Discover a map of North and Central America. The third-largest continent by area, North America extends from Alaska and Greenland to the eastern border of Panama with Colombia. Canada, the United States, Mexico, the republics of Central America, the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles all belong to the North American continent. Its area is 24,100,000 square kilometers, representing 16% of all the Earth’s land surface.

Article summary

Natural environment of the map of North and Central America

The continent’s topography is oriented north-south, as can be seen on the map of North and Central America. The old Appalachian Mountains form a highland zone in the east of the continent, while the younger and higher Rocky Mountains create a steeper framework in the west. Between the two lie flatter and lower regions: the Canadian Shield, the Interior Plains, and the Great Plains.

Map of North and Central America

Map of North and Central America – Fotolia license

East and south of the Appalachians are the Atlantic coastal plains, stretching from the Yucatán to New England. To the west are basins and plateaus, including the Great Basin, the Colorado Plateau, and the Pacific mountain ranges. The width of the Rockies continues to expand southward, forming the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental, which enclose the Mexican Plateau. South of the Mexican highlands, the physiographic orientation changes abruptly, shifting from a north-south alignment to an east-west direction.

South of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, one branch of the mountain system of Central America and the Antilles stretches from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Dominican Republic, passing through Chiapas, Oaxaca, the Cayman Islands, southeastern Cuba, and Haiti (see the map of North and Central America).

A second branch extends from Guatemala and Honduras to the Dominican Republic, passing through Jamaica and Haiti. The two branches join to form the mountains of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. A small chain of volcanic mountains, the Lesser Antilles, continues southward. Other volcanic mountains cross Costa Rica and Panama.

The river system

The continent’s physiographic framework, which can be seen on the map of North and Central America, has a great influence on the flow of water. The waters of the Great Lakes cascade over Niagara Falls before flowing into the Saint Lawrence River and the sea. The rivers of the Canadian Shield flow into Hudson Bay.

From the Appalachians, rivers flow eastward into the sea and westward into the Mississippi river system. The continental divide formed by the Rockies separates waters flowing east from those flowing west. Mexico’s rivers, with the exception of the Rio Grande, are relatively short, as are those flowing through Central America and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.

Climate in North and Central America

Latitude, topography, the position of air masses, and the relationship between land and sea all tend to influence the continent’s climate. In the northwest, the prevailing westerly winds, originating from the Pacific Ocean, bring heavy rainfall to the western mountain slopes. The eastern slopes are drier. In the interior of the continent, the climate is influenced by air masses descending from the Arctic, which meet those coming from the Gulf of Mexico. The islands of the Antilles and the continental coastline have a warm and humid climate. Surface temperatures remain above 27°C throughout the year. See the map of North and Central America showing climate.

In general, North America is wetter east of the 100th meridian than west of it. In California and the Northwest, rainfall is concentrated in winter. The summer months are dry. Hurricanes are frequent in the Antilles and in the Gulf of Mexico. They often pass through the Greater Antilles before devastating the continental coastline between Texas and Florida, and from North Carolina to New England.

Flora

Temperatures and rainfall affect natural vegetation. In the wet eastern United States, this results in tree-covered forests. In Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, there are tall-grass prairies, and farther west, grassy steppe. The far south is dominated by a tropical conifer forest, while the even drier west contains areas of desert vegetation. Most of the Canadian Shield is covered by taiga, or coniferous forest, whereas the lands along the Arctic coast have vegetation similar to tundra. Shrubland and steppe dominate northern Mexico.

On the eastern coast of Mexico, and in parts of Yucatán, Belize, and Honduras, there is mixed forest or tropical rainforest. The rest of Central America is crossed by mountains. The Greater Antilles are covered with forests in humid areas, and with woodland and shrubs in drier zones. The Lesser Antilles are mountainous. Finally, the lower islands are surrounded by atolls.

Map of the countries of North and Central America

Map of the countries of North and Central America

The Northern Lands

The Northern Lands consist of the Canadian Shield, the Arctic coasts, and the islands. The population is very scattered. The environment is harsh. The main economic activities are forestry, mining, and oil extraction.

The Saint Lawrence Valley

The Saint Lawrence Valley, in southern Ontario and southern Quebec, forms the industrial heart of Canada. Half of Canada’s population lives in this region, and 80% of its inhabitants live in urban areas, as can be seen on the map of North and Central America concerning population density.

The New England maritime region

This coastal region first attracted industries based on hydropower. Boston, Massachusetts, and other New England cities are now high-tech centers. The people of Newfoundland have always been seafarers. Offshore oil and natural gas deposits have recently been discovered there. The largest Canadian city in the region is Halifax.

