Mexico
Most utility poles in Mexico are made of concrete and have an octagonal shape. There will often be engravings on the side.
NOTE: Octagonal poles are also common in Colombia.
Mexico uses short licence plates with a large variety of designs. Front plates are required.
NOTE: For an overview of the most common regional designs, see step 2.
These small, cylindrical white bollards with a black base are unique to Mexico. A yellow reflector can sometimes be seen, as well as a flat version.
Mexico has two general road shields; one for national highways with “MEXICO” written at the top and a slightly curvy design, and one for state roads which have straight borders, and typically has the state initials written at the top.
Mexican directional signs have a distinctly large, all-caps white font.
Mexican kilometre markers are white, with black font and outline.
Cacti, of many different species, are extremely common in Mexico.
Mexico uses the word “ALTO” on stop signs.
NOTE: All of South America uses the word “PARE”.
Arrows on signs are noticeably very thick.
Yellow accents on kerbs and bridge barriers are quite common.
You will commonly see wide cylindrical, black or white water tanks on rooftops.
OXXO and Pemex are two of the most popular gas station brands in Mexico.
NOTE: While less common, OXXO can still be found in other countries.
Many place names in Mexico are of Nahuatl origin, featuring a lot of ‘x’ and ‘tl’ as well as ‘-ec’ and ‘-tlan’ suffixes.
Mexico uses circular electricity counters.
NOTE: Circular electricity counters are not unique to Mexico and can also be found in the US, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and the Philippines.
United States car brands are popular in Mexico. In particular, you will see a lot of pickup trucks.
Mexico is one of very few Latin American countries that has Generation 2 coverage.
NOTE: Brazil has some Generation 2, but it is considerably more rare, as most of it is overwritten.
The Generation 3 coverage in Mexico mainly feature two cars:
A white car with a stubby antenna. There is a diagonal coil wrapped around the antenna.
A white car with a more visible back and a long red brake light instead of an antenna.
It is possible to find a white car without a stubby antenna, but with a tiny sliver visible where the antenna should be.
The Generation 4 cars in Mexico commonly have a visible front and can feature various different colour patterns. The three most common ones are:
Blue
White with a blue stripe
Black
The first digit of Mexican area codes are regional and can be seen on this map.
Similarly, Mexican postal codes can be seen on this map. They will commonly appear at the bottom of street signs, and are ordered alphabetically based on state names.
Every state in Mexico has one or several unique licence plate designs. In this infographic you can find the most common and helpful ones.
Prickly pear cacti are distinct with their flat oval-shaped pads. They are noticeably more common centrally and are rarely seen in southern and coastal states.
Agave salmiana, also known as pulque agaves, have wide, smooth, curling leaves, and a crown-like appearance. They are common in the central Mexican valley and further north around the city of San Luis Potosi.
Vast fields of blue agave (Agave tequilana), used to produce tequila, are mostly found in Jalisco and Nayarit.
Yucca filifera, also known as tree yucca, as well as yucca decipiens are most commonly seen in San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas as well as some of the bordering northern states. They can be recognised by their oblong rosettes of sharp green leaves branching from a single trunk, similar to a tree.
The Mexican Giant Cardon is an extremely common cacti in the Baja California peninsula. It can be identified through its large sprawling arms stemming from a singular trunk and ribbed exterior.
The Saguaro Cacti can be spotted in the western half of Sonora, featuring short curving arms that stem from a main trunk.
Organ Pipe Cacti have long thin stems that often come out from a stem that is around ground level. They are most commonly found in Sonora and occasionally in Baja California Sur.
The Blue Myrtle Cacti have short arms that uniformly curve and point upwards. It is abundantly found in San Luis Potosi, but also common in Queretaro and Hidalgo.
Sugar cane can be found all over the country, but by far most common in Veracruz.
Coconut palms can be found all across the coast, but are often found in large groups in Guerrero and Colima.
Sabal palms are most commonly observed in the east coast of Mexico, the Yucatan peninsula, as well as the state of Nayarit. They feature a spiky, sun-shaped crown, giving the tree a lollipop-like appearance.
The Attalea rostrata is a huge palm recognizable from its upright leaves, almost resembling an umbrella. It is mostly exclusive to Veracruz and Tabasco, and can be rarely found in Chiapas.
Oil palm plantations are most common in Chiapas, and occasionally on the outskirts of the state in Veracruz, Tabasco, and Campeche.
Boojum trees can be recognized by their alien, tentacle-like appearance. They are almost exclusively found in the southern half of Baja California.
Brittlebush are small shrubs with bright silver-grey leaves that are most commonly found in Sonora, especially around Hermosillo.
These thin, white-barked trees can be found in the Yucatan peninsula, but are most prevalent in Quintana Roo.
These gold tufts of grass in a line right next to the road are most commonly found in Coahuila.
These clumps of grass in almost a teardrop shape are common in the region around Tlaxcala.
Red agricultural fields are commonly seen in Zacatecas and occasionally southern Durango.
The Monterrey metropolitan area features tall stunning mountain ranges that surround the city.
The western parts of Chihuahua and Durango can feature a rocky mountainous landscape covered with pine forests. In general, these pines are shorter and more stunted in appearance than pine forests of the central or south.
Extremely dark fields are common in Guanajuato.
These reddish brown-tinged hills, often accompanied by large boulders, are a common sight for the northern half of Baja California.
Almost blindingly white soil in the Yucatan peninsula is most common in Quintana Roo.
NOTE: This is only consistent in Generation 3.
These red agricultural fields surrounded by dense forests of tropical trees are most common in northern Campeche.