Wednesday, May 18, 2016

United States


United States Population: 303,824,640
BackgroundBritain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Trty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a of overss possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defted a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Grt Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by stdy growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.Map data ©2009 Europa Technologies - Terms of Use
GeographyWorld's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Dth Valley the lowest point on the continent.Loion:North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocn and the North Pacific Ocn, between Canada and MexicoGeographic coordinates:38 00 N, 97 00 WAr:total: 9,826,630 sq km
land: 9,161,923 sq km
water: 664,707 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of ColumbiaSize comparison: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the Europn Union
Land Boundaries:total: 12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is lsed by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 kmCoastline:19,924 kmMaritime claims:territorial s: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specifiedClimate:mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the grt plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Grt Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the stern slopes of the Rocky MountainsTerrain:vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in st; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in HawaiiElevation extremes:lowest point: Dth Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,198 mNatural resources:coal, copper, ld, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's totalLand use:arable land: 18.01%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 81.78% (2005)Irrigated land:223,850 sq km (2003)Natural hazards:tsunamis, volcanoes, and rthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southst; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to developmentCurrent Environment Issues:air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the ing of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertifiionInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitro Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Sls, Antarctic Trty, Climate Change, Desertifiion, Endangered Species, Environmental Modifiion, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes
PeoplePopulation:303,824,640 (July 2008 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: 20.1% (male 31,257,108/female 29,889,645)
15-64 yrs: 67.1% (male 101,825,901/female 102,161,823)
65 yrs and over: 12.7% (male 16,263,255/female 22,426,914) (2008 est.)Median age:total: 36.7 yrs
male: 35.4 yrs
female: 38.1 yrs (2008 est.)Population growth rate:0.883% (2008 est.)Birth rate:14.18 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)Dth rate:8.27 dths/1,000 population (2008 est.)Net migration rate:2.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 yrs: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 yrs: 1 male(s)/female
65 yrs and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 6.3 dths/1,000 live births
male: 6.95 dths/1,000 live births
female: 5.62 dths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.14 yrs
male: 75.29 yrs
female: 81.13 yrs (2008 est.)Total fertility rate:2.1 children born/woman (2008 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.6% (2003 est.)HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:950,000 (2003 est.)HIV/AIDS - dths:17,011 (2005 est.)Nationality:noun: American(s)
adjective: AmericanEthnic groups:white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Buru considers Hispanic to mn a person of Latin American descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is HispanicReligions:Protestant 51.3%, Roman holic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)Languages:English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-Europn 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of HawaiiLiteracy:definition: age 15 and over can rd and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USAGovernment type:Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic traditionCapital:name: Washington, DC
geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W
time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
note: the 50 United States cover six time zonesAdministrative divisions:50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, WyomingDependent ars:American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwlth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)Independence:4 July 1776 (from Grt Britain)National holiday:Independence Day, 4 July (1776)Constitution:17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789Legal system:federal court system based on English common law; ch state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic ) is based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:18 yrs of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and hd of government
hd of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from ch state; president and vice president serve four-yr terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held on 6 November 2012)
election results: Barack H. OBAMA elected president; percent of popular vote - Barack H. OBAMA 52.4%, John MCCAIN 46.3%, other 1.3%;Legislative branch:bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 sts, 2 members are elected from ch state by popular vote to serve six-yr terms; one-third are elected every two yrs) and the House of Representatives (435 sts; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-yr terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2010); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; sts by party - Democratic Party 49, Republican Party 49, independent 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; sts by party - Democratic Party 233, Republican Party 202Judicial branch:Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appl; United States District Courts; State and County CourtsPolitical parties and lders:Democratic Party [Timothy KAINE]; Green Party; Libertarian Party [William (Bill) REDPATH]; Republican Party [Michael STEELE]Political pressure groups and lders:environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PAC; hlth groups; eduion groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbiesInternational organization participation:ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, PC, EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, I, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, N, NSG, OAS, OE, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
EconomyThe US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $48,000. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy grter flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or nr the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the eduion and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, hlth insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast region in August 2005, but had a small impact on overall GDP growth for the yr. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 thrtened inflation and unemployment, as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about two-thirds of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The merchandise trade deficit rched a record $847 billion in 2007, but declined to $810 billion in 2008, as a depreciating exchange rate for the dollar against most major currencies discouraged US imports and made US exports more competitive abroad. The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and other industrial corporations. President Barack OBAMA has announced his intention to support an additional $825 billion fiscal stimulus package - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to crte jobs and to help the economy recover.GDP (purchasing power parity):$14.58 trillion (2008 est.)GDP (official exchange rate):$14.33 trillion (2008 est.)GDP - rl growth rate:1.4% (2008 est.)GDP - per capita (PPP):$48,000 (2008 est.)GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 1.2%
