90 Geoarapbical IRotes on 



The upper lands being the healthiest, most of the population in 

 Mexico is settled in the central plateau ; a relatively small portion 

 lives in the temperate zone, while the torrid zone is very thinly popu- 

 lated. I imagine, at a rough calculation, that about 75 per cent, of the 

 population make their abode in the cold zone, from 15 to 18 per cent, 

 in the temperate zone, and from 7 to 10 per cent, in the torrid zone. 



From the synopsis of our censuses, inserted above, it appears that 

 the population in Mexico has duplicated during the last century, and 

 although that increase does not keep pace with the increase in the 

 United States, because this has been really wonderful, it compares 

 favorably with the increase in other countries. Mexico also, as a new 

 country and one full of possibilities, ought to have increased its popu- 

 lation more rapidly, but its slow progress can be accounted for in 

 several ways. 



Under the head of Ethnology I enumerated the different races 

 inhabiting Mexico and stated the number of inhabitants belonging to 

 each, and I gave at length the reasons for the slow increase of the In- 

 dian population, which is the largest in Mexico. I will only add here 

 that while the Indians lead a very abstemious and simple life, marry 

 while very young and generally have a family of several children, they 

 are at the same time subject to epidemics. Notwithstanding that the 

 race on the whole is sturdy and little subject to disease, the mortality 

 is very large among the children for want of proper nutrition and care. 

 The losses caused by our civil wars could not at all explain the slow 

 increase of our population, and the only way in which I can account 

 for it is that they are not so well prepared as the people of the United 

 States and other more advanced countries, to bear the discomforts of 

 life and climate, and that, therefore, they cannot bring up all the 

 children born in the family, among whom there is annually a great 

 mortality. 



Classification of Mexican States. Under the Spanish rule Mexico 

 was divided into several provinces, the Spaniards trying to divide the 

 provinces in accordance with the different nationalities of the aborig- 

 ines found there, and each province possessing a very large extent 

 of territory. After our independence and when we established a Fed- 

 eral government, each province was made a state, and since then some 

 of the largest states have been divided into two or even three smaller 

 ones. In the chapter on Political Organizations I shall give further 

 information on this subject. 



The Mexican states are classified in several ways, and generally as 

 Northern, Southern, Central, Pacific, and Gulf States ; but it is difficult 

 to make a proper division of them, because there are several included 

 in two denominations. I will, therefore, divide them into Northern 

 States, calling so those bordering on the United States ; Southern States, 



