How Many States Are in Mexico?

Located in southern North America, Mexico is a sovereign nation with an area of 1,972,550 square km. It is the world’s 14th biggest nation.

Mexico is divided into 31 states, and its capital, Mexico City, is a federal entity. Although Mexico City is not defined as a state, it has a certain degree of autonomy similar to other states. The states of Mexico are the first-level administrative entities of the country and are further subdivided into municipalities.

The Largest State of Mexico: Chihuahua

Located in Northwestern Mexico, Chihuahua is the biggest Mexican state by area, accounting for 12.6% of the nation’s land area. The landlocked state shares its border with four other Mexican states and has a long international border with the United States in the north and northeast. Chihuahua occupies a land area of 247,460 square km, making it slightly bigger than the United Kingdom. Despite its large size, it is only the 11th most populated state in the country. The population of Chihuahua is 3,556,574. Mountains and deserts spread across vast areas of the state, which results in a low population density in these areas.

Other Large Mexican States

Sonora, Coahuila, Durango, and Oaxaca are the other four of Mexico's five largest states, accounting for 9.1%, 7.7%, 6.3%, and 4.8% of the country’s area, respectively.

The Smallest State of Mexico: Tlaxcala

The smallest Mexican state is Tlaxcala, which is named after its capital city of the same name. The land area of Tlaxcala is 3,997 square km, which accounts for only 0.2% of the nation’s total area. Tlaxcala is located in east-central Mexico, in the altiplano region. It shares its borders with three Mexican states. Although small in size, Tlaxcala has a comparatively higher population than many other larger Mexican states since it has a high population density. The state had a population of 1,272,847 in 2015, and a population density is 320 persons per square km, making Tlaxcala the third most densely populated Mexican state.

Other Small Mexican States

Morelos, Aguascalientes, Colima, and Querétaro are the other four of Mexico's five smallest states, accounting for 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.3%, and 0.6% of the area of the country, respectively. Although not a state, Mexico City is also a first-level administrative division and is thus included in the list below. With an area of 1,495 square km, it is the smallest of Mexico's 32 federal entities, and represents only 0.1% of the nation's total land area.