The 10 Most Populated Countries in North America

North America is home to over 580 million people, most of whom reside in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The continent is found in the northern hemisphere and almost entirely in the western hemisphere. By total area, North America covers 24.71 million kilometers square and is the third largest continent by area. North America has a population density of about 647 people per square kilometer. By some guidelines, North America is considered to be a subcontinent of the Americas.

According to the most recent population data, these are the most populous countries in North America.

10. El Salvador - 6,344,722

El Salvador has an estimated population of 6.3 million. Emigration has historically affected the population growth of the country as many residents migrated to the United States during the civil wars in the early 1970s. Currently, El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in North America. The largest city is San Salvador with an estimated population of 1.7 million people.

9. Nicaragua - 6,149,928

Nicaragua has an estimated population of 6.15 million people, a majority of them living in the capital city of Managua. The capital city has a population of 1.2 million inhabitants. About 2.7 million Nicaraguans live in the Pacific region while 700,000 live in the region neighboring the Caribbean.

8. Honduras - 9,112,867

Honduras is found in the central region of the Americas. The country has a population of 9.1 million people occupying a landmass of 112,492 kilometers squared. The population density stands at 64 people per square kilometer. Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, is home to 1.12 million Hondurans and is the largest Metropolitan in the country.

7. Dominican Republic - 10,648,791

The Dominican Republic has a population of 10.65 million people. About 3 million Dominicans live in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo, the capital city. The population density stands at 197 people per square kilometer which ranks among the highest in the world (65th). The population is expected to reach 12 million in the next 10-15 years.

6. Haiti - 10,847,334

Haiti is a country located in the Caribbean islands sharing the island of Hispaniola to the east with the Dominican Republic. It has a population of 10.85 million people and averages a population density of 255 people per square kilometer. About a third of Haitian population lives in urban areas and coastal plains of the country.

5. Cuba - 11,475,982

Cuba is a Caribbean country with a population of 11.48 million residents. It has a population density of 100.7 people per square kilometer. Havana, the capital city, is home to about 2 million residents making it the most populous city in the country.

4. Guatemala - 16,582,469

Guatemala is found in the central part of the Americas, south of Mexico. It has a population of 16.58 million people. The population is evenly distributed between rural and urban areas. Nearly 40% of the population is made up of indigenous people who speak Amerindian languages. Guatemala City is the largest metropolitan with a population of 3 million people.

3. Canada - 36,289,822

Canada has a population of 36 million people. Majority of Canadians live in the southern parts of the country as opposed to the northern parts which are less arable. Over the last two decades, the population of Canada grew by 5.6 million people representing 20.4% overall growth.

2. Mexico - 127,540,423

Mexico has an estimated population of 127.5 million people. It is the second-most populous country in North America and takes the tenth position globally. About 78% of the population lives in urban areas in major cities such as Mexico City (8.9 million people). The population has experienced a reversed population growth rate in the last five years representing less than 1 percent.

1. United States - 322,179,605

The United States has a population of 322 million people and is the third most populous country in the world after China and India. About 81% of the population lives in urban areas and major cities. This is well above the world average of the urbanized population which lies at 54%. Most of the United States residents live in the western and the southern parts of the country. Major cities such as New York are among the biggest and most populous cities in the world. The American population grows at a rate of 1.3 percent annually.