United States
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This page is about the country United States of America. For other uses, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation).
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| Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to 1956) (Latin: "Out of Many, One") In God We Trust (1956 to present) |
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| Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner" | |||||
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| Capital | Washington, D.C. |
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| Largest city | New York City | ||||
| Official language(s) | None at federal level; English Spanish de facto |
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| Government | Federal Republic George Walker Bush (R) Richard Bruce Cheney (R) |
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| Independence â?¢ Declared â?¢ Recognized |
From Great Britain July 4, 1776 September 3, 1783 |
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| Area - Total - Water (%) |
9,631,418 km² (3rd1) 3,718,711 sq mi 4.87 |
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| Population - 2006 est. - 2000 census - Density |
298,540,066 (3rd) 281,421,906 30/km² (143rd) 83/sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) - Total - Per capita |
2006 estimate $13.049 trillion (1st) $43,555 (3rd) |
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| HDI (2003) | 0.944 (10th) â?? high | ||||
| Currency | Dollar ($) (USD) |
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| Time zone - Summer (DST) |
(UTC-5 to -10) (UTC-4 to -10) |
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| Internet TLD | .us .gov .edu .mil .um | ||||
| Calling code | +1 |
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| 1.) Area rank is disputed with China and sometimes is ranked 3rd or 4th. | |||||
The United States of America (the U.S., the U.S.A., the States, the United States, the U.S. of A., or America[1]) is a federal republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by Canada and to the south by Mexico. It comprises 50 states and one federal district, and has several territories with differing degrees of affiliation.
The U.S. originated from thirteen colonies in British North America that declared their independence in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, thirty-seven new states were added as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions.[2]
Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II, as well as the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the U.S. emerged as the world's sole superpower[3] or hyperpower.[4] Its global influence in economic, political, military, cultural, scientific and technological affairs around the world currently remain large. It is a member of G8, United Nations Security Council, NATO and NAFTA.
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History
- Main article: History of the United States
Before European colonization in the late 1400s, the current area of the United States was inhabited by Native Americans, who appear to have arrived on the continent by crossing the Bering land bridge some time between 50,000 and 11,000 years ago.[5] The first successful English settlement was at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Within the following two decades, several Dutch settlements, including New Amsterdam (later New York City), were established, followed by extensive British settlement of the east coast.
Tensions between American colonials and the British during the revolutionary period of the 1760s and 1770s led to open military conflict by 1775. George Washington commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) as the Continental Congress, an informal alliance of independent states with their own laws and sovereignty, signed the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Second Continental Congress was given the nominal authority to make decisions regarding the formation and founding of the Continental Army, but did not have the authority to levy taxes or make federal laws. In 1787 the United States Constitution was ratified by the Constitutional Convention to establish a federal union of sovereign states and a federal government to operate it.[6]
From 1803 to 1848 the size of the new nation nearly tripled. Even before the Louisiana Purchase, settlers had been pushing beyond their national boundaries, many carrying with them a belief that the republic was destined to expand across the continent.[7] This belief was thwarted somewhat by the stalemate of the War of 1812, but was reinforced by victory in the Mexican-American War in 1848. In the process of its expansion, the U.S. displaced most Native American nations residing in the area.[8] As new territories were being settled and incorporated into the country, a heated debate developed over whether slavery would be allowed to spread.
