Extreme geographical points of South America: northern, southern, western and eastern. Extreme points of South America

Description of North America: list of countries, capitals, cities and resorts. Photo and video, oceans and seas, mountains, rivers and lakes of North America. Tour operators and tours in North America.

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North America- this is not only the USA, Mexico and Canada: in total, 23 countries are located on the mainland and nearby islands, 16 of which belong to Latin America, and 7 more - to Central America. In addition to independent states, this region has the so-called dependent territories - modern colonies of the countries of Europe and both Americas. North America is a continent unique in its ethnic, natural, climatic and cultural composition, which can be studied endlessly.

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Tourism in North America

America is the second destination after Europe in terms of the number of foreign tourists. Half of international flights are to the USA and Canada, the second place is occupied by the Caribbean Islands, which receive 12 million tourists a year. The main types of tourism are beach, sports, sightseeing, business tourism.

There are 5 tourist zones:

Eastern (northeastern United States and southern Canada) attracts travelers with architectural and historical monuments and the culture of local peoples.
The western zone is untouched wilderness, national parks of the USA and Canada, famous ski resorts.
The central zone is occupied by agricultural crops, there are no bright sights here, so the flow of travelers is small.
The northern (Alaska and northern Canada) zone is the choice of those who admire the harsh nature, love ski resorts, exotic and are interested in historical heritage and modern development region.
The southern zone is the coast of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Here the climate is mild, the sun is bright, warm water in the seas and oceans, so tourists come here who prefer beach holidays, exoticism and traditional cordiality and hospitality.

National parks of America

Geography

North America is washed by three oceans - Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic; It is separated from Eurasia by the Bering Strait, and from South America by the Isthmus of Panama. The western part of the mainland is occupied by the Cordillera mountain system, where the highest point of the mainland is located - Mount McKinley (6194 m). The lowest point is Death Valley (86 m below sea level). The most famous natural monuments of North America are the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River, Yellowstone Park, Niagara Falls, Great Lakes.

The total territory of North America is 24.25 million km², the population is about 579 million people (8% of the world's population). The majority are immigrants, immigrants from Europe. Also, a significant part of the inhabitants of the mainland is occupied by representatives of the Mongoloid race - both immigrants from Asia and the indigenous population - Indians, Aleuts and Eskimos. African Americans make up another 20 million of the population, many mulattoes.

As before, significant territories remain uninhabited - this applies to both mountainous areas in the west of the continent and the northern lands of Alaska. The southern part of the mainland, the islands of the Caribbean, the Great Lakes region and the Pacific coast are more densely populated.

North American countries

Continental States

It is North America that includes independent states on exotic Caribbean islands: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Grenada, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis , Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica.

One of the most interesting (and largest) countries on this mainland is USA. There are a lot of national parks, many directions of domestic tourism and the world-famous resorts of Florida, Hawaii, California. Alaska and the northern states attract lovers of ski slopes. Those who come to the USA for the first time cannot deny themselves the pleasure of visiting Las Vegas casinos, Hollywood and Disneyland in California or Florida. Popular tourist cities in the USA are New York, Washington, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas.

Canada- center of ethnographic and ecological tourism: the coasts of the country are not very suitable for beach holiday. But there are a lot of national parks, forests, lakes that attract nature lovers, and many slopes are waiting for lovers. skiing. Here is the famous Niagara Falls, a fantastically beautiful archipelago of the Thousand Islands at the head of the St. Lawrence River - a famous resort of the early 20th century. And lovers of antiquity are attracted by the historical sights of Ottawa, Quebec, Toronto.

Mexico can be called an ideal tourist destination: here are some of the best beaches in the world, the most beautiful national parks, three thousand years of cultural and spiritual heritage of the Maya, Aztecs and Olmecs. And Mexico is also known for excellent service, hospitality and many opportunities for ecotourism, rafting, diving, etc.

America is the second destination after Europe in terms of the number of foreign tourists. Half of international flights are to the US and Canada, followed by caribbean hosting 12 million tourists a year.

island states

Cuba famous for its beaches, the best of which are located in the vicinity of the country's capital Havana and the resort center of Varadero. There are many caves on the island, the most interesting of which is located near the city of Matanzas. Those interested in history will be attracted by a variety of attractions: Trotsky's house, Chapultepec Palace, which looks like a castle, the San Francisco Monastery, and connoisseurs of American literature will certainly visit the Ernest Hemingway Museum near Havana.

