First OFFICIAL appearance: Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America,

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and

declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States

AREA

• 9.6 million square km (land: 9,161,923 sq km; water: 469,495 sq km)

• 6.2% of world land

• third largest country by size in the world after Russia and Canada

Elevations:

• highest peak – Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska (6,193m above sea level)

• lowest point – Death Valley, California (86m below sea level)

Location:

The United States lies in North America and borders the North Atlantic Ocean to the east and the North Pacific Ocean to the west. The length of the U.S. coastline is 19,924 km.

Borders:

with CANADA (8,893 km, including 2,477 km with Alaska)

o   the longest border between any two countries in the world

o   officially known as the International Boundary

o   mostly along the 49^th parallel (called Medicine Line by Native Americans)

o   established by the Treaty of Paris 1783; modified several times, most notably in 1846 (Oregon Question)

with MEXICO (3,141 km).

o   established by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848) and Gadsden Purchase (1853)

o   mostly runs along the Rio Grande

POPULATION

• 328 million (est. 2019)

• third largest country in the world after China and India.

• 76.3% White

• 13.4% Black

• 5.9% Asian

• 2.8% Other

• 1.3% Native American

• 0.2% Pacific Islander

By ethnicity:

• 81.5% Non-Hispanic or Latino

• 18.5% Hispanic or Latino

DENSITY

• 33 persons per square km

In comparison:

• Netherlands: 423

• UK: 280

• Germany: 232

• Poland: 122

POLITICAL DIVISION

• 50 STATES

• Washington D.C. (District of Columbia)

• 15 insular areas

• 326 Indian reservations

50 STATES

• 13 (1783) → 50 (1959)

• 48 coterminous / mainland / continental / lower states

• 2 outlying states: Alaska (49^th) and Hawaii (50^th) admitted to the Union in 1959

largest in population: California – 39 million (more than 10% of all Americans)

smallest in population: Wyoming – 0.5 million

largest in area: Alaska - 1.4 million sq km

smallest in area: Rhode Island – 2,000 sq km

Each state has its own:

• capital (usually smaller than big cities in the state)

• constitution

• government (legislature, Governor, State Supreme Court)

• administration

• legal system

WASHINGTON D.C. (District of Columbia)

• founded 1790

• federal capital since 1800

• federal city within the federal district

• run by the D.C. Council under direct power of the U.S. Congress

• represented by a non-voting delegate to the House of Representatives

15 INSULAR AREAS

overseas commonwealths, territories, possessions

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

Puerto Rico (since 1898)

·   1917 - Puerto Ricans granted American citizenship

·   1952 - a self-governing commonwealth

·   2017 – statehood referendum (97% for, however, only 23% turnout)

·   elects its own governor and sends a non-voting delegate to the House of Representatives