Economy of Mexico
Developing mixed economy, 13th largest globally, with high inequality.
The economy contains rapidly developing modern industrial and service sectors with increasing private ownership, and more than 90% of Mexican trade is under free trade agreements with over 40 countries.
- type
- Economy
- GDP_contraction_2008
- more than 6%
- social_expenditure
- lowest among OECD countries, roughly 7.5% of GDP
- tax_revenue_2013
- 19.6% of GDP, lowest among 34 OECD countries
- labor_force_2015
- 52.8 million people
- poverty_2024
- 38.5 million people live in poverty
- wealth_inequality
- 0.2% of population owns 60% of the country's wealth
Did You Know?
- Mexico has the lowest social expenditure among OECD countries, at roughly 7.5% of GDP.
- 0.2% of Mexico's population owns 60% of the country's wealth.
- Mexican workers are ranked by the OECD and WTO as the hardest-working in the world in terms of hours worked yearly.
- More than 90% of Mexican trade is under free trade agreements with over 40 countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Economy of Mexico?
Economy of Mexico is the 13th-largest economy in the world, characterized as a developing mixed system where modern industrial and service sectors are expanding rapidly and private ownership keeps growing. It sits in the National Economies 1-24 roster as a major but still maturing entry with a notably high level of internal inequality.
What are Economy of Mexico's core powers and role?
Its biggest structural strength is trade reach: more than 90% of its commercial activity flows through free-trade agreements covering over 40 partner countries. It also fields a labor force of roughly 52.8 million workers (2015 figure), giving it considerable productive capacity within the developing-economy tier.
How does Economy of Mexico's story end (or where does it stand now)?
As of 2024, about 38.5 million people in the country still live below the poverty line, so the arc is far from resolved. The 2008 global shock also carved a deep scar, with GDP contracting by more than 6% in that single year.
Why is Economy of Mexico important to the broader National Economies 1-24 cast?
It serves as a key example of a large developing economy that punches above its weight in trade volume while struggling with structural gaps in public investment. Its position as the lowest tax-revenue collector (19.6% of GDP, 2013) and lowest social-spending ratio (~7.5% of GDP) among 34 OECD members makes it a recurring reference point for inequality debates across the series.
What are Economy of Mexico's most commonly cited weaknesses?
Fans and analysts alike point to its thin fiscal base: tax collection at just under 20% of GDP and social outlays at roughly 7.5% of GDP are both the lowest in the OECD, leaving limited room for safety-net expansion. Combined with persistent high inequality and a poverty figure in the tens of millions, these constraints define much of the character's ongoing struggle.
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