North America - Wikipedia North America `` North American '' redirects here. For other uses, see North American ( disambiguation ). Not to be confused with Northern America. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2015 ) North America Area 24,709,000 km ( 9,540,000 sq mi ) ( 3rd ) Population 579,024,000 ( 2016 ; 4th ) Population density 22.9 / km ( 59.3 / sq mi ) GDP ( nominal ) $22.2 trillion ( 2017 ; 2nd ) GDP ( PPP ) $23.7 trillion ( 2017 ; 3rd ) GDP per capita $45,560 ( 2017 ; 2nd ) Demonym North American Countries 23 sovereign states Dependencies 23 non-sovereign territories Languages English, Spanish, French, and many others Time zones UTC - 10 to UTC Largest cities List of urban areas : New York City Mexico City Los Angeles Chicago Boston Toronto Dallas -- Fort Worth San Francisco Houston Miami Philadelphia North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere ; it is also considered by some to be a northern subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea. North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers ( 9,540,000 square miles ), about 16.5 % of the earth 's land area and about 4.8 % of its total surface. North America is the third largest continent by area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 2013, its population was estimated at nearly 579 million people in 23 independent states, or about 7.5 % of the world 's population, if nearby islands ( most notably the Caribbean ) are included. North America was reached by its first human populations during the last glacial period, via crossing the Bering land bridge approximately 40,000 to 17,000 years ago. The so - called Paleo - Indian period is taken to have lasted until about 10,000 years ago ( the beginning of the Archaic or Meso - Indian period ). The Classic stage spans roughly the 6th to 13th centuries. The Pre-Columbian era ended in 1492, and the transatlantic migrations -- the arrival of European settlers during the Age of Discovery and the Early Modern period. Present - day cultural and ethnic patterns reflect different kinds of interactions between European colonists, indigenous peoples, African slaves and their descendants. European influences are strongest in the northern parts of the continent while indigenous and African influences are relatively stronger in the south. Because of the history of colonialism, most North Americans speak English, Spanish or French and societies and states commonly reflect Western traditions. Contents 1 Name 2 Extent 2.1 Regions 2.2 Countries, territories, and dependencies 3 History 3.1 Geologic history 3.2 Pre-Columbian 3.3 Colonial period 4 Geography 5 Geology 5.1 Canadian geology 5.2 United States geology 5.3 Central American geology 6 Climate 7 Ecology 8 Demographics 8.1 Languages 8.2 Religions 8.3 Populace 9 Economy 9.1 Transport 9.2 Communications 10 Culture 10.1 Sports 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 External links Name Map of North America, from 1621 The Americas are usually accepted as having been named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci by the German cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann. Vespucci, who explored South America between 1497 and 1502, was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a different landmass previously unknown by Europeans. In 1507, Waldseemüller produced a world map, in which he placed the word `` America '' on the continent of South America, in the middle of what is today Brazil. He explained the rationale for the name in the accompanying book Cosmographiae Introductio :... ab Americo inventore... quasi Americi terram sive Americam ( from Americus the discoverer... as if it were the land of Americus, thus America ). For Waldseemüller, no one should object to the naming of the land after its discoverer. He used the Latinized version of Vespucci 's name ( Americus Vespucius ), but in its feminine form `` America '', following the examples of `` Europa '', `` Asia '' and `` Africa ''. Later, other mapmakers extended the name America to the northern continent, In 1538, Gerard Mercator used America on his map of the world for all the Western Hemisphere. Some argue that the convention is to use the surname for naming discoveries except in the case of royalty and so a derivation from `` Amerigo Vespucci '' could be problematic. Ricardo Palma ( 1949 ) proposed a derivation from the `` Amerrique '' mountains of Central America -- Vespucci was the first to discover South America and the Amerrique mountains of Central America, which connected his discoveries to those of Christopher Columbus. Alfred E. Hudd proposed a theory in 1908 that the continents are named after a Welsh merchant named Richard Amerike from Bristol, who is believed to have financed John Cabot 's voyage of discovery from England to Newfoundland in 1497. A minutely explored belief that has been advanced is that America was named for a Spanish sailor bearing the ancient Visigothic name of ' Amairick '. Another is that the name is rooted in a Native American language. Extent The term North America maintains various definitions in accordance with location and context. In Canadian English, North America may be used to refer to the United States and Canada together. Alternatively, usage sometimes includes Greenland and Mexico ( as in the North American Free Trade Agreement ), as well as offshore islands. The UN geoscheme for `` North America '' separates Mexico from the United States and Canada, placing it instead within its designated `` Central America '' region, while also treating the islands of the Caribbean separately from the US / Canada definition -- the UN 's `` North America '' definition still includes the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland together with the US / Canada continental definition, with both insular entities being tectonically on the North American plate. In France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Romania, Greece, and the countries of Latin America, the cognates of North America usually designate a subcontinent of the Americas comprising Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and often Greenland, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, and Bermuda. North America has been historically referred to by other names. Spanish North America ( New Spain ) was often referred to as Northern America, and this was the first official name given to Mexico. Regions See also : List of regions of Canada and List of regions of the United States Geographically the North American continent has many regions and subregions. These include cultural, economic, and geographic regions. Economic regions included those formed by trade blocs, such as the North American Trade Agreement bloc and Central American Trade Agreement. Linguistically and culturally, the continent could be divided into Anglo - America and Latin America. Anglo - America includes most of Northern America, Belize, and Caribbean islands with English - speaking populations ( though sub-national entities, such as Louisiana and Quebec, have large Francophone populations ; in Quebec, French is an official language along with English ). The southern North American continent is composed of two regions. These are Central America and the Caribbean. The north of the continent maintains recognized regions as well. In contrast to the common definition of `` North America '', which encompasses the whole continent, the term `` North America '' is sometimes used to refer only to Mexico, Canada, the United States, and Greenland. The term Northern America refers to the northern-most countries and territories of North America : the United States, Bermuda, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Canada and Greenland. Although the term does not refer to a unified region, Middle America -- not to be confused with the Midwestern United States -- groups the regions of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The largest countries of the continent, Canada and the United States, also contain well - defined and recognized regions. In the case of Canada these are ( from east to west ) Atlantic Canada, Central Canada, Canadian Prairies, the British Columbia Coast, and Northern Canada. These regions also contain many subregions. In the case of the United States -- and in accordance with the US Census Bureau definitions -- these regions are : New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic States, East North Central States, West North Central States, East South Central States, West South Central States, Mountain States, and Pacific States. Regions shared between both nations included the Great Lakes Region. Megalopolises have formed between both nations in the case of the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes Megaregion. Countries, territories, and dependencies Main article : List of sovereign states and dependent territories in North America Flag Country or territory Area ( km ) Population ( 2016 est. ) Population density ( per km ) Capital Anguilla ( United Kingdom ) 7001910000000000000 ♠ 91 14,764 164.8 The Valley Antigua and Barbuda 7002442000000000000 ♠ 442 100,963 199.1 St. John 's Aruba ( Netherlands ) 7002180000000000000 ♠ 180 104,822 594.4 Oranjestad The Bahamas 7004139430000000000 ♠ 13,943 391,232 24.5 Nassau Barbados 7002430000000000000 ♠ 430 284,996 595.3 Bridgetown Belize 7004229660000000000 ♠ 22,966 366,954 13.4 Belmopan Bermuda ( United Kingdom ) 7001540000000000000 ♠ 54 61,666 1203.7 Hamilton Bonaire ( Netherlands ) 7002294000000000000 ♠ 294 7004120930000000000 ♠ 12,093 41.1 Kralendijk British Virgin Islands ( United Kingdom ) 7002151000000000000 ♠ 151 30,661 152.3 Road Town Canada 7006998467000000000 ♠ 9,984,670 36,289,822 3.4 Ottawa Cayman Islands ( United Kingdom ) 7002264000000000000 ♠ 264 60,765 212.1 George Town Clipperton Island ( France ) 7000600000000000000 ♠ 6 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 0.0 -- Costa Rica 7004511000000000000 ♠ 51,100 4,857,274 89.6 San José Cuba 7005109886000000000 ♠ 109,886 11,475,982 102.0 Havana Curaçao ( Netherlands ) 7002444000000000000 ♠ 444 159,371 317.1 Willemstad Dominica 7002751000000000000 ♠ 751 73,543 89.2 Roseau Dominican Republic 7004486710000000000 ♠ 48,671 10,648,791 207.3 Santo Domingo El Salvador 7004210410000000000 ♠ 21,041 6,344,722 293.0 San Salvador Federal Dependencies of Venezuela ( Venezuela ) 7002342000000000000 ♠ 342 Gran Roque Greenland ( Denmark ) 7006216608600000000 ♠ 2,166,086 56,412 0.026 Nuuk Grenada 7002344000000000000 ♠ 344 107,317 302.3 St. George 's Guadeloupe ( France ) 7003162800000000000 ♠ 1,628 449,975 246.7 Basse - Terre Guatemala 7005108889000000000 ♠ 108,889 16,582,469 128.8 Guatemala City Haiti 7004277500000000000 ♠ 27,750 10,847,334 361.5 Port - au - Prince Honduras 7005112492000000000 ♠ 112,492 9,112,867 66.4 Tegucigalpa Jamaica 7004109910000000000 ♠ 10,991 2,881,355 247.4 Kingston Martinique ( France ) 7003112800000000000 ♠ 1,128 385,103 352.6 Fort - de-France Mexico 7006196437500000000 ♠ 1,964,375 127,540,423 57.1 Mexico City Montserrat ( United Kingdom ) 7002102000000000000 ♠ 102 5,152 58.8 Plymouth ( Brades ) Navassa Island ( United States ) 7000500000000000000 ♠ 5 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 0.0 Nicaragua 7005130373000000000 ♠ 130,373 6,149,928 44.1 Managua Nueva Esparta ( Venezuela ) 7003115100000000000 ♠ 1,151 La Asunción Panama 7004754170000000000 ♠ 75,417 4,034,119 45.8 Panama City Puerto Rico ( United States ) 7003887000000000000 ♠ 8,870 3,667,903 448.9 San Juan Saba ( Netherlands ) 7001130000000000000 ♠ 13 7003153700000000000 ♠ 1,537 118.2 The Bottom San Andrés and Providencia ( Colombia ) 7001530000000000000 ♠ 53 7004777010000000000 ♠ 77,701 1468.59 San Andrés Saint Barthélemy ( France ) 7001210000000000000 ♠ 21 7003744800000000000 ♠ 7,448 354.7 Gustavia Saint Kitts and Nevis 7002261000000000000 ♠ 261 54,821 199.2 Basseterre Saint Lucia 7002539000000000000 ♠ 539 178,015 