The Weston Cadet (model 852 introduced in 1949), Direct Reading (model 853 introduced 1954) and Master III (models 737 and S141.3 introduced in 1956) were the first in their line of exposure meters to switch and utilize the meanwhile established ASA scale instead. Other models used the original Weston scale up until ca. 1955. The company continued to publish Weston film ratings after 1955, but while their recommended values often differed slightly from the ASA film speeds found on film boxes, these newer Weston values were based on the ASA system and had to be converted for use with older Weston meters by subtracting 1/3 exposure stop as per Weston's recommendation. Vice versa, "old" Weston film speed ratings could be converted into "new" Westons and the ASA scale by adding the same amount, that is, a film rating of 100 Weston (up to 1955) corresponded with 125 ASA (as per ASA PH2.5-1954 and before). This conversion was not necessary on Weston meters manufactured and Weston film ratings published since 1956 due to their inherent use of the ASA system; however the changes of the ASA PH2.5-1960 revision may be taken into account when comparing with newer ASA or ISO values.

Which cameras were first of their type to adopt the ASA scale?

The Weston Cadet (model 852 introduced in 1949), Direct Reading (model 853 introduced 1954) and Master III (models 737 and S141.3 introduced in 1956)

What were updated Weston values based on?

the ASA system

How were Weston values changed to ASA values?

by subtracting 1/3 exposure stop

Beginning with which year was the Weston to ASA conversion not necessary?

Until what year did other models use the original Weston scale?

Which two models were introduced in 1949?

I'm not sure.

When did models move back to the Weston scale?

I'm not sure.

What was added to convert Weston values to the older meters?

I'm not sure.

What was necessary on meters manufactured after 1956?

I'm not sure.

When was the ASA scale established?

I'm not sure.


General Electric switched to use the ASA scale in 1946. Meters manufactured since February 1946 were equipped with the ASA scale (labeled "Exposure Index") already. For some of the older meters with scales in "Film Speed" or "Film Value" (e.g. models DW-48, DW-49 as well as early DW-58 and GW-68 variants), replaceable hoods with ASA scales were available from the manufacturer. The company continued to publish recommended film values after that date, however, they were now aligned to the ASA scale.

Which company adopted the ASA scale in 1946?

General Electric

Beginning what year were cameras built with the ASA meter?

How did older models convert to ASA scale?

replaceable hoods with ASA scales

How was the ASA scale shown on models built after 1946?

labeled "Exposure Index"

What were recommended film values lined up with after 1946?

they were now aligned to the ASA scale

What company stopped using ASA in 1946?

I'm not sure.

When were the DW-48 and DW-49 models made?

I'm not sure.

What were models pre-1946 labeled with?

I'm not sure.

Who refused to create replaceable hoods with ASA scales?

I'm not sure.

What did the recommended film values no longer follow after 1946?

I'm not sure.


Based on earlier research work by Loyd Ancile Jones (1884–1954) of Kodak and inspired by the systems of Weston film speed ratings and General Electric film values, the American Standards Association (now named ANSI) defined a new method to determine and specify film speeds of black-and-white negative films in 1943. ASA Z38.2.1-1943 was revised in 1946 and 1947 before the standard grew into ASA PH2.5-1954. Originally, ASA values were frequently referred to as American standard speed numbers or ASA exposure-index numbers. (See also: Exposure Index (EI).)

Who pioneered research that led to the new ANSI values?

Loyd Ancile Jones

What standards were the ANSI developed from?

Weston film speed ratings and General Electric film values

What types of film did the ANSI measure?

black-and-white negative films

When did the ANSI define its new measure?

What were ANSI values often called in the beginning?

American standard speed numbers or ASA exposure-index numbers

Who did research for General Electric?

I'm not sure.

What was Kodak renamed as?

I'm not sure.

What were the Weston Film speed ratings inspired by?

I'm not sure.

When did Jones publish his research?

I'm not sure.

When was ASA PH2.5-1954 released?

I'm not sure.


The ASA standard underwent a major revision in 1960 with ASA PH2.5-1960, when the method to determine film speed was refined and previously applied safety factors against under-exposure were abandoned, effectively doubling the nominal speed of many black-and-white negative films. For example, an Ilford HP3 that had been rated at 200 ASA before 1960 was labeled 400 ASA afterwards without any change to the emulsion. Similar changes were applied to the DIN system with DIN 4512:1961-10 and the BS system with BS 1380:1963 in the following years.

In what year were big changes made to the ANSI?

What did the 1960 changes to film speed measures lead to?

effectively doubling the nominal speed of many black-and-white negative films

Which other system were these changes applied to?

the DIN system

In what year was the BS system modified?

What safety factors were done away with beginning with the modifications to the standards?

safety factors against under-exposure

When were new safety factors put in place?

I'm not sure.

The nominal speed of what films were halved by abandoning safety factors?

I'm not sure.

A 400 ASA became what after 1960?

I'm not sure.

When were changes applied to the DIN system?

I'm not sure.

The Ilford HP3 changes were applied to what in the following years?

I'm not sure.


Film speed is found from a plot of optical density vs. log of exposure for the film, known as the D–log H curve or Hurter–Driffield curve. There typically are five regions in the curve: the base + fog, the toe, the linear region, the shoulder, and the overexposed region. For black-and-white negative film, the “speed point” m is the point on the curve where density exceeds the base + fog density by 0.1 when the negative is developed so that a point n where the log of exposure is 1.3 units greater than the exposure at point m has a density 0.8 greater than the density at point m. The exposure Hm, in lux-s, is that for point m when the specified contrast condition is satisfied. The ISO arithmetic speed is determined from:

What is the plot from which film speed is derived called?

the D–log H curve or Hurter–Driffield curve

How many regions does the Hurter-Driffield curve have?

five

What is plotted in the Hurter-Driffield curve?

a plot of optical density vs. log of exposure for the film

What is denoted when the specified contrast condition is met?

The exposure Hm, in lux-s

What are the five regions of the Hurter-Driffield curve?

the base + fog, the toe, the linear region, the shoulder, and the overexposed region

What is film speed combined with to produce optical density?

I'm not sure.

What is a plot of film speed vs. log of exposure called?

I'm not sure.

How many speed points are there in a black and white film?

I'm not sure.

What is the point at which density is 0.1 less than the base + fog?

I'm not sure.

What is the ISO arithmetic speed?

I'm not sure.


Film speed is used in the exposure equations to find the appropriate exposure parameters. Four variables are available to the photographer to obtain the desired effect: lighting, film speed, f-number (aperture size), and shutter speed (exposure time). The equation may be expressed as ratios, or, by taking the logarithm (base 2) of both sides, by addition, using the APEX system, in which every increment of 1 is a doubling of exposure; this increment is commonly known as a "stop". The effective f-number is proportional to the ratio between the lens focal length and aperture diameter, the diameter itself being proportional to the square root of the aperture area. Thus, a lens set to f/1.4 allows twice as much light to strike the focal plane as a lens set to f/2. Therefore, each f-number factor of the square root of two (approximately 1.4) is also a stop, so lenses are typically marked in that progression: f/1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, etc.

What is the effective f-number proportional to?

the ratio between the lens focal length and aperture diameter

What is used to discover the right exposure parameters?

Film speed

What variables help the photographer produce the desired effect?

lighting, film speed, f-number (aperture size), and shutter speed (exposure time)

A lens with a setting of f/1.4 lets how much to hit the focal plane compared with a setting of f/2?

twice as much

In the APEX system, the increment that doubles the exposure is called what?

"stop"

What are appropriate exposure parameters used to find?

I'm not sure.

What is another name for film speed?

I'm not sure.

What system uses ratios?

I'm not sure.

The ratio between the diameter and square root of the aperture is called what?

I'm not sure.

How much does light does an f/2 let in as compared to an f/4?

I'm not sure.


Upon exposure, the amount of light energy that reaches the film determines the effect upon the emulsion. If the brightness of the light is multiplied by a factor and the exposure of the film decreased by the same factor by varying the camera's shutter speed and aperture, so that the energy received is the same, the film will be developed to the same density. This rule is called reciprocity. The systems for determining the sensitivity for an emulsion are possible because reciprocity holds. In practice, reciprocity works reasonably well for normal photographic films for the range of exposures between 1/1000 second to 1/2 second. However, this relationship breaks down outside these limits, a phenomenon known as reciprocity failure.

What determines the effect on the emulsion after exposure?

the amount of light energy that reaches the film

In what range of exposures does reciprocity usually work?

between 1/1000 second to 1/2 second

How is the exposure of film changed?

by varying the camera's shutter speed and aperture

How are ways of finding an emulsion's sensitivity possible?

because reciprocity holds

What happens outside the 1/1000 second to 1/second exposure range?

reciprocity failure

What determines the amount of light energy that reaches the film?

I'm not sure.

Multiplying the brightness of a light by a factor and decreasing the exposure by the same factor causes what to change?

I'm not sure.

How is the brightness of a light changed?

I'm not sure.

Reciprocity only works outside of what ranges?

I'm not sure.

Reciprocity holds because of what system?

I'm not sure.


Some high-speed black-and-white films, such as Ilford Delta 3200 and Kodak T-MAX P3200, are marketed with film speeds in excess of their true ISO speed as determined using the ISO testing method. For example, the Ilford product is actually an ISO 1000 film, according to its data sheet. The manufacturers do not indicate that the 3200 number is an ISO rating on their packaging. Kodak and Fuji also marketed E6 films designed for pushing (hence the "P" prefix), such as Ektachrome P800/1600 and Fujichrome P1600, both with a base speed of ISO 400.

What are two examples of films that are marketed with speeds above their true ISO speed?

Ilford Delta 3200 and Kodak T-MAX P3200

What speed of film is the Ilford Delta 3200?

ISO 1000

Which two companies produced E6 films meant for "pushing"?

Kodak and Fuji

What is the base speed of Ektachrome P800/1600 and Fujichrome P1600?

ISO 400

What type of films are Ilford Delta 3200 and Kodak T-MAX P3200?

high-speed black-and-white films

What cameras have speeds above what they are marketed as?

I'm not sure.

3200 is the true ISO of what film?

I'm not sure.

