Amerikák

Amerikák is a Hungarian term used to refer to the Americas, the combined landmasses of North America and South America, sometimes including Central America and the Caribbean in certain usages. In contemporary Hungarian, more specific terms distinguish the continents (Amerikai kontinensek) or subregions (Észak-Amerika, Dél-Amerika), but Amerikák appears in geographic, historical, or encyclopedic contexts.

They stretch from the Arctic Ocean and the Arctic lands in the north to the southern tip of Patagonia. The region hosts diverse climates and biomes: tundra and boreal forests in the north, deserts in the southwest, temperate zones across the central areas, and tropical rainforest and savanna in the equatorial belt. Biodiversity is high, particularly in the Amazon basin and the Andean mountains.

The Americas are home to roughly one billion people, with thousands of ethnic and linguistic groups. The most widely spoken languages are English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, alongside numerous indigenous languages and creole varieties. Multicultural societies are widespread, especially in urban centers.

The region comprises about 40 sovereign states and several territories. It features a mix of federal and unitary systems, democracies and other governance forms. Economies range from highly developed in parts of North America to emerging markets elsewhere. Major economies include the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and the larger economies of the Caribbean and Andean countries. Regional organizations include the Organization of American States, Mercosur, and CARICOM.

Indigenous civilizations flourished before European contact, followed by colonization and the creation of new cultural syntheses. The Americas have faced environmental pressures, such as deforestation, resource extraction, and climate impacts, balanced by conservation efforts and sustainable development initiatives.