The United States of America includes 48 contiguous states
on the continent of North America, as well as the state
of Alaska, the state of Hawaii in the Pacific
Ocean,
and outlying possessions and territories.
The 48 contiguous states are bordered by Canada on the north and by Mexico on the south, by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the Pacific Ocean on the west.
The total land area of the United States is 3,615,276 square miles (9,363,520 square kilometers), which includes 78,937 square miles (204,447 square kilometers) of inland water, but excludes 60,053 square miles (155,535 square kilometers) of Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair and 42,529 square miles (110,148 square kilometers) of coastal water.
Notable geographic features of the United States include the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Death Valley, and major mountain ranges such as the Appalachian Highlands, which extend from Maine to Alabama, the Rocky Mountain range, the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and the Coast Ranges of the West Coast. The San Andreas Fault runs through the Coast Ranges. Death Valley, California, is the driest place in the country, and receives less than two inches of rainfall per year, and has recorded the highest air temperature in the U.S. at 134 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Centigrade). The longest river in the United States is the Mississippi River. Another notable geographic feature is Niagara Falls on the U.S./Canadian border, the third greatest falls in the world in terms of the power and volume of the water which flows over them.
The capital city of the United States is Washington, D.C.
The population of the United States as of February 21, 2007 is estimated at 301,222,584. The population represents many ethnic groups and religions. The religions practiced by the largest number of the population are Christianity, Judaism, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon), Islam, and Buddism, according to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2001.
The most common language of the United States is English, although there is no official language. The second most common language spoken is Spanish.
The symbols of the United States are its flag and the Great Seal. The flag is characterized by a blue field in the upper left corner containing 50 white stars for the 50 states. The 13 red stripes on a white ground represent the 13 original colonies forming the Union in 1776. The Great Seal has an eagle on a white ground holding an olive branch and a clutch of arrows; the olive branch symbolizes a desire for peace and the arrows the ability to wage war. The eagle is a bald eagle, the official bird adopted as the official emblem of the United States on June 20, 1782.
The form of government of the United States is a Republic. The government has three branches, the Executive branch, which is the President (the head of state) assisted by an appointed Cabinet, the Legislative branch, which is a Congress of two houses (the Senate and the House of Representatives), and the Judicial branch, whose highest court is the Supreme Court. The Senate has 100 elected members, two members from each of the 50 states. The House of Representatives currently has 435 members, elected by the states based on the population of each state.
The unit of currency is the dollar.
Web Sites
Catalog
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- United States — Description and Travel
- United States — History
- United States — Politics and Government
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