North America - Tourism and Travel

North America is the third largest continent on Earth, after Asia and Africa

Geography and Environment

North America contains many different geological regions. These include:

The Appalachian Mountains, which slope across a broad coast near the Atlantic. The Appalachians were formed about 400 million years ago. They are among the oldest mountains in the world.

The Gulf Atlantic Coastal Plain, which borders the southern coast of north America from the Great Plains to the southern Appalachians. It includes the Mississippi Delta.

The Canadian Shield, which covers Greenland and northern Canada. This plain has rocks that are more than two billion years old. Weathering and repeated glaciation have created flat plains, small hummocks (hills of ice), basins, lakes, bays and islands in this region.

The Great Plains and Central Lowlands, which lie between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. Retreating glaciers and rivers have left thick deposits of sediment here, making the land extremely fertile

The Western Cordillera, which runs from Mexico to the Arctic, and includes the Rocky, Sierra Nevada, Cascade, Coast and Aleutian mountains. The Western Cordillera was formed when the North American and Pacific continental plates collided about 80 million years ago.

There is a chain of volcanic islands to the east of the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate in north America is extremely varied. Alaska and Greenland have Arctic climates, while southeastern Florida, the Caribbean and Central America have tropical climates. The southwest is desert. The central and southern parts of North America experience hurricanes and tornadoes.

People

The most densely populated regions in North America are the Mexican and Central American highlands, the Atlantic coastal plain, the Great Lakes region and the Pacific cost.

The islands of the Caribbean have small populations but are still very crowded, as land area is very small.

A large portion of North America is sparsely populated, particularly the far north,.

English is the main language in the United States of America. A larger number of people in the southwestern USA speak Spanish.

French and English are spoken in Canada.

Spanish is spoken in Mexico.

In the Caribbean islands, French, Spanish, English and creole languages are spoken.

Indigenous languages are spoken in isolated areas.

The USA and Canada are among the countries with the highest overall standards of living in the world; nevertheless, many people in the USA and Canada live in poverty.

The countries of Central America in the Caribbean have much lower overall standards of living.

Haiti has the lowest standard of living of any country in the western hemisphere.

Economics

Canada and the United States of America have many natural resources, which have contributed to their developing modern, industrial economies. The United States now has the largest economy in the world.

Important industries in the USA include electronics, hi-tech and vehicle production.

Oil and natural gas can be found in the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Alaska and the western part of Canada. Coal mining was once very important in the Appalachians. There are large coal pits in Wyoming.

The plains stretching from the Canadian prairies to Texas is the main growing region of North America. The farming economy here is primarily based on raising grains and on cattle ranching.

Citrus fruits are grown in Florida.

Farms in California are irrigated to enable the growing of fruits and vegetables.

The Mexican economy primarily depends on oil exports and on assembly work. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is intended to increase trade between Mexico and the USA and Canada.

Mexico has large silver deposits.

Caribbean and Central American countries mostly depend on tourism and on cash crops,such as coffee, sugar cane and bananas, to support their economies. Relying on a single crop makes these countries very vulnerable to fluctuating markets.

There are large deposits of bauxite in Jamaica.

Politics

Canada and the United States of America have long democratic traditions, but some other countries in North America, particularly in Central America, have often been politically unstable.

North America Facts

Total Area: 9,529,129 square miles (24,680,331 square kilometers)

Highest Point: Mount McKinley in the United States of America - 20,321 feet (6,194 meters)

Lowest Point: Death Valley in the United States of America - 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level

Largest Lake: Lake Superior in Canada and the United States of America - 31,699 square miles (82,100 square kilometers)

Longest River: Mississippi-Missouri River in the United States of America - 3,709 miles (5,969 square kilometers)

Largest Drainage Basin: Mississippi-Missouri River Basin in Canada and the United States of America - 1,236,388 square miles (3,202,230 square kilometers)

Largest Island: Greenland - 839,999 square miles (2,175,600 square kilometers) - largest island on Earth (excluding Australia)