THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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 49th 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 (49th) and Hawaii (50th) 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
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 49th 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 (49th) and Hawaii (50th) 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
