america atlas

7/27/2019 America atlas

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CENTRAL AMERICA

Central America, a part of North America, is a tropical isthmus that connects North America to

South America. It includes (7) countries and many small offshore islands.

Overall, the land is fertile and rugged, and dominated through its heart by a string ofvolcanicmountain rangesthat are punctuated by a few active and dangerous volcanos.

Positioned in the planet'snorthern and western hemispheresthe Central America isthmus is

bordered in the northwest by the country of Mexico, and in the southeast by the country of

Colombia. In addition, it's bordered by the Caribbean Sea, Pacific Ocean, and numerous bays,

gulfs and inlets.

GDP Total: $107.7 billion (2006) GDP per capita: $5,339 (2006) Major Languages: Spanish, English, Mayan languages and many others Population: (2009 est) Population Density: 77.2 km2 (29.8 sq mi)

Capital Cities:(see map)(by metro population)

Guatemala City: 3,681,309

Managua: 2,105,000 San Jose: 1,715,485 Tegucigalpa: 1,324,000 Panama City: 1,272,672 San Salvador: 540,898 Belmopan: 20,000

Largest Countries:(by population - 2009 est)

Guatemala: Honduras: El Salvador: Nicaragua: Costa Rica: Panama: Belize:
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A piece of cloth, usually rectangular, of distinctive color and design,

used as a symbol, standard, signal, or emblem of a nation, state, or organization.

Size: 523,780 sq km, 202,000 sq miles Percent of Earth's Land: 0.1% Highest Point: Tajumulco Volcano, Guatemala, 13,845ft (4,220m)

Lowest Point: Caribbean Sea, 0ft (0m) Geographic Center: The geographic center of Central America is 116 miles northeast of Lake

Managua, Nicaragua Horizontal Width: From Guatemala's southwestern border with Mexico, directly east to the

Caribbean Sea border of Honduras and Nicaragua: 595 miles (958 km) (see map) Vertical Length: From Belmopan, Belize directly southeast to Panama City, Panama: 880

miles (1,416 km) (see map)

Note: Lengths and widths are point-to-point, straight-line measurements and will vary some

using other map projections.

Central American Countries:(by LAND AREA)

Nicaragua: 130,373 sq km Honduras: 112,090 sq km Guatemala: 108,890 sq km Panama: 78,200 sq km Costa Rica: 51,100 sq km Belize: 22,966 sq km El Salvador: 21,040 sq km

(by POPULATION DENSITY)

El Salvador: 292 per sq km Guatemala: 129 per sq km Costa Rica: 90 per sq km


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Honduras: 67 per sq km Nicaragua: 44 per sq km Panama: 44 per sq km Belize: 13 per sq km

Regarding landforms, here we locate and identify the major Central America volcanos, as the

istmus is geologically active, with volcanic eruptions and subsequent earthquakes occurring on a

somewhat frequent basis. In fact, in modern times, these landforms (volcanos) have devasted

many cities and killed hundreds of people in Central America.

Central America has many volcanic mountain ranges; the longest are the Sierra Madre de

Chiapas in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras; the Cordillera Isabelia in Nicaragua, and the

Cordillera de Talamanca running through Costa Rica and Panama.

For addition information on Central America landforms, including mountains, lakes, rivers and

more, please follow the individual country links below:

There are hundreds of interesting sites spread across Central America and these are but a few.

For additional info and links explore the individual countries on the map.

The Great Blue Holeis a large underwater sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near thecenter of Lighthouse Reef. It's circular in shape, and over 300 metres (984 ft) across and 124metres (407 ft) deep....

Gulf of Fonsecastretches inward from the Pacific Ocean for just over 41 miles and covers anestimated area of 700 sq. miles. The fringes of this fertile volcanic landscape are indented by aseemingly endless series of winding lagoons - all covered by mangrove swamp...

Lake Izabalis ringed by a tropical rain forest, and home to a rich population of fish. The Mayaconstructed numerous sites around this beautiful lake - and who could blame them - as the floraand fauna within the surrounding landscape continues to be a magnet for visitors, especially

eco-tourism types.... Lake Nicaraguahas hundreds of islands, including an archipelago of over 350 tiny islets near

the port city of Granada. The lake's largest islands include Ometepe, actually formed by the lavaflow of two volcanoes; Conception is still active while Maderas is dormant; beautiful ZapateraIsland, and further to the south, the thirty-some islands of the Solentiname archipelago. ....

The Panama Canalextends across the Isthmus of Panama from Colon on the Atlantic Ocean(Caribbean Sea) side, to Balboa and the Pacific Ocean. It was built by the...

Tikalis one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Mayacivilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petn Basin in what is now northernGuatemala...

