North America Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Demographics==<!--linked from Demographics of North America, Demographics of north america; use Template:anchor if section name changes--> {{See also|List of North American countries by population|List of North American countries by life expectancy}} [[File:Non-Native American Nations Control over N America 1750-2008.gif|thumb|Non-native nations' control and claims over North America, {{Circa|1750 to 2008}}]] Canada and the United States are the wealthiest and most [[developed country|developed nations]] on the continent followed by Mexico, a [[newly industrialized countries|newly industrialized country]].<ref name="AIA"/> The countries of Central America and the Caribbean are at various levels of economic and human development. For example, small Caribbean island-nations, such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Antigua and Barbuda, have a higher [[List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|GDP (PPP) per capita]] than Mexico due to their smaller populations. Panama and Costa Rica have a significantly higher [[List of countries by Human Development Index|Human Development Index]] and GDP than the rest of the Central American nations.<ref name="UNDP">{{cite web|url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Complete.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108160356/http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Complete.pdf|archive-date=8 November 2010|title=2010 Human development Report|date=January 2010 |publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]]|pages=148–151|access-date=6 May 2011}}</ref> Additionally, despite Greenland's vast resources in oil and minerals, much of them remain untapped, and the island is economically dependent on fishing, tourism, and subsidies from Denmark. Nevertheless, the island is highly developed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21640224-falling-crude-prices-are-forcing-greenland-put-plans-split-denmark-independence-ice|title=Independence on ice|date=21 January 2015|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-date=1 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701163114/http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21640224-falling-crude-prices-are-forcing-greenland-put-plans-split-denmark-independence-ice|url-status=live}}</ref> Demographically, North America is ethnically diverse. Its three main groups are [[White people|Whites]], [[Mestizo]]s and [[Black people|Blacks]].<ref name=Composed>{{cite book|url=https://as.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu-as/faculty/documents/Pop.Comp.IESBS.2001.pdf|chapter=Population Composition by Race and Ethnicity: North America|department=[[New York University]]|publisher=[[Elsevier Science]]|pages=11745–11749|title=International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences|isbn=0-08-043076-7|edition=1|editor1=N.J. Smelser|editor-link1=Neil Smelser|editor2=P.B. Baltes|editor-link2=Paul Baltes|year=2001|access-date=24 June 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204640/https://as.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu-as/faculty/documents/Pop.Comp.IESBS.2001.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> There is a significant minority of Indigenous Americans and [[Asian people|Asians]] among other less numerous groups.<ref name=Composed/> === Languages === {{main|Languages of North America}} [[File:Langs N.Amer.png|thumb|[[First language|Native languages]] of the United States, Canada, Greenland, and Northern Mexico]] The dominant [[languages in North America]] are English, Spanish, and French. Danish is prevalent in Greenland alongside [[Greenlandic language|Greenlandic]], and Dutch is spoken side by side local languages in the [[Netherlands Antilles|Dutch Caribbean]]. The term Anglo-America is used to refer to the [[English language|anglophone]] countries of the Americas: namely Canada (where English and French are co-official) and the U.S., but also sometimes Belize and parts of the tropics, especially the [[Commonwealth Caribbean]]. Latin America refers to the other areas of the Americas (generally south of the U.S.) where the [[Romance language]]s, derived from [[Latin language|Latin]], of Spanish and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], (but French-speaking countries are not usually included) predominate: the other republics of Central America (but not always Belize), part of the Caribbean (not the Dutch-, English-, or French-speaking areas), Mexico, and most of South America (except [[Guyana]], [[Suriname]], [[French Guiana]] [France], and the [[Falkland Islands]] [UK]). The French language has historically played a significant role in North America and now retains a distinctive presence in some regions. Canada is officially bilingual. French is the official language of the province of Quebec, where 95% of the people speak it as either their first or second language, and it is co-official with English in the province of [[New Brunswick]]. Other French-speaking locales include the province of [[Ontario]] (the official language is English, but there are an estimated 600,000 Franco-Ontarians), the province of [[Manitoba]] (co-official as ''[[de jure]]'' with English), the [[French West