage, and tobacco processing,
obtaining medicines; to the manufacture of textiles, clothing and footwear; to the development of cellulose,
cardboard, paper, books, newspapers and magazines, and to the production of glass, electrical appliances
and electronics.
It is important to note that the current industrial dynamic has set new standards for industrial production
processes, mainly for fixed assets and consumption. This change is reflected in the assembly plant, which is
characterized by the separation of the production processes where different companies are involved in the
various stages of the development of an item, even though they’re separated by great distances from one another
(continental even). As you can see in fig. 4.14, the automotive industry is one of the most representative sectors of
this process of production fragmentation known as “Post-Fordism” or “Toyotism.”
165

Unit IV
Distribution of the major industrial areas in the world and in Mexico

Regardless of the type of industry, four major industrial areas are identified worldwide, as shown on map 4.8.
The first is located in the Great Lakes region in North America. The world’s second largest industrial area is
located in East Asia. Another region is made up of Western European countries, and the last one extends over the
largest country in the world, can you see it?
In these four industrial regions, the basic industry excels, like the
Map 4.8 Major industrial areas in the world. mining-metallurgy, steel, petrochemical, metal mechanical and that
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
the machinery and equipment industry. In other countries, the
light industry and assembly plants stand out.
90° 90°
GLACIAL ARCTIC OCEAN
In recent years, the high-tech industry has become

75° 75°
60° 60° the most important branch of the industrial sector,

developed in technological parks scattered in
45° 45°
A T L A N T I C different cities, like Bangalore in India and

30° O C E A N P A C I F I C 30° the renowned region of Silicon Valley in
O C E A N California, USA.
15° 15°
Moreover, Japan and the Republic of
0° Equator P A C I F I C
0°
Korea (South Korea) have achieved great
O C E A N scientific and technological development,
I N D I A N
15°
O C E A N
15° they have a skilled workforce and a strong
market economy, making them competitive
30° 30°
A T L A N T I C in all fields. While their territories are
45°
O C E A N 45° modest in size and have few natural resources,
their economic strength enables them to
LEGEND
60°
1: 274 000 000 60°
successfully exploit the raw materials they buy
Major industrial regions
75° 0 2 740 5 480 km 75° from other countries, turning them into high-quality
90°
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
90° products that result in high profits from their worldwide
commercialization.
Source: Contemporany World regional geography, Bradshaw et al., McGraw-Hill, 2004.
Activity
To recognize the distribution of the main industrial areas in the 1. What countries make up the Great Lakes region?
world, in pairs, look at map 4.8 and answer the questions in your 2. Name five countries in the industrial region of Western Europe.
notebook. Use your Atlas if you need to. With your teacher’s 3. Name two countries in the industrial region of East Asia.
guidance, discuss your answers with the rest of the group and correct 4. Industrial country with the largest land area in the world.
them if necessary.
166

Other countries with a significant industrial development in the world are the Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs):
• The “Asian Tigers”: South Korea (previously mentioned), Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong (the latter is a
special economic region of China that, until 1997, was a colony of the United Kingdom).
• The “Asian Dragons”: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, countries with significant Map 4.9 Major industrial areas in Mexico.
assembly plants. 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
• BRIC, an acronym formed from the initials of the 32°
Mexicali
U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A 32°
Tijuana 100°
names of these four countries: Brazil, Russia, India Ciudad Juarez
and China; this last one is known as “the factory of Nogales
Guanajuato
the world.”
G
ul
In Mexico, the Lazaro Cardenas-Las Truchas steel
f
Hermosillo Ciudad Acuna
of
Piedras Negras 20° 20°
28°
mill stands out in the state of Michoacan (map 4.9) 28°
Ca
Mexico
excels in the basic industry branch. The metalworking, Guerrero Nuevo Laredo City
li
Negro Chihuahua
fo
Toluca
machinery and equipment, and basic chemical industries,
Monclova
rn
Reynosa
Puebla
ia
Monterrey
are concentrated in the three largest metropolitan La Laguna Matamoros
areas: Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara 24°

Tampico 100° 24°
Tropic of Cance
and, in fewer numbers in cities like Veracruz, Toluca, r 23°27’ La Paz
Queretaro, Pachuca, Puebla, Cuernavaca, Hermosillo, San Luis Potosi

G u l f
PACIFIC OCEAN Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes, Ramos Arizpe and Chihuahua; the latter LEGEND o f
are the headquarters of major companies involved in the High diversified Guanajuato Merida
20° M e x i c o
automotive industry. industrial concentration Guadalajara 20°
Average industrial concentration Mexico
Colima City Veracruz
The production of chemical substances corresponds Steel industry Campeche
Toluca
Geothermal power production Puebla Villahermosa
mainly to the oil states of Veracruz and Tamaulipas; Thermoelectric power production
Manzanillo
Coatzacoalcos
Caribbean
Sea
Hydroelectric power production Lazaro BELIZE
other entities involved are Nuevo Leon, Federal District Coal production
Cardenas Minatitlan
Tuxtla Gutierrez
and Guanajuato. The largest pharmaceutical production 16° Nuclear energy production 1: 24 000 000
Salina Cruz
16°
Oil production
is generated in the State of Mexico. The main textile 0 240 480 km
Gulf
of
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
Tehuantepec
factories are located in Puebla, Veracruz, Jalisco, 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico; as for the production Source: Based on the Nuevo atlas nacional de México,
of handicrafts related to textiles and clothing, it is mainly located in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero and from the Institute of Geography, 2007.
Yucatan which, through their garments, express a particular cultural wealth associated to the distribution of the
indigenous population.
As noted in previous pages, the assembly plant puts together components or parts of products for other industries,
from automotive, aerospace, electronics and computing, to footwear, clothing and toys.
In Mexico, the northern border cities are the main places where assembly pants are established, due to its
geographical proximity to the largest consumer market in the world: the United States of America, which has turned
them into a significant source of employment and a destination, whether temporary or permanent, for migration.
It is important to note that the assembly plant is easy to position, meaning it does not require very complex
facilities, because large warehouses equipped for the tasks of assembly are set up and move from one place to another,
dismantling their facilities in a short time, creating uncertainty about their permanence in the country.
167

Unit IV
Importance of the industry in the economy of Mexico and other countries in the world
As you saw in the previous topics, industries produce a wide variety of items and are mainly
concentrated in large cities.
Activity
To reflect on the importance of the industry, in pairs, draw a list of at least 10 items that you use or
consume daily in your notebooks. Then, answer the following questions:
1. How many of these items are produced by some industry?
2. Look at the labels or packaging of these products, how many are made in the country and how many
in foreign countries?
3. How do you think a country is affected when it lacks its own industry and has to buy the products
they consume from other countries?
4. Do you consider that industrial activities create a difference between rich and poor countries? Why?
With your teacher’s guidance, compare your answers with the rest of the group.
The industry is considered one of the most important activities to stimulate economic growth in
countries, because by creating business and employment opportunities, it generates revenue and accelerates
the production process, as well as providing welfare and benefits to society. In general terms, thanks to
the industry, it is possible to obtain different energy products, machine, minerals, tools and equipment,
Fig. 4.15 The industry provides fixed and consumer consumer goods, transportation and other products that meet the various needs of the population
items and even creates the raw material it (fig. 4.15).
provides to other industries. In the mid-nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth century, an industrialization process was
initiated that demanded the creation of new technologies and scientific innovation in most of the planet
that financially benefited several countries and led to the growth of cities and their regional areas of
influence. However, industrial development is uneven around the world.
The industry, like other economic activities, requires certain conditions, for example: capital investment,
infrastructure, transportation and roads, among others. The countries that don’t meet these conditions are
excluded from industrial development, and therefore have few industries; its industrialization process is
slow and they dependent on the imports of industrial products.
Among the countries in the world that excel for having high industrial development, and therefore a
better economic level, are: the United States of America, Japan, Germany, France and the UK.
In recent years, Mexico has experienced a rapid industrialization process, especially in activities related
to the heavy industry, electric, metallurgy, chemical, petrochemical, oil (fig. 4.16) and assembly plants;
the latter have drawn large volumes of investment, both domestic and foreign, which have resulted in
Fig. 4.16 The petrochemical and oil industries are significant sources of employment and valuable contributions to strengthen the national economy.
very important for the Mexican economy.
168

However, this activity is concentrated in the main cities of the country, the ones that have better economic
To learn more
development, in contrast to others that are mainly engaged in primary activities and have poverty conditions, a
situation that promotes economic inequality. As a team, watch the
video on “Productive
Practice what you learned sectors” from the
Telesecundaria website,
Activity available at https://goo.
Now that you know a little more about the types of industry and their importance, do the following gl/TCbwcc (Retrieved
activity to reinforce what you learned. The information about an industry that produces various dairy on: September 28, 2015).
products globally and nationally is shown in table 4.4. In pairs, analyze the information and do what is Answer the following
asked: questions: What would
1. On a planisphere, locate the countries where there are factories. Use a symbol like the numbers at happen if only one sector
the bottom of the table to represent the products that are produced. was developed? Why is it
2. According to the classification of the industry we already know, what type does table 4.4 belong to? important for these three
3. Mention the name of the continents that have greater presence of factories in the world and those sectors to be developed
where there are no factories. Why do you think this occurs? in a balanced manner?
4. Why do you think that not all countries produce the full range of products? With your teacher’s
5. Why do you think certain countries have more factories and sell more than others? guidance, discuss your
6. What is the importance of the products it manufactures, for both our country and the world? results in class.
Present your answers in class. Then, as a group and with your teacher’s guidance, reflect on the
importance of the industry based on this example.
Table 4.4 Main characteristics of a dairy industry for selected countries, 2010.
Country Number of factories Sales (millions of dollars in the US) ❶ ❷ ❸ ❹ ❺ ❻
USA 79 32,605 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
France 29 8,044 Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Brazil 22 7,287 Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Germany 21 5,562 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
China 19 2,938 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Italy 15 3,746 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Mexico 13 3,586 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Canada 12 3,011 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Spain 12 2,646 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
UK 12 3,877 Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
❶ Drinks and powders to prepare them. ❷ Dairy, baby food and ice creams. ❸ Processed food.
❹ Cakes and sweets. ❺ Pet food. ❻ Pharmaceutical products.
Source: Created by the author, 2015.
169

Importance of trade and transportation networks in the context

of economic globalization in the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
In elementary school you learned that trade and transportation With this data, research what transportation was used to get them
networks are essential for the economic development of a country. to your destination. Then, with your teacher’s guidance, as a group,
To begin to value the importance of both activities, in pairs, find reflect on the following questions: What would happen if the products
two products that come from abroad and two from a federal entity manufactured in a country or entity could only be sold in their place
different than yours. Look at the labels and, for the foreign items, find of origin? What would happen if transportation networks didn’t exist?
country of origin and customs where it entered; for the domestic ones, How do you think this would affect the national and international
look for the city where they were manufactured on a map of Mexico. economy?

Glossary Trade and transportation networks in the world and in Mexico
Customs. It is a government office
located in seaports, airports and in the
With the previous exercise, you realized that transportation networks are essential for trade to take place. Unlike
borders of the countries, that is responsible the previous economic activities - dedicated to the collection, cultivation and domestication of plants and animals,
for charging the taxes on the foreign goods to the extraction of certain natural resources (fishing, forest or mining), or to the transformation of said resources
coming in, or when exit to other countries. into manufactured and semi-finished products -, the activities of the tertiary sector act as links between what is
produced and what is consumed. In addition to trade and the different types of transportation, a wide range of
services, like the provision of education, health, loans and financing, communications, leisure and entertainment
Fig. 4.17 More than 90% of international trade, are included.
in terms of cargo volume, and 80% in terms Trade is the exchange of goods and services between a producer and a consumer. From a geographic point of
of money, moves by sea transportation. In the
picture, the commercial port of Shanghai.
view, trade can take place within a country and be called domestic or inner trade, or outside the country, which is
called external or foreign trade.
To better understand the dynamics of foreign trade, three fundamental concepts must be taken into account:
exports, which refer to sales abroad, that is, to other countries, of products or services created in a country;
imports, which are the purchase of goods or services from other countries; and trade balance, which is the
difference between exports and imports. If a country sells more products than it buys, it is said to have reached a
trade surplus (positive balance), but if it buys more goods from abroad than what it sells, then it has a trade deficit
(negative balance).
Furthermore, transportation networks are necessary for commercial activities to take place, because thanks
to them, a product can be taken from one point to another. Transportation is classified as ground, such railways,
automobiles, buses, freight trucks and trailers; sea (fig. 4.17), comprised of vessels, like ships, cruise ships, yachts
170

and ferries, and air transportation that, even though it specializes in the movement of people, and to a lesser
extent, is used to transport high value cargo, with reduced weight and volume.
At a global scale, road and railway transportation are most frequently used, both to move cargo as well as
passengers because of the extensive network of roads and railways that economically and demographically
connect the major cities of the world. There are two main areas where the density of these types of transportation
allow almost all the cities and small towns to be completely interconnected: the United States of America and
Europe. Two secondary areas are India and a significant part of China. Historically there have been several sea
and air networks connecting major ports and airports in the world; the most important ones coincide with the
most dynamic cities because of cargo or passengers: New York, Panama, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney and Los
Angeles, among others (map. 4.10).
Map 4.10 Major highway, railway and maritime networks in the world.
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
ARCTIC OCEAN
75° 75°
60° 60°
45° 45°
30° 30°
15° 15°
PACIFIC Equator
0° 0°
OCEAN
15° 15°
LEGEND
Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’ Number of tons
transported
30° 5 - 10 million ATLANTIC INDIAN 30°
11 - 20 million
21 - 100 million OCEAN
OCEAN
101 - 200 million
201 - 300 million
45° 45°
301 - 400 million
401 and more
Passenger boats
LEGEND
60° 60°
Areas with 20 miles (32 km)
of highways, railways
1: 167 000 000 and waterways
75° Main airports 75°
0 1670 3340 km
Source: icao, 2015.
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
171

Unit IV
Map 4.11 Major railroad and sea networks in Mexico. In Mexico (map 4.11), as in the world, road transportation is the
most widely used form of transportation, both to move cargo as well as
116° Mexicali 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
32°Tijuana U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A 32°
Ciudad Juarez
LEGEND passengers, which is made possible by the existence of an extensive road
Freeways network connecting the country economically and demographically.
Highways
G
Railroad and sea transportation are mainly used to move cargo, while air
ul
Hermosillo Air
f
Piedras Negras
and road transportation basically deal with the transportation of passengers.
of
28°
Guaymas
Chihuahua Sea 28°
Ca
Capital
The highways with heavier transit are the ones connecting Mexico City
li
Other cities
fo
G u l f to Toluca, Queretaro, Puebla and Cuernavaca, and it is precisely from these

rn
Monterrey
ia
Mazatlan Culiacan
Saltillo cities that the trade and movement of people is more intense compared to
La Paz o f
24°
Tropic de Cance
r 23°27’
Durango Ciudad
Victoria
24°
the rest of the country. Currently in Mexico, a railroad network of about
Cabo San Lucas Zacatecas M e x i c o 26,600 km runs through 30 federal entities, linking its major cities with
agricultural, livestock, industrial and mining centers, as well as major
Aguascalientes San Luis
Potosi Cancun
Tepic
20° P A C I F I C Guadalajara
Guanajuato
Pachuca
Merida
20°
ports and border points, while railroad transportation handles about 20%
Campeche
Morelia
Mexico City
Veracruz Chetumal
of the imported and exported merchandise and 20% of the domestic
Colima
trade products.
O C E A N Toluca Puebla
Manzanillo
Cuernavaca
Villahermosa
Lazaro Cardenas BELIZE
Commercial regions, global cities and financial services in

Chilpancingo Oaxaca
1: 27 000 000 Acapulco
16° Tuxtla 16°
Gutierrez
0 270 540 km
GUATEMALA HONDURAS
Tapachula 92°
the world
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 88°
Source: sct, 2015. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.

As you’ve already seen, trade is an activity that involves various countries
Map 4.12 Commercial regions of the world. around the world, which is why it’s so important to establish rules and
180°
90°
135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
90° organize the ways to carry out the exchange of goods and services.
Therefore, there are international economic organizations and
ARCTIC OCEAN
75° 75°
Arctic Polar Circleo 66°33’
associations in the world whose main purpose is to establish
60° 60°
ties and regional cooperation strategies in financial,
45° 45° credit, monetary and, above all, commercial matters.
A T L A N T I C The member countries of these organizations make
30°
O C E A N P A C I F I C 30°
up the trade regions. In most cases, these regions are
15°
O C E A N
15°
committed to meet a series of joint agreements, for
example: regulating, reducing and progressively
P A C I F I C
0° Equator 0° eliminating trade barriers (taxes) that affect
O C E A N
I N D I A N or hinder trade, promoting conditions of fair
15° 15°
O C E A N competition, increasing investment opportunities,
30° LEGEND 30° protecting intellectual property rights, stimulating
A T L A N T I C
European Union
Caribbean Community
the domestic production of its member countries,
O C E A N
45°
Mercosur
45°
encouraging cooperation between friendly countries
APEC
60°
ASEAN 60°
and providing discussion mechanisms for dispute
1: 274 000 000 NAFTA
African Union settlement, among others. On map 4.12 you can see some
0 2 740 5 480 km
of the existing trade regions, also known as economic regions.
75° 75°
90° 90°
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
Source: Andean Community; Caricom; apec; nafta; European Union, Mercosur, asean, 2015. 172

Some examples of the previous regions are worth explaining in more detail, such as: the European Union (EU),
which is an international intergovernmental organization whose primary purpose is to promote the cooperation
between the States that form it (fig. 4.18); and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), signed by
the United States, Canada and Mexico, which focuses on promoting the free flow of goods, services and capital.
Compared to the European Union, this economic region does not seek to integrate the countries into a single
territorial unit, but only to regulate trade among the member countries
Activity
To identify and reflect on the importance of trade regions, in teams, create a table, like the one presented
below, where you write down the names of the member countries of the economic regions that appear on
map 4.12, the continent or continents where they are located and the number of member countries. Then,
identify the name of the continent with the most economic regions. Choose one and look for information
that describes how it has changed the economy of the countries that conform it based on the creation of
the trade region. Lastly, compare the economy of the different regions you researched.
Fig. 4.18 International organizations and
associations are based on promoting mutual
Trade region Member countries Names Continent respect and understanding between the peoples
North American Free Trade Agreement 3 Mexico, Canada, USA America of the world. In the picture, Brussels, the capital
European Union of Belgium and the official headquarters of the
European Union.
World cities
Now let’s change the scale, and focus our attention on the issue of world cities, also known as global cities, which
correspond to some of the world’s largest metropolises. Global cities play a strategic role and have a significant
influence on the economic, political, social and cultural development of the planet; in other words, they are the
source and destination of the main financial and information flows. Thus, New York, London and Tokyo are
representative examples of global cities, as they are the headquarters of major centers, companies and financial, Glossary
political and cultural institutions of great power and significance, because the decisions taken there have global
Subsidiaries. They are local institutions
repercussions.
or companies that depend on their
Although there are different classifications of global cities, the most internationally renowned is the global reach.
Globalization and World Cities Research Network of Loughborough University in the UK. This classification
divides the cities into alpha, beta and gamma, depending on a combination of specific criterion, such as population
size, occupied area, home to company headquarters, financial and international institutions, transportation and
telecommunications infrastructure, quality and cost of life in the city.
GLOBAL CITIES
ALPHA CITIES BETA CITIES GAMMA CITIES
They are characterized by their scope and global impact on They are the agglomerations where the continental or regional Lower ranking metropolis than the previous two, but higher
the more advanced processes and industries in globalization, decision-making centers of companies with global scope are ranking than other global cities. They possess certain national
and where a significant number some of the largest companies concentrated, and where the subsidiaries or complex and and regional importance (some are capital cities), but they
are located; their decision-making and funding centers, and the advanced service providers are often located. They tend to be the don’t play an international leadership role. They often develop
more developed support services. headquarters of international institutions derived from the un. an important cultural life.
173

Unit IV
Map 4.13 Cartogram of the major global cities. Let’s examine the geographic distribution of global cities
in the world. Observe how map 4.13 does not look like the
previous maps. What is it then? What you see is a cartogram,
Stockholm
Copenhagen
Alpha cities
Beta cities
another type of mapping intended to show the components
of the geographic space (in this case, cities) associated to a
Montreal Saint Petersburg
Vancouver Toronto
Boston Edinburgh Hamburg Gamma cities
relative location on Earth’s surface.

