North America

North America is a continent located in the northwest portion of the world. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Caribbean Sea to the southeast. It is connected to South America by the narrow land bridge of Panama.

The continent includes three large countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It also contains the countries of Central America such as Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and Caribbean islands such as Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Greenland, the world's largest island, is geographically part of North America but is politically linked to Denmark.

Geography and climate

The west is traversed by tall mountains known as the Rocky Mountains, while the east contains older mountains, the Appalachian range. The center has broad plains used for farming. Major rivers include the Mississippi, Missouri, Mackenzie, and Rio Grande. The Great Lakes are among the world's largest freshwater bodies.

Climate varies widely: the permanent ice of the Arctic north, the humid and temperate climate of the center, deserts such as the Sonora and Mojave, and the tropical climate of Central America and the Caribbean. Hurricanes commonly strike the coasts of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico between June and November.

History

The continent's indigenous peoples migrated from Asia thousands of years ago. They gave rise to major civilizations such as the Maya and Aztec in Mexico and Central America, and diverse societies in the north. From the 15th century onward, European powers—Spain, France, and England—colonized much of the region, resulting in demographic and linguistic change. In the 18th and 19th centuries, many territories gained independence.

People, languages, and economy

The most widely spoken languages are English, Spanish, and French; there are also indigenous languages and Caribbean Creole languages. The continent's economies vary greatly: the United States and Canada are among the world's largest, while Central American and Caribbean countries typically depend on agriculture, mining, and remittances from workers abroad. Trade agreements among the three northern countries have created close economic ties in their production.