Volcanoes of Central Americaare located along the Ring of Fire. The isthmus itself containsmany volcanoes; some are clearly dormant with unknown details on their last eruptions, whileothers are considered potentially active, and a few are currently active and have erupted in.
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Definition:A symbol is an idea, abstraction or concept, that has acquired significance as a

representation of something else. Symbols are on occasion completely unrelated to the idea theyrepresent.

Coat of Arms

Belize

Mayan Bird

Guatemala

For more infomation on symbols for each Central America country, use the map links.
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Central America Timeline:

1500 BC Maya civilation dominates much of Central America 600 BC Maya migrate from Central America into South America 50 BC Maya introduce a calendar known as the Calendar Round 500 Tikal, Guatemala developes into a major Mayan temple city 1123 Yucatec Maya overthrew the Itza Maya 1487 Aztec send spies to Belize to gain trade information 1492 Columbus expores islands along the Caribbean Sea coastline 1501 Columbus visted and named Costa Rica (Rich Coast) 1502 Spanish explorer Rodrigo de Bastidas visits Panama 1502 Columbus reaches the coastline of Honduras 1513 Vasco Nunez de Balboa reaches the Pacific coast, claims ocean for Spain 1519 Panama City founded by the Spanish 1523 Indigenous Mayan defeated, Guatemala becomes a Spanish colony 1524 Spanish established settlement at Puntarenas, Costa Rica 1525 Spanish begin their conquest of Honduras 1530 Francisco Pizarro sails from Panama to attempt the conquest of Peru 1540 El Salvador becomes a Spanish colony 1561 Juan de Cavallon of Spain established colony in Costa Rica

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1600's

1624 Spanish silver fleet sailed to Panama 1628 Locust devastated Mayan crops across Belize 1671 Pirate Henry Morgan captures Panama 1677 Spanish fail to control southern Belize 1698 Scotland attempts to establish colony in Panama

1700's

1720-90 British extend their influence over Nicaragua's Caribbean coastline inhabitants 1723 Irazu volcano erupts in Costa Rica, thousands die 1739 British capture Spanish city of Portobello, Panama 1763 Britain and Spain reach agreement for woodcutting rights in Belize

1800's

1821 Guatemala declared its independence from Spain 1823 Congress of Central America declared independence from Spain and Mexico 1838 Central American Federation splits into Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and

Costa Rica; all are now independent from Spain 1844-65 Dictator Rafael Carrera ruled Guatemala 1854 Earthquake destroyed San Salvador, El Salvador 1855 US built the Panama railroad 1856 American adventurer, William Walker becomes president of Nicaragua 1860 William Walker is executed in Honduras 1860 British government returns control of Caribbean coastline to Nicaragua 1862 Belize declared British crown colony, consequently named British Honduras 1874 Banana cultivation begins in Costa Rica; later bananas become a significant export 1893 General Jose Santos Zelaya seizes power and establishes dictatorship in Nicaragua

1900's
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NORTH AMERICA

NORTH AMERICA HISTORY:

Anthropologists believe that North America's initial inhabitants arrived around 40,000 years ago

by traversing theBering Strait.Some experts feel that by using primitive boats, early man also

migrated down the Pacific coast toSouth America;that debate continues.

There is scientific evidence connecting indigenous Americans to Asian peoples, specificallyfrom the easternSiberianpopulations. Indigenous peoples of theAmericashave been linked toNorth Asian populations by linguistic dialects and blood types.

After the last glacial period ended some 12,500 years back, a wide variety of prehistoric culturesdeveloped across the continent, north to south. The development of stone tools was one of the

factors instrumental in that successful expansion.

Long before theEuropeansarrived, small groups developed throughout theAmericas.Across

theGreat Plainshunter-gatherers existed on wild plants and animals, but they were eventuallyreplaced by more sophisticated bands that farmed the land, raised some animals and improvedtheir hunting skills.

At about the time of Christ, the brown-skinnedArawak Peoplemigrated fromVenezuelato

theLesser Antilles.Small groups settled on many islands in thesoutheasternCaribbean,eventually reaching theGreater Antilles,creating their largest

settlements on the islands ofCuba,Hispaniola,Puerto Rico,andJamaica

In the far-southern reaches of the continent important cultural advances were made by the Mayacivilization. They developed written language, as well as far-reaching advances in art,architecture, astronomical systems and mathematics. From the years 250 to 900, they were at thepinnacle of their power.

InNorth America,sophisticated pre-Columbian cultures continued to develop. Across regions

of what is now theUnited States,social organization were building mound complexes, with

some supporting sizable communities year-round.

Native American societies continued to spread; the Inuit and the Aleut lived in domed-shapeddwellings in theArcticregions while large groups inhabited the Subarctic parts ofAlaskaandwesternCanada.From the Northeast to the Southeast, and from thePlainsto the Southwest, theexpansion continued unabated.

As large groups gained additional knowledge, they began to farm some familiar crops now usedaround the world, such as tomatoes and squash. Perhaps most importantly they developed
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farming techniques for one of the planet's major foods, maize (corn).

