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Infographic map of the Americas with key statistics
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America

Comprehensive overview of the American continent: 35 internationally recognized sovereign countries, updated demographic data, economy, climate mosaic and geopolitics.

42.55 million km² 1.02 billion inhabitants 28% world GDP +1,000 languages 80% urbanization 35 UN countries 1.9 children / woman 8 % Unemployment
Infographic map of the Americas - enlarged view
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The Americas are composed of 35 internationally recognized sovereign countries (UN members), plus several dependent territories or autonomous regions (Greenland, French Guiana, Falkland Islands, Puerto Rico, etc.). The American continent covers approximately 42.55 million km², i.e. about 28.4% of the world's emerged land, making it the largest continent in area after Asia. The American coastline totals approximately 330,000 km. These nations have about 1.02 billion inhabitants, i.e. about 13% of the world population, and generate about 28% of world GDP (about 30,000 billion dollars nominal).


The Americas are the most urbanized continent in the world: about 80% of Americans live in cities. It stands out for its great diversity of languages, cultures and climates, from the Canadian Arctic to Argentine Patagonia. Brazil is the most populous country in South America and the fifth in the world, while the United States is the world's leading economic power. Canada is the second largest country in the world by area. The Amazon, the world's largest river by volume, crosses the planet's green lung, and the Andes is the longest continental mountain range.

North America

Flag of Canada Canada Flag of United States United States Flag of Mexico Mexico Flag of Greenland Greenland ¹

Central America

Flag of Belize Belize Flag of Costa Rica Costa Rica Flag of El Salvador El Salvador Flag of Guatemala Guatemala Flag of Honduras Honduras Flag of Nicaragua Nicaragua Flag of Panama Panama

Caribbean

Flag of Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda Flag of Bahamas Bahamas Flag of Barbados Barbados Flag of Cuba Cuba Flag of Dominica Dominica Flag of Grenada Grenada Flag of Haiti Haiti ⚠️ crisis Flag of Jamaica Jamaica Flag of Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Flag of Saint Lucia Saint Lucia Flag of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago

South America

Flag of Argentina Argentina Flag of Bolivia Bolivia Flag of Brazil Brazil Flag of Chile Chile Flag of Colombia Colombia Flag of Ecuador Ecuador Flag of Guyana Guyana Flag of Paraguay Paraguay Flag of Peru Peru Flag of Suriname Suriname Flag of Uruguay Uruguay Flag of Venezuela Venezuela ⚠️ crisis Flag of French Guiana French Guiana ¹ Flag of Falkland Islands Falkland Islands ¹
¹ Dependent territories or autonomous regions (not sovereign states). What is a country?

American state alliances and trade agreements

Most spoken native languages in the Americas

Chart of most spoken native languages in the Americas
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LanguageShare of AmericansNative speakers (millions)
Spanish42.0%430 million
English28.0%285 million
Portuguese21.0%215 million
French2.5%25 million
Quechua1.0%10 million
Guarani0.7%7 million
Aymara0.3%3 million
Nahuatl0.3%3 million
Haitian Creole1.2%12 million
German0.2%2 million

The Americas are a multilingual continent where European languages (Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Dutch) and many indigenous languages (Quechua, Guarani, Aymara, Nahuatl, Maya, Mapuche, etc.) coexist. Spanish is the most spoken language, followed by English and Portuguese (Brazil). French remains present in Canada (Quebec), Haiti and the French West Indies. The main religions are Christianity (Catholicism majority in Latin America, Protestantism in North America), with Muslim, Jewish and Hindu minorities.

Population and density in the Americas

Map of population and density in the Americas
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The Americas are a highly urbanized continent: about 80% of the population lives in cities. The average density is about 24 inhabitants per km², but with very strong disparities. The most densely populated areas are in the Caribbean, Central America and certain regions of South America (Brazilian coast, Andes). Conversely, northern Canada, Alaska, the Amazon and Patagonia are virtually empty.


Barbados: (668 inhabitants/km²),
Haiti: (430 inhabitants/km²),
Puerto Rico: (350 inhabitants/km²),
El Salvador: (310 inhabitants/km²),
Dominican Republic: (220 inhabitants/km²),
Guatemala: (160 inhabitants/km²),
Jamaica: (260 inhabitants/km²).


