| "America did not invent human rights. In a very real sense... human rights invented America." [1] — Jimmy Carter
|
| Fast Facts
|
| United States of America
|
|
|
|
Motto: In God We Trust (official)
E Pluribus Unum
(From Many, One; Latin, traditional)
|
| Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
|
|
| Capital
| Washington, D.C.
38°53′N, 77°02′W
|
| Largest city
| New York City
|
| National language
| English (de facto) 2
|
| Demonym
| American
|
| Government
| Constitutional federal presidential republic
|
|
|
| - President
| George W. Bush (R)
|
| - Vice President
| Dick Cheney (R)
|
| - Speaker of the House
| Nancy Pelosi (D)
|
| - Chief Justice
| John Roberts
|
|
|
| Politics
|
|
|
| Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain
|
| - Declared
| July 4, 1776
|
| - Recognized
| September 3, 1783
|
| - Current constitution
| June 21, 1788
|
|
|
| Geographical area
|
|
|
| - Total
| 9,826,630 km² (3rd/4th 3 )
(3,794,066 sq. mi.)
|
| - Water (%)
| 6.76
|
|
|
| Population
|
|
|
| - 2009 estimate
| 304,995,000 (3rd 4 )
|
| - 2000 census
| 281,421,906
|
| - Density
| 31/km² (180th)
(80/sq. mi.)
|
|
|
| Economy
|
|
|
| GDP (PPP)
| 2007 estimate
|
| - Total
| US$13.543 trillion (1st)
|
| - Per capita
| US$43,444 (4th)
|
| GDP (nominal)
| 2007 estimate
|
| - Total
| US$13.794 trillion (1st)
|
|
|
| Miscellaneous
|
|
|
| HDI (2005)
| 0.951 (high) (12th)
|
| Currency
| United States dollar ($) (USD "$")
|
| Time zone
| (UTC-5 to -10)
|
| - Summer (DST)
| (UTC-4 to -10)
|
| Internet TLD
| .us .gov .mil .edu
|
| Calling code
| +1
|
|
|
Location of the United States
The
United States of America, usually referred to as the
United States,
USA,
U.S., or
America, is
a constitutional federal republic comprising 50 states and a federal district. At 3.79 million
square miles (9.83 million
km²) and with more than 300 million people, it is the third largest country by land area as well as
by population. The
capital city is
Washington, D.C.
2. The United States is situated mostly in central North America where its 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and is bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with the state of Hawaii being an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The United States also possesses several territories, or insular areas, scattered around the Caribbean and the Pacific.
3. The United States was founded by 13 colonies of Great Britain, located along the Atlantic seaboard. On July 4, 1776, they officially declared their independence from Great Britain, and the formation of a new nation. The rebellion, organized by the Continental Congress, was the first successful colonial war of independence. In the 19th century, the United States acquired land from France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Russia, and annexed the Republic of Texas and the Republic of Hawaii.
4. The United States is one of the world's most ethnically diverse nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. Whites are the largest racial group, with German Americans, Irish Americans, and English Americans constituting three of the country's four largest ancestry groups, while African Americans constitute the nation's largest racial minority. The overall growth rate is 0.89%, while the birth rate of 14.16 per 1,000 is 30% below the world average. About 83% of the population lives in one of the country's 363 metropolitan areas. English is the de facto national language, although there is no official language at the federal level. The basic literacy rate is approximately 99%. In 2001, 76.5% of American adults identified themselves as Christians, with Protestant denominations accounting for 52% of adult Americans, while Roman Catholics, at 24.5%, were the largest individual denomination.
5. The United States has a capitalist mixed economy, which is fueled by abundant natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity. Its economy is the largest national economy in the world, with the service sector contributing 67.8% of GDP. The United States is the third largest producer of oil in the world, and the world's number one producer of electrical and nuclear energy, as well as liquid natural gas, sulfur, phosphates, and salt. While agriculture accounts for just under 1% of GDP, the United States is the world's top producer of corn and soybeans. The country's leading cash crop is marijuana, despite federal laws making its cultivation and sale illegal. Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany are its top trading partners. The leading export commodity is electrical machinery, while vehicles constitute its leading import. more... at Wikipedia
