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Continents

North America

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The third-largest continent, extending from the Arctic islands of Canada through the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to the isthmus of Central America, bounded by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It carries the Mississippi and Colorado river systems, the Great Lakes, the largest group of connected fresh water lakes on Earth, and the Grand Canyon, one of the deepest river-cut canyons in the world.

Facts
Area (sq km)
24,709,000 1
National Geographic Atlas of the World figure, including Central America and Greenland.
Population
592,296,233 1
2021 estimate, Wikipedia infobox (4th most populous continent).
Highest Point
Denali 2
Highest Elevation (m)
6190 2
Lowest Point
Badwater Basin, Death Valley 3
Country Count
23 1
Tectonic Plate Context
North American Plate 1
Cross-Tradition Connections

Associated With

Asia, Continents

During glacial periods of the late Pleistocene, falling sea levels exposed Beringia, a land bridge across the present Bering Strait joining Siberia and Alaska. It existed intermittently until around 11,000 years ago, when rising seas submerged it and separated the two continents, closing the route early humans and animals had used to cross between them.

Source United States Geological Survey
Central America, Regions
Source North America (Wikipedia)
South America, Continents

This source names North America directly: "A continent joined to North America by the isthmus of Panama and otherwise bounded by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, dominated along its western edge by the Andes, the world's longest continental..."

Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Arctic Ocean, Bodies of Water
Source North America (Wikipedia)
The Atlantic Ocean, Bodies of Water
Source North America (Wikipedia)
The Caribbean, Regions
Source North America (Wikipedia)
The Pacific Ocean, Bodies of Water
Source North America (Wikipedia)

Home To

Alabama, States or Territories
Alaska, States or Territories
Albany, Cities
Alberta, States or Territories

Alberta's own infobox names Canada as its country (checked live this session); Canada is on-continent North America (its own live edge, content.EntityRelationship, checked this session), so Alberta is on-continent North America.

