_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Gustavo PETRICIOLI Iturbide;
Chancery at 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20006; telephone
(202) 728-1600; there are Mexican Consulates General in Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San
Francisco, San Antonio, San Diego, and Consulates in Albuquerque,
Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California),
Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass
(Texas), Fresno (California), Kansas City (Missouri), Laredo, McAllen
(Texas), Miami, Nogales (Arizona), Oxnard (California), Philadelphia,
Phoenix, Presidio (Texas), Sacramento, St. Louis, St. Paul (Minneapolis),
Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
Seattle;
US—Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE, Jr.; Embassy at Paseo de la
Reforma 305, 06500 Mexico, D.F. (mailing address is P. O. Box 3087,
Laredo, TX 78044-3087); telephone [52] (5) 211-0042; there are US
Consulates General in Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Tijuana,
and Consulates in Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mazatlan, Merida, and Nuevo
Laredo
_#_Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake is its beak) is centered in the white band
_*Economy #_Overview: Mexico's economy is a mixture of state-owned industrial plants (notably oil), private manufacturing and services, and both large-scale and traditional agriculture. In the 1980s Mexico experienced severe economic difficulties: the nation accumulated large external debts as world petroleum prices fell; rapid population growth outstripped the domestic food supply; and inflation, unemployment, and pressures to emigrate became more acute. Growth in national output, however, appears to be recovering, rising from 1.4% in 1988 to 3.9% in 1990. The US is Mexico's major trading partner, accounting for two-thirds of its exports and imports. After petroleum, border assembly plants and tourism are the largest earners of foreign exchange. The government, in consultation with international economic agencies, is implementing programs to stabilize the economy and foster growth. In 1991 the government also plans to begin negotiations with the US and Canada on a free trade agreement.
_#_GDP: $236 billion, per capita $2,680; real growth rate 3.9% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 15-18% (1990 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $44.3 billion; expenditures $55.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.8 billion (1989)
_#_Exports: $26.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—crude oil, oil products, coffee, shrimp, engines, cotton;