Final answer:
Southern Mexico is known for its agricultural base, cultural heritage, and tourism but lacks the industrial and urban development of Mexico's core regions like Mexico City, making it the poorest region in the country.
Step-by-step explanation:
Southern Mexico is characterized by a mix of agriculture, indigenous heritage, and emerging tourism but is not known for industrialization or urbanization in comparison to other regions in Mexico. While cities like Cancún in the Yucatán Peninsula have developed into major tourist destinations, the hinterlands and regions like Chiapas remain relatively poor and lack the benefits seen from economic activity and industrial growth predominant in the northern sector. In contrast, Mexico City and its metropolitan centers are the country's core regions, where the bulk of the population, wealth, and power are concentrated, making it highly urbanized. The southern region of Mexico, therefore, is better characterized as Mexico's poorest region rather than its most industrialized or urbanized area.