North America: Geography, Trade, and Global Influence of 23 Countries

 

North America is the third-largest continent, covering about 24.71 million sq. km and home to over 600 million people. It includes 23 countries, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico being the largest and most influential. Known for its natural wonders, powerful economies, and cultural diversity, North America plays a key role in global affairs.

Geography & Natural Features

1. Longest River: Mississippi–Missouri River System.
2. Highest Peak: Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska (6,190 m).
3. Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario.
4. Major Deserts: Sonoran, Mojave, Chihuahuan.
5. Unique Sites: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Niagara Falls, Rocky Mountains.

Major Regional Organizations

1. NAFTA / USMCA – Trade agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico.
2. OAS – Organization of American States.
3. CARICOM – Caribbean Community for economic integration.
4. Central American Integration System (SICA).

Famous Landmarks & Tourist Attractions

• 
  

1. USA – Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Times Square.
2. Canada – Niagara Falls, Banff National Park, CN Tower.
3. México – Chichén Itzá, Teotihuacán, Playa Cancún.
4. Cuba – Havana, Varadero beaches.
5. Jamaica – Montego Bay, Blue Mountains.

• 
  

Political Landscape & Relations

North America has a strong global influence:

1. The United States is the world’s leading superpower in politics, economy, and defense.
2. Canada is known for stability, peacekeeping, and strong diplomacy.
3. Mexico plays a major role in trade, culture, and regional politics.
4. The Caribbean and Central America face political and economic challenges, but are growing in global tourism.
5. Close cooperation exists through USMCA and regional trade alliances.

Major Wars & Conflicts

1. American Revolution (1775–1783).
2. US Civil War (1861–1865).
3. Mexican Revolution (1910–1920).
4. Cold War era influence (1947–1991).

• Modern security issues: drug cartels, immigration conflicts, terrorism.

Economy & Global Influence

• The United States is – world’s largest economy and technological hub.
• Canada – rich in natural resources, advanced industries.
• Mexico – a manufacturing and energy powerhouse.
• Caribbean nations – tourism-driven economies.
• North America is a global center of finance, trade, technology, and culture.

Countries of North America

North America has 23 independent countries.

Country	Capital City	Currency	Population (Appr. 2024)	Area (km²)
Sub-Region: Caribbean Select	Select	Select	Avg: 166500	Select
Cuba	Havana	Cuban Peso (CUP)	11.2 Million	109,884
Haiti	Port-au-Prince	Haitian Gourde (HTG)	11.9 Million	27,750
Dominican Republic	Santo Domingo	Dominican Peso (DOP)	11.5 Million	48,671
Jamaica	Kingston	Jamaican Dollar (JMD)	2.8 Million	10,991
Trinidad and Tobago	Port of Spain	Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD)	1.5 Million	5,130
The Bahamas	Nassau	Bahamian Dollar (BSD)	417,000	13,943
Barbados	Bridgetown	Barbadian Dollar (BBD)	282,000	430
Saint Lucia	Castries	East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)	180,000	616
Grenada	St. George's	East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)	125,000	344
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Kingstown	East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)	104,000	389
Antigua and Barbuda	St. John's	East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)	102,000	442
Dominica	Roseau	East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)	74,000	751
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Basseterre	East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)	48,000	261
Sub-Region: Central America Select	Select	Select	Avg: 450000	Select
Guatemala	Guatemala City	Quetzal (GTQ)	18.3 Million	108,889
Honduras	Tegucigalpa	Honduran Lempira (HNL)	10.7 Million	112,492
El Salvador	San Salvador	US Dollar (USD)	6.3 Million	21,041
Nicaragua	Managua	Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO)	7.2 Million	130,373
Costa Rica	San José	Costa Rican Colón (CRC)	5.2 Million	51,100
Panama	Panama City	Panamanian Balboa (PAB) / USD	4.5 Million	75,417
Belize	Belmopan	Belize Dollar (BZD)	450,000	22,966
Sub-Region: North America Select	Select	Select	Avg: 0	Select
Canada	Ottawa	Canadian Dollar (CAD)	41.2 Million	9,984,670
United States	Washington, D.C.	US Dollar (USD)	341.8 Million	9,833,517
Sub-Region: North America / Central America Select	Select	Select	Avg: 0	Select
Mexico	Mexico City	Mexican Peso (MXN)	130.6 Million	1,964,375

Conclusion

North America is a continent of economic power, cultural influence, and natural beauty. From the skyscrapers of New York to the ancient ruins of Mexico and the natural wonders of Canada, it continues to shape the world’s politics, trade, and innovation.