Indies]] and [[Saint-Pierre et Miquelon]], as well as the U.S. state of Louisiana, where French is also an official language. Haiti is included with this group based on historical association but Haitians speak both [[Haitian Creole language|Creole]] and French. Similarly, French and French Antillean Creole is spoken in Saint Lucia and the [[Commonwealth of Dominica]] alongside English. A significant number of [[Indigenous languages of the Americas|Indigenous languages]] are spoken in North America, with 372,000 people in the U.S. speaking an indigenous language at home,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Census Shows Native Languages Count|url=https://www.languagemagazine.com/census-shows-native-languages-count/|access-date=16 August 2020|website=Language Magazine|language=en-US|archive-date=10 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810115520/https://www.languagemagazine.com/census-shows-native-languages-count/|url-status=live}}</ref> about 225,000 in Canada<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/abpopprof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&B1=Language&C1=All&SEX_ID=1&AGE_ID=1&RESGEO_ID=1 | title = Aboriginal Population Profile, 2016 | date = 21 June 2018 | publisher = Statistics Canada | access-date = 16 August 2020 | archive-date = 19 November 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201119101441/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/abpopprof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&B1=Language&C1=All&SEX_ID=1&AGE_ID=1&RESGEO_ID=1 | url-status = live }}</ref> and roughly 6 million in Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cocking|first=Lauren|title=A Guide To Mexico's Indigenous Languages|url=https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/a-guide-to-mexicos-indigenous-languages/|access-date=16 August 2020|website=Culture Trip|date=23 December 2016|archive-date=24 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924142928/https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/a-guide-to-mexicos-indigenous-languages/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the U.S. and Canada, there are approximately 150 surviving indigenous languages of the 300 spoken prior to European contact.<ref>{{Cite web|title=North American Indian languages|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/North-American-Indian-languages|access-date=16 August 2020|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111195401/https://www.britannica.com/topic/North-American-Indian-languages|url-status=live}}</ref> === Religions === {{main|Religion in North America}} {{see also|Religions of the world}} [[File:North America Religious Belief.svg|thumb|The percentage of people who identify with a religion in North America, according to 2010–2012 data]] [[Christianity]] is the largest religion in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. According to a 2012 [[Pew Research Center]] survey, 77% of the population considered themselves [[Christians]].<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/files/2014/01/global-religion-full.pdf The Global Religious Landscape A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Major Religious Groups as of 2010] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924113632/http://www.pewforum.org/files/2014/01/global-religion-full.pdf |date=24 September 2015}} Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, p. 18</ref> Christianity also is the predominant religion [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories in North America|in the 23 dependent territories in North America]].<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/files/2011/12/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf Global Christianity A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805020311/http://www.pewforum.org/files/2011/12/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf |date=5 August 2013}} Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, p. 15</ref> The U.S. has the [[Christianity by country|largest Christian population]] in the world, with nearly 247 million Christians (70%), although other countries have higher percentages of Christians among their populations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/ |title=America's Changing Religious Landscape |publisher=[[Pew Research Center]]: Religion & Public Life |date=12 May 2015 |access-date=18 July 2015 |archive-date=1 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201011958/https://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Mexico has the world's second-largest number of Catholics, surpassed only by [[Brazil]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818085719/http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html |archive-date=18 August 2000 |title=The Largest Catholic Communities |access-date=10 November 2007 |work=Adherents.com}}</ref> According to the same study, the [[Irreligion|religiously unaffiliated]] (including [[agnostic]]s and [[atheist]]s) make up about 17% of the population of Canada and the U.S.<ref name="Religiously Unaffiliated">{{cite web|url=http://www.pewforum.org/global-religious-landscape-unaffiliated.aspx|title=Religiously Unaffiliated|date=18 December 2012|work=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project|access-date=22 February 2015|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730043126/http://www.pewforum.org/global-religious-landscape-unaffiliated.