The Vikings were seafaring north Germanic people who raided, traded, explored, and settled inwide areas ofEurope,Asia,and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th

centuries. Using sturdy wooden longships they traveled as far westasIceland,Greenland,andNewfoundland.Leif Eriksson is believed to have reached the IslandofNewfoundland, Canada- circa 1000 AD

In the 13th century, central Mexico was the center of the Aztec civilization. The Mayan culturewas fading and the Aztec Empire now stretched across most of Mesoamerica,fromMexicotoBelize,Guatemala,El Salvador,Honduras,Nicaragua,and northernCosta

Rica.

In 1492, after proposing a voyage of discovery to the then mostly-imagined New World,Christopher Columbus leftSpainon an epic journey, financed by Isabella I and Ferdinand II,

Queen and King of Spain. Within a few months he reached land in theBahamas, and NorthAmerica would change forever.

After Columbus made his initial voyage to this New World, word of its potential riches spreadacrossEuropeand explorers and settlers by the thousands would eventually step ashore along

theAtlantic Oceancoastline of North America.

John Cabot explored the east coast of what would becomeCanadain 1497. Giovanni daVerrazzano explored the East Coast of North America fromFloridato easternCanadain 1524,and Jacques Cartier made a series of voyages on behalf of the French crown in 1534 andpenetrated theSt. Lawrence River.

In 1500, the Spanish made their move to colonize parts of the New World. The city of NuevaCdiz was founded on the Venezuela island ofCubaqua.In 1510 they established Santa Mara

la Antigua del Darien near the border ofColombiaandPanama:these were the first Europeansettlements in the Americas.

The first mainland Spanish explorations were a series of inland expeditions that led to the

conquest ofMexicoand theYucatan Peninsula.In 1513, Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossedtheIsthmus of Panamato find gold, but instead led the first European expedition to the Pacific

Ocean and the west coast of the New World.

Balboa then claimed thePacific Oceanand all the lands adjoining it for the Spanish Crown.Hernan Cortes and his conquistadors came ashore at present dayVeracruz, Mexicoon April 22,1519, and it marked the beginning of 300 years of dominate Spanish influence over mostofMexico,Central Americaand theCaribbean.

In 1539, Hernando de Soto landed atTampa Bayin what is now the US State of Florida. With

600 soldiers in tow, his goal was to find gold for the Spanish Crown. At that same time nativeson the continent lived without fear as they were ignorant of the outside world. Soon their

innocence disappeared, as Europeans began to stake their claims, frequently in brutal ways.

As a result of European exploration the Native American population declined substantially,primarily due to the introduction of European diseases to which the Native Americans lacked
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immunity, as well as from violent conflicts where they were no match for European fire power.

Not to be outdone,BritainandFrance(as well asSpain) were beginning to establish extensive

territories in the northern reaches of the continent. Even lesser-powers liketheNetherlandsandSwedenlaid claim to smaller parts.

The first French settlements were established at Port Royal (1604) andQuebec City(1608) in

what is nowNova Scotiaand Quebec, Canada. In 1607, the first successful English settlementwas built atJamestown, Virgina,followed by thePlymouth, Massachusettscolony in 1620.

Near the end of the 17th century the colonialism of North America was at full speed, andinevitable disagreements and greed were the genesis for a series of regional wars, and some ofthe European territories changed hands multiple times. In fact, the Caribbean islandofTobagochanged hands 33 times.

In the middle of the 18th century, independence movements wereon the front-burner across the continent. An American Revolution was brewing within theEnglish colonies,Spain'shold onMexicowas weakening and slave revolts were common in

theCaribbean.

By the end of the century, a handful of independence movements came to fruition across theNorth America continent. The13 original British Coloniesdeclared independence in 1776, and

after the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783, they became theUnited States ofAmerica.Canadawas formed from the unification of northern territories once controlledbyBritainandFrance.

The new country of America's 1803Louisiana PurchasefromFrancealmost doubled its sizeovernight. This massive transfer of land included all of present-dayArkansas,Oklahoma,Missouri,Kansas,NebraskaandIowa;most ofColorado,SouthDakota,MontanaandWyoming,as well as significant parts ofNorth

Dakota,Minnesota,TexasandLouisiana.

New Spain, a territory that stretched from the southwestern modern-day U.S. throughCentral

Americadeclared independence in 1810, becoming the First Mexican Empire.Guatemala,thenpart of that Mexican Empire, became the first independent state in Central America.

For many reasons, including the possibility of America's interestin annexingCanada,the War of 1812 began when theUnited Statesdeclared war on

theBritish.The 32-month military conflict (fought on many fronts) resulted in no territorialchange between the British Empire and the USA, but a resolution of many issues whichremained from the American War of Independence.

