Mexico is located in the southern portion of North America. Almost all of Mexico lies in the North American Plate, with small parts of the Baja California peninsula on the Pacific and Cocos Plates. The Tropic of Cancer effectively divides the country into temperate and tropical zones. Land north experiences cooler temperatures during the winter months. South temperatures are fairly constant year round and vary solely as a function of elevation. This gives Mexico one of the world's most diverse weather systems.