Mexico's president is making one last attempt to get the United States out of Mexico – at least as far as the country's name is concerned.

The country's formal name is the United Mexican States, but few people use it. President Felipe Calderón wants to make it simply Mexico.

Calderón said the name was adopted in 1824 to imitate the country's northern neighbour, but Mexicans did not need to emulate anyone.

The constitutional reform would have to be approved by both houses of congress and a majority of the 31 state legislatures. Calderón leaves office on 1 December.

He first proposed the name change as a congressman in 2003. The bill did not make it to a vote.