In the mid-19th century, the nation was divided over the issue of states' rights, the role of the federal government, and the expansion of slavery, which led to the American Civil War when, following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, South Carolina became the first state to declare its secession from the Union.[9] Six other Southern states followed, forming the Confederate States of America early in 1861. At the time, the Northern states were opposed to the expansion of slavery, while the Southern states saw the opposition as an attack on their way of life, since their economy, especially the cotton industry, was so dependent on slave labor. The Civil War effectively ended slavery, as well as the question of whether a state has the right to secede from the country, with an Union victory in 1865. The event is widely accepted as a major turning point in American history, with an increase in power for the federal government.[10]
The technological advances made during the Civil War, combined with an unprecedented wave of immigrants who helped to provide labor for American industry and create diverse communities in previously undeveloped areas, hastened the industrial development of the United States and its rise to international power. The country subsequently made many imperialist ventures abroad, including the annexation of Puerto Rico after a victory in the Spanish-American War.[11]
With the start of the First World War in 1914, the United States at first decided to maintain its neutrality, but eventually entered the war against the Central Powers and helped turn the tide of battle. American investors and the federal government had invested a large amount of money in Europe including loans granted to Great Britain and the Allies. Thus, one of the main reasons that the United States entered the First World War was to protect its interests in Europe and colonies governed by the European powers. There was also widespread public outrage over the German practice of unrestricted submarine warfare, which resulted in a loss of American life when ships operating in the waters around Europe were sunk. American sympathies, due to historical reasons, were also very much in favor of the British and French. However, a sizable number of citizens, mostly Irish and German, were staunchly opposed to U.S. intervention. Nonetheless, American involvement in the war brought the country much wealth and prestige, even though much of Europe laid in ruins.
After the war in 1918, the United States Senate did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles imposed by its Allies on the defeated Central Powers, which would have consequently pulled the U.S. into European affairs. Instead, the country chose to pursue unilateralism, if not isolationism.[12]
During most of the 1920s, the United States enjoyed a period of unbalanced prosperity as farm prices fell and industrial profits grew. The boom was fueled by a rise in debt and an inflated stock market, which resulted in a crash in 1929. The Great Depression followed, which led the government, under Franklin Roosevelt, to abandon its Laissez-faire economic policy. The recovery, however, was not complete until the Second World War, where the United States joined the side of the Allies against the Axis after a surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The ensuing war became the most costly war in American history, but it helped to pull the economy out of depression as it provided much needed jobs both at home and at the front.[13]
The post-war era in the United States was defined internationally by the beginning of the Cold War in the late 1940s, when the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR) attempted to expand their own global influence, with the U.S. representing democracy and capitalism, and the USSR Communism and a centrally planned economy. The actions of both sides, however, were checked by each side's massive nuclear arsenal. The result was a series of conflicts, including the Korean War, the massively unpopular Vietnam War, and the tense nuclear showdown of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Within the United States, the Cold War prompted concerns about Communist influences, which created the Red Scare of the 1950s. The space race between the two world superpowers resulted in government efforts to encourage greater math and science skills.[14]
Meanwhile in the country, urbanization was completed and American society experienced a period of sustained economic expansion. At the same time, discrimination across the United States, especially in the South, was increasingly challenged by a growing civil-rights movement led by such prominent African American as Martin Luther King, Jr., which led to the abolishment of the Jim Crow laws that legalized racial segregation between whites and blacks in the South.[15]
After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990, the United States continued to involve itself in military action overseas as demonstrated by the Gulf War. Following Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential election, the country experienced the largest economic expansion in its history, which is primarily attributed to the digital revolution and new business opportunities created by the Internet.[16]
At the beginning of the new millennium, following the September 11, 2001, attacks, the United States foreign policy became highly concerned with the threat of terrorist attacks. In response, the United States government began a long series of military, police and legal operations termed the War on Terror. With the support of most of the international community, the armed forces invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban regime, which was considered to be a safe haven for terrorism activities in the Middle East. More controversially, President Bush continued the "War on Terror" by invading Iraq and overthrowing Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. This second invasion proved relatively unpopular amongst the international community, even amongst long-time American allies such as France and Germany, which resulted in a wave of anti-American sentiment. Most recently, this discontent with the war has spread to the home front, as a purported majority of Americans are now dissatisfied with its prosecution. Nonetheless, over 30 nations supported the U.S. led invasion of Iraq in what became known as 'the coalition of the willing.'[17]
As of 2006, the political climate remains polarized as debates continue over issues such as the increasing trade deficit, a rising health care cost, illegal immigration, the separation of the church and the state, abortion, free speech, gay rights, as well as the ongoing war in Iraq.[18]
Politics
- Main articles: Politics of the United States and Federal government of the United States
The United States is a constitutional republic, meaning that its government is composed of and operates through a set of limited powers imposed by its design and enumerated in the United States Constitution. Specifically, the nation operates as a presidential system also known as a congressional system. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Each level enjoys certain exclusive powers and obligations, and the precise division of these powers has been a matter of considerable ongoing debate. Officials of each of these levels are either elected by eligible voters via secret ballot or appointed by other elected officials. Almost all electoral offices are decided in "first-past-the-post" elections, where a specific candidate who earns at least a plurality of the vote is elected to office, rather than a party being elected to a seat to which it may then appoint an official.
