North America Map

Infrastructure

Railways
North America has an extensive railway network. The United States, Canada, and Mexico have an interconnected rail system. Freight-oriented railways in Mexico have a railroad network that connects the US. Panama Canal Railway, connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The railway line runs parallel to the Panama Canal. Guatemala runs occasional chartered tourist trains across the country. Cuba's railway system is the only one in the Caribbean islands. It provides both passenger and freight services within the country.

Roadways
Pan-American Highway is a network of roads totaling a length of about 30,000 miles. It links almost all the mainland nations. This is considered the world's longest "motorable road." The U.S.A. has the world's largest road network with 4 million miles of roadways including interstate highways and U.S. Highways.

The Trans-Canada Highway is the lifeline of Canada. In fact, Canada and the U.S.A. have built the Alaska Highway that connects Anchorage (Alaska) to Canada and the rest of the United States. Mexico also has a large road network of 201,310 miles. The Inter-American Highway, which is a section of Pan-American Highway in Central America, runs for 3,400 miles between Nuevo Laredo (Mexico), and Panama City (Panama).

Waterways
Like Alaska, several North American islands are not linked to the continental road network and are served by ferries or private boats. West Indies, Vancouver Island, and Newfoundland (island) are some of the examples. Alaska's state-owned ferry system (Alaska Marine Highway) serves the local transportation purpose. The same system operates a ferry service from Bellingham (Washington) to British Columbia in Canada. The rail ferry service between Alaska and British Columbia is one of the few such services in the entire world. Panama operates one of the busiest waterways in the world – the Panama Canal. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Airways
The popularity of air travel as a feasible mode of transport was felt following the World War II. The busiest airports in North America are located in the United States. Except for the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada, nine out of the 10 busiest airports are in the U.S.A. Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta) and O'Hare International Airport (Chicago) are among the major gateways to North America. While Panama has around 53 airports with paved runways, Cuba's state-owned airline 'Cubana' serves several destinations in North, Central, and South America along with Europe and the Caribbean

Economy of North America

Economy
Of all the nations in North America, the U.S.A. has the largest economy. The country's estimated gross domestic product (PPP), as per 2018 estimates is $ 20,513,000 million. Mexico stands second with its GDP (PPP) at $ 2,575,206 million. Canada's GDP (PPP) is $1,852,514 million.

The North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is one of the largest trade blocs in the world with its member nations – USA, Canada, and Mexico – establishing strong economic cooperation to eliminate trade barriers. The Caribbean trade bloc, CARICOM (Caribbean Community), is one of the earliest entities formed on July 4, 1973 with an objective of promoting economic integration among the 15 Caribbean nations.

Culture of North America

Food
Cuisine in North America is as varied as its topography. While Caribou stew, smoked salmon, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and Montreal-style smoked meat are a craze in Canada, the US swears by its hamburgers, pies, and hot dogs. Rice and fish is the staple food of the Caribbean. Flying fish, lobster, crab soup, turtle stew, and meat pies are common in almost every island in the region. Coconut is a dominant ingredient in the curries. In fact, the cuisine of Southeastern Mexico also has a Caribbean influence. Seafood is more popular in regions close to the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Cuban dishes are mostly sautéed or slow-cooked. Sofrito, which is widely used for seasoning, adds a distinctive flavor to the native cuisine. Stews, meat dishes, and tomato-based sauces are quite a hit among the locals.

Music
From Mexican Mariachi to American Rock & Roll, North America is known for introducing several genres of music to the world. Cuban music is inspired by various musical styles like salsa, mambo, and the cha-cha-cha. Popular Cuban music has strong African and European influences. The evolution of Caribbean music is largely attributed to the descendants of African slaves. Calypso and reggae are some of the genres that got worldwide popularity. Celine Dion and Shania Twain are the names that continue to bring the focus back to Canadian music.

Art & Sculpture
The Afro-American and European sculptors, who migrated to the US, revived the classical tradition and gave prominence to the idea of American Expressionism. After artists such as Jackson Pollock showed interest in Native American art, several American artists followed suit and began to recreate their traditional art. They also gave birth to a new art, blending European and Native American ideas. Cuba has a long tradition when it comes to visual arts. The country has witnessed a steady transition from pre-revolution modernist masterpieces to contemporary paintings and sculptures.

The mural paintings of Mexico is revered by art lovers all over the world. The immediate impact of the Mexican Revolution (1910 to 1920) on Mexican art was 'dramatic', to say the least. Apart from murals, paintings with nationalistic and political messages were created on public buildings, and they had established a tradition in other parts of the Americas.

Design & Architecture
The US is distinctly known for its ability to create the tallest and the swankiest buildings of the world. In Mexico, it is common to find colonial architecture with traces of Baroque style. The Meso-American architecture is noted for its pyramidal structures. The colorful colonial buildings on the streets of Cuba are among the most photographed architecture. Besides, the country includes an assortment of styles and influences for creating a uniquely Cuban-style of architecture.

Literature
American literature has wowed the world with its dedicated practitioners dishing out thought-provoking ideas through novels, verses, essays, and plays. The world vividly remembers names such as T. S. Eliot, Robert Frost, and Ezra Pound. Modern playwrights such as Tennessee Williams & Arthur Miller and novelists such as Toni Morrison, Virginia Woolf,William Faulkner & Ernest Hemingway are amongst the doyens of American literature. Mexican literature is also known for its prolific patrons and globally recognized authors. Cuban literature has received a belated recognition. Its themes of freedom and independence got prominence not before the advent of the 19th century.

Cinema
Hollywood, or the American movie industry, is perhaps the most popular across the world. It is closely intertwined with the Canadian cinema which finds a respectable position in the world cinema.

The Golden Age of Mexican cinema (1936 and 1969) has left the movie buffs with much to relish. Salma Hayek is another name that is inherently linked to Mexican and world cinema. Movies such as 'I Am Cuba' (1964) and 'The Last Supper' (1976) brought limelight on Cuban cinema. In fact, the 'Imperfect Cinema' of Cuba has been widely acknowledged as very thought-provoking and ingenious works of art.