Seattle Amsterdam Berlin
Varsovia Moscow
Chicago New Dusseldorf
York London
Brussels Prague
San Frankfurt
Francisco Munich
Washington
Dallas Seoul
Activity
Atlanta Paris Budapest
Los Angeles
Houston Tokyo
Miami Zurich
To know which ones are global cities, in pairs,

Madrid Beijing
Genova
Istanbul
Barcelona
create a table in your notebooks and write down,

Guadalajara Shangai Osaka
Rome Kuwait
Mexico City
by continent, the names of the global cities shown

Dubai Shenzhen Hong Taipei
New Kong
Delhi
on map 4.13 depending on their rank (alpha, beta or

San Jose Casablanca
Manila
Panamá
Bangalore Bangkok
gamma). Then, answer the following questions in your

Caracas
Kuala
Lumpur
notebooks and discuss them with the class. What

Río de
Quito Janeiro Singapore
Sao Paulo
Jakarta
continent has fewer global cities?
What do you think this occurs? Which continent has
Johannesburg
Montevideo Sydney
most global cities? What country has the largest

Santiago
Perth
Buenos Melbourne
number of global cities? How many global cities does

Aires Wellington
Mexico have and what type? What is the importance

Source: GaWc, 2009. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
of Mexican cities in the world?
Financial services in the world
Financial services include all those activities carried out by the institutions in charge of managing money, stocks and
other financial resources, such as brokerage firms (fig. 4.19), bond companies, banks, insurance companies, financial
leasing and exchange houses. The profit these services generate is higher than any other economic activity. Financial
activity in the world is of vital importance, as it gives money to all the production processes and commercial
operations. To make any movement of economic nature, it is necessary to have enough money, either in cash, bonds,
shares or in the form of credit, in order to purchase a product. This situation has led to the creation of international
financial systems that provide loans with interest to countries that require them, in order to facilitate the development
of their economic, social and cultural projects.
In the field of private financial services, stock exchanges are institutions that perform exchange operations of the
commercial stocks of large companies; these stocks are financial documents that represent the economic value of
a company, where the difference between buying and selling can create huge profits for some and great losses for
others. New York, London, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Singapore, Paris, Madrid and Geneva are among the major world
stock exchanges.
Fig. 4.19 In certain cities of the world, the financial Moreover, banks are the most common financial institutions among the population and they carry out the daily
institutions are concentrated in certain regions,
forming what is known as the Central Business economic operations of individuals and businesses; they also provide loans and financing for which they charge
District (CBD). In the picture, London’s financial interests, fixed over a period of time called installments. In Mexico, financial services are mainly operated by the
center in the UK.
Bank of Mexico and, to a lesser extent, by the Mexican Stock Exchange and international banks.
174

International economic institutions and transnational corporations in the world and in Mexico
The importance of financial activity has led to the creation of international economic institutions whose functions
are to regulate and supervise the economic development of member countries. One of the most important funding
organizations in the world is the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an intergovernmental economic institution whose
purpose is to avoid crisis in monetary systems and encourage countries to adopt economic policy measures.
It is conformed of 186 countries, but it is a fact that those who control the loans and financing are the
United States of America, Japan, Germany, France and the UK, countries that often condition the loans to
“recommendations.” For example, the IMF demands the countries in crisis to allow the entry of international
private investment in key sectors of their economy.
Another international credit institution is the World Bank; its main function is to provide loans to fight poverty
through financing that boosts the growth of countries with agricultural, commercial, health, education, and energy
Fig. 4.20 The oecd based in Paris is a
projects, among others. Other international economic and regional institutions that are related to the World Bank are: the unique forum where the governments
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association, the that comprise it work together to address
the economic, social and environmental
Inter-American Development Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the latter challenges of globalization.
has 31 member countries, including Mexico (fig. 4.20).
Moreover, a transnational corporation is one whose geographic scope of operations goes beyond the borders of the country
of origin. Geographically and administratively, transnational corporations operate from the headquarters in the country of origin -
usually in a developed country -, where the ideas to produce the goods and services come about and, where the decisions are made
to find the places that have the best conditions to locate and hire industries, factories, or assembly plants required to manufacture its
products. An important aspect of operations in transnational corporations is the outsourcing of small businesses such as factories,
offices, consultancies and advertising and marketing agencies, and firms that transport their products.
Sometimes, transnational corporations absorb or partner with companies of the countries where they arrive to, taking advantage
of their facilities, workforce and market knowledge of the local or regional market. However, oftentimes, after a few months, they
launch a “restructuring” or “re-engineering” process of the company, resulting in downsizing and new working conditions for the
workers. Some of the most important companies worldwide are: Wal-Mart Stores, Exxon Mobile, Toyota Motor Corporation,
Google, Panasonic, Sony, Nestlé, Apple and Microsoft; in Mexico, these include the transnational corporations América Móvil,
Cemex, Femsa, Bimbo, Modelo, Pemex, Grupo Carso, Banorte, and Televisa, among others.

Activity
Now that you know a little bit more about trade and transportation possible routes they use to transport their products or supplies. Then,
networks, it’s time to reflect on the importance they have on the answer the following questions as a group: What would happen to
establishment of a global economy. Make two teams and choose two these companies if transportation networks didn’t exist? Do you think
of the transnational corporations mentioned in the text above (one that trade and transportation networks are important to establish trade
Mexican and one foreign). Research the type of products or services regions and global cities? Why? Make a poster with this information
they offer, the countries they export to and the countries where they and put it on the bulletin board.
operate. Locate these cities on a world planisphere and draw the
175

Types of tourism and their economic importance in the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
To start off with the topic, make a brief analysis of the experience that you, your acquaintances or relatives have had as tourists. In pairs, and
with your teacher’s guidance, think of two places that you’ve visited, in the country or abroad, and answer the following questions in your no-
tebooks. When you are finished, present your results and compare them with the rest of the group’s.
1. Write down the name of the place or places you visited. 4. Was the place you visited in the country or elsewhere?
2. How long where you there for? 5. Where did you eat?
3. Where did you stay? 6. How much money did you spend approximately?

Types of tourism
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourists are visitors that spend a night or
more in a different location than their place of residence for recreation, relaxation or entertainment purposes.
Unlike them, travelers are those that stay at a destination for less than 24 hours.
Based on these two, we can see that there are several types of tourism. The following classification includes
the most common types:
• Beach tourism: includes all those places that, because of their coastal condition, besides
beaches, have a number of natural elements like a welcoming climate, vegetation and
attractive landscapes. In the world, Copacabana in Brazil, Aroa in New Zealand, Arambol
in India, Palawan in the Philippines and the French Riviera stand out.
Using videos nations the
mber of tourist desti
To reflect on the nu ep iso de s of the series • Adventure tourism: includes visits to faraway and relatively inaccessible places where
any of the
country offers, get oje ct it in the tourists expect to find unusual attractions that include landscapes or practicing adventure
your teacher to pr
suggested and ask or risk sports, including mountaineering, adventure racing, rock climbing and rappelling.
media room. Series). Discovery.
BBC,
• Discovery Atlas (TV • Rural tourism: it takes place in rural communities where people rent part of their houses
2006- 2008 aled,
vealed, China Reve
Episodes: Mexico Re a Revealed, Russia to accommodate tourists, they organize ecotours through local trails and offer food made
strali
India Revealed, Au from local products.
Revealed.
revealed and Japan estions
ms of fou r an d come up with five qu try
Form tea ed in the co un • Urban tourism: the variety of attractions in this type of tourism depends on the city you
ces mention
that relate to the pla of tourism that corresponds
type visit; it primarily includes the tour of historical monuments, museums, amusement parks,
you chose and the
to each one. shopping malls, buildings, streets and famous avenues.
176

• Cultural tourism: this type of tourism takes place in several places where there is one or more cultural
attractions; a city, neighborhood, rural community or region of a country. Usually it includes historical
monuments, archaeological ruins, as well as observing and interacting with native communities.
Activity
To reflect on the types of tourism in the world and in Mexico, in pairs, mentioned in the initial activity. When you are finished, make a poster
research places where every type of tourism takes place and write with the information of the places that caught your attention and
them down in a table like the one below in your notebooks. Look at present it to the group.
the example on cultural tourism and take into account the examples
Types of tourism
Beach Adventure Rural Urban Cultural
Great Pyramid of Giza
U
G
Map 4.14 Distribution of the major tourist centers in the world. C
Distribution of the major tourist centers 180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180° C
90° 90°
T
ARCTIC OCEAN
75° 75°
Once you’ve identified the types of tourism, it is important to 60°

Anchorage
Nuuk
Reykjavik Oslo
Helsinki
Saint Petersburg
Yakutsk
60°
S
Ekaterimburgo
M
Copenhagen Stockholm
Moscow
note that there is a wide range of destinations that exist in

Dublín Novosibirsk
Calgary London
Vancouver Minsk Samara Omsk
Berlin
P
Ottawa Paris Kiev Ulan Bator Vladyvostok
45° Seattle Toronto Sapporo 45°
the geographic space whose natural, social and economic Madrid Rome Istanbul Tashkent Almaty
Chicago New York Beijing Pyongyang
San Francisco Washington D.C. Lisboa Tunisia Ankara Ashgabat Tianjin Tokyo
C
Atlanta Athens Teheran Kabul Seoul
Los Angeles
components are considered factors of attraction for tourism. Houston Casablanca Algiers Bagdad Chengdu Wuhan ShangaiOsaka
30° Islamabad Delhi 30°
Tripoli
Cairo Karachi Guangzhou
R
New Delhi
Nassau Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ Taipei
Thus, all the countries in the world have tourism resources Cancun El Riyad Dacca
Guadalajara Havana Mascate Hanoi Hong Kong
Calcutta
A T L A N T I C Khartoum Mumbai Phnom
Manila P A C I F I C
P
15° Mexico City 15°
Ouagadougou Sanaa Rangun Penh
based on the characteristics of their territory, although some Medellin CaracasO C E A N

Lagos Addis Ababa
Bangalore Bangkok
Ho Chi Minh O C E A N
G
Kuala Lumpur
P A C I F I C
have more activity, among them countries in the Western
Equator Bogota Kampala Mogadiscio
0° Libreville Singapore 0°
Quito Manaus
M
O C E A N Recife Kinshasa Dodoma Jakarta
regions of Europe and North America (France, Spain,

Dar es Salaam Surabaya Port Moresby
Luanda
Lima Salvador (Bahia) Darwin
15° La Paz 15°
H
Lusaka
Canada and the United States of America, respectively). Sucre Rio de Janeiro Antananarivo
Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’ Pretoria
Asuncion
S
Sao Paulo Johannesburg Brisbane
I N D I A N
Other countries at international level are China and Japan in 30° Cordoba 30°
Porto Alegre
Bloemfontein Perth Sidney
Santiago Canberra
Montevideo Cape Town O C E A N
S
Buenos Aires Melbourne Auckland
East Asia; Turkey, Israel and Egypt in the Middle East; India and 45°
A T L A N T I C Wellington
45°
the Maldives in South Asia; and Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore

O C E A N E
and Indonesia in Southeast Asia. In Latin America, Brazil, Mexico
60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ 1: 228 000 000
60°
C
(fig. 4.22), Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba and other Caribbean Islands 75° 0 2 280 4560 km 75° C
stand out. Other highlights of tourist regions include: the South Pacific
90°
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
90°
C
islands, Australia and New Zealand, and more recently, South Africa (map 4.14). B
Source: unwto, 2011. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015. L
177 M

Unit IV
Activity Table 4.5 Major tourist sites in the world by number of tourists, 2010.
To identify the ten most visited World Number of tourists
Tourist attractions Country
tourist places in the world, position (millions)
in pairs, look at table 4.5 to Disneyland 14.7
Golden Gate 13
determine the world position
Disneyland Paris 10.6
that corresponds to each place, Notre Dame Cathedral 12
according to the number of Times Square 35
Fig. 4.21 One of the preferred
destinations in Mexico for international tourists. Research more on the Niagara Falls 14
tourism is the tourist corridor in Los country where they are located Trafalgar Square 15
Cabos. In the picture, foreign tourists and write down its name. Then, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom 16.6
in the Cabo San Lucas Marina. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea 12.9
locate them on map 4.14 and write National Mall and Memorial Parks 25
down the number accordingly.
Source: unwto, 2011.
Map 4.15 Distribution of the major tourist centers in Mexico. Map 4.15 shows that Mexico offers a wide variety
116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° of tourist attractions like archaeological sites, tangible
32°
Ensenada
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32° evidence of our extraordinary pre-Hispanic cultural
San Miguel de Allende heritage; soft sand beaches, sunny days and gentle
Los Marmoles waves that make the coastline a true natural pool;
G
extensive and varied areas of nature conservation that

ul
Tula
f
promotes responsible tourism; colonial cities with

of
Copper Canyon and 20° 20°

28° San Carlos Río Filobobos 28°
frequent cultural events and festivals, all of this with
Basaseachic Waterfall Teotihuacan
Ca
Cacaxtla
Mexico
an international avant-garde tourist infrastructure
li
City Tajin
fo
Puebla
and, most importantly, unmatched hospitality, making
rn
Xochicalco
Cholula
ia
Cumbres de Monterrey
Loreto
National Park
Taxco Atlixco
Mexico one of the countries with the greatest tourist
24°
Tropic of Cance
La Paz
100° 24° potential in the world.
r 23°27’
Geographically, some of the main tourist
Mazatlan
San Jose
Cabo San Lucas del Cabo Zacatecas
Cave of Swallows
G u l f
destinations in the Mexican territory are beach
Rincon de
Guayabitos
Lagos de
Moreno Guanajuato o f
Chichen Itza
Xcaret
Cancun
locations, among them: Acapulco, Cancun, Mazatlan,
20°
P A C I F I C
Puerto
Guadalajara
M e x i c o Uxmal Xcaret
20°
Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel, Ixtapa, Puerto Escondido,
Huatulco, Manzanillo, Veracruz and Los Cabos (map
Vallarta Tulum
Patzuaroo Campeche
O C E A N Veracruz Edzna Cozumel
4.15). Among the adventure tourism destinations are
Morelia
Manzanillo
Comala Iztamkanac
La Venta tours of Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, exploring the
BELIZE
abyss of the Cave of Swallows in San Luis Potosi, a
LEGEND Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Monte Palenque Tonina Caribbean
Alban Zaachila Sumidero Bonampak Sea
Main tourist
boat trip through the Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas or
Acapulco Canyon
16° 1: 24 000 000 Mitla 16°
Chacahua San Cristobal
centers de las Casas
0 240 480 km Puerto Escondido Huatulco
Bays
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
rafting on the Filobobos River in Veracruz. In some
112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88° rural and indigenous communities rural tourism is
Source: New National Atlas of Mexico, Institute of Geography, unam, 2007. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
178

practiced, mainly in the states of Chihuahua, Chiapas, Veracruz and Quintana Roo, where people prefer to admire
and enjoy nature, respect and avoid altering it during their visit and even participate in its preservation; an example
of this is Lazaro Cardenas beach in Michoacan, where tourists release sea turtles. Regarding archaeological tourism,
there are major sites with cave paintings, pyramids and remains of our glorious past throughout the country;
among the most visited ones are Monte Alban and Mitla in Oaxaca, Tula in Hidalgo, Teotihuacan in the State of
Mexico, Tajin in Veracruz, Palenque in Chiapas, Tulum in Quintana Roo (fig. 4.22), and Uxmal and Chichen-Itza
in Yucatan, among others.
Lastly, with regards to urban tourism, Mexican cities are internationally known for their colonial and modern
architecture (churches, palaces, castles, parks and avenues); cities like Zacatecas, Puebla, Queretaro and Mexico
City stand out, as well others whose architectural wealth is accompanied by cultural, sports, financial, and social
events. We refer to Guanajuato, with the Festival Internacional Cervantino; Aguascalientes and its San Marcos
Fair; or Monterrey, home to major national and international business conferences.
Fig. 4.22 Tulum was a walled city of the Mayan empire
and is located off the coast of the Caribbean Sea.
Activity This place combines the values of the natural and
cultural landscape.
To geographically locate the main tourist destinations in Mexico, according to the type of tourism they
offer, find the sites mentioned in the above text and classify them. Then, write down the names of the
places and the corresponding letter on map 4.15, associated to the parentheses on the table below.
When you are finished, present it to your teacher for evaluation. Glossary
Currency. It’s money in foreign currency
Types of tourism in Mexico that can be found in bank deposits or
invested in a financial center.
Beach (B) Adventure (A) Rural (R) Cultural (C) Urban (U)
Economic importance of tourism in Mexico and the world

At present, tourism is the activity that produces the highest revenues in the service sector, because it not only Chart 4.2 Revenue from tourism by world
region.
creates jobs, but it is a trigger to develop regions, promotes the construction of roads, spreads the cultural and
natural appeal of places and territories and, in particular, it is an important source of currency for many countries 4%
3%
in the world.
The economic benefits tourism produces are very high: in 2014, in the United States of America, they 20%
43%
Europe 43%
Asia and Pacific 30%
exceeded 177 million dollars, which represents an approximate profit of $480 million a day. When compared to America 20%
the total of exports, tourism accounts for up to 30% of the world total, only from commercial services, and 6% of Middle East 4%
Africa 3%
the total of international trade. 30%
At a global scale, tourism ranks fourth because of the volume of profit, competing with sectors like fuel,
chemical and food products. In the case of developing countries, some of them partially or totally depend on the
revenues from tourism. Source: unwto, 2014.
179

Unit IV
According to official data, tourism is considered to contribute about 9% of the Gross Domestic Product (DGP)
of the world. From the point of view of sources of employment, one in every 11 jobs comes from tourist activities
while at a local level, where the tourist resource is the most important economic source, their contribution
becomes very high.
In chart 4.2 you can see the distribution of revenue by world region, where Europe is the region most
Chart 4.3 So far this century, tourism has benefited by tourism, because it gets more than 40% of global revenue, followed by the Asian and Pacific region
grown in Europe, Asia and the Pacific. that includes Oceania with 30%, America with 20% and tlastly, the Middle East and Africa with 4% and 3%,
respectively.
It is important to note that tourism is a growing economic activity because, since the year 2000, it
Increase in the number of tourists,
2000-2014 by world region has increased the number of visitors in all regions of the world, albeit unevenly. Chart 4.3 shows
0
600
that in Europe, Asia and the Pacific, there is a greater increase in tourists, while in America and
Africa the increase is moderate.
500
0
In 2014, Mexico was once again among the top ten tourist destinations in the world, with
0
400
2000 almost 30 million international tourist arriving each year, and with some 16 billion dollars in
2014
annual revenue from international tourism. Tourists from the United States of America and
Millons
0
300
Canada account for 68% of foreign tourists in the country.

0
200
Currently, the tourism sector is one of the three sources of currency earnings in the country,
0
100 besides oil and remittances; likewise, for employees, it represents a higher compensation in other
0
sectors, like construction, for example. Tourism contributes just over 8.3% of the total GDP of
EEurope
Euuro
rope
rope
e Asia
Asia aand
nd P
nd aciifi
ac ific
fic
Pacific A
Am
mer
eriica
ica
ic
America Af
Afri
rica
icaa
Africa Mi
iddle
dd
dle
le EEast
Middle ast
ast
as the country, a figure that exceeds the output produced jointly by agriculture, the food processing
industry, wood and paper industries; and it also gives paid employment to more than 2 million
Source: unwto, 2014.
300 thousand people, who work in restaurants, bars, hotels, time shares, etc.,
Activity
To become familiarized with the types of tourism and the economic organizing them by type of tourism. Write down a title, the subtitles
importance of tourism in the world and in Mexico, divide the group for type of tourism and the names of the places you found. Search
in two teams and find pictures in guidebooks, magazines, brochures the Internet for the importance of these places and the number of
or on the Internet for each type of tourism. One team will use the visitors they receive each year. Present your posters to the group
examples for our country and the other team those for the world. and explain why these places are important for the economy of the
In two cardboards, one for each team, stick the pictures, carefully country they belong to.
To learn more
In pairs, look for information on the ten countries with the highest revenue from international tourism in the
following link http://goo.gl/8TrfbJ (Retrieved on: October 3, 2015) and in your notebooks, draw a table, analy-
ze the figures and explain why there are certain countries that despite receiving fewer tourists than others
earn higher profit. Discuss your answers with the group.
180

Competence: Reflect on the socioeconomic differences. Economic areas and socioeconomic inequality
Compare the socioeconomic differences in the world and in Mexico

Show what you know
Activity
To begin the topic, remember what you learned on the socioeconomic read and write have? How does income influence in a person’s
differences of the world and Mexico with the following questions: quality of life?
What determines if men and women live longer? How does educational Based on previous observations, and with your teacher’s guidance,
level influence the type of job a person can aspire to have? What in groups, explain the reasons why you consider that the combination
developmental opportunities do the people that don’t know how to of the above aspects influence the economic development of each
country in the world.

The Human Development Index and its expression
in the world and in Mexico Map 4.16 Human Development Index, 2013.
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90° 90°
To understand and analyze the socioeconomic

ARCTIC OCEAN
inequality in countries, the UN established the Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
United Nations Development Programme 60° 60°
(UNDP). In the 1990 report, it published the

so-called Human Development Index
(HDI) for the first time with which it A T L A N T I C
30°
introduced a new way of measuring
30°
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ O C E A N
social and economic development; to P A C I F I C
do so, it was based on three essential O C E A N
indicators, that you saw when you 0° Equator P A C I F I C

0°
answered the previous activity, O C E A N
which are: life expectancy (average I N D I A N
number of years that a person can Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’ O C E A N
live), literacy (number of people that 30° A T L A N T I C 30°
can read and write) and GDP (Gross O C E A N

Domestic Product). The maximum value LEGEND
o HDI is 1 and, as you can see on map Less than 0.396
0.590 - 0.396
4.16, the ranges used are: high (more than 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ 0.691 - 0.590
60°
0.750), average (from 0.500 to 0.749) and low 1: 228 000 000 More than 0.691
No data
(0.499 and less). On this same map you can see the 90°
0 2 280 4 560 km
90°
distribution of countries according to their HDI, which 180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
tends to have regional trends. Source: undp, 2013. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
181

Unit IV
Activity
To identify the geographic distribution of the hdi in the world, in pairs, look at table 4.6 Table 4.6 hdi of selected countries, 2013. Source: undp, 2013.
and write down the hdi for each country on map 4.16. Then, in your notebooks, write COUNTRY HDI COUNTRY HDI COUNTRY HDI COUNTRY HDI
down in what range each country is located in and indicate its level of development. Iceland 0.895 Netherlands 0.915 China 0.719 Nigeria 0.337
Lastly, answer the following questions: What regions have a low hdi distribution and what Canada 0.902 Mexico 0.756 Bolivia 0.667 Mozambique 0.393
regions the highest? In what continents are the high ranging countries located? In what
Australia 0.933 Ukraine 0.734 Ethiopia 0.435 Sierra Leone 0.374
range is our country located? With your teacher’s guidance, discuss your results in class.
In the previous activity you saw that Mexico has a Map 4.17 Human Development Index by entity in Mexico, 2009.
high HDI level; however, it is important to note that 116° 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
the United Nations this is an index guide to identify 32° UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 100° 32°
socioeconomic inequalities between countries in

general terms. In the case of Mexico, the inequalities
that exist at a national level between the entities,
G
ul
municipalities or local offices that divide the country,
f
of
20° 20°
28° 28°
are not considered. Therefore, it is necessary to take
Ca
into account municipal and other indicators such as
li
fo
the Marginalization Index (MI), the Welfare Level
rn
ia
(WL) and the Poverty Index (PI), to identify the
inequality that exists in the country. 24°
Tropic of Cance
100° 24°
r 23°27’
Activity G u l f
o f
To acknowledge the distribution of the hdi and 20° P A C I F I C M e x i c o 20°
socioeconomic inequality at a national scale, form O C E A N
teams, and with the data in table 4.7, color map
4.17 based on the legend. Then, mark the level
Caribbean
Sea
LEGEND BELIZE
that corresponds to each entity (High, Average and High: 0.750 and more
Low). When you are finished, answer the following

