North America is the 3rd largest continent of the seven continents with respect to area while being the most populous continent after Asia, Africa and Europe. It shares its border with Atlantic Ocean to the east and Pacific Ocean to the west. The continent has a total of 23 countries. Canada, USA and Mexico are the most dominant countries in the North American continent. The North America covers an area of 9,540,198 square miles which makes it 3rd largest after Asia and Africa. Population of this continent is mainly based on data contained in US census Bureau and its average population is calculated to be 516,766,000. Mexico is the most populated country while Mexico is the city with largest population in North America. Island, as we all know, is a piece of land surrounded by water. North America is rich in islands and contains the Greenland which is the largest Island in terms of area. Its area is calculated to be 840,000 square miles. The climate of any region predominantly depends on the number and nature of rivers that flow through that country. Mississippi-Missouri is the largest river of North America and the fourth largest in the world. Its length is approximately 3600 miles. Climate plays a considerably significant role in the socio-economic development of a country. Conversely, unfavorable climatic conditions pose a serious threat to its progress and prosperity. It's a pleasant fact that North America is a continent with every type of climate. Mount McKinley in Alaska is the tallest point on this continent and Death Valley, in California is the lowest point. Language is considered to be the prime source of conveying ones message to the fellow human beings. English and French are the officially declared languages of Canada while English is the official language of USA. Furthermore, a large number of Hispanian populations speak Spanish to. Economically, this continent is comprised of the world's most developed nations like Canada, USA and Mexico. These countries have dominated the world in the sectors of services, mining and manufacturing. USA has the most consolidated economy in the world. Moreover, North America has gained global recognition for being the biggest producers of corn, tobacco, soya bean and a large variety of other food and raw materials.

Economic Giants of North America

Economy occupies a back bone position in the development of a country. A flawed economy yields negative result that inhibits it from reaching the paramount of success. Fortunately, North America is blessed with highly developed countries in the world which have excelled in almost every area, be it technology, economy or education.

USA leads the world with its extensively developed economy with a GDP of $15.7 trillion. The country has made remarkable progress in manufacturing, technology and education sectors among others. According to recent reports, the US economy is confronted with threats like indebtedness and political gridlock which would be soon surmounted, asserted a US economist.

Canada has the second most technologically developed economy after USA. Canada is rich in natural reservoirs and makes a huge amount of profit from its energy and mineral resources. Fishing and forestry that once used to be the prime Canadian industries have been took over by energy and mineral industries that are the leading source of income for the country today. That has given Canada the status of the tenth largest exporter of oil and third largest exporter of natural gas in the world.

Among the newly industrialized economies Mexico leads the list. It has made commendable progress over the years and has emerged as a self-sufficient country. Various surveys have revealed the fact that trade Mexico's trade with USA and Canada has been the major reason for the fillip in its economy. Its economic output in terms of GDP is $ 1.7 trillion according to 2011 report.

Globally recognized universities of North America

Universities, providing quality education, determine the fate of any nation. Most of the worlds highly ranked universities are found in North America. People from all across the globe have a deep settled desire to migrate to North America for getting equipped with quality education.

California institute of technology tops the list as being the best university in North America and the world with a score as high as 94.8. It is globally recognized for its science and engineering sectors.

Stanford University is 2nd best university in the world and North America with an aggregate score of 93.7. Established in 1885, Stanford has the reputation of being the world's leading research institute and teaching institution. One of the most interesting facts about Stanford University is its contribution to the "Silicon Valley" that generates world revenues of 2.7 trillion annually and has created 5.4 million jobs since its inception.

Harvard University is one of the leading universities in the world which lays great emphasis in the field of research. Harvard is best known for its business school. It is ranked as the top business school in the world. It has an accumulative score of 93.6 according to Time magazine.

Most Popular Sports in North America

As we are quite familiar with the fact that North America is one of the largest and most populous continents in the world. So, it's natural for the inhabitants of North America to be the fans of different sports. The inclination towards any sports largely depends on the history of the country together with prevalent circumstances.

Ice hockey is greatly adored by the Canadians. It's a kind of field hockey that originated in Canada. It is usually played on an ice field and that is the only fact that distinguishes it from the normal field hockey. It is Canada's foremost winter sport.

Basketball is another team sport that is very popular in Canada. The team comprises of 5 members that try to score points by throwing the ball in the opposing hoops. Micheal Jordan, one of the finest basketball players is also from Canada. Canadians possess great fervor for basketball

Baseball is another major league sport played in both Canada and USA. The team consists of nine players who strive to hit the ball with sheer power and score runs by turning to all of the 4 bases. The baseball field is 90-feet square and resembles the shape of a diamond.

Wealthiest People of North America

According to statistics, the top ten richest people in the world are from North America.

The name that doesn't need any recognition, Bill Gates, is the richest person in the world with a net worth of $66 billion. For your information, the CEO of Microsoft was a Harvard dropout. Bill Gates mission includes the elimination of various infectious and fatal diseases that claim a large number of lives every year.

Warren Buffet, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway is the 2nd richest person in North America. He is a self made business magnate who did his masters in science from the Columbia University. Buffet has a net worth of $46 billion and is widely recognized for his business entrepreneurial tips.

Never test the depth of water with both feet (Warren Buffet)