"Ciudad de México": The Official Name of Mexico's Capital

Ciudad de México (Spanish for **"Mexico City"**) is the **official full name** of the capital of Mexico. Since **2016**, its constitutional abbreviation is **CDMX** (Ciudad de México).

Key Facts

• Status: **Federal Entity** (not a state), equal to 31 states; own constitution, congress, mayor (Jefa de Gobierno).
• Population: ~9.2M (city proper, 2020); **21.8M metro (Valley of Mexico)** — largest in North America, 5th globally.
• Altitude: 2,240 m (7,350 ft) — high-altitude megalopolis.
• History: Founded **1325 as Tenochtitlan** (Mexica/Aztec capital on Lake Texcoco); conquered 1521 by Cortés; rebuilt as Spanish colonial capital.
• Economy: Generates ~17% national GDP; finance, tech, tourism, manufacturing.
• UNESCO: Historic Center & Xochimilco (World Heritage).

Usage

• Formal: *Ciudad de México* or *CDMX*.
• Colloquial: *El DF* (Distrito Federal — old name, still used), *La Capital*, *México* (context-dependent).
• English: **Mexico City**.

It is the **political, cultural, economic, and demographic heart of Mexico** — a world city built on a lake, layered with 700 years of continuous urban history.