North America – the continent made up of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is one of the largest and most important parts of the world. However, the entire continent only has three countries. The US and Canada are highly similar places in many ways, and there are major links between the two and Mexico. So, could we ever see a time these countries join together? Could North America unite into one country?
North America could not unite into one country. There is no political will or public support for a union of the US, Canada, and Mexico. There is also no chance these countries would be unified by force.
…that’s just an overview. Let’s go a bit deeper.
Will North America Unify?
North America – the US, Canada, and Mexico, are closely linked geographically and economically. There are also all members of the North America Free Trade Agreements – NAFTA. This allows for free trade between the countries of North America. But could this go further? Could we see an economic union between the states of North America?
North America will not unify economically. There is almost no chances of a European Union style organisation for North America. The differences in political systems, economics, culture, populations, and world views are too great for the countries in North America to join together.
It is clear North American will not join into a single country. However, from the mid-19th century the idea of a North American union – similar to today’s European union, have been suggested. This would provide for free trade between Canada, the US and Mexico, as well as allow freedom of movement and a degree of political integration.
There has been very limited movement on the idea of a North American union. There is not the political will, or the incentive by governments across the continent, to establish a union.
In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed. This allowed for free trade, but not freedom of movement of peoples, between Mexico, Canada, and America. It brought economic benefits; however, it has also proved controversial. Critics cite the movement of industries from the US to Mexico to take advantage of cheaper labour. Controversy over NAFTA is a good example of why there will not be a North American union.
What Would Happen If North America Became One Country?
Ok, so we’ve established that it is very unlikely that North America will unite into a single country. However, nothing is impossible. So, what would happen if the US, Canada, and Mexico joined together?
North America becoming one country would have a huge effect on global economics, trade, and power balances. It would be a major change in the global political order and would have wide reaching repercussions across the America’s and wider world.
The creation of a new nation covering all of North America would be a major change in global affairs. It would significantly increase the already considerable power North American countries have, especially the United States.
If North America united into a single country, it would be seen by many as the United States adding Mexico and Canada to its territory. Although this would partly depend on the political system and method that was used to unify the countries. However, the economic and military might of the US would dominate any North American state.
It is hard to predict how the world would react if North America became one country. If it happened peacefully, allied countries would likely welcome it. Countries that were against the United States would likely oppose it. Latin America could well also oppose it as it would further intrench the inequalities between North and Central and South America. Almost all countries would oppose the unification of North America if done by force.
What If The United States Joined With Canada?
It’s clear that although North America is not going to unite, it actually would be a hugely powerful country if it did. But what about just the US and Canada? They are more closely aligned politically, economically, and culturally, could they ever join together to make one country?
If the United States and Canada became a one country the US would likely dominate Canada. It’s larger population, economy and military strength would prevent a union of equals. However, a united US and Canada would be the most powerful country in the world.
The US is the largest economy in the world. By comparison, Canada is the tenth. America has over ten times the population of Canada and significantly bigger armed forces. Although Canada is geographically a larger country, if it united with America, the US would likely have most of the influence.
If America and Canada become one country, it would have a population of around 361 million people. This would make it the third most populous country in the world.
A combined US and Canadian economy would have a GDP of nearly 22 trillion dollars. This would make it by far the largest economy in the world.
The United States has one of the largest militaries in the world. When Canada’s is added to this it would be the second largest in the world.
As we can see, if the US and Canada united, they would be a major world power. They would have significant influence over global affairs.
How Powerful Would A United North America Be?
To fully understand a united country made up of Canada, the US and Mexico, we need to look at how powerful that country could be. To do this, there are four main factors we need to consider. These are:
- Population
- Economy
- Military
- Geographic Size
Now, let’s look at each of these…
Population
If North America joined into one country, it would have an enormous population. Around 579 million people would live in it. A united North American country would be the third most populous country in the world. The number of people the country would have would make it a major world power.
Economy
If North America became a single country, it would have the largest economy in the world. The United States already accounts for 24.4% of the global economy. By combining with Canada and Mexico, a single North American state would dominate global trade, commerce, and industry. It would be an economic superpower.
Military
A united North America would have one of the most powerful armies in the world. If a single North American country was able to bring together the armed forces of all three nations, it would have the second largest army in the world. This, combined with America’s advanced military technology, would make it enormously powerful as a country.
Geographic Size
North America uniting into a single nation would create the largest country on earth. It would have a geographic size of 24.7 million square kilometres. It would be over 50% larger than Russia, the biggest country in the world. If the US, Canada, and Mexico joined to make a single country it would cover all of North America. The huge size of the country would make it a major world power.
Could North America Unite With Central And South America?
So, we’ve established that North America is very unlikely to join together to become a single country. However, what about a union between North American countries and Central and South America? Could we see a single country form across the Americas? Or an EU type organisation?
North America could not unite with Central and South America. The cultural, economic, and political differences between the regions means creating one country would not be possible. There is also no political movement or public support for a union of North, Central and South America.
Economically, there is a major divide between the US and Canada, and the rest of North, Central and South America. The US is the largest economy in the world and Canada is the tenth. Even the biggest economies in Latin America are much smaller. The huge differences in economic size, and the wealth of the people, means North America is never going to unite with Latin America.
There is a major cultural divide between the nations of the Americas. The obvious gap is between the English-speaking US and Canada and Spanish speaking Latin America. However, there are also cultural divides between Latin American countries. The vast difference in cultures is another reason why the Americas will not unite.
There are different political systems across the countries of North, Central and South America. Not all countries in the region are democratic or have the same adherence to liberal political systems. The differences in political systems is a key reason why the Americas will almost certainly never join together.