North American countries. Population and countries of North America

North America is the part of the world that is located in the Western Hemisphere. Today, the population of North America exceeds 400 million people. The indigenous inhabitants of the continent are the Eskimos, Indians and Aleuts. The main part of the population of the states of North America is represented by immigrants from Europe. The United States and Canada are home to the descendants of the French and British who moved to the continent in different periods. In the south of the continent, in Mexico, live the descendants of the Spaniards who settled here in colonial times.

More than 15 million people living in North America are Aboriginal. Many of them have preserved their historical and cultural heritage, in particular the language.

In the southern states of the United States, part of the population is the descendants of slaves who were forced to work on cotton plantations more than 150 years ago. The vast majority of North Americans profess Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism).

North America is the most urbanized region in the world. The percentage of urban residents is more than 85% of the total population. Most of the population is involved in industrial production and in the service sector.

The continent is located entirely in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. Of all the continents, North America extends farthest to the north. Its elongation from the polar latitudes almost to the very equator led to a huge variety of natural conditions. . And a significant length from west to east led to the formation of a continental climate in the interior of the mainland. North America reaches its greatest width in temperate and subpolar latitudes.

The demographic situation in the countries of North America North America is the third continent of our planet in terms of area, which is 20.4 million square meters. km. In its outlines, it is similar to South America, but the widest part of the continent lies in temperate latitudes, which has a significant impact on its nature. The area of ​​North America without islands is 20.36 million km², with islands 24.70 million km². The islands of North America include Greenland (2.176 million km²), the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the West Indies, the Aleutian Islands and others. The population of North America is more than 500 million people, which is 7% of the world's population. Within the mainland, the North American region is often distinguished, uniting the United States and Canada. In North America, states: USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Haiti, Dominica, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Dominica, Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada, Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda; the possession of Denmark Greenland, as well as a number of possessions of Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, the USA. The demographic situation in the North America region is typical for highly developed countries. The average annual population growth is 1.1%. This is due to the rapid decline in the birth rate and the reduction in the average family size. The percentage of two-child families and especially one-child and childless families is increasing, which is associated with a large number of divorces (543 divorces per 1,000 marriages). In the sex structure of the population, women predominate over men (51%). In the age structure, the proportion of the elderly population is rapidly increasing (15%), while the number of children is only 20%. The population of Canada is increasing rapidly.

The knowledge and development of the natural resources of the countries of North America is very uneven. The US is relatively well explored, and the discovery of large, easily accessible mineral deposits is unlikely, with the exception of Alaska and adjacent shelf areas. In Canada and Mexico, the world's largest deposits of potassium salts have been discovered in the province of Manitoba, rich oil deposits on the Mexican shelf. The most important trend in the development of North American states is the increase in the scale of exploitation of mineral and energy resources.

These countries are distinguished by a high degree of development of land resources: arable land makes up up to 80% of the land area suitable for cultivation without large investments. Approximately 25% of the area of ​​North America is occupied by tundra and forest-tundra regions, however, the central and southern parts of the mainland are exceptionally favorable for agriculture and forestry in terms of climatic conditions. The territories of the temperate zone occupy more than 4 million square kilometers, i.e., 16.3% of the mainland area. They are well provided with thermal resources, so a wide range of crops with increased productivity can be grown here. The significant agro-climatic potential of the countries of North America largely determines the high natural productivity of crop production, even with a relatively low level of fertilizer use.

When the Europeans discovered North America, it was already inhabited by local tribes. At least 30 thousand years ago, their ancestors came here from Asia. The settlement took place through the so-called Bering Bridge, which connected the Old and New Worlds in the area of ​​the modern Bering Strait. The proof that Asia was the ancestral home of the Indians of North America is the nature of the ancient settlements found on the continent by archaeologists. In addition, numerous external signs testify to the closeness of the Indians to the Mongoloids: a relatively dark skin color with a reddish tint, coarse straight hair, sparse hair on the body, dark eye color, and a wide, high-lying face.