319.1 Castries Saint Martin ( France ) 7001540000000000000 ♠ 54 7004298200000000000 ♠ 29,820 552.2 Marigot Saint Pierre and Miquelon ( France ) 7002242000000000000 ♠ 242 6,305 24.8 Saint - Pierre Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7002389000000000000 ♠ 389 109,643 280.2 Kingstown Sint Eustatius ( Netherlands ) 7001210000000000000 ♠ 21 7003273900000000000 ♠ 2,739 130.4 Oranjestad Sint Maarten ( Netherlands ) 7001340000000000000 ♠ 34 39,537 1176.7 Philipsburg Trinidad and Tobago 7003513000000000000 ♠ 5,130 1,364,962 261.0 Port of Spain Turks and Caicos Islands ( United Kingdom ) 7002948000000000000 ♠ 948 34,900 34.8 Cockburn Town United States 7006962909100000000 ♠ 9,629,091 322,179,605 32.7 Washington, D.C. United States Virgin Islands ( United States ) 7002347000000000000 ♠ 347 104,913 317.0 Charlotte Amalie Total 7007245009950000000 ♠ 24,500,995 7008541720440000000 ♠ 541,720,440 22.9 History Main article : History of North America Geologic history Principal hydrological divides of Canada, the United States and Mexico Laurentia is an ancient craton which forms the geologic core of North America ; it formed between 1.5 and 1.0 billion years ago during the Proterozoic eon. The Canadian Shield is the largest exposure of this craton. From the Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic eras, North America was joined with the other modern - day continents as part of the supercontinent Pangaea, with Eurasia to its east. One of the results of the formation of Pangaea was the Appalachian Mountains, which formed some 480 million years ago, making it among the oldest mountain ranges in the world. When Pangaea began to rift around 200 million years ago, North America became part of Laurasia, before it separated from Eurasia as its own continent during the mid-Cretaceous period. The Rockies and other western mountain ranges began forming around this time from a period of mountain building called the Laramide orogeny, between 80 and 55 million years ago. The formation of the Isthmus of Panama that connected the continent to South America arguably occurred approximately 12 to 15 million years ago, and the Great Lakes ( as well as many other northern freshwater lakes and rivers ) were carved by receding glaciers about 10,000 years ago. North America is the source of much of what humanity knows about geologic time periods. The geographic area that would later become the United States has been the source of more varieties of dinosaurs than any other modern country. According to paleontologist Peter Dodson, this is primarily due to stratigraphy, climate and geography, human resources, and history. Much of the Mesozoic Era is represented by exposed outcrops in the many arid regions of the continent. The most significant Late Jurassic dinosaur - bearing fossil deposit in North America is the Morrison Formation of the western United States. Pre-Columbian The El Castillo pyramid, at Chichén Itzá, Mexico The indigenous peoples of North America have many creation myths by which they assert that they have been present on the land since its creation. The specifics of Paleo - Indian migration to and throughout the Americas, including the exact dates and routes traveled, are subject to ongoing research and discussion. The traditional theory has been that these early migrants moved into the Beringia land bridge between eastern Siberia and present - day Alaska around 25,000 to 11,000 years ago. The few agreements achieved to date are the origin from Central Asia, with widespread habitation of the Americas during the end of the last glacial period, or more specifically what is known as the late glacial maximum, around 13,000 years before present. Some genetic research indicated secondary waves of migration occurred after the initial Paleo - Indian colonization, but prior to modern Inuit, Inupiat and Yupik expansions. Before contact with Europeans, the natives of North America were divided into many different polities, from small bands of a few families to large empires. They lived in several `` culture areas '', which roughly correspond to geographic and biological zones and give a good indication of the main lifeway or occupation of the people who lived there ( e.g., the bison hunters of the Great Plains, or the farmers of Mesoamerica ). Native groups can also be classified by their language family ( e.g., Athapascan or Uto - Aztecan ). Peoples with similar languages did not always share the same material culture, nor were they always allies. Anthropologists think that the Inuit people of the high Arctic came to North America much later than other native groups, as evidenced by the disappearance of Dorset culture artifacts from the archaeological record, and their replacement by the Thule people. During the thousands of years of native habitation on the continent, cultures changed and shifted. One of the oldest cultures yet found is the Clovis culture of modern New Mexico. Later cultures include the Mississippian culture and related Mound building cultures, found in the Mississippi river valley and the Pueblo culture of what is now the Four Corners. The more southern cultural groups of North America were responsible for the domestication of many common crops now used around the world, such as tomatoes and squash. Perhaps most importantly they domesticated one of the world 's major staples, maize ( corn ). The earliest verifiable instance of pre-Columbian trans - oceanic contact by any European culture with the landmasses that geologically constitute the `` mainland '' of modern North America has been dated to the end of the 10th century CE -- this site, situated at the northernmost extent of the island named Newfoundland, is known as L'Anse aux Meadows, where unmistakable evidence of Norse settlement was uncovered in the early 1960s. As a result of the development of agriculture in the south, many important cultural advances were made there. For example, the Maya civilization developed a writing system, built huge pyramids and temples, had a complex calendar, and developed the concept of zero around 400 CE, a few hundred years after the Mesopotamians. The Mayan culture was still present in southern Mexico and Guatemala when the Spanish explorers arrived, but political dominance in the area had shifted to the Aztec Empire whose capital city Tenochtitlan was located further north in the Valley of Mexico. The Aztecs were conquered in 1521 by Hernán Cortés. Colonial period Benjamin West 's The Death of General Wolfe ( 1771 ) depicting the Battle of the Plains of Abraham Main article : European colonization of the Americas Further information : Timeline of the European colonization of North America, British America, French America, Viceroyalty of New Spain, and Russian colonization of the Americas During the Age of Discovery, Europeans explored and staked claims to various parts of North America. Upon their arrival in the `` New World '', the Native American population declined substantially, because of violent conflicts with the invaders and the introduction of European diseases to which the Native Americans lacked immunity. Native culture changed drastically and their affiliation with political and cultural groups also changed. Several linguistic groups died out, and others changed quite quickly. The names and cultures that Europeans recorded were not necessarily the same as the names they had used a few generations before, or the ones in use today. Britain, Spain, and France took over extensive territories in North America -- and fought over them. In the late 18th century and beginning of the 19th, independence movements that sprung up across the continent, led to the creation of the modern countries in the area. The 13 British colonies on the North Atlantic coast declared independence in 1776, becoming the United States of America. Canada was formed from the unification of northern territories controlled by Britain and France. New Spain, a territory that stretched from modern - day southern US to Central America, declared independence in 1810, becoming the First Mexican Empire. In 1823 the former Captaincy General of Guatemala, then part of the Mexican Empire, became the first independent state in Central America, officially changing its name to the United Provinces of Central America. Geography Main article : Geography of North America Satellite imagery of North America North America occupies the northern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the Western Hemisphere, the Americas, or simply America ( which, less commonly, is considered by some as a single continent with North America a subcontinent ). North America 's only land connection to South America is at the Isthmus of Panama. The continent is delimited on the southeast by most geographers at the Darién watershed along the Colombia - Panama border, placing all of Panama within North America. Alternatively, some geologists physiographically locate its southern limit at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico, with Central America extending southeastward to South America from this point. The Caribbean islands, or West Indies, are considered part of North America. The continental coastline is long and irregular. The Gulf of Mexico is the largest body of water indenting the continent, followed by Hudson Bay. Others include the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Gulf of California. Before the Central American isthmus formed, the region had been underwater. The islands of the West Indies delineate a submerged former land bridge, which had connected North and South America via what are now Florida and Venezuela. There are numerous islands off the continent 's coasts ; principally, the Arctic Archipelago, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Aleutian Islands ( some of which are in the Eastern Hemisphere proper ), the Alexander Archipelago, the many thousand islands of the British Columbia Coast, and Newfoundland. Greenland, a self - governing Danish island, and the world 's largest, is on the same tectonic plate ( the North American Plate ) and is part of North America geographically. In a geologic sense, Bermuda is not part of the Americas, but an oceanic island which was formed on the fissure of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge over 100 million years ago. The nearest landmass to it is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. However, Bermuda is often thought of as part of North America, especially given its historical, political and cultural ties to Virginia and other parts of the continent. Moraine Lake in Banff National Park The vast majority of North America is on the North American Plate. Parts of western Mexico, including Baja California, and of California, including the cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, and Santa Cruz, lie on the eastern edge of the Pacific Plate, with the two plates meeting along the San Andreas fault. The southernmost portion of the continent and much of the West Indies lie on the Caribbean Plate, whereas the Juan de Fuca and Cocos plates border the North American Plate on its western frontier. The continent can be divided into four great regions ( each of which contains many subregions ) : the Great Plains stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian Arctic ; the geologically young, mountainous west, including the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, California and Alaska ; the raised but relatively flat plateau of the Canadian Shield in the northeast ; and the varied eastern region, which includes the Appalachian Mountains, the coastal plain along the Atlantic seaboard, and the Florida peninsula. Mexico, with its long plateaus and cordilleras, falls largely in the western region, although the eastern coastal plain does extend south along the Gulf. The western mountains are split in the middle into the main range of the Rockies and the coast ranges