North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere; it is also considered by some to be a northern subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea. 

North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), about 16.5% of the earth's land area and about 4.8% of its total surface. North America is the third largest continent by area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 2013, its population was estimated at nearly 565 million people in 23 independent states, or about 7.5% of the world's population, if nearby islands (most notably the Caribbean) are included. 

North America was reached by its first human populations during the last glacial period, via crossing the Bering land bridge approximately 40,000 to 17,000 years ago. The so-called Paleo-Indian period is taken to have lasted until about 10,000 years ago (the beginning of the Archaic or Meso-Indian period). The Classic stage spans roughly the 6th to 13th centuries. The Pre-Columbian era ended with the transatlantic migrations and the arrival of European settlers during the Age of Discovery and the Early Modern period. Present-day cultural and ethnic patterns reflect different kind of interactions between European colonists, indigenous peoples, African slaves and their descendants. QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. When did outsiders first settle in North America?
2. When did the first humans reach North America?
3. When did the first settlment of North America occur?
Q2:
1. How long ago did the first human population arrive in North America?
2. How long ago did the first people get to North America?
3. How long ago was the last glacial period?
Q3:
1. How did the first human population arrive in North America?
2. How were the first humans able to get to North America?
3. How did the first people to reach North America do so?
Q4:
1. What is North America's rank in size among continents?
2. How big is North America in size, as compared to other continents?
3. Where does North America rank in size against the other world's continents?
Q5:
1. What is North America's rank in population among continents?
2. How big is North America's population, as compared to other continents?
3. Where does North America rank in population against the other world's continents?
Q6:
1. What continents are larger than North America?
2. What are the continents that are bigger than North America?
3. Which continents outrank North America in size?
Q7:
1. What continents are more populous than North America?
2. What continents have larger populations than North America?
3. Which continents outrank North America in population size?
Q8:
1. How many bodies of water surround North America?
2. What number of bodies of water are there around North America?
3. How many water sources is North America surrounded by?
Q9:
1. What is one of the water sources that borders North America?
2. What is one body of water bordering North America?
3. Name one of the bodies of water that surrounds North America.
Q10:
1. What direction is the Caribbean Sea from North America?
2. Where is the Caribbean Sea in relation to North America?
3. What direction do you have to go in from North America to reach the Caribbean Sea?
Q11:
1. Is there a big parcel of land southeast of North America?
2. Does North America have a large land mass to its southeast?
3. Can an enormous mass of land be found southeast of North America?
Q12:
1. What land mass is south of North America?
2. What mass of land is North America flanked by to the Southeast?
3. What is the continent to North America's southeast?
