Mexico profile

Demography and Health

Mexico today is a populous country with about 130.9 million people in 2024, placing it among the more populous nations globally (population rank around 11). The demographic profile supports a large domestic market and labor force, but it also underscores pressures on health, education, and social protection programs. Life expectancy at birth stands at 75.1 years (2023), suggesting progress in health outcomes, while the crude birth rate of 15.7 per 1,000 and a crude death rate of 6.16 per 1,000 indicate a steady but gradual aging of the population is underway. Child health remains a focus, with under-5 mortality at 12.5 per 1,000 live births, reflecting enduring challenges and the need for continued investments in primary care, nutrition, and preventive services. Net migration is negative in 2024 (about -104,581), signaling continued outward mobility that can affect the size and composition of the labor force, consumer base, and remittance flows. Unemployment is relatively low at 2.77% (2023), but that figure may not capture informal employment or underemployment common in large economies. The poverty headcount is substantial, at 36.3% of the population (2022), underscoring uneven income distribution and the need for inclusive social policies. Health financing totals 5.72% of GDP (2022), with 2.56 physicians per 1,000 people (2021) and 1.02 hospital beds per 1,000 people (2021), painting a picture of access-to-care gaps in parts of the country. Innovation activity exists but remains modest by some standards: R&D expenditure is 0.268% of GDP (2023), even as patent activity shows ongoing inventive work with 1,117 resident patent applications in 2021. The digital footprint is broad, with 81.2% of the population using the Internet in 2023, enabling e-health, distance learning, and digital commerce. Environmental and resource pressures—such as water stress with freshwater withdrawal at 45% of available resources (2021)—intersect with health outcomes by shaping service delivery viability and resilience in communities across the country. In sum, Mexico combines a large and growing population with meaningful health and development achievements, while facing persistent poverty, regional disparities in health access, and the challenge of sustaining human development in a changing climate.

Economy

Mexico’s economy sits at a middle-to-upper tier in income terms, with GDP per capita at 14,158 current US$ in 2024 (rank 67), and GDP per capita, PPP at 25,688 international dollars (2024) (rank 78). The inflation rate sits at 4.72% in 2024, indicating a moderate inflation environment that can help support planning for households and firms, while still requiring monetary and fiscal policy vigilance. The current account balance is a modest deficit of 0.323% of GDP in 2024, reflecting a balance between trade, investment inflows, and external financing needs. The unemployment rate is 2.77% (2023), suggesting a flexible labor market, though this metric may mask gaps in formal employment or regional labor-market variations. Exports of goods and services constitute 36.8% of GDP (2024) and imports are 37.9% of GDP (2024), signaling a highly integrated economy with global value chains and strong dependence on international trade for growth, jobs, and consumer access to goods. High-technology exports reach 81.5 billion US$ in 2023, portraying a robust base in electronics, automotive, aerospace, and related sectors, while domestic capacity for knowledge generation shows up in 1,117 resident patent applications in 2021 and R&D spending at 0.268% of GDP (2023). The combination of competitive labor costs, sizeable FDI inflows (2.37% of GDP in 2024), and a large domestic market positions Mexico as a pivotal player in North American and global supply chains, albeit with ongoing needs to deepen productivity and innovation.”

Trade and Investment

Mexico demonstrates substantial openness to trade and capital flows. Exports of goods and services account for 36.8% of GDP in 2024, with imports at 37.9% of GDP, signaling a highly integrated economy that relies on external markets for raw materials, components, and consumer goods as well as access to foreign technology. Foreign direct investment net inflows amount to 2.37% of GDP in 2024, indicating continued investor confidence and the country’s attractiveness for manufacturing, services, and perhaps regional hubs. The nation’s physical and digital infrastructure supports trade, as shown by a Logistics Performance Index of 2.8 (2022), which translates into a solid capability for trade and transport-related activities while also pointing to opportunities for further enhancement in efficiency and reliability. The high-technology export footprint—evident from 81.5 billion US$ in high-technology exports (2023)—highlights a shift toward more sophisticated manufacturing. Intellectual property activity is notable, with 1,117 resident patent applications in 2021, underscoring ongoing innovation in sectors linked to export competitiveness. Together, these metrics portray a country deeply embedded in global markets, with a strong but evolving platform for investment and technology-driven growth.

Governance and Institutions

Mexico’s governance indicators depict a mix of challenges and ongoing reforms. Political stability and absence of violence/terrorism score -0.631 (2023, rank 151), regulatory quality is -0.172 (2023, rank 103), rule of law is -0.806 (2023, rank 151), control of corruption is -1.02 (2023, rank 161), and government effectiveness is -0.198 (2023, rank 108). Across these indicators, negative values and high ranks suggest persistent weaknesses in certain governance domains, particularly in the rule of law and anti-corruption efforts relative to global comparators. At the same time, a poverty headcount of 36.3% (2022) reveals significant social vulnerability that public policy must address. The governance mix matters for firms and citizens alike: it can influence the efficiency of public services, the reliability of the regulatory environment, and the predictability of doing business. The data imply that improving governance—especially in legal institutions and corruption control—could amplify the effectiveness of social programs and private investment, supporting more inclusive and sustainable growth over time.

Infrastructure and Technology

Mexico’s infrastructure and technology profile shows strengths and gaps. High-technology exports totaling about 81.5 billion US$ (2023) indicate a substantial advanced manufacturing and innovation footprint that supports export competitiveness. Internet penetration is high, with 81.2% of the population using the Internet in 2023, enabling digital commerce, innovation ecosystems, and remote service delivery. On health and education infrastructure, the country has 1.02 hospital beds per 1,000 people (2021) and 2.56 physicians per 1,000 people (2021), suggesting uneven access to care across regions and the need for targeted investment to reduce disparities. R&D intensity remains modest at 0.268% of GDP (2023), pointing to opportunities to expand knowledge creation, develop human capital, and raise productivity through science and technology policy. Renewable energy accounts for 13% of total final energy consumption (2021), reflecting progress toward cleaner energy but indicating substantial room for growth in the energy transition. Water resource pressures are evident with freshwater withdrawal at 45% of available resources (2021), signaling the necessity of improved water management and efficiency to sustain growth and public health. The Logistics Performance Index stands at 2.8 (2022), indicating competitive performance in some trade corridors but still room to improve overall goods movement, reliability, and cost of logistics in support of regional and global supply chains.

Environment and Sustainability

Environmental sustainability in Mexico is shaped by both resource constraints and emissions growth. Per capita greenhouse gas emissions total 5.49 t CO2e (2023), reflecting a carbon footprint influenced by energy use, industrial activity, and mobility patterns. Freshwater resources face stress, with 45% of freshwater withdrawal relative to available resources (2021), underscoring the urgency of water governance, efficiency, and infrastructure investments to safeguard communities and ecosystems. Renewable energy contributed 13% of total final energy consumption (2021), indicating momentum toward cleaner energy sources but also highlighting the need for further scale-up to reduce emissions and enhance energy security. The prevalence of undernourishment is 3.1% of the population (2022), suggesting that nutrition and food systems remain an essential area for public policy alongside broader development goals. Taken together, these indicators show a country trying to balance growth with environmental stewardship: expanding renewables, improving water management, and reducing emission intensity while promoting social inclusion and resilience in a context of poverty and regional disparities.