North America
North America is a continent located in northern hemisphere and western hemisphere. It is the third largest continent after Asia and Africa, with a total area of 24,474,000 square kilometers. The continent accounts for 16.5 percent of the earth’s land surface.
North America is the land of big water. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, in the east by the Atlantic Ocean, in the southeast by the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean.
North America contains all Caribbean and Central America countries, Canada, Mexico, the United States of America, as well as Greenland - the world’s largest island.
Alaska Range:
Mountains of south-central Alaska that extend from the Alaska Peninsula to the border of the Yukon Territory, Canada. The highest point in North America is located here on Mt. McKinley at 6,194 meters above sea level.
Appalachian Mountains:
The Appalachian Mountain Range is an ancient band of mountains that stretches from Canada to central Alabama. The highest peak is Mt. Mitchell at 2,037 meters above sea level.
Mountains of south-central Alaska that extend from the Alaska Peninsula to the border of the Yukon Territory, Canada. The highest point in North America is located here on Mt. McKinley at 6,194 meters above sea level.
Appalachian Mountains:
The Appalachian Mountain Range is an ancient band of mountains that stretches from Canada to central Alabama. The highest peak is Mt. Mitchell at 2,037 meters above sea level.
Canadian Shield:
Canadian Shield is a plateau region of eastern and northern Canada and the Great Lakes area of North America. It mainly includes rough and rocky surfaces, and large areas of coniferous forests. In addition, the northern regions along the Arctic Circle are comprised of rocky frozen tundra.
Coastal Plain:
Canadian Shield is a plateau region of eastern and northern Canada and the Great Lakes area of North America. It mainly includes rough and rocky surfaces, and large areas of coniferous forests. In addition, the northern regions along the Arctic Circle are comprised of rocky frozen tundra.
Coastal Plain:
Coastal Plain is an area of the southern and southeastern part of the continent. It extends to the continental shelf and is generally covered by flat land with various mixed forests.
Great Plains:
The Great Plains of North America slope east from the Rockies and extend to the edge of the Canadian Shield and the western edges of the Appalachians. The land is generally smooth with large treeless areas and shallow river valleys.
Great Plains:
The Great Plains of North America slope east from the Rockies and extend to the edge of the Canadian Shield and the western edges of the Appalachians. The land is generally smooth with large treeless areas and shallow river valleys.
Rocky Mountains: The Rocky Mountains or the Rockies are a major mountain range in western North America. It stretches about 4,830 kilometers in length. The highest point is Mt. Elbert. It stands at 4,399 meters above sea level.
Sierra Nevada and Sierra Madres are two smaller ranges running along the western coast of the continent.
Rivers
Hundreds of rivers and their tributaries flow across North America. Major rivers include the Yukon, the Mackenzie, the Fraser, the Columbia, the Churchill, the Colorado, the Missouri, the Mississippi, the Ohio, the St. Laurence, and the Rio Grande.
Climate and Vegetaton
Weather varies dramatically across the North American landscape. Climates range from Arctic cold to Equatorial heat, and everything in between. The climate and vegetation of North America can be broadly divided into eight different types.
In the coniferous forest or Taiga has a cold and dry weather with snowy winters and warmer summers. The coniferous forest region contains trees such as pine, fir and spruce.
Area of deciduous forest has four distinct seasons with warm summers and cold, wet winters. Trees shed their leaves in autumn. The area is rich in plant life and includes tall and short trees, shrubs, small plants and mosses.
Grassland area has hot summer and cold winter with above average rainfall. The grassland region is characterized by large open areas of tall or short grass.
Alpine/mountain area is cold, windy and snowy. Its winter is from October to May with temperatures below freezing, while summer is from June to September where the temperature can reach 15°C. Due to the cold during the winter months, only short grasses and shrubs can survive in the tundra and alpine/mountain regions.
Mediterranean climate area has warm to high temperatures with rainfall in the autumn and winter months. Plants found in the Mediterranean region have adapted to the differences in rainfall and temperature between winter and summer and include, palm trees, citrus trees, forest and scrub.
Desert has warm to high temperatures with very little rainfall. The desert regions are home to those plants that can survive the arid conditions and include varieties of cacti.
Rainforest has high temperatures and high rainfall throughout the year. The rainforest areas are jungles of dense, wet forests.
Fuana
The distribution of animal species in North America follows the pattern of the vegetation. In the Arctic tundra and northern coniferous forest there are caribou and wolves. Deer, skunks, and squirrels live in the eastern deciduous forests. The western mountains have mountain lions, bears, and porcupines. Coyotes and prairie dogs are typical examples of predator and prey in the western prairies. Kit foxes and burrowing owls live in the deserts of the southwest.
People
Although the population of Canada and the United States is still largely of European origin, it is growing increasingly diverse with substantial immigration from Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
In Mexico about 60% of its population is mestizo (of European and Native American descent). People of European descent are a minority in most Central American and Caribbean countries. The largest urban cities on the continent are Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
Languages
Spanish is spoken in Mexico, Central America, much of the Caribbean area, and parts of the United States. English is spoken in the United States and most of Canada and on some Caribbean islands. French is the language used in part of Canada and in several Caribbean islands. Danish is spoken to some extent in Green-land and in the Virgin Islands of the United States. The language of the Netherlands Antilles is Dutch. Indian dialects are spoken in the mountainous areas of Mexico and Central America, the Indian reservations of the United States, and Canada's Northwest Territories. Eskimo, the language of the Eskimos, is widely spoken in Alaska, northern Canada, and Greenland.
Religion
Christianity is the major religion of North America. The great majority of Mexicans are Roman Catholics, and some 45 percent of Canadians and 26 percent of U.S. inhabitants profess Roman Catholicism. Some 28 percent of Canada's people are Protestants and 8 percent are Anglicans. In the United States, Protestants make up 58 percent of the population. Canada and the United States also have substantial communities of Jews and Eastern Orthodox Christians.
