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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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@OpenComms Siemens keynote - putting up a great fight here in North America
jebbdykstra99 (Jebb Dykstra) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:39:39 -0000
@OpenComms Siemens keynote - putting up a great fight here in North America
Good to know aviation world! RT @flyingwithfish: @AvWeekBenet Both are official, @BritishAirways is North America & @British_Airways is UK
RunwayGirl (RunwayGirl) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:37:20 -0000
Good to know aviation world! RT @flyingwithfish: @AvWeekBenet Both are official, @BritishAirways is North America & @British_Airways is UK
@AvWeekBenet Both are official, @BritishAirways is North America & @British_Airways is UK
flyingwithfish (flyingwithfish) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:36:22 -0000
@AvWeekBenet Both are official, @BritishAirways is North America & @British_Airways is UK
RT @loserkid745: @MrESPN09 ppl who live in america but have problems with it need to go to china or north korea
dUbCiTy59 (warren ashford) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:34:53 -0000
RT @loserkid745: @MrESPN09 ppl who live in america but have problems with it need to go to china or north korea
@have1com RT November is retractable banner stands month - amazing specials - http://tinyurl.com/bannerstands - we ship North America wide
PeakAdvantage (Kathleen Tillson) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:34:40 -0000
@have1com RT November is retractable banner stands month - amazing specials - http://tinyurl.com/bannerstands - we ship North America wide
@MrESPN09 ppl who live in america but have problems with it need to go to china or north korea
loserkid745 (William I. Holla) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:30:36 -0000
@MrESPN09 ppl who live in america but have problems with it need to go to china or north korea

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