The Western Hemisphere: Geography, History, and Global Significance

The Western Hemisphere comprises all longitudes west of the Prime Meridian (0°) and east of the 180th meridian — essentially, the Americas and their surrounding waters.

Geographic Scope

Includes: North America, Central America, South America, Greenland, Caribbean, eastern Pacific islands, westernmost Europe (Azores, Iceland), western Africa (Cape Verde).
Land area: ~100M km² (28% Earth's land).
Population: ~1.1B (14% world).

Major Nations

USA (335M), Brazil (215M), Mexico (128M), Canada (39M), Argentina (46M), Colombia (52M), Peru (34M), Venezuela (28M), Chile (19M), Guatemala (18M) — top 10.

Deep History

Paleo-Indians: Beringia crossing ~15-20 kya. Rapid continental dispersal.
Complex societies: Caral (Peru, 2600 BCE), Olmecs (Mexico, 1500 BCE), Maya (250-900 CE), Aztec/Inca (1400s CE).
European contact: 1492 (Caribbean), 1519 (mainland). Columbian Exchange transforms biology, demography, economy globally.

Colonial Legacies

Spanish/Portuguese: Language, religion, law, genetics across Latin America.
British/French/Dutch: North America, Caribbean — distinct legal, linguistic, institutional imprints.
Independence waves: 1776 (US), 1804 (Haiti), 1810s-1820s (Spanish America), 1822 (Brazil).

Modern Conflicts & Cooperation

Wars: US Revolution, Mexican-American, Civil War, War of Pacific, Chaco, Falklands, drug wars, Central American 1980s.
Integration: USMCA, Mercosur, Pacific Alliance, OAS, CELAC, CARICOM.

21st Century Challenges

Inequality (highest GINIs), climate vulnerability (Andes glaciers, Amazon, Caribbean hurricanes), migration, democratic backsliding, China's rise, energy transition.

The Western Hemisphere: shared geography, divergent histories, intertwined futures.