There are several different schemes for dividing the continents. There can be as few as four or as many as seven, depending on who you ask. English-speaking cu

There are several different schemes for dividing the continents. There can be as few as four or as many as seven, depending on who you ask. English-speaking cultures generally agree that there are two continents that lie entirely in the western hemisphere, North America and South America (collectively "the Americas"). In that scheme, "America" without modifier clearly refers to the USA. Romance-language cultures generally agree that there is only one continent, America. In that scheme, calling the country "America" looks like chauvinism. But it's really just a linguistic difference.