Mexico City
The oldest capital city in the Americas and one of only two founded by Indigenous peoples.
Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico, as well as the most populous city in North America. Located in the Valley of Mexico on the high Mexican Central Plateau at an altitude of 2,240 meters (7,350 feet), it is classified as an Alpha world city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network's 2024 ranking. According to the 2020 census, Mexico City proper had a population of 9,209,944 and a land area of 1,495 square kilometers (577 square miles). It is divided into 16 boroughs, or alcaldías, which are further subdivided into neighborhoods, or colonias. The city began as Tenochtitlan around 1325, built by the Mexica people on islands in Lake Texcoco. After the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan, it was nearly destroyed and then rebuilt according to Spanish urban standards.
- Role
- Capital of Mexico
- Status
- Active Megacity
- Elevation
- 2,240 meters (7,350 feet)
- Geographic Context
- Valley of Mexico
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
It began as Tenochtitlan, a Mexica city built around 1325 on islands in Lake Texcoco. Between 1325 and 1521, it grew to dominate other city-states around the lake. When Spaniards arrived on 8 November 1519, they were greeted by ruler Moctezuma II. Tensions rose until the night of 30 June 1520, known as "La Noche Triste," when the Aztecs drove out the Europeans. Cortés returned and began a siege in May 1521 that lasted three months. Cuauhtémoc surrendered in August 1521, and the Spaniards practically razed Tenochtitlan before rebuilding it as Mexico City.
In Their Own Story
Morning mist clings to the volcanoes framing the valley. The city proper had a population of 9,209,944 in 2020, while Greater Mexico City reached 21,804,515 under the most recent definition agreed upon by federal and state governments. Left-wing parties have controlled the head of government since residents won the right to elect them in 1997. On 29 January 2016, the Federal District was officially renamed Ciudad de México, or CDMX.
Reader's Guide
Mexico City is one of the world's leading cultural and financial centers. In 2011, Greater Mexico City had a GDP of $411 billion, accounting for about 22% of Mexico's GDP. The city adopted several progressive policies, including legal abortion, same-sex marriage, and no-fault divorce. Residents are formally called capitalinos but are informally known as chilango. Historically nicknamed "La Ciudad de los Palacios," the city also uses the motto "Capital en Movimiento." It is the second-largest Spanish-speaking city proper in the world after Lima.
Did You Know?
- Mexico City is the oldest capital city in the Americas and one of only two founded by Indigenous peoples.
- The city began as Tenochtitlan around 1325 on islands in Lake Texcoco, indicated to the Mexica by a vision of an eagle perched on a prickly pear devouring a rattlesnake.
- In 2020, Greater Mexico City had a population of 21,804,515, making it the world's 15th-largest metropolitan area.
- The informal demonym for residents is chilango, which was historically used pejoratively by outsiders but is now proudly embraced by many locals.
- On 29 January 2016, the Federal District was officially renamed Ciudad de México (CDMX), granting the city greater autonomy while preventing it from becoming a state.
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