United States

The United States of America! Here’s a wealth of information about the country:

Geography

• Location: North America
• Area: approximately 3.8 million square miles (9.8 million square kilometers)
• Coastline: 95,000 miles (153,000 kilometers) along the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Arctic Ocean
• Bordering countries: Canada to the north, Mexico to the south
• Mountain ranges: Appalachian Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Cascades
• Highest point: Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley), Alaska – 20,310 feet (6,190 meters)
• Lowest point: Death Valley, California – 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level

Climate

• Varied climate zones: tropical, desert, temperate, polar
• Major climate regions:
  • West Coast: mild and temperate
  • East Coast: humid continental and subtropical
  • Southwest: hot and dry desert climate
  • Midwest: humid continental climate
  • Southeast: subtropical and humid climate

Capital and Largest City

• Capital city: Washington, D.C.
• Largest city: New York City (population over 8.4 million)

Population

• Approximately 331 million people as of 2020
• Diverse population with people from various ethnic backgrounds, including European, African American, Asian American, Latinx, Native American, Pacific Islander, and others

Economy

• Mixed economy with a strong service sector (73% of GDP)
• Major industries:
  • Technology and software
  • Healthcare and biotechnology
  • Finance and insurance
  • Manufacturing (including aerospace and automotive)
  • Agriculture (corn, soybeans, wheat)
• GDP (nominal): over $22 trillion (2020)

Government

• Federal republic with a presidential system
• Three branches of government:
  1. Legislative (Congress)
  2. Executive (President and Vice President)
  3. Judicial (Supreme Court and lower federal courts)
• State governments have similar structures

History

• Indigenous peoples inhabited the Americas for thousands of years before European colonization
• European colonization began in the 16th century; British colonization was most significant
• American Revolution led to independence from Great Britain in 1776
• Civil War (1861-1865) led to abolition of slavery; Reconstruction Era followed
• Industrialization and westward expansion occurred during the late 19th century
• World Wars I and II had significant impacts on American society and economy
• Cold War and globalization have shaped international relations since the mid-20th century

Culture

• Diverse cultural heritage:
  • Music: jazz, blues, rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop
  • Literature: American classics like Mark Twain and Edgar Allan Poe; modern authors like Toni Morrison and Cormac McCarthy
  • Cuisine: diverse regional specialties like BBQ, Tex-Mex, seafood, and soul food
  • Sports: popular sports include baseball, football, basketball, soccer
  • Holidays: Independence Day (July 4), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), Christmas Day (December 25)

This is just a small taste of what the United States has to offer!