16° Average: 0.500 to 0.749 1: 24 000 000 16°
Low: 0.499 and less
questions in your notebook: What entities have 0 240 480 km
Gulf GUATEMALA
of
T e h u a n te p e c HONDURAS
an average hdi and 112° 108° 104° 100° 96° 92° 88°
where in the country Source: undp, 2009. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
Table 4.7 Human Development Index in Mexico, 2012.
are they located? What ENTITY HDI LEVEL ENTITY HDI LEVEL ENTITY HDI LEVEL ENTITY HDI LEVEL
level of hdi does your Aguascalientes 0.76 Federal District 0.83 High Morelos 0.749 San Luis Potosi 0.726
0.76 0.731
entity have? With your Baja California
Baja California Sur 0.776
Durango
Guanajuato 0.745
Nayarit
Nuevo Leon
0.733
0.79
Sonora
Tabasco
0.779
0.742
teacher’s guidance, Campeche 0.746 State of Mexico 0.72 Oaxaca 0.681 Tamaulipas 0.758
0.667 0.679
discuss the reasons for Chiapas
0.734
Average Guerrero
0.723
Puebla 0.717 Tlaxcala 0.727
Chihuahua Hidalgo Queretaro 0.76 Veracruz 0.713
the distribution of the Coahuila 0.768 Jalisco 0.751 Quintana Roo 0.754 Yucatan 0.739
hdi in our country. Colima 0.763 Michoacan 0.7 Sinaloa 0.757 Zacatecas 0.72
Source: undp, 2015.
182

Based on the previous exercise, one might think that there is a level of seemingly Chart 4.4 The hdi of some selected municipalities, 2010
homogeneous development in Mexico, namely, there is no registered low in 0.917
any entity of our country; however, when differences are reviewed at municipal 0.880
0.871 0.868 0.867
and local office scale, contrasts are more clearly identified. As shown in chart
4.4, the Benito Juarez and Miguel Hidalgo (Federal District) local offices and
the municipalities of San Pedro Garza Garcia (Nuevo Leon) and Corregidora
(Queretaro), have the highest HDI in the country; in contrast, the municipalities of HDI 0.384 0.377 0.375 0.367 0.362
Cochoapa el Grande (Guerrero) San Miguel Santa Flor, San Simon Zahuatlan and
Santa Ana Ateixtlahuaca (Oaxaca) recorded the lowest HDI.
According to the UNDP, the difference between the municipality with the
highest value and lowest value has decreased over the years; however great
disparities persist, for example, Oaxaca reduced its HDI and concentrates eight of Benito
Juarez
Miguel
Hidalgo Garza G.
C
San Pedro Corregidora Coyoacan Coicoyan Santa Ana San
de las Ateixtlahuaca Simon
San
Miguel
Cochoapa
el Grande
the 10 municipalities with the highest losses of human development compared to Flores Zahuatlán Santa Flor
2005, while Chihuahua and Nuevo Leon concentrate the six municipalities that improved their conditions further. Source: undp, 2014.
Between 2005 and 2010, there were increases in the value of the health index in Chihuahua; in the field of
education, Chiapas has four municipalities that increased their value. For its part, Queretaro improved in the revenue
aspect with four municipalities, while Zacatecas stands out for having five of the ten municipalities that decreased it.
Categorization of core and peripheral countries according to their economic activity

After observing how the economic development of a country is measured, it is necessary to know how countries
have been categorized according to their activity and economic development. After World War II, the Economic
Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) created the theory of core and periphery to explain the unequal
development of nations. This theory considers the so-called core countries to be developed or rich countries,
characterized for accumulating large capital, exporting finished goods and specialized machinery, most of the
population are skilled workers that perceive high wages, their production is very advanced and is based on the use of
information and communications technology; in addition, these countries have the major multinational companies
of the world and control international markets.
Conversely, the peripheral countries are classified as poor or less developed countries. Contrary to the others, their
production is rudimentary with little use of technology, their economy is based on the exploitation and export of Fig. 4.23 Most of the African countries south of
the Sahara are part of the so-called peripheral
natural resources and raw materials, the workforce is underpaid and with no specialization; in general, they can’t countries. In the picture, Somali children in
accumulate capital and have debts with international institutions dedicated to the support of these types of countries Mogadishu.
(fig. 4.23).
Subsequently, in the mid-twentieth century, the fundaments of the ECLAC were resumed and the Dependency
Theory was postulated (by Theotonio Dos Santos), proposing the existence of semiperipheral countries, located
between the core and peripheral countries; they are characterized by social and economic imbalances: on the
one hand, they present a significant advance in their economic growth, but on the other, they still lag in social
development. Currently, due to the economic dynamics of uncertainty and financial instability, there is a possibility
that a core or peripheral country could, at some point, become semiperipheral.
183

Unit IV
Activity
To identify certain core, peripheral and They are countries with a high Gross Domestic Product like the United States of America, the UK, Switzerland and Denmark; high
life expectancy, low mortality and birth rates are. Their have a high quality of life and have a low or zero rate of illiteracy.
semiperipheral countries on map 4.18,
write in the right column of this table, a Somalia, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Botswana are some of the countries
C if the group of countries corresponds in the world that lag behind the most and are characterized by acute problems of poverty and marginalization that encourage crime
and criminality.
to the characteristics of a core country,
the letters SP if it shows traits of a They are countries that register contrasts in socio-economic development, and have significant industrial growth and large
semiperipheral nation and the letter P if commercial markets. They have means of communication and transportation, but register a lag in science and technology.
it is associated to a peripheral country. Countries like Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Iran and South Africa register a gdp of over $8,000, a low mortality rate and their
With your teacher’s guidance, compare population has an average quality of life.
your answers with your classmates’. These countries have a Gross Domestic Product below $2,000 per year, their population has low life expectancy and most of it lives
in extreme poverty.
Map 4.18 Core and peripheral countries.

90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120°
ARCTIC OCEAN
150° 180°
90°
Differences between the Human
Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’ Development Index map and the core
and peripheral map
60° 60°
By carefully reviewing maps 4.16 and 4.18, you

30° A T L A N T I C 30° can distinguish that the countries with a high HDI
are developed, as is the case of Central European
O C E A N
P A C I F I C
O C E A N and the Nordic nations; the United States and
0° Equator 0° Canada in America; Japan in Asia; and Australia
P A C I F I C
O C E A N
and New Zealand in Oceania. At an intermediate
I N D I A N
level are Latin American countries like Mexico,
30°
O C E A N
30°
Argentina and Chile; and, less developed countries
A T L A N T I C
have at the lowest HDI level.
O C E A N LEGEND
Core countries
60° 60°
1: 290 000 000 Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ Semiperipheral countries
Peripheral countries
0 2 900 5 800 km
90° 90°
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
Source: Created by the author. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.

Activity Human Development Index
To highlight the similarities and differences between maps 4.16 and 4.18, in pairs, complete High Average Low
the following table, writing down the names of the countries that coincide on both maps in countries
Types of
Core Canada
the spaces provided. Look at the examples. When you are finished, as a group, explain why
Semiperipheral India
coincidences or differences exist between the map of core and peripheral countries and the
map on hdi ranges. Peripheral Angola
184

Socioeconomic inequality in the world and Mexico

Do all the people that live in your neighborhood, local office or municipality live in similar conditions to yours, or do they
live very differently? You just have to look around to realize that there are different types of houses, businesses, services
and people with a wide variety of jobs. Do you think that this situation occurs only where you live? Of course the answer
is no, because at a national or global scale, there are significant social and economic differences among the population
Socioeconomic inequality occurs when people don’t have the same access to health, education, housing, food services,
or they have it, but in very low quality. In Mexico, as in the rest of the world, the living conditions of people are
measured in terms of the HDI; however, as was mentioned at the beginning of the topic, one of the factors
taken into account to obtain it is the income per capita, taken from the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Mexico
and the world it’s one of the components that predominantly influences the HDI, thus it is important to understand
social inequality. The GDP is a socioeconomic indicator that shows the total of goods and services produced
in a country, in a year, divided by its population. It is reported in dollars, and the higher the value, the greater
the economic development. According to the above, the countries with lower GDP are those where
socioeconomic inequalities are greater, while those with a higher GDP, live with fewer shortcomings
and inequalities.
Map 4.19 shows that the Gross Domestic Product per capita Map 4.19 gdp per capita 2015.
(GDP per capita) varies considerably between countries.
180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90° 90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
There are a few countries with a GDP per capita

exceeding $15,000, among which are the United Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
60° 60°
States of America, Canada, Japan, Australia and
some European countries. In contrast, African
and Asian countries in general, have a GDP
A T L A N T I C
per capita below $1,000. Socioeconomic 30° 30°
inequality in countries results from the Tropic of Cancer 23°27’

28.02
O C E A N
P A C I F I C
historical process that formed them and O C E A N
from the elements and physical, social,
P A C I F I C
economic, political and cultural factors 0° Equator 0°
O C E A N
that prevail in each one. I N D I A N
In Mexico, the tertiary sector is the one A T L A N T I C O C E A N
that contributes more to the GDP, with O C E A N
30° 30°
around 63%; followed by the secondary
sector with 27% and finally, the primary
sector with the remaining 10%. Within the LEGEND
sectors, the largest share of the GDP corresponds 60°

INCOME PER CAPITA (Dollars)
60°
to trade in the tertiary sector; in the secondary Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’
1: 228 000 000
Less than $15,000
from $10,001 to $15,000
from $1,000 to $3,000
Less than $1,000
sector, it corresponds to the industrial manufacturing 0 2 280 4 560 km
from $3,001 to $10,000 No data
sector, and in the case of the primary sector, it 90°

180° 150° 120° 90° 60° 30° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180°
90°
corresponds to mining. In Mexico, the GDP per capita or Source: World Bank, 2015. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.
185

Unit IV
per person (GDP/person) was $116,815 MXN in 2013; however, it’s worth noting that this figure is only a national
average because, towards the interior of the country, income per capita varies significantly between federal entities,
municipalities and local offices, even among neighborhoods.

Activity
To get an idea of the socioeconomic inequality between certain countries corresponding box. Then, locate the country on map 4.19 and write down
of the world and what it means to have a low or high gdp per capita, in the figure. Look at the Mexico example: $28.02 usd. Which country has
pairs, divide the figure of gdp per capita of each of the countries listed the highest gdp per capita and in what continent is it located in? In which
in table 4.8 by 365 and get the daily gdp per capita; write it down in the continent is the lowest one located? Present your answers to the group.
Table 4.8 gdp per capita 2014 (in US dollars).
Country gdp Daily gdp Country gdp Daily gdp Country gdp Daily gdp
USA 54,629.5 Japan 36,194.4 Norway 97,363.1
Spain 30,262.2 Mexico 10,230.2 28.02 Argentina 12,568.6
Greece 21,682.6 Colombia 7,903.9 Indonesia 3,491.9
China 7,593.9 South Africa 6,477.9 Ethiopia 565.2 0.89
Nigeria 3,203.3 Canada 50,271.1 Russia 12,735.9 Source: World Bank, 2015.
Now, identify the socioeconomic inequality in Mexico using the gdp/person from 2009. In pairs, color a map
of Mexico based on the legend and information on table 4.9.
Table 4.9 Income per capita in Mexico, by federal entity, 2013 (dollars).
Entity gdp/p* Entity gdp/p* Entity gdp/p* Entidad gdp/p* Legend
Aguascalientes 7,405 Federal District 15,121 Morelos 5,242 Sinaloa 5,799 US Dollars gdp Color
Baja California 7,249 Durango 5,728 Nayarit 4,637 Sonora 8,856 11,000 and more High
Baja California Sur 9,368 Guanajuato 5,682 Nuevo Leon 12,362 Tabasco 11,336 From 2,000 to 10,999 Average
Campeche 45,785 Guerrero 3,286 Oaxaca 3,216 Tamaulipas 7,343 From 0 to 1,999 Low
Coahuila de Zaragoza 9,493 Hidalgo 4,682 Puebla 4,342 Tlaxcala 3,650
Colima 7,029 Jalisco 6,672 Queretaro 8,822 Veracruz de Ignacio de 5,272
la Llave
Chiapas 2,856 Mexico City 4,686 Quintana Roo 9,279 Yucatan 5,800
Chihuahua 6,565 Michoacan de Ocampo 4,115 San Luis Potosi 5,859 Zacatecas 4,866 * US Dollars
When you are finished, compare it to map 4.17 of the hdi in Mexico and answer the questions: What entities
coincide in both maps with a high hdi and gdp? Where in the country are they located? What situation is
your entity in? Share your answers and as a group, and moderated by your teacher, draw a conclusion on the
socioeconomic differences that exist between the federal entities in Mexico and the countries of the world.
186

Case study: Transnational corporations in your locality. The local analysis of a global issue
Case study: Transnational corporations in your locality.

The local analysis of a global issue
Beginning
Review the table below to know what the purposes, expected learning and concepts are, as well as the main idea
and the skills that will be addressed in this unit’s case study.
Core topic: Economic components.

Competence: Reflect on the socioeconomic differences.
Main idea: Transnational corporations deliver their products and services to the localities, which can modify behavioral patterns by contacting different economic and cultural realities.
Expected Distinguish the importance of trade and transportation networks in the context of economic globalization in the world and in Mexico. Compare the socioeconomic differences in the world
learning: and in Mexico.
Concepts: Location, distribution, relationship and interaction.
Skills: Observation, analysis and interpretation of the documentary, graphic, statistical and visual information.
Attitudes: Become aware of the space. Know how to live in the space.
Definition of the case study

The selection of the case must be based on a situation related to what you have just studied and that is of interest
to all your fellow classmates. You could start from a news story or an article, or comments made by adults in your
community. With your teacher’s orientation and guidance, as a group, discuss the situations that caught your
attention, or you are interested in or concern about, related to Unit IV; in each case, argue why it is important to
analyze these issues. When you have defined three to five of them, draw a table on the board like the one below to
vote for the ones you will address in the case study and choose one by majority of votes.
Situation of interest Why is it important to study it? Number of votes

Selected problem:
To illustrate the method to follow, we propose addressing the problem of establishing transnational
corporations, Mexican and foreign, in the place where you live, since this aspect of trade affects our daily lives,
and does it in a deep and growing manner.
Thus you will expand your knowledge on these types of companies, trade and transportation, you will use your
geographic skills and, when necessary, modify your attitudes on the subject, from a geographic perspective, hence
the title of the case study is: “Transnational corporations in your locality. The local analysis of a global issue.”
187

Unit IV
Initial questioning
Once you have defined the issue of interest, you should raise an initial question that serves as the core of the
research project. In our case, we propose the following question: What transnational corporations are active in
your locality and how do they affect the life of your community?
In the content you’ve just finished studying, some of the characteristics that define a transnational corporation
were mentioned and the names of some of them were provided. Thus, you should consider other questions to help
solve the case study. Teamwork and collaboration give the best results for this type of research and analysis.
Selection, search and collection of information sources
Once you’ve defined the issue and raised the main questions, you must consider what sources of
information we can consult to conduct our research. For the case that we chose, our sources were the
reports of the companies listed in the Stock Exchange - data that is usually published by national-
circulation newspapers -, specialized journals on economics and business culture, as well as consulting
the websites where transnational corporations provide information on them.
Development
As you saw in this unit, transnational corporations have activities in more than one country. Some, like
banks, offer services, such as deposits, payments, credits, loans, etc., to individuals and other companies.
In other cases, like telephone companies and Internet providers supply services and devices. And
of course, there are those producing consumer goods, from food and drinks to clothing, furniture,
appliances and so on.
Fig. 4.24 Many transnational corporations distribute
their products through small shops. Those engaged in what is known as the basic or heavy industry are also very important, the construction
industry, and of course, the transportation of people and goods (fig. 4.24).
It is useful to distinguish two groups among transnational corporations:
a) The franchisors
b) Those that sell directly
The first groups sell a license to use the name, brand, logo and other characteristics of the business, establishing
agreements with the franchisee (who buys the franchise) where he commits to maintaining the quality and
procedures associated with the brand.
The others prefer to establish manufacturing plants in the chosen site and produce locally, with suppliers and
raw materials of the country where they arrive, and many elements are imported to maintain the quality and
characteristics of their brand.
Activity
Form teams of three and divide the three different types of business and write a list where, in addition to the name, you put the country
establishments (a small store or miscellany, a stationery store and of origin. Read the label and detect if the company belongs to a
self-service, for example), among yourselves or accompany your transnational, whether Mexican or foreign. Merge your lists and make
relatives when they go shopping. Look at the brands of the products a table with the data. For example:
188

Table 4.10 List of products manufactured by transnational corporations.

Name of the product Country of origin Manufacturing company Transnational or headquarters
CARNATION Clavel Evaporated Milk Made in Mexico Nestlé Foreign, Vevey, Switzerland
Wonder Bread Made in Mexico Grupo Bimbo Mexican, Mexico City, Federal District
Knorr chicken stock Made in Mexico Unilever Mexico Foreign, London, UK, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Coca-Cola soda Made in Mexico The Coca-Cola Company Foreign, USA
TRESemmé Styling cream Made in Mexico Alberto Culver for Unilever Foreign, London, UK, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Dove Soap Made in Mexico Unilever Foreign, London, UK, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Now, from the information gathered in the table, answer: What does the country of origin column of the
products indicate? And the last column? How is this data related? Discuss your discoveries with the
group and with your teacher.
Map 4.20 Presence of Unilever and Coca-Cola in the world.

180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
90° 90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
To verify that we have not

75° 75°
been mistaken when describing 60° 60°
the manufacturers mentioned

in table 4.10 as “transnational 45° 45°
corporations”, we can do a little

ATLANTIC
research in different sources. In 30°
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ OCEAN
30°
fact, if we have access to the P A C I F I C

15° 15°
Internet, we will be able to the O C E A N
check the websites of each of 0° Equator 0°
these large companies and know P A C I F I C
in what countries they operate. 15°

O C E A N
I N D I A N 15°

O C E A N
30° 30°
ATLANTIC
45° 45°
OCEAN
LEGEND
60° 60°
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ 1: 228 000 000 Unilever
The Coca-Cola Company
75° 0 2 800 5 600km 75°
90° 90°
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
Source: Created by the author. Date of elaboration: October 2, 2015.

189

Unit IV
As is evident, there is a huge distance between Switzerland and Mexico, for example. How do transnational
corporations operate to deliver their products or services to other countries and how do they distribute them there?
Undoubtedly, transportation is part of the answer. Transnational corporations, especially in their early years, moved
their products primarily by ship and railroad, but eventually they adapted to the ways of the host country. Thus,
in Mexico, transportation is done in highways on huge cargo trailers; when they reach certain distribution centers,
the goods are transferred to trucks and vans to ake them to the different localities. Later on, many chose to set up
factories in the countries of destination of the goods. This impacts in several ways: there is a need to build more
and better highways, industrial parks and support services, the nearby population finds jobs, but also suffers the
consequences like increased pollution or that its locality remains split in two by a passing highway,
among others.
Activity
With your team, research the shops near your house and your school, how they get the goods and, if
Fig. 4.25 Map of the location of Unilever Mexico, in possible, where the manufacturer issues them from. Draw a map of your locality showing the warehouse
Mexico City.
or distribution center of at least one of the products being researched, the route and the distance
traveled to get to the place to buy it. In fig. 4.25, a map of the location of Unilever Mexico, in Mexico
City is shown.
Now, individually, answer the following questions about the map you made in your notebooks:
Is it a long or a short distance? Does the route take a lot or little time? Is this product important to
you and your family? Why? What would happen if your local store didn’t have it? Would it dramatically
affect some aspect of your family life? Is everything we buy really necessary? If something is not
essential, why do you think so many people buy it?
Once again, in teams, look at the map and calculate the travel time; you may resort to other people to
get the information you need and exchange opinions. Then, compare your answers with those of the group,
share your opinions and, with your teacher’s orientation and guidance, try to reach some conclusions.
In our case, the school is located in the Portales neighborhood, in Mexico City, and it takes a long time (over 90
minutes) to go from Unilever Mexico to the pharmacy closest to our campus. So that’s where we bought the liquid
soap and antibacterial gel that we need to work on hygiene. But if instead we wanted popsicles, then the product
would not be essential, although highly demanded by the public consumer: it’s an issue of heat and habit (because
to the location of our locality).
Trade has impacted the construction of highways, railways, ports, airports and secondary services for
transportation, without which trade would be almost impossible, and above all, would never reach the proportions
it has today.
One of the undeniable advantages of transnational corporations is that they reach faraway places and deliver
products and services that would otherwise not be available. But not all are benefits. Some of the items are not
exactly what they say in big letters; for example, “Knorr chicken stock,” is really a combination of fat, a little
190

hydrolyzed protein, onion, salt and other seasonings, as you can read in the small print on the back of the pack.
It saves you the work of cleaning, cutting and cooking chicken with vegetables, but the result is a seasoning
rather than a nourishing broth. And when a housewife or a cook uses the product instead of preparing the dish
the traditional way, not only are nutrients lost, but also the ways of being and doing related to our customs and
identity.
Let us now see what happens with certain Mexican transnational corporations, including Grupo Bimbo that we
chose to research, ICA S.A.B de C.V., and Cemex. We’ve collected the data in table 4.11:
Table 4.11 Comparative table of three Mexican transnational corporations.

