More about the North American Continent
Bison in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. The Bison, a powerful symbol for the Great Plains and pre-columbian North America. In the 19th century, overhunting and westward expansion nearly wiped out the bison, devastating Indigenous communities that depended on them.
Photo: a.dombrowski
What countries are in North America?
North America is home to 23 sovereign nations and several dependent territories.
The Largest Countries in North America
- Canada, the second largest country in the world in terms of area, is only sparsely populated. Just 40 million people call Canada their home. [StatCan]
- The contiguous United States, also known as "the lower 48", occupies the central part of the continent. Alaska, the largest U.S. state, is separated from the rest of the country and occupies the northwestern part of the continent. Alaska shares a maritime border with Russia, to which it once belonged until its purchase by the USA in 1867.
With a population of more than 341 million people, the United States is the most populous country in North America. [US Census]
- Mexico, the Latin American nation has a population of more than 130 million people, making it the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.
- Covered with layers of ice up to one kilometer thick, Greenland is the largest island in the world. The sparsely inhabited island lies largely within the Arctic Circle. Greenland belongs geographically to North America. Politically, Greenland belongs to Europe, because it is an autonomous territory within Denmark, the sovereign kingdom and member-state of the European Union (EU). However, Greenland is not a member of the EU, because it chose to withdraw from the European Community in 1985 after gaining home rule from Denmark.
- Iceland, the volcanic island is considered part of Europe, due to its strong cultural, historical, political, and linguistic ties to other European nations. The island is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
Countries of Central America
Central America is the southernmost part of North America. The subregion lies between Mexico and South America and includes seven nations
Belize,
Costa Rica,
El Salvador,
Guatemala,
Honduras,
Nicaragua, and
Panama.
A Caribbean beach in Puerto Rico. The island is a commonwealth of the United States, In 1952, Puerto Rico adopted a constitution that made the island a U.S. commonwealth, able to govern its own affairs independently and also elect its own leadership.
[CFR]
Photo: Dean Sorensen
The Caribbean Nations
The Caribbean is home to 13 independent nations, scattered across the region's tropical waters: of the caribbean Sea.
Caribbean Nations:
Antigua and Barbuda, the
Bahamas,
Barbados,
Cuba,
Dominica,
Dominican Republic,
Grenada,
Haiti,
Jamaica,
Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and
Trinidad and Tobago.
North America Facts
Population
North America has a total
population of 600 million people in 2025. Main
languages are (American) English and Spanish.
Area
With an
area of 24.7 million square kilometers (953,700 sq.mi.), North America is the third-largest continent by
area after
Asia and
Africa.
With the exception of the
Baja California Peninsula (Mexico), whole North America sits on the
North American Plate, Earth's second largest tectonic plate. The North American Plate comprises most of North America, including
Greenland, Cuba, the Bahamas, the far north-east of Asia and parts of Iceland and the Azores.
North America is home to
Canada, the
United States, the
Bermuda Islands,
Mexico, the countries of
Central America, the
Caribbean islands, and
Greenland, the world's largest island.
Main Geographic Features of North America
North America offers five main geographic features.
A Wapiti bull in the Rocky Mountain National Park, a protected mountain terrain northwest of Denver, Colorado. The Rocky Mountains are the largest mountain system in North America, stretching from Canada to the southwestern United States.
Photo: David Craig
1. Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are one of the most prominent mountain ranges in the world, stretching over 4,800 km (3,000 miles) from Canada to the southwestern United States. The mountains act as a major continental divide, influencing climate and river systems. They are home to diverse ecosystems, from alpine tundra to dense forests.
2. Great Plains
To the east of the Rocky Mountains are the Great Plains, a vast expanse of flatlands and rolling hills stretching from Canada down through the central United States to Mexico. Known for its fertile soil, making it one of the world's most important agricultural regions. The plains were home to the indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and the Canadian Prairies and huge herds of bison roamed the landscape.
3. Mississippi River System
The Mississippi River System is one of the longest river systems in the world, draining about 40% of the continental U.S. The network of rivers acts as a crucial economic and ecological corridor, supporting agriculture, trade, and diverse wildlife. The drainage basin includes major tributaries such as the
Missouri and
Ohio Rivers.
4. Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains are much older than the Rockies, stretching along the eastcoast from Canada down to Alabama in the U.S. Historically, the Appalachians were a major barrier to westward expansion in the early days of European settlement. The mountains are rich in coal deposits, which fueled early American industry. Highest peak is
Mount Mitchell in North Carolina at 6,684 feet (2,037 m).
5. Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by surface area, bordering both the U.S. and Canada. The lakes are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. The lakes play an important role for trade, transportation, and biodiversity, with the
St. Lawrence River providing an outlet to the
Atlantic Ocean.
