This is a list of all present sovereign states in North America and their predecessors.
The continent was colonized by the Europeans: Mainly by the Spaniards, the French, the English and the Dutch.
The United States of America gained its independence in American Revolutionary War; most of nations in Central America gained independence in the early 19th century; Canada and many other island countries in the Caribbean Sea (most of them were British colonies) gained their independence in 20th century.
Today, North America consists of twenty-two sovereign states.
Hundreds of First Nations, some of which have domestic national governments New France (1535–1763) (a French colony) Province of Quebec (1763–1791) Provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada (1791–1841) United Province of Canada (1841–1867) Rupert's Land (1670–1870) (a territory of the Hudson's Bay Company) North-Western Territory (1859–1870) Colony of British Columbia (1858–1871) (included the Colony of Vancouver Island and former British Columbia since 1866)Provisional Government of Saskatchewan (1885) (unrecognized Métis republic defeated in the North-West Rebellion) Newfoundland Colony (1610–1907) Dominion of Newfoundland (1907–1949) (a dominion within British Empire 1907–1934, a dependency of United Kingdom 1934–1949) Canada (1867–present) (before the Second World War the term Dominion of Canada was also used) Tlaxcala (1348–1520) Viceroyalty of New Spain (1521–1821) First Mexican Empire (1821–1823) Provisional Government of Mexico (1823–1824) First Mexican Republic (1824–1835) Centralist Republic of Mexico (1835–1846) Republic of Yucatán (1841–1848) Second Federal Republic of Mexico (1846–1863) Second Mexican Empire (1863–1867) United Mexican States (1867–present)