Explore North America map with states and provinces to locate the first level administrative divisions of all countires lie in North America continent.
Constituent Country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
39,000
37,224
+1 721
34.00
13.10
About North America
North America is a continent located in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. It is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South America and the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south. North America comprises various regions, including Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Greenland, Mexico, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and the United States.
In terms of land area, North America covers approximately 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), making it the third-largest continent, following Asia and Africa. It accounts for about 16.5% of the Earth's land area and 4.8% of its total surface area. In population, North America ranks as the fourth-largest continent, after Asia, Africa, and Europe, with an estimated population of nearly 579 million people in 23 independent states as of 2013. This represents around 7.5% of the world's population.
The timeline of the first human populations reaching North America is still uncertain. Evidence suggests that people inhabited the Americas at least 20,000 years ago, but there are indications of even earlier habitation. The Paleo-Indian period followed the Last Glacial Period and extended until about 10,000 years ago, marking the beginning of the Archaic period. The subsequent classic stage spanned from the 6th to the 13th centuries. European exploration and colonization started in the year 1000 AD when the Norse became the first Europeans to explore and settle in parts of North America.
Christopher Columbus's voyages in 1492 initiated a significant transatlantic exchange, leading to the migration of European settlers during the Age of Discovery and the early modern period. Present-day cultural and ethnic diversity in North America reflects interactions between European colonists, indigenous peoples, African slaves, and immigrants from Europe and Asia. As a result, many North Americans speak European languages like English, Spanish, and French, with a cultural influence predominantly rooted in Western traditions. However, certain regions in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America maintain indigenous populations that continue to practice their pre-European colonial cultural and linguistic traditions.