in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, with the Great Basin -- a lower area containing smaller ranges and low - lying deserts -- in between. The highest peak is Denali in Alaska. The United States Geographical Survey ( USGS ) states that the geographic center of North America is `` 6 miles ( 10 km ) west of Balta, Pierce County, North Dakota '' at about 48 ° 10 ′ N 100 ° 10 ′ W ﻿ / ﻿ 48.167 ° N 100.167 ° W ﻿ / 48.167 ; - 100.167, about 24 kilometres ( 15 mi ) from Rugby, North Dakota. The USGS further states that `` No marked or monumented point has been established by any government agency as the geographic center of either the 50 States, the conterminous United States, or the North American continent. '' Nonetheless, there is a 4.6 - metre ( 15 ft ) field stone obelisk in Rugby claiming to mark the center. The North American continental pole of inaccessibility is located 1,650 km ( 1,030 mi ) from the nearest coastline, between Allen and Kyle, South Dakota at 43 ° 22 ′ N 101 ° 58 ′ W ﻿ / ﻿ 43.36 ° N 101.97 ° W ﻿ / 43.36 ; - 101.97 ﻿ ( Pole of Inaccessibility North America ). Geology Main article : Geology of North America Geologic Map of North America published by USGS Sedimentary, volcanic, plutonic, and metamorphic rock types of North America Canadian geology Geologically, Canada is one of the oldest regions in the world, with more than half of the region consisting of precambrian rocks that have been above sea level since the beginning of the Palaeozoic era. Canada 's mineral resources are diverse and extensive. Across the Canadian Shield and in the north there are large iron, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, and uranium reserves. Large diamond concentrations have been recently developed in the Arctic, making Canada one of the world 's largest producers. Throughout the Shield there are many mining towns extracting these minerals. The largest, and best known, is Sudbury, Ontario. Sudbury is an exception to the normal process of forming minerals in the Shield since there is significant evidence that the Sudbury Basin is an ancient meteorite impact crater. The nearby, but less known Temagami Magnetic Anomaly has striking similarities to the Sudbury Basin. Its magnetic anomalies are very similar to the Sudbury Basin, and so it could be a second metal - rich impact crater. The Shield is also covered by vast boreal forests that support an important logging industry. United States geology The lower 48 US states can be divided into roughly five physiographic provinces : The American cordillera The Canadian Shield Northern portion of the upper midwestern United States. The stable platform The coastal plain The Appalachian orogenic belt The geology of Alaska is typical of that of the cordillera, while the major islands of Hawaii consist of Neogene volcanics erupted over a hot spot. North America bedrock and terrain North American cratons and basement rocks Central American geology Central America rests in the Caribbean Plate. Central America is geologically active with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring from time to time. In 1976 Guatemala was hit by a major earthquake, killing 23,000 people ; Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was devastated by earthquakes in 1931 and 1972, the last one killing about 5,000 people ; three earthquakes devastated El Salvador, one in 1986 and two in 2001 ; one earthquake devastated northern and central Costa Rica in 2009, killing at least 34 people ; in Honduras a powerful earthquake killed seven people in 2009. Volcanic eruptions are common in the region. In 1968 the Arenal Volcano, in Costa Rica, erupted and killed 87 people. Fertile soils from weathered volcanic lavas have made it possible to sustain dense populations in the agriculturally productive highland areas. Central America has many mountain ranges ; the longest are the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, the Cordillera Isabelia, and the Cordillera de Talamanca. Between the mountain ranges lie fertile valleys that are suitable for the people ; in fact, most of the population of Honduras, Costa Rica, and Guatemala live in valleys. Valleys are also suitable for the production of coffee, beans, and other crops. Climate North America map of Köppen climate classification North America is a very large continent which surpasses the Arctic Circle, and the Tropic of Cancer. Greenland, along with the Canadian Shield, is tundra with average temperatures ranging from 10 to 20 ° C ( 50 to 68 ° F ), but central Greenland is composed of a very large ice sheet. This tundra radiates throughout Canada, but its border ends near the Rocky Mountains ( but still contains Alaska ) and at the end of the Canadian Shield, near the Great Lakes. Climate west of the Cascades is described as being a temperate weather with average precipitation 20 inches ( 510 mm ). Climate in coastal California is described to be Mediterranean, with average temperatures in cities like San Francisco ranging from 57 to 70 ° F ( 14 to 21 ° C ) over the course of the year. Stretching from the East Coast to eastern North Dakota, and stretching down to Kansas, is the continental - humid climate featuring intense seasons, with a large amount of annual precipitation, with places like New York City averaging 50 inches ( 1,300 mm ). Starting at the southern border of the continental - humid climate and stretching to the Gulf of Mexico ( whilst encompassing the eastern half of Texas ) is the subtropical climate. This area has the wettest cities in the contiguous U.S. with annual precipitation reaching 67 inches ( 1,700 mm ) in Mobile, Alabama. Stretching from the borders of the continental humid and subtropical climates, and going west to the Cascades Sierra Nevada, south to the southern tip of durango, north to the border with tundra climate, the steppe / desert climate is the driest climate in the U.S. Ecology This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. ( March 2015 ) See also : List of endangered plants in North America Notable North American fauna include the bison, black bear, prairie dog, turkey, pronghorn, raccoon, coyote and monarch butterfly. Notable plants that were domesticated in North America include tobacco, maize, squash, tomato, sunflower, blueberry, avocado, cotton, chile pepper and vanilla. Demographics Further information : Demographics of the United States, Demographics of Canada, and Demographics of Mexico Non-native nations ' control and claims over North America c. 1750 -- 2008 Native languages of the US, Canada and Greenland Economically, Canada and the United States are the wealthiest and most developed nations in the continent, followed by Mexico, a newly industrialized country. The countries of Central America and the Caribbean are at various levels of economic and human development. For example, small Caribbean island - nations, such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Antigua and Barbuda, have a higher GDP ( PPP ) per capita than Mexico due to their smaller populations. Panama and Costa Rica have a significantly higher Human Development Index and GDP than the rest of the Central American nations. Additionally, despite Greenland 's vast resources in oil and minerals, much of them remain untapped, and the island is economically dependent on fishing, tourism, and subsidies from Denmark. Nevertheless, the island is highly developed. Demographically, North America is ethnically diverse. Its three main groups are Caucasians, Mestizos and Blacks. There is a significant minority of Indigenous Americans and Asians among other less numerous groups. Languages Main article : Languages of North America Languages spoken in the Americas The dominant languages in North America are English, Spanish, and French. Danish is prevalent in Greenland alongside Greenlandic, and Dutch is spoken side by side local languages in the Dutch Caribbean. The term Anglo - America is used to refer to the anglophone countries of the Americas : namely Canada ( where English and French are co-official ) and the United States, but also sometimes Belize and parts of the tropics, especially the Commonwealth Caribbean. Latin America refers to the other areas of the Americas ( generally south of the United States ) where the Romance languages, derived from Latin, of Spanish and Portuguese ( but French speaking countries are not usually included ) predominate : the other republics of Central America ( but not always Belize ), part of the Caribbean ( not the Dutch -, English -, or French - speaking areas ), Mexico, and most of South America ( except Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana ( France ), and the Falkland Islands ( UK ) ). The French language has historically played a significant role in North America and now retains a distinctive presence in some regions. Canada is officially bilingual. French is the official language of the Province of Quebec, where 95 % of the people speak it as either their first or second language, and it is co-official with English in the Province of New Brunswick. Other French - speaking locales include the Province of Ontario ( the official language is English, but there are an estimated 600,000 Franco - Ontarians ), the Province of Manitoba ( co-official as de jure with English ), the French West Indies and Saint - Pierre et Miquelon, as well as the US state of Louisiana, where French is also an official language. Haiti is included with this group based on historical association but Haitians speak both Creole and French. Similarly, French and French Antillean Creole is spoken in Saint Lucia and the Commonwealth of Dominica alongside English. Religions Main article : Religion in North America See also : Religions of the world Washington National Cathedral, in Washington, D.C.. The United States has the most people in the world identifying as Christian. Christianity is the largest religion in the United States, Canada and Mexico. According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey, 77 % of the population considered themselves Christians. Christianity also is the predominant religion in the 23 dependent territories in North America. The United States has the largest Christian population in the world, with nearly 247 million Christians ( 70 % ), although other countries have higher percentages of Christians among their populations. Mexico has the world 's second largest number of Catholics, surpassed only by Brazil. A 2015 study estimates about 493,000 Christian believers from a Muslim background in North America, most of them belonging to some form of Protestantism. According to the same study religiously unaffiliated ( include agnostic and atheist ) make up about 17 % of the population of Canada and the United States. No religion make up about 24 % of the United States population, and 24 % of Canada total population. Canada, the United States and Mexico host communities of both Jews ( 6 million or about 1.8 % ), Buddhists ( 3.8 million or 1.1 % ) and Muslims ( 3.4 million or 1.0 % ). The biggest number of Jewish individuals can be found in the United States ( 5.4 million ), Canada ( 375,000 ) and Mexico ( 67,476 ). The United States host the largest Muslim population in North America with 2.7 million or 0.9 %, While Canada host about one million Muslim or 3.2 % of the population. While in Mexico there were 3,700 Muslims in the country. In 2012, U-T San Diego estimated U.S. practitioners of Buddhism at 1.2 million people, of whom 40 % are living in Southern California. The predominant religion in Central America is Christianity ( 96 % ). Beginning with the Spanish colonization of Central America in the 16th century, Roman Catholicism became the most popular religion in the region until the first half of the 20th century. Since the 1960s, there has been an increase in other Christian groups, particularly Protestantism, as well as other religious organizations, and individuals identifying themselves as