THE 7 MOST IMPORTANT MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS OF MEXICO - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The mountain systems of Mexico include extensive mountain ranges and ranges, volcanic systems and bodies, and lower elevation mountain bodies. Mexico has one of the greatest geographic and geological diversities in the world.

Mexico has a series of officially categorized mountain systems, over the years, that comprise a sequence of geological bodies and reliefs. The great Mexican geodiversity influences other natural aspects such as climate, flora and fauna.

Among the Mexican mountain systems, volcanic bodies and their internal systems are also considered, which have a great influence on the geography of Mexico.

The position of the Mexican territory and its contact with the Pacific Ocean at one end and the Gulf of Mexico at the other, have conditioned the natural qualities of its regions.

It has come to be considered that the Mexican geological features and accidents belonging to these mountain systems have been a fundamental part of the birth and historical, economic and social development of Mexico as a nation.

Among the main mountain systems we can consider the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Neovolcanic Cordillera, as well as a series of smaller mountain ranges and elevations.

The four most important mountain systems

1- Sierra Madre Oriental

The Sierra Madre Oriental is considered the backbone between North and Central America, being a mountain range that extends over 1,000 kilometers from north to south, from Texas to the north; to Puebla, to the south, where it joins the formations of the Neovolcanic Axis.

It is part of what is considered the great body of the American Cordillera, which spans much of the American continent.

The Sierra Madre Oriental has different climatic characteristics throughout its extension, presenting a much more arid environment to the north and a more temperate and humid character to the south.

The main mountains within the Mexican territory that belong to the Sierra Madre Oriental are Cerro San Rafael, Cerro El Potosí and Sierra de la Marta; all with an approximate height greater than 3,500 meters above sea level.

Cerro San Rafael is considered the highest in the entire Sierra Madre Oriental.

The extension of the Sierra Madre Oriental presents a high level of biodiversity, including endemic species of flora and fauna.

The highest areas contain pine forests, whose species are exclusive to the region. These forests are often home to unique species of butterflies, as well as small animals such as foxes and birds.

2- Sierra Madre Occidental

The Sierra Madre Occidental extends parallel to the Oriental, near the Pacific coast.

Its formation begins at the height of Sonora, and includes the western zone of different Mexican regions such as Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Guanajuato, among others. It has a total extension of 1,250 kilometers, ending at the junction with the Sierra Madre del Sur and the Neovolcanic Axis.

The highest elevation in the Sierra Madre Occidental belongs to Cerro Gordo, in Durango, with a height greater than 3,300 meters above sea level.

Contrary to the Eastern Sierra Madre, the western one has less arid vegetation in its northern zone, being considered the lung of northern Mexico.

Like the Oriental, the Sierra Madre Occidental has a high level of biodiversity. It is estimated that it has more than 7,000 species between fauna and flora, and more than half have been categorized as endemic.

Similarly, a large part of the soil that makes up the Sierra Madre Occidental, in some of its regions, has volcanic characteristics.

3- Sierra Madre del Sur

Considered the least extensive of the main mountain systems in Mexico, the Sierra Madre del Sur runs parallel to the Neovolcanic Axis, and includes the regions of Michoacán, Guerrero and Oaxaca. It is between 1,000 and 1,200 kilometers long.

Its most pronounced elevation is the Quie Yelaag hill, a Zapotec name translated as "flan cloud", also popularly known as El Nacimiento hill.

This is located south of Oaxaca and has a height of 3,720 meters above sea level. It is higher than the main hills of the Sierra Madre Oriental and Occidental. Its isolation does not allow it a greater popularity among locals and foreigners.

The Sierra Madre del Sur is characterized by having a large number of rivers within its extension, as well as a greater presence of faults and canyons. Like its peers, it has a great biodiversity, including a high number of endemic species.

4- Neovolcanic axis

Also known as Eje Volcánico Transversal, it is a large group of volcanic bodies considered a natural barrier between North and Central America.

Located towards the south of Mexico, it represents the end of the Eastern and Western Sierras Madres, and extends parallel to the Sierra Madre del Sur.

The Neovolcanic Axis has an area of ​​approximately 900 kilometers. In this volcanic mountain range the main volcanoes of Mexico are located, being the Citlaltepetl, known in Spanish as Pico de Orizaba, the highest volcano and mountain in all of Mexico.

This volcano has an altitude of 5,747 meters above sea level, it is located between Puebla and Veracruz, it is considered an active volcano.

The Axis volcanoes are so high that they have snow on their peaks for much of the year.

From higher altitude regions, you can see the constant succession of volcanic bodies along the entire Axis, crossing the central Mexican region to the south.

Among the other main volcanoes of the Hub are the Paricutín volcano (the most recent to be officially recognized as part of the Neovolcanic Hub), in Michoacán; the Cimatario, in Querétaro; the Fuego and Nevado volcanoes in Colima; the Nevado, from Toluca; the Sanguanguey, in Nayarit; the Malinche and the Popocatepetl. All these volcanoes have an altitude above 2,000 meters above sea level.

5- Sierra Madre de Chiapas

Also known as the Central Cordillera, it runs through southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and a small part of Honduras. Its formation dates from the end of the Secondary era, at the end of the late Cretaceous.

The Sierra runs from north to south, bordering 600 km of the Pacific coast. Its birth occurs in Mexico, on the Ostuta River. Mexican territoriality ends at the border with Guatemala.

Within Mexico, the highest elevation is located at the Tacaná volcano with 4092 meters above sea level, however, in Guatemala we find the Tajumulco volcano that exceeds 4220 meters above sea level.

6- Sierra Madre of Oaxaca

Mountain chain that owes its name to the fact that most of its relief is within the State of Oaxaca. However, it also occupies areas of Veracruz and Puebla.

It is an extension of the Sierra Madre Oriental that is born in the Pico de Orizaba. It extends southeast direction about 300 km until it reaches the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Its highest point is Cerro Pelón at 3,270 meters above sea level.

7- Sierra de Baja California

Mountainous relief located north of the state of Baja California, practically next to the border with the United States. Next to it is the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir.

Also known as Sierra de Juárez, it extends about 140 kilometers to the south and its highest peak reaches 1980 meters above sea level.

References

1. Demant, A. (1978). Characteristics of the Trans-Mexican Neovolcanic Axis and its interpretation problems. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Institute of Geology, Magazine, 172-187.
2. Díaz, GA, & Martínez, ML (2001). The Amazcala Caldera, Queretaro, Mexico. Geology and Geochronology. Journal of Volcanology and Biothermal Research, 203-218.
3. González-Elizondo, MS, González-Elizondo, M., Tena-Flores, JA, Ruacho-González, L., & López-Enríquez, L. (2012). Vegetation of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico: a synthesis. Acta botánica mexicana.
4. Luna, I., Morrone, JJ, & Espinosa, D. (2004). Biodiversity of the Sierra Madre Oriental. México, DF: The Presses of Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, UNAM.
5. Morrone, JJ (2005). Towards a biogeographic synthesis of Mexico. Mexican journal of biodiversity.