Oceans and Seas Around North America
A polar bear (Ursus maritimus) at Cape Churchill of the Hudson Bay in the Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada). Polar bears are among the largest predators in North America; they can be found throughout the Arctic in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. [NCC]
Photo: Ansgar Walk
North America is surrounded by three oceans and several major seas.
The
North Atlantic Ocean defines the eastern coastline, from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
The
Pacific Ocean stretches along the western coast, from the U.S. state of Alaska to Central America.
The
Arctic Ocean borders the continent's northernmost regions.
Additionally, several important seas shape North America's geography. The
Caribbean Sea and the
Gulf of Mexico in the south link North America to the tropics. Located in the northeast, are
Baffin Bay and
Hudson Bay, marginal seas of the
Arctic Ocean. They are connected to the
Labrador Sea, an arm of the North Atlantic, by the
Hudson Strait and the
Davis Strait respectively.
The
Bering Sea connects the continent to Asia.
Major river systems of North America
There are several major river systems in North America, the largest of which are listed below.
The Missouri River in Montana. The Missouri River is the longest river in North America and a major tributary of the Mississippi.
Photo: Cmichel67
1. Mississippi-Missouri River System
Mississippi River (3,766 km / 2,341 mi) – Drains much of central U.S.
Missouri River (3,767 km / 2,341 mi) – The Missouri River is the longest river in North America and a major tributary of the Mississippi.
Ohio River (1,579 km / 981 mi) – The Ohio River is a major tributary of the Mississippi, flows from Pittsburgh to the confluence in Illinois.
Arkansas River (2,364 km / 1,469 mi) – The Arkansas River is a major tributary flowing through the central U.S.
Red River (of the South) (2,190 km / 1,360 mi) – The Red River drains into the
Mississippi via the
Atchafalaya River.
2. Mackenzie River System (Arctic Drainage)
Mackenzie River (4,241 km / 2,635 mi) – The Mackenzie River is the longest river in Canada, draining into the Arctic Ocean.
Peace River (1,923 km / 1,195 mi) – The Peace River is a major tributary of the Mackenzie.
Slave River (434 km / 270 mi) – The Slave River connects
Lake Athabasca to the
Mackenzie basin.
Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River over millions of years. The river's erosional force, combined with tectonic uplift and other geological processes, created the deep and vast canyon we see today.
Photo: benji2505
3. St. Lawrence River System (Atlantic Drainage)
St. Lawrence River (3,058 km / 1,900 mi including Great Lakes) – The St. Lawrence River drains the
Great Lakes into the
Atlantic Ocean.
Ottawa River (1,271 km / 790 mi) – The Ottawa River is a major tributary of the St. Lawrence.
Saguenay River (170 km / 106 mi) – Flows into the St. Lawrence in
Quebec.
4. Columbia River System (Pacific Drainage)
Columbia River (2,000 km / 1,243 mi) – The Columbia River drains the
Pacific Northwest and flows into the
Pacific Ocean.
Snake River (1,735 km / 1,078 mi) – The Snake River is the largest tributary of the Columbia River.
5. Colorado River System (Pacific Drainage)
Colorado River (2,330 km / 1,450 mi) – The
Colorado River is famous for carving the Grand Canyon; it drains into the
Gulf of California.
Gila River (1,044 km / 649 mi) – The Gila River is a 649-mile-long (1,044 km) tributary of the Colorado River.
The Hubbard Glacier is a glacier streching two National Parks, the Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve in eastern Alaska and the Kluane National Park and Reserve in Yukon, Canada. Glaciers in North America can be found in Alaska, Canada, and several US states and even in Mexico.
Photo: A.Davey
6. Yukon River System (Pacific-Arctic Drainage)
Yukon River (3,190 km / 1,982 mi) – The Yukon River drains northwestern Canada and Alaska into the
Bering Sea.
Four principal tributaries feed the Yukon River: the
Teslin River, the
Pelly River, the
White River and the
Stewart River. In Alaska, the major tributaries are the
Porcupine,
Tanana and
Koyukuk rivers.
[CE]
7. Rio Grande River System (Gulf of Mexico Drainage)
Rio Grande (3,057 km / 1,900 mi) – The Rio Grande forms much of the U.S.-Mexico border; it drains into the
Gulf of Mexico.
Pecos River (1,490 km / 926 mi) – The
Pecos River originates in north-central New Mexico and flows into Texas; it is a major tributary of the
Rio Grande.
8. Fraser River System (Pacific Drainage)
Fraser River (1,375 km / 854 mi) – The Fraser River drains much of British Columbia into the Pacific Ocean.
9. Hudson Bay Drainage
Nelson River (2,575 km / 1,600 mi) – The
Nelson River drains
Lake Winnipeg into
Hudson Bay.
Churchill River (1,609 km / 1,000 mi) – The Churchill River flows into
Hudson Bay.
Albany River (982 km / 610 mi) – The Albany River is a major river in Ontario flowing into
James Bay, a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay.