History of Mexico in Timeline

Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a North American country and the northernmost in Latin America. It shares borders with the United States, Guatemala, and Belize, and boasts extensive coastlines along the Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Covering nearly two million square kilometers, it ranks as the 13th largest country globally. Its population exceeds 130 million, making it the tenth most populous worldwide and home to the largest number of native Spanish speakers. Mexico City serves as the capital and largest city, recognized as one of the world's most populous metropolitan areas.

1900: Mexican Population in 1900

In 1900, the Mexican population was a little more than 13 million.

1910: Election Year and Díaz's Announcement

In 1910, Porfirio Díaz said he was not going to run in the elections, setting off a frenzy of activity.

1910: Mexican War of Independence

The 1810-1821 Mexican War of Independence ended Peninsular rule and led to the creation of the First Mexican Empire.

1910: Start of the Mexican Revolution

The Mexican Revolution began in 1910 and lasted until 1920, during which corridos were particularly popular.

1910: Mexican Revolution (c. 1910–1920)

The Mexican Revolution took place between approximately 1910 and 1920.

1910: Establishment of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 1910

The National Autonomous University of Mexico was officially established in 1910, and the university became one of the most important institutes of higher learning in Mexico.

May 1911: Resignation of Díaz

In May 1911, Díaz resigned, marking a turning point in the Mexican Revolution.

1911: End of Díaz's Rule

The 35-year rule of Liberal General Porfirio Díaz ended in 1911.

1911: End of the Porfirian Era

The Porfirian era, which had brought relative peace, ended in 1911, after which the government promoted the mestizo ideology.

February 1913: Military Coup Overthrows Madero's Government

In February 1913, a military coup, supported by the US, overthrew Madero's government, resulting in Madero's murder.

March 1913: Wilson's Refusal to Recognize Huerta's Regime

In March 1913, Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize Huerta's regime and allowed arms sales to the Constitutionalists.

1914: Defeat of the Federal Army

In 1914, a coalition of anti-Huerta forces defeated the Federal Army, leaving only revolutionary forces.

1915: Villa's Defeat

After Villa was defeated by revolutionary forces in 1915, he led an incursion raid into Columbus, New Mexico, prompting the US to send troops.

1916: Constitutional Convention

In 1916, the winners of the Mexican revolution met at a constitutional convention to draft the Constitution of 1917.

February 1917: Ratification of the Constitution of 1917

The Constitution of 1917 was ratified in February 1917, empowering the government and strengthening anticlerical provisions.

1917: Current Constitution

All three federal constitutions (1824, 1857, and 1917, the current constitution) used the name Estados Unidos Mexicanos—or the variant Estados-Unidos Mexicanos, all of which have been translated as "United Mexican States".

1917: Germany's Attempt to Incite War

In 1917, Germany sent a coded telegram attempting to incite war between the US and Mexico, but Mexico remained neutral in the conflict.

1917: Adoption of the 1917 Constitution

The 1910–1920 Mexican Revolution led to the overthrow of Díaz and the adoption of the 1917 Constitution.

1917: Limits on the Catholic Church in Mexico

The Constitution of 1917 put limits on the role of the Catholic Church in Mexico. Despite this, Catholicism remains the dominant religion.

1919: Assassination of Zapata

In 1919, Carranza consolidated power and had Zapata assassinated.

1920: Overthrow of Carranza

In 1920, Obregón and other generals drew up the Plan of Agua Prieta, overthrowing Carranza.

1920: Mexican Revolution

The 1910–1920 Mexican Revolution led to the overthrow of Díaz and the adoption of the 1917 Constitution.

1920: Mexican Revolution (c. 1910–1920)

The Mexican Revolution took place between approximately 1910 and 1920.

1920: Start of the Post-Revolutionary Period

The post-revolutionary period began in 1920 with revolutionary generals serving as presidents.

1921: 1921 Census

The 1921 census reported a loss of about 1 million inhabitants due to the Mexican Revolution.

1924: Calles as Successor

In 1924, Obregón imposed Calles as his successor.

1925: Publication of La Raza Cósmica

In 1925, José Vasconcelos defined Mexico and Latin America as the melting pot of all races in his work, La Raza Cósmica (The Cosmic Race).

1928: Assassination of Obregón

Obregón won the 1928 elections but was assassinated by a Catholic activist, causing a succession crisis.

1929: Founding of the Institutional Revolutionary Party

In 1929, Calles founded the Institutional Revolutionary Party to manage succession, which dominated Mexico for the rest of the 20th century.

1929: Founding of PRI

In 1929, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) was founded to unite all factions of the Mexican Revolution.

1929: Integration of Institutes into UNAM from 1929 to 1973

Twelve institutes were integrated into UNAM from 1929 to 1973.

1934: End of the Maximato

The Maximato ended during the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas in 1934, who expelled Calles and implemented economic and social reforms.

1938: Mexican oil expropriation

In 1938, the Mexican oil expropriation nationalized the U.S. and Anglo-Dutch oil company known as the Mexican Eagle Petroleum Company, which would result in the creation of the state-owned Pemex.

1939: Founding of PAN

In 1939, the National Action Party (PAN) was founded as a conservative party.

1940: Manuel Avila Camacho as President

Manuel Avila Camacho became president in 1940.

1943: María Candelaria Film Release

In 1943, the film María Candelaria by Emilio Fernández was released.

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1946: Election of Miguel Alemán

From 1946 the election of Miguel Alemán, the first civilian president in the post-revolutionary period, Mexico embarked on a program of development, known as the Mexican miracle

1946: María Candelaria awarded Palme d'Or

María Candelaria was one of the first films awarded a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1946.

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1947: Luis Buñuel in Mexico

In 1947, the director Luis Buñuel started realizing some of his masterpieces in Mexico, continuing until 1965.

1949: Los Olvidados film

In 1949, Luis Buñuel realized Los Olvidados in Mexico.

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1950: Growth Rate between 1950 and 1980

Mexico had growth rates of over 3% between 1950 and 1980.

1952: Foundation of the Ballet Folklórico de México

In 1952, the Ballet Folklórico de México was founded, showcasing Mexican music and dance from the prehispanic period through the Mexican Revolution.

1958: Government Radio Stations for Indigenous Education

From 1958 to 1965, bilingual government radio stations broadcasting in Spanish and indigenous languages were a tool for indigenous education.

1959: Creation of the Mexican Academy of Sciences in 1959

In 1959, the Mexican Academy of Sciences was created to coordinate scientific efforts between academics.

1961: Viridiana film

In 1961, Luis Buñuel realized Viridiana in Mexico.

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1962: DINA S.A. established in 1962

Since 1962, DINA S.A. has been building buses and trucks.

1965: Start of Mass Mexican Migration to the U.S.

Beginning in 1965, over 16 million Mexicans migrated to the United States by 2015, marking one of the largest mass migrations in modern history.

1965: Luis Buñuel in Mexico

In 1965, Luis Buñuel stopped realizing some of his masterpieces in Mexico, starting from 1947.

1968: Summer Olympics

In 1968, Mexico hosted the Summer Olympics, leading to student unrest and the Tlatelolco Massacre.

1968: Treaty of Tlatelolco

In 1968, Mexico signed the Treaty of Tlatelolco, pledging to use its nuclear technology only for peaceful purposes, abandoning the possibility of manufacturing nuclear weapons.

1968: 1968 protests in Mexico

In 1968, protests in Mexico merged into the countercultural and political movement.

1968: Mexico City Hosted the XIX Olympic Games

Mexico City hosted the XIX Olympic Games in 1968, becoming the first Latin American city to do so.

1970: Mexico Hosted the 1970 FIFA World Cup

Mexico hosted the 1970 FIFA World Cup.

1973: Integration of Institutes into UNAM from 1929 to 1973

Twelve institutes were integrated into UNAM from 1929 to 1973.

1978: Death of Carlos Chávez

Carlos Chávez, the most well-known Mexican composer of the twentieth century, died in 1978.

1979: Establishment of Bilingual Radio Stations Network

Since 1979, the Instituto Nacional Indigenista has established a national network of bilingual radio stations.

1980: Oil Exports in 1980

In 1980 oil exports accounted for 62% of total exports.

1980: Literacy Rate in Mexico

In 1980, the literacy rate in Mexico was 82.99%, this increased to 95.25% by 2020.

1980: Luis Barragán wins Pritzker Prize

Luis Barragán won the Pritzker Prize in 1980, the highest award in architecture.

1980: Growth Rate between 1950 and 1980

Mexico had growth rates of over 3% between 1950 and 1980.

1982: Mexican population in 1982

Mexico's population grew from 70 million in 1982 to 123.5 million inhabitants in 2017.

1986: Mexico Hosted the 1986 FIFA World Cup

Mexico hosted the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

1987: Teotihuacan Designated UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 1987, Teotihuacan was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing its significance as an example of ancient pyramid construction.

December 1988: Salinas Takes Oath Amidst Protests

In December 1988, Carlos Salinas took the oath of office as president of Mexico, following a controversial election marked by alleged fraud. This led to protests in Mexico City.

1989: Founding of PRD

In 1989, the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) was founded as a left-wing party.

