NationMaster - Encyclopedia: America (USA)

The United States of America, also known as the United States, U.S., the U.S.A., or America, is a country in the Northern Hemisphere occuping the central portion of North America. Neighboring countries include Canada, Mexico, Russia, The Bahamas, and Cuba. US, Us or us may stand for us, the oblique case form of the English language pronoun we. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The Great Seal of the United States, obverse side. ... National flag and ensign. ... Obverse The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States government. ... This page lists state and national mottos for the worlds independent states and if applicable, their component states. ... E pluribus unum is included in the Great Seal of the United States E pluribus unum was the national motto of the United States of America. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... In God We Trust on the twenty dollar bill In God We Trust is the current national motto of the United States of America. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Nicholson took the copy Key gave him to a printer, where it was published as a broadside on 17 September 1814 under the title Defence of Fort McHenry, with a note explaining the circumstances of its writing. ... Locator map of the USA, created/modified by Aris Katsaris from other Wikipedia locator maps File links The following pages link to this file: United States Template:United States infobox Categories: GFDL images ... This is a list of national capitals of the world in alphabetical order. ... Flag Seal Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ... The following is an overview of the demographics of the United States. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area - City 1,214. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... // Although the United States currently has no official language, it is largely monolingual with English being the de facto official language. ... American English (AmE) is the dialect of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... The Federal Republic of Germany and its sixteen BundeslÃ¤nder (Federal States) A federal republic is a state which is both a federation and a republic. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941) is the 46th Vice President of the United States, serving under the President George W. Bush. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... Painting by Benjamin West depicting John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different surface areas here is a list of areas between 1 million kmÂ² and 10 million kmÂ². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of countries by population Population density map of the world This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, with population figures estimated for 1 July 2005 (rounded to the nearest 1,000). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... World map of the population density in 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/kmÂ². The figures in the following table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of world GDP (PPP) by country using the IMF and World Bank lists for 2004 There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita, based on the 2005 IMF data. ... World map indicating HDI of UN member states, 2003. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... World map indicating HDI of UN member states, 2003. ... This article is about general United States currency. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... It has been suggested that leap second be merged into this article or section. ... Areas in blue which observe daylight saving time. ... It has been suggested that leap second be merged into this article or section. ... The following is a list of currently existing Internet Top-level domains (TLDs). ... .us is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States of America, established in 1985. ... .gov is the generic top-level domain used by the United States federal government. ... .edu (dot-edu) is the generic top-level domain for educational institutions, primarily those in the United States. ... .mil is the generic top-level domain for the United States Department of Defense and its subsidiary organizations. ... .um is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States Minor Outlying Islands. ... A telephone dial This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Insert non-formatted text here The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is north of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On the Earth, the Northern Hemisphere contains most of the land and population. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...

The present-day United States has been inhabited for at least 15,000 years by Native Americans. After sporadic visits by Vikings from Greenland and Spanish explorers, territories in the eastern half of the continent were claimed by the British during the 17th century. As the population grew and new areas were settled, thirteen largely self-governing colonies were established over the course of the 17th and early 18th centuries. Native Americans is a term which has several different common meanings and scope, according to regional use and context. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who achieved the Conquista (this Spanish term is generally accepted by historians), i. ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 states. ...

On 4 July 1776, the thirteen colonies declared independence. After a war of independence, the British recognized the new country on 3 September 1783. Since then, the United States has tripled in size through territorial acquisitions and expanded to fifty states and a number of overseas territories. The United States has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system since the establishment of its constitution on September 17, 1787. The capital city is Washington, D.C. and the population of the country is nearly 300 million. July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Netherlands, Spain, Native Americans Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, Native Americans Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene William Howe, Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775â€“1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[1] was a conflict that... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Flag Seal Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ...

The U.S.'s military and economic stature increased throughout the 20th century; the nation emerged as the world's sole superpower following the collapse of the Soviet Union after the Cold War. ^[1] The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ...

Origin and history of name

The earliest known use of the name America dates from 1507 for entire North and South American continent. It appears on a globe and a large map created by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges. An accompanying book, Cosmographiae Introductio, explains that the name was derived from the Latinized version of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci's name, Americus Vespucius, in its feminine form, America, as the other continents all have Latin feminine names. 1507 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Martin WaldseemÃ¼ller (ca. ... Saint-DiÃ©-des-Vosges, commonly referred to as Saint-DiÃ©, is a commune of northeastern France. ... Cosmographiae introductio was a book published in 1507 to accompany Martin Waldseemüllers map of the world and wall-map, which was the first appearance of the name America. It is widely held to have been written by Matthias Ringmann although some historians attribute it to Waldseemüller himself. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Amerigo Vespucci (March 9, 1454 in Florence, Italy - February 22, 1512) was an Italian merchant and cartographer who voyaged to and wrote about the Americas. ...