Conversely, the lowest densities are found in Canada (4 inhab/km²), Greenland (0.14 inhab/km²), Guyana (3 inhab/km²), Iceland (3 inhab/km²) and Australia (3 inhab/km²) — but the latter two are not part of the Americas. The most populous countries are the United States (≈ 335 million), Brazil (≈ 215 million), Mexico (≈ 130 million) and Colombia (≈ 52 million).

American demographics

With a median age of about 31 years, the Americas are a relatively young continent, but with large gaps: Canada and the United States have an older population (median age ~40 years), while Latin America and the Caribbean are younger (~28 years). This demographic diversity reflects different migratory histories and demographic transitions.


The average fertility rate in the Americas is 1.9 children per woman, close to the generational renewal threshold (2.1). The most fertile countries are Guatemala (2.8), Bolivia (2.6), Paraguay (2.4) and Haiti (2.5). The least fertile are Canada (1.4), the United States (1.6), Brazil (1.6), Chile (1.5) and Cuba (1.5).


Immigration plays a major role in American demography, particularly in the United States and Canada, which welcome hundreds of thousands of migrants each year. In Latin America, migratory flows are more contrasted: emigration to the United States, but also intra-regional immigration (Venezuela to Colombia, Haiti to the Dominican Republic, etc.).


The demographic transition is advanced in North America and the Caribbean, while it continues in Central America and certain regions of South America. The American population should continue to grow moderately, driven by immigration and still relatively high fertility in certain Andean and Central American countries.


📊 Summary demographic table of the Americas

IndicatorValue
Total population (35 countries) 1.02 billion
Median age31 years
Fertility rate1.9 children / woman
Infant mortality rate≈ 12 ‰
Life expectancy76.5 years
(men: 73.5 - women: 79.5)
Population aged 65 and over12.5 %
Population aged 0-1422.5 %

Time zones in the Americas

The Americas extend over 8 main time zones, from UTC−10 to UTC−2:


Special cases and exceptions: Chile and Paraguay apply daylight saving time in the southern summer. Brazil abolished daylight saving time in 2019. Venezuela is on UTC−4 all year round since 2016. Mexico abolished daylight saving time in 2022, except in border areas with the United States. Greenland uses UTC−3 (and UTC−1 at Ittoqqortoormiit).

American institutions

American geology and geography

From a geological point of view, the Americas rest on several tectonic plates: the North American plate, the South American plate, the Caribbean plate and the Nazca plate. The meeting between the Nazca and South American plates is at the origin of the Andes, the longest continental mountain range (7,000 km), and of the subduction that generates strong seismic and volcanic activity on the Pacific coast. The Caribbean plate interacts with the North American and South American plates, producing earthquakes and volcanoes in the Antilles.


The conventional geographical boundary between North America and South America is often drawn at the Isthmus of Panama or the Panama Canal. The continent is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Southern Ocean to the south.


Main American geological and geographical features:

Climate in the Americas

The Americas extend from the Arctic (Greenland, Alaska, Canada) to Tierra del Fuego (Argentina, Chile), passing through the equator. This exceptional north-south extent gives it a wide variety of climates, from polar to equatorial.


Climate zoneAmerican climate
Polar / subarcticVery cold winters (-30 to -10°C), short and cool summers (5-15°C), low precipitation (snow) — Greenland, northern Canada, Alaska
Humid continentalCold winters (-10 to 0°C), hot summers (20-30°C), distributed precipitation — Eastern United States, Southern Canada
OceanicMild winters (5-10°C), cool summers (15-22°C), regular rain — West coast of Canada and the United States, central Chile
MediterraneanHot and dry summers (25-35°C), mild and wet winters (10-15°C) — California, central Chile
Tropical / equatorialHot and humid all year round (25-28°C), heavy rainfall — Amazon, Caribbean, Central America
DesertVery low precipitation (< 250 mm), large temperature variations — Southwestern United States, northern Mexico, Atacama (Chile), Patagonia
MountainExtreme altitudinal variations, snow at altitude — Andes, Rockies, Sierra Nevada

Weather records in the Americas

🔥 Highest temperature officially recorded in the Americas: 56.7°C at Furnace Creek (Death Valley, California, United States), on 10 July 1913.


🌡️ Hottest place on average per year: Death Valley (United States), with an average annual temperature of 24.5°C.