1990: PRI as "Perfect Dictatorship"

In 1990, Mario Vargas Llosa described the PRI as the "perfect dictatorship", underscoring the challenges to its political dominance despite earlier cracks emerging in the 1980s.

1990: Privatization of Telmex in 1990

Telmex (Teléfonos de México), previously a government monopoly, was privatized in 1990.

1992: Amendment of Article 2 of the Constitution of Mexico in 1992

In 1992, the Article 2 of the Constitution of Mexico was amended to define Mexico as a pluricultural country and specifically to emphasize the role of indigenous Mexicans.

1992: Como agua para chocolate film release

In 1992, the film Como agua para chocolate was released.

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January 1994: NAFTA and Zapatista Rebellion

On January 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into effect, and on the same day, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) initiated an armed rebellion in Chiapas.

1994: Signing of NAFTA

In 1994, Mexico saw a shift towards neoliberalism, marked by the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), amidst unrest in Chiapas.

1994: Joined OECD

Mexico joined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 1994.

1995: Mario J. Molina Shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995

In 1995, the Mexican chemist Mario J. Molina shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Paul J. Crutzen and F. Sherwood Rowland for their work in atmospheric chemistry, particularly concerning the formation and decomposition of ozone.

1996: San Andrés Accords in 1996

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation's push against the mestizaje ideology led to the 1996 San Andrés Accords which granted autonomy, recognition, and rights to the indigenous population of Mexico.

1997: Church attendance among Catholics in Mexico

In 1997, 47% percent of Catholics in Mexico attended church services weekly.

1999: Economic Growth Peak

By 1999, following macroeconomic reforms, Mexico's economic growth peaked at 7%.

1999: Sex, Shame, and Tears film release

In 1999, the film Sex, Shame, and Tears was released.

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2000: Oil Exports in 2000

By 2000 oil exports accounted for only 7% of total exports.

2000: PRI Lost Presidential Election

In 2000, after 71 years of rule, the PRI lost the presidential election to Vicente Fox of the PAN.

2000: Population Expectation in 2000

It was expected that by 2000 there would be 120 million people living in Mexico.

2000: Journalists Killed or Disappeared

Since 2000, more than 100 journalists and media workers have been killed or disappeared.

2001: Y tu mamá también film release

In 2001, the film Y tu mamá también was released.

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2002: Growth of Electronics Exports Between 2002 and 2012

Between 2002 and 2012, Mexico's electronics exports grew by 73%.

2002: High Deforestation Rate

In 2002, Mexico had the second-fastest rate of deforestation in the world, second only to Brazil.

2002: The Crime of Father Amaro film release

In 2002, the film The Crime of Father Amaro was released.

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March 2003: Creation of the National Indigenous Languages Institute

In March 2003, the National Indigenous Languages Institute was created to promote and protect the use of Mexico's indigenous languages.

2003: Anti-discrimination laws regarding sexual orientation

Since 2003, anti-discrimination laws regarding sexual orientation have existed in Mexico.

2005: Solar PV Panels in 2005

In 2005 there were only 115,000 square meters of solar PV (photo-voltaic) panels installed in Mexico.

2005: Mexico presents Gastronomy as World Heritage Site

In 2005, Mexico presented the candidature of its gastronomy for World Heritage Site of UNESCO.

2006: Telmex Expansion by 2006

By 2006, Telmex had expanded its operations to Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and the United States.

2006: Poverty Rate in 2006

From 2006 to 2010 the portion who live in poverty rose from 19% to 46% (52 million people).

2006: Contested Presidential Election

In 2006, Felipe Calderón of the PAN was declared the winner of the presidential election by a narrow margin, contested by Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

2006: Trade with the US and Canada in 2006

In 2006, trade with the US and Canada accounted for almost 50% of Mexico's exports and 45% of its imports.

2006: Start of Drug War

Mexico's drug war, ongoing since 2006, has caused over 120,000 deaths and 37,000 missing.

2006: Start of Conflict Between Drug Trafficking Syndicates

Since 2006, approximately 127,000 deaths have been caused by ongoing conflict between drug trafficking syndicates in Mexico.

2007: Start of Missing Persons Increase

Most of the 100,000 people listed as missing as of May 2022, have disappeared since 2007 when President Calderón attempted to stop the drug cartels.

2008: Income Disparity in 2008

According to a 2008 report the average income in an urban area of Mexico was $27,000, while in rural areas just miles away was, it only $8,000.

2008: Contribution to UN Budget

In 2008, Mexico contributed over 40 million dollars to the United Nations regular budget.

2008: Impact of the 2008 Great Recession

The remittances from Mexican citizens working in the US dipped during the 2008 Great Recession.

