North America
North America is a continent in the northern and western hemispheres. It’s the third-largest continent in the world (after Asia and Africa) and measures over 24.7 million km² (9.5 million square miles). There are 23 countries in North America, the largest of which are the United States and Canada.Â
The Arctic Ocean borders it to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south. South America lies to the southeast and is connected to North America via a narrow bridge called the Isthmus of Panama in Panama. This is also what separates the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean.Â
When combined, the subregions of Northern America, the Caribbean and Central America form North America according to the UN geoscheme. While many people mean the United States, Canada, and Mexico when they talk about North American countries, the term can also be used to describe countries in Central America (such as Belize, Costa Rica, and El Salvador). This region is a subregion of the Americas and is officially considered part of North America.
Most of North America has a mild continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters. However, due to the size of the continent, the climate varies dramatically from region to region. The climate in southern US states such as Florida and Louisiana is humid and subtropical, while Alaska, central and northern Canada have subarctic and Arctic climates.Â
Some of the most famous landmarks in North America include the Statue of Liberty in the US, the CN Tower in Toronto, and Chichen Itza in Mexico. Popular natural landmarks include Niagara Falls in both the US and Canada and the Grand Canyon in Arizona, US.Â
English is the most widely spoken language on the continent. It’s predominately spoken in the US, Canada, Bermuda, Belize, and the Cayman Islands. Spanish is largely spoken in Mexico and most Central American countries (bar Belize), as well as the US. French is the third most popular language in North America and is one of Canada’s two official languages.Â
Countries of North America
Country | Flag | Population | World % | UN Subregion | Capital City |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antigua and Barbuda | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Bahamas | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Barbados | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Belize | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Canada | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Costa Rica | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Cuba | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Dominica | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Dominican Republic | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
El Salvador | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Grenada | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Guatemala | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Haiti | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Honduras | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Jamaica | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Mexico | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Nicaragua | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Panama | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Saint Lucia | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
Trinidad and Tobago | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | |
United States | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! | #REF! |
Facts about North America
Sovereign Countries | Population | Land Area (km²) | Population Density (/km²) | World % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America | 23 | 604,182,520 | 21,330,000 | 28 | 7.51% |
Largest Country
Smallest Country
The smallest country in North America is Saint Kitts and Nevis, which covers a land area of just 261 km² (101 sq mi).Â
Largest Island
Longest River
Highest Point
Largest Lake
Country with the Longest Coastline
Tallest Building
Most Visited Country
Data Sources:
- Population: World Population Prospects
- Land Area: The World Factbook
- Coastline: The World Factbook
- Inbound Tourism: UN Tourism