Economics

Mexican economic Facts: 

GPD: $1.567 trillion (2010 est.)

GDP per capita: $13,900 (2010 est.)

Labor force: 46.99 million (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.4% (2010 est.)

Source: 

• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html

NAFTA 

          The implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed on January 1, 1994. The agreement allowed the United States, Mexico and Canada to trade goods, services and foreign investments with less restriction. Under the NAFTA, all non-tariff related aspects in agriculture were completely eliminated by January 1, 2008. NAFTA links 450 million people producing $17 trillion worth of goods and services. After the NAFTA agreement, Mexico grew on average 4.5% GDP every year until 1999.

 Here is an Image of President Clinton signing NAFTA 

[Source] 

Not all aspects of NAFTA were positive however. Some of the negative effects of NAFTA include: 

• Many Mexican farmers are losing jobs due to subsided farm products from the United States
• Exploitation of Mexican workers
• Environmental deterioration due to waste 

Sources: 

• http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/policy/nafta/nafta.asp
• http://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/north-american-free-trade-agreement-nafta
• http://useconomy.about.com/od/tradepolicy/p/NAFTA_Problems.htm