<P> During the Age of Discovery, Europeans explored and staked claims to various parts of North America . Upon their arrival in the "New World", the Native American population declined substantially, because of violent conflicts with the invaders and the introduction of European diseases to which the Native Americans lacked immunity . Native culture changed drastically and their affiliation with political and cultural groups also changed . Several linguistic groups died out, and others changed quite quickly . The names and cultures that Europeans recorded were not necessarily the same as the names they had used a few generations before, or the ones in use today . </P> <P> Britain, Spain, and France took over extensive territories in North America--and fought over them . In the late 18th century and beginning of the 19th, independence movements that sprung up across the continent, led to the creation of the modern countries in the area . The 13 British colonies on the North Atlantic coast declared independence in 1776, becoming the United States of America . Canada was formed from the unification of northern territories controlled by Britain and France . New Spain, a territory that stretched from modern - day southern US to Central America, declared independence in 1810, becoming the First Mexican Empire . In 1823 the former Captaincy General of Guatemala, then part of the Mexican Empire, became the first independent state in Central America, officially changing its name to the United Provinces of Central America . </P> <P> North America occupies the northern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the Western Hemisphere, the Americas, or simply America (which, less commonly, is considered by some as a single continent with North America a subcontinent). North America's only land connection to South America is at the Isthmus of Panama . The continent is delimited on the southeast by most geographers at the Darién watershed along the Colombia - Panama border, placing all of Panama within North America . Alternatively, some geologists physiographically locate its southern limit at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico, with Central America extending southeastward to South America from this point . The Caribbean islands, or West Indies, are considered part of North America . The continental coastline is long and irregular . The Gulf of Mexico is the largest body of water indenting the continent, followed by Hudson Bay . Others include the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Gulf of California . </P> <P> Before the Central American isthmus formed, the region had been underwater . The islands of the West Indies delineate a submerged former land bridge, which had connected North and South America via what are now Florida and Venezuela . </P>

Is the caribbean considered part of north america