What is the true speed of the Kodak T-MAX P3200 according to the data sheet?

I'm not sure.

What is the Delta 3200 designed for?

I'm not sure.

Ilford Delta and Fuji marketed what kind of film?

I'm not sure.


For digital photo cameras ("digital still cameras"), an exposure index (EI) rating—commonly called ISO setting—is specified by the manufacturer such that the sRGB image files produced by the camera will have a lightness similar to what would be obtained with film of the same EI rating at the same exposure. The usual design is that the camera's parameters for interpreting the sensor data values into sRGB values are fixed, and a number of different EI choices are accommodated by varying the sensor's signal gain in the analog realm, prior to conversion to digital. Some camera designs provide at least some EI choices by adjusting the sensor's signal gain in the digital realm. A few camera designs also provide EI adjustment through a choice of lightness parameters for the interpretation of sensor data values into sRGB; this variation allows different tradeoffs between the range of highlights that can be captured and the amount of noise introduced into the shadow areas of the photo.

What is another name for an exposure index rating?

ISO setting

How do some camera designs give some EI choices?

by adjusting the sensor's signal gain in the digital realm

Who provides the exposure index rating?

the manufacturer

What are digital photo cameras also called?

digital still cameras

What is an sRGB image file commonly called?

I'm not sure.

The lightness of an sRGB file is designed to be different from what?

I'm not sure.

What is adjusted prior to conversion to analog?

I'm not sure.

What do choices do camera designs not offer?

I'm not sure.

What does the choice of lightness parameters prevent?

I'm not sure.


Digital cameras have far surpassed film in terms of sensitivity to light, with ISO equivalent speeds of up to 409,600, a number that is unfathomable in the realm of conventional film photography. Faster processors, as well as advances in software noise reduction techniques allow this type of processing to be executed the moment the photo is captured, allowing photographers to store images that have a higher level of refinement and would have been prohibitively time consuming to process with earlier generations of digital camera hardware.

What types of cameras have proven to be much more sensitive to light than film?

Digital cameras

What ISO equivalent speeds can digital cameras obtain?

What is responsible for these vast increases in speed?

Faster processors, as well as advances in software noise reduction techniques

What is one thing that limited speeds of older digital hardware?

prohibitively time consuming to process

What does the higher speed do for the images produced?

a higher level of refinement

How has film surpassed digital cameras?

I'm not sure.

What is the highest ISO speed a film camera can reach?

I'm not sure.

What, besides a faster processor, prevents processing from happening when a photo is taken?

I'm not sure.

What could earlier generations of digital cameras store?

I'm not sure.

Which generation of cameras are capable of storing higher refined images?

I'm not sure.


The ISO standard ISO 12232:2006 gives digital still camera manufacturers a choice of five different techniques for determining the exposure index rating at each sensitivity setting provided by a particular camera model. Three of the techniques in ISO 12232:2006 are carried over from the 1998 version of the standard, while two new techniques allowing for measurement of JPEG output files are introduced from CIPA DC-004. Depending on the technique selected, the exposure index rating can depend on the sensor sensitivity, the sensor noise, and the appearance of the resulting image. The standard specifies the measurement of light sensitivity of the entire digital camera system and not of individual components such as digital sensors, although Kodak has reported using a variation to characterize the sensitivity of two of their sensors in 2001.

How many techniques are available because of ISO 12232:2006?

five

What techniques did CIPA DC-004 provide?

two new techniques allowing for measurement of JPEG output files

What factors affect the exposure index rating?

the sensor sensitivity, the sensor noise, and the appearance of the resulting image

What does the standard of ISO 12232:2006 specify?

the measurement of light sensitivity of the entire digital camera system and not of individual components

In what year did Kodak start using a different way of characterizing two sensors?

When was ISO 12232:2006 made public?

I'm not sure.

How many JPEG techniques were introduced in 1998?

I'm not sure.

What are the three techniques that affect ISO?

I'm not sure.

How many techniques depend on sensor sensitivity?

I'm not sure.

When did Kodak stop using variations of sensitivity?

I'm not sure.


The Recommended Exposure Index (REI) technique, new in the 2006 version of the standard, allows the manufacturer to specify a camera model’s EI choices arbitrarily. The choices are based solely on the manufacturer’s opinion of what EI values produce well-exposed sRGB images at the various sensor sensitivity settings. This is the only technique available under the standard for output formats that are not in the sRGB color space. This is also the only technique available under the standard when multi-zone metering (also called pattern metering) is used.

What option does the Recommended Exposure Index give manufacturers?

to specify a camera model’s EI choices arbitrarily

What is another name for multi-zone metering?

pattern metering

What distinction does the Recommended Exposure Index have?

the only technique available under the standard for output formats that are not in the sRGB color space

When was the Recommended Exposure Index introduced?

What is the only technique that can be used when multi-zone metering is used?

Recommended Exposure Index (REI) technique

What standardized EI choices?

I'm not sure.

When was multi-zone metering introduced?

I'm not sure.

REI and what are the only techniques available under standard outputs?

I'm not sure.

What was retracted in the 2006 standards?

I'm not sure.

Who created the 2006 standard?

I'm not sure.


The Standard Output Sensitivity (SOS) technique, also new in the 2006 version of the standard, effectively specifies that the average level in the sRGB image must be 18% gray plus or minus 1/3 stop when the exposure is controlled by an automatic exposure control system calibrated per ISO 2721 and set to the EI with no exposure compensation. Because the output level is measured in the sRGB output from the camera, it is only applicable to sRGB images—typically JPEG—and not to output files in raw image format. It is not applicable when multi-zone metering is used.

What year was the Standard Output Sensitivity technique introduced?

What does the Standard Output Sensitivity technique apply to?

sRGB images—typically JPEG

What is the output level measured in?

the sRGB output from the camera

With what type of metering can the Standard Output Sensitivity not be used?

multi-zone metering

With what standard is the automatic exposure control system calibrated?

ISO 2721

What technique was removed in the 2006 standards?

I'm not sure.

When exposure is not automatically controlled, what is the gray set at?

I'm not sure.

How are files in raw measured?

I'm not sure.

Multi-zone metering uses what ISO calibration?

I'm not sure.

When was the SOS technique applied to raw images?

I'm not sure.


The CIPA DC-004 standard requires that Japanese manufacturers of digital still cameras use either the REI or SOS techniques, and DC-008 updates the Exif specification to differentiate between these values. Consequently, the three EI techniques carried over from ISO 12232:1998 are not widely used in recent camera models (approximately 2007 and later). As those earlier techniques did not allow for measurement from images produced with lossy compression, they cannot be used at all on cameras that produce images only in JPEG format.

Which methods are required by CIPA DC-004?

REI or SOS techniques

In what year did the three EI techniques from ISO 12232:1998 largely stop being used?

approximately 2007 and later

With what cameras can earlier techniques not be used?

cameras that produce images only in JPEG format

What nation's cameras does the CIPA DC-004 apply to?

Japanese

What does the DC-008 change?

the Exif specification

How many techniques are widely used in new camera models?

I'm not sure.

When was the CIPA DC-004 standard released?

I'm not sure.

Which manufacturers are exempt from CIPA DC-004?

I'm not sure.

After 2007, newer camera models started using what techniques again?

I'm not sure.

The three EI techniques have to be used on cameras that only capture in what format?

I'm not sure.


where  is the maximum possible exposure that does not lead to a clipped or bloomed camera output. Typically, the lower limit of the saturation speed is determined by the sensor itself, but with the gain of the amplifier between the sensor and the analog-to-digital converter, the saturation speed can be increased. The factor 78 is chosen such that exposure settings based on a standard light meter and an 18-percent reflective surface will result in an image with a grey level of 18%/√2 = 12.7% of saturation. The factor √2 indicates that there is half a stop of headroom to deal with specular reflections that would appear brighter than a 100% reflecting white surface.

What does the sensor usually determine?

lower limit of the saturation speed

How can the saturation speed be increased?

with the gain of the amplifier between the sensor and the analog-to-digital converter

What is indicated by the factor √2?

there is half a stop of headroom to deal with specular reflections that would appear brighter than a 100% reflecting white surface

What can too much exposure lead to?

clipped or bloomed camera output

The lower limit of saturation speed leads to what?

I'm not sure.

What does the amplifier prevent from increasing?

I'm not sure.

Why is the factor of 78 avoided?

I'm not sure.

A grey level of 12.7 results in what saturation?

I'm not sure.

What is the upper limit of saturation determined by?

I'm not sure.


The noise-based speed is defined as the exposure that will lead to a given signal-to-noise ratio on individual pixels. Two ratios are used, the 40:1 ("excellent image quality") and the 10:1 ("acceptable image quality") ratio. These ratios have been subjectively determined based on a resolution of 70 pixels per cm (178 DPI) when viewed at 25 cm (9.8 inch) distance. The signal-to-noise ratio is defined as the standard deviation of a weighted average of the luminance and color of individual pixels. The noise-based speed is mostly determined by the properties of the sensor and somewhat affected by the noise in the electronic gain and AD converter.

Which ratios are employed to calculate noise-based speed?

the 40:1 ("excellent image quality") and the 10:1 ("acceptable image quality") ratio

What is the noise-based speed?

the exposure that will lead to a given signal-to-noise ratio on individual pixels

How are the two ratios found?

subjectively determined based on a resolution of 70 pixels per cm (178 DPI) when viewed at 25 cm (9.8 inch) distance

What is a definition of signal-to-noise ratio?

the standard deviation of a weighted average of the luminance and color of individual pixels

What factors influence the noise-based speed?

the properties of the sensor and somewhat affected by the noise in the electronic gain and AD converter

Which ratio was subjectively determined?

I'm not sure.

What are the individual pixels defined by?

I'm not sure.

What is the signal-to-noise ration?

I'm not sure.

How many pixels are in a 40:1 ratio image?

I'm not sure.

The weighted average of the luminance and the noise in the electronic gain is defined as what?

I'm not sure.


