Américas

Américas refers to the combined landmasses of North America and South America and their surrounding islands in the Western Hemisphere. The region spans a wide range of environments, from Arctic tundra in the north to tropical rainforests in the Amazon, and from Pacific to Atlantic and Caribbean shores.

Geographically, the Americas feature major systems such as the Canadian Shield, the Great Plains, the Andes, the Amazon Basin, the Brazilian highlands, and the Patagonian and Andean regions. The landscape includes extensive river networks, high plateaus, deserts, and a variety of biomes, from temperate forests to tropical ecosystems.

Demographically, the Americas are home to more than a billion people with diverse cultures and languages. Spanish and Portuguese predominate, English and French are widely used in parts of Canada, the Caribbean, and the United States, and indigenous languages such as Quechua, Guarani, Nahuatl, and Maya persist. The region has deep roots in pre-Columbian civilizations, including the Maya, Aztec, Olmec, and Inca, followed by European colonization and, from the 19th century onward, independence movements that formed the modern nation-states.

Economically, the region shows a wide spectrum from advanced economies to resource-based and developing economies. Regional cooperation exists through blocs and organizations such as USMCA, Mercosur, Pacific Alliance, Caribbean Community, and the Organization of American States. Environmental pressures, inequality, and migration are ongoing policy concerns, while cultural production in music, art, cuisine, and literature reflects a long history of intercultural exchange.