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Mexican Facts and Figures

An example of colonial architecture can be seen at the plaza in San Francisco de Campeche, where there is a cathedral as well as other buildings dating from the Spanish era.

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The Maya once inhabited this land, and their ruins still dot the countryside. These ruins, however, tend to be smaller and more deeply hidden in the juggle than those found in Campeche’s neighboring states; as a result, few tourists find their way to this state. Quintana Roo East of Campeche lies Mexico’s youngest state, Quintana Roo. Many visitors insist that it is also Mexico’s most beautiful region. A chain of coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea’s turquoise waters guard the white beaches that stretch along the coastline. The land is filled with blue lagoons and underground caves. Quintana Roo did not achieve statehood until the 1970s. Almost immediate- ly, the Mexican government hit upon the idea of converting this tropical para- dise into a tourist haven. They chose Cancún to be the center of their plan, and they worked hard to transform the city into a luxurious resort.