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> Those with no religious affiliation make up about 24% of Canada's total population.<ref name="religion2011">{{cite web |url=http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130508/dq130508b-eng.htm?HPA |title=Religions in Canada—Census 2011 |publisher=Statistics Canada/Statistique Canada |date=8 May 2013 |access-date=18 July 2015 |archive-date=19 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219142107/http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130508/dq130508b-eng.htm?HPA |url-status=live }}</ref> Canada, the U.S., and Mexico host communities of [[Jews]] (6 million or about 1.8%),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-jew/ |title=The Global Religious Landscape: Jews |access-date=18 December 2012 |work=pewforum |date=18 December 2012 |archive-date=18 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518052016/https://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-jew/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Buddhists]] (3.8 million or 1.1%)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-buddhist/ |title=The Global Religious Landscape: Buddhists |access-date=18 December 2012 |work=pewforum |date=18 December 2012 |archive-date=18 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418052913/http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-buddhist/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Muslims]] (3.4 million or 1.0%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-muslim/ |title=The Global Religious Landscape: Muslims |access-date=18 December 2012 |publisher=Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life |date=18 December 2012 |archive-date=21 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321144033/https://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-muslim/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The largest number of Jews can be found in the U.S. (5.4 million),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishdatabank.org/Studies/downloadFile.cfm?FileID=2941|title=World Jewish Population, 2012|access-date=18 July 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031023/http://www.jewishdatabank.org/Studies/downloadFile.cfm?FileID=2941|url-status=live}}</ref> Canada (375,000)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishdatabank.org/studies/downloadFile.cfm?FileID=3113 |title=World Jewish Population, 2013 |first=Sergio |last=DellaPergola |author-link=Sergio DellaPergola |editor1-first=Arnold |editor1-last=Dashefsky |editor1-link=Arnold Dashefsky |editor2-first=Ira |editor2-last=Sheskin |date=2013 |work=Current Jewish Population Reports |publisher=North American Jewish Data Bank |location=[[Storrs, Connecticut]] |format=PDF |access-date=18 July 2015 |archive-date=5 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005011011/http://www.jewishdatabank.org/Studies/downloadFile.cfm?FileID=3113 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Mexico (67,476).<ref name="INEGI">{{cite web|title=Panorama de las religiones en México 2010 |url=http://www.inegi.org.mx/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/censos/poblacion/2010/panora_religion/religiones_2010.pdf |publisher=[[INEGI]] |access-date=2 March 2015 |page=3 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021230003/http://www.inegi.org.mx/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/censos/poblacion/2010/panora_religion/religiones_2010.pdf |archive-date=21 October 2015 }}</ref> The U.S. hosts the largest Muslim population in North America with 2.7 million or 0.9%,<ref name="pew2015">{{cite web|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/|title=America's Changing Religious Landscape|publisher=The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life|access-date=12 May 2015|date=12 May 2015|archive-date=1 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201011958/https://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Islam in the United States">{{cite web|url=http://www.euro-islam.info/country-profiles/united-states|title=Demographics|date=22 October 2008 |access-date=2 May 2013|archive-date=26 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426035056/http://www.euro-islam.info/country-profiles/united-states/|url-status=live}}</ref> while Canada hosts about one million Muslims or 3.2% of the population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=Religion&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1|title=National Household Survey (NHS) Profile, 2011|date=8 May 2013|access-date=29 January 2022|archive-date=13 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813191748/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=Religion&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1|url-status=live}}</ref> In Mexico there were 3,700 Muslims in 2010.