Countries in North America

North America is a subcontinent of the Americas, bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea. In 2016, the population was around 565 million people.

The population of North America was projected to be around 565 million in 2016, based on national estimates from its 23 independent nations but excluding non-sovereign territories such as Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

The United States, Mexico, and Canada are the three biggest nations in terms of geographical area, and they also account for the majority of North America’s population. The United States is the world’s fourth-biggest nation and third most populated. While it is the most populated nation in North America, it ranks second in terms of size, since Canada has a slightly larger total area but a smaller land area. The United States has a population of around 57 percent of the entire population of North America.

In 2016, the United States had a population that was more than twice that of Mexico, the continent’s second most populated nation, accounting for slightly over 21% of the continent’s population. After these three countries, Canada accounts for just 6% of North America’s population, and no other nation accounts for more than 3%.

The following are the 10 most populated nations in North America:

• 321.2 million people live in the United States.
• Mexico’s population is 121 million.
• 35.8 million people live in Canada.
• 16.1 million people live in Guatemala.
• 11.2 million people live in Cuba.
• 10.9 million people live in Haiti.
• The Dominican Republic has a population of 9.9 million people.
• Honduras has a population of 8.9 million people.
• 6.5 million people live in Nicaragua.
• El Salvador has a population of 6.4 million people.

Countries with the Fewest People

There are 23 independent states in North America, although there are a total of 41 nations, including non-independent territories. When these nations are included, the five least populated countries in North America (all non-independent) are:

• Montserrat (UK) has a population of 5,000 people.
• 6,000 people live in Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France).
• Saint Barthelemy (France) has a population of 10,000 people.
• Anguilla (UK) has a population of 14,000 people.
• 26,000 people live in the Caribbean Netherlands (Kingdom of the Netherlands).
• In terms of both size and population, Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas. In 2016, the population of this federal two-island republic in the West Indies was little under 55,000 people.

North America’s Biggest Cities

• Mexico and the United States have the two biggest cities in North America, and their populations are virtually equal. Both cities are also light years ahead of any other on the continent. The following are the 10 most populated nations in North America:
• Mexico City (Mexico) has a population of 8,854,600 people.
• New York City (USA) has a population of 8,550,405 people.
• Los Angeles (USA) has a population of 3,971,883 people.
• Toronto (Canada) has a population of 2,826,498 people.
• Chicago (USA) has a population of 2,720,546 people.
• Houston (Texas) has a population of 2,296,224 people.
• Havana (Cuba) has a population of 2,117,625 people.
• 1,760,705 people live in Ecatepec de Morelos, Mexico.
• Montreal (Canada) has a population of 1,753,034 people.
• Philadelphia (USA) has a population of 1,567,442 people.

Other Continents in Comparison

After Asia and Africa, North America is the third-largest continent in terms of area, and the fourth-largest in terms of people after Asia, Africa, and Europe. Asia is roughly twice the size of North America (43.8 million square kilometers vs. 24.5 million square kilometers), with North America accounting for 16.5 percent of the global landmass and 8% of the global population. Meanwhile, Asia has 60% of the world’s people on only 29.5 percent of the continent’s surface.

Population Growth in North America

North America’s numerous megacities, including the 10 mentioned above, have seen rapid expansion. The United States alone contains 11 megaregions that span international boundaries, including urban areas in Mexico and Canada. Much of North America, like many other parts of the globe, is undergoing rapid urbanization, which is likely to continue.

The present population growth rate in North America is a little under 1% per year, with a birth rate that is almost twice the mortality rate. After discovering that fertility rates in many emerging nations are not falling as projected, the United Nations Population Division revised its prediction for the global population upward to 11.2 billion in 2100 in 2013. They raised their projections for numerous areas, including Latin America and Africa, but cut their forecasts for North America.

North America’s population is expected to reach 685 million by 2050, according to estimates.

*Note: The tables below are from the 2017 update of the UN’s World Populace com. North America is defined as Bermuda, Canada, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and the United States of America.