With space too limited here to detail, we highlight a series of important land agreements andcompromises that occurred in North America through the end of the 19th century. They include:The Republic of Texas formed as an independent sovereign nation in 1836; the Rebellions of1837 in Lower and Upper Canada; the creation of the Mexican Empire, with the support ofNapoleon III of France in 1864, and the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867.

Arguably, the two most devastating events on the North America continent were the AmericanCivil War (from 1861 to 1865), a conflict that led to the end of slavery in the United States, but itbrought destruction to most of the South, and a tremendous loss of life. It was followed by the
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United States government fighting numerous Indian Wars against the Native Americans for landacquisition; tens of thousands died as a result.

Following the Civil War, America's intervention intoLatin Americaand elsewhere expanded.The 1867Alaska Purchasewas the acquisition of what is now the US State of Alaska from

theRussian Empire.During the SpanishAmerican War of 1898, the US seized several colonies

fromSpainincludingCubaandPuerto Rico.

In 1914, thePanama Canalopened. the 48-mile (77.1 km) shipcanal in Panama connecting the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) to the Pacific Oceanenabled ships to avoid the lengthyCape Hornroute around the southernmost tip ofSouth

America.

At the end of World War I (fought from 1914 to 1918 in Europe) the early 20th century broughtan age of great prosperity to the United States, and to a lesser degree Canada. But the StockMarket Crash of 1929 was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United

States, and that crash affected all Western industrialized countries and did not end in the UnitedStates until the onset of American mobilization for World War II in 1941.

In Mexico, from 1936 to 1949, there was a popular uprising against the anti-Catholicgovernment. In the Caribbean, many islands witnessed the beginnings of decolonization, whileon the island of Cuba, the Cuban Revolution introduced the Soviet Union (now Russia) intoLatin America.

World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority ofthe world's nationsincluding all of the great powers, including Canada and the US. Thedestruction of Europe wrought by the war vaulted all North American countries to moreimportant roles in world affairs, and the United States emerged as a "superpower."

Mexico also experienced an era of huge economic growth after World War II, a heavyindustrialization process and a growth of its middle class, a period known in Mexican history asthe "El Milagro Mexicano" (Mexican miracle). In 1960,Guatemala,El

Salvador,HondurasandNicaraguabanded together to find a common economic bond.

In 1962,Guatemala,andTrinadad and Tobagobecame politically independent. This event

ushered in a period of formal decolonization of the English-speaking Caribbean. Since1962,Jamaicaand Trinidad and Tobago were joined byAntigua,the

Bahamas,Barbados,Belize,Dominica,Grenada,St. LuciaandSt. Vincent.

The early Cold War era saw the United States as the most powerful nation in a Western coalitionof whichMexicoandCanadawere also a part. At home, the United States witnessed violentchange especially in the area of race relations. In Canada this was mirrored by the QuietRevolution and the emergence of Quebec nationalism.

During this time the United States became involved in theVietnam War.That war would laterprove to be highly divisive in American society, and American troops were withdrawn. Canadaduring this era was dominated by the leadership of Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Eventually in 1982 atthe end of his tenure, Canada had a new constitution.
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tlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/gd.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/dm.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/bz.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/bb.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/bs.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/ag.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/ag.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/jm.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/tt.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/gt.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/ni.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/hn.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/sv.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/sv.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/gt.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/sa.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/sa.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/capehorn.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/pncanal.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/pr.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/cu.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/es.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/ru.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/nameriq/usstates/ak.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/newart/locator/latin.htm


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Major changes continued into the 21st century:Mexicoexperienced a strong economic recessionin the 1980s, the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement was reached in January 1989, andon January 1, 1994,Canada,Mexicoand theUnited States of Americasigned the NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement, creating the world's largest free trade area.

Those major economic events were followed by the 9/11 attacks on the United States, and thesubsequent war inAfghanistan- participated in by Canada and the US. In 2006, the violent drug

war spread fromCentral Americato Canada, and that human tragedy reached a deadly peak inMexico in the last few years. In 2008, a financial crisis that began the United States eventuallytriggered a worldwide recession, an economic slowdown that has now wained some.

Surviving powerful earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, contentious imigration issues andisolated terroism attacks, thetwenty-three countriesand the dozens of possessions and

territories within North America have found ways to (for the most part) co-exist in peace, and toeconomically benefit by working together. Today the diverse and massive continent of NorthAmerica present a bright potential future for all of its people, and for that matter, much of themodern world.

NORTH AMERICA MAP:

North America, the planets 3rd largest continent, includes (23) countries and dozens of

possessions and territories. It contains all Caribbean and Central America countries, Bermuda,

Canada, Mexico, the United States of America, as well as Greenland - the worlds largest island.

Positioned in the planet's northern and western hemispheres, it's bordered in 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.

Additional North American countries (not shown on this map) include:Antigua andBarbuda,Barbados,Dominica,Grenada,Haiti,St. Kitts & Nevis,St. Lucia,St. Vincent &

the Grenadines

andTrinidad & Tobago.

