Ethnic Make-up of Mexico
The Ethnic Make-up of Mexico is categorized into four different Ethnic groups.
These racial background includes Mestizo (Indigenous-European "Spanish" Hybrid), White, Indigenous, and other. A combination of Spanish influence onto the cultural practices of ancient people living on Mexican land created the present day ethnic diversities.
This graph shows the proportion of ethnic groups in Mexico as of 2012.
Mestizo (Ameridndian-Spanish)
62%
Predominantly Amerindian
21%
Amerinidian
7%
Other (mostly European)
10%
Although the majority of wealth and power in Mexico resides in the Mestizo population, Indigenous people are maintained through rural separation and have many spiritual practices based on traditional beliefs through customs and rituals.
Ethnic Conflicts
Since the early 1990's organized groups of indigenous peoples of Mexico have made efforts to make themselves more recognized by the larger majority of European mixed ethnicities. They request equal land agreements as well as historical recognition for the development of present day Mexico. Since then, tensions have leveled out with the advancements of globalization. Major conflicts are now contributed to the domestic disputes of drug-cartels and law enforcement agencies.
Religious Landscape
Mexico has no official, as the constitution guarantees separation between church and state. However, more than nine-tenths of the population are at least affiliated with Roman Catholicism.
During the Spanish conquest and colonization of Mexico, Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant religion of Mexico. It is the nation with the second largest Catholic population, behind Brazil and before the United States.
Although Catholicism represents the largest population of religious Mexican people, there are other religions throughout the country which are regularly practiced within its borders.
The graph to the left shows the religions with the largest numbers of followers, the top three include:
Roman Catholic
75%
Unspecified
13%
Other
7%
Protestants and people of no religious affiliation also comprise the majority of beliefs in Mexico.
Religious Issues
Although there have been religious disputes in the past, mainly concerned with the techniques of Spanish domination in early settlements of Mexico, the present day practices of different religions is widely accepted. The syncretism of indigenous practices and European Catholicism fused together to blend present day culture and past traditions.
Form of Government
Mexico, or Estados Unidos Mexicanos; which translates to the United States of Mexico, is a federal republic operating under a centralized government. Governmental powers are divided between executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The president is elected by popular vote for six-year terms and holds great discretionary power. Mexico's current president is Enrique Peña Nieto.
Power and leadership are attained through the management of personal relations, which are ruled by principles of loyalty, trust, and reciprocity. In recent years, academic credentials and technocratic knowledge have become more important than political and electoral experience.
Presidents of the past in Mexico have been known for acquiring power based on their networking abilities and family ties. A lot of media corruption and secrets from the public help political leaders achieve higher positions in office.
Political Situation
Since the late 1900's increased drug-related violence has been of major concern. Ordinary citizens and authorities are unsatisfied with public security and demand more effective policies from police and judiciary systems. This control over public safety is widely recognized as a problem created by unresolved high-profile political assassinations and corruption.
Internet Sources:
http://www.questconnect.org/mexico_cc_ethnic.htm#Groups
http://www.statista.com/statistics/275439/ethnic-groups-in-mexico/
http://banderasnews.com/0707/eded-racesofmexico.htm
http://www.sunofmexico.com/zapatista_force_zapata.php
http://www.mexinsider.com/religion-in-mexico.html
http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mexico.html
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