Country of origin and Countries where it
Name of the company No. of employees Main activity
date it was established operates
Cemex Mexico (1906) 50 (America, Africa, Asia, 43,000 (2014) Cement manufacturer
(Cementos mexicanos) Europe, Oceania)
Grupo Bimbo Mexico (1945) 19 (America, Spain, China 128,000 (2014) Bread manufacturer
and Taiwan)
ica Mexico (1947) 17 (America) 31,302 (2014) Engineering and construction
Source: Cemex, Grupo Bimbo, ica. (Retrieved on: October 4, 2015).
Of the three, the most widespread is Cemex, which began buying other Mexican cement plants (Toltec,
Anahuac, Cruz Azul) from the area in the state of Hidalgo, until it owned all the plants in the country; it is
almost certain that your school and the house you live in are constructed with materials manufactured by Cemex.
Can you and your classmates find that out? With the help of your relatives and the directors of your campus
collected, find out about the about the construction of your home and school respectively. Write a brief text about
the data you obtain. This way you will have a clearer idea of how close we can have the effect of a transnational
corporation that today sells 96 million metric tons of cement per year worldwide.
Closure
With all the information gathered, surely many ideas have come up on the presence of transnational corporations in
your locality, but we also hope that many myths on these large companies will have vanished. In teams of three to five
members, make two lists; one on the benefits achieved by transnational corporations both in the places where they are
established as well as the places where they bring their products and services; another one, with all the disadvantages
you have already found and with those found in different sources to complement. Compare them and see which ones
have more: advantages or disadvantages?
191

Unit IV
Aspect to evaluate
Look at table 4.11 and map 4.20. What can be said of Latin America as a recipient country of transnational
corporations? And of Africa? Reflect on why one is a target of almost all transnational corporations while the other,
The round table was well very poor, is not considered appealing. Mexico, with an emerging economy, has a vast road network but insufficient
organized, with a moderator YES NO
seaports, it owns some transnational corporations - a little over 20, and simultaneously serves as producer and
and a secretary.
assembly plant for dozens of foreign transnational corporations, while receiving very few products from central and
The material presented South American industries, which we will confirm by resorting, once again, to the business premises of the place
YES NO
supported the arguments. where we live. It’s not easy to find Argentine cheese, a Uruguayan sweater, Paraguayan sweets, is it? Why is that?
The discussion was interesting Think about it. With your teacher’s orientation and support, organize a round table where, based on the information
YES NO
and respectful. gathered and the support of posters, the impact of transnational corporations - beneficial or harmful - is discussed, in
Some relevant conclusions YES NO your locality, in our country and the world. Then, evaluate yourselves with a table like the one on the left.
were reached on the impact
of transnational corporations Evaluation
in the localities where their
influence, products and services After presenting the final product of the case study, it is appropriate that, with your teacher’s guidance, you do a
reach. self-evaluation to see your progress with geographic learning by solving this case study, for which we propose you use
a table like the following:

doing it do it
I participate in the definition of the case study.
I analyze the previous ideas and possible solutions to the problem.
I search different sources of information on transnational

corporations in the place where I live to know how they affect the
community.
I participate in the presentation of the results and conclusions

of the research.
192

Evaluate what you learned life in Mexico. Mineral resources in Mexico are very rich and varied. Almost
all the minerals can be found as reserves in this country, including copper, iron,
phosphate, uranium, silver, gold, copper and zinc, among others. There are a wide
Evaluation Unit IV variety of minerals on Earth. There are solid (gold and nickel), liquid (mercury or
oil), brittle (gypsum or lime) and gaseous (natural gas).
This evaluation will help you become familiar with standardized testing, an
Taken from Mineral resources - industrial processes - geographic development,
experience you will have in middle school. Read every instruction carefully available at http://goo.gl/dhYnZw (Retrieved on: September 29, 2015)
and answer.
2. According to the previous text, mineral resources in Mexico
To answer question 1, read the following text carefully: are classified as:
In recent decades, an awareness has been created regarding resources, that they must
be used in order for them not to be depleted and therefore, the conditions that allow A) Gaseous and metallic.
for their renewal are not altered, so that the future generations can continue enjoying B) Metallic and nonmetallic.
them and for their ecosystem functions to remain intact. However, by implementing
C) Nonmetallic and liquid.
these principles, important discrepancies come about between the need to preserve
and use natural resources. In the case of water, an irreplaceable resource for society, D) Liquid and metallic.
these discrepancies are exacerbated due to the severe pressures of use it is subjected
Use the following text to answer the question.
to, as well as the social lag to access it, accumulated for decades.
Taken from Julia Carabias, Agua, medio ambiente y sociedad: hacia la gestión integral de los recursos hídricos en México, El Colegio The automotive industry has an enormous importance in the economy of the
de México-UNAM-Fundación Gonzalo Río Arronte, Mexico, 2005, pg.119. United States of America, creating a significant number of direct and indirect
jobs through suppliers and producers of inputs for production, one in 10 jobs
1. What form of management of the natural resources does the in this country is related to this industry. The sources of employment in the
text above refer to? manufacturing of motor vehicles and components tend to be concentrated mainly
A) The one that extracts natural resources considering the natural in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, which represent about half of all the jobs in
the sector. Other states with a significant volume of employment are California,
and social times.
Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky and Missouri.
B) The one that extracts as much natural resources, regardless of However, employment has declined significantly, as the Big Three auto manufacturers
the natural laws. have laid off about 600 thousand workers from 1980 to 2002.
C) The one that extracts natural resources considering the Taken from René Arenas Rosales et al. “La caída del imperio automotriz estadounidense,” Espacios Públicos, vol. 13, no. 27, 2010, pp.
relationship between the resources and the natural system. 97-98 available at http://goo.gl/Stj5KY (Retrieved on: September 29, 2015).
D) It doesn´t refer to any form of management of the natural 3. According to the text above and what you’ve learned on the
resources. “Importance of the industry in the economy of Mexico and
To answer question 2, read the following text carefully: other countries in the world,” how does the decline of jobs
in the automotive industry affect the economy of the United
Mineral resources of Mexico States of America?
Our country possesses great mineral resources that have historically played a key
A) It accelerates the productive process.
role in its economic life, although their importance has declined lately. Mineral
B) The economy of the country grows.
resources are classified as metallic and nonmetallic. Among the metallic minerals
that Mexico has are gold, silver, lead, iron, zinc, copper, uranium, thorium.
C) Economic growth decreases.
Nonmetallic minerals in the country are oil, coal, sulfur, fluorite, graphite, barite, D) It provides welfare and benefits to society.
gas and building materials, such as limestone and clay. At present, the exploitation,
production, refining and commercialization of oil are the foundation of economic
193

500
Millions of
Millions of
500
400
400
300
300
200
200
100
100
0
0
1950 1980 1990 2000 2011
1950 1980 1990 2000 2011
Unit IV Year Year
4. Look carefully at table 4.12 on the tons of cargo moved through C) D)

the different transportation networks in Canada, Mexico and the
International tourist arrivals International tourist arrivals
United States of America (USA) and answer the questions.

1000 1000
900 900
800
Millions of tourists
800
700 700
Table 4.12 Cargo traffic by type of transportation (millions of metric tons).

600 600
500 500
400 400
300 300
Type of Canada Mexico USA 200 200

100
100
transportation 1990 1995 1996 1990 1995 1996 1990 1995 1996
0 0
1950 1980 1990 2000 2011
1950 1980 1990 2000 2011
Year Year
Air 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.1 7.7 8.5 9.8
Sea 60.4 50.5 48.8 30.6 31.8 31.6 1,014.0 985.4 991.9 Read the following text carefully and answer the question.
Railway 191.8 203.0 200.0 34.7 30.7 30.2 1,292.6 1,405.8 1,461.4 The HDI was conceived as a simple measure of development, as an alternative to
Road 149.3 167.3 181.9 314.7 366.7 383.3 2,348.7 3,110.7 3,245.9 the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and as such, measures progress in three basic
aspects: to live a long and healthy life, to get education and knowledge and a decent
Source: El Transporte de América del Norte en Cifras, U.S. Department of Transportation, Transport Canada; Secretaría de
Comunicaciones y Transportes et al. Washington, DC, 2000, available at http://goo.gl/OLXhny (Retrieved on: September 29, 2015) standard of living.
The HDI helps to answer certain basic questions we ask about the progress
According to the number of tons of cargo moved through the of societies: which countries have progressed faster and whether poor countries
different transportation networks, what are the two main types are closing the gap that separates them from the rich. These questions are often
of transportation used for this purpose? addressed using income. However, the measurements that consider development in
broader terms offer a clearer vision of development.
A) Air and road.
United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2010, undp, 2010,
B) Railway and air available at http://goo.gl/KpNesb (Retrieved on: September 29, 2015).
C) Maritime and rail.
D) Railway and road.
6. According to the information in the text, what does the hdi tell
5. Which graph represents the following information correctly? us about the progress of societies?
Despite occasional disturbances, international tourist arrivals in the A) If they have a long and healthy life.
world have shown almost continuously growth, from 25 million in 1950 to 277 million B) If they enjoy a good standard of living.
in 1980, 435 million in 1990 and 675 million in 2000 to the current 940 million. C) What countries have progressed faster and whether poor
Taken from the World Tourism Organization, unwto outlook on international tourism. 2011 edition, countries are closing the gap that separates them from
available at http://goo.gl/dWMOsA (Retrieved on: September 29, 2015)
the rich.
International tourist arrivals
D) The Gross Domestic Product that each person receives.
A) B)
International tourist arrivals
1000
1000
900
900
800
800
700
700
600
600
500
500
400
400
300
300
200
200
100
100
0
0
1950 1980 1990 2000 2011
1950 1980 1990 2000 2011
Year Year
194
International tourist arrivals International tourist arrivals
1000 1000
900 900
800
urists
urists
800
Geography of Mexico and700
the World.indb 194 700 12/04/16 17:56
600
With your teacher’s coordination and guidance, begin the evaluation session in the stages of self-evaluation and
co-evaluation.
In this stage, you will appreciate the progress you made in terms of the In this second stage, you will evaluate your classmates’ achievement
knowledge, skills, attitudes and values you acquired in Unit IV. during Unit IV, remember to do it in a fair, correct and specific manner,
Identify the level of difficulty you faced with the situations listed in the and always taking into account the attitudes your classmates had in the
When it is your turn to be evaluated, use the following table to register
For me it was
the results emitted by your group. To do so, mark the cell that corresponds
Learn to: Very Difficult Not that Very to the performance mentioned by your classmates with a ✓.
easy difficult difficult
Distinguish the differences in managing of Achievement
natural resources in agricultural, livestock, forest Activity Very
and fishing areas in the world and in Mexico. Good Enough Unsatisfactory
good
Explain the importance of mineral and energy Individual presentation
resources in the world and in Mexico.
Team presentation
Identify the types of industries and the
importance of industrial areas in the economy
of the world and Mexico. Round table or debate
Distinguish the importance of trade and

Mapping
transportation networks in the context of
economic globalization in the world and in
Poster creation
Mexico.
Identify the types of tourism and their economic Creation of presentation

material (slides, mockups, etc.)
importance in the world and in Mexico.

Compare the socioeconomic differences in the
Compare the results of your evaluation with the rest of your I accomplished the homework
classmates. Then, discuss with your teacher what aspects most of the activities on time.
group found to be the most difficult to develop and write them down in
your notebooks. Lastly, listen carefully to the strategies that your teacher
suggests to deal with these difficulties and propose others to improve Use the data collected to identify the areas you can improve, and write
your learning. down in your notebook the aspects you need to correct to have a better
performance in the following activities.
195

*Unbuilt area in memory of the 1995 Kobe earthquake
196

Unit V
Our world
Expected Learning Content
Core topic:
Quality of life, Explain the relationship between quality of • Situations that affect the quality of life in the world and in Mexico.
life and environmental sustainability in the • Relationship between societies of the world with different quality of life.
environment and
world and in Mexico. • Relationship between quality of life and environmental sustainability.
disaster prevention
Acknowledge the participation of Mexico and
• International meetings to promote sustainable development and participating countries.
representative countries in protecting the
Competence: • Major international agreements to protect the environment in the world.
environment and its sustainable
Participating in the • Laws and actions to protect the environment and sustainable development in Mexico.
development.
space we live in
• Natural Protected Areas in the world and in Mexico.
Value the importance of Natural Protected • Environmental services and clean technologies to protect the environment in the world and
Areas, environmental services and clean in Mexico.
technologies in the world and in Mexico. • Importance of Natural Protected Areas, environmental services and clean technologies in
the world and in Mexico.
• Geological, hydrometeorological, chemical and sanitary risks, in the world and in Mexico.
Relate the main risks and the vulnerability of • Relationship between environmental degradation and the recent disasters in the world and
the population in the world and in Mexico. in Mexico.
• Vulnerability of the population in the world and in Mexico.
• Participation of governments and international and national institutions for disaster

Acknowledge the importance of the
prevention.
participation of governments and society to
• Importance of government policies for disaster prevention.
prevent disasters in the world and in Mexico.
• Importance of disaster prevention to face the risks present in the world and in Mexico.
• Basic actions for disaster prevention related to the types of risk that affect the local
Identify basic actions for disaster prevention environment.
in the local environment. • Disaster prevention plans at school, at home and in the local environment.
• Importance of spreading the actions taken in the local environment for disaster prevention.
Case study: Risks of natural origin where we live: Vulnerability to landslides.
197

Unit V Competence: Participating in the space we live.
Relationship between quality of life and environmental sustainability in the world

and in Mexico
Show what you know
In the previous units, you have gone over the natural, social, economic and political components that make up the
geographic space; now you can use what you learned to improve the space you inhabit.
Activity
In pairs, read the following questions carefully, discuss them and write down your answers.
1. What do you understand by quality of life?

2. Do you know what aspects are taken into account to determine the quality of life of a
country?

3. Do you think that the sustainable exploitation of natural resources affects the quality of
life of the inhabitants of a country? Why?

Fig. 5.1 Iceland is one of the countries with the best
conditions of health, food, housing education, and
it even has sustainable development practices so
that its inhabitants have a good quality of life. Expand your horizons.
Situations that affect the quality of life in the world and in Mexico
When referring to the quality of life of people, the following are taken into account: how they live and meet their
basic needs, the environmental conditions they live in and the social and emotional relationships they have with
others. Do your answers to question 1 concur with what you just read?
This information is obtained through censuses and other surveys that are made periodically in different countries
and consider certain indicators for evaluation. Look at table 5.1 to know the social, economic and environmental
indicators taken into account when assessing the quality of life of the people of a country (fig. 5.1).
Table 5.1 Aspects to evaluate the quality of life of people.

Social indicators Economic indicators Environmental indicators
• Food • Housing • Economic resources (income) • Pollution levels

• Health • Security • Inequality and marginalization • Amount of green spaces
• Education • Basic services • Economic development of the country • Sustainability of natural resources
198

Our world
Some of the most important situations that are considered in determining quality of life are those
related to food, clothing, housing, health, education and an adequate income to cover these needs.
Food is a basic need of the people of a country and must be covered satisfactorily so that they can
carry out their activities and maintain an appropriate weight for their physique. However, in several
African and Asian countries, famine is a constant situation due to geographic and climatic conditions
like drought, as well as political and social conflicts; in contrast, developed countries devote
significant financial resources to improve the nutrition of their inhabitants.
The salary that people receive for their work must meet their basic survival needs, since it is
considered that the higher the salary, the better the quality of life, because people can better meet
their needs; however, this is not entirely true, as there are other essential aspects of welfare that do
not depend on access to economic goods and services, as is the case with environmental preservation,
since its deterioration does not guarantee a better quality of life.
Fig. 5.2 In Somalia, infant mortality is high due to
The home people live in must be constructed with suitable materials; it must have enough space for the lack of food, doctors and specialized hospitals,
each family member and have basic services such as drinking water, sewage and electricity. resulting in a low quality of life.
The population has a right to health, which is why we must have access to medical and hospital services. To
evaluate this indicator, we use the rate of infant mortality and life expectancy. If infant mortality is high in a
certain place, then that means there are poor health conditions and therefore poor quality of life (fig. 5.2).
As for education, the following must be taken into account: the number of children attending school, the
coverage of basic education and the number of adults that can read and write. Thus, people with a better level of
education get better jobs and earn higher income to meet their needs, which is why they have access to a better
quality of life (fig. 5.3).
Another aspect that is taken into account to measure the quality of life of the population are the environmental
conditions, such as: the existing area of gardens and green areas, the level of air, water and soil pollution, as well as
the use of technology to promote sustainable development. In this respect, the sustainable exploitation of natural
resources provides a better quality of life (fig. 5.4).
Fig. 5.3 Education improves the quality Fig. 5.4 The presence of green spaces
of life and favors the development of contributes to improve people’s
a country. quality of life.
199

Unit V
Relationship between societies in the world with different quality of life

Map 5.1 Quality of life in the world. According to the topics studied in the previous units,
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
90° 90°
ARCTIC OCEAN you’ll realize that the social, economic, political,
75° 75° cultural and geographic conditions of each
country are different. The existence of
60° 60°
natural resources, biodiversity, population
45° 45°
distribution, education levels, economic
A T L A N T I C systems, technological and industrial
30° O C E A N 30° development, as well as the
economic development reached by
15° 15° each country, are factors directly
P A C I F I C
involved in the quality of life of
P A C I F I C O C E A N
0° Equator 0° their population.
O C E A N
I N D I A N
To acknowledge the
15°
O C E A N
15°
differences in quality of life in
the world, we’ll take the Legatum
30°
LEGEND
30°
Prosperity Index of the Legatum
A T L A N T I C PROSPERITY INDEX Foundation in London, UK, as
45° 2014 45°
O C E A N
High
a reference, which goes beyond
60°
Medium high
Medium low 60°
material well-being, and includes
1: 228 000 000
Low factors like social capital, effective
No data
75°
0 2 280 4 560 km
75° governance, human rights and freedoms,
90°
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
90° health, education, opportunity, security and
Source: Legatum Institute in London, 2014. quality of life in general.
Date of preparation: September 25, 2015.
As shown on map 5.1, there are great differences in
the levels of quality of life of the population in the world; while Europe concentrates the countries with the
highest levels of quality of life because most of them, especially those that make up the EU (except Switzerland),
have implemented important policies to improve the quality of life of their inhabitants; the countries with the
lowest levels of quality of life are located in Africa because of the poverty in which the majority of the population
lives in, as well as the civil conflicts prevailing in the continent.
According to its place in the Legatum Prosperity Index, Norway is the country with the highest level of quality
of life of the 142 countries assessed (fig. 5.5), followed by Switzerland and New Zealand. These three countries
have an excellent quality of life for their economy, which is growing and strong, allowing the population to have
Glossary a good education, earn high incomes and for government institutions to promote order and security; in addition,
Social capital. Variable that measures these countries develop and use sustainable technologies to improve the environment.
the percentage of citizens able to work
jointly for the welfare of a locality, state
or nation.
200

Our world
In contrast with the previous countries (fig. 5.6), the Fig. 5.5 The good quality of life achieved by Norway’s
population is largely due to social actions taken
Central African Republic, Chad and the Democratic by its government in areas like health, education,
Republic of Congo have the lowest levels of quality of housing and income.
life, because their population receives low wages, health
and education services are scarce and inaccessible, and
governments don’t promote the welfare of their population
or measures to improve the environmental quality.
To improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of
the countries with low levels, it is necessary to take into
account the actions carried out in countries with high levels
of quality of life and implement appropriate measures in
each one according to their geographic, social, political and
economic conditions.
Activity
To expand your knowledge regarding the quality of life of countries, look at map 5.1 and answer the
questions. When you are finished, compare your answers with those of the rest of the group and,
moderated by your teacher, draw a conclusion on Mexico’s quality of life.
1. What countries need to improve their quality of life?

2. What is the quality of life in our country compared to other countries in America? Do you agree with
the level our country is in? Why?

Fig. 5.6 The Central African Republic is the country
with the lowest level of quality of life. Due to the
3. If you had the chance to live in another country, which one would you choose? Why? prevailing conditions of poverty, its population
lacks basic services and has a high percentage
of illiteracy.
To learn more
With your teacher’s guidance, in pairs, check the website of the Legatum Institute in London that is in charge
of making the annual Prosperity Index (quality of life), available at http://www.prosperity.com (Retrieved on:
September 30, 2015).
Check the list of the 142 countries and their quality of life. Compare the indicators that were evaluated by
country and check the interactive map of the Prosperity quality of life or Index. In your notebooks, write down a
few conclusions on the quality of life of the societies in the world and in Mexico.
201

Unit V
Relationship between quality of life and environmental sustainability

Fig. 5.7 A sustainable practice involves changing
the commonly used incandescent lightbulbs for As noted above, quality of life not only incorporates social and economic indicators, it also incorporates
fluorescent ones to save energy and money. environmental aspects, which are directly involved with the welfare of the population, because the quality and
cleanliness of water, air and soil, as well as the availability of green areas in population
centers are factors that affect the health of the inhabitants of a place, region or country and
therefore affect their quality of life.
In order to achieve greater economic development, in recent years, in the world as well
as in Mexico, profound economic and social changes have occurred, accompanied by an
increasing deterioration of the environment and a significant reduction in natural resources,
because, as productive activities increase, these resources are overexploited and polluted,
which has resulted in the disruption of the natural environment and the reduction of the
quality of life of human beings.
In this sense, it is urgent that both governments and citizens care for and preserve
the environment and its natural resources through actions that promote sustainable
development or sustainability (fig. 5.7); this means that the inhabitants of a country use
natural resources responsibly, thus preventing them from disappearing, to ensure that the
future generations will enjoy them and have a better quality of life.
But, what is the relationship between quality of life and sustainability? This relationship is very clear in
countries like Norway and Finland hat occupy the first 10 places in the Legatum Prosperity Index because they
have taken steps to maintain the balance between society, the environment and the economy, such as:
• Reducing polluting gases, reducing car use, recycling and waste separation
into organic and inorganic.
Fig. 5.8 Solar cells use sunlight to create energy, in certain homes or housing units • Promoting the use of renewable energy and use of alternative or clean
they’re used to heat water and save up to 50% in gas consumption. energies (solar, wind, geothermal, biofuel) (fig. 5.8).
• Construction of plants to capture carbon dioxide.
• Protecting the environment to prevent the excessive logging of forests.
• Efficient use of natural resources, such as the reduced consumption of water
and electricity.
The implementation of these actions for sustainable development in the so-called
“green countries” are a good example that the more sustainable actions are carried
out, the higher the quality of life of the population.
Globally, the United Nations has formulated three key objectives on environmental
quality to achieve sustainability and thus improve the quality of life of the world’s
population:
• Protect human health and the general welfare of the population.
• Ensure the sustainable use of resources.
• Preserve the integrity of the ecosystems.
202

Our world
Each country has created its own institutions and has arranged actions at national, regional and
local levels to improve the quality of the environment and protect the flora and fauna habitat, as well
as to promote the sustainable development of natural resources. In the case of Mexico, the Ministry
of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) is responsible for establishing the necessary
environmental protection measures in our country.
The concern about the quality of the environment has had a strong impact at a global scale, which
is why numerous international agreements and treaties have been created to improve the quality of
life and the environment, as well as to promote sustainability in different countries. One of the most
important ones is the Kyoto Protocol, created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
There is also the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that proposes environmental
policies like those designed to inform and empower the population in the proper use of natural
resources through sustainability and the assessment of environmental quality. Likewise, this
organization promotes scientific advances to get to know, care for or rescue the environment (fig. 5.9),
as well as to support and encourage civil associations that have the same purpose, among other actions. Fig. 5.9 Scientific and technological research
focused on protecting the environmental has
enabled the production of biofuels from plant
waste or biomass, which is currently used in cars
in Brazil and Uruguay.
Activity
To learn more
To broaden your knowledge on the relationship and if necessary, request your Spanish teacher’s
To learn how to preserve the
between quality of life and environmental help to guide you through the sections of the
environment and improve
sustainability in the world and in Mexico, form content and wording.
your quality of life, review the
teams of four and look for information on a In the first part of the triptych, write down the
material “More than 100 tips
sustainable development project that has been names of the selected countries and the name
to care for the environment
implemented in any country in the world and of the project, as well as a brief summary that
from my home,” by the
in Mexico. For example, the implementation of describes it in general terms. Then, locate the
Semarnat, available at http://
programs for the reduction of polluting gases countries you selected on map 5.1 and write down
goo.gl/RtFjyu (Retrieved on:
in Norway and Mexico. Consider the following the level of quality of life they have. In the second
September 30, 2015) where
questions to prepare your research: section, include the benefits that the project has
you will find actions and
• What is the name of the project and what is it brought to the population of these countries;
recommendations that you
about? in the third section, include some conclusions
can do with your family. In
• What benefit has it had or will it have on the about the importance of implementing actions of
your notebook, write down
population of these countries and the world? environmental sustainability and their relationship
those you consider more
• How does this program affect the quality of life to the quality of life of the population; ask your
viable to practice at home and
of the population in these two countries? teacher to guide you in the process. When you are
at school and share them with
With the information obtained, create a triptych, finished, present your work to the group.
the rest of the group.
203

Participation of Mexico and representative countries in protecting the environment

and sustainable development
Show what you know
Activity
Do you know what sustainable development is? In pairs, propose a Write down your ideas below and with your teacher’s guidance as a
definition of sustainable development. Take into account what you moderator, share your definitions and draw a single definition with
learned in sixth grade on the sustainable use of resources, as well the whole group.
as in the previous topic on sustainability.
According to the Report Our Common Future by the UN’s World Commission on Environment and Development,
published in 1972, “sustainable development is that which meets people’s present needs without compromising
the ability of the future generations to meet theirs.” At present, sustainable development is made up of three
components: economic, social and environmental protection. These components are considered interdependent:
if one of them fails, development will not be sustainable.
Fig. 5.10 shows the presence of the components of sustainable development and the interdependence that
exists between them. Compare what you wrote with the concept you just read; was your definition correct?

