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Issued in Paris by the Librairie Chaix around 1889, this large-format map of Mexico by F. Bianconi condenses the content of his two-sheet Carte Commerciale du Mexique into a single, highly functional sheet designed for commercial use. Engraved by J. Pignarre and printed at 20 rue Bergère, the map was intended for bankers, engineers, and investors seeking a geographic overview of Mexico’s economic infrastructure during the late Porfirian period.
The map emphasizes three core themes (transportation, agriculture, and mining), each rendered through a clear symbology. Railways in operation are shown as solid lines, while projected or under-construction lines appear as dashed segments. These networks extend from Mexico City to Veracruz, Ciudad Juárez, and the henequen-producing lowlands of Yucatán. Red typography identifies key zones of export production: silver in Zacatecas, henequen in Yucatán, and coffee in Soconusco. Maritime connectivity is charted through telegraph routes and steamship itineraries linking Veracruz, Tampico, and Progreso with foreign ports.
The shaded relief highlights the Sierra Madre and the central volcanic belt. Blue hachures trace the coastlines and interior lakes of the Mexican Plateau. A detailed inset of the Basin of Mexico appears at lower left, showing a dense rail network around the capital and the shrinking lakes of Chalco, Texcoco, Xaltocan, and Xochimilco.
![[Lithograph of El Colegio Apostólico de Propaganda Fide de Guadalupe in Zacatecas, Mexico]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/106657.jpg)
![[Painted map of Mexico and the Southern United States by a Noted Artist who studied mural painting under David Siqueiros]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/101948.jpg)
![Geographique et Physique du Royaume de Nouvelle-Espagne [with quarto text:] Essai Politique de la Royaume de la Nouvelle-Espagne](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/99796.jpg)
