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Obviously the focus of the books is on the characters and school situated in England. But it seems to me that while there is mention of other schools, and quidditch teams, they are all European countries.

In the first book when Harry says he doesn't have any money Hagrid says this about banks

Hagrid: ...first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizard's bank.
Harry: Wizards have banks?
Hagrid: Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."

So in the entire wizarding world there is only one bank?

I can't think of a single reference to the American continents in all the books or movies, do the Americas even exist in the Harry Potter universe?

Kevin
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Jack B Nimble
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    Much like soccer, Americans are rubbish at quidditch. –  Dec 08 '11 at 02:42
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    It could be that there is only one chain of banks, or only one bank in England. Either could lead to the phrase stated. – PearsonArtPhoto Dec 08 '11 at 03:57
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    What does the bit about the bank have to do with America? The question would read just fine if it was just the first and last paragraph. It seems to just be stuck there in the middle. If there is a connection, I think it should be clarified. Otherwise it seems like it should be a separate question. – Brett White Dec 08 '11 at 15:25
  • There are no goblins in America to run banks (insert random reference to Neil Gaiman) – DVK-on-Ahch-To Dec 08 '11 at 15:29
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    Being an American, you wouldn't have noted, but many American books never make any mention of Europe. :) – sbi Dec 08 '11 at 15:42
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    It could also easilly be that there is only one Wizarding Bank. Such a bank would have a central location, which happens to be in England (likely so located to be nearish to the Minitry of magic headquaters). The probably have other lesser offices, but considering apparation and portkeys, it would probably be rasonably easy for any Wizard in the world to get to the Gringotts main office. – Kevin Cathcart Dec 08 '11 at 19:30
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    I also get the feeling that Hagrid isn't the most cosmopolitan of wizards, and might not know that much about other wizarding communities. – user1787 Dec 09 '11 at 00:18
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    It's just a European thing - we try not to talk about gauche subjects like Americans. – parsley72 Dec 09 '11 at 20:46
  • @sbi - I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a series with a setting as grand as HP, set in America, with as many volumes as HP, and mentioned many other countries in the world that didn't mention Europe. I realize this is a light-hearted discussion, btw. – Chris B. Behrens Dec 19 '11 at 17:01
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    I recall JK Rolling saying that she tried to avoid american characters because she didn't know how to write them well. – Zachary K Feb 15 '12 at 15:27
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    In America there's a wizarding credit union. – Kyralessa Feb 17 '12 at 20:25
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    @ZacharyK -- That just leads to the next question: what is it about American characters that makes her aware of this fact? – Beta Feb 21 '12 at 03:43
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    @Beta I have no idea. But bonus points for knowing her weaknesses and dealing with them – Zachary K Feb 21 '12 at 06:09
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    Why is it that when only European countries are mentioned (which is no true) the only countries our OP misses are the American ones? What about Asia, Africa and Oceania? – Aifos Nov 11 '12 at 00:58
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    @KevinCathcart I'm pretty sure the Ministry of Magic in the books is the British Ministry of Magic. Otherwise, why would there be an "International Confederation of Wizards"? Each country with a wizarding population would have its own wizarding government. – pleurocoelus Mar 08 '14 at 17:09
  • @pleurocoelus: Sure, but even so, the British Mininsty seems to be more influential than just being one of many such governments. They may well have become abnormally influential due to many influential wizards (such as Merlin) being British. That is not unlike how the abnormal influence of the USA has caused international organizations such as the UN to have their headquaters there. – Kevin Cathcart Mar 10 '14 at 15:23
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    @KevinCathcart Perhaps. Since the books are set in Britain, we only have that perspective. Without canon works set in other countries giving their perspective, we can't know. – pleurocoelus Mar 13 '14 at 22:30
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    @Zachary K: There is a Stephen King story, "Crouch End", set in London with mostly British characters. Mr King is a very fine writer but he cannot handle British dialogue and slang. At all. His attempts at doing so are far more horrifying than the actual events of the story. Perhaps JKR realised her attempts to write Americans were similar and had the sense to back off. – Royal Canadian Bandit Jun 19 '14 at 15:10
  • Why would Hagrid be an authority on banks? Banks aren't "interesting creatures." ;D He'd probably know everything about Gringott's dragon though. – Kai Jun 19 '14 at 15:20
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    I seem to remember reading somewhere that JK had an idea for an American wizarding family in Boston during the Industrial Revolution but she could never get a handle on the overall story arc she wanted to convey. I'll see if I can find a link. – Monty129 Jun 19 '14 at 16:40
  • In one of the books, Ron says that Bill is in Egypt working for Gringotts as a curse breaker. That being said, there are probably other Gringotts "stations" around the world. However, the only ones we know of are in London and (maybe) Egypt. –  Jun 18 '14 at 02:51
  • You were finally heard, here is USA in the new movie, The origin of magical creatures. @JackBNimble – Sir. Hedgehog Apr 26 '16 at 14:54
  • @user1787 whats funny is that Fantatic Beasts opening scene supports that. – TheAsh Nov 21 '17 at 16:05

