why dont people realize that America is not only north America but Central and South aswell? Why dont people?
458381
Because "America" is the shortened name for "United States of America". Like it or not, America has a right to its independence from its geography. Mexicans and Canadians are not "Americans". They are Mexicans and Canadians.\n\nAnd we don't hate immigrants, we just want to stop the ILLEGAL ones from hanging out here ILLEGALLY. That is not just people from Mexico, but from EVERYWHERE.\n\nYou think the Prez is a dingbat? Then let's see YOU solve the problem of skyrocketing healthcare and stolen identities. \n\nI'm listening.
1063494
Well here is where the problem lies.  A person living in Argentia is an American.  A person that lives in Mexico is an American.  A person that lives in Canada is an American.  Our country is just united states of the continent North America that we live on.  If I dont get best answer for this Im gonna be mad!
642527
i reakon if we got rid of America, not south america cause its beautiful but all of north america oh and not Canada either then the world would be happier and a lot more peaceful!
1081325
Being from the USA, I can only guess that it's along the same lines as what a Mexican feels when a Citizen of the USA refers to the USA by either term: "United States" or "America."\n\nTechnically, wouldn't the term "America" refer to all of both North America and South America, and to all of the territory claimed by the nations thereof?\n\nThere is no "Arctica," because there is no arctic continent: only the antarctic continent "Antarctica exists as a polar continent.
693897
The U.S. is only 200 years old. A relatively "young" country. While other cultures have been around for centuries. Sadly, the other nations of the world see Americans as rude, spoiled brats! \nDo you even care enough to make us feel differently? Probably not. But\nAmerica will soon see, it is just a small country, in very Big world.\nWise up!
1176230
This is what happens when we start using slang and abbreviations.\n\nThe word American should be used as the words Asian, African or European, referring to the geographic area not the country. However in the real world it has become the abbreviation for citizens of the 'United States of America'.\n\nYou will very seldom hear some one say, "He is North American". They will say either Canadian, American or Mexican.\n\nThere are three Americas: North America, Central America and South America.\n\nTo confuse thing more if a person uses the term "Latin American" they can be from North, Central or South America.\n\nAs to Haitians, being American... that would depend on the politics of the day.  Since the Caribbean Islands are between North and South American the could be considered to be part of the Americas. However since the word "American" refers to someone from the U.S. you will never hear a person living in Haiti call themselves an American.\n\nNow to muddy the waters a bit more... Many Haitians do migrate to the U.S., once here many do become American... by their choice.
192914
Because our country's whole name is "The United States of AMERICA"  and also because we are the dominating force in all of the Americas.\n\nBut not everyone calls it "America" outside of the US.  It is often frequently called "The States."\n\nMost of the time we're just called "Those Terrorists" lol
845723
Central America is not a continent.  It is part of North America.
198340
You are right.\nall of them are Americans.\n\nIt has been so accepted to say it like it is today, that when ever someone like yourself raises the question, a lot of people go... mmm you are right!\nwhy is that?\n\nMaybe when all of citizens of the other countries really want them to be known as americans as well will media take that into consideration.\n\nanother mistake also:\nMexico is not Central or South America.\n\nMexico is with Canada and the USA NORTH AMERICA.\n\nHope is useful.
37656
It depends on whether you are refering to continents or geographic regions...\n\nThe continent of North America extends to the southern border of Panama. Central America is part of the North American continent.  \n\nThe South American continent starts from the north at the Columbia-Panama border.\n\nCentral America is a geographic region (not a continent) and extends from the souther border of Mexico to the southern border of Panama.
