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General Information about North America |
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 | North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast. North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), about 4.8% of the planet's surface or about 16.5% of its land area. As of July 2008, its population was estimated at nearly 529 million people. It is the third-largest continent in area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth in population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. North and South America are generally accepted as having been named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci by the German cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann. Vespucci, who explored South America between 1497 and 1502, was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a different landmass previously unknown by Europeans. In 1507, Waldseemüller produced a world map, in which he placed the word "America" on the continent of South America, in the middle of what is today Brazil. He explained the rationale for the name in the accompanying book Cosmographiae Introductio, Later, when other mapmakers added North America, they extended the original name to it as well: in 1538, Gerard Mercator used the name America to all of the Western Hemisphere on his world map. Alfred E. Hudd proposed a theory in 1908 that the continents are named after a Welsh merchant named Richard Amerike from Bristol, who is believed to have financed John Cabot's voyage of discovery from England to Newfoundland in 1497. A minutely explored belief that has been advanced is that America was named for a Spanish sailor bearing the ancient Visigothic name of 'Amairick'. Another is that the name is rooted in a Native American language. Scientists have several theories as to the origins of the early human population of North America. The indigenous peoples of North America themselves have many creation myths, by which they assert that they have been present on the land since its creation. Scientists believe that the Inuit people of the high Arctic came to North America much later than other native groups, as evidenced by the disappearance of Dorset culture artifacts from the archaeological record, and their replacement by the Thule people. The more southern cultural groups of North America were responsible for the domestication of many common crops now used around the world, such as tomatoes and squash. Perhaps most importantly they domesticated one of the world's major staples, maize (corn). Upon the arrival of the Europeans in the "New World", Native American population declined substantially, primarily due to the introduction of European diseases to which the Native Americans lacked immunity. Native peoples found their culture changed drastically. As such, their affiliation with political and cultural groups changed as well, several linguistic groups went extinct, and others changed quite quickly. The names and cultures that Europeans recorded for the natives were not necessarily the same as the ones they had used a few generations before, or the ones in use today. |
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HowTo ... ... about North America |
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How to Identify North American Grouse :
How to Identify North American Grouse. Grouse in North America can live in woodlands, prairies or on barren ground. Domestic chickens are descended from the Red Jungle Fowl of Asia ...
eHow
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Popular questions about North America |
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Is central america in north america?
If you have to divide the Americas into North and South America, yes, it is in North America.In: MexicoIs North America north or south?
Wiki Answers
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About North America?
north america is a highest continent in the world............................In: South America : Continents : North AmericaIs Central America part of South America or North America?
Wiki Answers
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Other Authored Articles about North America |
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The Blue Ridge Mountains Beckon You
Delight in the beauty, fun and relaxation of a mountain vacation in the Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding Asheville NC. Key attractions such as Biltmore Estate, Chimney Rock and Grandfather Mountain co...
Must See Places In North America
Welcome to the land of scenic beauty and historic attractions - North America. Towering forests, rolling fields, deserts, happening metropolises and far-out oasis have made this continent one of the f...
The Top 10 Allergy-Prone Cities In The US
If you think that all the wheezing, coughing and watery-eyed symptoms that you are experiencing is entirely due to your being 'genetically prone to allergies', think again. The culprit might be the ci...
Autos General FAQ
All of the vintage travel trailers that I'm finding are up north.where on earth can I find on closer to Texas? My kiddos are finally old enough that my husband and I can embezzle them c...
Customer Loyalty in the Financial Sector
In banking and investing and insurance, many thousands of service-minded people enjoy client loyalty. Yet, most labour under a false basic assumption about why clients are loyal to them or their insti...
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Entry: North America Noun- Semantic (n) - North America (a continent (the third largest) in the western hemisphere connected to South America by the Isthmus of Panama)
- Semantic (n) - North America (the nations of the North American continent collectively)
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General Web listings about North America |
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North America: Definition from Answers.com
North America ( ′nörth ə′merikə ) ( geography ) The northern of the two continents of the New World or Western Hemisphere, extending from narrow parts
http://www.answers.com/topic/north-america
GO 630 North America : TomTom
GO 630 Comes with IQ Routes™ technology , Advanced Lane Guidance , TomTom Map Share™ technology , Complete maps of the US and Canada, Voice address input and More
http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=722&Category=0&...
North America Travel Guide And Cheap Flights
North America travel guide, complete with airline tickets, tourism information, hotel recommendations and a list of attractions to see in North America.
http://www.cheapflights.com/flight-guide-to-north-america/
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Photos about North America |
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Videos about North America |
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Latest News about North America |
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Ljubicic hits back to beat Nadal
Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic beats defending champion Rafael Nadal in three sets to reach the BNP Paribas Open final in Indian Wells.
10 hours ago - BBC
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Job listings about North America |
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Manager, Product Marketing
MA-North Andover, Intro:As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence...
Monster
Fluid Power Engineer (Electro-pneumatic brake system/Hydraulics)
MN-Hamel, The railway track maintenance industry is a big-dollar business dominated by just a handful of highly specialized firms. In North America, where railroads spend well over $6 billion a year maintaining their track, one of the largest companies of the industry is Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. Founded in 1954, Loram Maintenance of Way start...
Monster
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