International meetings to promote sustainable development and participating countries
While there have been international meetings and conferences since the beginning of the twentieth century, where
Ecological
one of the biggest concerns has been the protection of the environment, it was not until 1972 when in Stockholm,
Sweden, in the Declaration of the Conference of the United Nations on the Environment, also known as the
Brundtland Report, that the term sustainable development was used. That same year, after presenting the results of
Viable Fair
the Brundtland Report, non-government environmental organizations began to multiply worldwide.
This environmental tendency that was increasingly becoming more important, gave way to the United Nations
Sustainable
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also called “Earth Summit” in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro,
Economic Social Brazil. This was one of the first international meetings to promote sustainable development that was attended by
Compatible
most members of the United Nations.
In 1997, the UN General Assembly in New York held special sessions known as Rio + 5, where they evaluated
the progress of the agreements reached at the Rio de Janeiro Conference five years before, and to adjust certain
Fig. 5.10 For development to be sustainable, there criteria to reinforce them. Moreover, that same year, in the city of Kyoto, Japan, UN member countries were
must be interdependence between the economic, negotiating issues concerning the emissions of greenhouse gases and the relationship with industrialized
social and ecological components. countries.
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During 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development

(Rio + 10) took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, also Map 5.2 Countries where international meetings to protect the environment have been held.
known as Johannesburg Summit, ten years after the Earth 90°
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
90°
ARCTIC OCEAN
Summit was held. In the same way that it happened 75° 75°
in New York, the achievements were examined, Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’
the relevance of sustainable development was 60° 60°
confirmed and the most important problems

45° 45°
requiring the attention of the international A T L A N T I C
community were highlighted. 30° O C E A N 30°
P A C I F I C
Activity 15°
O C E A N
15°
0° Equator 0°
To locate the countries where P A C I F I C
international meetings on 15°
O C E A N
15°
environment and sustainable Tropic of Capricorn 23°27’

I N D I A N O C E A N
development have taken place, with 30° 30°
your teacher’s guidance: A T L A N T I C

1. Search the name of the 45°
O C E A N
45°
corresponding host countries and

write them down in the space provided 60°
60°
in table 5.2. 75°

1: 228 000 000
75°
2. On map 5.2, draw a dot to locate each of 90°

0 2280 4560 km
90°
the cities in table 5.2 and write their names.
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
3. See in what continents the cities are located in and Source: un, 2014.
write down the number of meetings held in each one in
your notebook:
Table 5.2 Major international meetings for the protection of the environment and promotion of sustainable development.
International event Date City Country International event Date City Country
International Congress for the Protection of Landscapes 1913 Bern Special Session of the un General Assembly (Rio +5) 1997 New York
International Congress on the Protection of Flora, Fauna and Natural Sites Third Session of the Conference of the Parties on Climate
1923 Paris 1997 Kyoto
and Monuments Change
General Assembly of the International Union for Conservation of Nature 1948 Fontainebleau Millennium Summit of the United Nations 2000 New York
United Nations Conference on the Human Environment 1972 Stockholm World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio + 10) 2002 Johannesburg
United Nations Water Conference 1977 Mar del Plata Bali Climate Change Conference 2007 Bali
United Nations Conference on Desertification 1977 Nairobi Copenhagen Climate Change Conference 2009 Copenhagen
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 1992 Rio de Janeiro un Climate Change Conference 2010 Cancun
International Conference on Water and the Environment 1992 Dublin Cancun Climate Change Conference 2012 Rio de Janeiro
World Summit for Social Development 1996 Copenhagen United Nations Environment Assembly 2014 Nairobi
205

Unit V
Major international agreements to protect the environment in the world

Each international meeting on the protection of the environment has reached several agreements that have
resulted in significant actions on a global scale; let’s review some of the most relevant agreements.
As a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, or Stockholm Conference, the
United Nations Environment Programme was created (UNEP), with headquarters in Gigiri, Kenya; on June
5, World Environment Day was established and the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment was created, where sustainable development begins to take shape as an option to improve the lifestyle
of the world population (fig. 5.11).
Meanwhile, at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, important commitments arose like the Rio
Fig. 5.11 The United Nations has been a major
promoter to reach agreements on the protection of Principles, hence Agenda 21 was approved by 178 countries; it recognized the improper way we coexist with nature and
the environment at various international meetings. recommends measures to protect the environment and thus ensure the economic and social development of nations.
The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development specifies the rights and obligations of countries to integrate
a global, balanced and cooperative union where private interests are respected and hence give priority to the
environment and to global development.
Other agreements reached are the Statement of Forest Principles, the Convention on Climate Change, the
Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Desertification.
The Rio + 5 meeting brought a consensus to reduce greenhouse gases,
Map 5.3 Signatory countries of the Kyoto Protocol.
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180° promote sustainable development and pledged to eradicate poverty.
75°
ARCTIC OCEAN
75°
For its part, the Kyoto Protocol is an agreement that essentially obliges
Arctic Polar Circle 66°33’ developed countries to reduce the production of gases that cause the
60° 60°
greenhouse effect.
45° 45°
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002,
A T L A N T I C
the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and
30°
Tropic of Cancer 23°27’ O C E A N
30°
its Plan of Implementation came about. These agreements
15°
P A C I F I C
15°
reviewed the progress made and added additional
O C E A N aspects to the commitments previously established by
0° Equator 0° the international community. Deadlines were set to
P A C I F I C
O C E A N
reduce the use of harmful chemical substances in the
environment, to maintain and recover fish and stop the
15° 15°
I N D I A N O C E A N
30° 30° progress of the disappearance of endangered species,

among others. The Mexican diplomatic representations
A T L A N T I C LEGEND
45°
O C E A N Signed and ratified
45°
have attended the meetings and summits convened
60°
Signed but rejected
60°
by the United Nations, where they have signed and
the ratification
Antarctic Polar Circle 66°33’ 1: 274 000 000 Withdrew ratified the various agreements and declarations made.
No standing
75°
0 2740 5480 km
75°
On the other hand, the United States of America did not
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180° ratify its signature for the Kyoto Protocol (map 5.3), since it
Source: unep, 2011. considered the restrictions unfair compared to those established
Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015. for developing countries. At other times, China and Bolivia also voted
Note: Most un members signed the Kyoto Protocol, however others didn’t and the United States of America did not endorse it.
against the resolutions.
206

Our world
Activity
To have a clearer idea on how international agreements for the protection of the environment in
the various international forums such as the un are reached, divide the group into two teams, one
representing the developed countries and the other the the poorer countries. Both teams will have to
search beforehand in newspapers, magazines and the Internet, the posture of these countries regarding
the international environmental decisions.
Moderated by your teacher, simulate a United Nations assembly and discuss the views of each bloc on
climate change. At the end of your assembly, as a group discuss, the issues that help or hinder reaching
an agreement for the protection of the environment in a meeting of this kind.
Laws and actions to protect the environment and sustainable development in Mexico
In accordance with the international stance, Mexico has participated in various meetings and environmental
summits, and its three government levels –federal, state and municipal–, have enacted various laws to preserve
and restore ecological balance and protect the environment in the national territory. Glossary
Among the various dispositions, the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA) Ecological balance. Interdependent
came about, decreed by the federal government in 1988, which established the basis to guarantee the right of relationship between the elements that
make up the environment, which makes
every person to live in an environment that favors their development, health & welfare. This law also defines the
the existence, transformation and
principles of environmental policy and the instruments for its implementation: plans, programs, regulations, development of human beings and other
resolutions and procedures. This law rules, among other things, that environmental education is a means to value living organisms possible.
life by preventing environmental degradation, disseminating preservation, restoration and the sustainable use of
ecosystems and a way to avoid the environmental imbalances and environmental damages.
Compliance with these and other laws is closely related to the creation of Ministries, government agencies and
institutions responsible for designing and carrying out plans and programs for the protection of the environment, Table 5.3 Mexican environmental laws.
such as Semarnat, the National Institute of Ecology (INE), the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR), the Law
Date of
National Water Commission (CONAGUA) and the National Commission for the Knowledge and Protection of decree
Biodiversity (CONABIO). National Water Law 1992
Likewise, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) was created to monitor and evaluate General Law of Human
1993
compliance with the regulations applicable to the prevention and control of environmental pollution, the Settlements
restoration of natural resources, the preservation and protection of flora and fauna, as well as their ecosystems, General Wildlife Law 2000
the federal sea-land zone and Natural Protected Areas. General Law for Prevention
and Integral Management 2003
To learn more of Wastes
If you want to learn more about Mexican environmental laws, in teams, search the Semarnat website, General Law for Sustainable
2003
available at http://goo.gl/usLuQ7 (Retrieved on: September 30, 2015) for the laws listed in table 5.3; read Forest Development
their content and discuss as a group: Why is this law important for the preservation of the environment General Law of Sustainable
2007
in our country? Aquaculture and Fisheries
With your teacher’s guidance, share your results with the rest of the group and take note of the General Law on Climate
2012
information that the other teams researched. Change
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Unit V
Creating and promoting laws is not enough to protect the environment and promote sustainability, the
necessary actions that promote the environmental improvement of our surroundings should be encouraged along
with them. To achieve this, the different levels of government have managed operational programs, developed
plans and set goals that include significant commitments for the international community (fig. 5.12), where the
Fig. 5.12 In 2009, the Mexican government
committed to reduce the emission of 50 million joint participation of society and established businesses in our territory has been crucial.
tons of carbon dioxide per year. Some actions that have been undertaken by the government and Mexican society on this issue
in various fields are:
• The creation of Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) throughout the national territory.
• The implementation of environmental education programs at different education levels.
• The creation of the Mexican Institute of Water Technology for the management and
preservation of water.
• To spread and implement the use of alternative energies such as wind or solar.
• Spread of ecotechnics, like growing food through hydroponics and green roofs.
• The implementation of programs like Hoy No Circula (No-drive days) or encourage
greater use of bicycles to reduce pollution caused by cars.
• These and other actions promote the rational use of resources to access environmental
sustainability in our country.

Activity
Moderated by your teacher, reflect on the following questions • Why is it necessary for all the countries in the world to participate
as a group. in the implementation of actions for sustainable development?
• Why is it important for the international community to reach • Why is it important for Mexico to participate in protecting the
agreements to protect the environment? environment and its sustainable development?
• What would happen if developed countries did not support the Draw two conclusions on the importance that every country in
agreements? the world should participate in protecting the environment and its
sustainable development. Write down the conclusions you reached in
your notebooks.
To learn more
In pairs, visit the video gallery of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, available at
http://goo.gl/MkRvGi (Retrieved on: September 30, 2015); you’ll find some short videos that talk about
the importance of taking action to protect the environment. In teams, choose one of the videos, and with
the information observed, draw a comic strip where you express the importance of this environmental
action and share your work with the rest of the group.
208

Competence: Participating in the space we live. Our world
Importance of Natural Protected Areas, environmental services and clean technologies in

the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
With the participation of your teacher as group moderator, discuss the following questions and write down yours answers on the lines.
• Do you know what Natural Protected Areas are? Do you know any?

• When someone mentions the words: environmental services and clean technologies, what do you think they refer to and what are they for?


Natural Protected Areas in the world an in Mexico
The World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) that belongs to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), establishes that a Natural
Protected Area (NPA) is: “a geographic space that is clearly defined, identified,
dedicated to and managed, managed by legal or other similarly effective means, Table 5.4 Categories of Natural Protected Areas in the world.
to achieve the preservation of nature with its associated ecosystem services and Category Goal % of npa*
cultural values.” I. Natural reserve Protection of biodiversity and geological features 7%
NPAs are essential for the preservation of biodiversity and are the cornerstone II. National park Protection of large-scale ecological processes
of virtually all national and international preservation strategies; they are designed and species and ecosystems characteristic of 4%
to keep natural ecosystems operating, to act as shelters for species and to maintain the area
ecological processes that are unable to from survive in the terrestrial and marine III. Natural monument Protection of specific natural monuments such
17%
environments with a higher level of intervention. or trait as landforms, unique caves or forests
Protected areas act as indicators of human interactions with the natural world IV. Habitat/species Protection of habitats or particular species
management area 23%
and represent the last hope we have to prevent the extinction of many threatened
or endemic species. They’re also complementary of other measures to achieve
V. Protected Keep characteristics produced by the interaction
preservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity outside protected areas. Most
landscape or between human beings and nature that have 8%
of the NPAs are found in natural ecosystems, in some cases, they’ve been restored seascape ecological, biological, cultural and scenic value
to recuperate said condition, although there are exceptions. Many protected areas VI. Protected area Protection of ecosystems and habitats with
contain features of Earth’s history and processes, while others document the subtle with sustainable associated cultural values and traditional
4%
interplay between human activity and nature in cultural landscapes. use of natural management systems of natural resources
The WCPA has classified NPAs in six different categories based on the goals for resources
which they were created (table 5.4). Source: wcpa, 2011.
*The remaining percentage corresponds to the npas without category.
209

Unit V
Table 5.5 Most extensive Natural Protected Areas in the world. Currently, there are more than 120,000 Natural Protected Areas (terrestrial and
Protected area Location
Surface marine) in the world, covering an area of approximately 21 million square kilometers
(thousand km2) (12.2% of the total surface of the world). There is a considerable variation in the
Northeast Greenland National Park Greenland, Denmark 972 protection of the NPAs between nations as only 45% of the 236 countries and territories
Ar-Rub’al-Khali Wildlife Saudi Arabia have more than 10% of their terrestrial areas protected, and only 14% have more than
640
Management Area
10% of their marine areas protected.
Papahanaumokuakea Marine Hawaii, USA
362
National Monument
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Australia 344 Activity
Qiangtang Nature Reserve China 298 To find out where the npas with the largest extension in the world are located, in
Macquarie Island Marine Reserve Australia 162 teams of three, copy table 5.5 in your notebook and add a column with the title
National Natural Reserve China 152 “category” to write down which corresponds to each npa. You can use table 5.4
Galapagos Marine Reserve Ecuador 133 as an example. Then, on a planisphere, locate the countries where the Natural
Northern Wildlife Management Saudi Arabia
101 Protected Areas in table 5.5 are; use a Universal Atlas for support. With your
Areas teacher’s guidance, compare your results with those of the rest of the group.
Ngaanyatjarra Lands Indigenous Australia
98
Protected Area
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2015.
Map 5.4 Natural Protected Areas of Mexico.

According to the policies on international
107°
preservation and improvement of the environment,
119° 113° 101°
95° 89°
BR High Gulf BR El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar
of California
and Colorado
River Delta
LEGEND
Mexico has also established Natural Protected Areas
BR Biosphere Reserve
BR Guadalupe Island BR Janos
NP National Park (NPAs) that are terrestrial or aquatic portions of the
PAF&F
Cirios Valley PAF&F Tutuaca PAF&F Santa
PANR Protected Area national territory for the conservation of biodiversity.
Elena Canyon PAF&F Maderas of Natural Resources
27°
PAF&F Papigochic
del Carmen
PAF&F Protected Area
27° The National Commission of Natural Protected
BR El Vizcaino
PAF&F
of Flora and Fauna Areas (CONANP) currently administers 174 federal
Cuatro Cienagas
PAF&F Islands
of the
BR Mapimi
NP Cerro de la Silla natural areas with a total area of over 25 million
Tropic of Ca
ncer 23° 27'
Gulf of California
PAF&F
hectares (map 5.4).
PANR C.A.D.N.P
Madre Lagoon/Rio Grande Delta
NP Alacranes
Reef
The categories of Natural Protected Areas adopted
by Mexico and some of their characteristics are:
043 State of Nayarit BR Sierra Gorda Gulf of Mexico
21° 21°
of Guanajuato
BR Marias
Islands
BR Sierra Gorda
BR Los Petenes
BR Sian Ka’an
Br Banco
a) Biosphere reserves. They are the largest and
are representative of one or more ecosystems
BR Monarch Chinchorro
butterfly PAF&F
Terminos Lagoon
BR Revillagigedo BR Zicuiran-Infiernillo
BR Centla
Marsh
undisturbed by human action or that require
preservation and restoration. Species characteristic
Archipelago BR Calakmal
BR Tehuacan-Cuicatlan
BR El Ocote
15°
Jungle
BR Montes Azules
15°
of the national biodiversity inhabit them, including
Gulf
of those endemic, threatened or endangered. An
example is the biosphere reserve of Montes Azules
Escala: 28 000 000 Tehuantepec
P A C I F I C O C E A N km
119° 113° 107°

0 240 480
95°
in Chiapas.
101° 89°
Source: conanp, 2015.  Date of elaboration: September 25, 2015.
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Our world
b) National parks. Areas with one or more ecosystems regarded for their scenic beauty; their value can be scientific,
educational, recreational, or historic, due to the existence of flora and fauna or to its suitability for tourism
development, as is the case of the national park of the Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas.
c) Natural monuments. Areas containing one or more natural elements that for their aesthetic, historic or scientific
value, join a regime of absolute protection. They don’t have the variety of ecosystems or the area needed to be
included in other categories. An example of this is the Cerro de la Silla in Nuevo Leon.
d) Protected areas of natural resources. They are areas designated for the preservation and protection of the soil,
watersheds, water and, in general, of the natural resources located on land, preferably with forest aptitude,
such as the basins of the Sabinas, Alamos, Salado and Mimbres rivers in Coahuila.
e) Protected areas of flora and fauna. They are areas established in accordance with the general provisions of the
LGEEPA and other applicable laws in places that contain habitats whose preservation depends on the existence,
transformation and development of wild flora and fauna. An example is the islands of the Gulf of California Fig. 5.13 The islands of the Gulf of California, made up
(fig. 5.13). of about 900 islands and islets, represent some of
the greatest biological wealth of the country.
f ) Sanctuaries. Areas established in zones characterized with a considerable wealth of flora or fauna or with the
presence of species, subspecies or habitats of restricted distribution. They include ravines, caves, caverns and
other geographic units that need to be preserved or protected, as in the case of Contoy Island in Quintana Roo.
Table 5.6 Classifcation of npas.