At the same time, the Indians of North America have their own characteristics. They have a tall stature, different from the Mongoloids in the shape of the eyes, "aquiline nose". The indigenous people of North America speak many languages.

Among world religions, Christianity has the greatest influence on the continent. Residents of the mainland countries profess such directions as Protestantism and Catholicism. Catholicism is especially prevalent in Mexico.

In the southern regions of North America, the indigenous people already at the beginning of our era created highly developed civilizations. Agriculture was the basis of their economy. It is thanks to the Indians of North America that the world has learned and today widely uses many crops familiar to us. The Aztecs and Mayans, the Indians of Mexico, had a particularly high level of social development. Their states were distinguished by a high population density and a developed economy for those times.

The Eskimos also belong to the indigenous population of North America. They live on the coast of the Arctic Ocean and in the south of Greenland. They hunt marine animals or breed deer.

The colonization of the mainland by Europeans greatly changed the composition of its population. After the discovery of America, for four centuries, the conquerors destroyed the tribes of the Indians. Now in the US and Canada, the number of Indians does not exceed 1% of the total population. Aborigines live mainly in the far north and the arid plateaus of the West. Mestizos make up the bulk of the population in Mexico.

At present, the descendants of immigrants from Europe predominate among the population of North America: the British, the Irish, and the Germans. There is also a Ukrainian diaspora, numbering about 1.5 million people.

There are more than 40 million people of Irish descent in the United States, which is 12 times more than the number of people in Ireland itself. There are more Irish people in New York than in Dublin, the country's capital.

English is the dominant language in the United States, while French is the second (after English) official language in Canada. In Mexico and the countries of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, etc.), the main language is Spanish.

African slaves, who were brought to the continent in the 16th-19th centuries, played an important role in shaping the population of North America. to work on plantations. Today, the descendants of different peoples of Africa live on the mainland.

A large influx of immigrants at the end of the last century from other regions of the Earth led to a rapid increase in the population of North America. However, starting from the 60s of the XX century, the birth rate on the continent began to decline. Currently, the natural increase in the population is only 7 people. per 1000 inhabitants per year. The exception is Central America, where this figure exceeds 12 people. per 1000 inhabitants per year. The total population of the mainland is more than 420 million people.

North America is unevenly populated. The population of Greenland is small. Some islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are generally uninhabited. The semi-desert and desert regions of the West are sparsely populated. High population density in the Great Lakes region, in parts of Mexico.

The North American continent is one of the most urbanized areas in the world. Here are the largest cities on Earth and urban agglomerations - clusters of settlements that are closely interconnected. So, the capital of Mexico - Mexico City - the largest city on Earth. More than 12 million people live here.

Findings:

The population of North America consists mainly of descendants of European settlers.

The mainland's native Indians and Eskimos make up less than 1% of its total population.

A significant part of the population are descendants of slaves from Africa.

The USA and Canada have a low natural population growth, the countries of Central America have a high one.

North America is the most urbanized area in the world.

brief information

The history of North America began long before the travels of Columbus, and even long before the Maya. On this continent, life appeared a very long time ago. In North America, scientists find the remains of a wide variety of dinosaur species that are not found anywhere else in the world.

The indigenous population of North America (Indians and Eskimos) left a noticeable mark in the history of this continent. However, the real history of North America began, as many believe, only after the Europeans sailed there.

Now in North America, along with the United States and Canada, the developed capitalist states, there are also Mexico, El Salvador and Nicaragua. It is difficult to suspect these countries of a high market economy. But they have preserved thousands of historical monuments that tell the story of pre-Columbian America...

Geography

The continent of North America is located in the north of the Western Hemisphere of the Earth. From the west, North America is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, from the east by the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Caribbean and Labrador Seas, and in the north by the Arctic Ocean. In the south, the Isthmus of Panama separates North America from South America. In the West, the Bering Strait separates North America from Eurasia.

