North America and South America are separate continents. Together, they form an unified landmass known as the Americas. The most significant nations of the Americas include Canada, the United States, and Brazil. The first two are located in North America, whereas the latter is located in South America.

Native Americans are the original inhabitants of the Americas. Their ancestors migrated to the two continents from Asia via the Bering Strait thousands of years ago. Native American tribes settled both of the two continents. Most of these tribes gained their livelihoods from fishing, hunting, gathering and agriculture. The Aztecs, Incas and Incas of South America built advanced civilizations that lasted until the 16th century, when they collapsed as a result of the arrival of European settlers and colonists.

Europeans, Africans and Asians have migrated to the Americas over the course of the last few centuries. This has resulted in the formation of the cultural regions of primarily English-speaking Anglo-America in North America and Spanish-speaking Latin America in Central and South America. The modern populations of American nations are also affected by the history of the slave trade in the 17th century. During this time, approximately half a million African slaves were brought by the European colonists to work in the fields and farms of the Americas. The descendants of these slaves comprise the basis for the modern Afro-American population.