Most prominent locations of the continent's physical boundaries
North America
This is a list of the extreme points of
North America : the points that are highest and lowest, and farther north, south, east or west than any other location on the
continent . Some of these points are debatable, given the varying definitions of North America.
North America and surrounding islands
Northernmost point —
Kaffeklubben Island ,
Greenland
83°40′N 29°50′W / 83.667°N 29.833°W / 83.667; -29.833 (Kaffeklubben Island ) . Although politically part of the
Kingdom of Denmark , Greenland is geologically part of the
North American plate . If non-permanent islands are included, then the northernmost point is
Qeqertaq Avannarleq . If Greenland is excluded from North America, the northernmost point is
Cape Columbia ,
Ellesmere Island ,
Nunavut , Canada
83°8′N 74°13′W / 83.133°N 74.217°W / 83.133; -74.217 (Cape Columbia ) .
Southernmost point —
Cocos Island ,
Costa Rica
5°31′8″N 87°4′18″W / 5.51889°N 87.07167°W / 5.51889; -87.07167 (Cocos Island )
Westernmost point — The westernmost point depends on the definition of "westernmost". If following the
International Date Line , it would be
Cape Wrangell on
Attu Island ,
Alaska ,
United States
52°55′28″N 172°28′22″E / 52.92444°N 172.47278°E / 52.92444; 172.47278 (Cape Wrangell ) , or the tiny (ca. 200m diameter) Peaked Island, just off the coast to the west. However, if the border between east and west is defined by the
180th meridian , the westernmost point is the West Point of
Amatignak Island
51°17′N 179°9′W / 51.283°N 179.150°W / 51.283; -179.150 (West Point of Amatignak Island ) , as Attu Island is in the
Eastern Hemisphere .
Easternmost point —
Nordostrundingen ,
Greenland
81°26′25″N 11°29′22″W / 81.44028°N 11.48944°W / 81.44028; -11.48944 (Nordostrundingen ) . If Greenland is excluded, then the easternmost point is
Cape Spear ,
Newfoundland , Canada
47°31′25″N 52°37′10″W / 47.52361°N 52.61944°W / 47.52361; -52.61944 (Cape Spear ) . Again, if one uses the technical definition of longitude, it is
Pochnoi Point on
Semisopochnoi Island , Alaska,
51°57′N 179°52′E / 51.950°N 179.867°E / 51.950; 179.867 (Pochnoi Point ) since the state stretches into the Eastern Hemisphere. However, other sources argue it would be
Cape Wrangell on
Attu Island ,
Alaska ,
United States at
52°55′28″N 172°28′22″E / 52.92444°N 172.47278°E / 52.92444; 172.47278 (Cape Wrangell ) , as well as the tiny (ca. 200m diameter) Peaked Island, just off the coast to the west.
Continental North America
Highest points
Denali (
Mount McKinley ),
Alaska ,
United States
63°4′10″N 151°0′26″W / 63.06944°N 151.00722°W / 63.06944; -151.00722 (Mount McKinley ) — highest summit of North America at 6,190.5 m (20,310 feet).
[1]
Pico de Orizaba (
Volcán Citlaltépetl ),
[note 1]
[2]
Puebla and
Veracruz , Mexico
19°1′50″N 97°16′11″W / 19.03056°N 97.26972°W / 19.03056; -97.26972 (Pico de Orizaba ) — highest volcano summit of North America at 5,636 m (18,491 feet).
Grays Peak ,
[note 2]
[3]
[4]
[note 3]
Colorado , United States
39°38′2″N 105°49′3″W / 39.63389°N 105.81750°W / 39.63389; -105.81750 (Grays Peak ) — highest point on the
Continental Divide of North America at 4,352 m (14,278 feet).
Volcán Tajumulco ,
[note 4]
[5]
San Marcos ,
Guatemala
15°2′37″N 91°54′12″W / 15.04361°N 91.90333°W / 15.04361; -91.90333 (Volcán Tajumulco ) — highest summit of
Central America at 4,220 m (13,850 feet).
Gunnbjørn Fjeld ,
[note 5]
[6]
Sermersooq ,
Island of Greenland , Greenland
68°55′10″N 29°53′55″W / 68.91944°N 29.89861°W / 68.91944; -29.89861 (Gunnbjørn Fjeld ) — highest island summit of the
Americas and highest summit of the entire
Arctic at 3,694 m (12,119 feet).
Pico Duarte ,
[note 6]
[7]
Dominican Republic ,
Hispaniola
19°1′23″N 70°59′53″W / 19.02306°N 70.99806°W / 19.02306; -70.99806 (Pico Duarte ) — highest summit of the
Caribbean at 3,175 m (10,417 feet).
