Final answer:
The Valley of Mexico, with its high elevation and fertile lands, was home to the Aztec Empire and previous civilizations like Teotihuacán. The Aztecs developed an intricate city, Tenochtitlan, with an elaborate irrigation system and chinampas. The region encompasses a significant historical geography, playing host to prosperous pre-Columbian societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The geography of the Valley of Mexico, where the Aztec Empire existed, is characterized by a fertile highland plateau situated approximately 2,000 meters above sea level. This area, now home to the sprawling Mexico City Metropolitan Area with a population of over 21 million, was historically one of the planet's most densely populated regions. The Aztecs settled in swampy land near Lake Texcoco, where they constructed islands and developed sophisticated irrigation systems after draining the area.
Prior to the Aztecs, the valley was dominated by the city of Teotihuacán, which around two thousand years ago was home to about 150,000 people and had apartment-style complexes to accommodate its dense population. The Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, would later become the most populated city in Mesoamerica, boasting nearly 150,000 residents within its sophisticated urban layout surrounded by chinampas or floating gardens.
The Valley of Mexico has also seen the influence of other pre-Aztec civilizations, such as the Olmec, who flourished in Mesoamerica around 1200 to 400 B.C.E. However, it was the Aztecs who expanded their empire across the valley and constructed remarkable structures, practiced human sacrifice as part of their religious customs, and established a robust economy until the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.