Overview of America: Discovery and Geography

Overview of America

• America is a continent that includes both North and South America.
• It lies on the western hemisphere

Discovery and Naming

• The continent was initially called the "New World" after its discovery by Europeans.
• Europeans believed they had reached India, leading to the native inhabitants being called "Indians".
• The name "America" came into use in the 16th century.
• It was named in honor of Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who explored the interior of South America.
• Christopher Columbus was the first known European to reach the shores of America.

Geographical Location

• America consists of two continents: North America and South America.
• It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
• The Arctic Ocean borders America to the north, being less prominent.
• The equator crosses the northern part of South America, dividing the continent into northern and southern hemispheres.
• Most of America is located in the northern hemisphere.
• The entire continent lies west of the prime meridian, placing it in the western hemisphere.

Time zones

• Due to its vast size, the regions of America operate on different time zones

Key Geographical Features

• The Hudson and Mexican Gulfs are prominent bays in North America.
• The Caribbean Sea, along with the Mexican Gulf, acts as a divider between North and South America.
• The Panama Isthmus was artificially divided in the late 19th century by a canal.
• The Panama Canal facilitates ship passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
• Before the canal, ships had to travel thousands of kilometers further south.
• Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica are the largest islands located between North and South America.
• They are collectively called the Greater Antilles.
• Smaller islands stretching towards South America are known as the Lesser Antilles.
• Greenland, the world's largest island, and Baffin Island are also part of America.
• These islands have sparse populations.
• South America has relatively few islands, peninsulas, and bays along its coast.
• Tierra del Fuego is the largest island at the southern tip of the continent, separated by the narrow Drake Passage.
• The Galapagos Islands are a notable archipelago west of South America.
• America is the second-largest continent, covering over 42 million square kilometers.
• It is only slightly smaller than Asia, while Europe is four times smaller.

Immigration

• Europeans were the first to arrive in America.
• Many Africans were brought in as slaves for plantations.
• In the 20th century, there was a significant increase in immigrants from Asia.

Coastlines

• The coastline of North America is more fragmented than that of South America.
• The coastlines have large bays and several major peninsulas.
• Alaska Peninsula is in the northwest of North America
• Labrador Peninsula is in the Northeast
• Florida is a smaller but significant peninsula in the southeast.
• The narrow Californian peninsula is in the southwest.