The relationship between the state and national governments is rather complex, because of the country's federal system. Under United States law, states are considered sovereign entities, meaning that the power of the states is considered to come directly from the people within the states rather than from the federal government. However, the American Civil War and Texas v. White established that states do not have the right to secede, and under the Constitution of the United States, they are not allowed to conduct foreign policy. Federal law overrides state law in the areas that the federal government is empowered to act, but the powers of the federal government are subject to limits outlined in the Constitution of the United States. All powers not granted to the federal government in the Constitution are duly appropriated to the states and the people, with the people explicitly retaining unenumerated Constitutional rights and the Federal government retaining the exclusive right to determine any unstated rights when these enter into conflict within the states.
The federal government of the United States is comprised of a Legislative Branch (led by Congress), an Executive Branch (led by the President), and a Judicial Branch (led by the Supreme Court). These three branches were designed to apply checks and balances on each other. The Constitution limits the powers of the federal government to defense, foreign affairs, the issuing and management of currency, the management of trade and relations between the states, as well as the protection of human rights. All other government powers theoretically repose in the individual states. However, in addition to these explicitly stated powers, the federal government has gradually extended its power into such areas as welfare and education, on the basis of the "Necessary and Proper" and "Commerce" clauses of the Constitution. The constitutionality of this extension of powers has been ruled on by the Supreme Court on numerous occasions, citing the above clauses.
- See also: Propaganda in the United States and Politics of Puerto Rico
Foreign relations
- Main article: Foreign relations of the United States
The United States of America has vast economic, political and military influence on a global scale, which makes its foreign policy a subject of great interest and discussion around the world. The country has one of the largest diplomatic presences of any nation. Almost every nation has both a U.S. embassy and an embassy of its own in Washington, D.C.. The ones considered America's closest allies are Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Japan.[19] Only a few do not have formal diplomatic relations with the United States, which include Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Somalia, and Sudan.[20]
During the American Revolution, the United States established relations with several European powers, convincing France, Spain, and the Netherlands to intervene in the war against Britain, a mutual enemy. In the period following, the U.S. oscillated between pro-French and pro-British policies. In general, the U.S. remained aloof from European disputes, focusing on territorial expansion in North America. The Monroe Doctrine was later established to weaken European influence in Latin America and help the U.S. become the dominant influence in the region. However, its expansionist policies led to war with Mexico, and later with Spain. During the American Civil War, the United States accused Britain and France of supporting the Confederate States and trying to control Mexico, but after that, the U.S. was virtually unchallenged in North America.
As U.S. power grew, it began to look at interests farther abroad, particularly in the pursuit of trade. It consequently occupied territories in the Pacific, such as Hawaii and the Philippines, demanded the opening of Japan to trade, and competed with other powers for influence in China. After World War II, the country was a major player in the establishment of the United Nations and became one of five permanent members of the Security Council.
During the Cold War, the U.S. foreign policy sought to limit the influence of the Soviet Union around the world. In the effort to contain the Soviets, the U.S. founded NATO, which compels the country to defend against any foreign invasion of any NATO state in North America and Europe. In an example of realpolitik, the U.S. also established diplomatic relations with Communist countries that were antagonistic to the Soviet Union, like the People's Republic of China during the Sino-Soviet split. In recent times, the United States has increased its border securities against illegal immigration and the shipment of illegal narcotics, particularly from Mexico and the Caribbean.[21] The country has also sought to fight terrorism and control the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, but its main goal remains to protect American interest and the safety of its citizens at home and abroad.