Category Quantity Surface in hectares %
Activity
Biosphere reserve 41 12,652,787 49.8
To give you an idea of the area occupied by the npas by category National park 67 1,482,489
in Mexico, individually, complete table 5.6 with the missing Natural monument 5 16,268
percentages in each category. Then, in your notebook draw a pie
Protected areas of natural resources 8 4,440,078
chart with the percentages obtained; this way you will visually
Protected area of flora and fauna 35 6,646,942
compare the surfaces. With your teacher’s guidance, review your
results with the rest of the group and discuss: Why do you think Sanctuary 18 146,254
that the category of “Biosphere Reserve” takes up a larger area? Total 174 25,384,818
Source: conanp, 2014.
Environmental services and clean technologies to protect the environment in the world
and in Mexico
The awareness of how we affect and damage the planet must also include the measures that must be adopted to
change our conception of progress, as it has been wrongly based on the overexploitation of the natural resources
without taking into account the environment’s protection.
Among the measures that the international community has taken regarding environmental improvement is
the implementation of so-called environmental services, which are benefits provided by the ecosystems for people
and communities. Unlike environmental goods or products, like wood, fruits and medicinal plants that are used
directly, environmental services are not “used” directly because their benefits are intangible.
211

Unit V
Some of the main environmental services include:

• The preservation of biodiversity and the protection of coastlines and banks.
• Nature as a resource for ecotourism, its recreation and its admiration as a landscape.
• The preservation of water quality (fig. 5.14).
• Soil protection against rain or wind erosion.
• The filtering of pollutants from the atmosphere, water and soil.
• Climate regulation by evapotranspiration and damping of the wind.
• Maintaining mineral, gas and water cycles.
• Providing habitats for wild species of ecological and commercial value.
Another measure of environmental preservation has been the application of clean technologies that encompass
the scientific and technological advances that favor the use of non-polluting materials, the control (techniques
for capturing carbon dioxide) of industrial residues and the use of non-polluting sources of energy such as solar,
geothermal and wind power.
Fig. 5.14 A single tree in the mountains forest of According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the countries with the largest number of
Veracruz is able to capture and drain up to 100 patents regarding the development of clean technologies are Japan, the United States of America, Germany,
liters of water per hour from the moisture it retains
from the environment. South Korea, France and the UK. On the contrary, a significant number of less developed countries have failed to
create or acquire such technologies because they don’t have the sufficient financial resources.
An important application of clean technologies for the development of environmental services is the capture
and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2). Although this gas is naturally found in the atmosphere, it has increased
dramatically in the planet in recent decades due to the burning of fossil fuels, industrial activities or the car and
airplane, or heating systems. Presently, the international scientific community considers that the capture and
storage of carbon dioxide is one of the priorities to reduce CO2 emissions and improve air quality (fig. 5.15).
The process of capturing carbon dioxide has three stages:
1. Capturing CO2 at its source, 2. Transporting CO2 to a location 3. Storing CO2 in underground
separating it from other gases where it is properly stored, usually in geological or deep ocean deposits
generated by industrial processes. compressed form. for a long period of time.
We can also add ecotechnics to clean technologies. These tools are based on a combination of new and
traditional technologies, which raise interesting ways of using the natural resources in a more environmentally
friendly way, while protecting every ecosystem; composting or hydroponic farming are examples of these.
In this regard, the Mexican government has also began the construction of renewable energy power plants;
such is the case of the two major headquarters of energy production through wind turbines: the wind farm
headquarters La Venta I and La Venta II in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in Oaxaca. These
Fig. 5.15 In recent years, several countries have built headquarters contribute to increase and diversify the share of renewable energy for the national supply. In
plants to capture carbon dioxide; some examples addition to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, other regions have been identified with potential for wind power
are Japan, Norway, the UK and Denmark.
generation, such as the northern and eastern coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula; the central region of the high
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Our world
plateau, from Tlaxcala to Guanajuato, and some areas of the vast Mexican coastline, over 11,000 km long,
specifically, the coasts of the Baja California Peninsula and in the state of Tamaulipas.
Likewise, among the environmental services implemented are ecological tourism or ecotourism. Their proposal
is to focus on nature during trips for leisure, entertainment and discovery, and for these to be made with the idea
of promoting the preservation, valuation and, above all, sustainability and welfare of the local population, which
means not to pollute, alter or harm living beings or the environment in which they live. These projects have been
implemented in Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Chiapas and Chihuahua, among others (fig. 5.16).
Importance of Natural Protected Areas, environmental services and clean technologies in the Fig. 5.16 In Chihuahua and other states of the
country, ecotourism has become an important
world and in Mexico source of income for indigenous communities such
as the Tarahumara.
The industrial and demographic growth of the country demands an increased consumption of natural and energy
resources, such as drinking water, electricity and fuel, which has produced an increase in the waste we throw into
our environment and requires the application of government policies to order and regulate the environmental
preservation of the country.
A prominent Mexican government policy has been the creation of Natural Protected Areas that provide the
necessary spaces for the preservation of biodiversity and some cultural manifestations, as well as for recreational
purpose for those that have the opportunity to visit them (fig. 5.17).
Environmental services are especially important in regions with metropolitan areas such as Mexico City,
Guadalajara and Monterrey. They require the refill of aquifers and the preservation of the water levels of rivers
that supply them with drinking water, as well as the presence of green areas to purify the atmosphere and turn
carbon dioxide into oxygen.
The implementation of clean technologies, such as improving gasoline and increasing the production of
electricity through wind and geothermal action, have favored the reduction of air pollution.
Every region of the country requires the implementation of the various actions referred to in this section, but
Fig. 5.17 The biosphere reserve of the monarch
the improvement of our environment not only depends on government institutions, it requires the participation of butterfly in Michoacan is a representative example
each and every one of us in the area where we coexist to achieve a better quality of life. that protecting the environment goes beyond our
borders, just like these butterflies that fly from
Canada to Mexico for the winter.
Activity
To remember what you learned on the importance of Natural Definition Write down Why is it important to implement
Protected Areas, environmental services and clean technologies in 3 examples these measures in the world and in
the world and in Mexico, in pairs, copy the following table in your Mexico?
notebook and complete it with the information requested. When Natural Protected Areas
you’re finished, with your teacher’s guidance, propose some actions Environmental services
to promote the importance of the npas, environmental services and Clean technologies
clean technologies in the world and in Mexico.
213

Relationship between the main risks and the vulnerability of the population of the world and Mexico
Show what you know
Activity
Every place in the world presents some risk factor for its population (fig. 5.18). Moderated by your teacher,
discuss in groups if you know of any disaster that has happened in the world in the last two years,
originated by a natural or social process. Indicate where and when it happened and any relevant information
that helps to understand the context of what happened. Then, think of the types of risks we are exposed to
in our country and whether you know the information on how to act if you were in a risk situation.

Geological, hydrometeorological, chemical and sanitary risks, among others, in the world
and in Mexico
Fig. 5.18 It is estimated that each year an average
of 150 million people worldwide are exposed to To begin, the fact remains that we mistakenly refer to “natural disasters” when we think that a tropical cyclone, an
tropical cyclones. Satellite image of Hurricane earthquake, a volcanic eruption, landslides, tsunamis, torrential rains, droughts, or other processes of the physical
Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico (August, 2005). environment, are responsible for any material damages and human losses.
In reality, society is set out to meet these processes with their infrastructure (constructed works), organization,
prevention and responsiveness. Therefore, disasters are not “natural,” but a result of varying degrees of
vulnerability of the population (fig. 5.19).
Vulnerability is a parameter that indicates how susceptible an individual, a population or a place is to risks of
natural or social origin and can that cause damage. When the vulnerability of a population or place is combined
with the appearance of a process of the physical or social environment, a risk situation arises, favoring the
probability that an event may occur that can affect society in a specific area.
Risk factors are characteristics or pre-existing conditions in human settlements that make them more or less
vulnerable compared to others; for example, the location, quality of construction, level of social and economic
development of the towns, cities, states or countries.
Additionally, the responsibility of governments and society to ignore, underestimate or fail to prevent natural
and anthropic processes, create risk factors for humans and constructions that have been built (cities, ports, dams,
bridges, roads, tunnels, etc.), which increases the possibility of a disaster.
It should be noted that certain sectors of the population such as children, the elderly, women and people with
different abilities are more vulnerable to risks than others.
Fig. 5.19 Natural phenomena themselves do not One of the best renowned classifications at a global level for the types of risk is the proposal by the UN
cause disasters; human decisions are the ones dependency: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) which establishes that the risk of disaster, due to
that make their impact become a catastrophe.
In the picture, the effects of the tsunami in the the origin of the process, is classified as natural (which includes geological, hydrometeorological and biological
coasts of Indonesia in December of 2004. hazards) and anthropic (caused by the actions of humans).
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Our world
Activity
In order to expand your knowledge on the classification of risks, hydrometeorological, biological or anthropic risk. Verify your results
with your teacher’s guidance, read the explanations presented in the with the group and correct your answers if needed.
boxes carefully. In the boxes, write down if it refers to a geological,
On the one hand, this type of risk is associated with the surface manifestations
of the internal dynamics of Earth, mainly seismicity and volcanism, and on the It consists in the changes in atmospheric conditions in a particular region or
other, with the action of modeler agents of land relief: weathering and erosion. place, where the elements of the climate are combined and create important
Given the loss of human lives due to the vulnerability of the population and the meteorological processes. This type of risk is related to tropical cyclones,
magnitude of the resulting damage, the most significant risks of this type are snowstorms, tornadoes, hail, thunrightstorms, heat waves, droughts and floods.
earthquakes and tsunamis, followed by volcanic eruptions, landslides, mudslides,
sinks, mud flows and avalanches.
TYPES OF DISASTER
RISK (NATURAL OR
ANTHROPIC)
Consists of the presence of biological organisms or substances derived from This type of risk is related to technological or industrial accidents brought about
the latter that, due to their characteristics of reproduction and propagation, can by the improper operation and management of the facilities, the absence or
become a health risk to humans and some of their economic activities such as inadequate maintenance and renewal of appliances and equipment, but mainly
agriculture, stockbreeding, fisheries and forestry. This type of risk is manifested because of humans’ irresponsibility and lack of prevention for their actions.
in different regions and places, in animals that reproduce uncontrollably into Examples of the latter are oil spills by ships and platforms, explosions and
plagues, or through viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, spores, toxins or other nuclear power plant and chemical substances, leaks arsons or resulting from
microorganisms that can cause dangerous diseases in the population. carelessness, pollution and environmental depredation.
On map 5.5, you will identify the main regions and places with higher risks because of natural processes.
Relationship between environmental degradation and the recent disasters in the world and in Mexico
Some processes of environmental degradation caused by human action result in the direct consequence of a negative increase in hydrometeorological
risks and, where relevant, expand the dimensions of the disasters that may occur in altered natural areas. Processes such as deforestation, soil
degradation, the overexploitation of certain fishing areas, drought and water scarcity present throughout the world, manifest their effects in the short
term. Others, such as the limited capacity of the atmosphere to absorb excessive emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), water pollution and the dumping
of solid waste into rivers and seas, are already showing in some regions and cities of the world and Mexico. But the true effects threaten to be strongly
manifested in the medium and long term.
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Unit V
Map 5.5 Major regions and areas at risk due to natural changes in the world.
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
ARCTIC OCEAN
75° 75°
60° 60°
45° 45°
30° 30°
15° 15°
Equator
0° 0°
P A C I F I C INDIAN OCEAN
O C E A N
15° 15°
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
30° 30°
45° 45°
60° 60°
1: 167 000 000
75° 75°
0 1 670 3 340 km
180° 135° 90° 45° 0° 45° 90° 135° 180°
EARTHQUAKES TROPICAL CYCLONES CLIMATE IMPACTS

Probable maximum intensity Probable maximum intensity Main impacts of climate change currently observed or expected to increase
(Modified Mercalli Scale) Zone 0: 76 - 141 km/h in the future
Very low Zone 1: 142 - 184 km/h Change in tropical Increase in droughts
Low Zone 2: 185 - 212 km/h cyclone activity Threat of sea level rise
Average Zone 3: 213 - 251 km/h Intensification of extratropical
High Melting of permafrost soil
Zone 4: 252 - 299 km/h storms
Very high Zone 5: more than 300 km/h Increase in torrential rains Improving agricultural conditions
ICE FLOES More frequent paths Increase in heat waves Unfavorable agricultural conditions
Sightings of icebergs
adrift
Source: Munich Re Group, 2009.

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Our world
Virtually all damages to the limits of environmental sustainability and the natural ecosystems of
the world, –fishing and overgrazing, depletion of aquifers, deforestation, soil erosion,among others,–
are accompanied by calamities and socio-environmental disasters resulting in the loss of production,
particularly food, jobs, drops in incomes and exports, increase in the number of epidemics, diseases
and damage to the health of the population as well as increasing mass migration from rural to urban
areas and the levels of marginalization and poverty (fig. 5.20).
Therefore it is important to carry out sustainable development plans and risk prevention to minimize the
negative consequences of a disaster, both globally as well as at national and regional levels in our country.
Activity
To concretely identify the relationship between environmental degradation and the recent
disasters in the world or in Mexico, as a team, search through newspapers, magazines or the
Fig. 5.20 Upland deforestation causes an increase
Internet about a recent disaster in the world or in Mexico, review it carefully and answer in river flows in times of heavy rain, which
the following questions in your notebook: Where did it occur? What type of disaster was it? Was it results in flooding in low areas. In the picture,
influenced or maximized as a consequence of environmental degradation in the region? What actions floods in Tabasco left 400 thousand affected
(October, 2007).
should be carried out to prevent such types of disasters?
With your teacher as a moderator, present your results, and as a group, discuss why it’s important to
preserve the environment to prevent natural disasters.
Vulnerability of the population in the world and in Mexico

As was mentioned previously, vulnerability indicates how susceptible an individual, population or place is
in a situation of natural or social risk. Each year, about 200 million people are affected by different natural Using videos
To reflect on the environmental
and
processes, that when interacting with the conditions of overpopulation, poverty, environmental degradation degradation caused by humans
r teacher ’s
and global warming, increase the impact of what natural phenomena can cause. their consequences. With you
sible,
In the last 30 years, earthquakes and tsunamis have been among the geological risks that the population is help, find the movie and if pos
project it in the med ia room .
more vulnerable to, because when these natural processes have occurred, the casualties have been higher due to us-
• Home, by director Yann Arth
risk factors. Moreover, when faced with natural processes such as mudslides, landslides, sinks, mudflows and Bertrand, 2009.
volcanic eruptions, the population is less vulnerable because human casualties are lower. Map 5.5 shows where
the populations of the world most vulnerable to natural processes are located. Some the countries with high
Duration 93 min. EuropaCorp.
vulnerability to earthquakes are Afghanistan, Armenia, India, Iran, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, rt paper
In teams of four, prepare a sho
r idea s on how
Haiti, among others. where you present you
affe ct the disa ster s occ urring
Within hydrometeorological risks, tropical cyclones represent one of the biggest natural risks for the humans
, disc uss you r
population every year, particularly in cities, ports and rural communities located between the tropics of around the world and
with the rest of the gro up.
opinions
Cancer and Capricorn or close to them. Thus, countries with higher vulnerability to tropical cyclones are
characterized for having highly populated coastal areas or river mouths with a high population density,
like Bangladesh, India and China. Other places of physical exposure to tropical cyclones correspond to
the countries located on isthmuses, peninsulas and archipelagoes such as the Philippines, Honduras, Vietnam,
Mexico, the United States of America, Japan, Pakistan and Nicaragua. Other factors that affect the level of
vulnerability are of economic nature and the efficiency of government institutions. For example, Bangladesh has
217

a high vulnerability due to its fragile economy and to the deficiencies of volcanism, relief, rivers and climate (Unit II), you will notice that the
their governing institutions. On the other hand, Cuba is less vulnerable population of our country, due to its location and territorial features, is
despite being in the path of tropical cyclones and having a relatively high more vulnerable to risk factors associated with the natural environment,
proportion of inhabitants exposed to these phenomena, because it allocates such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mudslides, hurricanes, floods or
resources to be prepared in case of disaster, and establishes early warning drought. As for hydrometeorological phenomena, 17 entities are in danger
systems and evacuation plans. Generally, in developed countries like zones and are home to almost half of the country’s inhabitants. Moreover,
the United States of America and Japan, the economic losses caused by the population most vulnerable to seismic phenomena is located in the
tropical cyclones are higher than in developing countries, such as Honduras Pacific coast. However, large earthquakes have also occurred in central and
and Myanmar, where human casualties are higher. southern Veracruz and Puebla, northern and central Oaxaca and Chiapas,
With regards to the vulnerability of the population due to human the State of Mexico and the peninsula of Baja California, especially along
activities, these include areas of deforestation, desertification and degraded the border with the United States.
soil; places where companies related to pollution are located. Nuclear and To reduce and mitigate the negative impact of the natural phenomena,
radioactive deposit areas and areas contaminated by nuclear explosions the National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) produces
also stand out, not to mention marine areas affected by oil spills from ships, studies on the location, frequency and intensity of geological,
stranded or sunken, and oil installations. hydrometeorological, biological and anthropic risks, coupled with the
Mexico has high vulnerability to earthquakes and hydrometeorological analysis of the socio-economic conditions of each area of the country, to
phenomena. If you review the topics on tectonic plates, seismicity, help determine the vulnerability of the Mexican population.

Activity
In pairs and with your teacher’s guidance, fill the column. When you are finished, compare your
table with the type of risk and statement number results with the rest of the group.
of the vulnerable population in the corresponding
Vulnerable population 8. Population living in areas near nuclear plants or Vulnerable
Risk by: Type of risk
population (number)
1. Population living in coastal regions, between the radioactive deposits.
tropics and surrounding areas. 9. Population living in the most polluted cities or Chemical pollution
2. Densely populated areas located in contact areas rural areas close to them. Nuclear areas
between tectonic plates. 10. Population living in areas close to industrial Oil slick
3. Population living in coastal regions and islands chemical plants.
Floods
located in seismic zones.
4. Population living in semi-arid and arid climates Types of risk: Tidal wave
and with agricultural and stockbreeding activities. • Geological Earthquake
5. Population living in low altitude areas along the • Hydrometeorological
Tropical cyclone
riverbanks and on the coastal strip. • Biological
6. People that do agricultural, stockbreeding and • Anthropic Droughts
forestry activities. Desertification
7. Population that works in fishing activities in areas Acid rain
near oil extraction.
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Competence: Participating in the space we live. Our world
Importance on how governments and society participate

in preventing natural disasters in the world and in Mexico
Show what you know
It is impossible to prevent natural processes from occurring, which is why companies must be better prepared to
mitigate their effects and somehow learn to live with them (fig. 5.21). It’s time to reflect on the importance of
public awareness on the risks that the population is exposed to, and for the institutions and policies that can help
prevent disasters; this will allow the population to be less vulnerable and consciously decide where to live and
how to go about their daily activities.
Activity
To begin with the topic, with your teacher’s participation as a moderator, answer the questions in
plenary and discuss them:
1. Who should be involved in the prevention of disasters in the world and in Mexico?
2. How do governments participate in identifying the risks and risk factors the inhabitants of the world are
exposed to?
3. Do you think that government and society should work jointly to implement actions and policies to prevent
a disaster in a specific country? Fig. 5.21 The recovery of a population that faces
4. Do you think that the government or Mexican society is able to cope with a disaster without being a disaster depends heavily on its ability to get
organized. In this picture, floods in France in 2010.
coordinated? Why?

Participation of governments and international and national institutions for disaster
prevention
As was done in the previous exercise, it is important for institutions and governments to assess these aspects to
reduce the risk index. Disasters in different countries of the world throughout history, especially in recent decades
(fig. 5.22), have led to the awareness of international organizations and national and local governments to work
in hazard identification and disaster prevention.
The UN has had a leading role in coordinating efforts to prevent and reduce the impact of disasters in the
world, it has created dependencies with this unique objective, such as the International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction, which provides the necessary support for countries that need to develop and promote the basic
principles of participation among different social sectors, and includes both policy managers, as well as those
responsible for its implementation. Fig. 5.22 The effects of the explosion in 1986 of
The UNESCO, through the Section on Natural Disaster Reduction, is actively involved in the field of prevention. the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine
continue. In addition to the thousands of dead
The activities it undertakes include: and sick by exposure to radiation, poverty and
environmental pollution prevail in the area.
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Unit V
• Seismic monitoring networks, where data on risks and disasters are analyzed.
• Identification and mapping of risk areas.
• The creation in 1968 of an early warning system against tsunamis in the Pacific.
• The adoption of the International Flood Initiative.
• Assistance to communication systems related to disaster prevention, among others.
In Mexico City specifically, the federal government created the National Civil Protection
System (Sinaproc), enacted the General Law of Civil Protection in 2000, and during the planning,
the national programs for Civil Protection, Prevention and Disaster Risk Mitigation were been
established. Likewise, each state and municipal government has set up its own civil protection
plans and programs.
The main goal of the National Civil Protection System is to care for people in the event
of a disruptive process caused by natural or anthropic disasters, through actions that prevent,
reduce or eliminate casualties, the destruction of property and damage to the environment, as
well as the interruption of functions for the development of society.
The National Civil Protection System includes, among other institutions, the National
Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED), that created the National Atlas of risks (fig. 5.23),
aimed at supporting the civil protection authorities in the decision-making processes, which
include:
• Implement disaster prevention measures.
• Assess human and material losses.
• Assess risk in real time.
• Meet the needs of an emergency arising from a disaster, in addition to estimating what
resources should be allocated to the affected area.
Fig. 5.23 Ask your teacher to take you to the media room where you will find the
National Atlas of risks, available at http://www.atlasnacionalderiesgos.gob.mx • Improve the quality in providing insurance for public infrastructure.
Activity
To learn more about the participation of the Mexican government in disaster prevention in the country, form teams of three and search the
General Civil Protection Act in the library or on the Internet, available at http://goo.gl/hDtUn8 (Retrieved on: October 2, 2015). Then, answer the
following questions in your notebooks:
1. In articles four through six, who are they referring to and what will their functions be in case of a disaster?
2. According to Article ten, who and how will they promote education on civil protection?
3. According to Article eleven, who makes up the National System of Civil Protection?
Moderated by your teacher, discuss your answers with the rest of the group and state the importance of government coordination in case of a
disaster. Write down the conclusions you reached in your notebooks.
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Our world
Importance of government policies on disaster prevention Chart 5.1 Places with the highest number of casualties from disasters. 1974-2014.
500,000
Drought
About 90% of deaths that have occurred during disasters (from natural or anthropic 450,000
processes) can be avoided. However, about half of the most vulnerable countries 400,000
do not consider prevention, protection and response programs for these types 350,000 Drought
of emergencies. 300,000
Earthquakes
250,000 Tsunami
Activity 200,000
Hurricane
150,000
To acknowledge the magnitude of disasters that have occurred in recent

Drought
100,000 Earthquake
Heat
Seism and
decades and the importance of implementing policies to prevent them, as 50,000
Earthquake wave Floods tsunami
a group and moderated by your teacher, look at chart 5.1, and answer the 0
1984 1974/75 2010 1975 2004 1991 1985 2005 1990 2003 1999 1974 2000
questions:
Ethiopia Sahel Haiti China Coasts Pakistan Iran France Japan
ue
esh
esh
la
biq
and Region of the and
ue
lad
lad
ez
zam
Sudan Indian Italy
ng
ng
n
1. What types of disasters have provoked a greater number of victims in the Source: un, 2014.
Ve
Mo
Ba
Ba
Ocean
world?
2. What continents have had the greatest number of victims? Why do you
think this occurs?
With the information you have reviewed up to now, explain why disaster
prevention is important for the risks present in the world and in Mexico.
From what you’ve seen so far, it is necessary to create and promote a culture of disaster
prevention with the participation of all sectors of society, mainly the federal, state and
municipal governments, as well as the educational institutions and the media, to organize and
spread information to reduce the vulnerability of the population and decrease human losses
and the huge expense to remedy the damage.
It is therefore important for the government institutions of countries to implement policies Fig. 5.24 The planning and implementation of
to guide and coordinate the actions of various social sectors for risk prevention and disaster mitigation. disaster prevention programs should start from
school.
In Mexico, civil protection policies for risk prevention and disaster mitigation are reflected in the national
development plans of the federal government and in the National Civil Protection Program.
The main guidelines of the National Civil Protection Program include:
• The consolidation, expansion and improvement of the National System of Civil Protection.
• The development of technologies to mitigate risks where CENAPRED is the main promoter.
• Training and dissemination for civil protection (fig. 5.24).
• The organization and allocation of financial support to tend to natural disasters.
Thanks to the above, the Mexican society can better address the risks and contribute to the reduction of the
consequences caused by disasters in the country. Meanwhile, international organizations have played an important
role in the implementation of policies for the prevention of disasters. For example, the International Strategy Fig. 5.25 The earthquake on March 11, 2011 that
for Disaster Reduction has proposed programs and strategic visions on how to reduce natural risks and their followed the tsunami led to the partial destruction
of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant,
vulnerability to them; the creation of communities that are resistant to disaster have also become an increasingly causing emissions of radioactivity in the
important international commitment. atmosphere, water and soil in the region.
221

