North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere . It is also considered 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 4 . 8 % of the planet ' s surface or about 16 . 5 % of its land area . As of July 2008 , its population was estimated at nearly 529 million people across 23 independent states , representing about 7 . 5 % of the human population . North America is the third - largest continent in area , following Asia and Africa , and the fourth in population after Asia , Africa , and Europe . The first people to live in North America were Paleoindians who began to arrive during the last glacial period by crossing the Bering land bridge . They differentiated into a number of diverse cultures and communities across the continent . The largest and most advanced Pre - Columbian civilizations in North America were the Aztecs in what is now Mexico and the Mayans in Central America . European colonists began to arrive starting in the 16th and 17th centuries , wiping out large numbers of the native populations and beginning an era of European dominance . Etymology . 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 " , 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 " and " Asia " . Later , when other mapmakers added North America , they extended the original name to it as well : in 1538 , Gerard Mercator used the name America to all of the Western Hemisphere on his world map . 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 . History . Geologic history . Laurentia is an ancient craton which forms the geologic core of North America ; it formed between 1 . 5 to 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 connected the continent to South America about three 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 dinosaur s 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 . Anthropologists have a number of models explaining the origins of the early human population of North America . The indigenous peoples of North America have many creation myth s by which they assert that they have been present on the land since its creation . The consensus is that indigenous North Americans first arrived from Asia during the last Ice Age , most likely through the Bering Land Bridge and possibly by primitive boats also . 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 . It is possible that North America had several peoples among its early settlers . The best known evidence that supports this theory is Kennewick Man . 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 ) . 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 . Post - Columbian . During the Age of Discovery , Europeans began exploring and staking claims in various parts of North America . Upon their arrival in the " New World " , the Native American population declined substantially , primarily due to the introduction of European diseases to which the Native Americans lacked immunity , as well as violent conflicts . Native peoples found their culture changed drastically . As such , their affiliation with political and cultural groups changed as well , several linguistic groups went extinct , and others changed quite quickly . The names and cultures that Europeans recorded for the natives were not necessarily the same as the ones they had used a few generations before , or the ones in use today . Britain , Spain , and France fought over and established extensive territories in North America . In the late 18th century and beginning of the 19th , several independence movements started across the continent , which would create its modern countries . 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 U . S . 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 and extent . 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 , less common views would end North America at the man - made Panama Canal , and 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 . Before the Central American isthmus was raised , the region had been underwater . The islands of the West Indies delineate a submerged former land bridge which had connected North America and South America via what are now Florida and Venezuela . 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 . 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 . 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 part of San Francisco , 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 plateau s 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 states that the geographic center of North America is " 6 miles west of Balta , Pierce County , North Dakota " at approximately , approximately 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 15 - foot ( 4 . 5 m ) field stone obelisk in Rugby claiming to mark the center . The North American continental pole of inaccessibility is located from the nearest coastline , between Allen and Kyle , South Dakota at . Demographics . The prevalent languages in North America are English , Spanish , and French . 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 language s , 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 ( FR ) , 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 is 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 . 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 . Demographically , North America is a racially and ethnically diverse continent . Its three main racial groups are Caucasians , Mestizo s and Blacks . There is a significant minority of Indigenous Americans and Asians among other less numerous groups . Socially and culturally , North America presents a well - defined entity . Canada and the United States have a similar culture and similar traditions as a result of both countries being former British colonies . A common cultural and economic market has developed between the two nations because of the strong economic and historical ties . 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 and the fact that they won independence from Spain . 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 North America . Immigration to the United States and Canada remains a significant attribute of many nations close to the southern border of the U . S . 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 influence is partly due to the relatively small populations ( less than 200 , 000 ) of the majority of English - speaking Caribbean countries , and the fact that many of these countries now have expatriate diasporas living abroad that are larger than those remaining at home . Populace . The most populous country in North America , over doubling the second largest country in population , is the United States with 311 . 6 million persons . The second largest country , and only other country to maintain a populace above 100 million persons is Mexico with a population of 112 , 322 , 757 . Canada is the third largest country with a population of 32 , 623 , 490 . The majority of Caribbean island - nations have national populations under one million , though Cuba , Dominican Republic , Haiti , Puerto Rico - a territory of the United States , Jamaica , and Trinidad and Tobago have populations higher than one million . 