Jamaica- one of the largest islands of the Caribbean archipelago, located in the very center of the Caribbean Sea, at a distance of 145 km south of Cuba. Once a famous island of pirates, Jamaica is now a beach paradise. Especially popular with tourists are the recreation area near Montego Bay, the resorts of Negril, Ocho Rios, and Port Antonio. The local underwater park attracts fans of deep-sea swimming.

Bahamas located north of Cuba, not far from the United States. This is no less famous tourist area. The capital of the Nassau archipelago is a resort center, one of the largest casinos operates here. In addition, the Bahamas are famous for their national parks and historical museums, where monuments of ancient Indian culture are exhibited. The underwater observatory "Coral World" was recently opened.

Dominican Republic- a very fashionable resort in the last decade, located in the eastern part of the island of Haiti. Mountains, evergreen forests, beaches, always fresh tropical fruits and clear waters The Caribbean Sea attracts more than 2 million tourists annually. It was this island that Columbus saw at the end of his famous journey. In honor of him, a grandiose memorial was built on the coast - a monument and a museum in the form of a truncated pyramid.

Haiti- a state in the western part of the island of the same name in the Caribbean. It is the most mountainous country in the Caribbean and is known for its magnificent landscapes and fantastic beaches.

Barbados combines the beauty of nature, the romance of beaches, secluded relaxation and exciting adventures. The island is famous for its rum and the architecture of Bridgetown, on one of the streets of which there is a monument to Admiral Nelson. AT national parks islands in conditions wildlife unique species of tropical plants and animals have been preserved, and not far from the coast, divers can admire coral reefs. However, even if you are reluctant to leave the beach, you will still appreciate the uniqueness of the local landscape: the sand on the coast of Barbados is pink!

Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Curaçao, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos. Most of them are islands of volcanic origin, most often dormant volcanoes. Thanks to them, there are many geysers, hot springs and small lakes with "boiling" water. On the coast, beaches with black and yellow sand. The resorts of Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Saint Lucia, Curacao and others are considered the most fashionable.

North America is the third largest continent after Africa and Eurasia. To give full information about the continent, it is necessary to draw up a plan for describing North America. First of all, you need to find out geographical position, climatic conditions, information about the relief and its dimensions.

general characteristics

North America is a continent that includes 23 states. Most major countries– Canada, United States of America and Mexico.

The length of the mainland North America from north to south is 7326 km. The mainland is located in the Western Hemisphere north of the equator. Its extreme points:

northern - Cape Murchison
western - Cape Prince of Wales
eastern - Cape St. Charles
southern – Cape Maryato

North America is washed by the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. It is separated from South America by the Panama Canal, and from Eurasia by the Bering Strait.

In the northern part of the coast of the mainland have a strongly indented structure. The largest peninsulas are Labrador, California, Florida. The largest island is Greenland (the largest in the world) and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Relief and minerals

North America is dominated by mountains in the West and plains in the East. At the base of most of the continent lies the N American Plate, on which the Mississippi Lowlands, the Central Plains and the steps of the “giant staircase” of the Great Plains and the plains of the northern coast are located.

In the west of the mainland are the Cordillera. In short, the Cordillera is the largest mountain range on Earth, stretching along the outskirts of North and South America. highest height falls on Mount McKinley (6194 m), which is the highest point of the Cordillera and all of North America.

Rice. 2. Mount McKinley

The Appalachians are a mountain range to the east. Compared to the Cordillera, there are very low mountains here, the height of which ranges from 600 m to 1200 m.

North America also has many minerals. On the Great Plains and the Mississippi Lowland there are deposits of oil, gas, and coal. The Cordilleras are rich in non-ferrous metal ores, gold, and uranium ores. Iron ores and coal are found in the Appalachians.

Climate

The equatorial climate zone is the only zone in which North America is not located. Many factors play a huge role in the climate: longitude, latitude, the presence or absence of mountains, and distance from the ocean.