The standard specifies how speed ratings should be reported by the camera. If the noise-based speed (40:1) is higher than the saturation-based speed, the noise-based speed should be reported, rounded downwards to a standard value (e.g. 200, 250, 320, or 400). The rationale is that exposure according to the lower saturation-based speed would not result in a visibly better image. In addition, an exposure latitude can be specified, ranging from the saturation-based speed to the 10:1 noise-based speed. If the noise-based speed (40:1) is lower than the saturation-based speed, or undefined because of high noise, the saturation-based speed is specified, rounded upwards to a standard value, because using the noise-based speed would lead to overexposed images. The camera may also report the SOS-based speed (explicitly as being an SOS speed), rounded to the nearest standard speed rating.

When should the noise-based speed be used?

the noise-based speed (40:1) is higher than the saturation-based speed

What is the range for exposure latitude?

from the saturation-based speed to the 10:1 noise-based speed

What is another speed that can also be reported by the camera?

SOS-based speed

Why should noise-based speed be rounded down to a lower standard?

exposure according to the lower saturation-based speed would not result in a visibly better image

What does the standard specify?

how speed ratings should be reported by the camera

A lower saturation-based speed would create a better what?

I'm not sure.

What is the ratio for the saturation-based speed?

I'm not sure.

Is the SOS rounded up or down?

I'm not sure.

How are underexposed images created?

I'm not sure.

Why are saturation-based speeds rounded down?

I'm not sure.


Despite these detailed standard definitions, cameras typically do not clearly indicate whether the user "ISO" setting refers to the noise-based speed, saturation-based speed, or the specified output sensitivity, or even some made-up number for marketing purposes. Because the 1998 version of ISO 12232 did not permit measurement of camera output that had lossy compression, it was not possible to correctly apply any of those measurements to cameras that did not produce sRGB files in an uncompressed format such as TIFF. Following the publication of CIPA DC-004 in 2006, Japanese manufacturers of digital still cameras are required to specify whether a sensitivity rating is REI or SOS.[citation needed]

What measures might the user "ISO" setting correspond to?

the noise-based speed, saturation-based speed, or the specified output sensitivity, or even some made-up number for marketing purposes

What did the 1998 version of ISO 12232 not permit?

measurement of camera output that had lossy compression

What types of sensitivity ratings can be specified by a camera?

REI or SOS

What standards changed what Japanese camera makers have to specify?

CIPA DC-004

In what year was CIPA DC-004 introduced?

Cameras must indicate when the ISO setting refers to what?

I'm not sure.

The 1998 ISO 12232 allowed for what type of compression?

I'm not sure.

What publication affected Japanese digital still cameras in 1998?

I'm not sure.

When was the TIFF file created?

I'm not sure.

The ISO 12232 requires manufacturures to specify what about a sensitivity rating?

I'm not sure.


Mexico City, or the City of Mexico (Spanish: Ciudad de México  audio (help·info) American Spanish: [sjuˈða(ð) ðe ˈméxiko]; abbreviated as "CDMX"), is the capital of Mexico. As an "alpha" global city, Mexico City is one of the most important financial centers in the Americas. It is located in the Valley of Mexico (Valle de México), a large valley in the high plateaus at the center of Mexico, at an altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 ft). The city consists of sixteen municipalities (previously called boroughs).

How man feet above sea level is Mexico City

How many municipalities are in Mexico City?

sixteen

What did they used to call the municipalities within Mexico City?

boroughs

What is the Spanish word for Mexico City?

Ciudad de México

How many meters above sea is Mexico City?


The Greater Mexico City has a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$411 billion in 2011, making Mexico City urban agglomeration one of the economically largest metropolitan areas in the world. The city was responsible for generating 15.8% of Mexico's Gross Domestic Product and the metropolitan area accounted for about 22% of total national GDP. As a stand-alone country, in 2013, Mexico City would be the fifth-largest economy in Latin America—five times as large as Costa Rica's and about the same size as Peru's.

How big is Mexico City's GDP?

US$411 billion

How much bigger is Mexico City's GDP's than Costa Rica's?

five times

What percent of the Mexican GDP is the metropolitan area of Mexico City responsible for?

Which country has about the same size GDP as Mexico city?

Peru


Mexico’s capital is both the oldest capital city in the Americas and one of two founded by Amerindians (Native Americans), the other being Quito. The city was originally built on an island of Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in 1325 as Tenochtitlan, which was almost completely destroyed in the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan, and subsequently redesigned and rebuilt in accordance with the Spanish urban standards. In 1524, the municipality of Mexico City was established, known as México Tenochtitlán, and as of 1585 it was officially known as Ciudad de México (Mexico City). Mexico City served as the political, administrative and financial center of a major part of the Spanish colonial empire. After independence from Spain was achieved, the Federal District was created in 1824.

What was the original name of Mexico City?

Tenochtitlan

Who originally built Mexico City?

the Aztecs

When was the Federal District formed?

Where was the city first built?

on an island of Lake Texcoco

When was Mexico City officially founded by the Spanish?


After years of demanding greater political autonomy, residents were given the right to directly elect a Head of Government and the representatives of the unicameral Legislative Assembly by popular vote in 1997. Ever since, the left-wing Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) has controlled both of them. In recent years, the local government has passed a wave of liberal policies, such as abortion on request, a limited form of euthanasia, no-fault divorce, and same-sex marriage. On January 29, 2016, it ceased to be called the Federal District (Spanish: Distrito Federal or D.F.) and is now in transition to become the country's 32nd federal entity, giving it a level of autonomy comparable to that of a state. Because of a clause in the Mexican Constitution, however, as the seat of the powers of the Union, it can never become a state, lest the capital of the country be relocated elsewhere.

Why can't Mexico City become a state?

Because of a clause in the Mexican Constitution

When did people become able to vote for representation?

What political party controls the Mexico City legislature?

Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD)

What was Mexico City's old affiliation with the nation of Mexico?

Federal District

How are officials elected to the legislature?

popular vote


The city grew as the population did, coming up against the lake's waters. As the depth of the lake water fluctuated, Mexico City was subject to periodic flooding. A major labor draft, the desagüe, compelled thousands of Indians over the colonial period to work on infrastructure to prevent flooding. Floods were not only an inconvenience but also a health hazard, since during flood periods human waste polluted the city's streets. By draining the area, the mosquito population dropped as did the frequency of the diseases they spread. However, draining the wetlands also changed the habitat for fish and birds and the areas accessible for Indian cultivation close to the capital.

What was the labor draft called?

the desagüe

Who helped build infrastructure around the lake?

Indians

What was the main problem with being so close to the lake?

flooding

What was a negative of regulating the lake's water height?

changed the habitat for fish and birds

How many Indians helped build the infrastructure?

thousands


The concept of nobility flourished in New Spain in a way not seen in other parts of the Americas. Spaniards encountered a society in which the concept of nobility mirrored that of their own. Spaniards respected the indigenous order of nobility and added to it. In the ensuing centuries, possession of a noble title in Mexico did not mean one exercised great political power, for one's power was limited even if the accumulation of wealth was not. The concept of nobility in Mexico was not political but rather a very conservative Spanish social one, based on proving the worthiness of the family. Most of these families proved their worth by making fortunes in New Spain outside of the city itself, then spending the revenues in the capital, building churches, supporting charities and building extravagant palatial homes. The craze to build the most opulent residence possible reached its height in the last half of the 18th century. Many of these palaces can still be seen today, leading to Mexico City's nickname of "The city of palaces" given by Alexander Von Humboldt.

What is a common nickname for Mexico City?

The city of palaces

How did mexican nobles spend money in Mexico City?

building churches, supporting charities and building extravagant palatial homes

When did the construction of exuberant houses slow down?

the last half of the 18th century


The Grito de Dolores ("Cry of Dolores") also known as El Grito de la Independencia ("Cry of Independence"), uttered from the small town of Dolores near Guanajuato on September 16, 1810, is the event that marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence and is the most important national holiday observed in Mexico. The "Grito" was the battle cry of the Mexican War of Independence by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest. Hidalgo and several criollos were involved in a planned revolt against the Spanish colonial government, and the plotters were betrayed. Fearing his arrest, Hidalgo commanded his brother Mauricio as well as Ignacio Allende and Mariano Abasolo to go with a number of other armed men to make the sheriff release the pro-independence inmates there on the night of September 15. They managed to set eighty free. Around 6:00 am September 16, 1810, Hidalgo ordered the church bells to be rung and gathered his congregation. Flanked by Allende and Juan Aldama, he addressed the people in front of his church, encouraging them to revolt. The Battle of Guanajuato, the first major engagement of the insurgency, occurred four days later. Mexico's independence from Spain was effectively declared in the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire on September 27, 1821, after a decade of war. Unrest followed for the next several decades, as different factions fought for control of Mexico.

When did Mexico gain independence?

September 27, 1821

How long was the war?

a decade

What was the first battle of the Mexican Independence war called?

The Battle of Guanajuato

What was the battle cry of the war?

Grito

When did the war begin?

September 16, 1810


The Battle for Mexico City was the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican–American War. Included are major actions at the battles of Molino del Rey and Chapultepec, culminating with the fall of Mexico City. The U.S. Army under Winfield Scott scored a major success that ended the war. The American invasion into the Federal District was first resisted during the Battle of Churubusco on August 8 where the Saint Patrick's Battalion, which was composed primarily of Catholic Irish and German immigrants, but also Canadians, English, French, Italians, Poles, Scots, Spaniards, Swiss, and Mexican people, fought for the Mexican cause repelling the American attacks. After defeating the Saint Patrick's Battalion, the Mexican–American War came to a close after the United States deployed combat units deep into Mexico resulting in the capture of Mexico City and Veracruz by the U.S. Army's 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Divisions. The invasion culminated with the storming of Chapultepec Castle in the city itself.

Who commanded the U.S. Army in the battle against Mexico City?

Winfield Scott

What war did America and Mexico fight in?

Mexican–American War

When did the battle for Mexico City take place

September 8 to September 15, 1847

What American divisions got into Mexico City?

U.S. Army's 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th


During this battle, on September 13, the 4th Division, under John A. Quitman, spearheaded the attack against Chapultepec and carried the castle. Future Confederate generals George E. Pickett and James Longstreet participated in the attack. Serving in the Mexican defense were the cadets later immortalized as Los Niños Héroes (the "Boy Heroes"). The Mexican forces fell back from Chapultepec and retreated within the city. Attacks on the Belén and San Cosme Gates came afterwards. The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in what is now the far north of the city.

