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Sharing a Common Border
The United States and Mexico share a 2,000
mile border. This border stretches from the Pacific Ocean to
the Gulf of Mexico.
A border can be formed in several
ways. A physical barrier such as a mountain range or a river
can form a border. Part of the border between Mexico and the
United States is a river called the Rio Bravo del Norte, which is
located in Mexico.
Another kind of border can be
cultural. The Mexican/U.S. border separates two societies with
very different cultural roots and histories. The United States
is mostly Protestant in religion and English in language.
Mexico's culture is a result of a mix of Spanish-Catholic influence
and Indian traditions.
Borders can separate and divide.
Mexico and the United States depend upon and influence each
other. Mexico (of all the world's countries) is the third in
the value of goods it buys from the United States, and fourth in the
value of goods it sells to the United States. United States
investments were very important in Mexico's industrial
development. The United States has drawn very heavily on Mexican raw
materials and labor. Many U. S. manufacturing plants have opened in
Mexico. These plants are called maquiladoras. These
plants import parts to be assembled at low cost by Mexican workers.
As you cross the border the differences
between these two countries is very evident. This mixing of
people and the exchange of goods that takes place creates a region
where Mexican and U.S. cultures blend.
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