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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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Highest elevation in North America.: Mount McKinley in Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska, 20,320 feet above sea level.
Tr_Town (Diamond Team) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:48:37 -0000
Highest elevation in North America.: Mount McKinley in Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska, 20,320 feet above sea level.
250GB PS3 Slim Hits Retail Shelves In North America-http://short.to/vx9s #gamer #gaming
krunzy (Krunzy DotCom) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:45:03 -0000
250GB PS3 Slim Hits Retail Shelves In North America-http://short.to/vx9s #gamer #gaming
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Francision (°•Francis Albert•°) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:40:53 -0000
RT @gamekicker: 250GB PS3 Slim Hits Retail Shelves In North America - http://short.to/vx9s
Easy Piano easing into North America next year http://bit.ly/14TG6G
cliqzgaming (cliqzgaming) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:40:22 -0000
Easy Piano easing into North America next year http://bit.ly/14TG6G
William G. Salatich, 1922-2009: Former president of Gillette North America ... http://bit.ly/4eV0lI
NewsForVets (Peter Guidry) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:37:53 -0000
William G. Salatich, 1922-2009: Former president of Gillette North America ... http://bit.ly/4eV0lI
250GB PS3 Slim Hits Retail Shelves In North America - http://short.to/vx9s
gamekicker (News For Gamers) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:30:12 -0000
250GB PS3 Slim Hits Retail Shelves In North America - http://short.to/vx9s

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