Who led the 4th division?

John A. Quitman

What treaty was signed?

Guadalupe Hidalgo

Who were the future confederate generals?

George E. Pickett and James Longstreet

Who carried the castle?

the 4th Division

When did the castle fall?

on September 13


During this era of Porfirian rule, the city underwent an extensive modernization. Many Spanish Colonial style buildings were destroyed, replaced by new much larger Porfirian institutions and many outlying rural zones were transformed into urban or industrialized districts with most having electrical, gas and sewage utilities by 1908. While the initial focus was on developing modern hospitals, schools, factories and massive public works, perhaps the most long-lasting effects of the Porfirian modernization were creation of the Colonia Roma area and the development of Reforma Avenue. Many of Mexico City's major attractions and landmarks were built during this era in this style.

When was most of the urbanization completed?

by 1908

The extensive modernization started with what?

Many Spanish Colonial style buildings were destroyed

What was built during the modernization?

hospitals, schools, factories and massive public works

What famous street was built during this period of modernization?

Reforma Avenue


Diaz's plans called for the entire city to eventually be modernized or rebuilt in the Porfirian/French style of the Colonia Roma; but the Mexican Revolution began soon afterward and the plans never came to fruition, with many projects being left half-completed. One of the best examples of this is the Monument to the Mexican Revolution. Originally the monument was to be the main dome of Diaz's new senate hall, but when the revolution erupted only the dome of the senate hall and its supporting pillars were completed, this was subsequently seen as a symbol by many Mexicans that the Porfirian era was over once and for all and as such, it was turned into a monument to victory over Diaz.

What was turned into a monument after the war?

the main dome of Diaz's new senate hall

Who was the man behind the modernization of Mexico City?

Diaz

Why wasn't Diaz's plan completed?

the Mexican Revolution

What was the overall design plan of Mexico City?

Porfirian/French style

What was the main construction project in the Profirian/French style?

Colonia Roma


Zapatist forces, which were based in neighboring Morelos had strengths in the southern edge of the Federal District, which included Xochimilco, Tlalpan, Tláhuac and Milpa Alta to fight against the regimes of Victoriano Huerta and Venustiano Carranza. After the assassination of Carranza and a short mandate by Adolfo de la Huerta, Álvaro Obregón took power. After willing to be re-elected, he was killed by José de León Toral, a devout Catholic, in a restaurant near La Bombilla Park in San Ángel in 1928. Plutarco Elias Calles replaced Obregón and culminated the Mexican Revolution.

Who was the leader at the end of the Mexican Revolution?

Plutarco Elias Calles

Where was Alvaro Obregon killed?

in a restaurant near La Bombilla Park in San Ángel

When was Alvaro Obregon killed?

Where were the Zapatist forces from?

Morelos

Who was the third to last leader before the end of the Mexican Revolution?

Adolfo de la Huerta


In 1980 half of all the industrial jobs in Mexico were located in Mexico City. Under relentless growth, the Mexico City government could barely keep up with services. Villagers from the countryside who continued to pour into the city to escape poverty only compounded the city's problems. With no housing available, they took over lands surrounding the city, creating huge shantytowns that extended for many miles. This caused serious air pollution in Mexico City and water pollution problems, as well as subsidence due to overextraction of groundwater. Air and water pollution has been contained and improved in several areas due to government programs, the renovation of vehicles and the modernization of public transportation.

How many of the industrial jobs in the county were based in Mexico City in the late 20th century?

half

What did the countryside workers make to live in?

shantytowns

What did the shantytowns create?

serious air pollution


On Thursday, September 19, 1985, at 7:19 am local time, Mexico City was struck by an earthquake of magnitude 8.1 on the Richter scale. Although this earthquake was not as deadly or destructive as many similar events in Asia and other parts of Latin America, it proved to be a disaster politically for the one-party government. The government was paralyzed by its own bureaucracy and corruption, forcing ordinary citizens to create and direct their own rescue efforts and to reconstruct much of the housing that was lost as well.

What day of the week did the major earthquake strike Mexico City?

Thursday

How strong was the powerful earthquake that hit Mexico City in 1985?

8.1 on the Richter scale

What month did the 8.1 earthquake hit Mexico City in 1985?

September

Why did the one-party government struggle after the major earthquake in 1985?

paralyzed by its own bureaucracy and corruption

Who led the rescue effort after the earthquake of 1985?

ordinary citizens


Mexico City is located in the Valley of Mexico, sometimes called the Basin of Mexico. This valley is located in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in the high plateaus of south-central Mexico. It has a minimum altitude of 2,200 meters (7,200 feet) above sea level and is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes that reach elevations of over 5,000 metres (16,000 feet). This valley has no natural drainage outlet for the waters that flow from the mountainsides, making the city vulnerable to flooding. Drainage was engineered through the use of canals and tunnels starting in the 17th century.

What is the minimum height in meters of the region Mexico City is located in?

Where is Mexico City located?

Valley of Mexico

How high do the mountains get in Mexico City's region?

5,000 metres (16,000 feet)

Why is Mexico City vulnerable to flooding?

no natural drainage outlet for the waters that flow from the mountainsides

How does the city prevent flooding?

canals and tunnels


Mexico city primarily rests on what was Lake Texcoco. Seismic activity is frequent here. Lake Texcoco was drained starting from the 17th century. Although none of the lake waters remain, the city rests on the lake bed's heavily saturated clay. This soft base is collapsing due to the over-extraction of groundwater, called groundwater-related subsidence. Since the beginning of the 20th century the city has sunk as much as nine metres (30 feet) in some areas. This sinking is causing problems with runoff and wastewater management, leading to flooding problems, especially during the rainy season. The entire lake bed is now paved over and most of the city's remaining forested areas lie in the southern boroughs of Milpa Alta, Tlalpan and Xochimilco.

When did draining of Lake Texcoco begin?

17th century

How much water is there, approximately, in the lake Mexico City is on?

How much has the city fallen?

as much as nine metres (30 feet)

What does Mexico City rest on?

Lake Texcoco

Where are most of the trees located in Mexico City?

southern boroughs


The area receives about 820 millimetres (32.3 in) of annual rainfall, which is concentrated from June through September/October with little or no precipitation the remainder of the year. The area has two main seasons. The rainy season runs from June to October when winds bring in tropical moisture from the sea. The dry season runs from November to May, when the air is relatively drier. This dry season subdivides into a cold period and a warm period. The cold period spans from November to February when polar air masses push down from the north and keep the air fairly dry. The warm period extends from March to May when tropical winds again dominate but do not yet carry enough moisture for rain.

How much rain falls on Mexico City?

820 millimetres (32.3 in)

When is it warm, yet does not rain?

March to May

When does the majority of the rain fall in Mexico City?

June to October

When is it coldest in Mexico City?

November to February

What mostly controls the rain in Mexico City?

tropical winds


Originally much of the valley laid beneath the waters of Lake Texcoco, a system of interconnected salt and freshwater lakes. The Aztecs built dikes to separate the fresh water used to raise crops in chinampas and to prevent recurrent floods. These dikes were destroyed during the siege of Tenochtitlan, and during colonial times the Spanish regularly drained the lake to prevent floods. Only a small section of the original lake remains, located outside the Federal District, in the municipality of Atenco, State of Mexico.

What happened to the dikes the Aztecs built?

destroyed during the siege of Tenochtitlan

Where does the lake still remain?

municipality of Atenco, State of Mexico

Who first built the dikes in Lake Texcoco?

The Aztecs

What made up Lake Texcoco?

a system of interconnected salt and freshwater lakes

Where is the lake located in Atenco?

Federal District


By the 1990s Mexico City had become infamous as one of the world's most polluted cities; however the city has become a model for dramatically lowering pollution levels. By 2014 carbon monoxide pollution had dropped dramatically, while levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide were nearly three times lower than in 1992. The levels of signature pollutants in Mexico City are similar to those of Los Angeles.[citation needed] Despite the cleanup, the metropolitan area is still the most ozone-polluted part of the country, with ozone levels 2.5 times beyond WHO-defined safe limits.

How bad is the ozone in Mexico City?

2.5 times beyond WHO-defined safe limits

Carbon Monoxide levels are about 3 times lower now than in what year?

What city is similar to Mexico City in terms of pollution?

Los Angeles

When Mexico one of the worst cities in terms of pollution?

Who decides safe levels of o-zone in cities?

WHO


To clean up pollution, the federal and local governments implemented numerous plans including the constant monitoring and reporting of environmental conditions, such as ozone and nitrogen oxides. When the levels of these two pollutants reached critical levels, contingency actions were implemented which included closing factories, changing school hours, and extending the A day without a car program to two days of the week. The government also instituted industrial technology improvements, a strict biannual vehicle emission inspection and the reformulation of gasoline and diesel fuels. The introduction of Metrobús bus rapid transit and the Ecobici bike-sharing were among efforts to encourage alternate, greener forms of transportation.

What is the bus system called in Mexico City?

Metrobús

What is the bike-sharing program called in Mexico City?

Ecobici

How many days a week does the city encourage people to go without a car?

two days

What pollutants does the city closely monitor?

ozone and nitrogen oxides

How often do citizens need to get their cars examined?

biannual


The Acta Constitutiva de la Federación of January 31, 1824, and the Federal Constitution of October 4, 1824, fixed the political and administrative organization of the United Mexican States after the Mexican War of Independence. In addition, Section XXVIII of Article 50 gave the new Congress the right to choose where the federal government would be located. This location would then be appropriated as federal land, with the federal government acting as the local authority. The two main candidates to become the capital were Mexico City and Querétaro.

What was the other city in the running to become capital of Mexico?

Querétaro

What part of the constitution established the right to create a capital city?

Section XXVIII of Article 50

When was the federal constitution signed?

