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US General Facts
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| US Capital |
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| Washington D.C |
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| 10 largest US cities |
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1. New York -- NY (8,008,278)
2. Los Angeles -- CA (3,694,820)
3. Chicago -- IL (2,896,016)
4. Houston -- TX (1,953,631)
5. Philadelphia -- PA (1,517,550) |
6. Phoenix -- AZ (1,321,045)
7. San Diego -- CA (1,223,400)
8. Dallas -- TX (1,188,580)
9. San Antonio -- TX (1,144,646)
10. Detroit -- MI (951,270) |
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| Area of the United States |
Total:
Land:
Water: |
3,795,705 sq miles = 9,826,630 sq km
3,538,951 sq miles = 9,161,923 sq km
256,754 sq miles = 664,707 sq km |
| (Note: these figures include only the 50 states and District of Columbia) |
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| US Population 299,398,484 (2008, Est.) |
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| Brief US History and Background |
Britain'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 Treaty 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 number of overseas possessions.
The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and
the Great Depression of the 1930s. The most divisive event of the 20th century for the US was arguably the Vietnam War. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War
around 1990, the USA remain the world's most powerful nation.
In the 21st century, the US Economy continues to be marked by steady growth, high employment and low inflation. Rapid advances in technology and productivity, in which areas the United States remain the undisputed world leader, have cemented its ranking as the Number 1 Economy. |
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| Land boundaries: |
Total: 7,479 miles = 12,034 km
Border countries: Canada : 5,527 mls = 8,893 km (including 1,539 mls = 2,477 km with Alaska).
Mexico : 1,952 mls = 3,141 km
Note: The US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 17 mls = 28 km.
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| Main languages spoken |
| English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii |
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| Natural resources |
| Coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, oil, natural gas. |
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| US Agricultural Products |
Wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish;
forestry products. |
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| US Industries and Industrial Products |
| The USA is the leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced. Main industries: oil & gas, mining, steel, other metals, motor vehicles, chemicals, telecommunications, aerospace, electricals, electronics, computers, health care and medical products, food processing, plastics, consumer goods, wood and lumber, pulp and paper, machinery, construction and construction materials. |
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| Other Economic Activities & Services |
Commensurate with its economic status, the USA is a world leader in banking and financial services, the insurance industry, as well as stock, currency and commodities trading. Other important service industries include engineering, consulting, medical services, health care, programming and software engineering, and the entertainment and film industries.
Tourism, too, has traditionally been an important industry for the US. Blessed with an abundance
of world-famous nature sites, an endless variety of breathtaking landscape and beaches, numerous important historic places, and vibrant cities, the USA is a major tourist country. |
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