Federal District
-
What is the Federal District in Mexico?
The Federal District in central Mexico is an administrative district that is officially equivalent to Mexico City. It sits in the southeastern corner of the Valley of Mexico at an elevation of over 7,000 feet (2,000 meters).
Mexico City is the seat of the federal government, and the area of both the Federal District and Mexico City has gradually grown since the mid-20th century. It is now subdivided into 16 delegaciones (administrative areas akin to boroughs). The executive branch of the Federal District is led by an elected chief of government (jefe del gobierno) who serves a single six-year term.
The Federal District accounts for nearly one-fourth of Mexico's gross domestic product. Over two-thirds of the district’s income comes from the service sector, and about one-fourth is derived from manufacturing.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Where is the Federal District located in Mexico?
The Federal District in Mexico, officially synonymous with Mexico City, is an administrative district in central Mexico and the seat of the national government. It is surrounded by the state of México to the west, north, and east, and by Morelos to the south. The Federal District is in the southeastern corner of the high Valley of Mexico.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What is the main city within the Federal District?
Mexico City is the main city within the Federal District (Distrito Federal; D.F.) in Mexico and is synonymous with it. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban settlements in the Western Hemisphere. The Federal District has been subdivided into 16 delegaciones, or administrative areas. Mexico City is the seat of the federal government, making it a hub of politics, religion, and trade.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why was the Federal District created in Mexico?
The Federal District in Mexico, officially synonymous with Mexico City, serves as the seat of the national government. The reasons for its creation and evolution are rooted in Mexico City's historical role as a central hub.
Since the late Post-Classic Period (13th–16th century CE), Mexico City has been a center of politics, religion, and trade. Its location makes it a crossroads for trade between different regions. Over centuries, it has attracted people seeking jobs, opportunities, safety, and amenities.
Administratively, Mexico City and the Federal District are constitutionally defined as one and the same, divided into 16 delegaciones (administrative areas). Since 1997, the chief of government, or mayor, has been elected by popular vote. The city's government mirrors the national structure, with executive secretariats and a legislative assembly.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How is the government of the Federal District different from other Mexican states?
The government of the Federal District (now officially known as Mexico City) differs from other Mexican states primarily because, for much of its history, residents did not elect their local leaders. Instead, the president appointed a chief of government, or mayor.
Since 1997, the mayor has been elected by popular vote for a six-year term. The Federal District also has a Legislative Assembly, similar to those of the Mexican states, with members elected to three-year terms. Many administrative functions are centralized, but other powers are divided among the 16 delegaciones, or administrative areas.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What changes happened when the Federal District became Mexico City (Ciudad de México)?
Mexico City and the Federal District are constitutionally defined as one and the same. Since the mid-20th century, their shared area has grown and is currently subdivided into 16 delegaciones, administrative areas similar to boroughs. Many administrative functions are centralized, but other powers are divided among the delegaciones.
For much of its history, Mexico City's local leaders were not elected by its residents. The president appointed a trusted party member to serve as chief of government, or mayor. Since 1997, the mayor has been elected by popular vote to a six-year term.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Federal District, administrative district, central Mexico, the seat of the national government. It is officially equivalent with Mexico City, although the Mexico City metropolitan area extends beyond the district’s boundaries. It is bounded by the states of México to the west, north, and east and Morelos to the south.
The Federal District occupies the southeastern corner of the high Valley of Mexico (Basin of Mexico), at elevations averaging well above 7,000 feet (2,000 metres). It lies between several mountains, including the volcanic peaks Ajusco and Tláloc to the south, and has occasionally received ashfall from Popocatépetl volcano, which rises from a point to the southeast in the states of México, Morelos, and Puebla. Ancient lava beds called pedregales underlie much of the modern built-up area. The colonial centre was established on the ruins of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, which occupied islands on one of the formerly extensive lakes in the basin. Apart from a few small lakes just east of the district and a series of canals where Lake Xochimilco once lay, little remains of the formerly lacustrine region. Among the district’s national parks are Ajusco, Dínamos, Desierto de los Leones, and Pedregal—all on the slopes of the Las Cruces range in the southwest—and Estrella, on a hill in the centre-east. The San Juan de Aragón Forest lies near Benito Juárez International Airport in the east.
The Federal District accounts for nearly one-fourth of the gross domestic product of Mexico. More than two-thirds of the district’s income comes from the service sector and about one-fourth derives from manufacturing. Its vast range of products includes chemicals, plastics, cement, electronics, paper, and processed foods and beverages. The Federal District has the largest concentration of automobiles in the country, along with some of the most polluted air. Although it is crisscrossed by networks of bus, streetcar, subway, and railway lines, its transportation system is inadequate for its swelling population. Unemployment and the lack of safe drinking water, electricity, and sewer systems are also major concerns in many poorer neighbourhoods. Nevertheless, migrants from throughout Mexico have continued to move to the capital and adjacent zones in search of economic and social opportunities, making metropolitan Mexico City one of the most populous urban areas in the world.
The executive branch of the Federal District is led by an elected chief of government (jefe del gobierno), who serves a single six-year term. The members of the district’s Legislative Assembly are elected to terms of three years. Many administrative functions are centralized, but other powers are divided among the district’s 16 subordinate delegaciones (administrative subdivisions akin to boroughs). Each delegación dates from pre-Hispanic or colonial antecedents and has a rich and complicated local history.
Among the district’s many and varied cultural institutions are the National Museum of Anthropology (founded 1964) and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (founded 1551; moved to its present campus in 1954). Clusters of pre-Hispanic ruins are still visible throughout the region, along with colonial Spanish, 19th-century Mexican, and modern buildings. The historic centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco were together designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987, as was the Luis Barragán House and Studio (which honours the architect) in 2004. Area 571 square miles (1,479 square km). Pop. (2000) 8,605,239; (2005) 8,720,916; (2010) 8,851,080.