October 4, 1824

What type of land is Mexico City?

federal

Who is in charge of the land of Mexico City according to the original constitution?

federal government


Due in large part to the persuasion of representative Servando Teresa de Mier, Mexico City was chosen because it was the center of the country's population and history, even though Querétaro was closer to the center geographically. The choice was official on November 18, 1824, and Congress delineated a surface area of two leagues square (8,800 acres) centered on the Zocalo. This area was then separated from the State of Mexico, forcing that state's government to move from the Palace of the Inquisition (now Museum of Mexican Medicine) in the city to Texcoco. This area did not include the population centers of the towns of Coyoacán, Xochimilco, Mexicaltzingo and Tlalpan, all of which remained as part of the State of Mexico.

When was Mexico City declared the capital?

November 18, 1824

How large was the area the federal government would proclaim to be the capital?

two leagues square (8,800 acres)

Where was the state government located when Mexico City was declared the capital?

Palace of the Inquisition

What is the Palace of the Inquisition known as now?

Museum of Mexican Medicine

Where was the government of Mexico City moved to at the time it was declared capital of Mexico?

Texcoco


In 1854 president Antonio López de Santa Anna enlarged the area of the Federal District almost eightfold from the original 220 to 1,700 km2 (80 to 660 sq mi), annexing the rural and mountainous areas to secure the strategic mountain passes to the south and southwest to protect the city in event of a foreign invasion. (The Mexican–American War had just been fought.) The last changes to the limits of the Federal District were made between 1898 and 1902, reducing the area to the current 1,479 km2 (571 sq mi) by adjusting the southern border with the state of Morelos. By that time, the total number of municipalities within the Federal District was twenty-two.

How many smaller cities did Mexico City make up at its height?

twenty-two

What is the current area of Mexico City?

1,479 km2 (571 sq mi)

How large was Mexico City at its largest?

1,700 km2

When was the boundaries of the city last adjusted?

Who increased the size of Mexico City to it's largest?

Antonio López de Santa Anna


While the Federal District was ruled by the federal government through an appointed governor, the municipalities within it were autonomous, and this duality of powers created tension between the municipalities and the federal government for more than a century. In 1903, Porfirio Díaz largely reduced the powers of the municipalities within the Federal District. Eventually, in December 1928, the federal government decided to abolish all the municipalities of the Federal District. In place of the municipalities, the Federal District was divided into one "Central Department" and 13 delegaciones (boroughs) administered directly by the government of the Federal District. The Central Department was integrated by the former municipalities of Mexico City, Tacuba, Tacubaya and Mixcoac.

When were the powers of the municipalities of Mexico City first reduced?

When was the autonomy of the municipalities eliminated?

How many boroughs did the city consist of when they were first established?

Who first reduced the power of the municipalities of Mexico City?

Porfirio Díaz

Who led Mexico City?

an appointed governor


In 1941, the General Anaya borough was merged to the Central Department, which was then renamed "Mexico City" (thus reviving the name, but not the autonomous municipality). From 1941 to 1970, the Federal District comprised twelve delegaciones and Mexico City. In 1970 Mexico City was split into four different delegaciones: Cuauhtémoc, Miguel Hidalgo, Venustiano Carranza and Benito Juárez, increasing the number of delegaciones to sixteen. Since then, in a de facto manner, the whole Federal District, whose delegaciones had by then almost formed a single urban area, began to be considered a synonym of Mexico City.

When was the General Anaya borough officially merged into Mexico City?

How man boroughs was the borough of Mexico City split into in 1970?

four

How many districts does the federal government control in 1970?

sixteen

Which boroughs was the Mexico City borough split into?

Cuauhtémoc, Miguel Hidalgo, Venustiano Carranza and Benito Juárez


Mexico City, being the seat of the powers of the Union, did not belong to any particular state but to all. Therefore, it was the president, representing the federation, who used to designate the head of government of the Federal District, a position which is sometimes presented outside Mexico as the "Mayor" of Mexico City.[citation needed] In the 1980s, given the dramatic increase in population of the previous decades, the inherent political inconsistencies of the system, as well as the dissatisfaction with the inadequate response of the federal government after the 1985 earthquake, residents began to request political and administrative autonomy to manage their local affairs.[citation needed] Some political groups even proposed that the Federal District be converted into the 32nd state of the federation.

If Mexico City was declared a state, how many states would be in the federation?

What event caused the citizens to reconsider how the government of Mexico City was set up?

the 1985 earthquake

What do people call the leader of Mexico City?

Mayor

Who declared the "Mayor" of Mexico City?

the president

What state does Mexico City belong to?

all


In response to the demands, in 1987 the Federal District received a greater degree of autonomy, with the elaboration the first Statute of Government (Estatuto de Gobierno), and the creation of an Assembly of Representatives.[citation needed] In the 1990s, this autonomy was further expanded and, starting from 1997, residents can directly elect the head of government of the Federal District and the representatives of a unicameral Legislative Assembly (which succeeded the previous Assembly) by popular vote.

When did the Federal District receive more power?

When did citizens receive the right to elect the head of the Federal District?

How is the leader of Mexico City now established?

popular vote

What gave the Federal District more autonomy?

first Statute of Government


The first elected head of government was Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas. Cárdenas resigned in 1999 to run in the 2000 presidential elections and designated Rosario Robles to succeed him, who became the first woman (elected or otherwise) to govern Mexico City. In 2000 Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected, and resigned in 2005 to run in the 2006 presidential elections, Alejandro Encinas being designated by the Legislative Assembly to finish the term. In 2006, Marcelo Ebrard was elected for the 2006–2012 period.

Who was elected to be the head of government in 2006?

Marcelo Ebrard

Why did the first elected head of government of Mexico City resign?

to run in the 2000 presidential elections

Who was the second head of government elected?

Andrés Manuel López Obrador

Who was head of government after the first elected head of government?

Rosario Robles

Who was the first woman to run Mexico City?

Rosario Robles


The Legislative Assembly of the Federal District is formed, as it is the case in all legislatures in Mexico, by both single-seat and proportional seats, making it a system of parallel voting. The Federal District is divided into 40 electoral constituencies of similar population which elect one representative by first-past-the-post plurality (FPP), locally called "uninominal deputies". The Federal District as a whole constitutes a single constituency for the parallel election of 26 representatives by proportionality (PR) with open-party lists, locally called "plurinominal deputies".

What is the local government of Mexico City called?

The Legislative Assembly of the Federal District

How is the local government of Mexico City formed?

parallel voting

What is the proportionality voting referred to in Mexico City?

plurinominal deputies

How many representatives make up the Federal District?


Even though proportionality is confined to the proportional seats to prevent a part from being overrepresented, several restrictions apply in the assignation of the seats; namely, that no party can have more than 63% of all seats, both uninominal and plurinominal. In the 2006 elections leftist PRD got the absolute majority in the direct uninominal elections, securing 34 of the 40 FPP seats. As such, the PRD was not assigned any plurinominal seat to comply with the law that prevents over-representation. The overall composition of the Legislative Assembly is:

What is the maximum percentage of seats a single party can control?

How many seats of the uninominal elections did the PRD get in the 2006 elections?

Why does the government prevent more than 63% of a party to control the legislature?

over-representation


The politics pursued by the administrations of heads of government in Mexico City since the second half of the 20th century have usually been more liberal than those of the rest of the country, whether with the support of the federal government—as was the case with the approval of several comprehensive environmental laws in the 1980s—or through laws recently approved by the Legislative Assembly. In April of the same year, the Legislative Assembly expanded provisions on abortions, becoming the first federal entity to expand abortion in Mexico beyond cases of rape and economic reasons, to permit it regardless of the reason should the mother request it before the twelfth week of pregnancy. In December 2009, the Federal District became the first city in Latin America, and one of very few in the world, to legalize same-sex marriage.

When was gay marriage legalized in Mexico City?

December 2009

What political leaning does Mexico City take?

more liberal than those of the rest of the country

When were the economic laws passed in Mexico City?

Compared to other cities in Latin America, how early did Mexico City legalize same sex marriage?

first


For administrative purposes, the Federal District is divided into 16 "delegaciones" or boroughs. While not fully equivalent to a municipality, the 16 boroughs have gained significant autonomy, and since 2000 their heads of government are elected directly by plurality (they were previously appointed by the head of government of the Federal District). Given that Mexico City is organized entirely as a Federal District, most of the city services are provided or organized by the Government of the Federal District and not by the boroughs themselves, while in the constituent states these services would be provided by the municipalities. The 16 boroughs of the Federal District with their 2010 populations are:

How many boroughs make up Mexico City?

How are the heads of the boroughs elected?

plurality

How were the heads of the boroughs originally established?

appointed by the head of government of the Federal District

Who provides the city services?

Government of the Federal District

When did election of borough heads begin?


The boroughs are composed by hundreds of colonias or neighborhoods, which have no jurisdictional autonomy or representation. The Historic Center is the oldest part of the city (along with some other, formerly separate colonial towns such as Coyoacán and San Ángel), some of the buildings dating back to the 16th century. Other well-known central neighborhoods include Condesa, known for its Art Deco architecture and its restaurant scene; Colonia Roma, a beaux arts neighborhood and artistic and culinary hot-spot, the Zona Rosa, formerly the center of nightlife and restaurants, now reborn as the center of the LGBT and Korean-Mexican communities; and Tepito and La Lagunilla, known for their local working-class foklore and large flea markets. Santa María la Ribera and San Rafael are the latest neighborhoods of magnificent Porfiriato architecture seeing the first signs of gentrification.

What is the oldest part of the city?

The Historic Center

How old are the oldest buildings in Mexico City?

16th century

What used to be the main party district of Mexico City?

Zona Rosa

What is the center of the LGBT community in Mexico City?

Art Deco architecture

What district is known for its Art Deco Architecture?

Condesa


West of the Historic Center (Centro Histórico) along Paseo de la Reforma are many of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods such as Polanco, Lomas de Chapultepec, Bosques de las Lomas, Santa Fe, and (in the State of Mexico) Interlomas, which are also the city's most important areas of class A office space, corporate headquarters, skyscrapers and shopping malls. Nevertheless, areas of lower income colonias exist in some cases cheek-by-jowl with rich neighborhoods, particularly in the case of Santa Fe.

Where are many of the wealthy neighborhoods located?

West of the Historic Center

What is the Mexican name for the historic center?

Centro Histórico

Which rich neighborhood has a strong problem of impoverished lands around it?

