Mex ‧ i ‧ co /ˈmeksəkəʊ, ˈmeksɪkəʊ/ BrE AmE
a country to the south of the US and to the north of Guatemala. Population: 109,955,400 (2008). Capital: Mexico City. The official language is Spanish, and most people belong to the Roman Catholic religion. It has had a strong influence on US ↑ culture , especially on its food and language. Before the arrival of Europeans, there were several important Native American ↑ civilization s in Mexico, including the Aztecs and the Maya. The country was ruled by Spain from the 16th century, and became independent in 1821.