1178995
Ok sweetie, first of all ignore the ignorants, they are partially right but they still don't know how to answer the question. Ok here we go.\n\n Amerigo Vespucci or Américo Vespucio in spanish (see the relationship?) was an italian explorer that in 1501 arrived in what now is Guyana (North of "South" América) he sailed through the Amazona River and ended up in Patagonia (The very south of the American Continent). \n\nAmérico was the first European that realized that this was a new CONTINENT instead of Asia (What they thought at the begining, that's why we call our natives Indians because that was the destination of Columbus). The news spreaded rapidly over Europe and in 1507 a publication of a map made by the German Martin Waldseemüller using the description given by amerigo (Américo) showed the new land name as AMERICUS (In Latin) or América (Spanish because Americo was with the Spanish explorers) in honor of Americo.\n\nThe actual concept of América is the name of what people call North Central and South America which at the end and technically AND CORRECTLY speaking is the name of the whole land that starts in Canada and ends in Argentina. Back then, and, some countries now call americans refering to all people of the new continent (Not only the USA).\n\nNow in the USA, This country was called in honor to that name and also was the first country that became independent from a European authority.\n\nBeing called United States of America means States unified in a land called America which means in some kind of selfish and honorable way that the name of USA is America.\n\nThe only thing I ask you to do is please know and spread the word because there's people that really don't know how they became what they are, and yes, you can and should refer to American or americans to all people in the new continent and the nationality of the USA citizens, but you have to explain when you mean which one. To finish my answer is that everybody that know the difference and knows how to explain it is right and everybody in this WHOLE CONTINENT is an AMERICAN, the north, central and south definitions came after.\n\nThanks for letting me finally explain this to everybody. It took me a long time to figure the why's and the how's (I was born in the USA but raised in Venezuela so it helped expand my mind and knowledge).\n\nTootles
1163436
North America is a continent, not a nation. A continent can not have a gross NATIONAL product.\n\nGet it?
368827
north america is north of the equator and south america is outh
1019083
America is made of many stripes and many stars.\nAmerican citizens are very different: their backround, their race, and their religion.\nThat's what makes America so special.\nTibet and India are spiritual, maybe china too.\nThe west, also known as south+north America, didn't lost their spirituality ! They are still faithful, and I'm sure much more faithful than those in their country, trust me on this one.\n:)
167741
Why do Americans think that almost everyone in Asia is an Arab? Because unfortunately Americans are incredibly parochial. That's to be expected for the world's greatest power of course. On a global scale most of the important stuff that has happened in the last 50 years has either happened in the USA or directly involved the USA. So it's far easier to be ignorant of everything but the USA than to be ignorant of everything in the USA. When you add that together with the fact that most people don't give a toss about anything that doesn't directly affect them it's easy to understand.\n\nYou don't say where you come from, but think of this example. Can you name the major cultural groups in Australia, Chile and Botswana? I'm betting that you can't. Because of their economic and military position at the top, to Americans the whole world is like Australia, Botswana and Chile. Just as you are ignorant of the major cultural groups in those countries so most Americans are ignorant of the cultural groups in  Afghanistan.\n\nThat doesn't excuse it of course, particularly when the narrow minds paint with broad brushes, but it does answer your question.\n\nAlso remember that tarring all Americans with the brush of geocultural ignorance is no more accurate or excusable than claiming that all west Asians are Arabs.\n\nThose saying "Oh no, Americans think Asians are Oriental, Middle Easterners are Arabs" simply reinforces the original point. \n\n1) The Middle East is part of Asia, it's not a separate continent. Middle Easterners are Asians, they may or may not also be Arabs.\n\n2) Oriental and Asian are synonymous terms. They mean EXACTLY the same thing: Eastern. Of course all Asians are Oriental, and all Orientals are Asian. But that doesn't actually tell us anything. What does it mean to 'be Oriental rather than Middle Eastern' when all Middle Easterners are also oriental?
9058
North America includes (from North to South) Canada, the US, Mexico, and the countries of Central America (which is not its own continent, nor is it part of South America).\n\nSo, Panama is technically the southernmost country in North America.
752362
The esoterics would argue that America is simply an idea carried in the hearts and minds of the loud and slightly wobbly people everywhere. \n\nAfter careful study I have come to the conclusion that geographically  it's somewhere below Canada. I'll get back to you...........can you remember where you were when you lost it?