Santa Fe

Where are many of the corporate headquarters and other tall buildings located?

along Paseo de la Reforma


The south of the city is home to some other high-income neighborhoods such as Colonia del Valle and Jardines del Pedregal, and the formerly separate colonial towns of Coyoacán, San Ángel, and San Jerónimo. Along Avenida Insurgentes from Paseo de la Reforma, near the center, south past the World Trade Center and UNAM university towards the Periférico ring road, is another important corridor of corporate office space. The far southern boroughs of Xochimilco and Tláhuac have a significant rural population with Milpa Alta being entirely rural.

What type of population lives in Tiahuac?

rural

How is Milpa Alta constructed?

entirely rural

Where is the World Trade Center?

Along Avenida Insurgentes

What is the name of one of the rich neighborhoods south of the city?

Colonia del Valle


North of the Historic Center, Azcapotzalco and Gustavo A. Madero have important industrial centers and neighborhoods that range from established middle-class colonias such as Claveria and Lindavista to huge low-income housing areas that share hillsides with adjacent municipalities in the State of Mexico. In recent years much of northern Mexico City's industry has moved to nearby municipalities in the State of Mexico. Northwest of Mexico City itself is Ciudad Satélite, a vast middle to upper-middle-class residential and business area.

Where is much of the industry now located?

nearby municipalities in the State of Mexico

What is Ciudad Satelite?

a vast middle to upper-middle-class residential and business area.

Where is Gustavo A. Madero?

North of the Historic Center


The Human Development Index report of 2005  shows that there were three boroughs with a very high Human Development Index, 12 with a high HDI value (9 above .85) and one with a medium HDI value (almost high). Benito Juárez borough had the highest HDI of the country (.9510) followed by Miguel Hidalgo which came up 4th nationally with a HDI of (.9189) and Coyoacán (5th nationally) with a HDI value of (.9169). Cuajimalpa, Cuauhtémoc and Azcapotzalco had very high values; respectively .8994 (15th nationally),.8922 (23rd) and .8915 (25th).

How many boroughs had very high HDI scores in 2005?

three

How many boroughs had high (not very high) HDI scores?

Which borough had the highest HDI score?

Benito Juárez

What borough was the second highest HDI score?

Miguel Hidalgo

What year was the report that said 3 boroughs had very high HDI scores?


In contrast, the boroughs of Xochimilco (172th), Tláhuac (177th) and Iztapalapa (183th) presented the lowest HDI values of the Federal District with values of .8481, .8473 and .8464 respectively—values still in the global high-HDI range. The only borough that did not present a high HDI was that of rural Milpa Alta which presented a "medium" HDI of .7984, far below all other boroughs (627th nationally while the rest stood in the top 200). Mexico City's HDI for the 2005 report was of .9012 (very high), and its 2010 value of .9225 (very high) or (by newer methodology) .8307, and Mexico's highest.

What borough had the lowest HDI score in the federal district?

Iztapalapa

Which borough had the lowest HDI score?

Milpa Alta

What rank was Milpa Alta nationally in terms of HDI score?

All boroughs except for Milpa Alta were in what ranking of HDI score?

top 200

What score did Milpa Alta get on the HDI test?


Mexico City is home to some of the best private hospitals in the country; Hospital Ángeles, Hospital ABC and Médica Sur to name a few. The national public healthcare institution for private-sector employees, IMSS, has its largest facilities in Mexico City—including the National Medical Center and the La Raza Medical Center—and has an annual budget of over 6 billion pesos. The IMSS and other public health institutions, including the ISSSTE (Public Sector Employees' Social Security Institute) and the National Health Ministry (SSA) maintain large specialty facilities in the city. These include the National Institutes of Cardiology, Nutrition, Psychiatry, Oncology, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation, among others.

How large is the budget of the IMSS?

over 6 billion pesos

What is the name of one of the great hospitals in Mexico City?

Hospital Ángeles

What is an organization that has a large presence in the city?

National Health Ministry (SSA)

What is the name of a large facility run by the IMSS in Mexico City?

National Medical Center


The World Bank has sponsored a project to curb air pollution through public transport improvements and the Mexican government has started shutting down polluting factories. They have phased out diesel buses and mandated new emission controls on new cars; since 1993 all new cars must be fitted with a catalytic converter, which reduces the emissions released. Trucks must use only liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Also construction of an underground rail system was begun in 1968 in order to help curb air pollution problems and alleviate traffic congestion. Today it has over 201 km (125 mi) of track and carries over 5 million people every day. Fees are kept low to encourage use of the system and during rush hours the crush is so great, that authorities have reserved a special carriage specifically for women. Due to these initiatives and others, the air quality in Mexico City has begun to improve, with the air becoming cleaner since 1991, when the air quality was declared to be a public health risk for 355 days of the year.[citation needed]

What do new cars in Mexico need to have?

catalytic converter

When did the underground rail system begin construction?

How many people ride the Mexico city subway system each day?

5 million people

How many days of the year in 1991 was the air pollution a serious health risk?

What is one way the government helps with the "Crush" of the rush hour riding of the subway system?

reserved a special carriage specifically for women


Mexico City is one of the most important economic hubs in Latin America. The city proper (Federal District) produces 15.8% of the country's gross domestic product. According to a study conducted by PwC, Mexico City had a GDP of $390 billion, ranking it as the eighth richest city in the world after the greater metropolitan areas of Tokyo, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Paris, London and Osaka/Kobe (and the richest in the whole of Latin America). Excluding the rest of the Mexican economy, Mexico City alone would rank as the 30th largest economy in the world. Mexico City is the greatest contributor to the country's industrial GDP (15.8%) and also the greatest contributor to the country's GDP in the service sector (25.3%). Due to the limited non-urbanized space at the south—most of which is protected through environmental laws—the contribution of the Federal District in agriculture is the smallest of all federal entities in the country. Mexico City has one of the world's fastest-growing economies and its GDP is set to double by 2020.

What percentage of the National GDP does the Federal District produce?

What is the GDP of Mexico City?

$390 billion

What ranking in terms of GDP is Mexico City globally?

eighth

What percentage of service sector national GDP does Mexico City account for?

By what year will the Mexico City GDP double by, according to research?


The economic reforms of President Carlos Salinas de Gortari had a tremendous effect on the city, as a number of businesses, including banks and airlines, were privatized. He also signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This led to decentralization and a shift in Mexico City's economic base, from manufacturing to services, as most factories moved away to either the State of Mexico, or more commonly to the northern border. By contrast, corporate office buildings set their base in the city.

Who privatized the airlines of Mexico?

President Carlos Salinas de Gortari

Who signed NAFTA for Mexico?

President Carlos Salinas de Gortari

What did NAFTA do to the businesses in Mexico City?

led to decentralization and a shift in Mexico City's economic base, from manufacturing to services

Where did the factories of Mexico City move to most commonly?

northern border


Historically, and since pre-Hispanic times, the Valley of Anahuac has been one of the most densely populated areas in Mexico. When the Federal District was created in 1824, the urban area of Mexico City extended approximately to the area of today's Cuauhtémoc borough. At the beginning of the 20th century, the elites began migrating to the south and west and soon the small towns of Mixcoac and San Ángel were incorporated by the growing conurbation. According to the 1921 census, 54.78% of the city's population was considered Mestizo (Indigenous mixed with European), 22.79% considered European, and 18.74% considered Indigenous. This was the last Mexican Census which asked people to self-identify themselves with an heritage other than Amerindian. However, the census had the particularity that, unlike racial/ethnic census in other countries, it was focused in the perception of cultural heritage rather than in a racial perception, leading to a good number of white people to identify with "Mixed heritage" due cultural influence. In 1921, Mexico City had less than one million inhabitants.

in 1921, what percent of Mexico City's population Mestizo?

How many people lived in Mexico City in 1921?

less than one million

What percentage of Mexico City's population was indigenous in 1921?


Up to the 1990s, the Federal District was the most populous federal entity in Mexico, but since then its population has remained stable at around 8.7 million. The growth of the city has extended beyond the limits of the Federal District to 59 municipalities of the state of Mexico and 1 in the state of Hidalgo. With a population of approximately 19.8 million inhabitants (2008), it is one of the most populous conurbations in the world. Nonetheless, the annual rate of growth of the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City is much lower than that of other large urban agglomerations in Mexico, a phenomenon most likely attributable to the environmental policy of decentralization. The net migration rate of the Federal District from 1995 to 2000 was negative.

How many people live in the Federal District?

8.7 million

What is the overall population of Mexico City in 2008?

19.8 million

What was the migration rate of Mexico City from 95-2000?

negative

Compared to other cities in Mexico, Mexico City's growth is?

much lower


On the other hand, Mexico City is also home to large communities of expatriates and immigrants, most notably from the rest of North America (U.S. and Canada), from South America (mainly from Argentina and Colombia, but also from Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela), from Central America and the Caribbean (mainly from Cuba, Guatemala, El Salvador, Haiti and Honduras); from Europe (mainly from Spain, Germany and Switzerland, but also from Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania), from the Middle East (mainly from Egypt, Lebanon and Syria); and recently from Asia-Pacific (mainly from China and South Korea). Historically since the era of New Spain, many Filipinos settled in the city and have become integrated in Mexican society. While no official figures have been reported, population estimates of each of these communities are quite significant.

What countries do most of the South American immigrants come from?

Argentina and Colombia

Where do most of the Asian immigrants come from?

China and South Korea

When did Filipinos start migrating to Mexico City?

since the era of New Spain


The Historic center of Mexico City (Centro Histórico) and the "floating gardens" of Xochimilco in the southern borough have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Famous landmarks in the Historic Center include the Plaza de la Constitución (Zócalo), the main central square with its epoch-contrasting Spanish-era Metropolitan Cathedral and National Palace, ancient Aztec temple ruins Templo Mayor ("Major Temple") and modern structures, all within a few steps of one another. (The Templo Mayor was discovered in 1978 while workers were digging to place underground electric cables).

Who designated the floating gardens as a World Heritage site?

UNESCO

The Historic Center and the floating gardens are both examples of what?

World Heritage Sites

When was the Templo Mayor found?