There are several territorial disputes, such as the Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and areas around Machias Seal Island and North Rock with Canada, and Wake Island, which is claimed by Marshall Islands. There is also a maritime boundary dispute with the Bahamas.[21]
Military
- Main article: Military of the United States
The military of the United States consists of four branches: the Army, the Navy (including the Marine Corps), and the Air Force, which are all administered by the Department of Defense. The Coast Guard falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime, but is placed under the Department of the Navy in times of war.
The combined United States armed forces comprise 1.4 million personnels on active duty,[22] along with several hundred thousand each in the Reserves and the National Guard. Service in the military is voluntary, though conscription may occur in times of war when more troops are needed at the front. The U.S. defense expenditure is estimated to be greater than the next twelve largest national military budgets combined. The U.S. currently occupies 702 military bases worldwide in every continent besides Antarctica.[23]
The United States' focus on military expenditures has ranged broadly, due to regularly changing ideologies inherent in its political system. The American military, in terms of physical resources, is actually smaller now than it was in 1997, despite being larger than it was during the Cold War, for example.[24]
Human rights
- Main article: Human rights in the United States
The Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of speech, religion, the press, the right to a fair trial, universal suffrage, and property rights. Several states maintained slavery until 1865, and various forms of ethnic and other discrimination were not prohibited until the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Some of the effects of this history are still apparent in the social structure. However, a bloody civil war and a long struggle for civil rights were prime examples of the internal concern with the definition of human rights in the U.S. Despite all of the legal changes of the past half-century, however, the United States remains a racially segregated society, with housing patterns, school enrollment, church membership, employment opportunities, and even college admissions all reflecting significant de facto segregation[25].
At times, the United States has been criticized for interventionist policies in places like Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East,[26] as well as for its support of repressive governments and warlords,[27] particularly during the Cold War, when many of these decisions were based upon a calculation of the greater good as a counterweight to the influence of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was seen by many in the U.S. as the world's greatest threat; to be opposed with methods that might not otherwise be considered ethical.[28][29]
Following the September 11, 2001, attacks and the ensuing War on Terror, the continuation of this debate has surrounded the USA PATRIOT Act and other measures, which opponents criticize as unnecessary and see them as a potential danger to traditional civil rights, citing the policy of extraordinary rendition as proof. However, proponents say they are necessary to preserve the country's security.[30]
- See also: Censorship in the United States
Political divisions
- Main article: Political divisions of the United States
At the Declaration of Independence, the United States consisted of 13 states. In the following years, this number has grown steadily due to expansion to the west, conquest and purchase of lands by the American government, and division of existing states to the current number of 50 U.S. states:
![Map of United States with state border lines. [31]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Map_of_USA_with_state_names.svg)
The contiguous part of the U.S. (i.e. without Hawaii and Alaska) is called the continental United States.
The United States also holds several other territories, districts, and possessions, notably the federal district of the District of Columbia, which contains the nation's capital city of Washington, and several overseas insular areas, the most significant of which are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. The Palmyra Atoll is the United States' only incorporated territory, however, it is currently unorganized and uninhabited. In addition, the United States Navy has controlled a small military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since 1898. The United States government possesses a lease to this land from Cuba which only mutual agreement or United States abandonment of the area can terminate.
Geography
- Main article: Geography of the United States
The United States is the world's third largest country by land area,[32] but this is disputed as some sources list the People's Republic of China as larger than the U.S. The disputed ranking stems from ongoing debate over the political status of Taiwan, without which China is smaller than the United States.[33]
The contiguous U.S. is bounded by the North Atlantic Ocean to the east and the North Pacific Ocean to the west, between Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. Alaska is bounded by the Pacific to the south and the Arctic Ocean to the north, with Canada to the east. The island state of Hawaii is situated in the Pacific, southwest of the North American mainland.