6 Answers6

144

There is a mention of America in Goblet of Fire:

*[...]while a group of middle-aged American witches sat gossiping happily beneath a spangled banner stretched between their tents that read: THE SALEM WITCHES' INSTITUTE.

Goblet of Fire - Page 82 - US Hardcover

In Quidditch Through the Ages, North and South American Quidditch teams are noted:

CANADA:

  • Moose Jaw Meteorites
  • Haileybury Hammers
  • Stonewall Stormers

AMERICA:

  • Sweetwater All-Stars (Texas)
  • Fitchburg Finches (Massachusetts)

SOUTH AMERICA:

  • Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers (Peru)

I can't speak to the bank issue! I would imagine there is more than one Wizarding bank in the world, though.

ETA: 06.10.15 - J. K. Rowling revealed there is indeed a school equivalent to Hogwarts in America. She did not say exactly where the American school for witchcraft and wizardry is located, but she did say it is not in New York. Apparently, it may figure into the plot of the upcoming movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Slytherincess
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    There's also a mention of one of Ron's brothers (Bill, I think) having a penpal from Brazil. – Kevin Dec 08 '11 at 05:24
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    @Kevin - You're right. It's in GoF as well: "Spect they go to some foreign school," said Ron. "I know there are others, never met anyone who went to one though. Bill had a pen-friend at a school in Brazil ... this was years and years ago ... and he wanted to go on an exchange trip but Mum and Dad couldn’t afford it. His pen-friend got all offended when he said he wasn’t going and sent him a cursed hat. It made his ears shrivel up." GoF - Pg 78 - British Edition -- :) – Slytherincess Dec 08 '11 at 11:46
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    I think Slytherincess is J.K. Rowling's SE account. – Kalamane Dec 08 '11 at 20:33
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    @Kalamane - LOL! I wish I were sitting on that bank account . . . – Slytherincess Dec 09 '11 at 01:19
  • And the Prime Minister had a call to the President of the United States bumped by the arrival of the Minister for Magic near the start of Half-Blood Prince. – HorusKol Dec 11 '11 at 12:29
  • @HorusKol - It very well could be the President of the United States, but we don't know for sure, as the dialogue cuts off. The Prime Minister just says "the President of--" . . . It would've been cool if it were Pres. Clinton! – Slytherincess Dec 11 '11 at 16:15
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    This is apropos...when you meet someone from, say, New York abroad and ask them where they're from, they'll reply "The United States" or "America". If you meet someone from Texas, they'll reply "Texas". Or more likely, they'll tell you before you ask... – Chris B. Behrens Dec 19 '11 at 17:03
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    @ChrisB.Behrens It's not bragging if it's true. – pleurocoelus Mar 08 '14 at 17:13
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    Maybe Rowling's just not that into us :) – msouth Mar 26 '15 at 04:24
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    Good thing there is a school in America. I'm still waiting to be accepted via letter – TheMinecraftMan757 Jun 18 '15 at 14:06
39

I guess there are many branches of the Gringotts bank. For example there is a mention of Bill Weasley working in Gringotts in Egypt, with other goblins. So, there must be many branches of the same brand around the world.

