The United States is a nation made up of 50 states, located in North America. The country represents the largest economy in the world, exercising influence on the entire planet.
United States or United States of America is a nation located on the American continent , specifically on the North America subcontinent. Considered the greatest power in the world and one of the countries with the greatest ethnic and cultural diversity, due to the strong attractiveness of immigrants.
Diversity also extends to natural characteristics due to its great territorial extension , having territories with completely different characteristics, such as climate, relief and hydrography.
The country has economic, political and military influence in different regions of the world. With the exception of North Korea, Bhutan and Iran, all other countries maintain diplomatic relations with the United States.
It is possible to find embassies from almost every country in North American territory. The country is a member of important organizations, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) , the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Security Council.
United States data
Official name | USA |
Official language | English |
capital | Washington, DC |
Government | Presidential Federal Republic |
President | Donald Trump |
Area | 9,371,175 km 2 |
Population | 328,751,657 inhabitants |
Demographic density | 35.08 inhab / km 2 |
Gross Domestic Product | $ 19.390 trillion |
Currency | American dollar |
Human development Index | 0.924 |
United States capital
The capital of the United States is the city of Washington, DC, which is both the federal district of the country.
The American capital is the city of Washington, DC , home to the White House. The abbreviation DC stands for District of Columbia, which identifies the federal district of the United States. Thus, the city and the district exist simultaneously, under the command of the same government.
The District of Columbia was officially formed in 1790 while the city of Washington was opened in 1800. The name of the capital was chosen in honor of the first president of the United States, George Washington. The capital is located near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, on the left bank of the Potomac River, in a region that previously belonged to the states of Virginia and Maryland.
Government
The government in the United States corresponds to a Constitutional Republic and a representative democracy. This means that there is a head of state that represents the people, governing according to constitutional laws and the exercise of political power is legitimized by the sovereignty of the people.
There are three levels of government: federal, state and municipal. The federal government is divided into legislative, executive and judicial. Executive and legislative officials are chosen by the vote of the people.
The local government is divided into municipal governments and counties , which are territories whose powers vary from state to state, constituting an administrative division, and then having a local administration. Each state has a number of counties, with Texas being the state with the largest number.
Read more: Independence of the United States
United States
The United States is divided into 50 states and some territories such as Puerto Rico, a territory not incorporated into the United States, located in the Caribbean.
Alabama | Massachusetts |
Alaska | Michigan |
Arcansas | Minnesota |
Arizona | Mississippi |
California | Missouri |
Kansas | Montana |
North Caroline | Nebraska |
South Carolina | Nevada |
Colorado | New Hampshire |
Connecticut | New Jersey |
North Dakota | New York |
South Dakota | New Mexico |
Delaware | Oklahoma |
Florida | Ohio |
Georgia | Oregon |
Hawaii | Pennsylvania |
Idaho | Tennessee |
Rhode Island | Texas |
Illinois | Utah |
Indiana | Vermont |
Iowa | Virginia |
Kentucky | West Virginia |
Louisiania | Washington |
Maine | Wisconsin |
Maryland | Wyoming |
United States Map
economy
The United States represents the largest economy in the world with a Gross Domestic Product of $ 19.39 trillion. It is an extremely developed country, whose economy is based on the exploitation of natural resources, investment in infrastructure, high productivity, being considered the largest importer among all countries. The country’s GDP per capita is US $ 59,500.
According to the Economic Complexity Observatory, the country is the third largest exporter economy in the world . In the year 2017, the North American nation exported around US $ 1.25 trillion. The main exports are refined petroleum, airplanes, cars, helicopters, gas turbines and packaged medicines. The main export destinations are:
- Mexico
- Canada
- China
- Japan
- Germany
In 2017, the country imported around US $ 2.16 trillion. The main imports are: cars, crude petroleum, transmission equipment, digital disk drives and vehicle parts. The origins of these imports are:
- China
- Mexico
- Canada
- Japan
- Germany
See also: Difference between export and import
Flag
The United States flag bands represent the ancient Thirteen Colonies and the stars represent the 50 states.
Population
Currently, in the United States, approximately 328,751,657 inhabitants live, making it the third most populous country in the world. The population is largely made up of immigrants from different parts of the world, such as Asia and Latin America. There is a great diversity of ethnic groups in the country which gives the nation a great cultural diversity as well.
The most populous cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas. Most Americans live in urban areas. The official language in the country is English, however, it is worth noting that there is no official language at the federal level. Spanish is also widely spoken in the country, about 12% of the population using it as a second language.
Read also : Racial segregation in the United States
Culture
The United States represents a nation of cultural pluralism thanks to the great ethnic variety that exists in the American territory. The Western lifestyle makes North Americans seen as one of the most consuming nations in the world. The North American population lives the “American dream” that seeks to achieve success, prosperity and greater social mobility for families.
The country preaches religious freedom through the Constitution. Most Americans call themselves Christians . There are a large number of evangelicals and Protestants in the country, however, there is also a large group of people who claim to be without religion. Non-Christians are divided between Judaism, Buddhism and Islam, but they are in the minority.
Most Important Cities in the United States
1. New York
New York is one of the main destinations for those who like cultural programs and fashion.
New York , considered the most sustainable city in the world, according to a ranking released by WalletHub, is the most populous in the United States and the third most populous on the American continent. The city has been the scene of several films and is one of the most visited by foreigners.
The dynamism enchants tourists, who amidst lights, shops, signs, pedestrians and cars, find perfect scenarios of urban life. The United Nations headquarters is in New York, considered one of the safest cities in the country.
2. Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the movie city of the United States.
After New York only, Los Angeles is the second city with the largest number of inhabitants. The city is located in the state of California, in the western United States. The city is known especially for entertainment. Los Angeles concentrates much of the film industry in the country. Many tourists flock to the city to visit Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. The beaches are also a great attraction, with beautiful landscapes.
3. San Francisco
One of the main sights in San Francisco is the Golden Gate Brigde.
San Francisco is located in the state of California, on the West Coast of the United States and has approximately one million inhabitants, being the city with the highest population density in the state. The city is considered one of the financial centers of the United States and one of the richest cities in the country.
One of its postcards is the famous Golden Gate Brigde , a bridge about 2,700 meters long. In the metropolitan area of San Francisco, there are big companies like Google, Uber and Facebook.
4. Boston
Boston is one of the most important financial centers in the United States.
Boston is located in the state of Massachusetts, considered a global city , and is therefore an important economic, financial, commercial and industrial center in the United States. In the city, is located one of the most important and well-known universities in the world, Harvard . Boston is also well known for the sport, having strong teams in various sports, such as baseball and football.
5. Miami
Miami is one of the most visited cities in the United States.
Miami is one of the cities best known by Brazilians and a destination for thousands of tourists. The city is known for its beautiful beaches , partying and especially for the countless shops and malls that attract consumers from all over the world.
The city is located in the state of Florida, on the East Coast of the United States. The city has a large number of immigrants and the most spoken languages are English and Spanish. Miami is also considered an important financial center in the country.
Natural aspects
The United States is bathed by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They are limited to the North with Canada and to the South with Mexico. Because of the country’s great territorial extension, there is a great biodiversity, which gives it the title of “ megadiverse ” country and also a huge variety of climates and landscapes.
We can find in the country areas of tropical, humid subtropical, humid continental, arid, semi-arid and polar climate regions, such as Alaska. There are several forms of relief in the country, such as plains and mountainous regions.