America

The word America is derived from the given name of Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512). He was an Italian merchant and explorer-navigator who took part in early voyages to the New World (1499-1500, 1501-02).

America has two primary meanings:

(1) The Americas: the two continents located between the PacificOcean and the AtlanticOcean. See North America, Central America (often referred to as such, but strictly speaking a part of North America), and South America.

(2) The United States of America. See United States.

In the United States and other countries, America usually refers to the UnitedStates (as in the song "America the Beautiful") rather than to TheAmericas. In many of the rest of the countries of The Americas, America often refers to The Americas.

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