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North America is a continent in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost fully in the western hemisphere, bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the south and west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast. It covers an area of about 24,480,000 km² (9,450,000 sq mi), or about 4.8% of the planet's surface. As of July 2002, its population was estimated at more than 514,000,000. It is the third largest continent in area, after Asia and Africa, and is fourth in population after Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Etymology

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A number of theories exist regarding the naming of North and South America. The most widely recognized is that they are named after Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a New World, previously undiscovered by Europeans. The second and less generally accepted is that the continents are named after an English merchant named Richard Amerike from Bristol, who is believed to have financed John Cabot's voyage of discovery from England to Newfoundland in 1497. A third and minutely explored belief that has been advanced is that America was named for a Spanish sailor bearing the ancient Visigothic name of 'Amairick'.

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Portland to become North America's Copenhagen? http://bit.ly/1sHrxa
sz2design (Colin) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:24:43 -0000
Portland to become North America's Copenhagen? http://bit.ly/1sHrxa
#flames r amabssadors 4 the province in north america it would be bad 4 alberta business if ppl thought albertns were n1h1 carriers
Fever4Flames (Fever4Flames) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:20:30 -0000
#flames r amabssadors 4 the province in north america it would be bad 4 alberta business if ppl thought albertns were n1h1 carriers
Bugs facts: In the world there are around 3,000 species of horse flies, 350 in North America alone!
ZooBugs_Zoom (ZooBugs-Zoom) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:15:38 -0000
Bugs facts: In the world there are around 3,000 species of horse flies, 350 in North America alone!
Ruby Use Up 40% in North America (http://tr.im/pD)
cvreg (CVREG) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:15:11 -0000
Ruby Use Up 40% in North America (http://tr.im/pD)
The solution to the 3 major challenges facing North America. http://bit.ly/4oltGo
josedelgado15 (Jose Delgado) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:13:32 -0000
The solution to the 3 major challenges facing North America. http://bit.ly/4oltGo
Band Hero rolls into stores across platforms in North America http://bit.ly/4qhoXr
wii101 (maria ) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:10:37 -0000
Band Hero rolls into stores across platforms in North America http://bit.ly/4qhoXr

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