Administrative divisions of Mexico
| Mexican States and Mexico City Estados Mexicanos y la Ciudad de México (Spanish) |
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Also known as: Free and Sovereign State Estado Libre y Soberano |
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| Category | Federated state |
| Location | United Mexican States |
| Number | 31 States 1 Capital city |
| Populations | (States only) 637,026 (Baja California Sur) – 12,851,821 (México) |
| Areas | (States only) 3,990 km2 (1,541 sq mi) (Tlaxcala) – 247,460 km2 (95,543 sq mi) (Chihuahua) |
| Government | State government/Federal District Government |
| Subdivisions | States and Mexico City: Municipality |
The United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos) is a federal republic composed of 32 federal entities: 31 states and a "capital city" (Mexico City).
According to the Constitution of 1917, the states of the federation are free and sovereign. Each state has its own congress and constitution. Mexico City is currently being reformed to have the same rights of a state.
The states of the Mexican Federation are free, sovereign, autonomous and independent of each other. They are free to govern themselves according to their own laws; each state has a constitution that cannot contradict the federal constitution, which covers issues of national competence. The states cannot make alliances with other states or any independent nation without the consent of the whole federation, except those of defense and security arrangements necessary to keep the border states secure in the event of an invasion. The political organization of each state is based on a separation of powers in a congressional system: legislative power is vested in a unicameral congress (the federal congress has two chambers); executive power is independent of the legislature and vested in a governor elected by universal suffrage; and judicial power is vested in a Superior Court of Justice. Since states have legal autonomy, each has its own civil and penal codes and judicial body.
In the Congress of the Union, the federative entities – the States and the Federal District – are each represented by 3 senators, 2 elected by universal suffrage on the principle of relative majority and 1 assigned to the party which obtains the largest minority. In addition, the federation makes up a constituency in which 32 senators are elected by the method of proportional representation. Federal Deputies, however, do not represent the states, but rather the citizens themselves. The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate together comprise the Congress of the Union.
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Wikipedia