North America is often divided into subregions but no universally accepted divisions exist. Central America comprises the southern region of the continent, but its northern terminus varies between sources. Geophysically, the region starts at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico (namely the Mexican states of Campeche, Chiapas, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán[16]). The United Nations geoscheme includes Mexico in Central America; conversely, the European Union excludes both Mexico and Belize from the area.[clarification needed] Geopolitically, Mexico is frequently not considered a part of Central America.[17]
Northern America is used to refer to the northern countries and territories of North America: Canada, the United States, Greenland, Bermuda, and St. Pierre and Miquelon. They are often considered distinct from the southern portion of the Americas, which largely comprise Latin America. The term Middle America is sometimes used to collectively refer to Mexico, the nations of Central America, and the Caribbean.
| Country or territory  | Area (km²)[18] | Population (July 2008 est.)[18] | Population density (per km²) | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Anguilla (UK) | 102 | 14,108 | 138.3 | The Valley |
 Antigua and Barbuda | 443 | 84,522 | 190.8 | St. John's |
 Aruba (Netherlands)[19] | 193 | 101,541 | 526.1 | Oranjestad |
 Bahamas | 10,070[20] | 307,451 | 30.5 | Nassau |
 Barbados | 431 | 281,968 | 654.2 | Bridgetown |
 Belize | 22,966 | 301,270 | 13.1 | Belmopan |
 Bermuda (UK) | 53 | 66,536 | 1255.4 | Hamilton |
 British Virgin Islands (UK) | 153 | 24,041 | 157.1 | Road Town |
 Canada | 9,984,670[20] | 33,212,696 | 3.7 | Ottawa |
 Cayman Islands (UK) | 262 | 47,862 | 182.7 | George Town |
 Clipperton Island (France) | 6 | 0 | 0.0 | — |
 Costa Rica | 51,100 | 4,195,914 | 82.1 | San José |
 Cuba | 110,860 | 11,423,952 | 103.0 | Havana |
 Dominica | 754 | 72,514 | 96.2 | Roseau |
 Dominican Republic | 48,730 | 9,507,133 | 195.1 | Santo Domingo |
 El Salvador | 21,040 | 7,066,403 | 335.9 | San Salvador |
 Greenland (Denmark) | 2,166,086 | 57,564 | 0.027 | Nuuk |
 Grenada | 344 | 90,343 | 262.6 | St. George's |
| Guadeloupe (France) | 1,780[21] | 452,776[21] | 254.4 | Basse-Terre |
 Guatemala | 108,890 | 13,002,206 | 119.4 | Guatemala City |
 Haiti | 27,750 | 8,924,553 | 321.6 | Port-au-Prince |
 Honduras | 112,090 | 7,639,327 | 68.2 | Tegucigalpa |
 Jamaica | 10,991 | 2,804,332 | 255.1 | Kingston |
| Martinique (France) | 1,100[21] | 436,131[21] | 396.5 | Fort-de-France |
 Mexico | 1,923,040[20] | 109,955,400 | 57.2 | Mexico City |
 Montserrat (UK) | 102 | 5,079 | 49.8 | Plymouth; Brades[22] |
 Navassa Island (USA) | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | — |
 Netherlands Antilles (Netherlands)[19] | 960 | 225,369 | 234.8 | Willemstad |
 Nicaragua | 120,254[20] | 5,785,846 | 48.1 | Managua |
 Panama[19][23] | 78,200 | 3,309,679 | 42.3 | Panama City |
 Puerto Rico (USA) | 8,870[20] | 3,958,128 | 446.2 | San Juan |
| Saint Barthélemy (France) | 21 | 7,492 | 356.8 | Gustavia |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | 261 | 39,817 | 152.6 | Basseterre |
 Saint Lucia | 616 | 159,585 | 259.1 | Castries |
| Saint Martin (France) | 54 | 29,376 | 544.0 | Marigot |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France) | 242 | 7,044 | 29.1 | Saint-Pierre |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 389 | 118,432 | 304.5 | Kingstown |
 Trinidad and Tobago[19] | 5,128 | 1,047,366 | 204.2 | Port of Spain |
 Turks and Caicos Islands (UK) | 430 | 22,352 | 52.0 | Cockburn Town |
| United States[24] | 9,826,630[20] | 303,824,640 | 33.2 | Washington, D.C. |
 U.S. Virgin Islands (USA) | 346[20] | 109,840 | 317.5 | Charlotte Amalie |
| Total | 24,646,412 | 528,720,588 | 22.9 |
The term North America may mean different things to different people in the world according to the context. Usage other than that of the entire continent includes:
- In English, North America may be used to refer to the United States and Canada together.[25] Alternatively, usage often includes Mexico[26] (as with North American Free Trade Agreement) and other entities.[27][28][29][30][31][32]
- In Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and some other parts of Europe, North America usually designates a subcontinent (subcontinente in Spanish) of the Americas containing Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and often Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and Bermuda.[33]
Historical toponymy
North America, in whole or in part, has been historically referred to by other names:
- Spanish North America (New Spain) was often referred to as Northern America, and this was the first official name given to Mexico.
- The Spanish called North America Florida[34], which eventually became more focused on its present location.
- The English called their portion of North America Virginia The name Virginia was first applied by Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584.[35] John Dee pushed to call it Atlantis (inspired by Plato).
- The northern part of North America was often referred to as Norumbega.
- The northeastern part of what would become the United States was named New England in 1616 in John Smith's book of that year.
- Western North America was named Nova Albion by Francis Drake as he repaired his boat (Golden Hind) a short distance north of present day San Francisco.
- Areas of past British control were called British North America.
- Regions under control of the Hudson's Bay Company was called Rupert's Land, which eventually made up a large portion of the Dominion of Canada, the modern country of Canada.
Communications
Many of the nations of North America cooperate together on a shared telephone system known as the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) which is an integrated telephone numbering plan of 24 countries and territories: the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 Caribbean nations.
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