There is at least a mention of Brazil in one of the books.

Community
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Guruji
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    As I recall it he was working there as a curse breaker. No mention is ever made of an actual Egyptian branch of the bank, just that there is (cursed) treasure in Egypt that he's retrieving for the bank. – Wildcard Dec 31 '16 at 08:16
20

Brazil is mentioned in the first book, when Harry frees the boa snake.

Silent Control
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8

As a more recent update, the following 2014 Daily Prophet article from Pottermore mentions not only several American Quidditch teams but also some of their members:

  • Brazil

    • Alejandro Alonso (Chaser)
    • Santos (Beater)
    • Clodoaldo (Beater)
    • Jose Barboza (manager)

  • USA

    • Susan Blancheflower (Keeper)
    • Darius Smackhammer (Seeker)
    • Pringle (Beater)
    • Picquery (Beater)

  • Haiti

    • [probably a cheat] (Seeker)

  • Jamaica

    • [someone who collapsed] (Seeker)

enter image description here

Rand al'Thor
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As for Gringots...well, they explain it fairly well - Gringots is run by Goblins, not wizards. And Goblins seem to be quite happy to be running the only bank for Wizards anywhere, ever. Bit of a monopoly on all of the wizarding money in the world.

You also have to remember that the wizards of the world do NOT outnumber the muggles, so there aren't as many people to headcount.

It's also entirely possible that Ron was making a hyperbolic statement - Gringots is the ONLY bank for wizards, meaning it is so important that it's practically the only bank in existence. Though the way he phrases it, it's more likely that it literally is the only bank. Or at least, the only bank chain, with perhaps some offices located across the world.

Zibbobz
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  • You also have to remember that the wizards of the world do NOT outnumber the muggles, so there aren't as many people to headcount. Apparently there are enough of them, at least, that the subset available to go watch a Quidditch game in person can fill up a stadium. – Mason Wheeler Mar 23 '15 at 18:57
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    @MasonWheeler That's only about 50 thousand. Barely a drop on the ocean. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gthjqHusvTw – Zibbobz Mar 23 '15 at 22:40
  • @MasonWheeler actually they were 90 thousand (assuming the stadium was full, which it probably was), but still a tiny amount. – Alfredo Hernández May 31 '15 at 21:17
0

I thought Ted Tonks was an American. (Father of Nymphadora Tonks, Married to Andromeda Black).

It comes from the audio books narrated by Stephen Fry, he uses American accents for the Tonks family. Stephan Fry of course consulted with JKR before Narrating the series, and his accents/voices for almost all the characters are perfect, especially Hagrid, Voldemort, Snape, Hermione, Fred, George, etc.

AncientSwordRage
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Manik Sethisuwan
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    Is there anything that led you to that conclusion? I'm fairly certain nothing in the books suggests it. – Kevin May 17 '12 at 19:13
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    Nope. Just speculation. But I'm not the only one. It comes from the audio books narrated by Stephen Fry, he uses American accents for the Tonks family. Stephan Fry of course consulted with JKR before Narrating the series, and his accents/voices for almost all the characters are perfect, especially Hagrid, Voldemort, Snape, Hermione, Fred, George, etc.

    http://www.englishforums.com/English/IdentifyThisEnglishAccent/nrqxk/post.htm

     – Manik Sethisuwan May 18 '12 at 09:03
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    I would not call Stephen Fry's narration of Ted Tonks, nor Nymphadora, anything remotely resembling an American accent. – morganpdx Jan 03 '14 at 20:08
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    @ManikSethisuwan that thread you linked to (same content, better formatting at this link) contains a long list of English accents Fry was mixing together to get Nymphadora's, and no hint at all that it was an American one. – KutuluMike Jan 17 '16 at 23:11