It is necessary to remember the following information: the farther the area is from the Atlantic Ocean, the less rainfall. At the same time, the humid air masses of the Pacific Ocean affect the coastal slopes of the Cordillera.

In the Arctic zone, in addition to the northern coast, there are Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

In Greenland, it is so cold in winter that the temperature drops to -50 degrees.

In the subarctic zone are the Alaska Peninsula, the Labrador Peninsula, the coast of Hudson Bay. hallmark this belt is permafrost.

The temperate zone is characterized by a monsoon type of climate in the east, and a maritime climate on the Pacific coast. The temperature here depends on the time of year: in summer, tropical air brings heat, and in winter, it is characterized by sharp cooling.

On the east coast, the climate is humid subtropical, and on the west - Mediterranean. In the central part of the mainland, the climate is continental.

All of Central America, except for the south, is located in the tropical climate zone. South - in the subequatorial. The climate in these areas is determined by the trade winds.

Inland waters

There are many rivers and lakes in North America. The largest river, the Mackenzie, belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. The rivers belonging to this area are mostly flat and covered with ice for 8-9 months a year.

The rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin are quite long. The most important river in this territory is the Mississippi (3778 km). The Mississippi is a flat river, due to heavy rains it often overflows, which causes floods.

North America is a continent stretching from Greenland and Alaska in the north to Mexico in the south. The population of the region is more than 500 million people, i.e. 7% of the world's population. Within this continent, the North American region is often distinguished, which includes the USA, Canada, Greenland, the Bahamas and Bermuda. In fact, the number of states on the North American continent is much more than four. Countries are small, former or still colonies (although such a statute is no longer popular to pronounce).

North America is the third largest continent. Only Eurasia and Africa are larger than it. The mainland is located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.

North America. Past and present

Christopher - why did you discover America! Why exactly you! Incredible evil and cruelty from all over the world moved here. Territories of North America survived the tragedy of incredible looting natural resources and genocide of the indigenous population. Later, local governments began to resurrect some of the lost wealth bit by bit, but often through imports from other countries.

total area continent more than 21 million sq. km. An industrial colossus with an extremely developed industry and an almost completely developed territory is represented by three states: the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Geography

Very few places in the United States have preserved corners of virgin nature, a little more of them in Mexico and especially in Canada. The relief of North America is diverse and changes from east to west.

In the east of the country are the Appalachian Mountains, which are relatively low.
To the west of the Apaches are the Mississippi Lowlands, the Central and Great Plains, which occupy the entire center of the mainland. The Mississippi Lowland formed in a river valley and is crossed by many rivers.
The Central Plains are highlands with heights up to 500 m, and the Great Plains are several plateaus with heights from 700 to 1700 m, separated by ledges.
The western part of North America is occupied by the Cordillera - a huge mountain system stretching from north to south along the entire coast of the mainland. Cordillera formed on the border of two large lithospheric plates: continental and oceanic. Here is the highest point of the mainland - Mount McKinley (6193 m). This system consists of three large ridges: belt, inner belt, the first two formed by mountains is a chain of plateaus.

North America is rich (although not enough for corporations) in minerals. Deposits of various ores are located mainly in the mountains and in the northern part of the mainland. There is oil, gas, coal, which are concentrated on the border of mountains and plains, as well as on the shelf of the Gulf of Mexico.

North America is not deprived of sources fresh water: many full-flowing rivers and large lakes. The most big river North America - the Mississippi with a tributary of the Missouri, its length is 6420 km. This river system collects water from the Great Plains, the Appalachians, the Mississippi lowlands and flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The largest river in the Arctic Ocean basin is Mackenzie (length 4250 km). The rivers of the Pacific basin - Columbia, Colorado - originate in the Cordillera, descend for many kilometers to the ocean, so they are very fast.

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Five lakes form the Great Lakes system: Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario. The last two are connected by the Niagara River, on which the huge Niagara Falls is located, 50 m high and 1 km wide.

Other large lakes: Winnipeg, Great Slave, Great Bear, located in the north of the mainland, as well as Utah and Great Salt, located in the central part and in ancient times were part of the oceans.

North America. Climate

The climate is quite diverse due to its large extent from north to south and the features of the relief. Mountains, limiting the mainland at the edges, and vast plains create a kind of channel through which cold air from the Arctic Ocean freely penetrates deep into the mainland.