Unit V
Importance of disaster prevention to face the risks present in the world

and in Mexico
Why is disaster prevention important? Because it is possible to greatly reduce the damages that
the population may suffer when facing natural and anthropic processes. This prevention is
achieved through continuous and coordinated efforts aimed at reducing economic, social and
environmental costs.
Additionally, for disaster prevention, it is important to recognize that the effects of these vary
throughout the world, because the same earthquake, hurricane, fire, drought, flood, pandemic or
explosion in an industrial facility, can do serious damage to certain regions (fig. 5.25), and virtually
no destruction in others.
Geographically, in developed countries, the losses are concentrated in material aspects, like
buildings, roads, houses, power lines, vehicles, gas pipelines and water, and usually the number of
casualties and injured is reduced as a result of plans and prevention, evacuation and aid programs
Fig. 5.26 One of the measures to prevent human casualties is the
(fig. 5.26). In contrast, in less developed countries, there is often a greater number of casualties,
evacuation and temporary relocation of the population at risk in injured and material damage, less costly but more widespread. This occurs because many of these
secured premises. nations, additionally to being densely populated, lack the prevention and response measures for
emergency situations (fig. 5.27).
The spending that governments must make to rehabilitate and reconstruct areas affected by
disasters almost always represents a greater sacrifice for the poor countries where the shortage
of resources is permanent and there is little chance of making additional unscheduled expenses.
After a disaster, the losses that a country assumes tend to be economic, social and
environmental. Depending on the impact on the territory, costs can be:
• Direct costs: they refer to the material damage caused to industrial facilities, crops, means
of transportation, power plants, housing, schools, health centers, government offices, etc.
• Indirect costs: interruption of drinking water, electricity, suspension of activities, increased
healthcare costs, loss of productivity due to disease, disability and death of the population.
• Side effects: they are the repercussions of a disaster in the medium and long term, such
as debt with other countries due to the reconstruction and reallocation of resources for
recovery, cancellation of projects and, in general, an increase in poverty.
Only by establishing policies, developing plans and implementing measures to prevent disasters
at different levels, will the disasters that could occur in the future, both in Mexico and in the world,
be reduced or mitigated.
Fig. 5.27 Housing reconstruction is necessary for the affected

populations. In the picture, a temporary refuge in Myanmar after the
tropical Cyclone Nargis left 2.4 million people homeless in 2008.
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Our world

Activity To learn more
In pairs, look for the following
With your teacher’s guidance, in pairs, look at chart 5.2 and locate the countries in it on a planisphere.
material in your school or
Color in yellow those that present an annual average of less than 100 deaths, in orange those that
class library. Javier Delgadillo
present between 100 and 1,000, and in red those with more than 1,000 deaths. Next, answer the questions.
Macías and Felipe Torres
Chart 5.2 Main countries by level of vulnerability to earthquakes between 1980 and 2015. Torres, Geografia de los
10 000 riesgos, sep-Santillana,
Haiti
Vulnerability Mexico, 2006.
Armenia
Iran (Islamic Republic of),
Turkey
Create a summary table
1 000
of how natural phenomena
High
India
Afghanistan Mexico
and poor planning involve

Japan
Italy Indonesia
Russian Federation Algeria Taiwan
risks and make a population
Philippines
100 Yemen
El Salvador
more vulnerable. Present
Average annual deaths
your results to the class

Guinea Tajikistan Georgia Chile Medium
10
United States of America
Papua New Guinea and discuss them with your
1
South Africa Guatemala
teacher’s guidance.
Argentina
0.1 Low
Brazil Germany
0
0 0.1 1 10 100
Average population exposed to earthquakes (millions of people) Source: unisdr, 2015.
1. What continent did you color more orange and red? Why do you 3. How are the annual average deaths related to the level of
think this occurs? vulnerability of countries?

4. How should governments and the societies of the countries of the
2. What countries did you color in red? Do you think these countries world participate in disaster prevention?
had a disaster prevention plan for seismic risk? Defend your
answer with what you learned in this section.

Share your results with your classmates and ask your teacher to help

you solve any questions or complement your answers. Then, based on

them, draw a conclusion where you mention what the importance of
the participation of governments and society is for disaster prevention
of in the world and in Mexico.
223

Basic actions to prevent natural disasters in the local environment

Show what you know
Activity
In the previous topic, you went over the importance of the prevented? Have you taken preventive measures to ensure that it
participation of governments and societies in preventing disasters at does not happen again? Do you know what to do if a disaster occurs?
a global and national level, now it’s time to do the same locally. When you are finished, add three measures to your answers that
With your teacher’s guidance, in pairs, answer the following you consider could have prevented or reduced the economic, social
questions in your notebooks: Has any disaster occurred in your home, and environmental losses. Moderated by your teacher, discuss your
at school, in your neighborhood or municipality? Could it have been answers with your classmates.

Basic actions for disaster prevention related to the types of risk that affect the local
environment
As you saw in the previous topics and exercise, every place in the world is exposed to different types of risks
depending on the geographic conditions where it is located, in addition to the socioeconomic conditions of the
population living in those places and the type of prevention that has been established for each type of risk present;
all this determines their vulnerability and their ability to respond in the event of a disaster.
Activity
Table 5.7 enlists some of the actions that need to be carried out In teams, identify a type of natural disaster and one of anthropic
before, during and after a disaster due to natural processes and one that could occur in your home, school or locality, and with the
anthropic risks, and although they are not the only ones we’re information in the table, make some posters to promote a culture
exposed to, they are the most common. of disaster prevention; illustrate them with drawings, diagrams and
photographs and place them in an appropriate location in the school.
Table 5.7 Actions to take before, during and after a natural disaster or social phenomena.
Disaster Before During After
Earthquakes • Find out if the area where you live can be affected by an earthquake. • Follow the authorities’ indications and don’t spread rumors. • Avoid lighting matches, cigarettes or turning on electric appliances.
• Go to the Civil Protection Unit to ask what protective measures should • Remain calm and execute the actions of the family or school plan. • Report gas and water leaks, as well as electrical failures.
be taken at home and at school. • Go to a safe place. • Be prepared for replicas (subsequent earthquakes).
• Prepare a family and school plan to face the effects of an earthquake. • Check if there are injured people and seek help. • Stay away from damaged buildings and avoid driving to hinder traffic.
• Have personal documents and identification data handy (blood type, • If possible, turn off the gas taps and shut down the power supply.
relatives, allergies, etc.). • Do not use elevators and be careful in the stairs.
• If you end up trapped, try to hit any object to make noise.
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Our world
Disaster Before During After
Hurricanes • Obey the authorities in case of evacuation. • Stay calm and help children and the elderly. • Do not go out until the authorities indicate it is safe, as the eye of the
• Locate the nearest refuge or shelter. • Promote coexistence in the refuge, shelter or wherever you are protected. hurricane creates momentary calm but then its destructive force of the
• If you stay at home or at work, find a place that offers protection • Avoid panic situations; a person that is upset makes more mistakes. hurricane starts over.
(basement). • Keep away from doors and windows. • Drink the water that was stored or boil it to drink it.
• Remove, fix or tie objects that could be thrown by the wind. • Don’t light candles, alcohol lamps or lighters in the shelter. • Before returning home, carefully review the conditions to ensure that
• Disconnect the power and close water and gas taps. • Use battery lamps and radios. there is no danger.
• Protect animals and carry important documents with you. • Help clean the damage (eviction of water, lifting debris).
Volcanic • Cover the water and food deposits to prevent contamination • Carry only indispensable items to the shelters and refuges, and avoid • If the ceiling has ash, remove it immediately and put it in plastic bags.
eruptions with volcanic ash and cover the sewers so that drainage does not objects that hinder people moving or that can cause falls or injuries. • Following the instructions of the authorities; help out with the
saturate. • Organize and respect the lines for food, medicine, clothing, blankets, etc. collection and delivery of food to those affected.
• Locate shelters and refuge (map). • In case you have to leave the refuge or shelter, use a mask or damp cloth • Do not use electricity or gas until you are sure that the facilities are
• Do not hesitate to evacuate, as an eruption can release volcanic to avoid breathing the ash. clean of ash and undamaged.
material several kilometers away. • Reduce vehicle traffic because the floor can be slippery. • Be alert and aware of the situation in the media.
• Close the doors and windows when leaving the house and place a
white bed sheet indicating there are no people inside.
Fire • Verify that matches and cigarette butts are put out. • When you detect smoke or abnormal heat, sound the alarm immediately. • Avoid the area of the accident until the authorities allow access to it.
• Do not smoke in bed or in places with flammable products. • If you suffer from asphyxiation, crawl and breathe as close to the ground • Check the electrical and gas systems before reconnecting them.
• Have fire extinguishers in working conditions and in accessible as possible. • Discard food, beverages or medicines exposed to heat and smoke.
places. • Cover a person who is burning with a curtain, bed sheet or blanket to • Do not refreeze food that has been thawed.
• Learn measures to put out small fires. smother the fire or roll him/her on the ground. • Seek the opinion of experts to find out if the construction did not suffer
• Do not overload electrical outlets and use energy regulators. • If the fire is of electrical origin, do not attempt to extinguish it with water. structural damage that threatens the lives of those who live there.
• Identify exits and evacuation routes. • If the fire is produced by oil or grease, extinguish it with salt, baking
powder or baking soda.
Epidemics • Find out about the type of disease and its characteristics to avoid • Follow the instructions of the authorities and don’t attend school or work • Keep informed about the disease, as in some cases it may re-emerge
spreading false rumors. or places frequented by many people. (new outbreak).
• Get vaccinated if possible. • When you go out on the street, wear masks and do not shake hands or kiss. • Collaborate in the recovery of the economic and social life of the
• Proactively participate in the cleaning of bathrooms and kitchen at • Wash your hands several times a day, especially when returning home. community by strengthening the precautionary measures taken.
home, and the material in the classroom. • In case of respiratory diseases, sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your arm. • Document the experience to deal with future emergencies.
• Buy food and water for several days and ration it.
• Eat nutritiously and exercise regularly to the authorities.
Other anthropic • Report the factories, warehouses and vehicles that produce, • During an explosion, toxic leaks or spills of hazardous substances occur, • Reflect on the emergency using the following questions: What part
disasters transport or store hazardous materials without control and proper keep away immediately and avoid being curious, as this hampers rescue of the emergency causes more victims and destruction? Was there
precautions. efforts. any possibility of foreseeing the disaster? What preventive measures
• Report gas stations that are near schools and kindergardens. • Follow the instructions of Civil Protection, firefighters, experts and public would have limited the number of deaths, injuries and damage? What
• When traveling by public transport, do not allow the driver to security. mistakes should not be made again? What were the most effective
refuel with passengers on board. • Do not perform any maneuver with hazardous substances or materials if measures? What did I learn from this experience?
• Have emergency phone numbers handy (fire, police, etc.). you are not an expert or familiar with the procedure.
• Keep calm and reassure the people that are upset.
Source: Curso de Capacitación, Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil, 2010.
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Unit V
Disaster prevention plans at school, at home and in the local environment

As we saw in the previous topic, we are exposed to different types of risks on a daily basis; the first step is to
identify them to develop disaster prevention plans for the home, school or other spaces we live in.
To know the everyday risks we are exposed to reduces the susceptibility or propensity to suffer damage due to
a disruptive process, whether of natural or social origin, meaning, it reduces vulnerability (fig. 5.28). This is basic
to create or take into account disaster prevention plans that exist in the different places we frequent, such as our
home, school, library, cinema, the mall or the means of transportation you regularly use, among others.
Activity
In pairs, read the five stages for prevention (fig. 5.28) and number them from 1 to 5 in the order you
consider they should be conducted in.
Fig. 5.28 Stages for prevention.
Evaluate and incorporate the Learn to prevent or mitigate
experience acquired; plans its effects by designing the
are corrected, expanded or plans and programs before
modified for future disasters. Emergency actions are the disasters occur.
carried out when a disaster
occurs and aid priorities
are established for those
The damage is reconstructed affected.
and recovered and returned The natural and anthropic
to normalcy, improving the risks we are exposed are Fig. 5.29 The key to vulnerability is the level of
infrastructure and services identified. preparation in the event of a natural phenomenon.
affected. In the picture, system gates on the River Thames
prevent flooding.
In Mexico, it is the responsibility of each institution to draw a civil protection plan to protect the workers and
users that go to their facilities; schools must have their civil protection or disaster prevention plans to safeguard
the integrity of students and teachers during a disaster in their area.
Activity
Coordinated by your teacher, plan ahead of time and invite one of • What is the role of a brigade for emergency care?
the officials of the Committee for Civil Protection and School Security • What are the evacuation routes in the school building?
to present or review, as the case may be, the content and actions • What risks are there in your school?
of the civil protection program established by your school. Pay • What phones should you have handy in case of a school
close attention to their presentation and then, in pairs, answer the emergency?
following questions in your notebook. When you are done, review your notes with your teacher and
• What is the school’s civil protection program? complete what you wrote based on the observations you made.
• Who should be involved in it?
226

Our world
Importance of spreading the actions taken in the local environment for disaster prevention
It is not only the task of the different levels of government to safeguard the lives of Mexicans, but of all social
sectors that make up our country. For this to be effective locally, it is necessary to properly spread the plans
and programs for disaster prevention established for the different areas of a locality: offices, industrial plants, Civil Protection
residential areas, educational institutions, shopping centers and public spaces in general. School Program
The most effective way to spread disaster prevention actions is through the mass media, such as radio,
television, newspapers or the Internet; however, they only broadcast information at national or regional level and
rarely at a local scale.
Therefore, it is important that the public and private sectors, civil society and those responsible for civil
protection in the localities, seek the best ways to spread the current risks and organize the specific plans of action
for the locality so that all the population is aware of the risks involved and what to do to prevent them or, where
appropriate, reduce the magnitude of a possible disaster (fig. 5.30).
Activity
To know how effective the spread of the actions is to prevent a disaster in your area, get in teams of Fig. 5.30 It is necessary to spread disaster
four and with your teacher’s guidance, hold interviews with relatives, neighbors and friends to inquire prevention materials to keep the population
informed and aware of what needs to be done
how much they know about the risks in your area and how they can prevent a disaster. The following during a contingency.
questions will help as a guide:
1. Do you know what the most important risks are that can occur where you live, and that can affect
you directly?
2. Do you know what to do in case a disaster occurs where you live?
3. How did you hear about the necessary measures to prevent a disaster where you live?
4. Was the material you have on disaster prevention enough to make you feel safe?
5. What suggestions would you make to improve the spread of actions to prevent a disaster in the
locality?
Then, moderated by your teacher, organize a group plenary where each team presents their results;
present some scenarios of what could happen to the population if a disaster would occur right now
in the locality. With the whole group, draw some conclusions highlighting the positive and negative
aspects of your interviewees’ answers. At the end, discuss what is required to improve spreading actions
to prevent disasters where you live.
227

Unit V
To spread information online, on print, at meetings and drills (fig. 5.31), in places where daily activities are
performed –such as the house, school or work–, is an effective way to provide the entire population with the
necessary measures to prevent disasters in all areas of society.
Remember that your participation is also important because you can be the broadcasting medium for disaster
prevention in your family. At family or neighborhood reunions ask to speak and discusses the importance of
having a disaster prevention plan and take advantage to get organized and be prepared for any eventuality.

Activity
With your teacher supervision, organize the group into three school brigades to perform the information
Fig. 5.31 Depending on the number of drills that the
population makes, the school or work community functions information, spread and application of preventive measures in situations of risk; don’t forget to
will be better prepared for disasters. include the parents as well. These actions are carried out throughout the school year and second graders
can start doing them with the support of their new teachers.
Brigade 1. Research and spread of risk prevention measures
This brigade is responsible for investigating and creating posters, notices, bulletin boards,
triptychs, on the measures to prevent risk situations that are more frequent in school, at
home and in the municipality; the importance of drills should be emphasized, as well as the
appropriate care for people with disabilities.
Brigade 2. Planning and organizing drills
The function of this brigade is to inform the group of the usefulness of a drill, to plan when
and how it will be carried out, to give indications to the group on how to evacuate the
classroom and head to a protection zone (meeting point), as well as providing the necessary
foundations to do drills at home and other places you frequent.
Brigade 3. First aid
The purpose of this brigade will be to learn how to act in emergency situations and help
those in need through first aid; to do so, they must ask specialists to teach them courses
on the basic first aid measures to help others if a disaster were to occur and someone was
Fig. 5.32 It is recommended that all students know
how to give first aid. injured or his life was in danger (fig. 5.32).
To learn more
To broaden your knowledge on the functions of the Civil Protection and School Safety Committees,
visit their website, available at http://goo.gl/ZaWs3N (Retrieved on: October 2, 2015) and go over what
their functions are. In your notebook, write down your opinion if you think your school’s committee
accomplished its functions for your protection and security. Discuss your opinions as a group.
228

Case study: Risks of natural origin where we live. Vulnerability to landslides
Case study: Risks of natural origin where we live: Vulnerability to landslides

Beginning
Check the table to know what the purpose, expected learning and concepts are, as well as the main idea and skills
to be addressed in this unit’s case study.
Core topic: Quality of life, environment and disaster prevention.
Competence: Participating in the space where we live.
Identify the relationship between quality of life and environmental sustainability, the importance of Natural Protected Areas, environmental services and clean technologies applied
Main idea: at the local level, and identify the risks, risk factors and vulnerability of the population where you live and relate their impact to the economic conditions of the people in case of a
disaster, and the need to work in a culture of disaster prevention.
Explain the relationship between quality of life and environmental sustainability in the world and in Mexico. Acknowledge the participation of Mexico and representative countries
in protecting the environment and its sustainable development. Value the importance of Natural Protected Areas, environmental services and clean technologies in the world and
Expected learning:
in Mexico. Relate the main risks and the vulnerability of the population in the world and in Mexico. Acknowledge the importance of the participation of governments and society
to prevent disasters in the world and in Mexico. Identify basic actions for disaster prevention in the local environment.
Concepts: Location, change, distribution, density, concentration-dispersion.
Skills: Observation, analysis, integration, representation and interpretation of documentary, graphical, statistical and visual information.
Attitudes: Become aware of the geographic space; assume the changes of the space; know how to live in the space.
Definition of the case study Source selection, search and collection of information
First you must choose a situation related to the topics studied in Unit V To have some references and define the relevant issues regarding what
that is is of interest to you and your classmates and that you will apply to you studied throughout the unit, look for information on recent events in
the local environment where you live. the world and in Mexico that related to what was addressed in this unit
With your teacher’s guidance, as a group, discuss the vulnerabilities and that have been spread in newspaper articles, magazines, the Internet
in your locality and the risk factors it faces and those that caught your or radio news programs and television. After reviewing the information,
attention, curiosity or concern. On the board, draw a chart like the one discuss what your concerns are with your classmates. In teams, choose
below to organize your ideas on the issues you wish to address, discuss one to consider as the main question or idea related to the place where
the importance of each one and, by majority of votes, choose the most you live.
interesting one. Newspaper and magazine articles, as well as websites and blogs tend
Why is it important to to be very useful for case studies. As an example of relevant information,
Topics of interest Number of votes
study it? read the following news article related to the issues addressed in this unit
and the case study we propose:
Selected problem:
229

Unit V
Logging, cause for the landslide in Cerro Viejo
TLAJOMULCO DE ZUNIGA, JALISCO (06/26/2011).–The deforestation and fires that have occurred in
recent days in Cerro Viejo, Tlajomulco de Zuniga, facilitated last night’s landslide in San Miguel Cuyutlan.
The significant increase in the lack of vegetation in the area contributed to the streams that sprung because of
last night’s downpour to gain more power, dragging everything in their path.
Ismael Del Toro Castro, Secretary General of the city of Tlajomulco, explains that since early this
morning they began the cleanup operations, coordinating with State Government agencies and even other
municipalities, like Zapopan and Tlaquepaque, which provided operational staff to cover the contingency.
He explains in detail that the situation, situation that required the attendance of a hundred people, had not
occurred in 60 years, which is why government areas of Civil Protection, Ecology and Public Works, will join
efforts to prevent this event from occurring again the future.
For the time being, the neighbors of San Miguel Cuyutlan are getting help from the authorities mentioned
above, they even have the support of the state (and municipal) National System for Integral Family
Development (DIF), the State Unit of Civil Protection and the Firefighters of Jalisco (UEPCBJ), as well as aid
agencies like the Red and Green Cross.
The landslide, recorded shortly after 21:00 hr yesterday, brought a toll of 13 homes with structural damage,
and about 18 vehicles hit by the mud. In addition, the authorities confirmed that 12 people were wounded,
Source: “Tala de árboles, causa del deslave en Cerro Viejo”,
although only two of them suffered serious injuries; the rest did not require hospitalization. El informador.mx, available at http://goo.gl/hwsu3e
Initial questioning
The key question is what are the risks of natural origin of the disaster
that occurred in San Miguel Cuyutlan and why was this place so
vulnerable to landslides? Hence the title of our case study: “Risks of
natural origin where we live: vulnerability to landslides.” Certainly, from
that question others will arise that will constitute the development of the
case study.
Development
From the information gathered, each team can raise questions about the
place where they live; for instance: is the phenomenon described in the
text a cyclone, a tropical storm or an atypical storm? That is, does it not
correspond to the rainfall pattern in the area? Is it possible for torrential
rain to cause a flood? What is the relationship between the flood and the Fig. 5.33 Satellite image of the municipality of Tlajomulco de Zuniga.
landslide or mudslide? Why didn’t anything stop the water flow?
230

