Who is tired of people referring to America as a country and not a continent?

Question

America is NOT only the United Sates, it is actually a whole continent. Why do people that live or were born in the USA call themselves Americans? Did they not take geography lessons?

Answer 1

Good question.

This is one of the reasons that conservatives in the Republican party want to change the name of the United States to the Ronald Reagan Empire.

Answer 2

America is NOT a continent.

North America is a continent. South America is a continent.

"America" alone is incomplete and thus may be, by context, either continent or the United States of America. Oh better yet go to the maps of other countries and find that the word America is not always associated with this continent.



But for you geography freaks I would like to point out how meaningless the division "continent" is except on colored maps when compared to actual terrain.

I mean without a colored map it is not geographically clear where Asia and Europe are divided. The same for North and South American though there is inkling that the narrow portion is where it MOST logicial should be. But I have seen many a textbook debate over if Central American countries belong to North or South America. So obviously it is not that obvious.

OK you can make a fairly clear case for Austrialia and Antartica. Totally separated island like geographic structure and one country or none. Africa isn't too bad either except does the Sini belong to Asia-Europe or to Africa.

But overall the continent thing falls on obsolete national political boundaries and cultural divisions which are becoming increasingly muddy with time. Specifically the European boundary comes primarily on the first stable divisions between the Roman Catholic nations and Orthodox/Islamic with Asia and "the heathens" being to the east of the boundary. Of course those division were redrawn many times as power shifted.

Now I expect some pointless citiation of the Encyclopedia Britannica, or simialr source, as the only world creditable world authority on geography for dividing Asia from Europe. But an unbiased and intelligent person would admit that there several equally prominet sources that draw slightly different boundaries for Asia versus European continents based on cultural preferences. Really focusing that remark on pointlessly snobbish educational bias rather than lack of education or intelligence though that can also be a factor.

Or a more clever person might point at UN definitions of Asia versus Europe or some "respected" treaty. The problem once more is counter examples of equal or near equal authority.

Answer 3

I think maybe you need a geography lesson. America IS NOT a continent. North America is and it includes Canada, The United States, and Mexico. So, America IS a country! I hope this helps.

Answer 4

Actually America is the country. The continent has to be referred to as North America to be recognized as a continent because of having South America. Its like N. Dakota and S. Dakota. You cant say your from Dakota. Since the other country that is part of N. America is called Canada in context our country is America.

Answer 5

Everyone in the United States is fully aware the America is a continent. (actually 2 continents)

I do agree that it sounds a bit arrogant, but it's the easiest way to refer to your citizenship. (as opposed to USanian?, United Statesman?)

Do you have a new suggestion on what we should say, or did you just want to insult the country?

Answer 6

The geographic and political demarcations are highly informative, and descriptive, but not mandatory, and compulsive to a patriotic person who likes to view the togetherness of the United states, and other places around...
Can we not feel patriotism beyond our family, city, state, country, towards also a continent, and then if the space in our heart permits, perhaps the planet !

Answer 7

Because America is part of our name and saying United States of America is too long. Just about all of us call ourselves American. I've never heard of anyone saying I'm a USAian. Neither Canada nor Mexico have the name America as part of their name.
Get over it, it's not going to change.

Answer 8

hrm.. i am a natural born citizen of the united states of america (hows that?)

i refer to the US of A as "the united states".. i refer to the continent as "north america."

i call those from Canada - "canadians"
and those from Mexico - "mexicans"

what should we call people from the USA? - "united statesians"?

**edit / add**

btw, the language we speak is called "english".. not "american".. its statements like that, that helps to give us united statesians a bad name.

Answer 9

The continents are North America and South America. I think your rant is much ado about nothimg.

Answer 10

what a twit! the americas are a region thats why its the United States OF america