<ref name="2010-census">{{cite web |url=http://www3.inegi.org.mx/sistemas/TabuladosBasicos/Default.aspx?c=27302&s=est |title=Censo de Población y Vivienda 2010 – Cuestionario básico |author=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía |year=2010 |publisher=INEGI |access-date=4 March 2011 |archive-date=24 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224211325/http://www3.inegi.org.mx/sistemas/TabuladosBasicos/Default.aspx?c=27302&s=est%20 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012, ''[[U-T San Diego]]'' estimated U.S. practitioners of Buddhism at 1.2 million people, of whom 40% are living in [[Southern California]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Rowe |first=Peter |date=16 April 2012 |title=Dalai Lama facts and figures |url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/16/all-about-dalai-lama |journal=U-T San Diego |access-date=15 January 2015 |archive-date=8 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608082954/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/16/all-about-dalai-lama/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The predominant religion in Mexico and Central America is Christianity (96%).<ref name="Christianity in its Global Context">{{cite web|url=http://wwwgordonconwell.com/netcommunity/CSGCResources/ChristianityinitsGlobalContext.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815184022/http://wwwgordonconwell.com/netcommunity/CSGCResources/ChristianityinitsGlobalContext.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 August 2013|title=Christianity in its Global Context|access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref> Beginning with the Spanish colonization of Mexico in the 16th century, [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]] was the only religion permitted by Spanish crown and Catholic church. A vast campaign of religious conversion, the so-called "spiritual conquest", was launched to bring the indigenous peoples into the Christian fold. The [[Mexican Inquisition|Inquisition]] was established to assure orthodox belief and practice. The Catholic Church remained an important institution, so that even after political independence, Roman Catholicism remained the dominant religion. Since the 1960s, there has been an increase in other Christian groups, particularly [[Protestantism]], as well as other religious organizations, and individuals identifying themselves as having no religion. Christianity is also the predominant religion in the Caribbean (85%).<ref name="Christianity in its Global Context"/> Other religious groups in the region are [[Hinduism]], [[Islam]], [[Rastafari]] (in Jamaica), and [[Afro-American religions]] such as [[Santería]] and [[Haitian Vodou|Vodou]]. === Populace === {{See also|List of North American countries by population|List of North American cities by population|List of North American metropolitan areas by population}} {{multiple image | align = right | direction = vertical | caption_align = center | header = North American cities | header_align = left/right/center | header_background = | footer = | footer_background = | width = | image1 = Mexico City Reforma skyline (cropped).jpg | width1 = 200 | caption1 = [[Mexico City]] | image2 = | width2 = 200 | caption2 = [[New York City]] | image3 = Los Angeles with Mount Baldy.jpg | width3 = 200 | caption3 = [[Los Angeles]] | image4 = Downtown Toronto in September 2018 (Early Sunday Morning, view from a kayak).jpg | width4 = 200 | caption4 = [[Toronto]] | image5 = Chicago-00.jpg | width5 = 200 | caption5 = [[Chicago]] | image6 = Luchtfoto van Lower Manhattan.jpg | width6 = 200 | caption6 = [[New York City]] | image7 = Zapopan Guadalajara Mexico 2 (cropped).jpg | width7 = 200 | caption7 = [[Guadalajara metropolitan area|Guadalajara]] | total_width = }} [[File:Life expectancy map -North America -2021 -with names.png|thumb|202px|[[Life expectancy]] in North America in 2021]] North America is the [[List of continents by population|fourth]] most populous continent after Asia, Africa, and [[Europe]].<ref>{{cite web|title=North America Fast Facts|url=http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/nafacts.htm|access-date=16 June 2013|publisher=World Atlas.com|archive-date=23 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623005828/http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/nafacts.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Its most populous country is the U.S. with 329.7 million persons. The second-largest country is Mexico with a population of 112.3 million.<ref name="INEGI 2010 Census Statistics">{{cite web|url=http://www.inegi.org.mx/inegi/contenidos/espanol/prensa/comunicados/rpcpyv10.asp |title=INEGI 2010 Census Statistics |publisher=inegi.org.mx |access-date=25 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108101543/http://www.inegi.org.mx/inegi/contenidos/espanol/prensa/comunicados/rpcpyv10.asp |archive-date=8 January 2011 }}</ref> Canada is the third-most-populous country with 37.0 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000901|title=Population estimates, quarterly|website=Statistics Canada |date=27 June 2018 |access-date=10 December 2018|archive-date=9 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109220020/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000901|url-status=live}}</ref> The majority of Caribbean island-nations have national populations under a million, though Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico (a territory of the U.S.), Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago each have populations higher than a million.