industry: 19.6%
services: 79.2% (2008 est.)Labor force:155.2 million (includes unemployed) (2008 est.)Labor force - by occupation:farming, forestry, and fishing 0.6%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.6%, managerial, professional, and technical 35.5%, sales and 24.8%, other services 16.5%
note: figures exclude the unemployed (2007)Unemployment rate:7.2% (December 2008)Population below poverty line:12% (2004 est.)Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)Distribution of family income - Gini index:45 (2007)Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.2% (2008 est.)Investment (gross fixed):14.6% of GDP (2008 est.)Budget:revenues: $2.524 trillion
expenditures: $2.979 trillion (2008 est.)Public debt:60.8% of GDP (2007 est.)Agriculture - products:
Industries:lding industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommuniions, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, miningIndustrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:4.167 trillion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - consumption:3.892 trillion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - exports:20.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - imports:51.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)Oil - production:8.457 million bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - consumption:20.68 million bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - exports:1.165 million bbl/day (2005)Oil - imports:13.71 million bbl/day (2005)Oil - proved reserves:20.97 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)Natural gas - production:545.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - consumption:652.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - exports:23.28 billion cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - imports:130.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:5.977 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)Current account balance:-$568.8 billion (2008 est.)Exports:$1.377 trillion f.o.b. (2008 est.)Exports - commodities:agricultural products (soybns, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommuniions equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2003)Exports - partners:Canada 21.4%, Mexico 11.7%, China 5.6%, Japan 5.4%, UK 4.3%, Germany 4.3% (2007)Imports:$2.19 trillion f.o.b. (2008 est.)Imports - commodities:agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommuniions equipment, motor vehicle parts, machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2003)Imports - partners:China 16.9%, Canada 15.7%, Mexico 10.6%, Japan 7.4%, Germany 4.8% (2007)Economic aid - donor:ODA, $23.53 billion (2006)Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$70.57 billion (31 December 2007 est.)Debt - external:$12.25 trillion (30 June 2007)Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$2.22 trillion (2008 est.)Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:$2.751 trillion (2008 est.)Market value of publicly traded shares:$19.95 trillion (31 December 2007)Currency ():US dollar (USD)Exchange rates:British pounds per US dollar: 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004) Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1.0364 (2008), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004) Chinese yuan per US dollar: 6.9385 (2008), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004) euros per US dollar: 0.6689 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) Japanese yen per US dollar: 103.58 (2008), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006) 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)Fiscal yr:1 October - 30 September
CommuniionsTele in use:163.2 million (2007)Cellular in use:255 million (2007)Telephone system:eral assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communiions system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country
international: country - 1; multiple ocn cable systems provide international connectivity; satellite rth stations - 61 sat (45 Atlantic Ocn and 16 Pacific Ocn), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocn region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocn regions) (2000)Radio broadcast stations:AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006)Television broadcast stations:2,218 (2006)Internet country :.usInternet hosts:316 million (2008); note - the US Internet total host count includes the following top level domain host addresses: .us, .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, and .orgInternet users:223 million (2008)
TransportationAirports:14,947 (2007)Airports (paved runways):total: 5,143
over 3,047 m: 191
2,438 to 3,047 m: 224
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,452
914 to 1,523 m: 2,323
under 914 m: 953 (2007)Airports (unpaved runways):total: 9,804
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 153
914 to 1,523 m: 1,732
under 914 m: 7,912 (2007)Heliports:146 (2007)Pipelines:petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2006)Railways:total: 226,612 km
standard gauge: 226,612 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)Roadways:total: 6,465,799 km
paved: 4,209,835 km (includes 75,040 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,255,964 km (2007)Waterways:41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)
note: Saint Lawrence Sway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2008)Merchant marine:total: 422
by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 61, cargo 69, carrier 2, chemical tanker 22, container 81, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 59, petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle carrier 22
foreign-owned: 74 (Australia 1, Denmark 31, Germany 5, Japan 7, Malaysia 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Singapore 12, Sweden 5, UK 1)
registered in other countries: 732 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Australia 2, Bahamas 106, Bermuda 23, Cambodia 6, Canada 10, Cayman Islands 42, Comoros 2, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Greece 8, Hong Kong 29, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 4, Italy 17, South Kor 7, Liberia 98, Luxembourg 4, Malta 23, Marshall Islands 123, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 1, Norway 7, Panama 126, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 22, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tuvalu 1, UK 12, Vanuatu 1, unknown 2) (2008)Ports and terminals:Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Bch, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City
Military
Military branches:US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in pcetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2008)Military service age and obligation:18 yrs of age (17 yrs of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); service obligation 8 yrs, including 2-5 yrs active duty (Army), 2 yrs active (Navy), 4 yrs active (Air Force, Marines) (2008)Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 72,715,332
females age 16-49: 71,638,785 (2008 est.)Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 59,413,358
females age 16-49: 59,187,183 (2008 est.)

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