North America

North America takes readers on a journey of discovery across this vast and varied continent, from the icy peaks of Alaska's Mount McKinley to the rain forests of Costa Rica, and from the "power" cities of New York and Washington, D.C., to the slower-paced islands of the eastern Caribbean. North America is home to one of the world's few remaining Communist countries as well as its sole remaining superpower. With its major influence on global economic and political affairs, the United States must balance its roles as the world's policeman and peacekeeper as it promotes freedom and democracy. In other parts of the continent, such as Mexico, Haiti, and Nicaragua, poverty and other basic quality-of-life concerns confront people who lack jobs, access to safe water, and adequate education and health care systems. Addressing these inequalities across the continent will be a major challenge in the future. Book jacket.