The North American Plate is primarily a continental plate. It encompasses a vast area of land, including most of North America, parts of the Atlantic Ocean, and portions of the Arctic. The plate includes significant geological features such as the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, as well as the Great Lakes.
Although it is primarily continental, the North American Plate also includes some oceanic crust along its eastern boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. This area consists of the continental shelf and continental slope, which transition into the oceanic crust of the Atlantic. So, while the plate itself is largely continental, it is not solely restricted to continental landmasses; it has adjacent oceanic regions as well.