Mexico

The Sierra Madre is the principal mountain system of Mexico that encloses the central Mexican Plateau. Consisting of the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre del Sur, and Sierra Madre de Oaxaca, the mountains form a broad northwest-southeast arc extending the length of Mexico.

Sumidero Canyon is located in the state of Chiapas, in southern Mexico. The Grijalva River runs through the canyon, cutting spectacular walls which form numerous small caves, rock formations, and waterfalls. The Sumidero Canyon National Park surrounds the canyon.

The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve is located in southeastern Mexico amid a complex system of mountain ranges and valleys within the Sierra Madre del Sur. Due to its endemic species, endangered species and rare floristic species, the site is an IUCN world biodiversity hotspot.

The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley is a semi-arid zone with the richest biodiversity in North America, hosting the densest forests of columnar cacti in the world. Archaeological evidence demonstrates the early domestication of crops and an exceptional water management system of canals, wells, aqueducts and dams.

The Templo Mayor was the main temple of the Mexica peoples in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. Construction of the first temple began sometime after 1325 and it was rebuilt six times. The main plaza of Mexico City today was developed to the southwest of this archaeological site.

The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, also known as the Cordillera Neo-Volcánica and known locally as the Sierra Nevada, is located in south-central Mexico and extends east-west across the country from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. This volcanic arc contains many of the country's tallest mountain peaks.

Tulum is the site of a pre-Columbian Mayan walled city that served as a major port for the ancient city of Coba, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Tulum is situated on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya.

The Veracruz Coral Reef System comprises flats, islands and reefs that are located in the Gulf of Mexico on the inner part of the continental shelf. The area harbors resident, transitory and migrant fish, operating as a barrier against waves and storms.

The Volcán Tacaná Biosphere Reserve encompasses the Tacaná Volcano in Chiapas, on the Mexico-Guatemala border. The volcano is part of the Central America Volcanic Arc. It contains fragile ecosystems, rich in wild flora and fauna of cultural, scientific, economic and biological relevance.

The Yucatán Peninsula is the exposed portion of the larger Yucatán Platform and lies between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It includes the Mexican states of Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatán as well as parts of Belize and Guatemala.