The landscape of the United States is extremely varied. In the east, rolling hills and temperate forests prevail, transitioning to prairies, boreal forests, and the relatively young Rocky Mountains in the west, with savanna and desertâ??including the Grand Canyonâ??among the more arid landscapes in the southwest. The northwest has the highest concentration of active volcanoes in the U.S. In the south, especially in Florida, subtropical forests and marshlands can be found. In Alaska, prominent mountain ranges rise up sharply from broad, flat tundra plains; numerous volcanoes can be found throughout the Alexander and Aleutian Islands south and west of the Alaskan mainland. Hawaii, a chain of tropical, volcanic islands, is a popular tourist attraction. Other major hydrographic features include the five Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River and seaway in the northeast bordering with Canada. In addition, the Mississippi-Missouri River (the world's fourth longest river system) snakes through the central U.S.[34]
The United States is frequently affected by a large variety of natural disasters. A common threat is tornadoes, especially in the South, the Great Plains, and other parts of the Midwest. Other problems include tropical cyclones along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts, floods, and earthquakes, particularly in southern Alaska and around California. Droughts too are prevalent, with the worst being the infamous Dust Bowl of the 1930s. More recently, the western U.S. experienced widespread drought from 1999â??2004, and signs of a major, long-term drought across the Great Plains have developed.[35]
Economy
- Main article: Economy of the United States
The economic history of the United States has its roots in the quest of European settlers for economic gain in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The American colonies progressed from marginally successful colonial economies to a small, independent farming economy. Over the course of those years, the United States grew from thirteen British colonies with distinct economies and institutions to one of the most integrated, largest, and industrialized economies in the world, making up over a fifth of the world economy.[36]
The economic system of the United States can be described as a capitalistic, free market-oriented mixed economy, in which corporations and other private firms make the vast majority of microeconomic decisions and governments prefer to take a minimal role in the domestic economy. Because of this, the U.S. has a small social safety net, and business firms in the U.S. face considerably less regulation than firms in many other nations. The fiscal policy of the nation since the New Deal has followed the general ideals of Keynesian economics, which replaced Classical economics following the Great Depression. Neoliberal ideals have become more prominent since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, due to the growing influence of globalization. Since the early 1980s, the United States has transformed from being the world's largest creditor to having a substantial current account deficit and a national debt which has reached record high levels relative to national GDP since World War II.[37]
Economic activity varies greatly across the country. For example, New York City is the center for financial, publishing, broadcasting, and advertising industries, while Los Angeles is the most important center for film and television production. The Midwest is known for its reliance on manufacturing and heavy industry, with Detroit serving as the center of the American automotive industry. The Southeast is a major hub for medical research, tourism, and the textiles industry.
The largest sector in the United States economy is service, which employs roughly three quarters of the work force.[38] The economy is fueled by an abundance of natural resources, such as coal, petroleum, and precious metals. However, the country still depends upon foreign nations for large amounts of resources, such as petroleum. In agriculture, the country is a top producer of corn, soy beans, rice, and wheat, with the Great Plains labeled as the "breadbasket of the world" for their tremendous agricultural output.[39] The U.S. has a large tourist industry, ranking third in the world,[40] and is also a leading export in goods such as automobiles, airplanes, steel, and electronics. The largest trading partner of the United States is Canada (19%), followed by the People's Republic of China, Mexico, and Japan.[41]
Science and technology
- Main article: Science and technology in the United States
The United States is an influential country in scientific and technological research and the production of innovative technological products. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), focal point for biomedical research in the United States, has contributed to international projects such as the Human Genome Project. The main governmental institution for aviation and space research is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Many government-funded corporations also play an important role, such as Boeing or Lockheed Martin.
