North America

• 1. Boundaries And Names

  ›

  The continent of North America stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Caribbean Sea and South America in the southeast. It covers an area representing approximately 16.5% of Earth's land area. This vast region includes Middle America, which comprises the Caribbean, Central America, and Northern America. The name itself has a specific origin story involving Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. German cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann published a world map in 1507 that placed the word America on the continent of present-day South America. They used the Latinized version of Vespucci's name in its feminine form following examples like Europa and Asia. Map makers later extended the name America to North America. Gerardus Mercator used the term America on his world map of the entire Western Hemisphere in 1538. On his subsequent 1569 map, Mercator called North America America or New India. The Spanish Empire called its territories in North and South America Las Indias. The United Nations recognizes three subregions: Northern America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Northern America is distinct from North America as it excludes the Caribbean and Central America.

• 2. Ancient Peoples And Settlements

  ›

  The oldest petroglyphs in North America date from 15,000 to 10,000 years before present. Traditional theories suggest hunters entered the Bering Land Bridge between eastern Siberia and present-day Alaska from 27,000 to 14,000 years ago. A growing viewpoint suggests the first American inhabitants sailed from Beringia some 13,000 years ago. Widespread habitation occurred during the end of the Last Glacial Period around 12,500 years ago. One of the oldest yet discovered cultures is the Clovis culture circa 9550, 9050 BCE in modern New Mexico. Later groups include the Mississippian culture found in the Mississippi River valley and the Pueblo culture of what is now the Four Corners. Indigenous peoples with similar languages did not always share the same material culture. Anthropologists speculate that the Inuit of the high Arctic arrived much later than other native groups. The disappearance of Dorset culture artifacts marked their replacement by the Thule people. The Mayans developed a writing system and built huge pyramids and temples around 400 CE. They had a complex calendar and developed the concept of zero. The southern cultural groups were responsible for domesticating many common crops like tomatoes, squash, and maize.

• 3. Colonial Conquest And Independence

  ›

  In 1492, exploratory voyages of Christopher Columbus led to a transatlantic exchange including migrations of European settlers. The indigenous population declined substantially following European arrival primarily due to introduction of Eurasian diseases such as smallpox. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León visited and named La Florida in 1513. Spain established permanent settlements on Caribbean islands of Hispaniola and Cuba in the 1490s. An expedition under Hernán Cortés sailed westward in 1519 to mainland Mexico. With local indigenous allies, the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in central Mexico in 1521. The first permanent English settlement was Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Additional colonial establishments formed the Thirteen Colonies from Georgia to Massachusetts. The first permanent French settlement was Quebec City, Quebec, established in 1608. In 1776, delegates from thirteen colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July 1776 written by Thomas Jefferson. The American Revolutionary War began at Battles of Lexington and Concord on the 19th of April 1775. King George III acknowledged Britain's defeat leading to signing of Treaty of Paris on the 3rd of September 1783. Mexico fought a lengthy war for independence winning it in 1821. Russia sold its North American claims including present-day Alaska to U.S. in 1867.

• 4. Tectonic Plates And Landforms

  ›

  The continent can be divided into four great regions including Great Plains stretching from Gulf of Mexico to Canadian Arctic. The geologically young mountainous west includes Rocky Mountains, Great Basin, California, and Alaska. Raised but relatively flat plateau of Canadian Shield exists in northeast. Varied eastern region includes Appalachian Mountains, coastal plain along Atlantic seaboard, and Florida peninsula. The highest peak is Denali also called Mount McKinley in Alaska. Parts of western Mexico including Baja California lie on eastern edge of Pacific Plate meeting along San Andreas Fault. Southernmost portion lies on Caribbean Plate while Juan de Fuca Plate borders North American Plate on western frontier. Laurentia formed ancient craton between 1.5 and 1.0 billion years ago during Proterozoic eon. One result of Pangaea formation was Appalachian Mountains forming some 480 million years ago making them among oldest ranges globally. Rockies began forming around 80 to 55 million years ago from Laramide orogeny period. Isthmus of Panama connecting continent to South America occurred approximately 12 to 15 million years ago. Great Lakes carved by receding glaciers about 10,000 years ago.

• 5. Trade Agreements And Economies

  ›

  North America's GDP per capita evaluated October 2016 by International Monetary Fund was $41,830 making it richest continent worldwide. U.S. has largest economy in world with estimated per capita gross domestic product PPP of $57,466 according to World Bank. Canada had 11th-largest GDP nominal in 2014 with per capita GDP PPP estimated at $44,656. Mexico maintains both modern and outdated industrial facilities as newly industrialized country. NAFTA formed one four largest trade blocs in world implemented 1994 designed for economic homogenization eliminating barriers trade foreign investment between Canada U.S. Mexico. Trade volume steadily increased annually reaching all-time historical increase 24.3% or US$791 billion surface trade 2010. NAFTA trade bloc GDP PPP is world's largest with US$17.617 trillion. In 2018 NAFTA replaced by U.S., Mexico, Canada Agreement USMCA. Caribbean trade bloc CARICOM came into agreement 1973 signed by 15 Caribbean nations. As 2000 CARICOM trade volume was US$96 billion. Integration Central American economies occurred under signing Central American Common Market agreement 1961 first attempt engage nations area stronger financial cooperation. 2006 implementation Central American Free Trade Agreement CAFTA left future CACM unclear.

• 6. Cities And Populations

  ›

  North America fourth most populous continent after Asia Africa Europe. Most populous country U.S. with 342.9 million persons. Second-largest country Mexico population 126 million. Canada third-most-populous country 41.5 million. Largest cities North America far are Mexico City and New York City only cities exceed eight million. Next size Los Angeles Toronto Chicago Havana Santo Domingo Montreal. Cities Sun Belt regions U.S. such Southern California Houston Phoenix Miami Atlanta Las Vegas experiencing rapid growth. Eight top ten metropolitan areas located U.S. populations above 5.5 million include New York City metropolitan area Los Angeles metropolitan area Chicago metropolitan area Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Greater Mexico City largest metropolitan area population North America. Toronto metropolitan area six million people. Proximity cities each other Canada-U.S. border Mexico-U.S. border led rise international metropolitan areas Detroit-Windsor San Diego-Tijuana experience large commercial economic cultural activity. Metropolitan areas responsible millions dollars trade dependent international freight. Detroit-Windsor Border Transportation Partnership study 2004 concluded US$13 billion dependent Detroit-Windsor international border crossing. San Diego-Tijuana freight Otay Mesa Port Entry valued US$20 billion.