The Atlantic coastal region

This region includes the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. It is highly diverse. New York City is the region’s largest urban center and the largest in the United States. It is also a financial, tourist, and industrial center, as well as a very active port and a center of trade and transport. New York City is part of a megalopolis stretching from Boston to Washington, D.C. The city is easily visible on the map of North and Central America.

The Midwest, the Great Plains, and the Prairie Provinces

This region is the country’s agricultural center. A grain belt, mainly corn, stretches from Ohio to Nebraska. From northern Texas to the grasslands of the Canadian Prairie Provinces, summer and winter wheat are the main cereal crops. The steppe also contains oil deposits. The heart of America is also densely populated.

The South

The South is one of the best-defined American regions. It stretches from Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf of Mexico and includes most of Arkansas and eastern Texas. Originally, plantations dominated there, producing tobacco, rice, and indigo.

The Southwest

This region is sunny and hot. Its population is made up of Anglo-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. It stretches from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to Southern California and includes most of New Mexico and Arizona.

The western mountains

This region stretches from southwestern Alaska and includes the Rockies, the plateau located between the Rockies and the mountains at the far west, namely the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades.

A large part of this arid region belongs to the state. The region is sparsely populated. Brigham Young brought the Mormons there in 1846. They founded Salt Lake City as well as other prosperous communities. Much of Utah and Idaho is still populated by Mormons. Tourism is an important source of income for the region.

California

California lies in the middle of the western coastline, between the Sierra Nevada and the Pacific Ocean. You can find it on the map of North and Central America, along with its famous cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. California is becoming increasingly urbanized, and blocks of buildings are gradually replacing the Californian countryside.

The Northwest

This region stretches along the Pacific coast from California to Alaska. It includes western Oregon, much of Washington State, British Columbia, the Yukon, and the southern coast of Alaska. It is largely a wet region, although the Cascades and the coastal mountains include dry areas.

Mexico

This country lies between the border states of North America, namely Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, and Central America. Most Mexicans live in the temperate zone of the central plateau. Mexico is easily identifiable on the map of North and Central America, as it is one of the continent’s major countries.

Americans and Europeans visit many Mexican regions. But poverty is still present, and many Mexicans try to cross the border into the United States in search of work and better living conditions.

Central America

This region is dominated by the high mountain chain that crosses it from east to west. Most inhabitants live in the highlands. They are mainly of Indigenous, Spanish, and mixed-race origin. A significant Black population lives along the very humid Caribbean coast. Guatemala is known for coffee, sugar, and cotton. El Salvador is known for coffee and cotton; Nicaragua for coffee, cotton, and bananas; Costa Rica for coffee and sugar cane; and Panama for its canal. You can see on the map of North and Central America that there are many small countries in this part of the continent.

The Antilles

The Antilles consist of the Greater Antilles, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, and the Lesser Antilles, namely the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands. The Antilles lie opposite Mexico on the map of North and Central America.

Culture

Today, more than a quarter of immigrants come from Asian countries, a quarter from Europe, and the rest from Central America and Latin America. North America is therefore made up of a great variety of races and ethnic groups.

Languages

The United States and Canada are mainly English-speaking countries. But Spanish is widely spoken in the American Southwest, southern Florida, and in major urban centers. French is the main language of Quebec. You can discover a map of North and Central America.

This language is also spoken in some parts of New England and Louisiana. In addition, European and Asian immigrants continue to use different languages in the United States and Canada. In Mexico, Spanish is naturally dominant, and in the Antilles, Spanish, French, and English are spoken in certain regions.

Religions

Christianity is the religion with the largest number of followers. Catholics are the most numerous. There are many Methodists in the region between New York and Nebraska, Lutherans between Wisconsin and Montana, Baptists in the South, and Mormons in Utah. Catholics are the majority in New England, the Southwest, and urban areas. The Jewish population is mainly urban. You can discover the map of North and Central America showing religions.

There are also some Russian Orthodox believers, Old Catholics, Polish Catholics, Armenians, Buddhists, and Muslims. In Canada, Catholics are the most numerous, especially in Quebec, but Protestants dominate everywhere else. Catholics are the majority in Mexico, Central America, and the Antilles.

Transport

The vast spaces of the North American continent are linked together by impressive road, rail, and air networks. Inland waterways and pipelines also play an important role in transport.

In the United States, a dense rail network covers the Midwest, the states in the middle of the Atlantic coast, and southern New England. A less dense network extends across the rest of the country.

Most of the road network runs parallel to the railways. The Pan-American Highway links the United States with Mexico and Central America. Air services also connect the major cities as well as more isolated destinations. Inland waterways are mainly used to transport goods. Pipelines connect oil and natural gas production areas with major market centers.