2. North America
North America is a continent wholly within the
Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly
within the Western Hemisphere. It can also be
considered a northern subcontinent of the
Americas.
Area: 24,709,000 km²
Population: 528.7 million (2008)
3. CLIMATE
North America, extending to within 10° of latitude of
both the equator and the North Pole, embraces every
climatic zone, from tropical rain forest and savanna on
the lowlands of Central America to areas of permanent
ice cap in central Greenland. Subarctic and tundra
climates prevail in N Canada and N Alaska, and desert
and semiarid conditions are found in interior regions
cut off by high mountains from rain-bearing westerly
winds. However, a high proportion of the continent has
temperate climates very favorable to settlement and
agriculture.
4. RELIGIONS
Its various faiths have been a major influence on
art, culture, philosophy and law. Between
them, the United States, Mexico and Canada
account for 85 percent of the population of
North America. Religion in each of these
countries is dominated by Christianity, making
it the largest religion in North America.
5. COUNTRIES
North America, the planet’s 3rd largest
continent, includes (23) countries and dozens
of possessions and territories. It contains all
Caribbean and Central America countries,
Canada, Mexico, the United States of America,
as well as Greenland - the world’s largest
island.
6. LANGUAGE
The most widely spoken languages in North
America (which includes Central America and
the Caribbean islands) are English, Spanish,
French, Danish (almost entirely exclusive to
Greenland alone), and, especially in the
Caribbean, Creole languages edified by them.