NORTH AMERICA GEOGRAPHY NOTES:

Two of North America's most interesting geographical features are the Great Plains and the

Mississippi River System; both impressive in so many ways.

Great Plains: The Great Plains of North America slope east from the Rockies and extend to theedge of the Canadian Shield and the western edges of the Appalachians. The land is generally

smooth with large treeless areas and shallow river valleys. Minor hills and mountains are found

in the Ozark Plateau of Missouri, and in the Boston Mountains and Ouachita Mountains of

northwestern Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Sandhills and buttes cover parts of the north

central U.S. in Nebraska.

Mississippi River System: It is the major river of North America and the United States at (2,339

miles) (3,765 km) in length. It flows from northwestern Minnesota south to the Gulf of Mexico,

just below the city of New Orleans. It is a significant transportation artery and when combined

with its major tributaries (the Missouri and Ohio rivers) it becomes the third largest river systemin the world at (3,877 miles) (6,236 km) in length.
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NORTH AMERICA GEOGRAPHY FACTS:

Percent of Earth's Land: 16.5% Highest Point: Mt McKinley in Alaska, 20,322ft (6,194m) (see map) Lowest Point: Death Valley in California, -282 ft (-86m) below sea level (see map) Geographic Center: The United States Geographical Survey states that the geographic center

of North America is "6 miles west of Balta, Pierce County, North Dakota" at approximately 48

10 N 100 10 W. (see map) Horizontal Width: From San Francisco, California, east to New York City, NY: 2,582 miles

(4,156 km) (see map) Vertical Length: From Barrow, Alaska, directly southeast to Panama City, Panama: 5,347

miles (8,605 km) (see map)

Note:Lengths and widths are point-to-point, straight-line measurements and will vary some



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NORTH AMERICA TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP

A typical topographic-type map highlights hills, mountains and valleys of a specific land

area by exaggerated shading rather than by using contour lines. It also includes major

bodies of water, and some rivers. This topo map clearly shows how the Rocky Mountains

and it various ranges dominate the western-third of the continent (see below). In addition,it also highlights the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern U.S., a range of about 1,500

miles in length, that extends from central Alabama through the New England states and

the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Quebec.

NORTH AMERICA COUNTRIES

This list does not include the island dependencies and overseas territories in the Caribbean.

Antigua and Barbuda

Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guatemala

Haiti

Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States
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ROCKY MOUNTAINS

This is a slice of the large topographical (or relief) map shown above, one that highlights the

Rocky Mountains, aruably the most dramatic landform is all of North America. Additionalfeatures clearly visable include some of the larger rivers on the continent and one of the most

interesting geography features of the United States. Note the depression to the north of Death

Valley and west of the Sierra Nevada. This is both the San Joaguin Valley (south), and the

Sacramento Valley (north), one of the most fertile farming areas in the country.

For additional details on many of the geography features of North America,this page will help

NORTH AMERICA SATELLITE VIEW MAP

This NASA satellite view of North America can be useful in many applications, including
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agriculture, geology, forestry, meteorology, intelligence and warfare. In addition, it's a great

education tool as it provides an overview of the snow covered lands of the far north, and the

Great Plains that slope east from the Rockies and extend to the edge of the Canadian Shield and

the western edges of the Appalachians. That land is generally flat with large treeless areas and

shallow river valleys.

Namesake: Americo Vespucci, the Italian explorer Major Languages: English, French and Spanish Population: 528,720,588 (2008 est)

It's the fourth most populous continent, after Asia, Africa, and Europe Population Density: 22.9 km2 (59.3 sq mi)

North America Country Populations:(23 countries - 2010 estimates)

United States: 309,975,000 Mexico: 108,396,211 Canada: 34,207,000 Guatemala: 14,377,000 Cuba: 11,204,000 Dominican Republic: 10,225,000 Haiti: 10,188,000 Honduras: 7,616,000 El Salvador: 6,194,000 Nicaragua: 5,822,000 Costa Rica: 4,640,000 Panama: 3,322,576 Jamaica: 2,730,000 Trinidad & Tobago: 1,344,000 Bahamas: 346,000 Belize: 322,100 Barbados: 257,000 Saint Lucia: 174,000 St. Vincent & the Grenadines:109,000 Grenada: 104,000 Antigua & Barbuda: 89,000 Dominica: 67,000 Saint Kitts & Nevis: 38,960

Continent Size: 24,474,000 sq km, 9,449,460 sq milesIt's the third-largest continent in area, following Asia and Africa.

Percent of Earth's Land: 16.5% Highest Point: Mt McKinley in Alaska, 20,322ft (6,194m) (see map) Lowest Point: Death Valley in California, -282 ft (-86m) below sea level.


