North American Exploration Quiz

North America: Key Geographic and Historical Facts

• The continent of North America is named after Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who reached it in 1507 CE.
• Christopher Columbus is considered to have discovered North America in 1492 CE while seeking a new sea route to India.
• European seamen, such as the Norsemen and Vikings, had visited the continent as early as 986 CE.
• North America, along with South America, is referred to as the New World due to their discovery in the 15th century.
• North America's latitudinal extent ranges from 12º N to 85º N, and its longitudinal extent ranges from 20º W to 180º W.
• The continent covers an area of approximately 24 million square kilometers, making it the third largest.
• North America has a coastline length of 148,330 kilometers, with its highest point being Mt. McKinley in Alaska (6,194 meters) and lowest point being Death Valley in California (86 meters below sea level).
• The continent spans a maximum length of 7,200 kilometers from Panama to the Arctic Islands and a maximum width of 4,800 kilometers between British Columbia and Newfoundland.
• Major rivers in North America include the Mississippi-Missouri, Rio Grande, and Mackenzie, while major lakes include the Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario) as well as Great Slave and Great Bear.
• North America features mountain ranges such as the Western Cordilleras (Rockies, Alaska, Cascade, Sierra Nevada, Sierra Madre) and the Appalachians.
• The continent's discovery by Columbus in 1492 CE is widely accepted, despite earlier visits by European seamen.
• North America and South America are collectively known as the New World due to their discovery in the 15th century.