Quick answerMexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico, with 9,209,944 people inside the city limits in 2020. The wider metropolitan area had about 21.8 million people in 2020. It is best known for the Zócalo, the Chapultepec Park and the National Museum of Anthropology. Its official language is Spanish, and its currency is the Mexican peso.
Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico, with about 9.2 million people inside the city limits and about 21.8 million in the metropolitan area (2020). It stands on the site of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and is home to the Zocalo, Chapultepec Park and the National Museum of Anthropology.
Key facts
| Country | Mexico |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 9,209,944 (2020) |
| Population (metro) | 21,804,515 (2020) · Zona Metropolitana del Valle de México (ZMVM), 2020 census (INEGI) |
| Elevation | 2240 m above sea level |
| Time zone | America/Mexico_City |
| Language | Spanish |
| Currency | Mexican peso (MXN, $) |
| Coordinates | 19.4333° N, 99.1333° W |
Overview
Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and the centre of the largest metropolitan area in the country. The city proper had 9,209,944 residents in the 2020 census, while the wider Valley of Mexico metropolitan area held about 21.8 million, making it by far the largest urban area in Mexico. The city sits at 2,240 metres above sea level on a high plateau in the Valley of Mexico.
The city was founded as Tenochtitlan, the Mexica (Aztec) capital, around 1325, on an island in Lake Texcoco. After the Spanish conquest in 1521 it was rebuilt as the capital of New Spain, and the Zocalo, the city's main square, still stands over the ruins of the Aztec Great Temple. The Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace and the ruins of the Templo Mayor line the square, and the historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today Mexico City is the country's political, economic and cultural capital. Chapultepec Park, one of the largest city parks in the world, holds the National Museum of Anthropology, Chapultepec Castle and a zoo, while neighbourhoods such as Coyoacan, home of the Frida Kahlo Museum, and the canals of Xochimilco draw visitors. The city is famous for its food, from street tacos to fine dining, and for Day of the Dead each November.
What Mexico City is known for
- Zócalo
- Chapultepec Park
- National Museum of Anthropology
- Frida Kahlo Museum
- Mexican cuisine
- Day of the Dead
Landmarks
- Zócalo and Metropolitan Cathedral
- National Palace
- Chapultepec Castle
- National Museum of Anthropology
- Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul)
- Palacio de Bellas Artes
- Teotihuacán (nearby)
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Mexico City?
About 9.2 million people live inside the Mexico City limits (9,209,944 in the 2020 census, according to INEGI). The wider metropolitan area, the Valley of Mexico, had about 21.8 million people in 2020. That gap is why Mexico City can look like a big city on a map and feel like a megacity on the ground.
What is Mexico City famous for?
Mexico City is famous for the Zocalo, its vast main square, the National Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Park, one of the largest city parks in the world. It is also known for the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacan, the canals of Xochimilco, its street food and fine dining, and the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Where is Mexico City located?
Mexico City is in central Mexico, on a high plateau in the Valley of Mexico, about 2,240 metres above sea level. It is the capital of Mexico and of its own federal entity, roughly 100 kilometres west of Puebla. Its coordinates are 19.43° N, 99.13° W, and its time zone is Central Time.
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Keep exploring
- Mexico — the country Mexico City is in
- Puebla — another city in Mexico
- Guadalajara — another city in Mexico
- Monterrey — another city in Mexico
- All cities in Mexico
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.