❄️ Lowest temperature in the Americas: −62.8°C at Snag (Yukon, Canada), on 3 February 1947.


🌧️ Rainiest city in the Americas: Quibdó (Colombia) ≈ 10,000 mm/year, one of the rainiest in the world.


☀️ Driest regions in the Americas: the Atacama Desert (Chile), with some areas never having recorded rain, and Death Valley (United States).


🏔️ Highest summit in the Americas: Aconcagua (6,961 m, Argentina).

Energy in the Americas

The Americas are a continent rich in energy resources: the United States is the world's leading producer of oil and natural gas, Canada has the world's third largest oil reserves (oil sands), Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves, and Brazil is a major player in hydropower and biofuels. The continent is also a leader in renewable energy (hydropower, wind, solar) and in the energy transition.

The main American energy models are:


America (FAQ)

How many countries are there in the Americas?
The Americas have 35 sovereign countries recognized by the UN, divided into North America (3), Central America (7), the Caribbean (13) and South America (12). If dependent territories are included (Greenland, French Guiana, Puerto Rico, etc.), the number of political entities exceeds fifty.
Which is the most populous country in the Americas?
The United States is the most populous country in the Americas with about 335 million inhabitants, followed by Brazil (≈ 215 million), Mexico (≈ 130 million) and Colombia (≈ 52 million).
Which is the largest country in the Americas by area?
Canada is the largest country in the Americas and the second largest in the world with 9.98 million km², followed by the United States (9.83 million km²), Brazil (8.51 million km²) and Argentina (2.78 million km²).
Which is the smallest country in the Americas?
The smallest sovereign country in the Americas is Saint Kitts and Nevis with only 261 km². It is followed by Barbados (430 km²), Antigua and Barbuda (442 km²), Saint Lucia (616 km²) and Grenada (344 km²).
What is the highest mountain in the Americas?
Aconcagua (6,961 m) in Argentina is the highest point in the Americas and the southern hemisphere. It is followed by Denali (6,190 m, Alaska) and Mount Logan (5,959 m, Canada).
What is the longest river in the Americas?
The Amazon is the longest river in the Americas and in the world with about 6,400 km (some measurements exceed 7,000 km). It has the largest river basin in the world. The Mississippi-Missouri (6,275 km) is the longest river in North America.
What languages are spoken in the Americas?
The Americas are a multilingual continent. The most spoken languages are Spanish (~430 million native speakers), English (~285 million), Portuguese (~215 million) and French (~25 million). There are also many indigenous languages: Quechua, Guarani, Aymara, Nahuatl, Maya, Mapuche, etc.
Which is the richest country in the Americas?
The United States is by far the leading economy on the continent and in the world, with a nominal GDP of about 27,000 billion dollars. Canada, Brazil and Mexico complete the top 4. In GDP per capita, the richest are the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and Barbados.
Is America one continent or two?
In French, America is generally considered a single continent, divided into North America and South America, connected by Central America and the Caribbean. In English-speaking countries, it is often described as two distinct continents: North America and South America.
What is the best time to visit the Americas?
It depends on the regions. For North America, summer (June to September) is ideal for Canada and the northern United States; spring and autumn are pleasant for the east coast. For Latin America, the dry season (December to March in the southern hemisphere, November to April in the Caribbean) is preferable. Avoid hurricane season (June to November) in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
What currencies are used in the Americas?
The US dollar (USD) is the most used currency, official in the United States and in several countries (Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Puerto Rico). The Canadian dollar (CAD), the Mexican peso (MXN), the Brazilian real (BRL), the Argentine peso (ARS), the Chilean peso (CLP) and the Peruvian sol (PEN) are also common. Most countries have their own currency.
Do I need a visa to travel to the Americas?
It depends on your nationality and the destination country. French and European nationals can travel without a visa to the United States and Canada with an electronic authorization (ESTA or eTA). For Latin America, many countries require a visa or an entry tax, but rules vary. Check with the consulate of the relevant country.
What vaccinations are recommended for travelling to the Americas?
For North America and most urban areas of Latin America, the usual vaccinations (DTP, hepatitis A and B) are sufficient. For tropical areas (Amazon, Central America, Caribbean), yellow fever may be recommended or required, as well as typhoid, malaria (prophylaxis) and rabies in some cases. Consult a travel doctor before departure.