having no religion. Also Christianity is the predominant religion in the Caribbean ( 85 % ). Other religious groups in the region are Hinduism, Islam, Rastafari ( in Jamaica ), and Afro - American religions such as Santería and Vodou. Populace North American cities Mexico City Los Angeles Toronto Chicago New York City See also : List of North American countries by population, List of North American cities by population, and List of North American metropolitan areas by population The most populous country in North America is the United States with 318.4 million persons. The second largest country is Mexico with a population of 112,322,757. Canada is the third most populous country with 32,623,490. The majority of Caribbean island - nations have national populations under a million, though Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico ( a territory of the United States ), Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago each have populations higher than a million. Greenland has a small population of 55,984 for its massive size ( 2,166,000 km2 or 836,300 mi2 ), and therefore, it has the world 's lowest population density at 0.026 pop. / km2 ( 0.067 pop. / mi2 ). While the United States, Canada, and Mexico maintain the largest populations, large city populations are not restricted to those nations. There are also large cities in the Caribbean. The largest cities in North America, by far, are Mexico City and New York. These cities are the only cities on the continent to exceed eight million, and two of three in the Americas. Next in size are Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago, Havana, Santo Domingo, and Montreal. Cities in the sunbelt regions of the United States, such as those in Southern California and Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Atlanta, and Las Vegas, are experiencing rapid growth. These causes included warm temperatures, retirement of Baby Boomers, large industry, and the influx of immigrants. Cities near the United States border, particularly in Mexico, are also experiencing large amounts of growth. Most notable is Tijuana, a city bordering San Diego that receives immigrants from all over Latin America and parts of Europe and Asia. Yet as cities grow in these warmer regions of North America, they are increasingly forced to deal with the major issue of water shortages. Eight of the top ten metropolitan areas are located in the United States. These metropolitan areas all have a population of above 5.5 million and include the New York City metropolitan area, Los Angeles metropolitan area, Chicago metropolitan area, and the Dallas -- Fort Worth metroplex. Whilst the majority of the largest metropolitan areas are within the United States, Mexico is host to the largest metropolitan area by population in North America : Greater Mexico City. Canada also breaks into the top ten largest metropolitan areas with the Toronto metropolitan area having six million people. The proximity of cities to each other on the Canada -- United States border and Mexico -- United States border has led to the rise of international metropolitan areas. These urban agglomerations are observed at their largest and most productive in Detroit -- Windsor and San Diego -- Tijuana and experience large commercial, economic, and cultural activity. The metropolitan areas are responsible for millions of dollars of trade dependent on international freight. In Detroit - Windsor the Border Transportation Partnership study in 2004 concluded US $13 billion was dependent on the Detroit -- Windsor international border crossing while in San Diego - Tijuana freight at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry was valued at US $20 billion. North America has also been witness to the growth of megapolitan areas. In the United States exists eleven megaregions that transcend international borders and comprise Canadian and Mexican metropolitan regions. These are the Arizona Sun Corridor, Cascadia, Florida, Front Range, Great Lakes Megaregion, Gulf Coast Megaregion, Northeast, Northern California, Piedmont Atlantic, Southern California, and the Texas Triangle. Canada and Mexico are also the home of megaregions. These include the Quebec City -- Windsor Corridor, Golden Horseshoe -- both of which are considered part of the Great Lakes Megaregion -- and megalopolis of Central Mexico. Traditionally the largest megaregion has been considered the Boston - Washington, D.C. Corridor, or the Northeast, as the region is one massive contiguous area. Yet megaregion criterion have allowed the Great Lakes Megalopolis to maintain status as the most populated region, being home to 53,768,125 people in 2000. The top ten largest North American metropolitan areas by population as of 2013, based on national census numbers from the United States and census estimates from Canada and Mexico. Metro Area Population Area Country Mexico City 21,163,226 7,346 km ( 2,836 sq mi ) Mexico New York City 19,949,502 17,405 km ( 6,720 sq mi ) United States Los Angeles 13,131,431 12,562 km ( 4,850 sq mi ) United States Chicago 9,537,289 24,814 km ( 9,581 sq mi ) United States Dallas -- Fort Worth 6,810,913 24,059 km ( 9,289 sq mi ) United States Houston 6,313,158 26,061 km ( 10,062 sq mi ) United States Toronto 6,054,191 5,906 km ( 2,280 sq mi ) Canada Philadelphia 6,034,678 13,256 km ( 5,118 sq mi ) United States Washington, D.C. 5,949,859 14,412 km ( 5,565 sq mi ) United States Miami 5,828,191 15,896 km ( 6,137 sq mi ) United States 2011 Census figures. Economy Main article : Economy of North America See also : List of North American countries by GDP ( nominal ) and List of North American countries by GDP ( PPP ) Rank Country GDP ( PPP, peak year ) millions of USD Peak year United States 20,412,870 2018 Mexico 2,571,680 2018 Canada 1,847,081 2018 Cuba 254,865 2015 5 Dominican Republic 186,048 2018 6 Guatemala 145,514 2018 7 Puerto Rico 130,578 2014 8 Panama 112,204 2018 9 Costa Rica 88,844 2018 10 El Salvador 59,626 2018 Rank Country GDP ( nominal, peak year ) millions of USD Peak year United States 20,412,870 2018 Canada 1,842,627 2013 Mexico 1,314,390 2014 Puerto Rico 105,035 2016 5 Cuba 87,133 2015 6 Guatemala 82,356 2018 7 Dominican Republic 80,413 2018 8 Panama 66,711 2018 9 Costa Rica 61,287 2018 10 El Salvador 29,407 2018 North America 's GDP per capita was evaluated in October 2016 by the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) to be $41,830, making it the richest continent in the world, followed by Oceania. Canada, Mexico, and the United States have significant and multifaceted economic systems. The United States has the largest economy of all three countries and in the world. In 2016, the U.S. had an estimated per capita gross domestic product ( PPP ) of $57,466 according to the World Bank, and is the most technologically developed economy of the three. The United States ' services sector comprises 77 % of the country 's GDP ( estimated in 2010 ), industry comprises 22 % and agriculture comprises 1.2 %. The U.S. economy is also the fastest growing economy in North America and the Americas as a whole, with the highest GDP per capita in the Americas as well. Canada shows significant growth in the sectors of services, mining and manufacturing. Canada 's per capita GDP ( PPP ) was estimated at $44,656 and it had the 11th largest GDP ( nominal ) in 2014. Canada 's services sector comprises 78 % of the country 's GDP ( estimated in 2010 ), industry comprises 20 % and agriculture comprises 2 %. Mexico has a per capita GDP ( PPP ) of $16,111 and as of 2014 is the 15th largest GDP ( nominal ) in the world. Being a newly industrialized country, Mexico maintains both modern and outdated industrial and agricultural facilities and operations. Its main sources of income are oil, industrial exports, manufactured goods, electronics, heavy industry, automobiles, construction, food, banking and financial services. The North American economy is well defined and structured in three main economic areas. These areas are the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ), Caribbean Community and Common Market ( CARICOM ), and the Central American Common Market ( CACM ). Of these trade blocs, the United States takes part in two. In addition to the larger trade blocs there is the Canada - Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement among numerous other free trade relations, often between the larger, more developed countries and Central American and Caribbean countries. The North America Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) forms one of the four largest trade blocs in the world. Its implementation in 1994 was designed for economic homogenization with hopes of eliminating barriers of trade and foreign investment between Canada, the United States and Mexico. While Canada and the United States already conducted the largest bilateral trade relationship -- and to present day still do -- in the world and Canada -- United States trade relations already allowed trade without national taxes and tariffs, NAFTA allowed Mexico to experience a similar duty - free trade. The free trade agreement allowed for the elimination of tariffs that had previously been in place on United States - Mexico trade. Trade volume has steadily increased annually and in 2010, surface trade between the three NAFTA nations reached an all - time historical increase of 24.3 % or US $791 billion. The NAFTA trade bloc GDP ( PPP ) is the world 's largest with US $17.617 trillion. This is in part attributed to the fact that the economy of the United States is the world 's largest national economy ; the country had a nominal GDP of approximately $14.7 trillion in 2010. The countries of NAFTA are also some of each other 's largest trade partners. The United States is the largest trade partner of Canada and Mexico ; while Canada and Mexico are each other 's third largest trade partners. The Caribbean trade bloc -- CARICOM -- came into agreement in 1973 when it was signed by 15 Caribbean nations. As of 2000, CARICOM trade volume was US $96 billion. CARICOM also allowed for the creation of a common passport for associated nations. In the past decade the trade bloc focused largely on Free Trade Agreements and under the CARICOM Office of Trade Negotiations ( OTN ) free trade agreements have been signed into effect. Integration of Central American economies occurred under the signing of the Central American Common Market agreement in 1961 ; this was the first attempt to engage the nations of this area into stronger financial cooperation. Recent implementation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement ( CAFTA ) has left the future of the CACM unclear. The Central American Free Trade Agreement was signed by five Central American countries, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. The focal point of CAFTA is to create a free trade area similar to that of NAFTA. In addition to the United States, Canada also has relations in Central American trade blocs. Currently under proposal, the Canada -- Central American Free Trade Agreement ( CA4 ) would operate much the same as CAFTA with the United States does. These nations also take part in inter-continental trade blocs. Mexico takes a part in the G3 Free Trade Agreement with Colombia and Venezuela and has a trade agreement with the EU. The United States has proposed and maintained trade agreements under the Transatlantic Free Trade Area between itself and the European Union ; the US - Middle East Free Trade Area between numerous Middle Eastern nations and itself ; and the Trans - Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership between Southeast Asian nations, Australia, and New Zealand. Transport Main article : Transportation in North America The full Pan American Highway ( including South America ), from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina The Pan-American Highway route in the Americas is the portion of a network of roads nearly 48,000 km ( 30,000 mi ) in length which travels through the mainland nations. No definitive length of the Pan-American Highway exists because the US and Canadian governments have never officially defined any specific routes as being part of the Pan-American Highway, and Mexico officially has many branches connecting to the US border. However, the total length of the portion from Mexico to the northern extremity of the highway is roughly 26,000 km ( 16,000 mi ). 