page_title: History of Mexico
section_title: NAFTA and USMCA (1994–present)
hierarchical_section_title: History of Mexico / Contemporary Mexico / NAFTA and USMCA (1994–present)
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Signature de l'Accord de libre-échange nord-américain en octobre 1992. De gauche à droite, debouts&#160;: Carlos Salinas de Gortari (président mexicain), George H. W. Bush (président américain) et Brian Mulroney (premier ministre canadien). De gauche à droite, assis&#160;: Jaime Serra Puche (Secrétaire du Commerce international et du développement industriel du Mexique), Carla Hills (Représentant au Commerce des États-Unis) et Michael Wilson (ministre du Commerce international du Canada). English: NAFTA Initialing Ceremony, October 1992 From left to right (standing) Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, US President George H. W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. (Seated) Mexican Secretary of Commerce and Industrial Development Jaime Serra Puche, United States Trade Representative Carla Hills, Canadian Minister of International Trade Michael Wilson.
context_page_description: The written history of Mexico spans more than three millennia. First populated more than 13,000 years ago, central and southern Mexico, saw the rise and fall of complex indigenous civilizations. Uniquely in the Western Hemisphere, Mesoamerican civilizations developed glyphic writing systems, recording the political history of conquests and rulers. Mesoamerican history before Europeans arrived is variously called the prehispanic era and the precolumbian era.
  The Spanish conquest of Mexico that toppled the Aztec Empire in 1521 with the aid of indigenous allies, created a political entity known as New Spain, now usually called "colonial Mexico." The Spanish victories were followed by expanded regions into the Spanish Empire. The Spanish crown established the Viceroyalty of New Spain with the site of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan becoming Mexico City. Mexico City became and remains the center of political rule.
context_section_description: On 1 January 1994, Mexico became a full member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), joining the United States and Canada.
  Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the trillion-dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in sea ports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports.
  Per capita income is one-quarter that of the United States; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the United States and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA. Mexico has free-trade agreements with more than 40 countries, governing 90% of its foreign commerce.
caption: Three world leaders: (background, left to right) Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, observe the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Commenced in San Antonio, Texas on 17 December 1992.
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