Portal:North America

The North America Portal

North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean.

North America covers an area of around 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), representing approximately 16.5% of Earth's land area and 4.8% of its total surface area. It is the third-largest continent by size after Asia and Africa, and the fourth-largest continent by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. As of 2021^[update], North America's population is estimated at over 592 million people in 23 independent states and territories, or about 7.5% of the world's population.

The continent includes the subregions of Northern America (comprising Canada, Greenland, and the continental United States as well as the insular territories of Bermuda and Saint Pierre and Miquelon) and Middle America (comprising Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean). In human geography, the terms "North America" and "North American" often refer to just Northern America.

It is unknown exactly how and when the first human populations reached North America. People are known to have lived in the Americas at least 20,000 years ago, but various evidence points to possibly earlier dates. The Paleo-Indian period in North America followed the Last Glacial Period, and lasted until about 10,000 years ago when the Archaic period began. The classic stage followed the Archaic period, and lasted from approximately the 6th to 13th centuries. Norse exploration and colonization began in the late 10th century; the Norse built several settlements in Greenland and at least one settlement in Newfoundland. (Full article...)

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Hurricane Wilma track map

Hurricane Wilma was the most intense Atlantic hurricane by minimum central barometric pressure. On October 19, 2005, a dropsonde from a reconnaissance aircraft recorded a pressure of 884 mbar (26.1 inHg) over the western Caribbean Sea; due to the instrument missing the center of the eye, the National Hurricane Center assessed a minimum pressure of 882 mbar (26.0 inHg). The agency also estimated maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), making Wilma a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. At its peak intensity, the eye of Wilma was about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) in diameter, the smallest known eye in an Atlantic hurricane.

Wilma's destructive journey began in the second week of October 2005, originating from a monsoon trough. A large area of disturbed weather developed across much of the Caribbean and gradually organized to the southeast of Jamaica. By 18:00 UTC on October 15, the system was sufficiently organized for the NHC to designate it as Tropical Depression Twenty-Four. The depression drifted southwestward, and under favorable conditions, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Wilma on October 17, the 21st named storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Initially, development was slow due to its large size, though convection steadily organized. From October 18, and through the following day, Wilma underwent explosive deepening over the open waters of the Caribbean; in a 24-hour period, the system's central atmospheric pressure dropped from 979 millibars (28.9 inHg) to the record-low value of 882 millibars (26.0 inHg), while the winds increased to 185 mph (298 km/h). (Full article...)

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Attempting to block integration at the University of Alabama, Governor George Wallace stands defiantly at the door while being confronted by Deputy U.S. Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach.

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Clinton in 2023

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (née Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer, and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator representing New York from 2001 to 2009, and the first lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001 as the wife of Bill Clinton. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the party's nominee in the 2016 presidential election, becoming the first woman to win a presidential nomination by a major U.S. political party and the only woman to win the popular vote for U.S. president. Clinton lost the United States Electoral College vote to Republican Party nominee Donald Trump. She is the only first lady of the United States to have run for elected office.

Born and raised in Chicago, Rodham graduated from Wellesley College in 1969 and from Yale Law School in 1973. After serving as a congressional legal counsel, she moved to Arkansas and, in 1975, married Bill Clinton. In 1977, Clinton co-founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and two years later became the first woman partner at Little Rock's Rose Law Firm. She was the first lady of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 1992. As the first lady of the U.S., Clinton advocated for healthcare reform. In 1994, her health care plan failed to gain approval from Congress. In 1997 and 1999, Clinton played a leading role in promoting the creation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the Adoption and Safe Families Act, and the Foster Care Independence Act. In 1998, Clinton's marital relationship came under public scrutiny during the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, which led her to publicly reaffirm her commitment to the marriage. (Full article...)

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A view from Green Mountain with Pyramid Mountain in the distance

The Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field, also called the Clearwater Cone Group, is a potentially active monogenetic volcanic field in east-central British Columbia, Canada, located approximately 130 km (81 mi) north of Kamloops. It is situated in the Cariboo Mountains of the Columbia Mountains and on the Quesnel and Shuswap Highlands. As a monogenetic volcanic field, it is a place with numerous small basaltic volcanoes and extensive lava flows.

Most of the Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field is encompassed within a large wilderness park called Wells Gray Provincial Park. This 5,405 km² (2,087 sq mi) park was established in 1939 to protect Helmcken Falls and the unique features of the Clearwater River drainage basin, including this volcanic field. Five roads enter the park and provide views of some of the field's volcanic features. Short hikes lead to several other volcanic features, but some areas are accessible only by aircraft. (Full article...)

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Did you know...

... that the Ulster cherry is named after Ulster County, New York, a region where sweet cherries are produced commercially?

... that tequila was first produced in the 16th century?

...that Pico Turquino in the Sierra Maestra mountains is the highest point in Cuba at 6,749 feet?

... that the oldest winery in The Americas is in Parras de la Fuente?

...that the Land Run of 1889 resulted in the founding of both Oklahoma City and Guthrie, whose populations grew from zero to over 10,000 in less than a day?

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