2006 map of the North American Class I railroad network The First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States was built in the 1860s, linking the railroad network of the eastern US with California on the Pacific coast. Finished on 10 May 1869 at the famous golden spike event at Promontory Summit, Utah, it created a nationwide mechanized transportation network that revolutionized the population and economy of the American West, catalyzing the transition from the wagon trains of previous decades to a modern transportation system. Although an accomplishment, it achieved the status of first transcontinental railroad by connecting myriad eastern US railroads to the Pacific and was not the largest single railroad system in the world. The Canadian Grand Trunk Railway ( GTR ) had, by 1867, already accumulated more than 2,055 km ( 1,277 mi ) of track by connecting Ontario with the Canadian Atlantic provinces west as far as Port Huron, Michigan, through Sarnia, Ontario. Communications A shared telephone system known as the North American Numbering Plan ( NANP ) is an integrated telephone numbering plan of 24 countries and territories : the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 17 Caribbean nations. Culture Canada and the United States were both former British colonies. There is frequent cultural interplay between the United States and English - speaking Canada. Greenland shares some cultural ties with the indigenous people of Canada but is considered Nordic and has strong Danish ties due to centuries of colonization by Denmark. Spanish - speaking North America shares a common past as former Spanish colonies. In Mexico and the Central American countries where civilizations like the Maya developed, indigenous people preserve traditions across modern boundaries. Central American and Spanish - speaking Caribbean nations have historically had more in common due to geographical proximity. Northern Mexico, particularly in the cities of Monterrey, Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, and Mexicali, is strongly influenced by the culture and way of life of the United States. Of the aforementioned cities, Monterrey has been regarded as the most Americanized city in Mexico. Immigration to the United States and Canada remains a significant attribute of many nations close to the southern border of the US. The Anglophone Caribbean states have witnessed the decline of the British Empire and its influence on the region, and its replacement by the economic influence of Northern America. In the Anglophone Caribbean. This is partly due to the relatively small populations of the English - speaking Caribbean countries, and also because many of them now have more people living abroad than those remaining at home. Northern Mexico, the Western United States and Alberta, Canada share a cowboy culture. Sports Canada, Mexico and the US submitted a joint bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The following table shows the most prominent sports leagues in North America, in order of average revenue. League Sport Primary country Founded Teams Revenue US $ ( bn ) Average Attendance National Football League ( NFL ) American football United States 1920 32 $9.0 7004676040000000000 ♠ 67,604 Major League Baseball ( MLB ) Baseball United States Canada 1869 30 $8.0 7004304580000000000 ♠ 30,458 National Basketball Association ( NBA ) Basketball United States Canada 1946 30 $5.0 7004173470000000000 ♠ 17,347 National Hockey League ( NHL ) Ice hockey United States Canada 1917 31 $3.3 7004177200000000000 ♠ 17,720 Liga MX Football ( soccer ) Mexico 1943 18 $0.6 7004255570000000000 ♠ 25,557 Major League Soccer ( MLS ) Football ( soccer ) United States Canada 20 $0.5 7004215740000000000 ♠ 21,574 Jump up ^ MLS plans to expand to 21 teams in 2017, and to 24 teams by 2020. See also Main article : Outline of North America Flags of North America List of cities in North America Table manners in North America North America portal Geography portal Notes Jump up ^ This North American density figure is based on a total land area of 23,090,542 km only, considerably less than the total combined land and water area of 24,709,000 km. ^ Jump up to : Depending on definitions, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago have territory in either or both of North and South America. Jump up ^ Since the Lucayan Archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean rather than Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas are part of the West Indies but are not technically part of the Caribbean, although the United Nations groups them with the Caribbean. Jump up ^ Because of ongoing activity of the Soufriere Hills volcano beginning in July 1995, much of Plymouth was destroyed and government offices were relocated to Brades. Plymouth remains the de jure capital. Jump up ^ Panama is generally considered a North American country, though some authorities divide it at the Panama Canal. Figures listed here are for the entire country. Jump up ^ Since the Lucayan Archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean rather than Caribbean Sea, the Turks and Caicos Islands are part of the West Indies but are not technically part of the Caribbean, although the United Nations groups them with the Caribbean. Jump up ^ Includes the states of Hawaii and Alaska which are both separated from the US mainland, with Hawaii is distant from the North American landmass in the Pacific Ocean and therefore more commonly associated with the other territories of Oceania while Alaska is located between Asia ( Russia ) and Canada. References ^ Jump up to : International Monetary Fund ( October 2016 ). `` List of North American countries by GDP per capita ''. World Economic Outlook. International Monetary Fund. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` Demographia.com '' ( PDF ). ^ Jump up to : `` North America ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 3 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` Map And Details Of All 7 Continents ''. worldatlas.com. Retrieved September 2, 2016. In some parts of the world students are taught that there are only six continents, as they combine North America and South America into one continent called the Americas. Jump up ^ `` North America Land Forms and Statistics ''. World Atlas.com. Retrieved 16 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` North America Fast Facts ''. World Atlas.com. Retrieved 16 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Amerigo Vespucci ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 7 July 2011. Jump up ^ Herbermann, Charles George, ed. ( 1907 ). The Cosmographiæ Introductio of Martin Waldseemüller in Facsimile. Translated by Edward Burke and Mario E. Cosenza, introduction by Joseph Fischer and Franz von Wieser. New York : The United States Catholic Historical Society. p. 9. Latin : `` Quarta pars per Americum Vesputium ( ut in sequentibus audietur ) inventa est, quam non video, cur quis jure vetet, ab Americo inventore sagacis ingenii viro Amerigen quasi Americi terram sive Americam dicendam, cum et Europa et Asia a mulieribus sua sortita sint nomina. '' ^ Jump up to : Jonathan Cohen. `` The Naming of America : Fragments We 've Shored Against Ourselves ''. Retrieved 3 February 2014. Jump up ^ Lloyd, John ; Mitchinson, John ( 2006 ). The Book of General Ignorance. Harmony Books. p. 95. ISBN 978 - 0 - 307 - 39491 - 0. New countries or continents were never named after a person 's first name, but always after the second... Jump up ^ Burchfield, R.W., ed. ( 2004 ). `` '' America `` ''. Fowler 's Modern English Usage. New York : Oxford University Press. p. 48. ISBN 0 - 19 - 861021 - 1. the term ' North America ' is mostly used to mean the United States and Canada together. Countries to the south of the United States are described as being in Central America ( Mexico, Nicaragua, etc. ) or South America ( Brazil, Argentina, etc. ). See also : McArthur, Tom ( 1992 ). `` North American ''. The Oxford Companion to the English Language. New York : Oxford University Press. p. 707. ISBN 0 - 19 - 214183 - X. ^ Jump up to : `` The World Factbook -- North America ''. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 20 June 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Countries in North America -- Country Reports ''. Country Reports. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` North America : World of Earth Science ''. eNotes Inc. Archived from the original on 20 December 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` North American Region ''. The Trilateral Commission. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` SPP Background ''. CommerceConnect.gov. Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2010. ^ Jump up to : `` Ecoregions of North America ''. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 30 May 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` What 's the difference between North, Latin, Central, Middle, South, Spanish and Anglo America ? ''. About.com. Jump up ^ `` Norteamérica '' ( North America ) ( in Spanish ). Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. In Ibero - America, North America is considered a subcontinent containing Canada, the United States, Mexico, Greenland, Bermuda and Saint - Pierre and Miquelon. Jump up ^ `` Six or Seven Continents on Earth ''. Retrieved 18 December 2016. `` In Europe and other parts of the world, many students are taught of six continents, where North and South America are combined to form a single continent of America. Thus, these six continents are Africa, America, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and Europe. '' Jump up ^ `` Continents ''. Retrieved 18 December 2016. `` six - continent model ( used mostly in France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Romania, Greece, and Latin America ) groups together North America + South America into the single continent America. '' Jump up ^ `` AMÉRIQUE '' ( in French ). Retrieved 18 December 2016. Jump up ^ `` America '' ( in Italian ). Retrieved 18 December 2016. Jump up ^ `` Acta Solemne de la Declaración de Independencia de la América Septentrional '' ( Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of Northern America ). Archivos de la Independencia ( in Spanish ). Archivo General de la Nación. Retrieved 8 July 2011. Jump up ^ Central America. Encarta Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Caribbean ''. The Free Dictionary. Retrieved 30 May 2011. Jump up ^ Parsons, Alan ; Schaffer, Jonathan ( May 2004 ). Geopolitics of oil and natural gas. Economic Perspectives. U.S. Department of State. Jump up ^ `` Definition of major areas and regions ''. United Nations. Retrieved 3 October 2007. Jump up ^ `` Composition of macro geographical ( continental ) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings ''. UN Statistics Division. Retrieved 3 October 2007. ( French ) Jump up ^ `` Chapter 5, Middle America ''. University of Minnesota. Retrieved 3 April 2018. Jump up ^ `` Middle America ( region, Mesoamerica ) ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 20 June 2011. Jump up ^ Unless otherwise noted, land area figures are taken from `` Demographic Yearbook -- Table 3 : Population by sex, rate of population increase, surface area and density '' ( PDF ). United Nations Statistics Division. 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` World Population Prospects : The 2017 Revision ''. ESA.UN.org ( custom data acquired via website ). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 10 September 2017. ^ Jump up to : Population estimates are taken from the Central Bureau of Statistics Netherlands Antilles. `` Statistical information : Population ''. Government of the Netherlands Antilles. Archived from the original on 1 May 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2010. ^ Jump up to : Land area figures taken from `` The World Factbook : 2010 edition ''. Government of the United States, Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 14 October 2010. ^ Jump up to : These population estimates are for 2010, and are taken from `` The World Factbook : 2010 edition ''. Government of the United States, Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 14 October 2010. Jump up ^ Dalziel, I.W.D. ( 1992 ). `` On the organization of American Plates in the Neoproterozoic and the breakout of Laurentia ''. GSA Today. 2 ( 11 ) : 237 -- 241. Jump up ^ Merali, Zeeya ; Skinner, Brian J. Visualizing Earth Science. Wiley. ISBN 978 - 0 - 470 - 41847 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Land Bridge Linking Americas Rose Earlier Than Thought ''. LiveScience.com. ^ Jump up to : Dodson, Peter ( 1997 ). `` American Dinosaurs ''. In Currie, Phillip J. ; Padian, Kevin. Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. Academic Press. pp. 10 -- 13. Jump up ^ Weishampel, David B. ( 2004 ). Weishampel, David B. ; Dodson, Peter ; Halszka, Osmólska, eds. Dinosaur distribution ( Late Jurassic, North America ). The Dinosauria. Berkeley : University of California Press. pp. 543 -- 545. ISBN 0 - 520 - 24209 - 2. Jump up ^ Jeremiah Curtin ( 2014 ). Creation Myths of Primitive America. Jazzybee Verlag. p. 2. ISBN 978 - 3 - 8496 - 4454 - 3. Jump up ^ Phillip M. White ( 2006 ). American Indian chronology : chronologies of the American mosaic. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 1. ISBN 978 - 0 - 313 - 33820 - 5. Retrieved 29 November 2011. Jump up ^ William Haviland ; Harald Prins ; Dana Walrath ; Bunny McBride ( 2013 ). Anthropology : The Human Challenge. Cengage Learning. pp. 219, 220. ISBN 978 - 1 - 285 - 67758 - 3. Jump up ^ Timothy R. Pauketat ( 23 February 2012 ). The Oxford Handbook of North American Archaeology. OUP US. p. 96. ISBN 978 - 0 - 19 - 538011 - 8. Jump up ^ Skoglund, P. ; Mallick, S. ; Bortolini, M.C. ; Chennagiri, N. ; Hünemeier, T. ; Petzl - Erler, M.L. ; Salzano, F.M. ; Patterson, N. ; Reich, D. ( 21 July 2015 ). `` Genetic evidence for two founding populations of the Americas ''. Nature. 525 ( 7567 ) : 104 -- 8. Bibcode : 2015Natur. 525... 104S. doi : 10.1038 / nature14895. PMC 4982469. PMID 26196601. Jump up ^ Peter Bellwood ; Immanuel Ness ( 2014 ). The Global Prehistory of Human Migration. John Wiley & Sons. p. 194. ISBN 978 - 1 - 118 - 97059 - 1. Jump up ^ H. Ingstad and A. Stine Ingstad, The Viking Discovery of America ( 2000 ), p. 141. Jump up ^ Robert Kaplan ( 16 January 2007 ). `` What is the origin of zero ? How did we indicate nothingness before zero ? ''. Scientific American. Retrieved 19 February 2008. Jump up ^ Bernard Grunberg, `` La folle aventure d'Hernan Cortés '', in L'Histoire n ° 322, July -- August 2007 Jump up ^ Massimo Livi Bacci, Malden ( 2001 ). A Concise History of World Population : An Introduction to Population Processes, ( 3rd ed. ). Massachusetts : Blackwell Publishing. pp. 42 -- 46. ISBN 0 - 631 - 22335 - 5. Jump up ^ `` The Olympic symbols '' ( PDF ). Lausanne : Olympic Museum and Studies Centre : International Olympic Committee. 2002. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 7 March 2008. The five rings of the Olympic flag represent the five inhabited, participating continents ( Africa, America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania Archived 23 February 2002 at the Wayback Machine. ). Jump up ^ `` Continente ''. Océano Uno, Diccionario Enciclopédico y Atlas Mundial. pp. 392, 1730. ISBN 84 - 494 - 0188 - 7. Jump up ^ Los Cinco Continentes ( The Five Continents ). Planeta - De Agostini Editions. 1997. ISBN 84 - 395 - 6054 - 0. Jump up ^ `` Encarta, `` Norteamérica '' '' ( in Spanish ). Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Jump up ^ `` Americas ''. Standard Country and Area Codes Classifications ( M49 ). United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 3 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` North America ''. Atlas of Canada. Archived from the original on 21 October 2006. Jump up ^ `` North America Atlas ''. National Geographic. Jump up ^ `` Central America ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 28 June 2011. Jump up ^ Garcia - Castellanos, D. ; Lombardo, U. ( 2007 ). `` Poles of Inaccessibility : A Calculation Algorithm for the Remotest Places on Earth '' ( PDF ). Scottish Geographical Journal. 123 ( 3 ) : 227 -- 233. doi : 10.1080 / 14702540801897809. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 30 June 2014. ^ Jump up to : Wallace, Stewart W. ( 1948 ). Geology Of Canada. The Encyclopedia of Canada. III. Toronto : University Associates of Canada. pp. 23 -- 26. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2011 -- via Marianopolis College. Jump up ^ `` Digging for Diamonds 24 / 7 Under Frozen Snap Lake ''. Wired.com. Wired. Retrieved 1 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` 3 - D Magnetic Imaging using Conjugate Gradients : Temagami anomaly ''. Archived from the original on 11 July 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2008. Jump up ^ University of Washington. `` Cascades weather ''. University of Washington. Jump up ^ SF to do. `` Temperature of San Francisco ''. tourism. Jump up ^ Current Results. `` Rainfall of NYC ''. Current Results. Jump up ^ Andrea Thompson. `` Top 10 wettest cities ''. livescience. Jump up ^ Rita D. Haberlin ( 2015 ). `` Climates Regions of North America ''. Peralta Colleges, Physical Geography. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. ^ Jump up to : David Waugh ( 2000 ). `` Manufacturing industries ( chapter 19 ), World development ( chapter 22 ) ''. Geography, An Integrated Approach ( 3rd ed. ). Nelson Thornes Ltd. pp. 563, 576 -- 579, 633, and 640. ISBN 0 - 17 - 444706 - X. Jump up ^ `` 2010 Human development Report '' ( PDF ). United Nations Development Programme. pp. 148 -- 151. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 8 November 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Independence on ice ''. The Economist. 21 January 2015. Jump up ^ The Global Religious Landscape A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World 's Major Religious Groups as of 2010 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, p. 18 Jump up ^ Global Christianity A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World 's Christian Population Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, p. 15 Jump up ^ `` America 's Changing Religious Landscape ''. Pew Research Center : Religion & Public Life. 12 May 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Largest Catholic Communities ''. Adherents.com. Retrieved 10 November 2007. Jump up ^ Johnstone, Patrick ; Miller, Duane ( 2015 ). `` Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background : A Global Census ''. IJRR. 11 : 14. Retrieved 20 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Religiously Unaffiliated ''. Pew Research Center 's Religion & Public Life Project. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2015. Jump up ^ `` Religions in Canada -- Census 2011 ''. Statistics Canada / Statistique Canada. Jump up ^ `` The Global Religious Landscape : Jews ''. pewforum. Retrieved 18 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Global Religious Landscape : Buddhists ''. pewforum. Retrieved 18 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Global Religious Landscape : Muslims ''. pewforum. Retrieved 18 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` World Jewish Population, 2012 ''. Jump up ^ DellaPergola, Sergio ( 2013 ). Dashefsky, Arnold ; Sheskin, Ira, eds. `` World Jewish Population, 2013 '' ( PDF ). Current Jewish Population Reports. Storrs, Connecticut : North American Jewish Data Bank. Jump up ^ `` Panorama de las religiones en México 2010 '' ( PDF ) ( in Spanish ). INEGI. p. 3. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 21 October 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` America 's Changing Religious Landscape ''. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Retrieved 12 May 2015. Jump up ^ `` Demographics ''. Retrieved 2 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` National Household Survey ( NHS ) Profile, 2011 ''. Jump up ^ Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía ( 2010 ). `` Censo de Población y Vivienda 2010 -- Cuestionario básico ''. INEGI. Retrieved 4 March 2011. Jump up ^ Rowe, Peter ( 16 April 2012 ). `` Dalai Lama facts and figures ''. U-T San Diego. Retrieved 15 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Christianity in its Global Context '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 30 December 2016. Jump up ^ U.S. Census Bureau `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 2014 - 08 - 15. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014. Jump up ^ `` INEGI 2010 Census Statistics ''. inegi.org.mx. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` Estimated population of Canada, 1605 to present ''. Statistics Canada. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Anuario Estadístico de Cuba 2009 '' ( in Spanish ) ( 2010 ed. ). Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas, República de Cuba. Archived from the original on 16 July 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2010. Note : An exchange rate of 1 CUC to US $1.08 was used to convert GDP. ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Presidencia de la República ; Generalidades '' ( in Spanish ). Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2009. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook : Haiti ''. Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` 2010 U.S. Census Data ''. 2010.census.gov. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2011. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook : Jamaica ''. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 11 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` Grønlands Statistik ''. Jump up ^ `` Toronto 's population overtakes Chicago ''. Toronto Star. 5 March 2013. Jump up ^ Cetron, Marvin J. ; O'Toole, Thomas ( April 1982 ). Encounters with the future : a forecast of life into the 21st century. Mcgraw - Hill. p. 34. ISBN 9780070103474. Jump up ^ `` Population and Housing Occupancy Status : 2010 -- United States -- Metropolitan Statistical Area ; and for Puerto Rico more information 2010 Census National Summary File of Redistricting Data ''. 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook : Mexico ''. Central Intelligence Agence. Retrieved 20 June 2011. Jump up ^ Statistics Canada ( 2006 ). `` Toronto, Ontario ( Census metropolitan area ) ''. Census 2006. Archived from the original on 14 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2010. Jump up ^ `` Detroit / Windsor Border Update : Part I -- Detroit River International Crossing Study ''. Detroit Regional Chamber. 2006. Archived from the original on 21 March 2006. Jump up ^ `` Chapter IV Planning for the Future : Urban & Regional Planning in the San Diego - Tijuana Region '' ( PDF ). International Community Foundation. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011. Jump up ^ Hagler, Yoav ( 2009 ). `` Defining U.S. Megaregions. '' New York, NY : Regional Plan Association. Jump up ^ Regional Plan Association ( 2008 ). America 2050 : An Infrastructure Vision for 21st Century America. New York, NY : Regional Plan Association. ^ Jump up to : `` United States, Economy ''. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 June 2011. Jump up ^ World Bank. `` GDP per capita ( current US $ ) - Data ''. data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Retrieved September 24, 2017. Jump up ^ International Monetary Fund ( October 2016 ). `` List of South American countries by GDP per capita ''. World Economic Outlook. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved September 25, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Canada, Economy ''. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` World Economic Outlook Database, October 2010 ''. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 5 March 2011. Jump up ^ `` Mexico, Economy ''. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` Stratfor Global Market -- Mexico ''. Stratfor. 30 August 2007. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2010. ^ Jump up to : De la Torre, Miguel ; Benavides, Benigno ; Saldaña, José ; Fernández, Jesús ( 2008 ). `` Las profesiones en México : condiciones económicas, culturales y sociales ''. Sociología y Profesión ( Sociology and Profession ) ( in Spanish ). Monterrey : Nuevo León Autonomous University ( UANL ). p. 116. ISBN 970 - 24 - 0051 - 1. La economía de América del Norte se encuentra bien definida y estructurada en tres principales áreas económicas : el Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte ( TLCAN ), el CARICOM y el Mercado Común Centroamericano Jump up ^ `` Regional Trade Blocs ''. University of California, Santa Cruz. Retrieved 10 June 2011. Jump up ^ North American Free Trade Agreement. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 10 June 2011. Jump up ^ Fergusson, Ian. `` CRS Report for Congress : United States - Canada Trade and Economic Relationship -- Prospects and Challenges '' ( PDF ). Congress Research Service. Archived from the original on 11 August 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2011. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` NAFTA Trade Volume Increases ''. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Jump up ^ `` 2010 Report Countries by GDP ( PPP ) ''. International Monetary Fund. 14 September 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2011. Jump up ^ `` BEA News Release : Gross Domestic Product '' ( PDF ) ( Press release ). Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retrieved 3 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` United States Foreign Trade Highlights ''. United States of America Bureau of the Census. Retrieved 3 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` Canadian Manufacturing Association ''. Retrieved 9 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` Mexico Free Trade Agreements '' ( PDF ). Federation of American Scientists. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 23 June 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` Central American Community and Market ''. Pearson Education. Retrieved February 3, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ceremony at `` Wedding of the Rails '', May 10, 1869 at Promontory Point, Utah ``. World Digital Library. 10 May 1869. Retrieved 20 July 2013. Jump up ^ Emmot, Robert ( 1 June 2011 ). `` Special report : If Monterrey falls Mexico falls -- Reuters ''. Reuters. Jump up ^ `` The ' Big Five ' in North American Pro Sports '', FiveThrityEight, Nate Silver, 4 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` MLS vs the major leagues : can soccer compete when it comes to big business ? '', Guardian.com, 12 March 2014. External links Find more aboutNorth Americaat Wikipedia 's sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Wikimedia Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Travel guide from Wikivoyage Learning resources from Wikiversity Houghton Mifflin Company, `` North America '' Interactive SVG version of Non-Native American Nations Control over N America 1750 -- 2008 animation North America articles History Settlement of the Americas Paleo - Indians Pre-Columbian era European colonization New Spain New France British North America Turtle Island Geography Cities Countries and dependent territories by population Extreme points Geology Islands Lakes Mountains Rivers Politics American imperialism North American Union ( NAU ) Organization of American States ( OAS ) Transatlantic relations Economy Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) Transportation Countries by GDP ( per capita ) PPP per capita HDI Internet users Minimum wages Society Languages endangered Social ( and financial ) rankings Universities Culture Art painting sculpture Architecture Cinema Cuisine Music Philosophy Religion Sport Symbols Demographics Countries by population density Ethnic groups indigenous peoples classification Immigration Life expectancy Outline Category Portal Maps Countries and dependencies of North America Sovereign states Entire Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama St. Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States In part Colombia San Andrés and Providencia France Guadeloupe Martinique Caribbean Netherlands Bonaire Saba Sint Eustatius Dependencies Denmark Greenland France Clipperton Island St. Barthélemy St. Martin St. Pierre and Miquelon Netherlands Aruba Curaçao Sint Maarten United Kingdom Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands United States Navassa Island Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands Venezuela Federal Dependencies Nueva Esparta Continents of the world Africa Antarctica Asia Australia Europe North America South America Afro - Eurasia America Eurasia Oceania Former supercontinents Gondwana Laurasia Pangaea Pannotia Rodinia Columbia Kenorland Nena Sclavia Ur Vaalbara Historical continents Amazonia Arctica Asiamerica Atlantica Avalonia Baltica Cimmeria Congo craton Euramerica Kalaharia Kazakhstania Laurentia North China Siberia South China East Antarctica Pampia Cuyania Chilenia Submerged continents Kerguelen Plateau Zealandia Sahul Sunda Possible future supercontinents Pangaea Ultima Amasia Novopangaea Mythical and hypothesised continents Atlantis Kumari Kandam Lemuria Meropis Mu Hyperborea Terra Australis Subcontinents Arabian peninsula Indian subcontinent See also Regions of the world Continental fragment Book Category Regions of the world Regions of Africa Central Africa Guinea region Gulf of Guinea Cape Lopez Mayombe Igboland Mbaise Maputaland Pool Malebo Congo Basin Chad Basin Congolese rainforests Ouaddaï highlands Ennedi Plateau East Africa African Great Lakes Albertine Rift East African Rift Great Rift Valley Gregory Rift Rift Valley lakes Swahili coast Virunga Mountains Kavirondo Zanj Serengeti Horn of Africa Afar Triangle Al - Habash Barbara Danakil Alps Danakil Desert Ethiopian Highlands Gulf of Aden Gulf of Tadjoura Indian Ocean islands Comoros Islands North Africa Maghreb Ifriqiya Barbary Coast Bashmur Ancient Libya Atlas Mountains Nile Valley Cataracts of the Nile Darfur Gulf of Aqaba Lower Egypt Lower Nubia Middle Egypt Nile Delta Nuba Mountains Nubia The Sudans Upper Egypt Western Sahara West Africa Pepper Coast Gold Coast Slave Coast Ivory Coast Cape Palmas Cape Mesurado Guinea region Gulf of Guinea Niger Basin Guinean Forests of West Africa Niger Delta Inner Niger Delta Southern Africa Madagascar Central Highlands ( Madagascar ) Northern Highlands Rhodesia North South Thembuland Succulent Karoo Nama Karoo Bushveld Highveld Fynbos Cape Floristic Region Kalahari Desert Okavango Delta Cape Peninsula False Bay Hydra Bay Macro-regions Aethiopia Arab world Commonwealth realm East African montane forests Eastern Desert Equatorial Africa Françafrique Gibraltar Arc Greater Middle East Islands of Africa List of countries where Arabic is an official language Mediterranean Basin MENA MENASA Middle East Mittelafrika Negroland Northeast Africa Portuguese - speaking African countries Sahara Sahel Sub-Saharan Africa Sudan ( region ) Sudanian Savanna Tibesti Mountains Tropical Africa Regions of Asia Central Greater Middle East Aral Sea Aralkum Desert Caspian Sea Dead Sea Sea of Galilee Transoxiana Turan Greater Khorasan Ariana Khwarezm Sistan Kazakhstania Eurasian Steppe Asian Steppe Kazakh Steppe Pontic -- Caspian steppe Mongolian - Manchurian grassland Wild Fields Yedisan Muravsky Trail Ural Ural Mountains Volga region Idel - Ural Kolyma Transbaikal Pryazovia Bjarmaland Kuban Zalesye Ingria Novorossiya Gornaya Shoriya Tulgas Iranian Plateau Altai Mountains Pamir Mountains Tian Shan Badakhshan Wakhan Corridor Wakhjir Pass Mount Imeon Mongolian Plateau Western Regions Taklamakan Desert Karakoram Trans - Karakoram Tract Siachen Glacier North Inner Asia Northeast Far East Russian Far East Okhotsk - Manchurian taiga Extreme North Siberia Baikalia ( Lake Baikal ) Transbaikal Khatanga Gulf Baraba steppe Kamchatka Peninsula Amur Basin Yenisei Gulf Yenisei Basin Beringia Sikhote - Alin East Orient Japanese archipelago Northeastern Japan Arc Sakhalin Island Arc Korean Peninsula Gobi Desert Taklamakan Desert Greater Khingan Mongolian Plateau Inner Asia Inner Mongolia Outer Mongolia China proper Manchuria Outer Manchuria Inner Manchuria Northeast China Plain Mongolian - Manchurian grassland North China Plain Yan Mountains Kunlun Mountains Liaodong Peninsula Himalayas Tibetan Plateau Tibet Tarim Basin Northern Silk Road Hexi Corridor Nanzhong Lingnan Liangguang Jiangnan Jianghuai Guanzhong Huizhou Wu Jiaozhou Zhongyuan Shaannan Ordos Loop Loess Plateau Shaanbei Hamgyong Mountains Central Mountain Range Japanese Alps Suzuka Mountains Leizhou Peninsula Gulf of Tonkin Yangtze River Delta Pearl River Delta Yenisei Basin Altai Mountains Wakhan Corridor Wakhjir Pass West Greater Middle East MENA MENASA Middle East Red Sea Caspian Sea Mediterranean Sea Zagros Mountains Persian Gulf Pirate Coast Strait of Hormuz Greater and Lesser Tunbs Al - Faw Peninsula Gulf of Oman Gulf of Aqaba Gulf of Aden Balochistan Arabian Peninsula Najd Hejaz Tihamah Eastern Arabia South Arabia Hadhramaut Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert Tigris -- Euphrates Mesopotamia Upper Mesopotamia Lower Mesopotamia Sawad Nineveh plains Akkad ( region ) Babylonia Canaan Aram Aram - Naharaim Eber - Nari Suhum Eastern Mediterranean Mashriq Kurdistan Levant Southern Levant Transjordan Jordan Rift Valley Israel Levantine Sea Golan Heights Hula Valley Galilee Gilead Judea Samaria Arabah Anti-Lebanon Mountains Sinai Peninsula Arabian Desert Syrian Desert Fertile Crescent Azerbaijan Syria Palestine Iranian Plateau Armenian Highlands Caucasus Caucasus Mountains Greater Caucasus Lesser Caucasus North Caucasus South Caucasus Kur - Araz Lowland Lankaran Lowland Alborz Absheron Peninsula Anatolia Cilicia Cappadocia Alpide belt South Orient Greater India Indian subcontinent Himalayas Hindu Kush Carnatic region Western Ghats Eastern Ghats Ganges Basin Ganges Delta Pashtunistan Punjab Balochistan Kashmir Kashmir Valley Pir Panjal Range Thar Desert Indus Valley Indus River Delta Indus Valley Desert Indo - Gangetic Plain Eastern coastal plains Western Coastal Plains Meghalaya subtropical forests MENASA Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows Doab Bagar tract Great Rann of Kutch Little Rann of Kutch Deccan Plateau Coromandel Coast Konkan False Divi Point Hindi Belt Ladakh Aksai Chin Gilgit - Baltistan Baltistan Shigar Valley Karakoram Saltoro Mountains Siachen Glacier Bay of Bengal Gulf of Khambhat Gulf of Kutch Gulf of Mannar Trans - Karakoram Tract Wakhan Corridor Wakhjir Pass Lakshadweep Andaman and Nicobar Islands Andaman Islands Nicobar Islands Maldive Islands Alpide belt Southeast Orient Sundaland Mainland Indochina Malay Peninsula Maritime Peninsular Malaysia Sunda Islands Greater Sunda Islands Lesser Sunda Islands Indonesian Archipelago Wallacea Timor New Guinea Bonis Peninsula Papuan Peninsula Huon Peninsula Huon Gulf Bird 's Head Peninsula Gazelle Peninsula Philippine Archipelago Luzon Visayas Mindanao Leyte Gulf Gulf of Thailand East Indies Nanyang Alpide belt Asia - Pacific Tropical Asia Ring of Fire Regions of Europe North Nordic Northwestern