November 2010: Mexican gastronomy recognized as Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO

In November 2010, Mexican gastronomy was recognized as Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

2010: Trade Deficit in 2010

During the first three quarters of 2010, the United States had a $46 billion trade deficit with Mexico.

2010: Chile Gained OECD Membership

In 2010, Chile gained full membership to the OECD, making Mexico no longer the only Latin American member.

2010: Foreigners settled in Mexico

In 2010, nearly 1 million foreigners settled in Mexico, this increased to approximately 1.2 million foreigners by 2020.

2011: Electronics Exports to the US in 2011

In 2011, Mexico was the second-largest exporter of electronics to the US, exporting $71 billion worth.

2012: AMLO Founded MORENA

After the 2012 elections, Andrés Manuel López Obrador founded the new political party MORENA.

2012: Growth of Electronics Exports Between 2002 and 2012

Between 2002 and 2012, Mexico's electronics exports grew by 73%.

2012: PRI Won Presidency Again

In 2012, the PRI won the presidency again with the election of Enrique Peña Nieto, although without a legislative majority.

2013: Telecommunications Industry Reform

In 2013, there was a major reform of the telecommunications industry in Mexico, with the creation of new broadcast television channels.

September 2014: Kidnapping of 43 Students in Iguala

In September 2014, the mass kidnapping of 43 students in Iguala triggered nationwide protests.

2015: End of Mass Mexican Migration to the U.S.

By 2015, more than 16 million Mexicans had migrated to the United States alone since 1965, representing one of the largest mass migrations in modern history.

2015: English language proficiency in Mexico

In 2015, despite a significant portion of the population studying English, only 5% demonstrated a high level of proficiency.

2015: Indigenous languages spoken in Mexico

In 2015, it was estimated that 8.3 million citizens spoke indigenous languages in Mexico, with Nahuatl being the most prevalent.

2016: Factory Openings in 2016

In 2016, Kia opened a $1 billion factory in Nuevo León, and Audi opened an assembling plant in Puebla.

2016: Mexico City Autonomy

Mexico City dropped the Federal District designation in 2016 and began achieving greater political autonomy, becoming a federal entity with its own constitution and congress.

2017: Tourism in 2017

As of 2017, Mexico was the 6th most visited country. It had the 15th highest income from tourism and highest in Latin America. In the 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, Mexico was ranked 22nd in the world, and 3rd in the Americas.

2017: Mexican population in 2017

Mexico's population grew from 70 million in 1982 to 123.5 million inhabitants in 2017.

2018: Poverty Rate Change Between 2018 and 2022

CONEVAL reported in 2023 that the poverty rate had decreased, between 2018 and 2022, a 6% decrease, from 42% to 36% (from 52 to 47 million people), though extreme poverty rose by 0.1% (410 thousand people), to 7% (9 million people), and those lacking access to healthcare has significantly increased, from 16% to 39% (50 million).

2018: AMLO Won Election

In 2018, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) won the election with over 50% of the vote.

2018: Land Use Statistics

In 2018, approximately 54.9% of land was agricultural, 11.8% was arable, 1.4% was in permanent crops, 41.7% was permanent pasture, and 33.3% was forest.

2018: Daily Minimum Wages in 2018

In 2018, daily minimum wages were set at 88 pesos.

2018: Mexican expatriate destinations

In 2018, outside of the U.S., the most popular destinations for Mexican expatriates were Canada, Spain, and Germany, with a significant number also residing in Latin America.

2018: Morena Became Ruling Party

In 2018, the National Regeneration Movement (Morena) became the ruling party.

2018: Literacy Rate in Mexico

In 2018, the literacy rate in Mexico was 94.86%, this increased to 95.25% by 2020.

2018: Completion of SEGH-CFE 1 Project in 2018

The project SEGH-CFE 1 located in Puerto Libertad, Sonora was completed in 2018 and has a capacity of 46.8 MW from an array of 187,200 solar panels.

April 2019: Daniela Soto-Innes named best female chef

In April 2019, Daniela Soto-Innes was named the best female chef in the world by The World's Best 50 Restaurants.

2019: Poverty in 2019

According to the OECD's poverty line, 20% of Mexico's population lived in poverty in 2019.

2019: Democratic Backsliding

Democratic backsliding starting around 2019 was found by the V-Dem Democracy Report.

2019: Mexican Emigration Statistics

In 2019, approximately 11.7 million Mexicans resided outside of Mexico, with 98-99% of them located in the U.S.

2019: Dissolution of Federal Police

In 2019, the Mexican Federal Police was dissolved and replaced by the National Guard.

