A map of North America's physical, political, and population characteristics as of 2024
North America is a continent[b] in the Northern 🍋 and Western Hemispheres.[c] North America 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 west and south by the Pacific 🍋 Ocean. Greater North America includes the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Île Clipperton, Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), México, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, 🍋 the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States of America.
Continental North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square 🍋 kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), representing approximately 16.5% of the Earth's land area and 4.8% of its total surface area. It 🍋 is the third-largest continent by size after Asia and Africa, and the fourth-largest continent by population after Asia, Africa, and 🍋 Europe. As of 2013 , North America's population was estimated at nearly 579 million people in 23 independent states, or 🍋 about 7.5% of the world's population. In human geography and in the English-speaking world outside the United States, particularly in 🍋 Canada, the terms "North America" and "North American" are typically defined as including just Canada and the United States.[7][8][9][10][11]
It is 🍋 unknown how and when first human populations reached North America. At present, people were known to live in the Americas 🍋 at least 20,000 years ago[12] but various evidence points to possibly earlier dates.[13][14] The Paleo-Indian period in North America followed 🍋 the Last Glacial Period, and lasted until about 10,000 years ago when the Archaic period began. The classic stage followed 🍋 the Archaic period, and lasted from approximately the 6th to 13th centuries. Beginning in 1000 AD, the Norse were the 🍋 first Europeans to begin exploring and ultimately colonizing areas of North America.
In 1492, the exploratory voyages of Christopher Columbus led 🍋 to a transatlantic exchange, including migrations of European settlers during the Age of Discovery and the early modern period. Present-day 🍋 cultural and ethnic patterns reflect interactions between European colonists, indigenous peoples, African slaves, immigrants from Europe, Asia, and descendants of 🍋 these respective groups.