Transportation
- Main article: Transportation in the United States
The automobile industry took off very early in the United States in comparison with other countries, and because of this, much of the transportation development in the country has been centered around the construction of a network of high-capacity highways. From data taken in 2004, there are about 6,407,637 kilometers (3,981,521 mi) of roadways in the U.S., the most in the world.[42]
Despite the popularity of cars, mass-transit systems are also available in some large cities, such as New York, which operates one of the busiest subway systems in the world. However, in comparison to Japan and Europe, the United States has an underdeveloped rail network since there exists no similar high-speed rail links connecting major cities, such as the TGV in France, the ICE network in Germany, and the Shinkansen in Japan.
Air travel is the preferred means of travel for long distances. There are also several major seaports in the United States, with the three busiest being the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach, and the Port of New York and New Jersey.
Demographics
- Main articles: Demographics of the United States and Racial demographics of the United States
As of July 2006, there are an estimated 298,444,215 people in United States. About 20.4% (male 31,095,847/female 29,715,872) are younger than 14 years old, 67.2% (male 100,022,845/female 100,413,484) are between 15 and 64 years old, and 12.5% (male 15,542,288/female 21,653,879) are over 65 years old. The population growth rate for 2006 is 0.59%.[43] According to the 2000 census, the country has 31 ethnic groups with at least one million members each, and numerous others represented in smaller amounts. Taken from data in 2003, the largest racial group is white[44][45]
Population migration and growth
The mean center of the U.S. population continues to drift farther west and south. Between 1990 and 2000, 19 of the 20 fastest-growing states were in the West and the South.[46]
The majority of Americans descend from European immigrants who either arrived after the establishment of the first English colonies or the Reconstruction period in 1863â??1877. This majority is expected to become a plurality by 2050. The largest ethnic group of European ancestry is German at 15.2 percent, followed by Irish (10.8%), English (8.7%), Italian (5.6%) and Scandinavian (3.7%). Many immigrants also hail from Slavic countries, such as Poland and Russia, as well as from French Canada.[47] African Americans, or Blacks, including the 0.6 percent of individuals that identify as one or more races, got their start with the initial wave of people from Africa, who arrived as slaves particularly throughout the colonial period in 1690-1808. In the early years, most of the African American population was concentrated in the South, but today, they are spread throughout the country, with many located in the cores of major urban centers of the North. Indigenous peoples in the United States, such as Native Americans and Inuit, make up only a very small percentage of the total population, with about 35% of them living on reservations.[48]
Current major demographic trends include the mass immigration of Hispanics from Latin America into the Southwest, which is home to about 60 percent of the 35 million Hispanics in the country. Immigrants from Mexico, who make up about 66 percent of the Hispanic-American community,[49] are second only to the German-American population in the single-race category. The Hispanic population, which is growing at an annual rate of about 58 percent since the 1990s, is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades.[50] Most Asian Americans, including Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, are concentrated on the West Coast and Hawaii,[51] with a growing concentration in the New York City metropolitan area, as well as the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. The largest groups are from the Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. The Asian American population is increasing at an annual rate of about 52 percent since the 1990s.[52]
- See also: Immigration to the United States
Education
- Main article: Education in the United States
Education in the country is a state or local, not federal, responsibility, which make the laws and standards vary considerably. However, the Department of Education of the federal government exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. In most states, students are generally obliged to attend mandatory schooling in public schools starting with kindergarten, and ending with the 12th grade, which is normally completed at age 18, but many states may allow students to drop out at the age of 16. Besides public schools, parents may also choose to educate their own children at home or to send their children to parochial or private schools.
After high school, students may choose to attend universities, either public or private. Public universities receive funding from the federal and state governments, as well as other sources, but students still have to pay tuition. The amount paid varies depending on the university or the state of residence, and students have to pay more if they want to attend a public university outside their state. Tuition at private universities tends to be much higher than at public universities, and it is not uncommon for students to join the workforce or the military after graduation.
American colleges and universities range from competitive schools, both private (such as Harvard University and MIT) and public (such as the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Virginia), to hundreds of local community colleges with open admission policies.