Cultura Inglesa

Culture of Mexico


Facts and Statistics

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between
Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US
Capital: Mexico City
Climate: varies from tropical to desert
Population: 104,959,594 (July 2004 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian orpredominantly Amerindian 30%,
white 9%, other 1%
Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Government: federal republic
President: Felipe Calderon

Language in Mexico
Spanish control of Mexico led to the dominance of Spanish, the official language. As many as 100 Native American languages are still spoken in Mexico, but no single alternative language prevails.Eighty percent of those Mexicans who speak an indigenous language also speak Spanish. The most important of the Native American languages is Nahuatl. It is the primary language of more than a million Mexicans and is spoken by nearly one-fourth of all Native Americans in the country. This is followed by Maya, used by 14 percent of Native Americans, and Mixteco and Zapoteco, each spoken by about sevenpercent of Native Americans. No other indigenous language is spoken by more than five percent of Mexico's Native Americans.

Mexican Society & Culture

Mexican Family Values

. The family is at the centre of the social structure.
. Outside of the major cosmopolitan cities, families are still generally large.

. The extended family is as important as the nuclear family since itprovides a sense of stability.
. Mexicans consider it their duty and responsibility to help family members. For example, the will help find employment or finance a house or other large purchase.
. Most Mexican families are extremely traditional, with the father as the head, the authority figure and the decision-maker.
. Mothers are greatly revered, but their role may be seen as secondary to thatof their husband.

Hierarchical Society

. Mexican society and business are highly stratified and vertically structured.
. Mexicans emphasize hierarchical relationships.
. People respect authority and look to those above them for guidance and decision-making.
. Rank is important, and those above you in rank must always be treated with respect.
. This makes it important to know whichperson is in charge, and leads to an authoritarian approach to decision-making and problem- solving.
. Mexicans are very aware of how each individual fits into each hierarchy--be it family, friends or business.
. It would be disrespectful to break the chain of hierarchy.

Machismo'
. Machismo literally means 'masculinity'.
. There are different outward behaviours to display machismo.
.For example, making remarks to women is a stereotypical sign of machismo and should not be seen as harassment.
. Mexican males generally believe that nothing must be allowed to tarnish their image as a man.


Culture of the United Kingdom


Facts and Statistics

Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North AtlanticOcean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Parts:
U.K, England……………. capital (London)
Scotland……………….capital (Edinburgh)
Wales…………….…………capital (Cardiff)
Northern Ireland…...….….capital (Belfast)

Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
Population: 60,776,238 (July 2007 est.)
Ethnic Make-up:white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)
Religions: Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)
Government: constitutional monarchy
Monarch……………….Queen Elizabeth II
Prime...