<ref name="cubastat">{{cite web |title=Anuario Estadístico de Cuba 2009 |url=http://www.one.cu/aec2009/esp/20080618_tabla_cuadro.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716124826/http://www.one.cu/aec2009/esp/20080618_tabla_cuadro.htm |archive-date=16 July 2010 |access-date=6 November 2010 |publisher=Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas, República de Cuba |language=es |edition=2010}} Note: An exchange rate of 1 CUC to US$1.08 was used to convert GDP. [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/cuba/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202182827/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/cuba/|date=2 December 2021}}</ref><ref name="prez">{{cite web |url=http://www.presidencia.gob.do/app/pre_nuestro_pais.aspx?id=372 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122172644/http://www.presidencia.gob.do/app/pre_nuestro_pais.aspx?id=372 |archive-date=22 November 2007 |title=Presidencia de la República; Generalidades |access-date=14 December 2009|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The World Factbook: Haiti |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/haiti/ |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |access-date=11 June 2011 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209014627/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/haiti/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/index.php |title=2010 U.S. Census Data |publisher=2010.census.gov |access-date=6 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215083619/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/index.php |archive-date=15 February 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The World Factbook: Jamaica |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/jamaica/ |access-date=11 June 2011 |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |archive-date=11 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111023238/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/jamaica |url-status=live }}</ref> Greenland has a small population of 55,984 for its massive size (2.166 million km<sup>2</sup> or 836,300 mi<sup>2</sup>), and therefore, it has the world's lowest population density at 0.026 pop./km<sup>2</sup> (0.067 pop./mi<sup>2</sup>).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stat.gl/dialog/main.asp?lang=en&theme=Population&link=BE|title=Grønlands Statistik|website=stat.gl|access-date=29 November 2020|archive-date=19 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119100924/https://stat.gl/dialog/main.asp?lang=en&theme=Population&link=BE|url-status=live}}</ref> While the U.S., Canada, and Mexico maintain the largest populations, large city populations are not restricted to those nations. There are also large cities in the [[Caribbean]]. The largest cities in North America, by far, are Mexico City and New York City. These cities are the only cities on the continent to exceed eight million, and two of three in the Americas. Next in size are Los Angeles, [[Toronto]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/03/05/torontos_population_overtakes_chicago.html |title=Toronto's population overtakes Chicago |work=Toronto Star |date=5 March 2013 |access-date=6 September 2017 |archive-date=8 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308132904/http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/03/05/torontos_population_overtakes_chicago.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Chicago, Havana, Santo Domingo, and [[Montreal]]. Cities in the [[Sun Belt]] regions of the U.S., such as those in Southern California and [[Houston]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], Miami, [[Atlanta]], and [[Las Vegas]], are experiencing rapid growth. These causes included warm temperatures, retirement of [[Baby Boomers]], large industry, and the influx of immigrants. Cities near the U.S. border, particularly in Mexico, are also experiencing large amounts of growth. Most notable is [[Tijuana]], a city bordering San Diego that receives immigrants from all over Latin America and parts of Europe and Asia. Yet as cities grow in these warmer regions of North America, they are increasingly forced to deal with the major issue of [[water shortages]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cetron |first1=Marvin J. |last2=O'Toole |first2=Thomas |url=https://archive.org/details/encounterswithfu00cetr |url-access=registration |title=Encounters with the future: a forecast of life into the 21st century |publisher=Mcgraw-Hill |date=April 1982 |page=[https://archive.org/details/encounterswithfu00cetr/page/34 34]|isbn=978-0-07-010347-4 }}</ref> Eight of the top ten [[metropolitan area]]s are [[Metropolitan statistical area|located in the U.S.]] These metropolitan areas all have a population of above 5.5 million and include the [[New York City metropolitan area]], [[Los Angeles metropolitan area]], [[Chicago metropolitan area]], and the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]].