North America includes numerous islands and archipelagos (eg Greenland, Aleutian Islands, Vancouver Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago). The total area of ​​North America is 24.2 million square meters. km, including the islands (this is 4.8% of the Earth's territory).

All types of climate are represented in North America, ranging from subequatorial in the south to arctic in the north. However, most of this continent is in a temperate continental climate.

The longest river on the North American continent is the Mississippi (6,019 km), which flows through the United States. The largest North American rivers also include the Mackenzie (4,241 km), the St. Lawrence (3,058 km), the Rio Grande (3,034 km), and the Yukon (2,829 km).

On the territory of Canada and the United States is Lake Superior - the largest lake in North America (its area is 82 thousand square kilometers).

Almost 36% of the territory of North America is occupied by mountain systems. The largest of them are the Cordilleras and the Appalachians. The highest mountain of this continent is McKinley in Alaska, its height is 6,194 meters.

In the western part of North America there are several large deserts and semi-deserts - Sonora, Chihuahua and Mojave.

Population of North America

At the moment, the population of North America already reaches 530 million people. This is almost 13% of the total population of the Earth.

Representatives of the Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid races, as well as mixed racial groups (mestizos, mulattoes, sambo, etc.) live in North America. North American natives (Indians and Eskimos) belong to the Mongoloid race.

Spanish is spoken in Mexico and Central America, English and Spanish in the United States, and English and French in Canada.

North American countries

Now there are 23 independent states in North America. The largest North American country is Canada (its territory covers 9,976,140 sq. km), and the smallest is St. Christopher and Nevis (261 sq. km). The territory of the USA is 9,363,00 sq. km.

Regions of North America

North America as a whole can be divided into 3 main regions:

1. Anglo-America (Canada and USA);
2. Central America (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Belize, El Salvador and Mexico);
3. Caribbean (Cuba, Jamaica, Antigua, Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Dominica and Haiti).

Some cities in North America appeared before our era (they were formed by the Maya Indians). Now the most populous North American city is Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, which is home to more than 8.9 million people.

Other major cities in North America are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Havana, Santo Domingo, Houston and Ecatepec.

The population of North America is about 400 million people, and therefore it is inferior to all inhabited continents, except Australia.

The settlement of North America began approximately 2.5-3 thousand years ago. The distant ancestors of the North American Indians, in search of new and rich hunting grounds, settled throughout North America. Gradually, several groups of the Indian population formed, engaged in fishing on the Pacific coast, hunting for bison on the prairies, on the shores of the Great Lakes. In addition to hunting, Indian tribes were engaged in the cultivation of beans, pumpkins, and corn.

The ancestors of modern Eskimos appeared later. Since the Southern regions were already occupied, they began to develop the Arctic and subarctic territories.

A larger group is made up of Indians (about 15 million people). The name "American Indians" has nothing to do with India, it is the result of a historical mistake by Columbus, who was convinced that he had discovered India. The main part of the tribes was concentrated in southern Mexico (Aztecs, Mayans). They were engaged in agriculture - they grew corn, tomatoes and other cultivated plants, later brought to Europe. The states they created were distinguished by a developed economy and high culture.

With the advent of Europeans, the fate of the Indians was tragic: they were exterminated, driven from fertile lands. Many Indian tribes - the Iroquois, Hurons, Algonquins, Sioux, Seminoles and others, familiar to many from the books of Fenimore Cooper and Mine Reed, have decreased in number or completely disappeared.

The bulk of the population of North America is made up of immigrants from different countries of Europe, mainly from the UK. These are US Americans, English and French Canadians. A lot of people. including from Russia, is moving to the USA and Canada at the present time. The number of immigrants from the countries of South America and Asia has especially increased.