Ixchiguán ,
San Marcos Department ,
Guatemala — highest town of North America at 3200 m (10,500 feet)
Leadville, Colorado , United States
39°14′50″N 106°17′30″W / 39.24722°N 106.29167°W / 39.24722; -106.29167 (Leadville, Colorado ) — highest city of North America at 3094 m (10,152 feet)
Lake County Airport, Colorado , United States
39°13′13″N 106°19′00″W / 39.22028°N 106.31667°W / 39.22028; -106.31667 (Lake County Airport ) — highest airfield of North America at 3026 m (9,927 feet)
Lowest points
Badwater Basin ,
Death Valley ,
California , United States
36°14′23″N 116°50′5″W / 36.23972°N 116.83472°W / 36.23972; -116.83472 (Badwater Basin ) — lowest land surface of North America at −282 ft (−86 m)
[8]
Salton Sea ,
California , United States
33°19′59″N 115°50′3″W / 33.33306°N 115.83417°W / 33.33306; -115.83417 (Salton Sea ) — lowest lake of North America at −69 m (−226 feet)
Furnace Creek Airport ,
California , United States
36°27′50″N 116°52′53″W / 36.46389°N 116.88139°W / 36.46389; -116.88139 (Furnace Creek Airport ) — lowest airfield of the Americas at −64 m (−210 feet)
Furnace Creek ,
[note 7]
California , United States
36°27′29″N 116°52′15″W / 36.45806°N 116.87083°W / 36.45806; -116.87083 (Furnace Creek, California ) — lowest settlement of the Americas at −58 m (−190 ft)
Calipatria, California , United States
33°07′32″N 115°30′51″W / 33.12556°N 115.51417°W / 33.12556; -115.51417 (Calipatria, California ) — lowest city of the Americas at −56 m (−184 feet)
Lago Enriquillo ,
Dominican Republic ,
Hispaniola
18°30′N 71°35′W / 18.500°N 71.583°W / 18.500; -71.583 (Lago Enriquillo ) — lowest lake on an island and lowest surface point on any ocean island on Earth at −27 m (−89 feet)
New Orleans ,
Louisiana , United States
29°58′N 90°03′W / 29.967°N 90.050°W / 29.967; -90.050 (New Orleans, Louisiana ) — lowest city of the Americas with an average elevation of −0.5 m (−1.5 feet)
Isthmus of Rivas ,
Rivas ,
Nicaragua
12°1′N 86°27′W / 12.017°N 86.450°W / 12.017; -86.450 (Isthmus of Rivas ) — lowest pass between
Caribbean Sea and
Pacific Ocean (on the
Continental Divide of the Americas ) at 56 m (184 feet)
Great Slave Lake bottom,
Northwest Territories , Canada
61°40′N 114°00′W / 61.667°N 114.000°W / 61.667; -114.000 (Great Slave Lake ) — lowest fresh water point of the Americas at −458 m (−1,503 feet)
Other points
Islands
Island of Greenland
68°55′10″N 29°53′55″W / 68.91944°N 29.89861°W / 68.91944; -29.89861 (Island of Greenland ) — most extensive island on Earth at 2,130,800 km2 (822,700 square miles) and tallest island of
Western Hemisphere . Highest point is
Gunnbjørn Fjeld at 12,118 feet (3,694 m).
Island of Cuba
21°30′N 80°0′W / 21.500°N 80.000°W / 21.500; -80.000 (Island of Cuba ) — most extensive island of the
Caribbean at 104,556 km2 (40,369 square miles). Highest point is
Pico Turquino at 6,480 feet (1,980 m).
Hispaniola
19°1′23″N 70°59′53″W / 19.02306°N 70.99806°W / 19.02306; -70.99806 (Hispaniola ) — tallest island of the
Caribbean and second most extensive island of the Caribbean at 76,480 km2 (29,529 square miles). Highest peak is
Pico Duarte at 10,417 ft (3,175 m).
Manitoulin Island in
Lake Huron ,
Ontario , Canada
45°46′N 82°12′W / 45.767°N 82.200°W / 45.767; -82.200 (Manitoulin Island ) — most extensive lake island on Earth at 2,766 km2 (1,068 square miles)
Unimak Island — highest point is
Shishaldin Volcano at 9,373 ft (2,857 m).
Ellesmere Island — highest point is
Barbeau Peak at 8,583 ft (2,616 m).
Jamaica — highest point is
Blue Mountain Peak at 7,402 ft (2,256 m).
Axel Heiberg Island — highest point is
Outlook Peak at 7,251 ft (2,210 m).
Vancouver Island — highest point is
Golden Hinde at 7,211 ft (2,198 m).
Baffin Island — highest point is
Mount Odin at 7,044 ft (2,147 m).
Umnak Island — highest point is
Mount Vsevidof at 6,920 ft (2,110 m).
Unalaska Island — highest point is
Makushin Volcano at 6,680 ft (2,040 m).