How was Templo Mayor discovered?

workers were digging to place underground electric cables


The most recognizable icon of Mexico City is the golden Angel of Independence on the wide, elegant avenue Paseo de la Reforma, modeled by the order of the Emperor Maximilian of Mexico after the Champs-Élysées in Paris. This avenue was designed over the Americas' oldest known major roadway in the 19th century to connect the National Palace (seat of government) with the Castle of Chapultepec, the imperial residence. Today, this avenue is an important financial district in which the Mexican Stock Exchange and several corporate headquarters are located. Another important avenue is the Avenida de los Insurgentes, which extends 28.8 km (17.9 mi) and is one of the longest single avenues in the world.

What is the most popular icon of Mexico City?

golden Angel of Independence

Who made the Angel of Independence?

the order of the Emperor Maximilian

The angel of independence is over the roadway that connects what?

National Palace (seat of government) with the Castle of Chapultepec

How long is the longest avenue in Mexico City?

28.8 km (17.9 mi)

What is the name of the longest avenue in Mexico City?

Avenida de los Insurgentes


Chapultepec Park houses the Chapultepec Castle, now a museum on a hill that overlooks the park and its numerous museums, monuments and the national zoo and the National Museum of Anthropology (which houses the Aztec Calendar Stone). Another piece of architecture is the Fine Arts Palace, a white marble theatre/museum whose weight is such that it has gradually been sinking into the soft ground below. Its construction began during the presidency of Porfirio Díaz and ended in 1934, after being interrupted by the Mexican Revolution in the 1920s. The Plaza of the Three Cultures in the Tlatelolco neighbourhood, and the shrine and Basilicas of Our Lady of Guadalupe are also important sites. There is a double-decker bus, known as the "Turibus", that circles most of these sites, and has timed audio describing the sites in multiple languages as they are passed.

Chapultepec Castle is located where?

Chapultepec Park

Where is the National Museum of Anthropology located?

Chapultepec Park

When did construction of the Fine Arts Palace end?

What is the name of the tour bus that shows off the monuments of Mexico City?

Turibus

Why did the construction of the Fine Arts Palace take so long?

interrupted by the Mexican Revolution


In addition, the city has about 160 museums—the world's greatest single metropolitan concentration —over 100 art galleries, and some 30 concert halls, all of which maintain a constant cultural activity during the whole year. It has either the third or fourth-highest number of theatres in the world after New York, London and perhaps Toronto. Many areas (e.g. Palacio Nacional and the National Institute of Cardiology) have murals painted by Diego Rivera. He and his wife Frida Kahlo lived in Coyoacán, where several of their homes, studios, and art collections are open to the public. The house where Leon Trotsky was initially granted asylum and finally murdered in 1940 is also in Coyoacán.

How many museums are in Mexico City?

about 160

How many art galleries are in Mexico City?

over 100

How many concert halls are in Mexico City?

Who has painted murals all over the city?

Diego Rivera

Where is the house that Leon Trotsky was murdered?

Coyoacán


Mexico City is served by the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, a 225.9 km (140 mi) metro system, which is the largest in Latin America. The first portions were opened in 1969 and it has expanded to 12 lines with 195 stations. The metro is one of the busiest in the world transporting approximately 4.5 million people every day, surpassed only by subway lines in Moscow (7.5 million), Tokyo (5.9 million), and New York City (5.1 million). It is heavily subsidized, and has some of the lowest fares in the world, each trip costing 5.00 pesos from 05:00 am to midnight. Several stations display pre-Columbian artifacts and architecture that were discovered during the metro's construction.[citation needed] However, the metro covers less than half of the total urban area. The Metro stations are also differentiated by the use of icons and glyphs which were proposed for people who could not read. The specific icons were developed based on historical (characters, sites, pre-Hispanic motifs), linguistic, symbolic (glyphs) or location references and has being emulated in further transportations alternatives in the City and in other Mexican cities. Mexico City is the only city in the world to use the icon reference and has become a popular culture trademark for the city.

How large is the metro system of Mexico City?

225.9 km (140 mi)

When was the Mexico City metro system first opened?

How many lines are in the metro system?

How many people ride the metro system each day?

4.5 million

How many stations are in the Mexico City metro system?


The city's first bus rapid transit line, the Metrobús, began operation in June 2005, along Avenida Insurgentes. Line 2 opened in December 2008, serving Eje 4 Sur, line 3 opened in February 2011, serving Eje 1 Poniente, and line 4 opened in April 2012 connecting the airport with San Lázaro and Buenavista Station at Insurgentes. As the microbuses were removed from its route, it was hoped that the Metrobús could reduce pollution and decrease transit time for passengers. In June 2013, Mexico City's mayor announced two more lines to come: Line 5 serving Eje 3 Oriente and Line 6 serving Eje 5 Norte. As of June 2013, 367 Metrobús buses transported 850,000 passengers daily.

What is the name of the city's fast bus line?

Metrobús

When did Metrobus begin services?

June 2005

When did the second line of Metrobus open?

December 2008

How many people ride the Metrobus every day?

April 2012 was the year which Metrobus line opened?

line 4


In the late 1970s many arterial roads were redesigned as ejes viales; high-volume one-way roads that cross, in theory, Mexico City proper from side to side. The eje vial network is based on a quasi-Cartesian grid, with the ejes themselves being called Eje 1 Poniente, Eje Central, and Eje 1 Oriente, for example, for the north-south roads, and Eje 2 Sur and Eje 3 Norte, for example, for east-west roads. Ring roads are the Circuito Interior (inner ring), Anillo Periférico; the Circuito Exterior Mexiquense ("State of Mexico outer loop") toll road skirting the northeastern and eastern edges of the metropolitan area, the Chamapa-La Venta toll road skirting the northwestern edge, and the Arco Norte completely bypassing the metropolitan area in an arc from northwest (Atlacomulco) to north (Tula, Hidalgo) to east (Puebla). A second level (where tolls are charged) of the Periférico, colloquially called the segundo piso ("second floor"), was officially opened in 2012, with sections still being completed. The Viaducto Miguel Alemán crosses the city east-west from Observatorio to the airport. In 2013 the Supervía Poniente opened, a toll road linking the new Santa Fe business district with southwestern Mexico City.

What are the one-way roads in Mexico city called?

ejes viales

What is different about the second level roads?

tolls are charged

When were these second level roads opened?

What main road leads to the airport?

The Viaducto Miguel Alemán

What connects Santa Fe and the southwestern part of the city?

the Supervía Poniente


There is an environmental program, called Hoy No Circula ("Today Does Not Run", or "One Day without a Car"), whereby vehicles that have not passed emissions testing are restricted from circulating on certain days according to the ending digit of their license plates; this in an attempt to cut down on pollution and traffic congestion. While in 2003, the program still restricted 40% of vehicles in the metropolitan area, with the adoption of stricter emissions standards in 2001 and 2006, in practice, these days most vehicles are exempt from the circulation restrictions as long as they pass regular emissions tests.

How do people know which days to not drive their car?

ending digit of their license plates

How many cars were still restricted in 2003?

When were new emisson standards enacted?

How can cars get exempt from the restrictions?

pass regular emissions tests


Street parking in urban neighborhoods is mostly controlled by the franeleros a.k.a. "viene vienes" (lit. "come on, come on"), who ask drivers for a fee to park, in theory to guard the car, but with the implicit threat that the franelero will damage the car if the fee is not paid. Double parking is common (with franeleros moving the cars as required), impeding on the available lanes for traffic to pass. In order to mitigate that and other problems and to raise revenue, 721 parking meters (as of October 2013), have been installed in the west-central neighborhoods Lomas de Chapultepec, Condesa, Roma, Polanco and Anzures, in operation from 8 AM to 8 PM on weekdays and charging a rate of 2 pesos per 15 minutes, with offenders' cars booted, costing about 500 pesos to remove. 30 percent of the monthly 16 million-peso (as of October 2013) income from the parking-meter system (named "ecoParq") is earmarked for neighborhood improvements. The granting of the license for all zones exclusively to a new company without experience in operating parking meters, Operadora de Estacionamientos Bicentenario, has generated controversy.

What is the name of the parking meter system in Mexico City?

ecoParq

Who operates the parking meters?

Operadora de Estacionamientos Bicentenario

How much money a month do the parking meters bring in?

16 million-peso

What are the hours of Mexico City Parking meters?

8 AM to 8 PM

How many parking meters were installed as of October 2013?


The local government continuously strives for a reduction of massive traffic congestion, and has increased incentives for making a bicycle-friendly city. This includes North America's second-largest bicycle sharing system, EcoBici, launched in 2010, in which registered residents can get bicycles for 45 minutes with a pre-paid subscription of 300 pesos a year. There are, as of September 2013, 276 stations with 4,000 bicycles across an area stretching from the Historic center to Polanco. within 300 metres (980 feet) of one another and are fully automatic using a transponder based card. Bicycle-service users have access to several permanent Ciclovías (dedicated bike paths/lanes/streets), including ones along Paseo de la Reforma and Avenida Chapultepec as well as one running 59 kilometres (37 miles) from Polanco to Fierro del Toro, which is located south of Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, near the Morelos state line. The city's initiative is inspired by forward thinking examples, such as Denmark's Copenhagenization.

What is the name of the city's bike sharing system?

EcoBici

When did the bike sharing system of the city begin?

How many bikes are involved in the bike share system?

What do they call the bike paths in Mexico City?

Ciclovías

What country is the inspiration for Mexico City's new programs?

Denmark


Mexico City is served by Mexico City International Airport (IATA Airport Code: MEX). This airport is Latin America's second busiest and one of the largests in traffic, with daily flights to United States and Canada, mainland Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Asia. Aeroméxico (Skyteam) is based at this airport, and provide codeshare agreements with non-Mexican airlines that span the entire globe. In 2014, the airport handled well over 34 million passengers, just over 2 million more than the year before. This traffic exceeds the current capacity of the airport, which has historically centralized the majority of air traffic in the country. An alternate option is Lic. Adolfo López Mateos International Airport (IATA Airport Code: TLC) in nearby Toluca, State of Mexico, although due to several airlines' decisions to terminate service to TLC, the airport has seen a passenger drop to just over 700,000 passengers in 2014 from over 2.1 million passengers just four years prior.