The northern coast of North America, as well as all the northern islands, including about. Greenland is located in the arctic climate zone. In winter there is a polar night, in summer the air temperature rarely reaches positive temperatures. There are many integumentary glaciers that do not melt even in summer. There is very little rainfall.

North American countries and their capitals

Anguilla (capital - Valley) (UK)
Antigua and Barbuda (stoliua - St. John's)
Antilles (capital - Willemstad) (Netherlands)
Bahamas (capital - Nassau)
Barbados (capital - Bridgetown)
Belize (capital - Belmopan)
Bermuda (capital - Hamilton) (UK)
Virgin Islands (capital - Road Town) (UK)
Virgin Islands (capital - Charlotte Amalie) (USA)
Haiti (capital - Port-au-Prince)
Guadeloupe (capital - Basse-Terre)
Guatemala (capital - Guatemala)
Honduras (capital - Tegucigalpa)
Grenada (capital - St. George's)
Greenland (capital - Gotthob) (Denmark)
Dominica (capital - Roseau)
Dominican Republic (capital - Santo Domingo)
Cayman Islands (capital - Georgetown) (UK)
Canada (capital - Ottawa)
Costa Rica (capital - San Jose)
Cuba (capital - Havana)
Martinique (capital - Fort-de-France) (France)
Mexico (capital - Mexico City)
Montserrat (capital - Plymouth) (UK)
Nicaragua (capital - Managua)
Panama (capital - Panama)
Puerto Rico (capital - San Juan) (USA)
El Salvador (capital - San Salvador)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (capital - Saint Pierre) (France)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (capital - Kingstown)
Saint Kitts and Nevis (capital - Basseterre)
Saint Lucia (capital - Castries)
United States of America (capital - Washington)
Turks and Caicos (capital - Cyber Town) (UK)
Trinidad and Tobago (capital - Port of Spain)
Jamaica (capital - Kingston)

North America is the continent of the Earth, which is located in the northern part of the Western Hemisphere. The area of the mainland with the islands (Greenland, the West Indies, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the Aleutians, etc.) is 24.25 million square meters. km. More than 0.5 billion people live in North America.

FROM west side the continent is washed by Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, two bays - Alaska and California. The east coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean with the seas - the Caribbean, Labrador, the Gulf of Mexico and St. Lawrence. The northern part of the continent is washed by the waters of the Arctic Ocean, the Baffin, Beaufort, Hudson and Greenland bays. The Bering Strait separates two continents - Eurasia and North America. The Isthmus of Panama is a conditional dividing line between North and South America.

The extreme points of the mainland are in the north - Cape Murchison, in the west - Cape Prince of Wales, in the south - Cape Maryato, in the east - Cape St. Charles. From the extreme northern point to the southern point, the mainland occupies 66 °, or more than 7000 km, from the extreme western point to the eastern - 102 °. The largest peninsulas of the mainland are California, Florida, Yucatan, Alaska, Labrador, etc.

The average height of the mainland is 720 m above sea level. At the heart of the continent lies the Canadian platform. In the west, the Cordillera mountain range extends from north to south, where the highest mountain, McKinley, is located. In the eastern part of North America lie large plains, plateaus, uplands, and plateaus. In the central regions are the Great and Central Plains, in the northeast - the Laurentian Upland, in the south there are coastal lowlands with an abundance of lagoons, sandy beaches, flat terraces, spits. Mineral deposits are being developed on the territory of the mainland - nickel, iron ore, cobalt, uranium, gold, oil, coal, natural gas, phosphates, potassium salts.

Climatic zones sequentially from north to south are replaced by arctic temperate and tropical. AT central regions continental climate prevails, on the western and eastern shores - oceanic. North of 40-42 ° N. sh. in winter time a thick snow cover is formed. Most of Greenland and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are covered by ice sheets. In general, the area of glaciation is 2.1 million square meters. km.

The largest river system of the mainland is the Mississippi and Missouri, the length of which is about 6.5 thousand km. Other major rivers are Yukon, St. Lawrence, Mackenzie, Colorado, Columbia.

