Americas (continent)
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| Americas (continent) | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Americas |
| Area km2 | 42300000 |
| Population | 1 billion (approx.) |
| Countries | 35 sovereign states, 13 dependencies |
| Languages | Indigenous languages, Spanish language, Portuguese language, English language, French language |
| Time zones | UTC−10 to UTC−2 |
Americas (continent) The Americas are a contiguous landmass comprising North America, Central America, South America, and associated islands such as the Caribbean archipelagos and Greenland. The region spans polar climates near Arctic Ocean coasts to subantarctic zones at the Drake Passage, and includes diverse features such as the Rocky Mountains, Andes, Amazon River, and the Great Lakes. The Americas have been the site of major historical episodes involving societies such as the Olmec, Inca, and Aztec, as well as colonial powers including Spanish Empire, British Empire, France, and Portuguese Empire.
Etymology and Definitions
The modern name derives from the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 map naming the landmass for Amerigo Vespucci; subsequent usage by Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius helped standardize the term. Definitions vary in works by institutions such as the United Nations and Organization of American States, which enumerate sovereign states like Brazil, United States, Mexico, Canada, and dependencies including Greenland (part of the Kingdom of Denmark). Scholarly debates reference continental models by authors like Alexander von Humboldt and geographers citing tectonic divisions involving the Nazca Plate and North American Plate.
Geography and Geology
The continental backbone includes mountain chains formed by subduction at the Nazca Plate–South American Plate boundary producing the Andes Mountains, and the Cascadia subduction zone forming the Cascade Range and Pacific Northwest. Cratons such as the Canadian Shield and orogenic belts like the Appalachian Mountains document Precambrian and Paleozoic histories studied by geologists including James Hutton (concepts echoed in later work by Alfred Wegener). Major river systems include the Amazon River, Mississippi River, Orinoco River, and Nelson River; major lakes include Lake Superior and Lake Titicaca. Volcanic arcs such as the Ring of Fire outline seismic zones including the 2010 Chile earthquake and 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Climate and Biomes
Climatic regimes range from Arctic tundra near Baffin Island and Nunavut through boreal forests of the Taiga in Quebec to temperate rainforests of British Columbia and Mediterranean climates in California. Tropical rainforests in the Amazon Rainforest and Chocó-Darién moist forests contrast with montane ecosystems of the Páramo and Patagonian steppe. Desert regions include the Atacama Desert and Sonoran Desert, while wetlands include the Pantanal and Everglades National Park. Conservation efforts involve institutions such as the World Wildlife Fund and legal frameworks in countries like Peru and Costa Rica.
Human History and Pre-Columbian Cultures
Paleo-Indian migrations via routes such as the Bering land bridge and coastal corridors gave rise to cultures including the Clovis culture and later complex societies like the Maya civilization, Mississippian culture (notably Cahokia), Moche, Wari, Tiwanaku, and the Mapuche. Urbanization produced monumental architecture at sites like Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan, Machu Picchu, and Chavín de Huántar. Trade networks connected regions via commodities like obsidian and coca; astronomical and calendrical systems appear in artifacts from Copán and Palenque. Archaeological research by figures such as Alfred Kroeber and institutions including the Smithsonian Institution informs current reconstructions.
Colonialism, Independence, and Nation-Building
European contact initiated with voyages by Christopher Columbus and later expeditions such as those of Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro, leading to colonization by Spain, Portugal, Britain, France, and Netherlands. Conflicts and policies including the Treaty of Tordesillas and the Seven Years' War reshaped territorial control, while independence movements led by figures like Simón Bolívar, José de San Martín, George Washington, and Toussaint Louverture produced republics including Argentina, Haiti, United States, and Gran Colombia. Nation-building involved constitutions such as those drafted in Philadelphia Convention and Venezuela 1811, and later continental interactions through summits of the Organization of American States.
Demographics, Languages, and Religion
Population centers include megacities such as São Paulo, Mexico City, New York City, Buenos Aires, and Lima. Linguistic diversity features widespread use of Spanish language, Portuguese language, English language, and French language, alongside indigenous languages like Quechua, Guarani, Náhuatl, Mayan languages, and revival movements for languages including Aymara. Religious landscapes encompass major traditions such as Roman Catholicism and Protestantism as well as syncretic practices exemplified by Candomblé, Vodou, and Native spiritualities. Migration flows involve diasporas between regions like the Caribbean, Central America, and United States.
Economy and Natural Resources
Economic systems range across resource extraction in Venezuela’s petroleum industry, Canada’s mining and forestry sectors, Chile’s copper production, and agricultural exports from Argentina and Brazil. Trade mechanisms operate through agreements like NAFTA (now USMCA) and the Mercosur trade bloc. Financial centers include New York City’s Wall Street and B3; development organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank support infrastructure projects. Environmental concerns intersect with industries like soy cultivation in Amazon Basin and hydroelectric projects such as Itaipu Dam.
Culture, Arts, and Sports
Cultural production spans literary figures such as Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Luis Borges, Toni Morrison, and Octavio Paz; musical traditions include salsa, reggae, blues, jazz, mariachi, and bossa nova with performers like Celia Cruz and Antônio Carlos Jobim. Visual arts feature artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Georgia O'Keeffe, while film industries include Hollywood’s proximity in Los Angeles, Mexican cinema movements involving figures like Guillermo del Toro and festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival participation. Sports cultures are exemplified by association football’s prominence with clubs like Boca Juniors and events like the FIFA World Cup, as well as Major League Baseball, National Football League, and the Olympic Games hosting in cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Montreal.
Category:Continents