What is the name of the major airport in Mexico City?

Mexico City International Airport

What is the short hand code for Mexico City's largest airport?

MEX

About how many passengers come through the Mexico City International Airport each year?

34 million

What is the name of the smaller airport near Mexico City?

Adolfo López Mateos International Airport

How many passengers come through Adolfo Lopez Mateos International Airport?


In the Mexico City airport, the government engaged in an extensive restructuring program that includes the addition of a new second terminal, which began operations in 2007, and the enlargement of four other airports (at the nearby cities of Toluca, Querétaro, Puebla and Cuernavaca) that, along with Mexico City's airport, comprise the Grupo Aeroportuario del Valle de México, distributing traffic to different regions in Mexico. The city of Pachuca will also provide additional expansion to central Mexico's airport network. Mexico City's airport is the main hub for 11 of the 21 national airline companies.

When did the second terminal open at the Mexico City Airport?

How many national airlines are there in Mexico?

How many of the main Mexican airlines are based in Mexico City?

What is the new city that will be added to the group of Mexican Airports around Mexico City?

Pachuca


During his annual state-of-the-nation address on September 2, 2014, President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto unveiled plans for a new international airport to ease the city's notorious air traffic congestion, tentatively slated for a 2018 opening. The new airport, which would have six runways, will cost $9.15 billion and would be built on vacant federal land east of Mexico City International Airport. Goals are to eventually handle 120 million passengers a year, which would make it the busiest airport in the world.

When were the new plans of the airport revealed?

September 2, 2014

When are the new plans supposed to come to fruition for the airport?

How many runways will be in the new airport?

six

How many passengers will the new airport be able to handle?

120 million

How much does the new airport cost?

$9.15 billion


Having been capital of a vast pre-Hispanic empire, and also the capital of richest viceroyalty within the Spanish Empire (ruling over a vast territory in the Americas and Spanish West Indies), and, finally, the capital of the United Mexican States, Mexico City has a rich history of artistic expression. Since the mesoamerican pre-Classical period the inhabitants of the settlements around Lake Texcoco produced many works of art and complex craftsmanship, some of which are today displayed at the world-renowned National Museum of Anthropology and the Templo Mayor museum. While many pieces of pottery and stone-engraving have survived, the great majority of the Amerindian iconography was destroyed during the Conquest of Mexico.

When did Mexico City lost most of its artifacts?

Conquest of Mexico

When did the complex art of Mexico City begin?

pre-Classical period

What holds most of the old art of the Mexico city region?

National Museum of Anthropology and the Templo Mayor museum

What are the main artifacts that have survived?

pottery and stone-engraving


Much of the early colonial art stemmed from the codices (Aztec illustrated books), aiming to recover and preserve some Aztec and other Amerindian iconography and history. From then, artistic expressions in Mexico were mostly religious in theme. The Metropolitan Cathedral still displays works by Juan de Rojas, Juan Correa and an oil painting whose authorship has been attributed to Murillo. Secular works of art of this period include the equestrian sculpture of Charles IV of Spain, locally known as El Caballito ("The little horse"). This piece, in bronze, was the work of Manuel Tolsá and it has been placed at the Plaza Tolsá, in front of the Palacio de Minería (Mining Palace). Directly in front of this building is the beautiful Museo Nacional de Arte (Munal) (the National Museum of Art).

What comprised most of the early art of Mexico City?

codices

Most of the art since the Aztecs took what style?

religious

Whose art is displayed at the large cathedral in Mexico City?

Juan de Rojas

"The Little Horse" is also known as what?

equestrian sculpture of Charles IV of Spain

Who created "The Little Horse?"

Manuel Tolsá


During the 19th century, an important producer of art was the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Art Academy), founded during colonial times, and which later became the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (the National School of Arts) including painting, sculpture and graphic design, one of UNAM's art schools. Many of the works produced by the students and faculty of that time are now displayed in the Museo Nacional de San Carlos (National Museum of San Carlos). One of the students, José María Velasco, is considered one of the greatest Mexican landscape painters of the 19th century. Porfirio Díaz's regime sponsored arts, especially those that followed the French school. Popular arts in the form of cartoons and illustrations flourished, e.g. those of José Guadalupe Posada and Manuel Manilla. The permanent collection of the San Carlos Museum also includes paintings by European masters such as Rembrandt, Velázquez, Murillo, and Rubens.

What is the large art school in Mexico City?

Academia de San Carlos

Where does most of the artwork produced as the Academia de San Carlos get featured?

Museo Nacional de San Carlos

Who is one of the most famous people to graduate from the large art school of Mexico City?

José María Velasco

The San Carlos Museum has art from who, among others?

Rembrandt, Velázquez, Murillo, and Rubens


During the 20th century, many artists immigrated to Mexico City from different regions of Mexico, such as Leopoldo Méndez, an engraver from Veracruz, who supported the creation of the socialist Taller de la Gráfica Popular (Popular Graphics Workshop), designed to help blue-collar workers find a venue to express their art. Other painters came from abroad, such as Catalan painter Remedios Varo and other Spanish and Jewish exiles. It was in the second half of the 20th century that the artistic movement began to drift apart from the Revolutionary theme. José Luis Cuevas opted for a modernist style in contrast to the muralist movement associated with social politics.

Who was a big proponent of modernism in art?

José Luis Cuevas

When did artists start to immigrate to Mexico City?

20th century

Who was a famous engraver that migrated to Mexico City?

Leopoldo Méndez

What was the Popular Graphics Workshop mission?

help blue-collar workers find a venue to express their art

What nationality was Remedios Varas?

Catalan


Mexico City has numerous museums dedicated to art, including Mexican colonial, modern and contemporary art, and international art. The Museo Tamayo was opened in the mid-1980s to house the collection of international contemporary art donated by famed Mexican (born in the state of Oaxaca) painter Rufino Tamayo. The collection includes pieces by Picasso, Klee, Kandinsky, Warhol and many others, though most of the collection is stored while visiting exhibits are shown. The Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art) is a repository of Mexican artists from the 20th century, including Rivera, Orozco, Siqueiros, Kahlo, Gerzso, Carrington, Tamayo, among others, and also regularly hosts temporary exhibits of international modern art. In southern Mexico City, the Museo Carrillo Gil (Carrillo Gil Museum) showcases avant-garde artists, as does the University Museum/Contemporary Art (Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo – or MUAC), designed by famed Mexican architect Teodoro González de León, inaugurated in late 2008.

When was the Museo Tamayo opened?

Who's art collection was the reason the Museo Tamayo opened?

Rufino Tamayo

Where was Rufino Tamayo born?

Oaxaca

What type of art is shown in The Museo Carrillo Gil?

avant-garde

What famous art building was opened in late 2008?

University Museum/Contemporary Art


The Museo Soumaya, named after the wife of Mexican magnate Carlos Slim, has the largest private collection of original Rodin sculptures outside Paris. It also has a large collection of Dalí sculptures, and recently began showing pieces in its masters collection including El Greco, Velázquez, Picasso and Canaletto. The museum inaugurated a new futuristic-design facility in 2011 just north of Polanco, while maintaining a smaller facility in Plaza Loreto in southern Mexico City. The Colección Júmex is a contemporary art museum located on the sprawling grounds of the Jumex juice company in the northern industrial suburb of Ecatepec. It is said to have the largest private contemporary art collection in Latin America and hosts pieces from its permanent collection as well as traveling exhibits by leading contemporary artists. The new Museo Júmex in Nuevo Polanco was slated to open in November 2013. The Museo de San Ildefonso, housed in the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso in Mexico City's historic downtown district is a 17th-century colonnaded palace housing an art museum that regularly hosts world-class exhibits of Mexican and international art. Recent exhibits have included those on David LaChapelle, Antony Gormley and Ron Mueck. The National Museum of Art (Museo Nacional de Arte) is also located in a former palace in the historic center. It houses a large collection of pieces by all major Mexican artists of the last 400 years and also hosts visiting exhibits.

Who is the Museo Soumaya named after?

the wife of Mexican magnate Carlos Slim

What city houses the only collection of Rodin sculptures that is larger than the one in Mexico City?

Paris

What other famous sculpture has had his art displayed at the Museo Soumaya?

Dalí

When did the new design of the museum open?

How many years worth of art does the Museum in the historic center hold?


Another major addition to the city's museum scene is the Museum of Remembrance and Tolerance (Museo de la Memoria y Tolerancia), inaugurated in early 2011. The brainchild of two young Mexican women as a Holocaust museum, the idea morphed into a unique museum dedicated to showcasing all major historical events of discrimination and genocide. Permanent exhibits include those on the Holocaust and other large-scale atrocities. It also houses temporary exhibits; one on Tibet was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in September 2011.

When did the Museum of Remembrance and Tolerance open?

What main event inspired the Museum of Remembrance and Tolerance?

Holocaust

The exhibit inaugurated by the Dalai Lama opened when?

September 2011

What is the main subject of the Museum of Remembrance and Tolerance?

discrimination and genocide


Mexico City is home to a number of orchestras offering season programs. These include the Mexico City Philharmonic, which performs at the Sala Ollin Yoliztli; the National Symphony Orchestra, whose home base is the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of the Fine Arts), a masterpiece of art nouveau and art decó styles; the Philharmonic Orchestra of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (OFUNAM), and the Minería Symphony Orchestra, both of which perform at the Sala Nezahualcóyotl, which was the first wrap-around concert hall in the Western Hemisphere when inaugurated in 1976. There are also many smaller ensembles that enrich the city's musical scene, including the Carlos Chávez Youth Symphony, the New World Orchestra (Orquesta del Nuevo Mundo), the National Polytechnical Symphony and the Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra (Orquesta de Cámara de Bellas Artes).

Where does the Mexico City Philharmonic perform?

Sala Ollin Yoliztli

When was the first wrap-around concert hall in the Western Hemisphere opened?

What is the name of one of the main orchestras of Mexico City?

National Symphony Orchestra

The Palace of Fine Arts hosts what main symphony?

National Symphony Orchestra

What does OFUNAM stand for?

Philharmonic Orchestra of the National Autonomous University of Mexico