Natural areas stretch across the latitudes from the Arctic deserts to northern regions to the tropics with evergreens in the south. For mountain systems characterized by the presence of altitudinal belts. South of 47°N sh. the zones are distributed mainly in the meridional direction. Forests are located on more than 30% of the mainland. In the central regions of Canada, this is an ordinary taiga, in the Great Lakes region - mixed and deciduous forests, in the southeast - mixed and evergreen coniferous forests. Inner part North America is occupied by steppes and deserts. As a result of human activity over the centuries, the soil and vegetation cover of the mainland has been greatly changed.

Hello dear readers! Today I have prepared a material on the mainland of North America. I would like to walk a little through the main characteristics of this continent, well, let's start.

The continent of North America is located in the northern hemisphere. In the south, it connects with South America, and the border between these two continents is drawn through the Isthmus of Darien, and sometimes through the Isthmus of Panama.

North America includes the West Indies and Central America. The area is 20.36 million km 2 (together with the islands 24.25 million km 2).

North America is washed by the Bering Sea, the Pacific Ocean (more about this ocean you can read here), the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Alaska in the west; Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Caribbean Sea, Labrador Sea, and Atlantic Ocean in the east; Northern Arctic Ocean with the Baffin and Beaufort seas, the Hudson and Greenland bays in the north.

Large islands: Aleutian, Greenland, Alexander Archipelago.

The Cordelera mountain system occupies the western part of the mainland; plateau, the Great Plains and medium-high mountains (you can learn more about the mountains) occupy the eastern part of the mainland. To the northeast is the Laurentian Upland. The interior of the mainland is occupied by the Central Plains and the Great Plains. The central part of North America is occupied by the Precambrian North American (Canadian) platform. In the north of the mainland are the mountain rises of Labrador, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the Appalachians. The Mexican and Atlantic lowlands are located along the southeast coast.

Deposits of minerals of world importance: combustible gases, oil, potassium salts (in Canada), uranium (Laurentian Upland), coal, nickel, iron ore, gold, cobalt.

The richest oil and gas fields: northern part of the Canadian Arctic archipelago, Mexican lowland, asbestos deposits in the Northern Appalachians. Numerous deposits of rare and non-ferrous metals in the Cordillera.

Climate North America Diverse: from arctic in the far north to tropical in Central America and the West Indies, in the interior - continental, in coastal areas - oceanic.

Average temperatures: January - from -36 °С in the north of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago to -20 °С in the south of Florida and the Mexican Highlands; July - from 4 °С in the north of the Canadian Arctic archipelago to 32 °С in the southwest of the USA.

The largest river system Mississippi-Missouri 6420 km long. Other rivers: Colorado, Mackenzie, Columbia, St. Lawrence, Yukon.

The north of the mainland experienced glaciation, it bored on lakes (more about lakes): Big Bear Lake, Big Lakes, Great Slave Lake, Winnipeg. The total area of modern glaciation is more than 2 million km2.

In the east of the mainland, the land cover is represented by a series of latitudinal zones - from arctic deserts (more about deserts) in the north to tropical evergreen forests in the south (in the Cordillera - a variety of altitudinal belts). South of 47°N sh. zones are located mainly in the meridional direction.

Forests cover about 1/3 of the territory of mainland North America. They are represented by typical taiga in the central regions of Canada, mixed and broad-leaved forests in the Great Lakes basin, coniferous forests on the Pacific coast of Alaska, evergreen mixed and coniferous forests in the southern part of the Cordillera and in the southeast of the mainland.

Semi-desert and steppe vegetation prevails in the interior of the mainland. In the inner belt of the Cordillera, deserts are developed in places. The soil and vegetation cover of North America has been heavily modified by man (this is especially true for the United States).

The fauna includes a number of endemic, typically North American species (bison, muskrat, musk ox, grizzly bear, skunk). There are more than 50 national parks in North America.

Countries: Canada, USA (more about the country), Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, El Salvador, Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Greenland is a possession of Denmark, as well as a number of possessions that belong to the USA, Great Britain, France (more about the country) and the Netherlands.

This is the continent of North America. Now, having familiarized yourself with everything closer, you can safely choose a place to relax.😉And in order not to miss new articles, subscribe to updates and the article will immediately come to your mail after the release.😉