16/25

Geographic Center: The United States Geographical Survey states that the geographic centerof North America is "6 miles west of Balta, Pierce County, North Dakota" at approximately 4810 N 100 10 W. (see map)

Horizontal Width: From San Francisco, California, east to New York City, NY: 2,582 miles(4,156 km) (see map)

Vertical Length: From Barrow, Alaska, directly southeast to Panama City, Panama: 5,347miles (8,605 km) (see map)



Largest North American Countries: (by land area)

Canada: 9,984,670 sq km United States: 9,826,630 sq km Mexico: 1,923,040 sq km Nicaragua: 120,254 sq km Honduras: 112,090 sq km Cuba: 110,860 sq km Guatemala: 108,890 sq km Panama: 78,200 sq km Costa Rica: 51,100 sq km Dominican Republic: 48,730 sq km

Alaska Range:Mountains of south-central Alaska that extend from the Alaska Peninsula to the border of theYukon Territory, Canada. The highest point in North America,Mt. McKinley, 20,320 ft. (6,194m) is located here.

Appalachian Mountains:The Appalachians, about 1,500 miles in length, extend from central Alabama in the U.S. upthrough the New England states and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundlandand Quebec.

Significant Appalachian ranges include:

The Cumberland Mts. in Tennessee The Blue Ridge Mts. in Virginia The Alleghenies in Pennsylvania The Catskills Mts. in New York The Green Mts. in Vermont The White Mts. of New Hampshire

The highest point is Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina at 6,684 ft (2,037 m)

Brooks Range:

Mountains of northern Alaska. Highest point: Mt. Isto, 9,060 ft. (2,760 m)

North America Timeline:

900 Toltec civilization develops in present day Mexico 981 Eric the Red founds the first Nordic settlement in Greenland 1000 Vikings visited coastline of Newfoundland 1327 Aztecs established Mexico City 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas 1510 Spain began settlements in Jamaica
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1519 Hernando Cortes defeated the Aztecs 1534 Jacques Cartier charts Gulf of St. Lawrence 1565 Spanish founded Saint Augustine, Florida 1577 Sir Francis Drake explores Pacific Ocean coastlines 1585 English colonists settled on Roanoke Island, Virginia 1598 New Mexico claimed by Spanish Explorers 1607 Jamestown, Virginia settlement established 1608 Quebec founded by Samuel de Champlain 1609 Henry Hudson explored New York Bay and Hudson River 1612 French explorers discovered Lake Huron 1616 Smallpox devastates Native Americans 1620 Pilgrims arrived on Mayflower at Plymouth, MA

1600's

1629 English captured Quebec City 1642 Montreal founded by Sieur de Maisonneuve 1663 Louis XIV assumed control of New France 1664 New Amsterdam renamed to New York 1670 Hudson Bay Company chartered by Charles II 1682 LaSalle explored Mississippi River

1700's

1701 Iroquois, French, English signed peace treaty 1741 Vitus Bering claimed Alaska for Russia 1744 King George's War began 1749 Halifax, Nova Scotia founded 1754 French and Indian War began 1768 British troops began occupation of Boston 1773 Boston Tea Party 1775 American Revolution began 1776 USA gained its independence from Britain 1789 George Washington elected first US president

1800's

1814 Washington captured and burned by British 1814 Mexico declared independence from Spain 1819 Florida ceded by Spain to the United States 1823 Guatemala declared independence 1836 Americans defeated at Battle of the Alamo 1845 United States annexed Republic of Texas 1846 -1848 U.S. - Mexican War 1849 California Gold Rush began 1852 Fire destroyed 11,000 homes in Montreal 1861 U.S. Civil War began 1862 Canadian smallpox killed 200,000 Indians 1865 13th amendment abolished slavery in the U.S. 1865 Civil War ends; President Lincoln assassinated 1867 Dominion of Canada created 1867 U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 mil 1896 Gold discovered in Yukon Territory 1898 Spain ceded Puerto Rico and Cuba to US 1898 Spain sells Philippines to U.S. for $20 million

1900's

1900 Hurricane kills 6,000+ in Galveston, Texas 1901 President McKinley assassinated 1902 US opens military base at Guantanamo Bay 1903 US granted control of corridor across Panama 1904 Much of Toronto's downtown destroyed by fire 1906 Great San Francisco earthquake killed 500 1907 Race riots within Vancouver's Chinatown


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1909 Peary and Henson reach North Pole 1912 Titanic struck iceberg and sunk, 1503 died 1913 President Madero of Mexico assassinated 1914 Panama Canal completed 1914 World War I began in Europe

1915 Lusitania sank, 1100 died 1916 Haiti became US protectorate 1917 Jones Act gave Puerto Ricans US citizenship 1918 World War I ended 1929 Great Depression began 1932 Amelia Earhart flies solo across Atlantic 1937 Amelia Earhart disappears circling the world 1939 World War II, Hitler attacked Poland 1941 Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 1944 Allies launch D-Day offensive