Expand the research to answer these questions. We know from the article that Tlajomulco de Zuniga is located
in Jalisco and near Guadalajara, the state capital, and neighbors the municipalities of Tlaquepaque and Zapopan,
because that’s where the aid starting coming from after the disaster. But, where exactly is San Miguel Cuyutlan? What
is the relief of its territory like?
First off, get a map or a detailed satellite photograph of the area of Tlajomulco and locate San Miguel Cuyutlan;
it is advisable for the map to show the relief and bodies of water close to the locality (fig. 5.33). Note that the ground
is depressed and surrounded by hills, and in the vicinity of San Miguel is the Cajititlan lagoon, a depression filled
with water. So we know that water drains easily from the hills and stalls in areas of lower altitude like those found in
the middle of the locality of San Miguel Cuyutlan. Sure enough, on its path, the mass of water carried soil as well as
bridge structures and houses, cars, pets, and caused several people to be injured.
From the date of the article, we see that the phenomenon occurred in June, that is, during rainy season, and within
a larger process: as a tropical storm. The forecast for that day, June 26, 2011: rain with thunderstorm.
POTENTIAL RAIN WITH THUNDERSTORM IN

MOST OF THE NATIONAL TERRITORY
Today we can expect the day to be cloudy, with heavy to
very heavy rain, with thunderstorm and rain intervals in
the Northeastern, Central, Western and Southern states
of the National Territory, due to a gutter of low pressure
that extends from the Small Plateau in the North, to B B
the Central Plateau and the influx of moist air from the June 28
B
Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Storm of 20 to 70 mm

Storm higher than 70 mm
June 27
June 26
Strong winds June 25
Source: “Existe potencial de lluvias con tormenta eléctrica en la mayor High swell
parte del territorio nacional” Universitam, ciencia tecnología y desarrollo,
available at http://goo.gl/uzFkzU (Retrieved on: October 2, 2015).
According to the same source, 50 to 70 mm of water per square meter fell that day, during the storm. Too much
liquid in a short span of time for the earth to absorb it. The mixture of water and loose soil flowed from the hills and
pushed shaky parts of the ground, creating landslides.
Other data provided by the article refers to the deforestation of the environment and the fires that by that time had
finished with weeds and shrubs in non-urbanized areas, leaving the soil bare and limp. Thus, it is understandable that
the large amount of water discharged by the storm –within cyclone season and heavy rains, which is generally expected
in June and late September–, loosened the soil and dragged it to the bottom of the locality of San Miguel Cuyutlan.
We can better understand what happened now. We only need to find out what factors turned the tropical storm
into a disaster for the people of this town near the municipal seat of Tlajomulco. The title of the article gives us a
clue: logging. What do you know about this practice? For starters, there are two types: legal and controlled logging of
trees, and illegal logging, carried out by people that use wood as firewood or to make modest crafts they live off of, or
231

Unit V
unscrupulous people, who cut down trees to then build precarious houses and even occupy the land without paying
and then sell it to fractionators. All this without the slightest respect for the flora and fauna.
Surely this is an anthropic factor that adds to the natural conditions of the site, worsening the risks of disaster.
Moreover, human actions such as illegal logging and the urbanization of sites with very steep slopes –which are unsafe
to build because the buildings can easily come crashing down– have deteriorated the environment by depriving it of its
natural components, such as plants and wildlife, worsening the local conditions to withstand the onslaught of the storm.
San Miguel Cuyutlan is a small locality, very close to an area where the conurbation with the city of Guadalajara
is intense. Its constructions and homes are not precarious (they are made of cardboard, boards, plastics and other
unstable materials), but they’re not solid and well-grounded enough because its inhabitants are people of low income.
This has led some to engage in logging; others have built their homes on steep parts or at the foot of Cerro Viejo.
Activity
Could the disaster have been prevented or mitigated in these conditions? What is the relationship between
quality of life and protection of the environment with its logical sustainability? What role do you think the
local government plays in disaster prevention? With your teacher’s support, write down your answers in your
notebook and discuss them as a group.
If you were citizens of San Miguel Cuyutlan, what would you do to prevent future disasters of the same kind?
What should be done to prevent the disastrous mudslides from happening again?
To prevent disasters, it is necessary to acknowledge the environment we live in and build our human settings; get
used to respecting the environment, plan what we have to do ahead of time in case of natural events of the type or
magnitude that pose a risk to us and the people around us. It is also time to act by doing our part for our security when
necessary, cooperating with the authorities, knowing what to do in case of need, informing others and spreading the
knowledge to make life safer in each locality.
Activity
In teams, research what has been done or is being done in Mexico and the world to prevent landslides on
slopes and its disastrous effects on the human population. Go to the library and find books, magazines and
newspapers, or on the Internet, taking care to ensure that the pages are supported by prestigious institutions
or organizations like the un and cenapred, inegi, Semarnat, among others in Mexico.
Discuss among yourselves what you found and consider whether the proposed measures would apply to
San Miguel Cuyutlan, or make your own proposal adapted to the needs and abilities of this locality in the
municipality of Tlajomulco de Zuniga.
232

Closure
After doing the activities and related to the case study you chose, as a team, write a paper with the following
elements:
• Case definition: specify the problem you analyzed and justify why you analyzed it.
• Location and description of the place: indicate the place you studied and what it’s like. It is important to
include maps and images to help us to know the place that was studied.
• Distribution of the process studied.
• Critical opinion of the team members.
• The bibliography you refered to and the websites visited to obtain the information for your case study.
Evaluation
After presenting the results, answer the following self-evaluation that will allow you to assess how you improved your
geographic knowledge by doing the case study. Mark the column or columns you consider appropriate with a ✔.
I have difficulty
Aspect to evaluate I do it very well I do it well I need help to do it
doing it
I participate in the definition of the case study.
I analyze the previous ideas and possible solutions to the problem.
I search different sources of information on the risks of natural origin in the

place we live in.
I participate in the presentation of the results and conclusions of the research.
233

Unit V
1. According to the text, to satisfy the needs of the present

Evaluate what you learned generation without compromising the ability of the future
Evaluation of Unit V generations to meet their own, is the definition of:
A) the lost decade.
This evaluation will help you become familiar with standardized
testing, an experience you will have in middle school. Use the B) the marginal claim.
following text to answer the first two questions. C) sustainable development.
D) renewable natural resources.
Sustainable development in Mexico
The eighties were declared the “lost decade” by the UN. Many underdeveloped 2. For what purpose was the Semarnat founded?
and excessively indebted economies (Latin American, Asian and African), lost in
A) To coordinate environmental issues and the sustainable use
terms of growth, employment, income, progress and in addition, of the reserve of
of the reserve of natural capital.
natural capital; Mexico was no exception. At the end of the decade, development
sustainability went from a marginal or inexistent claim, to an emerging demand on B) To establish effective mechanisms for environmental
the agenda of the social movements and organizations, of the private sector and preservation.
the policies and actions of certain governments. In the nineties, the sustainability
C) To make sustainable development a need for present and
of development went from an emerging demand to a forced topic, both in the
future generations.
political debate as well as in any government program. This term coined in 1987 by
the World Commission on Environment and Development called the Brundtland D) To develop and monitor compliance with the laws and
Commission on Sustainable Development, is defined as one that “Meets the needs regulations on environmental issues, as well as to stimulate
of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations the rational use of renewable resources.
to meet their own.” Based on the latter, by saying that sustainable development
implies meeting the needs of these present societies, without compromising that of To answer the following question, read the text below.
future generations, what we are indicating is that we not only have to worry about
With four ecosystems that are still in their original state, the abundance of
rationally and efficiently allocating scarce resources towards alternative end uses,
different species of fauna and flora, –many of them endemic–, make El Cielo
but we also have to go about without degrading the biophysical basis on which
an unprecedented paradise, which is why many scientists, including zoologists,
the whole economic cycle stands. In Mexico we have tried to establish a legal
ornithologists, botanists, etc., often perform studies in this unique area.
and regulatory regime to coordinate environmental issues and the sustainable use
Located in the southeastern region of Tamaulipas, and in the Sierra
of the reserve of natural capital, anticipating that the degree of capacity of such
Madre Oriental, this reserve includes 144,530 hectares that belong to the
standards and their applicability make them effective mechanisms to preserve the
municipalities of Gomez Farias, Llera, Jaumave and Ocampo. Thanks to a
environment and the natural resources. The Ministry of Environment, Natural
government decree issued in 1985 that declared it a Biosphere Reserve, and a
Resources and Fisheries (Semarnap) was created with the commitment to develop
year later was upgraded to World Heritage site by the United Nations, more than
and monitor compliance with the laws and regulations on environmental matters in
255 species of resident birds and 175 migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians,
which Mexico participates with countries around the world, as well as to stimulate
bats and many other wild animals, are living in a protected environment.
the rational use of renewable natural resources, not just for it preservation but
Likewise, because it is an ecological transition zone that includes various types
to secure a reserve of natural capital of national economic development and to
of climates, it is possible to observe an extraordinary combination of flora, with
contribute to improving the standard of life of the population, ensuring its present
species native of the mountainous cloud forest, the temperate pine-oak forest,
and future sustainability.
the rainforest and the arid plain.
Source: Desarrollo Sustentable en México, 1997-2007. Escobar delgadillo J.L. 2007.
Revista Digital Universitaria, UNAM. Volume 9 Number 3 • ISSN: 1067-6079 Source: Homero Adame, “Reserva de la biósfera El Cielo (Tamaulipas)”,
México desconocido, available at http://goo.gl/x8PDOY (Retrieved on: October 2, 2015).
234

3. What category of Natural Protected Area is mentioned in the To answer question 6, read the following article carefully.
text? 18 exhalations detected in Popocatepetl in the last 24 hours
The Popocatepetl volcano emitted 18 low-intensity exhalations, accompanied by
A) National park.
water and gas steam, in the last 24 hours, informed the National Center for Disaster
B) Natural monument. Prevention (CENAPRED).
C) Biosphere reserve. The most important exhalation occurred at 01:56 hr on Thursday and was
accompanied by a small amount of ash and an increase in the glow on the crater,
D) Protected areas of flora and fauna. while monitoring parameters remain largely unchanged.
To answer questions 4 and 5, use the following newspaper article. At dawn, the intense cloudiness in the area did not allowed the colossus to be seen
All of Aguascalientes is a natural disaster zone and at the time of this report, only a continuous plume of water and gas steam
Aguascalientes was declared a natural disaster zone by the Ministry of Interior due is observed. The Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) indicated that the possibility of
to the severe drought it faces. In a statement, the agency said tha the municipalities moderate exhalations prevails, some with ash emissions.
of Aguascalientes, Calvillo, Cosio, Jesus Maria, El Llano, Pavilion Arteaga, It is also expected to have sporadic explosions with low to moderate probability of
Rincon de Romos, San Francisco de los Romo, San Jose de Gracia and Tepezala emission of incandescent fragments within a short distance of the crater and mild
were included in this classification. Thus, only the territory of Settlements was incandescent light in that area of the volcano that is visible at night, so the volcanic
no considered. Aguascalientes will have access to the resources of the Fund for alert light remains in Yellow phase II.
Natural Disasters to attend to the damage caused by the drought between May 1 and The CENAPRED stressed that it should continue with the safety radius of 12
November 30 of this year. kilometers, which is why staying in that area is not permitted, and recommended
Source: Adapted from “Todo Aguascalientes, zona de desastre natural” La Jornada. 12/24/ 2011,
maintaining a controlled transit between Santiago Xalitzintla and San Pedro Nexapa
available at http://goo.gl/G6gd3m (Retrieved on: October 2, 2015). via Paso de Cortes.
It also called on the authorities of Civil Protection to keep their preventive
procedures, according to their operational plans, and urged residents to be alert to
4. According to the text, what kind of risk occurred in the state of
the official information provided on the Colossus of Puebla.
Aguascalientes?
Source: 18 exhalations detected in Popocatepetl in the last 24 hours,
A) Geological cronitle.com.mx, available at http://goo.gl/GqtNYF (Retrieved on: October 2, 2015).
B) Anthropic
6. Based on what you reviewed in the unit, what basic disaster
C) Biological prevention action did Civil Protection take in the case
D) Hydrometeorological presented in the article?
A) Remove, fix or tie objects that could be thrown by the wind.
5. Which of the actions mentioned in the newspaper article is a B) Safety of a radius of 12 kilometers, which is why staying in
government policy for disaster prevention? that area is prohibited (evacuate the area).
A) To allocate resources to care for the damage caused by C) Follow the instructions of the authorities not to attend places
drought. frequented by many people.
B) To declare the state of Aguascalientes a natural disaster zone. D) Report the areas possibly affected by an earthquake.
C) To make reports where the damaged municipalities are
identified.
D) To investigate what type of risk occurred in the place.
235

Unit V
With your teacher’s guidance, begin the evaluation session in its self-evaluation and co-evaluation stages.
Self-evaluation
In this stage, you will acknowledge the progress you made in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that you acquired in Unit V.
Identify the level of difficulty you faced in the situations listed in the following table and mark them with a ✓.
For me it was
Learn to:
Very easy Difficult Not that difficult Very difficult
Explain the relationship between quality of life and environmental sustainability in the
Acknowledge the participation of Mexico and representative countries in protecting

the environment and sustainable development.
Value the importance of Natural Protected Areas, environmental services and clean
technologies in the world and in Mexico.
Relate the main risks and the vulnerability of the population in the world
and in Mexico.
Acknowledge the importance of the participation of governments and society to

prevent disasters in the world and in Mexico.
Identify the basic actions for disaster prevention in the local environment.
Compare the results of your evaluation with those of the rest of your classmates. Then, discuss with your teacher what aspects most of the group
found to be the most difficult to develop and write them down in your notebooks. Lastly, listen carefully to the strategies that your teacher suggests to deal
with these difficulties and propose others to improve your learning.
236

Co-evaluation
In this second stage, you will evaluate your classmates’ performance during Unit V, remember to do it in a fair, correct and specific manner, and
always taking into account the attitudes your classmates had in the different activities.
When it is your turn to be evaluated, use the following table to record the results issued by your group. To do so, mark the cell that corresponds to the
performance mentioned by your classmates with a ✓.
Achievement
Activity
Very good Good Enough Unsatisfactory
Individual presentation
Team presentation
Round table or debate
Mapping
Poster creation
Creation of presentation material (slides, mockups, etc.)
I accomplished the home activities in time and form.
Use the data collected to identify the areas where you can improve, and in your notebook, write the aspects that you must correct to have a better
performance in subsequent activities.
237

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238

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_______, “China Revealed”, Discovery Atlas [Serie de TV]. Discovery. BBC, Reino Unido, 2006-2008.
“Tiene Puebla nueve municipios considerados como los más pobres”, El informador.mx,
_______, IndiaRevealed”, Discovery Atlas [Serie de TV]. Discovery. BBC, Reino Unido, 2006-2008.
17 de noviembre de 2010, disponible en http://www.informador.com.mx/
_______, “AustraliaRevealed”, Discovery Atlas [Serie de TV]. Discovery. BBC, Reino Unido, 2006-
mexico/2010/249747/6/tiene-puebla-nueve-municipio-considerados-como-los-mas-
2008.
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_______, “Rusia Revealed”, Discovery Atlas [Serie de TV]. Discovery. BBC, Reino Unido, 2006-2008.
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_______, “Bajíos”, Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006.
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_______, “Bosques”, Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006.
(Consulta: 29 de septiembre de 2015)
_______, “Cuevas”, Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006.
World Turism Organization, UNWTO Annual Report 2014, disponible en
_______, “De polo a polo” Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006.
http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_annual_report_2014.pdf
_______, “Desiertos”, Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006.
(Consulta: 6 de octubre de 2015)
239

_______, “La nube sobre el Valle de México”, Planeta Tierra. [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006. Morales, Eduardo, Ecología, México, sep-Santillana, 2002.
_______, “Llanuras”, Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006. Peters, Arnu, Atlas del mundo, México, sep-Limusa, 2006.
_______, “Montañas”, Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006. Pinna, Lorenzo, Dentro de la Tierra, México, sep-Diana, 2002.
_______, “Mundo de hielo”, Planeta Tierra [Documental] BBC, Reino Unido, 2006. _______, El clima, México, sep-Santillana, 2002.
_______, “Selvas”, Planeta Tierra [Documental], BBC, Reino Unido, 2006. Steele, Philip, Por qué los países tienen banderas y otras preguntas sobre pueblos y lugares,
Brown, Alan y Andrew Langley, Religiones del mundo, España, Elfos, 2003. España, Everest, 2001.
Burgos Ruiz, Estrella, Los continentes, México, sep-Santillana, 2002. Trigueros, María y Ana María Sánchez, Claudia: un encuentro con la energía, México, sep-
Chémery, Laure, Los climas, Cambios en la atmósfera, Barcelona, Larousse, 2003 (El mundo Somedicyt-Semarnat, 2002.
contemporáneo). Valek Valdés, Gloria, Los volcanes, México, sep-Conaculta, 2004.
Cruz Wilson, Luci, México envuelto en mares, México, sep-Santillana, 2002. _______, Travesía por México, México, sep-Santillana, 2002.
Debroise, Anne y Erik Seinandre, Fenómenos naturales, La fuerza de la Tierra, Barcelona, Verne, Julio, La vuelta al mundo en 80 días, sep-SM Ediciones, México, 2002.
Larousse, 2003 (El mundo contemporáneo). _______, Viaje al centro de la Tierra, El doctor Ox. Maese Zacarías. Un drama en los
Delgadillo Macías, Javier y Felipe Torres Torres, Geografía de los riesgos, México, sep-Santillana, 2006. aires, México, sep-Porrúa, 2002.
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Guillén, Fedro Carlos, México: recursos naturales, México, sep-Santillana, 2002.
_______, Los mapas y su interpretación [video], México, sep, 2006, disponible en https://
_______, Medio ambiente: tu participación cuenta, México, Santillana, 2003.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8yPtWuy9ws&list=PLC9955A3986C34C33&index=15
Lacoste, Yves, El agua, La lucha por la vida, México, sep-Larousse, 2005.
(Consulta: 3 de septiembre de 2015)
Lambert, David, Los océanos, México, sep-Larousse, 2006.
_______, México, país de migrantes [video], México, sep, 2006, disponible en https://www.
Langley, Andrew, Desastres naturales, México, sep-Santillana, 2006.
youtube.com/watch?v=ywmXCYGM-ls&index=4&list=PLC9955A3986C34C33 (Consulta:
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25 de septiembre de 2015)
(El mundo contemporáneo).
_______, Regiones naturales [video], México, sep, 2006, disponible en https://www.youtube.
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_______, Sectores productivos [video], México, sep, 2007, disponible en https://www.youtube.
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Millán, Julia y Tomás Rodríguez Couto, Descubrir, Enciclopedia, México, sep-Hachette, 1994.
Meireilles, Fernando, Ciudad de Dios (Cidade de Deus), Miramax films, 2002
Iconographic credits
© Shutterstock.com: pp. 14, 17, 19, 20, 21 (below), 22 (below), 23, 27, 42, 46 (below), 60, 62 (below), 71, 72, 80, 81, (izq.), 186, 230. © Glowimages: pp. 79, 175 (arr.), 220. © NASA: pp. 46 (arr.), 47, 48, 49, 65, 66, 226 (arr.), 246. ©
86, 88, 94, 95, 96, 97, 105, 110, 120, 121, 123, 124, 130, 133, 142, 143, 145, 146, 147, 148 (izq.), 158, 164, 167, 168 Acervo Gráfico Larousse: pp. 41, 54, 62 (arr.), 122 (der.), 144, 175 (below), 211 (below izq.), 214 (arr.), 235 (arr.), 242.
(centro y below), 169, 171, 173, 176, 179 (arr.), 181, 184, 185, 190, 200, 208, 210, 211 (arr.), 213 (arr.), 214 (below),
215, 218, 223, 224 (arr.), 225 (below), 226 (below), 232 (arr.), 235 (below), 236 (arr.), 240, 241, 243. © Photo stock: p. 28: Tira de la Peregrinación, Rollo Selden o Lienzo deTotomixdahuacan. Fragmento de la lámina 1. Museo Nacional
pp. 21 (arr.), 129, 134, 136, 139, 151, 160, 168 (arr.), 174, 179 (below), 189, 195, 211, (below der.), 213 (below), 224 de Antropoligía. Conaculta-INAH-Mex, reproducción autorizada por el Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia;
(below), 225 (arr.), 236 (below). © Latinstock: pp. 142 (arr.), 148 (der), 232 (below). © Gettyimages: pp. 22 (arr.), 122 p. 233: www.atlasnacionalderiesgos.gob.mx; p. 245: http://www.informador.com.mx; p. 247: www.universitam.com.
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Geography of Mexico and the World.

indb 1 12/04/16 17:54

Editorial Direction Technical Editing and Prepress Coordination

Geography of Mexico and the World

First edition, march 2016

All rights reserved.

Geography of Mexico and the World.indb 2 12/04/16 17:54

Geography of Mexico and the World.indb 3 12/04/16 17:54

Configuration and distribution of continental

Project: The importance of knowing our geographic space . . . . . . . . . . 44

Social, cultural and economic interactions between the

Social problems of the population in the world and in Mexico . . . . . . 122

Geography of Mexico and the World.indb 4 12/04/16 17:54

Importance of trade and transportation networks Iconographic credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

Types of tourism and their economic importance in the world

Compare socioeconomic differences in the world and in Mexico . . . . . 181

Case study: Transnational corporations in your locality.

Evaluate what you learned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Geography of Mexico and the World.indb 5 12/04/16 17:54

work in the unit: Core topic:

• Content political cause

ity of the world popu lation: traditional,

• Cultural divers and Mexico.

• Representative images of topics to Appreciate cultu

Unit II Competence: Valuing natural diversity.

It is the presentation of the lesson’s contents which are clearly

Fig. 3.16 Push and

by humans 10 Religious tolerance

Geography of Mexico and the World.indb 6 12/04/16 17:54

in the world and litical causes an

origin, represe it was estimated (iom), the yea

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urban concentrations of Mexico City, Guadalajara and 32°

Monterrey, to cities with a million and 3 million people,

Maps, tables and figures

When we revi g of Arctic Polar Circle

Besides providing essential information to

work with each one of them through clear

map 3.7. In the library or on the Internet, search for toCaribbean

of numerous epic es that

you to analyze as much information as

possible and to estabish the relationship

through all the

among the elements, factors and natural

Activity With your teacher’s guidance and with the

analyzing a current case study.

The activities will guide you in the

Peninsula Very high

practice of some of the procedures

that are used in social sciences to

political compon information was

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Evaluate what you learned

knowledge, skills, attitudes and values you’ve • Discovery Atlas (TV

ing point cons To answ

revealed and Japan g the com the start

and come up with

that relate to the placesof tourism that corresponds ty transforms

you chose and the

a) W hat were the easiest components to identify? Explain your d) W