ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Extreme points of North America

Imagine you have a big map of North America with countries like the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Now, think about the top parts of this map. There are four points on the top of North America that are really special because they are the most extreme points- which means they are the most far away from any other place on the continent.

The first extreme point is the northernmost point, which is in the Arctic Ocean. This point is very, very far up in the cold, icy waters. If you look at the top of North America, it's like the tip of a pencil. This extreme point is like the tip of that pencil. It's called the North Pole, and it's where Santa Claus lives!

The second extreme point is the southernmost point, which is in Central America. If you look at the bottom of North America, there's a thin strip of land connecting it to a bigger landmass below. This skinny strip is called Central America, and the southernmost point is located there. It's called Punta de Maisi and it's in Cuba. Cuba is a beautiful island with lots of sunny weather!

The third extreme point is the westernmost point, which is in the Pacific Ocean. If you look at the left side of North America, you'll see the big ocean with waves and fish. The westernmost point is in Alaska, which is a very cold place with lots of snow. It's called Cape Prince of Wales. It's like the very end of a long branch sticking out from the mainland towards the Pacific Ocean.

The fourth extreme point is the easternmost point, which is also in the Atlantic Ocean. If you look at the right side of North America, you'll see the big ocean with waves and boats. The easternmost point is in Canada, in a province called Newfoundland and Labrador. It's called Cape Spear. It's like the tip of an arrow pointing towards the Atlantic Ocean.

So, to summarize, the extreme points of North America are the most northern, southern, western, and eastern points of the continent. The North Pole is the most northern, Punta de Maisi in Cuba is the most southern, Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska is the most western, and Cape Spear in Canada is the most eastern. These points are very special because they are the farthest you can go in each direction on the map.