1945 Enola Gay dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima 1945 World War II ended 1953 Jonas Salk develops polio vaccine 1959 St. Lawrence Seaway opens 1963 U.S. President John F. Kennedy assassinated 1969 First moon landing 1977 Control of Panama Canal given to Panama 1985 Mexico City Earthquake kills thousands 1986Challenger exploded, 7 astronauts killed 1989 Exxon Valdez wrecks in Prince William Sound 1993 Bomb exploded in World Trade Center 1993 NAFTA enacted, US, Canada and Mexico agree 1995 Mexican banking crisis, US aids in crisis 1996 Serious riots in Quebec City

2000's

2001 On September 11, four passenger aircraft hijacked, two crashed into the World TradeCenter, one into the Pentagon and the fourth in a field in Pennsylvania. 3,025 people were killed

2001 Canada became first country in world to legalize medical marijuana 2003 Shuttle Columbia, exploded upon reentry 2003 Massive power failure in NE US and SE Canada 2004 Four hurricanes hit Florida and southern US 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans 2006 65 miners killed in explosion at coal mine 2007 Heavy rains flood Mexico - 500,000 homeless 2008 Barack Obama elected U.S. President 2009 drug-related killings in Mexico reached 6,500 2010 Explosion aboard oil rig in Gulf of Mexico

A symbol is an idea, abstraction or concept, that has acquired significance as arepresentation of something else. Symbols are often completely unrelated to the idea they

represent.

Coat of Arms Mexico Scarlet Macaw National Bird of Hondura

South America


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South America, the planet's 4th largest continent, includes (12) independent countries and(3) major territories; the Falkland Islands, Galapagos Islands and French Guiana.

The continent contains the world's highest waterfall,Angel Fallsin Venezuela; the largestriver (by volume), theAmazon River

; the longest mountain range, theAndes, and the driest

place on earth, theAtacama Desert in Chile.

In addition, it includes the largest rainforest, theAmazon Rainforest; the highest capitalcity,La Paz, Bolivia; the highest commercially navigable lake in the world,Lake Titicaca;and, excluding research stations in Antarctica, the world's southernmost permanently

inhabited community,Puerto Toro, Chile.

Namesake: Americo Vespucci, the Italian explorer Major Languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English, Dutch, French, Italian, Arabic, and dozens of

indigenous languages Population: 379,500,000 (2009 est)

It's the fifth most populous continent, after Asia, Africa, Europe and North America Population Density: 21.4 sq km (56.0 sq mi)

Top 10 Largest Cities:(see map)

(by metro population)

Sao Paulo, Brazil: 18,505,100 Buenos Aires, Argentina: 12,923,800 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 11,246,600 Bogota, Colombia: 7,798,000 Lima, Peru: 7,603,500 Santiago, Chile: 5,636,800 Belo Horizonte, Brazil: 4,413,800

Salvador, Brazil: 3,173,500 Fortaleza, Brazil: 2,976,200 Cali, Colombia: 2,800.600

Largest Countries:

(by population - 2008 est)

Brazil: 193,891,867 Colombia: 45,656,990 Argentina: 40,085,130 Peru: 29,368,000 Venezuela: 29,132,000 Chile: 17,295,000 Ecuador: 14,228,000 Bolivia: 9,182,000
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Paraguay: 6,158,000 Uruguay: 3,463,000 Guyana: 751,000 Suriname: 499,000

Definition:A symbol is an idea, abstraction or concept, that has acquired significance as

a representation of something else. Symbols are on occasion completely unrelated to the

idea they represent.

Coat of Arms

Brazil

Continent Size: 17,819,000 sq km, 6,879,000 sq milesIt's the fourth-largest continent in area, following Asia, Africa and North America

Percent of Earth's Land: 12% Highest Pt: Cerro Aconcagua, Andes Mtns, Argentina 22,833ft (6,959m) (see map) Lowest Pt: Peninsula Valdes, Argentina -151 ft (-40m) below sea level Geographic Center: Chapada dos Guimares, in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil; at 15 27 S

55 44 W. (see map) Horizontal Width: From Lima, Peru, to Fortaleza, Brazil: 2,705 miles (4,353 km) Vertical Length: From Cartagena, Colombia, south to Ushuaia, Argentina: 4,443 miles (7,149

km) (see map)



Largest South American Countries: (by land area)

Brazil: 8,514,877 sq km Argentina: 2,766,890 sq km Peru: 1,285,220 sq km Colombia: 1,138,910 sq km Bolivia: 1,098,580 sq km Venezuela: 912,050 sq km Chile: 756,950 sq km Paraguay: 406,750 sq km Ecuador: 283,560 sq km Guyana: 214,999 sq km Uruguay: 176,220 sq km Suriname: 163,270 sq km

GEOGRAPHY SOUTH AMERICA

Amazon Basin:

The Amazon Basin (Amazonia) is covered by the largest tropical rain forest in the world, and

running through its heart is theAmazon Riverand its more than 1,000 tributaries, seven of them

more than 1,000 miles in length. Measurable rain falls on an average of 200 days a year here, and

total rainfall often approaches 100 inches per year.
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The basin drains over 2,700,000 sq. miles, and covers about one-third of South America. Rising

high in the Andes, the river's network irrigates almost half of the continent, and in terms of

volume of water discharged into an ocean... it's the largest in the world.

