17 / 66
facilities, known as maquiladoras, in Mexico. Maquiladoras
import
the materials
needed to manufacture a product, and then
export
the finished product to
markets in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere. For example, fabric or
sewing machines might be brought tax-free from the U.S. into Mexico, where
those items are used to manufacture t-shirts in a
maquiladora
. The t-shirts
could then be sold in the United States. Today there are more than 4,000
maquiladoras operating in Mexico, manufacturing electronics, clothing,
automobiles, and many other consumer products.
The success of NAFTA encouraged the Mexican government to sign free-trade
agreements with many other countries, including China, Japan, the European
Union, and many countries of Central and South America. Today, Mexico has the
world’s 14th-largest economy, with a gross domestic product (the value of all
goods and services produced in a year) valued at over $1.3 trillion in 2014.
Mexico is far more than its economy, its government, or its problems. Mexico
is made up of people who are artistic, resourceful, and loving. Their strong
sense of identity was forged in the fires of Mexico’s long history, and that
history now inspires the Mexican people to face the future with hope.
15
Mexico Today
Text-Dependent Questions
What is the Mérida Initiative?
What is a maquiladora?
Research Project
Choose one of the Mexico’s 31 states and find out more about its geography. What are the
major mountains, rivers, deserts, or other natural features within the state? Print out a map
of the state, and label important geographic features as well as major cities.