Is Mexico Part Of North America Or Central America?

Mexico is an amazing country, it’s on the bucket list of millions of travellers.

But where is Mexico? Is Mexico part of North America?

It can be confusing to know exactly which continent Mexico falls under as it is sort of between North America and Central America.

Luckily for you, as a full-time traveller, I am here to provide the answer to your burning question.

Is Mexico Part Of North America?

To summarise this article: yes, Mexico is a part of North America.

Continents are decided by geographical location, meaning Mexico is part of the continent of North America.

The reason most people confuse Mexico as being part of Central or South America is due to the cultural and ethnological alignment with Latin America, such as the fact the language is Spanish, not English.

A picture of a waving Mexico flag. Is Mexico part of North America? Yes, it is.

So while the culture, traditions, language etc., is that of Latin America, when it comes to geographical position, Mexico is part of North America.

It’s important to know the difference regardless of if you are staying in a 5-star resort or if you are backpacking in Mexico.

Another reason that Mexico’s continent is confused is that Mexico is below the US. But it is still a part of the continent of North America, the continent of North America is not exclusively made up of the United States of America.

To summarise, is Mexico a part of North America? Yes, it is.

Where Is North America?

As we know now that Mexico is part of North America, we need to understand where the continent actually is.

On a map, it’s easy to identify North America as it is the continent on which the United States of America falls. If you can spot the USA on a map, you have found North America.

As the name suggests, North America is located entirely in the northern hemisphere of the globe. Going from arctic regions in the northernmost points, to tropical regions in the south (Mexico).

A picture of a map of North America with pins stuck in it. Is Mexico part of North America? Yes, it is.

Either side of North America is the North Pacific Ocean to the West and the North Atlantic Ocean to the East. There’s nothing above North America, but you’d eventually reach Antarctica technically speaking. And below North America is Central America.

North America is the third largest continent of the seven on our planet.

As I said before, Mexico is one of the more southern countries making up North America. You can identify it as the long, thin country below the US that curves slightly to the right.

Where Is Central America?

Central America is generally considered any country between Mexico and Colombia or Venezuela.

Latin America and Central America are almost synonymous terms. And Central America is not technically a continent. To make it even more confusing, Central America are the southernmost countries making up North America.

As the culture is so different in these countries, they are categorised into Central America, despite being in North America geographically speaking. For example, Costa Rica is considered Central American despite being a North American country in terms of geography.

Being directly below North America (although technically part of it), Central America also has the Pacific to the west and the Atlantic to the east.

What Other Countries Are In North America?

As the answer to “Is Mexico part of North America?” is yes, we know that Mexico is one of the countries. But what other countries make up North America?

  • Canada
  • Greenland
  • United States of America

And also all of the Latin American countries which make up Central America. But, to help you differentiate what countries are considered to be in Central America, I have omitted them from the list of Northern American countries, despite being part of the continent geographically.

A map of the USA where you can see a bit of Canada above and Mexico below.

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What Countries Are In Central America?

As stated throughout this article, these countries are geographically part of North America but are considered to be part of Central America due to their location and culture in these countries. The countries that make up Central America are:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • El Salvador
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Jamaica
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
A globe zoomed in on Central America.

As you can see, in other words, Central America is made up of countries in and around the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico is the largest Latin American country and is one of the most beautiful countries in the world too. It’s amazing to visit, and some people will say that Mexico City rivals New York City.

Is Mexico Part Of North America: FAQ

Below are some questions related to “Is Mexico part of North America?” along with my answers.

Why isn’t Mexico part of North America?

Mexico is in fact part of North America, geographically speaking. Often Mexico is considered to be part of Latin America because of the culture in the country, but Mexico is on the continent of North America and is part of North America as such.

When did Mexico become part of North America?

It’s not a case of becoming part of a continent. Your continent is dictated by geographical locations, so Mexico has always been a part of North America as it is geographically located on the continent of North America.

Is Mexico part of South America?

No, Mexico is part of South America. Although Mexico shares a culture with many South American countries, when it comes to geography, Mexico is a part of North America.

Is Mexico City part of North America?

Yes, the whole country of Mexico is part of North America. North America is a continent and your continent is dictated by your location on the globe. Mexico is therefore part of North America.

Is Cancun part of North America?

Yes, Cancun is part of North America. Any city or place in Mexico is part of North America. Mexico is a country part of the continent of North America, so anywhere within Mexico is part of North America too.

Is Mexico Part Of North America: Conclusion

And there you have it, a complete guide to Is Mexico part of North America?

Remember, the answer is yes, Mexico is part of North America.

Despite being one of the more southern countries on the continent, and having a culture similar to that of other South American countries, it is in fact part of North America.

Hopefully, you have learnt a bit about Mexico’s location and most importantly, learnt which continent Mexico is on.

Once again, yes, Mexico is part of North America. 🙂