Source Alberta (Wikipedia)
Annapolis, Cities
Antigua and Barbuda, Countries
Arizona, States or Territories
Arkansas, States or Territories
Atlanta, Cities
Augusta, Cities
Austin, Cities
Bahamas, Countries
Barbados, Countries
Basseterre, Cities
Baton Rouge, Cities
Belize, Countries
Belmopan, Cities
Bismarck, Cities
Boise, Cities
Boston, Cities
Bridgetown, Cities
Calgary, Cities
California, States or Territories
Canada, Countries
Carson City, Cities
Castries, Cities
Central America, Regions
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Charleston, Cities
Charlotte, Cities
Cheyenne, Cities
Chicago, Cities
Cincinnati, Cities
Colorado, States or Territories
Colorado River, Bodies of Water
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Columbia, Cities
Columbus, Cities
Concord, Cities
Connecticut, States or Territories
Costa Rica, Countries
Cuba, Countries
Dallas, Cities
Delaware, States or Territories
Denver, Cities
Des Moines, Cities
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Dominica, Countries
Dominican Republic, Countries
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Edmonton, Cities
El Paso, Cities
El Salvador, Countries
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Fort Worth, Cities
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Fresno, Cities
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Illinois, States or Territories
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Jacksonville, Cities
Jamaica, Countries
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Kansas City, Cities
Kentucky, States or Territories
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Kingstown, Cities
Lansing, Cities
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Little Rock, Cities
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Madison, Cities
Maine, States or Territories
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Maryland, States or Territories
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Memphis, Cities
Mexico, Countries
Mexico City, Cities
Miami, Cities
Michigan, States or Territories
Milwaukee, Cities
Minneapolis, Cities
Minnesota, States or Territories
Mississippi, States or Territories
Missouri, States or Territories
Montana, States or Territories
Monterrey, Cities
Montgomery, Cities
Montpelier, Cities
Montreal, Cities
Source Wikipedia: Montreal
Nashville, Cities
Nassau, Cities
Nebraska, States or Territories
Nevada, States or Territories
New Hampshire, States or Territories
New Jersey, States or Territories
New Mexico, States or Territories
New Orleans, Cities
New York, States or Territories
New York City, Cities
Nicaragua, Countries
North Carolina, States or Territories
North Dakota, States or Territories
Oakland, Cities
Ohio, States or Territories
Oklahoma, States or Territories
Oklahoma City, Cities
Olympia, Cities
Omaha, Cities
Oregon, States or Territories
Panama, Countries
Panama City, Cities
Pennsylvania, States or Territories
Philadelphia, Cities
Phoenix, Cities
Pierre, Cities
Port of Spain, Cities
Port-au-Prince, Cities
Portland, Cities
Providence, Cities
Quebec City, Cities
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Rhode Island, States or Territories
Richmond, Cities
Roseau, Cities
Sacramento, Cities
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Countries
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Countries
Salem, Cities
Salt Lake City, Cities
San Antonio, Cities
San Diego, Cities
San Francisco, Cities
San Jose, Cities
San Salvador, Cities
Santa Fe, Cities
Santo Domingo, Cities
Seattle, Cities
South Carolina, States or Territories
South Dakota, States or Territories
Springfield, Cities
St. George's, Cities
St. John's, Cities
Tallahassee, Cities
Tampa, Cities
Tegucigalpa, Cities
Tennessee, States or Territories
Texas, States or Territories
The Arctic, Regions
The Arctic Ocean, Bodies of Water
Source The World Factbook
The Atlantic Ocean, Bodies of Water
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Caribbean, Regions
The Grand Canyon, Landforms
Source United States Geological Survey
The Great Lakes, Bodies of Water
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Mississippi, Bodies of Water
The Pacific Ocean, Bodies of Water
Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Topeka, Cities
Toronto, Cities
Trenton, Cities
Trinidad and Tobago, Countries
Tulsa, Cities
United States, Countries
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Utah, States or Territories
Vancouver, Cities
Vermont, States or Territories
Virginia, States or Territories
Washington, States or Territories
Washington, D.C., Cities
West Virginia, States or Territories
Winnipeg, Cities
Wisconsin, States or Territories
Wyoming, States or Territories
In the Other Atlases
  • Also in Nature Atlas: Giant Sequoia, is where this subject originated.
  • Also in Nature Atlas: Gray Wolf, is where this subject originated.
  • Also in Nature Atlas: Monarch Butterfly, is where this subject originated.
  • Also in Nature Atlas: Saguaro Cactus, is where this subject originated.
Sources
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundationinfobox, Countries
Quote, infobox, Countries
Countries: 23 sovereign states
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationGeography section, plate description
Quote, Geography section, plate description
The vast majority of North America is on the North American Plate.
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction, continent overview
Quote, Introduction, continent overview
North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres.
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead paragraph, opening sentences
Quote, Lead paragraph, opening sentences
North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean.
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, Area
Quote, Infobox, Area
24.709 million km2 (9.54 million sq mi)
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, Population (2021 estimate)
Quote, Infobox, Population (2021 estimate)
592,296,233 (2021; 4th)
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: The Arctic Ocean, Opening section, bordering waters
Quote, Associated With: The Arctic Ocean, Opening section, bordering waters
It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean.
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: The Atlantic Ocean, Opening section, bordering waters
Quote, Associated With: The Atlantic Ocean, Opening section, bordering waters
It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean.
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: The Pacific Ocean, Opening section, bordering waters
Quote, Associated With: The Pacific Ocean, Opening section, bordering waters
It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean.
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Central America, Opening section, subregions
Quote, Associated With: Central America, Opening section, subregions
The continent includes the subregions of Northern America (comprising Canada, Greenland, and the continental United States as well as the insular territories of Bermuda and Saint Pierre and Miquelon) and Middle America (comprising Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean).
View the Source
1. North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: The Caribbean, Opening section, subregions
Quote, Associated With: The Caribbean, Opening section, subregions
The continent includes the subregions of Northern America (comprising Canada, Greenland, and the continental United States as well as the insular territories of Bermuda and Saint Pierre and Miquelon) and Middle America (comprising Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean).
View the Source
2. Denali (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundationopening paragraph, summit status
Quote, opening paragraph, summit status
Denali...is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190 m) above sea level.
View the Source
3. Extremes of North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLowest point entry
Quote, Lowest point entry
Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California, United States, lowest land surface of North America at -282 ft (-86 m)
View the Source
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.View the Source
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Home To: Central America, Central AmericaView the Source
The World Factbook
Central Intelligence AgencyView the Source
The World Factbook
Central Intelligence AgencyNorth America, population summaryView the Source
National Geographic Atlas of the World
National Geographic Society, 2019World continents area table
United States Geological Survey
United States Geological SurveyHome To: The Grand CanyonView the Source
United States Geological Survey
United States Geological SurveyAssociated With: AsiaView the Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationHome To: The Pacific OceanView the Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationHome To: The Atlantic OceanView the Source
Wikipedia: Montreal
WikipediaHome To: MontrealView the Source
Dissenting Readings (1 dissenting reading)
In Category: Continents

Many national curricula, most prominently across Latin America and much of Southern and Western Europe, teach a six-continent model that combines North and South America into a single continent, America, joined by the Isthmus of Panama; a further four-continent model (Afro-Eurasia, America, Antarctica, Australia) combines them on the same reasoning. The Olympic movement own five-ring symbol reflects a related five-inhabited-continent convention that also treats the Americas as one.

A dissenting reading, from Geography curricula of Latin America, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece and other six-continent-model traditions, aEncyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
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