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What are the major landforms of Mexico?
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Mexico
Flag of Mexico
Mexico is characterized by a diverse and rugged landscape, which can be divided into nine major physiographic regions:1
- Mexican Plateau: The country's largest and most populated region, it is flanked by the Sierra Madre mountain ranges and consists of the arid Mesa del Norte and the higher, more fertile Mesa Central.1
- Sierra Madre Occidental: A volcanic mountain range forming the western border of the plateau, known for its deep canyons or barrancas.1
- Sierra Madre Oriental: A range of folded sedimentary mountains situated on the eastern side of the plateau.1
- Cordillera Neo-Volcánica: A geologically active volcanic axis that links the two Sierra Madre ranges across southern Mexico, featuring peaks such as Pico de Orizaba and Popocatépetl.21
- Southern Highlands: A highly dissected region including the Sierra Madre del Sur and the Chiapas Highlands.1
- Coastal Regions: These include the Baja California peninsula, the Pacific Coastal Lowlands, the Gulf Coastal Plain, and the limestone-based Yucatán Peninsula.1