The distribution of the population in North America depends primarily on the history of the settlement of the mainland and its natural conditions. The most populated southern half of the mainland. High population density in the eastern part, where the first settlers from European countries settled. The largest cities are located in this part of North America: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal and others.

The northern territories of the mainland, occupied by tundra and taiga forests, are rarely inhabited and are of little use for life. In mountainous areas, where the climate is dry and the terrain is rugged, the population density is negligible. The steppe zone has fertile soils, a lot of heat and moisture, and therefore the population density is much higher.

On the mainland is the most developed country in the world - the United States of America. Its territory consists of three parts remote from each other. Two of them are located on the mainland - this is the main territory and Alaska. In the central part of the Pacific Ocean - another state - the Hawaiian Islands. In addition, the United States owns a number of major possessions in the Pacific Ocean.

To the north of the main territory of the United States is the "maple leaf country" - Canada. It occupies almost the entire northern half of the mainland.

Mexico is south of the US. The Republic of Cuba is located on the island of Cuba and the small islands adjacent to it.

Population of countries in North America

		Population (thousand people)
	Guatemala
	Dominican Republic
	Honduras
	Salvador
	Nicaragua
	Costa Rica
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Bahamas
	Barbados
	Saint Lucia
	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
	Dominica
	Saint Christopher and Nevis

In terms of population, North America ranks fourth after Eurasia, Africa and Europe. Where the majority of the inhabitants live, and what countries they come from - read more in this article.

Population of North America

565 million people live on the mainland. The population density of North America is 22 inhabitants per square kilometer. However, there are areas that are densely populated, and there are areas where there are 1-2 people per square kilometer. First of all, it depends on climatic and geological conditions.

The islands of the Caribbean, the lands near the Great Lakes and the coast of the Pacific Ocean are considered the most densely populated areas. Here the number of inhabitants can reach 200 people per 1 sq. km. km. A large number of people are concentrated in capitals and large cities. This is explained by the fact that urban living conditions are better than rural ones, wages are higher, and there are more entertainment and opportunities. The most populous cities on the mainland are New York, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Toronto. More than 8 million people live in Mexico City and New York.

Rice. 1. City of New York.

Urbanization is a process in which there is an increase in the population of cities, compared with rural areas.

The largest territories of the North American continent are the USA, Canada and Mexico. It is in them that the majority of the population is concentrated. The United States of America is the most populated country on the mainland. 57% of all North Americans live here. In second place after the United States is Mexico. This country is home to 21% of the population of the entire mainland. Canada is in third place. And although Canada is larger in area than the United States and Mexico, in terms of population it is inferior to these countries: only 6% of the population lives on its territory. The number of inhabitants in the remaining countries of the mainland is much lower than in these three, and does not exceed 3% of the total population of North America.

The most sparsely populated areas are Greenland, as well as in the deserts of the West and northern regions.

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Rice. 2. Greenland.

Population of North America

The population of North America consists of immigrants from Europe who developed these lands in colonial times, and of the natives who have lived on these lands for many centuries, and despite the modern way of life, have retained their ethnic characteristics.

In the United States, English is the main language; in Mexico, Spanish. Canada has two official languages ​​- English and French. The fact is that initially the Canadian territories began to be captured and colonized by the French, and only then did the British come. The province of Quebec is French, schoolchildren study subjects here exclusively in French.

The original inhabitants of North America are Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts. Eskimos live in Greenland, Alaska, and on the coast of the Arctic Ocean. Indians live in Mexico. The Aleuts make up a very small part of the population - 5,000 people.

Rice. 3. Aleuts.

What have we learned?

From the geography topic for grade 7, we learned that the distribution of the population of North America is uneven. Most of the inhabitants live in the territory of three states: the USA, Mexico, Canada. 85% of the population lives in cities. The population of the mainland consists of the British, French, Danes who moved here in order to develop new lands in the 17th-18th centuries, as well as natives - Aleuts, Eskimos, and Indians.