Primate Cities: Case Study of Mexico City

Positive and Negative Impacts on a Country’s Economy

Magnitude: Disproportionately large population; Over 2 times larger than next largest city in country

Significance: Cultural and political center; Hub for national economics and development

MODEL OF THE LATIN AMERICAN CITY

Colonial Castle in Urban Park Upscale Hotels Palace of Fine Arts

Main Cathedral/Plaza

Stock Market

Western Sector-Public Spaces

Western Sector-Residential

North and Eastern Sections

High Altitude Basin

Public Transportation

Federally Subsidized

1985 Earthquake

2010-Bicentennial

National Museum of Art Palace of Fine Arts

National Archives

Xochimilco(Chinampas)

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Catholic

“The Earth you walk on pilgrim is sacred…on this mountain springs two streams, symbols of the valiant Aztec race and the Spanish Missionaries, that submissively were united at the feet of MARY, mother and forger of the Mexican patria.”

Tenochtitlán-Interior Drainage 1631-1635

Import water, export waste

NAFTAChiapas--high % indigenous

1872 RailroadNational projectLater connectionsto USA

Centennial Celebration

“[the majority of Mexicans are] individuals of the white race, Europeans and some mixed with European and indigenous blood; the Indians are now very few in number…”

Conclusions

• Primate cities are seen as “too big to fail”• Primate cities solve about as many problems

as they create• Mixed bag as a national economic strategy