Scandinavia Scandinavian Peninsula Fennoscandia Baltoscandia Sápmi West Nordic Baltic Baltic Sea Gulf of Bothnia Gulf of Finland Iceland Faroe Islands East Danubian countries Prussia Galicia Volhynia Donbass Sloboda Ukraine Sambia Peninsula Amber Coast Curonian Spit Izyum Trail Lithuania Minor Nemunas Delta Baltic Baltic Sea Vyborg Bay Karelia East Karelia Karelian Isthmus Lokhaniemi Southeastern Balkans Aegean Islands Gulf of Chania North Caucasus Greater Caucasus Kabardia European Russia Southern Russia Central Baltic Baltic Sea Alpine states Alpide belt Mitteleuropa Visegrád Group West Benelux Low Countries Northwest British Isles English Channel Channel Islands Cotentin Peninsula Normandy Brittany Gulf of Lion Iberia Al - Andalus Baetic System Pyrenees Alpide belt South Italian Peninsula Insular Italy Tuscan Archipelago Aegadian Islands Iberia Al - Andalus Baetic System Gibraltar Arc Southeastern Mediterranean Crimea Alpide belt Germanic Romance Celtic Slavic countries Uralic European Plain Eurasian Steppe Pontic -- Caspian steppe Wild Fields Pannonian Basin Great Hungarian Plain Little Hungarian Plain Eastern Slovak Lowland Regions of North America Northern Eastern Canada Western Canada Canadian Prairies Central Canada Northern Canada Atlantic Canada The Maritimes French Canada English Canada Acadia Acadian Peninsula Quebec City -- Windsor Corridor Peace River Country Cypress Hills Palliser 's Triangle Canadian Shield Interior Alaska - Yukon lowland taiga Newfoundland ( island ) Vancouver Island Gulf Islands Strait of Georgia Canadian Arctic Archipelago Labrador Peninsula Gaspé Peninsula Avalon Peninsula Bay de Verde Peninsula Brodeur Peninsula Melville Peninsula Bruce Peninsula Banks Peninsula ( Nunavut ) Cook Peninsula Gulf of Boothia Georgian Bay Hudson Bay James Bay Greenland Pacific Northwest Inland Northwest Northeast New England Mid-Atlantic Commonwealth West Midwest Upper Midwest Mountain states Intermountain West Basin and Range Province Oregon Trail Mormon Corridor Calumet Region Southwest Old Southwest Llano Estacado Central United States Tallgrass prairie South South Central Deep South Upland South Four Corners East Coast West Coast Gulf Coast Third Coast Eastern United States Appalachia Trans - Mississippi Great North Woods Great Plains Interior Plains Great Lakes Great Basin Great Basin Desert Acadia Ozarks Ark - La - Tex Waxhaws Siouxland Twin Tiers Driftless Area Palouse Piedmont Atlantic coastal plain Outer Lands Black Dirt Region Blackstone Valley Piney Woods Rocky Mountains Mojave Desert The Dakotas The Carolinas Shawnee Hills San Fernando Valley Tornado Alley North Coast Lost Coast Emerald Triangle San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco Bay North Bay East Bay Silicon Valley Interior Alaska - Yukon lowland taiga Gulf of Mexico Lower Colorado River Valley Sacramento -- San Joaquin River Delta Yukon -- Kuskokwim Delta Colville Delta Arkansas Delta Mobile -- Tensaw River Delta Mississippi Delta Mississippi River Delta Columbia River Estuary Great Basin High Desert Monterey Peninsula Upper Peninsula of Michigan Lower Peninsula of Michigan Virginia Peninsula Keweenaw Peninsula Middle Peninsula Delmarva Peninsula Alaska Peninsula Kenai Peninsula Niagara Peninsula Beringia Belt regions Bible Belt Black Belt Corn Belt Cotton Belt Frost Belt Rice Belt Rust Belt Sun Belt Snow Belt Latin Northern Mexico Baja California Peninsula Gulf of California Colorado River Delta Gulf of Mexico Soconusco Tierra Caliente La Mixteca La Huasteca Bajío Valley of Mexico Mezquital Valley Sierra Madre de Oaxaca Yucatán Peninsula Basin and Range Province Western Caribbean Zone Isthmus of Panama Gulf of Panama Pearl Islands Azuero Peninsula Mosquito Coast West Indies Antilles Greater Antilles Lesser Antilles Leeward Leeward Antilles Windward Lucayan Archipelago Southern Caribbean Aridoamerica Mesoamerica Oasisamerica Northern Middle Anglo Latin French Hispanic American Cordillera Ring of Fire LAC Regions of Oceania Australasia Gulf of Carpentaria Zealandia Kula Gulf Australia Capital Country Eastern Australia Lake Eyre basin Murray -- Darling basin Northern Australia Nullarbor Plain Outback Southern Australia Maralinga Sunraysia Great Victoria Desert Gulf of Carpentaria Gulf St Vincent Lefevre Peninsula Fleurieu Peninsula Yorke Peninsula Eyre Peninsula Mornington Peninsula Bellarine Peninsula Mount Henry Peninsula Melanesia Islands Region Bismarck Archipelago Solomon Islands North Solomon Islands Solomon Islands Fiji New Caledonia New Guinea Papua New Guinea Republic of West Papua Vanuatu Micronesia Caroline Islands Federated States of Micronesia Palau Kiribati Mariana Islands Guam Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands Nauru Wake Island Polynesia Easter Island Hawaiian Islands Cook Islands French Polynesia Austral Islands Gambier Islands Mangareva Islands Marquesas Islands Society Islands Tuamotu Kermadec Islands New Zealand South Island North Island Niue Pitcairn Islands Samoan Islands American Samoa Independent State of Samoa Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Ring of Fire Regions of South America East Amazon basin Atlantic Forest Caatinga Cerrado North Caribbean South America West Indies Los Llanos The Guianas Amazon basin Amazon rainforest Gulf of Paria Paria Peninsula Paraguaná Peninsula Orinoco Delta South Tierra del Fuego Patagonia Pampas Pantanal Gran Chaco Chiquitano dry forests Valdes Peninsula West Andes Tropical Andes Wet Andes Dry Andes Pariacaca mountain range Altiplano Atacama Desert Latin Hispanic American Cordillera Ring of Fire LAC Polar regions Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula East Antarctica West Antarctica Eklund Islands Ecozone Extreme points Islands Arctic Arctic Alaska British Arctic Territories Canadian Arctic Archipelago Finnmark Greenland Northern Canada Northwest Territories Nunavik Nunavut Russian Arctic Sakha Sápmi Yukon North American Arctic Earth 's oceans and seas Arctic Ocean Amundsen Gulf Barents Sea Beaufort Sea Chukchi Sea East Siberian Sea Greenland Sea Gulf of Boothia Kara Sea Laptev Sea Lincoln Sea Prince Gustav Adolf Sea Pechora Sea Queen Victoria Sea Wandel Sea White Sea Atlantic Ocean Adriatic Sea Aegean Sea Alboran Sea Archipelago Sea Argentine Sea Baffin Bay Balearic Sea Baltic Sea Bay of Biscay Bay of Bothnia Bay of Campeche Bay of Fundy Black Sea Bothnian Sea Caribbean Sea Celtic Sea English Channel Foxe Basin Greenland Sea Gulf of Bothnia Gulf of Finland Gulf of Lion Gulf of Guinea Gulf of Maine Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Saint Lawrence Gulf of Sidra Gulf of Venezuela Hudson Bay Ionian Sea Irish Sea Irminger Sea James Bay Labrador Sea Levantine Sea Libyan Sea Ligurian Sea Marmara Sea Mediterranean Sea Myrtoan Sea North Sea Norwegian Sea Sargasso Sea Sea of Åland Sea of Azov Sea of Crete Sea of the Hebrides Thracian Sea Tyrrhenian Sea Wadden Sea Indian Ocean Andaman Sea Arabian Sea Bali Sea Bay of Bengal Flores Sea Great Australian Bight Gulf of Aden Gulf of Aqaba Gulf of Khambhat Gulf of Kutch Gulf of Oman Gulf of Suez Java Sea Laccadive Sea Mozambique Channel Persian Gulf Red Sea Timor Sea Pacific Ocean Arafura Sea Banda Sea Bering Sea Bismarck Sea Bohai Sea Bohol Sea Camotes Sea Celebes Sea Ceram Sea Chilean Sea Coral Sea East China Sea Gulf of Alaska Gulf of Anadyr Gulf of California Gulf of Carpentaria Gulf of Fonseca Gulf of Panama Gulf of Thailand Gulf of Tonkin Halmahera Sea Koro Sea Mar de Grau Molucca Sea Moro Gulf Philippine Sea Salish Sea Savu Sea Sea of Japan Sea of Okhotsk Seto Inland Sea Shantar Sea Sibuyan Sea Solomon Sea South China Sea Sulu Sea Tasman Sea Visayan Sea Yellow Sea Southern Ocean Amundsen Sea Bellingshausen Sea Cooperation Sea Cosmonauts Sea Davis Sea D'Urville Sea King Haakon VII Sea Lazarev Sea Mawson Sea Riiser - Larsen Sea Ross Sea Scotia Sea Somov Sea Weddell Sea Landlocked seas Aral Sea Caspian Sea Dead Sea Salton Sea Book Category BNF : cb15238493p ( data ) GND : 4042483 - 2 LCCN : sh85092455 NDL : 00566024 VIAF : 315126791 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_America&oldid=855605494 '' Categories : North America Continents Hidden categories : CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Articles containing Latin - language text CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) Articles needing more detailed references Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from February 2014 Webarchive template wayback links All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from January 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links CS1 : Julian -- Gregorian uncertainty Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages Wikipedia indefinitely move - protected pages Articles needing additional references from March 2015 All articles needing additional references Use American English from February 2018 All Wikipedia articles written in American English Use dmy dates from December 2015 Pages using deprecated image syntax All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2018 Articles to be expanded from March 2015 All articles to be expanded Articles using small message boxes Articles with unsourced statements from June 2011 Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with NDL identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Languages Acèh Адыгэбзэ Afrikaans Alemannisch አማርኛ Ænglisc Aragonés ܐܪܡܝܐ Arpetan অসমীয়া Asturianu Avañe'ẽ Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه Bamanankan বাংলা Bahasa Banjar Bân - lâm - gú Basa Banyumasan Башҡортса Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ भोजपुरी Bikol Central Bislama Български Boarisch Bosanski Brezhoneg Буряад Català Чӑвашла Cebuano Čeština Chi - Chewa ChiShona Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Dolnoserbski Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Estremeñu Euskara فارسی Fiji Hindi Føroyskt Français Frysk Furlan Gaeilge Gaelg Gagauz Gàidhlig Galego 贛 語 ગુજરાતી 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌹𐍃𐌺 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî 한국어 Hausa Hawaiʻi Հայերեն हिन्दी Hornjoserbsce Hrvatski Igbo Ilokano Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Interlingue ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ / inuktitut Ирон IsiXhosa IsiZulu Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa Kalaallisut ಕನ್ನಡ Къарачай - малкъар ქართული Kaszëbsczi Қазақша Kernowek Kinyarwanda Kiswahili Коми Kongo Kreyòl ayisyen Kurdî Кыргызча Ladino Лезги ລາວ Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Ligure Limburgs Livvinkarjala La. lojban. Luganda Lumbaart Magyar मैथिली Македонски മലയാളം Māori მარგალური مصرى مازِرونی Bahasa Melayu Mìng - dĕ̤ng - ngṳ̄ Mirandés Мокшень Монгол မြန်မာဘာသာ Na Vosa Vakaviti Nederlands Nedersaksies नेपाली नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Нохчийн Nordfriisk Norfuk / Pitkern Norsk Norsk nynorsk Novial Occitan Олык марий ଓଡ଼ିଆ Oromoo Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی Papiamentu پښتو Patois Перем Коми Tok Pisin Plattdüütsch Polski Português Qaraqalpaqsha Qırımtatarca Română Romani Русиньскый Русский Саха тыла संस्कृतम् Scots Seeltersk Sesotho Sesotho sa Leboa Shqip Sicilianu සිංහල Simple English سنڌي Slovenčina Slovenščina Словѣньскъ / ⰔⰎⰑⰂⰡⰐⰠⰔⰍⰟ Ślůnski Soomaaliga کوردی Sranantongo Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Basa Sunda Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Taqbaylit Tarandíne Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ไทย Тоҷикӣ ᏣᎳᎩ ತುಳು Türkçe Türkmençe Тыва дыл Українська اردو ئۇيغۇرچە / Uyghurche Vahcuengh Vèneto Vepsän kel ' Tiếng Việt Volapük Võro Walon West - Vlams Winaray 吴语 Xitsonga ייִדיש Yorùbá 粵語 Zazaki Zeêuws Žemaitėška 中文 डोटेली ГӀалгӀай Kabɩyɛ Lingua Franca Nova 209 more Edit links This page was last edited on 19 August 2018, at 14 : 41 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: where is north america located on the map
Answer: within the Northern Hemisphere