This authoritative new series describes the history, landscape, culture, economy and people of this continent.

This title is also packed full of fascinating facts, maps and statistics.

A statistical compendium at the back provides a handy reference guide for key statistical data.

North America is a huge and spectacular continent containing many varied landscapes, from polar deserts to sub-tropical forests, coastal coral to mangroves and lofty mountain peaks to rolling grasslands.

The vast continent contains the biggest freshwater lake in the world; boasts the world's largest island, Greenland; and the immense Mississippi and Missouri rivers carry water away from almost half of the continent.

North America includes the world's only superpower, the United States, and so has a major influence on global affairs.

In other parts of the continent such as Mexico, Haiti and Nicaragua, poverty is a major problem with people lacking jobs, access to water and having poorer education and health systems.

Addressing these inequalities across the continent will be a major challenge for its future.