AMERICAS

Americas is a geographical and cultural term that refers to the lands of North America and South America, together with Central America and the Caribbean as interconnected regions within the Western Hemisphere. The term is used in geography, history, and international affairs to describe a broad area rather than a single political entity.

Geographically, the Americas extend from the Arctic regions of northern Canada to the southern tip of Chile and Argentina. The landscape includes vast mountain systems such as the Rockies, the Appalachians, and the Andes, plateaus, extensive river basins like the Amazon, Mississippi, and Orinoco, and diverse biomes from boreal forests to tropical rainforests and deserts.

With more than a billion inhabitants, the Americas are linguistically and culturally diverse. The dominant languages are Spanish and Portuguese in Latin America, English in much of North America, and French in parts of the Caribbean. Indigenous languages and communities remain important, and religious life ranges from Christianity to Indigenous belief systems and Afro-descendant traditions.

Long before European contact, advanced civilizations flourished in the region, including the Maya, Aztec and Olmec in Mesoamerica and the Inca in the Andes. Beginning in the late 15th century, European powers—especially Spain and Portugal—colonized large areas. Independence movements in the 18th and 19th centuries led to the creation of contemporary states. The region has since undergone profound social, political, and economic transformations shaped by migration, trade, and globalization.

Politically, the Americas contain a mix of sovereign states and dependent territories. Major economies include the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico, among others. Regional frameworks such as the Organization of American States, Mercosur, and the USMCA/SUS agreements coordinate diplomacy, trade, and development goals. Economies range from highly developed to emerging markets, with significant sectors in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and services.