Also, the entire gulf  coast of the USA..................and of course,,,,,,,,,,,,,a ship can, via the Panama canal...........go, from say Hollywood, Ca.................to Veracruz, Mexico..........or Key West, Fl.......or vice versa...............

Look at Cuba for instance...............on the Atlantic side...............anything that comes from the East.............Africa.........Europe.............from the Atlantic to the Americas...........and wants to go, via the oceans..........to Mexico...........would have to pass either North or South of Cuba................

I really don't think u understand............................

Also...........ignore political boundaries...............adn concentrate on just geography.............and geographic regions.....................now look at Central America........(part of N. America)............and the surrounding areas...........