<ref name="PopEstCBSA">{{cite web|url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_NSRD_GCTPL2.US24PR&prodType=table|title=Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 – United States – Metropolitan Statistical Area; and for Puerto Rico more information 2010 Census National Summary File of Redistricting Data|work=2010 United States Census|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division|date=14 April 2011|access-date=14 April 2011}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Whilst the majority of the largest metropolitan areas are within the U.S., Mexico is host to the largest metropolitan area by population in North America: [[Greater Mexico City]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Factbook: Mexico |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/mexico/ |access-date=20 June 2011 |publisher=Central Intelligence Agence |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126164719/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/mexico |url-status=live }}</ref> Canada also breaks into the top ten largest metropolitan areas with the [[Toronto metropolitan area]] having six million people.<ref name="statcan2006">{{cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=535__&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Toronto&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |title=Toronto, Ontario (Census metropolitan area) |author=Statistics Canada |author-link=Statistics Canada |work=[[Canada 2006 Census|Census 2006]] |year=2006 |access-date=29 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114131145/http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=535__&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Toronto&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |archive-date=14 January 2015 }}</ref> The proximity of cities to each other on the [[Canada–United States border]] and the [[Mexico–U.S. border]] has led to the rise of international metropolitan areas. These [[urban agglomerations]] are observed at their largest and most productive in [[Detroit–Windsor]] and [[San Diego–Tijuana]] and experience large commercial, economic, and cultural activity. The metropolitan areas are responsible for millions of dollars of trade dependent on international freight. In Detroit-Windsor the Border Transportation Partnership study in 2004 concluded US$13 billion was dependent on the Detroit–Windsor international border crossing while in San Diego-Tijuana freight at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry was valued at US$20 billion.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Detroit Regional Chamber |year=2006 |url=http://www.detroitchamber.com/detroiter/articles.asp?cid=7&detcid=531 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060321130504/http://www.detroitchamber.com/detroiter/articles.asp?cid=7&detcid=531 |archive-date=21 March 2006 |title=Detroit/Windsor Border Update: Part I – Detroit River International Crossing Study}}</ref><ref name="Planning SD-TJ">{{cite web |title=Chapter IV Planning for the Future: Urban & Regional Planning in the San Diego-Tijuana Region |publisher=International Community Foundation |url=http://www.icfdn.org/publications/blurredborders/documents/urbanch4.pdf |access-date=20 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723181848/http://www.icfdn.org/publications/blurredborders/documents/urbanch4.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> {{Further|Megaregions of the United States}} North America has also been witness to the growth of [[megapolitan area]]s. The United States includes eleven megaregions. {| class="sortable wikitable" class="wikitable" |+ The top ten largest North American [[metropolitan area]]s by population as of 2013, based on national census numbers from the [[United States census|U.S.]] and census estimates from [[Census in Canada|Canada]] and [[Censo General de Población y Vivienda|Mexico]] |- | '''Metro Area''' | '''Population''' | '''Area''' | '''Country''' |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Greater Mexico City|Mexico City]] | 21,163,226<sup>†</sup> | {{cvt|7346|km2}} | Mexico |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[New York metropolitan area|New York City]] | 19,949,502 | {{cvt|17405|km2}} | United States |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Los Angeles metropolitan area|Los Angeles]] | 13,131,431 | {{cvt|12562|km2}} | United States |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Chicago metropolitan area|Chicago]] | 9,537,289 | {{cvt|24814|km2}} | United States |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|Dallas–Fort Worth]] | 6,810,913 | {{cvt|24059|km2}} | United States |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Greater Houston|Houston]] | 6,313,158 | {{cvt|26061|km2}} | United States |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Greater Toronto Area#Census metropolitan area|Toronto]] | 6,054,191<sup>†</sup> | {{cvt|5906|km2}} | Canada |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Delaware Valley|Philadelphia]] | 6,034,678 | {{cvt|13256|km2}} | United States |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[Washington, D.C. metropolitan area|Washington, D.C.]] | 5,949,859 | {{cvt|14412|km2}} | United States |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | [[South Florida metropolitan area|Miami]] | 5,828,191 | {{cvt|15896|km2}} | United States |} <small><sup>†</sup>2011 Census figures</small> {{Clear}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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