📜 A long story
Mexico, 1800 → today
Mexico grew from 5.1 million in 1800 to 130 million; a newborn can expect 51.8 more years of life than in 1893, and output per person is 12× its 1800 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 5.1 million people lived in Mexico.
1900
13.3 million people.
2.6× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1880.
1950
27.6 million people.
2.1× the 1900 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1948.
2023
130 million people, the latest year in this series.
4.7× the 1950 level
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1971.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 2003.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1893
In 1893, a newborn in Mexico could expect to live 23.3 years, on average.
1950
43.8 years.
+20 years since 1893
Passed 40 years in 1927.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 6.3 years between 1927 and 1930 (40.3 years → 34 years).
2023
75.1 years, the latest year in this series.
+31 years since 1950
Passed 50 years in 1956.
Passed 60 years in 1972.
Passed 70 years in 1993.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1800
In 1800, Mexico produced about Int$1,310 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$1,820.
1.4× the 1800 level
1950
Int$3,510.
1.9× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1925.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 32% between 1926 and 1932 (Int$2,760 → Int$1,890).
2022
Int$16,200, the latest year in this series.
4.6× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1969.
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 2004.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1856
In 1856, fossil fuels and industry in Mexico emitted about 0.00096 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
0.3 t.
275× the 1856 level
Reached twice the 1856 level in 1862.
Reached 5 times the 1856 level in 1878.
Reached 10 times the 1856 level in 1887.
Reached 20 times the 1856 level in 1888.
Reached 50 times the 1856 level in 1891.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 90% between 1866 and 1869 (0.0039 t → 0.00039 t).
1950
1.1 t.
4.2× the 1900 level
2024
3.5 t, the latest year in this series.
3.2× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Mexico had spent 0.4 years in school, on average.
1900
0.9 years.
+0.47 years since 1870
1950
2.2 years.
+1.4 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1940.
2015
9.7 years, the latest year in this series.
+7.5 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1975.
Passed 6 years in 1990.
Passed 8 years in 2005.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).