Mexico City

What are the advantages and disadvantages of life in Mexico City?

Thousands and thousands of people every year migrate to Mexico City from the rural areas of Mexico. That being said, the city grows day by day in both population and area, now claiming a massive 1,500 km² of land. It towers over all other cities in population density and ranks the second most populated city in the world with an astounding number of 21.5 million people in the metropolitan area. But why do the people move into this city? Why do they leave their countryside dwellings and come to this rumbling mass of concrete that sinks into the earth day by day at a catastrophic rate of six to eight inches per year? Why do they come to this trap of a capital surrounded with active volcanoes on all sides suffering from major earthquakes month by month? It is time to find out.

Mexico City is the largest and by far the most economically and industrially developed city in the whole of Mexico. It houses 20 colleges, the University of Mexico and many other educational facilities including the unrivaled Museum of Anthropology and Modern Art. This of course also encourages tourism and so provides a major economical factor in Mexico City. New industries have also erupted in this settlement ranging from textiles to car assembly also providing with vacancies. This act of migration may as well be the start of a new life for many a person that wish to escape their rural poverty and have a chance at a greater opportunity. The city calls to all rural settlers with its bright lights and prospects leading them to a less isolated future up in this metropolis.

On the other hand, not everything is so great in this city. Almost half of the current population in Mexico City lives in ‘shantytowns’ – improvised low-cost dwellings migrants move into while in search for jobs or permanent accommodation. Life in these settlements is very tough and without any basic services such as underground sewage, policing or electricity. Pollution is also a major hazard in the life of these citizens on par with volcanic and earthquake risk. The increased population, as well as an increase in industry pollute the atmosphere immensely being trapped within the circle of volcanoes that encompass the city and putting many people in danger. The fact that Mexico City is located near one of the most dangerous earthquake hotspots in the continent doesn’t make the city a safer place to live and visit. Last but not least, the services are not keeping in time with the ever-growing metropolis. The sewage, the police and the fire departments are way too far behind the migration rate, which makes living in Mexico City so much harder. Sewage is also a problem as the constant rate of the city sinking makes the waste all go to the surface and block many a pipe. It is all quite a fetching problem for the city.

All in all, there are both positive and negative factors to this city (as to any one, in fact). Here we have got a brighter future with education and jobs competing with pollution, loss of services       and poverty, so it is clearly not a fight to be taken lightly. In my opinion, Mexico City can be accessed from both points of view, but in all honesty I would not like to live there, no offence. But if you are that desperate and life in this great city seems just what you need – a challenge – it is a city that you might enjoy.

By Valentina C.