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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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Game of the Year! RT @giantbomb: Muscle March Coming To North America http://bit.ly/4Imnjq
BrentHorsley (Brent Horsley) Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:28:21 -0000
Game of the Year! RT @giantbomb: Muscle March Coming To North America http://bit.ly/4Imnjq
@tommcfly And you should go to North America and tour there too? For your fans out there. I'm sure the terminator(s) could manage that ;D!
Ginger_Billie (Billie McGarrigle) Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:27:03 -0000
@tommcfly And you should go to North America and tour there too? For your fans out there. I'm sure the terminator(s) could manage that ;D!
RT @giantbomb: Muscle March Coming To North America http://bit.ly/4Imnjq
WarofArt (Joseph) Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:24:24 -0000
RT @giantbomb: Muscle March Coming To North America http://bit.ly/4Imnjq
RT @giantbomb: Muscle March Coming To North America http://bit.ly/4Imnjq (Finally, WiiWare is validated)
jaredr (Jared Rea) Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:24:19 -0000
RT @giantbomb: Muscle March Coming To North America http://bit.ly/4Imnjq (Finally, WiiWare is validated)
Flu Prevention: CPP North America: News and Information: Beware Fake H1N1 (Swine ... http://bit.ly/5veU4P
jaytsend (Hadrian Jayrigold) Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:24:13 -0000
Flu Prevention: CPP North America: News and Information: Beware Fake H1N1 (Swine ... http://bit.ly/5veU4P
Neat! RT @matt_weiser RT @USGSNews: Native American Saltworks -- Oldest Business in North America http://bit.ly/6pddjY
bitchphd (bitchphd) Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:21:00 -0000
Neat! RT @matt_weiser RT @USGSNews: Native American Saltworks -- Oldest Business in North America http://bit.ly/6pddjY

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