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 , Chicago , Toronto , 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 five and a half million citizens . 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 USD $ 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 USD $ 20 billion . The North America continent has also been witness to the growth of megapolitan area s . 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 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 area s by population as of 2010 , based on national census numbers from the United States of America , and census estimates from Canada and Mexico . Geology . 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 . U . S . geological provinces . The lower 48 U . S . states can be divided into roughly five physiographic provinces : 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 . Central American geology . Central America is geologically active with volcanic eruption s 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 killed 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 7 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 range s ; 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 . Economy . Canada , Mexico and the United States have significant and multifaceted economic systems . The United States has the largest economy in North America , and in the world . In 2011 , the US has an estimated per capita gross domestic product ( PPP ) of $ 47 , 200 , and is the most technologically developed economy in North America . The United States ' services sector comprises 76 . 7 % of the country ' s GDP ( estimated in 2010 ) , industry comprises 22 . 2 % and agriculture comprises 1 . 2 % . Canada ' s economic trends are similar to that of the United States , with significant growth in the sectors of services , mining and manufacturing . Canada ' s GDP ( PPP ) was estimated at $ 39 , 400 in 2010 . Canada ' s services sector comprises 78 % of the country ' s GDP ( estimated in 2010 ) , industry comprises 20 % and agriculture comprises 2 % . Mexico has a GDP ( PPP ) of $ 15 , 113 per capita and as of 2010 is the 11th largest economy 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 forms one of the four largest trade blocs in the world . Its implementation in 1994 allowed for strong economic cooperation with hopes of eliminating barriers of trade and foreign investment between the three northern nations . 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 USD $ 791 billion . The NAFTA trade bloc GDP ( PPP ) is the world ' s largest with $ 17 . 617 USD trillions . 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 USD $ 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 Agreement s 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 . North American 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 . Infrastructure . The Pan - American Highway route in North America is the portion of a network of roads nearly 48 , 000 km in length which travels through the mainland nations of the Americas . No definitive length of the Pan American Highway exists because the U . S . 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 U . S . border . However , the total length of the North American portion of the highway is roughly . The First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States was built across North America in the 1860s , linking the railroad network of the eastern U . S . 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 train s 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 of track by connecting Portland , Maine , and the three northern New England states with the Canadian Atlantic provinces west as far as Port Huron , Michigan , through Sarnia , Ontario . Many of the nations of North America cooperate on a shared telephone system known as the North American Numbering Plan ( NANP ) which is an integrated telephone numbering plan of 24 countries and territories : the United States and its territories , Canada , Bermuda , and 17 Caribbean nations . Regions . Geographically the North American continent is composed of many regions and subregions . These included regions formed by cultural , economic , and geographic standards . Economic regions included those formed by trade blocs ; among notable inclusions , 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 are Francophone in composition . The southern North American continent is often recognized as being composed of two regions . These recognized regions 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 " , that which encompasses the whole continent , the term " North America " is also used to refer to Canada , Mexico , the United States , and Greenland . The term Northern America , originating in reference to the northern - most countries and territories of North America , is used in reference to Canada , the United States , Greenland , Bermuda , and St . Pierre and Miquelon . Although rarely used , the term Middle America - not to be confused with the Midwestern United States - groups the regions of Central America , the Caribbean and Mexico . The largest countries of the continent , Canada and the United States , also maintain well - defined and recognized regions . In the case of Canada these are the British Columbia Coast , Canadian Prairies , Central Canada , Atlantic Canada , and Northern Canada . These regions also maintain numerous subregions . In the case of the United States - and in accordance with the U . S . Census Bureau definitions - these regions are : New England , Mid - Atlantic , East North Central States , West North Central States , South Atlantic States , East South Central States , West South Central States , Mountain States , and Pacific States . Regions shared between both nations included the Great Lakes Region . Megalopolis ' have also formed between both nations in the case of the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes Megaregion . Countries , territories , and dependencies . Below is a table of North American countries and territories divided into three basic regions . Usage of the term " North America " . The term " North America " maintains various definitions in accordance with location and context . In 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 . In Ibero - America and other parts of Europe , " North America " usually designates a subcontinent of the Americas containing 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 . Outside of North America , going into the twentieth century , the whole American continent ( North , Central and South America as well as the Caribbean ) was referred simply as " America " or " The Americas " , one of the " Five Continents " ( the other four being , Africa , Europe , Asia and Oceania ) . See also . Organizations and agreements :