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Notes -
Geography nerd mode activated…
North: wealthy, whiter, cowboy ranchero types, eat wheat tortillas and burritos, weak central control, rampant cartel violence. Dry and hot cactus landscapes. What American media typically represents Mexico like.
Center: highest population and the core of Mexican culture, heavy Aztec and other indigenous cultural influences, core of imperial Spanish influence, more mestizo, corn tortillas, nobody eats burritos, more state capacity and presence. High elevation valleys with cool climates and dense colonial cities in between volcanos. Looks kind of like Colorado but with more agaves.
South: much more indigenous, Mayas and Zapotec, poorer, quieter village life, less violence than the north and center, lots of culinary and cultural differences from the rest of Mexico, the center’s pine forests and cactus valleys start to grade into true tropical forests. Not only eat corn tortillas but were fashioned by the gods themselves out of corn masa.
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