North America, Latin America, and Oceania

North America 

The continent of North America includes 3 countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Together they cover over 9,450,000 square miles of land. North America is made up of two cultural regions: Canada and the United States. Culturally speaking, Mexico is part of Latin America which will be discussed below.

Here are the flags for the United States and Canada.

The United States of America

  

Canada

Each cultural area of North America has many different ethnic groups.

The United States is a melting pot of culture groups. Our family represents some of those groups. Mom is of Italian and British heritage mixed with a little Swedish and Norwegian; Dad's family roots are French Canadian. My sister, two brothers and I are of Hispanic heritage. My new brother in law is of Taiwanese descent.

Historically there have been three main cultures in Canada.  The Inuit people are sometimes called Canada's "First Nation" because they lived in Canada long before settlers came from Europe.  Most Canadians are of British and French descent, arriving as immigrants in the last 400 years.  

Latin America

Latin American is made up of four sub-regions, The Caribbean, South America, Mexico and Central America. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² (7,880,000 sq mi). As of 2010, its population was estimated at more than 590 million. Latin America is divided into 33 independent nations. Here are some of the flags for the countries of Latin America

Mexico

Puerto Rico

Argentina

Latin Americans include people of American Indian, European, and African ancestry. Those of mixed Indian and white descent are called mestizos. Those of mixed black and white descent are called mulattoes.

Ecuadorian 

Bolivian Baby

   Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Latin America.

Our church family supports Layo and Luchy Leiva as missionaries to Latin America and the Caribbean. The focus of their mission is to reach the leaders of Latin America, helping them to spread the gospel and impact their society

Layo and Luchy Leiva

Oceania 

Oceania is another cultural region, centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean Approximately 25,000 islands make up the pacific islands (Oceania). These islands include places like Australia, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji. Here is a picture of an island in Oceania

Early settlers from southeast Asia came and settled themselves in the Pacific Islands.  Later, settlers came from Great Britain which used Australia as a prison colony.  Now people all over the world come and settle in Australia and the surrounding islands, making the area culturally diverse.  Australia is the least densely populated continent with only eight people per square mile. Many of the Pacific islands are more densely populated since large numbers of people live together on relatively small pieces of land.

In some parts of the Pacific Islands the culture is based on tribal traditions.  These people depend on subsistence farming and fishing to provide for their community.  Other parts of Oceania are more modern and industrial.  People in these areas manufacture and export many products including diamonds, copper, and automobiles.  Fruit farming and sheep farming are also sources of income in the region. 

 Viti Levu is the fifth largest island in Oceania     
                                                                                 

Australian Miners 

Aboriginal People

Rugby is a popular sport throughout Oceania, and is the national sport of Papua New Guinea. It is also very popular in Australia and attracts the attention of crowds across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands

Pacific Islanders Rugby Team