g to competition in January 1997 has brightened prospects
for development

domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with
120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile
cellular service

international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2
Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central
America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic
communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to
Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high
capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the
US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 865, FM about 500, shortwave 13 (1999)

Radios: 31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code: .mx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 51 (2000)

Internet users: 2.5 million (2000)

Mexico Transportation

Railways: total: 31,048 km

standard gauge: 30,958 km 1.435-m gauge (246 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 90 km 0.914-m gauge (1998 est.)

Highways: total: 323,977 km

paved: 96,221 km (including 6,335 km of expressways)

unpaved: 227,756 km (1997)

Waterways: 2,900 km

note: navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km;
natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors: Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada,
Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso,
Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine: total: 43 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
590,657 GRT/920,456 DWT

ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 3,
petroleum tanker 28, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 3 (2000
est.)

Airports: 1,848 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 238

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 90

914 to 1,523 m: 82

under 914 m: 27 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,610

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 65

914 to 1,523 m: 470

under 914 m: 1,073 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2000 est.)

Mexico Military

Military branches: Nati