NORTH AMERICA

North America is home to the planet’s incredible variety of landscapes, from the freezing Alaska to the Mexican coast. This large continent provides unusual topography parameters and unique views of the Rockies, Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks, and the Colorado River’s Grand Canyon.

These natural wonders are not only for the breathtaking view but are also important habitats of so many species of animals including grizzly bears and wolves, bald eagles and many, many plant species.

The culture of the continent is just as diverse as the people that inhabit the land, the first inhabitants, Europeans, Africans, and immigrants from other parts of the globe. This multicultural heritage is evident in all the aspects of life, including food, music, buildings and customs.

Indigenous cultures are still existent through powwow dancing, crafts, and through some sacred lands, whereas metropolitan areas are filled with multicultural inhabitants, joining in parades, art and cultural events to celebrate the richness of the region.

From the rocky shores of the Canadian Atlantic provinces to the warm sandy beaches of the Caribbean, North America’s waterways offer histories of discovery, trade, and geology.

The Great Lakes are referred to as inland seas and have impacted the growth of large cities and still have marked effects on the people’s general way of life and economic status.

The Mississippi River, which defines the middle of the United States, has produced some of the country’s most potent cultural phenomena: jazz in New Orleans and regional cooking.

Climatic conditions of the continent have fostered the development of diverse ecological zones that are unique in their way.

The Pacific Northwest temperate rainforests are all different from the barren Southwestern desert, the flatness of the Great Plains is unlike the Appalachians in the east.

Culture exists in myriad ways, whether in Toronto’s ethnic enclaves or Mexico City’s colonial heart. Such cities are cultural centers in which the old adage of the mixture of old and new meets in the production of arts, food, and culture that are new and different.

If people explore the traditions of Quebec, the cowboy nature of Texas, or the great pyramid of Teotihuacan they find that the culture of this region is as diverse and as noteworthy as its geography.