Andes Mountains:

This toothy-edged mountain system, some 4,500 miles (7,240 km) in length, extends from the

southern tip ofSouth Americaall the way toPanama.

It's the source of most major rivers on the continent, and its many ranges include dozens of peaks

that reach over 20,000 ft; the highest point being Aconcagua in Argentina, at 22,384 ft.

(6,960m). It's also home to some of the planet's largest volcanoes, and in the far south along the

coast of Chile, large glaciers and ice sheets are commonplace.

Atacama Desert:

Sparsely populated and positioned high into the Andes ofChile, this somewhat small desert (orplateau) is a cold place, and one of the few deserts on Earth that doesn't receive any rain. It's

approximately 100 miles wide and 625 miles long. The landscape is totally barren and covered

with small borax lakes, lava flow remnants and saline deposits. Brazilian

Highlands:

This magnificent landscape of southeasternBrazilis 800 miles in length and contains varied

mountain ranges, namely the Serra de Mantiquiera, Serra do Paranapiataba, Serra Geral, andSerra do Mar. The estimated highest point is 7,368 ft (2,245m).

Brazilian Shield:

The shield is a geologic formation lying south of the Amazon. Hundreds of rivers and streams

flow through this area on their way to theAmazonThese rivers contain a large number of

migratory fish species.
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Cape Horn:

The southernmost tip of South America, remains a maritime legend to this day, as sailing around

this remote point and through its violent stretch of chaotic water is one of the most challenging

nautical routes on the planet.

Guina Highlands:

Over 1,000 miles in length, the Highlands stretch from southernVenezuelato the northern

border ofBrazil.It's a vast plateau, one marked by deep gorges, tropical rain forests, numerous

rivers and waterfalls. It's famed for the highest waterfall in the world (Angel Falls) at 3,212 ft

(979m) high. The highest point is Mt. Roraima on the borders of Brazil, Guyanaand Venezuela

at 9,219 ft (2,810m).

Llanos:

This large and very fertile plain, located in eastern and centralColombia, and central and

southernVenezuela,is drained by theOrinoco Riverand its many tributaries. It's approximately225,000 sq. miles (582,000 sq. km) in size. Pampas:

Famed for its many cattle ranches, this large plain in the southern part of the continent (in

centralArgentina) extends for almost 1,000 miles (1,600 km), and covers 294,000 sq. miles

(761,460 sq km).

Pantanal:

ThePantanalis the world's largest wetland of any kind. It lies mostly within southwestern

Brazil, and covers an area estimated at between 140,000 square kilometers (54,000 sq mi) and

195,000 square kilometers (75,000 sq mi). It contains an astonishing collection of aquatic plants

and a wide variety of of animal species.

Patagonia:

Located between the Andes and theAtlantic Ocean, and about 1,000 miles in length, Patagonia

stretches south from the Rio Negro River to Tierra del Fuego and the Strait of Magellan. It's

mostly rugged, barren land, famed for its beauty and striking mountain scenery.

Tierra Del Fuego:

Located at the southern tip of South America, the Tierra Del Fuego archipelago includes one

large island (18,571 sq miles, 48,100 sq km) in size, and a series of smaller ones. It was

reportedly named by the Portuguese adventurer, Ferdinand Magellan, the first explorer to

circumnavigate the globe. His chosen route through theMagellan Straitproved to be the fastest

and safest connection between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans for sea-going commerce and

exploration.

There are hundreds of interesting sites spread across South America and these are but a few ofour favorites. For additional info and links explore the individual countries on the map.

Beagle Channelwas traversed by Charles Darwin during his 1831 world voyage. He traveledthrough this somewhat narrow body of water on his way to the Pacific Ocean. Later named forDarwin's ship, the Beagle, it's one of the most beautiful water passageways on the planet. Inmodern times, it's the favorite route of cruise ships traveling south to Ushuaia and Antarcticabecause unlike the often turbulent South Pacific Ocean, it's waters are sheltered and calm. Inaddition, it's fronted by some of the most impressive glaciers in South America and....

The Devil's Islands archipelagoconsists of three small islands, located just a few miles off thecoast of French Guiana. The group includes Ile du Diable (Devil's Island), Ile Ste-Joseph and IleRoyale. The islands are known throughout the modern world by the brutal history of the 19th

century French penal settlement that was located here. It was Ile du Diable (or Devil's Islanditself) that perpetuated that story across the planet, especially with the release of a novel andmovie called...
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