MEXICO

161

Owing  to  the  location  of  the  country  partly
in  the  Temperate  and  partially  in  the  Torrid
Zones,  the  climate  is  diversified,  the  varying
altitudes  tempering  extreme  heat,  except,  of
course,  along  the  low  lands  near  both  coasts.
There  are  two  seasons—the  wet  and  the  dry,
the  times  for  the  rains  being  materially  governed ­
  by  the  altitude  and  location,  but  generally ­
  corresponding  respectively  to  our  winter
months.
The  present  population  is  about  14,000,000
although  it  was  estimated  to  be  15,063,207  in
1910.  The  greater  number  of  these  people
are  unlettered  Indians,  and  mixed  breeds.
There  are  some  negroes  about  the  coastal
regions.  Most  of  the  business  of  the  country
is  in  the  hands  of  the  foreigners,  Americans
predominating,  with  many  English,  Spanish,
French  and  Germans.
There  are  about  16,000  miles  of  railway  in
Mexico  in  actual  operation,  with  1000  more
contemplated.  The  Mexican  government
owns  8612  miles  of  road,  while  the  remainder
is  controlled  by  private  interests.  These