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North America, the world’s 4th most populated continent, encompasses the 12 mainland countries that lie between Panama and the Arctic Ocean, plus Greenland, Bermuda, the Caribbean Islands, and dozens of small offshore islands (Click for map). Hawaii, surprisingly, isn’t considered part of North America, even though it’s a U.S. state.
It’s long been theorized that North America’s first humans arrived from Asia roughly 25,000 years ago by crossing a land bridge that once linked present day Russia and Alaska. These Stone Age pioneers, who initially lived as hunters and gathers, first migrated down the Pacific coast toward South America, then across the treacherous Rocky Mountains. By around 986 AD, when Eric the Red began exploring Greenland, it’s estimated that the continent’s Asian Native American Indian population had swelled to about 5 million people.
The “New World” Evolves
Even though North America was colonized by its native Indians centuries before Eric the Red or Columbus arrived, European settlers, however, had totally “recolonized” the continent by the mid 19th Century. Today, Europe’s cultural influences are not only evidenced by North America’s use of English, Spanish and French as its primary languages, but also by the European architectures that characterize many of the continent’s colonial cities such as Montreal, Boston, Mexico City, and New Orleans.
A Traveler’s Paradise
While the United States is still North America’s most popular travel destination, growing numbers of travelers, however, are now discovering that Mexico, Canada and many other North American countries are also exciting places to visit. From Mexico’s captivating Sierra Madre Mountains, to Toronto’s wonderful world-class gourmet restaurants, to the serenity of Costa Rica’s rainforests, North America truly is a traveler’s paradise.
Geographical and Sociological Profile
The following information was provided by the World Resource Institute, the Library of Congress, and the United Nations, and was last updated on October 27, 2003. For more current population information please click here.
Land Area: 69,449,470 Square Miles (24,475,000 Square Kilometers)
Population: 481,215, 000 (Estimated, 2003)
Languages: English, Spanish, French, and various local Indian dialects
Religions: Catholic, 58%; Protestant, 39%; Judaism, 2%; Other, 1%
Literacy: Urban, 98%; Rural, from 60% to 90%, depending on country
Large Cities: Mexico City, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Havana
Mountains: Mt. McKinley (AL), Mt. Hood (WA), Mt. Rainier (OR), St. Helens (OR)
Major Lakes: Great Lakes, Bear (Canada), Slave (Canada), Great Salt (U.S.)
Major Rivers: Mississippi/Missouri (U.S.), Mackenzie (Canada), Juchipila (Mexico)
Travel Desirability Code
To help you identify those countries that offer the most desirable attractions, cultural experiences, and travel accommodations, we have assigned a Travel Desirability Code to each country based on the following rating scale: Good  Fair  Poor 
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