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About Mexico
Officially United Mexican States, republic (1995 est. pop. 93,986,000), 753,665 sq mi (1,952,500 sq km), S North America. It borders on the United States in the north, on the Gulf of Mexico (including its arm, the Bay of Campeche) and the Caribbean Sea in the  east, on Belize and Guatemala in the southeast, and on the Pacific Ocean in the south and west. Mexico is divided into 31 states and the Federal District, which includes most of the country's capital and largest city, Mexico City.
Land
Most of Mexico is highland or mountainous and less than 15% of the land is arable; about 25% of the country is forested. Most of the Yucatán peninsula and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the southeast is lowland, and there are low-lying strips of land along the  Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, and the Gulf of California
In the south the deserts yield to the broad, shallow lakes of a region, comprising the Valley of Mexico, known as the Anáhuac and famous for its rich cultural heritage. South of the Anáhuac, which includes Mexico City, is a chain of extinct volcanoes, including Citlaltépetl , or Orizaba (18,700 ft/5,700 m, the highest point in Mexico), Popocatépetl , and Iztaccihuatl . To the south are jumbled masses of mountains and the Sierra Madre del Sur.
People
The great majority of the population are of mixed Spanish and indigenous descent and speak Spanish, the official language, as their first language. Various Mayan dialects are also spoken. Since 1920 the population of Mexico has had a very high rate of growth, almost entirely the result of natural increase; from 1940 to 1990 the population grew from 19.6 million to 81.1 million.
*Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003.
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About Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya Mexico
Playa del Carmen is a cosmopolitan town located on the Caribbean Sea about 35 miles South of Cancun in the heart of Mexico's Mayan Riviera. The town is small enough where you can walk just about anywhere you need to go. The location of Playa del Carmen and its nearby attractions makes this the perfect holiday destination for a Caribbean Vacation.
Lodging runs the gamut from youth hostels to upscale, boutique hotels available in all price ranges. There are over one hundred Playa del Carmen hotels to choose from and all are within town and walking distance to the beach.
A myriad of dining options ranging from roadside taco stands to upscale, fine-dining restaurants line 5th Avenue, downtown's pedestrian walkway. Enjoy local Mayan cuisine or choose from a variety of international eateries, including Italian, French, Argentinian and Thai restaurants. For local dishes venture up Juarez Avenue or past 10th Avenue to sample authentic Mexican food.
A typical day in Playa, as the locals call it, can be spent relaxing under an umbrella propped along the breathtaking Mayan Riviera beaches sipping a margarita. The azure sea is the perfect temperature for a swim, and the ocean breeze is steady enough to keep you cool. Seaside bars and restaurants are located all along Playa del Carmen beaches and are the perfect place to kick off your shoes and enjoy lunch with your toes in the cool, white sand.
During the afternoon, you may browse the many shops and markets along 5th Avenue. Banks, pharmacies, one-hour-film developing, liquor stores and supermarkets are located downtown and nearby.
After dinner at an palapa-roof restaurant, there are plenty of fun bars on the beach and in town where you can kick back with an ice-cold cerveza and watch live music. Listen to rock, reggae, folk, mariachi, and Mexican bands all around town and dance to live Salsa music at the Mambo Cafe.
Playa is located in the perfect location and there are many opportunities for day trips from Playa del Carmen to explore Mayan ruins, snorkel, swim in a cenote (underground cave), or explore the charming island of Isla Mujeres.
Modern public transportation systems make it easy, and affordable, to explore the Riviera Maya from Playa del Carmen. Hop on a bus and explore the ruins at Tulum, Coba or Chichen Itza. Catch a collectivo bus to snorkel the lagoons at Xcaret or Xel Ha. Take the ferry to Cozumel and dive in the world-famous reef. Busses from Playa del Carmen to downtown Cancun depart every 15 minutes.
If you prefer a more serene atmosphere, Akumal and Tulum are a short distance away. You might want to spend a day visiting the historical churches and buildings of colonial Valladolid.
Playa del Carmen is the perfect location with its close proximity to everthing the Riviera Maya has to offer.
Playa del Carmen is a city on the coast of the Caribbean Sea in the north east of the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, located at 20.62° North, 87.07° West. The city is the seat of the Solidaridad municipality. In the 2005 census the city had a population of about 100,383 people, and is rapidly growing in population. It is the third-largest city in Quintana Roo, after Cancún and Chetumal.
Originally a small fishing town, tourism to Playa del Carmen began with the passenger ferry service to Cozumel, an island across the Cozumel Channel and world-famous scuba diving destination. While passing through, many people realized that it was a nice place to relax away from the crowds of Cancún but with the same quality beaches and turquoise waters. Perhaps just as impressive as Cozumel, Playa del Carmen's coast offers good scuba diving opportunities, as well as cenote diving for the more adventurous.
Today Playa del Carmen, or just 'Playa' as it is colloquially referred to, is the centre of the Riviera Maya concept, which covers from Cancún to Tulum and the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve. Playa is a stop for several cruise ships, which dock at the nearby Calica quarry docks, about six miles south of the city. A Mayan-themed "ecological theme park", Xcaret (pronounced "e-shcaret") is a popular tourist destination just south of the town. Tourist activity in Playa del Carmen centres on the Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, a pedestrian walkway located just one block inland from the beach, and lined with boutique hotels, shops, bars and restaurants.
Elements within the Playa Del Carmen local community and government have attempted to retain Playa del Carmen's reputation and charm as a small fishing village and artists' colony, without becoming as large or tourist-dependent as Cancún. To this end, the city passed an ordinance limiting buildings to three stories. A few four-story buildings were built before the ordinance, however.
There is a significant European influence in Playa, with a number of local business proprietors drawn from the European expatriate community.
Hurricane Wilma
devestated Playa, destroying shops, hotels, and the local infrastructure. Shortly after coming ashore on Cozumel it officialy made landfall in Playa. It was considered to have been hit the worst by the hurricane.
The telenovelaPeregrina takes place in Playa del Carmen.