Lakes
Lake Superior , Canada and the United States
47°45′N 87°30′W / 47.750°N 87.500°W / 47.750; -87.500 (Lake Superior ) — most voluminous lake in
Western Hemisphere at 11,600 km3 (2,800 cubic miles)
Great Slave Lake ,
Northwest Territories , Canada
61°40′N 114°00′W / 61.667°N 114.000°W / 61.667; -114.000 (Great Slave Lake ) — deepest lake in
Western Hemisphere at 614 m (2,014 feet)
Lake Michigan–Huron , Canada and the United States
45°49′N 84°45′W / 45.817°N 84.750°W / 45.817; -84.750 (Lake Michigan–Huron ) — most extensive lake in
Western Hemisphere and the most extensive fresh water lake on Earth at 117,702 km2 (45,445 square miles)
Nettilling Lake on
Baffin Island ,
Nunavut , Canada
66°30′N 70°50′W / 66.500°N 70.833°W / 66.500; -70.833 (Nettilling Lake ) — most extensive lake on an island on Earth at 5,066 km2 (1,956 square miles)
Great Salt Lake ,
Utah , United States
41°10′N 112°35′W / 41.167°N 112.583°W / 41.167; -112.583 (Great Salt Lake ) — most extensive
endorheic lake at 4,400 km2 (1,700 square miles)
Lake Manitou on
Manitoulin Island in
Lake Huron ,
Ontario , Canada
45°46′42″N 81°59′30″W / 45.77833°N 81.99167°W / 45.77833; -81.99167 (Lake Manitou ) — most extensive lake on an island in a lake on Earth at 104 km2 (40 square miles)
Rivers
Mississippi Basin , Canada and the United States
29°9′4″N 89°15′12″W / 29.15111°N 89.25333°W / 29.15111; -89.25333 (Mississippi River ) — most extensive
river basin at 2,981,076 km2 (1,151,000 square miles)
Mississippi -
Missouri -
Jefferson Rivers , United States
29°9′4″N 89°15′12″W / 29.15111°N 89.25333°W / 29.15111; -89.25333 (Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson Rivers ) — longest
river system at 6,275 km (3,902 miles)
Missouri River , United States
38°48′49″N 90°7′11″W / 38.81361°N 90.11972°W / 38.81361; -90.11972 (Missouri River ) — longest
main stem river at 3,768 km (2,341 miles)
Mississippi River , United States
29°9′4″N 89°15′12″W / 29.15111°N 89.25333°W / 29.15111; -89.25333 (Mississippi River ) — longest
Gulf of Mexico main stem river at 3,544 km (2,202 miles)
Yukon River , Canada and the United States
62°35′55″N 164°47′40″W / 62.59861°N 164.79444°W / 62.59861; -164.79444 (Yukon River ) — longest
Bering Sea main stem river at 3,185 km (1,979 miles)
Nelson River ,
Manitoba , Canada
57°5′5″N 92°30′8″W / 57.08472°N 92.50222°W / 57.08472; -92.50222 (Nelson River ) — longest
Hudson Bay main stem river at 2,575 km (1,600 miles)
Colorado River , United States and Mexico
31°48′57″N 114°48′22″W / 31.81583°N 114.80611°W / 31.81583; -114.80611 (Colorado River ) — longest
Gulf of California main stem river at 2,330 km (1,450 miles)
Columbia River , Canada and the United States
46°14′39″N 124°3′29″W / 46.24417°N 124.05806°W / 46.24417; -124.05806 (Columbia River ) — longest
Pacific Ocean main stem river at 2,000 km (1,243 miles)
Mackenzie River ,
Northwest Territories , Canada
68°56′23″N 136°10′22″W / 68.93972°N 136.17278°W / 68.93972; -136.17278 (Mackenzie River ) — longest
Arctic Ocean main stem river at 1,738 km (1,080 miles)
Saint Lawrence River , United States and Canada
49°40′N 64°30′W / 49.667°N 64.500°W / 49.667; -64.500 (Saint Lawrence River ) — longest
Atlantic Ocean main stem river at 965 km (600 miles)
Extreme points of North American countries
See also
Notes
^
Pico de Orizaba is the highest point of
Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla ,
Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , and all of
México
^ The summit of
Grays Peak is the highest point of the
Front Range and the
Continental Divide of North America .
^ The summit elevation of
Grays Peak includes an adjustment of +1.881 m (+6.2 ft) from
NGVD 29 to
NAVD 88 .
^
Volcán Tajumulco is the highest point of the
Republic of Guatemala and all of
Central America . Volcán Tajumulco is the southernmost and easternmost 4000 m (13,123-foot) summit of
North America
^
Gunnbjørn Fjeld is the highest point on the
Island of Greenland ,
Kalaallit Nunaat , the
Kingdom of Denmark , and the entire
Arctic
^
Pico Duarte is the highest point on the
Island of Hispaniola , the
Dominican Republic , and all the islands of the
Caribbean Sea
^
Furnace Creek in
Death Valley ,
California ,
United States set the world record for the highest reliably reported ambient air temperature of 134 °F (56.7 °C) on July 10, 1913. This record has been eclipsed only once by a questionable reading of 136 °F (57.8 °C) recorded in
'Aziziya ,
Libya , on September 13, 1922.
References
External links
Sovereign states Dependencies and other territories
48°10′N 100°10′W / 48.167°N 100.167°W / 48.167; -100.167 (North America )