2019: Formation of the National Guard

In 2019, the National Guard was formed from the disbanded Federal Police and military police of the Army and Navy, functioning as a gendarmerie under military command.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index Ranking

Mexico's 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score was 6.82/10, ranking it 63rd globally out of 172 countries.

2019: Opening of Villanueva Solar Park in 2019

The Villanueva solar park in Coahuila which opened in 2019, is the largest solar power plant in the Americas with a capacity of 828 MW.

February 2020: First Confirmed COVID-19 Case

In February 2020, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in Mexico.

2020: Crime Statistics

A 2020 report by the BBC gives statistics on crime in Mexico, with 10.7 million households with at least one victim of crime.

2020: Largest Number of Native Spanish Speakers

As of 2020, Mexico is home to the largest number of native Spanish speakers.

2020: Mexico's 2020 census

At Mexico's 2020 census, 19.4% of the population identified as indigenous and 6.1% of Mexico's population speaks an Indigenous language. At the 2020 census, Afro-Mexicans were 2.04% of Mexico's population. In 2020, Asians and Middle Easterners were around 1% of the population each.

2020: Arrest of Ex-CEO of Pemex

In 2020, Emilio Lozoya Austin, the ex-CEO of Pemex, was arrested in a push against corruption.

2020: Foreigners settled in Mexico

In 2020, Mexico saw approximately 1.2 million foreigners settling within its borders, an increase from nearly 1 million in 2010.

2020: Literacy Rate in Mexico

In 2020, the literacy rate in Mexico was 95.25%.

2020: Metropolitan Areas in 2020

In 2020, there were 48 metropolitan areas in Mexico, in which close to 53% of Mexico's population lives. The Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico, or Greater Mexico City, in 2020 had a population of 21.8 million.

2020: Religious Demographics in Mexico

In the 2020 census, 77.8% of the Mexican population identified as Catholic.

2020: Jewish Population in Mexico

In the 2020 census, there were 58,876 Jews in Mexico.

2020: Life Expectancy in 2020

Life expectancy in Mexico increased from 36 years in 1895, to 75 years in 2020.

2021: Increase in New Immigrants to Mexico

In 2021, Mexico received 68,000 new immigrants, a 16% increase compared to the previous year.

2021: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2021

The remittances from Mexican citizens working in the US dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 but are topping other sources of foreign income.

May 2022: Missing Persons

As of May 2022, 100,000 people are officially listed as missing in Mexico.

2022: Sixth Most-Visited Country

As of 2022, Mexico is the sixth most-visited country in the world, with 42.2 million international arrivals.

2022: National Guard Personnel

As of 2022, the National Guard numbered 110,000 personnel.

2022: Poverty Rate Change Between 2018 and 2022

2022: Mexico's Population in 2022

In 2022, Mexico's estimated population was 129,150,971 people, per the National Geography and Statistics Institute.

2022: Environmental Protection Laws Improvement

In the 2022 report, it was noted that environmental protection laws have improved in major cities but remain unenforced or unregulated in rural regions.

2022: Newest Refinery Built in 2022

Mexico owns 7 oil refineries on its territory, with the newest built in 2022 and another refinery within the US.

2023: Military Expenditure

As of 2023, military expenditures are a small fraction of GDP, at around 0.6%.

2023: Poverty Rate in 2023

2023: Greenhouse Gas Emitters in 2023

In 2023 Mexico was in the top 15 highest greenhouse gas emitters, contributing over 5 million tonnes, or 1.4% of the global total.

2023: Elena Reygadas named best female chef

In 2023, Elena Reygadas was named best female chef.

2023: Gross National Income in 2023

In 2023, the World Bank reported that Mexico's gross national income was the second highest in Latin America after Brazil at US$1.7 trillion.

October 2024: Claudia Sheinbaum Sworn In

On October 1, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as the first woman president of Mexico.

2024: Armed Forces Personnel

As of 2024, there are approximately 220,000 armed forces personnel and roughly 110,000 National Guard personnel.

2024: Daily Minimum Wages in 2024

In 2024, Daily minimum wages were set at $248.93 Mexican pesos (US$13.24) ($375 in the country's northern border), making it comparable to Uruguay, Chile, and Ecuador.

2024: Morena Won Second Term

In the 2024 general election, Morena won a second term.

April 2025: Mexico's Economy in April 2025

As of April 2025, Mexico had the 13th largest economy by purchasing power parity (PPP) at US$3.4 trillion, and a GDP per capita of US$26,000.

August 2025: Demonstrations Over Missing Persons

In August 2025, demonstrations were held all around Mexico, in protest over the 130,000 people who have disappeared and considered missing since 2007.