Country Analysis for North America

North America covers about 4.8% of the planet's surface or about 16.5% of its land area. As of July 2008, its population was estimated at nearly 529 million people. It is the third-largest continent in area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth in population after Asia, Africa, and Europe

Area-24,709,000 km2 (9,540,000 sq mi) Population-528,720,588 (2008, 4th) Pop-Density-22.9/km2 (59.3/sq mi)[1] Countries -23 Languages-Spanish, English, French, Dutch and many others

Geological Perspectives
Geographically, North America is incredibly oldsome 200 million years ago. The region contains what are the world's largest island (Greenland), greatest concentration of water (Great Lakes), spectacular geographical features (e.g., Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls), largest and tallest trees (California redwoods), plus big animals (grizzly bears, moose, and bison)

Geological Perspectives (contd)

Although North America geographically includes three major nationsCanada, the United States, and Mexico the continent technically extends from the frigid Arctic Ice Cap in the north to include the tropics of Central America and the Caribbean islands. north of the Rio Grande River. As Mexico is culturally and linguistically aligned with Latin America (Central/South America)

Human geography
Mexico City is the most populous city in North America. New York City is the second most populous city in North America. Toronto is the most populous city in Canada, and the fifth-most in North America.

Human geography (contd)

The prevalent languages in North America are English, Spanish, and French The term Anglo-America is used to refer to the anglophone countries of the Americas: namely Canada (where English and French are co-official) and the United States

Cultural Insights
The fourth largest nation in the world, the United States has been referred to as a "melting pot" culture, where people come from many places and meld into the mainstream European cultures of the United States By 2050, U.S. census forecasts that minorities in this country will become the majority. By then, the American population is expected to number 438 million, including some 40 million of Asian heritage and 16 million of African roots The United States is a multicultural society with many microcultures .

America's Changing Culture

5.2 million Americans are estimated to be living overseas. 5.7 million unmarried, heterosexual couples live together. 65% of population is urban, 33.6% suburban, and remainder other (e.g., rural). 27% of the high-income males report a work week up to 50 h. 33% of the females are college graduates; 25% of the males in age group 25-29. 77% work in the service sector; 20% in industry; 3% in agriculture. 46% of the workforce are civilian women. 67% of children live with two parents; 28% with one parent; 5% other. 31% of college freshmen describe themselves as liberal in their political/social outlook. 20% of the population will be age 65 or older in 2050. 45% of population by 2050 will be white, 31% Hispanic, 14% black. 10% Asian. 80% today accept interracial marriage among Americans, while 45% of voters under 30 accept gay marriage rights.

American Cultural Profile

There are some general cultural characteristics associated with Americans Goal and Achievement-Oriented Highly Organized and Institutionalistic Freedom-Loving and Self-Reliant Work-Oriented and Efficient Friendly and Informal Competitive and Assertive Values in Transition Generous and Altruistic

Culture Contrast
Host Country Value U.S.A. Value

Japan: Group orientation

Guatemala: Flexible time sense Saudi Arabia: Relationship focus Switzerland: Formality India: Stratified class structure China: Long-term view Germany: Structured orderliness France: Deductive thinking

Individualism
Punctuality Task/goal orientation Informality Egalitarianism Short-term view Flexible pragmatism Inductive thinking

Sweden: Individual cooperation

Malaysia: Modesty

Individual competition
Self-promotion

American Social Institutions

Education is viewed as a means of self-development Education is mandatory until age16, and 97% finish at least elementary school, so the literacy rate is high These schools extend from the elementary and secondary levels through college and university level . Familythe average family has been nuclear, consisting of only parents and children. Rising numbers of interracial marriages There is a strong movement toward same-sex marriages or legal partnerships with or without children American women works outside the home, and women have considerable and improving opportunities for personal and professional growth, guaranteed by law .

Economy
Economically, Canada and the United States are the wealthiest and most developed nations in the continent, followed by Mexico, a newly industrialized country Economical integration that was deepened with the signature of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994

Economy (contd)
Trade volume has steadily increased annually and in 2010, surface trade between the 3 North American countries reached an all-time historical increase of 24.3% or $791 USD billions. The NAFTA trade bloc GDP (PPP) is the world's largest with $17.617 USD trillions.Canada's first and third largest trade partners are the US and Mexico respectively; Mexico's first and second trade partners are the US and Canada, and US first and third largest trade partners are Canada and Mexico .

Political
The government operates on the Constitution of 1787 Increasingly, high-tech communications are altering traditional politics, as seen in the 2008 Obama presidential campaign