The term "America" to designate the United States has been used by Americans since the foundation of the country as well as by other nations to describe the United States. Several patriotic songs and poems have also used this term throughout American history, including the songs "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful". Image File history File links America_3. ... Image File history File links America_3. ... The SS America was an ocean liner built in 1940 for the United States Lines. ... God Bless America is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938. ... America the Beautiful is an American patriotic song which rivals The Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States, in popularity. ...

The term "united States" was first used officially in the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4th 1776 and reiterated as the "United States of America" on September 17, 1787 when the United States Constitution was signed. U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ...

The term "American" to denote a citizen of the United States has been regularly used througout the country's history. However, some citizens of Latin American countries object to this usage claiming that the United States is only one of the countries in the Americas and therefore citizens of the U.S. should not be called "americanos".

History

Before the European colonization of the Americas, a process that began at the end of the 15th century, the present-day U.S. was inhabited exclusively by Native Americans, who arrived on the continent between 50,000 and 11,000 years ago.^[2] The first successful English settlement was at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, followed by the Pilgrims' landing at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Within the following two decades, several Dutch settlements, including New Amsterdam (later New York City), were established; New Sweden was founded by the Swedes in Delaware, and extensive British settlement of the east coast continued making up the original thirteen colonies that would form the United States of America in 1783. The history of the United States has occurred at the regional, territorial, state and local level. ... Image File history File links MayflowerHarbor. ... Image File history File links MayflowerHarbor. ... Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall (1882) The Mayflower was the ship which transported the Pilgrims from Plymouth, England to North Virginia (which later became part of the United States of America) in 1620, leaving Plymouth on September 6 and dropping anchor near Cape Cod on November 11 (both... Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1867) The Pilgrims were a group of English religious separatists who sailed from Europe to North America in the early 17th century, in search of a home where they could freely practice their style of religion. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The 1609 charter for the Virginia colony from sea to sea The Virginia Colony refers to the English colony in North America that existed during the 17th and 18th centuries before the American Revolution. ... Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1867) The Pilgrims were a group of English religious separatists who sailed from Europe to North America in the early 17th century, in search of a home where they could freely practice their style of religion. ... Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area Ranked 44th - Total 10,555 sq. ... New Amsterdam (Dutch: Nieuw Amsterdam) was the name of the 17th century fortified settlement in the New Netherland territory (1614-1674) of which legal possession as a North American province of the Dutch Republic was taken in 1624 through physical settlement by the Dutch West India Company under the auspices... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area - City 1,214. ... New Sweden, or Nya Sverige, was a small Swedish settlement along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America. ...

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 First Continental Congress signed the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Second Continental Congress was formed to found 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 the federal government to operate it.^[3] Image File history File links Declaration_independence. ... Image File history File links Declaration_independence. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... The American Revolution was an upheaval that ended British control of middle North America, resulting ultimately in the formation of the United States of America. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Netherlands, Spain, Native Americans Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, Native Americans Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene William Howe, Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775â€“1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[1] was a conflict that... The First Continental Congress was a body of representatives appointed by the legislatures of twelve North American colonies of Great Britain in 1774. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... The Second Continental Congress was a body of representatives appointed by the legislatures of several British North American colonies which met from May 10, 1775 to March 1, 1781. ... Illustration depicting uniforms and weapons used during the 1779 to 1783 period of the American Revolution by showing four soldiers standing in an informal group General George Washington, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. ... A tax (also known as a duty) is a financial charge or other levy imposed on an individual or a legal entity by a state or a functional equivalent of a state (e. ... The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... The Philadelphia Conventionâ€”also known as the Constitutional Conventionâ€”took place in May through September, 1787, to address problems in the government of the United States of America following independence from Britain. ...

From 1803 to 1848, the size of the new nation nearly tripled as settlers (many entrenched with the concept of Manifest Destiny as an inevitable consequence of American exceptionalism) pushed beyond national boundaries even before the Louisiana Purchase.^[4] The expansion was tempered somewhat by the stalemate in the War of 1812, but was subsequently reinvigorated by victory in the Mexican-American War in 1848. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1038, 1136 KB)United States Territorial Acquisitions // Summary Main article: United States territorial acquisitions This image depicts the United States historic acquisitions of territories, such as the Thirteen Colonies, the Louisiana Purchase, British and Spanish Cession, and so on. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1038, 1136 KB)United States Territorial Acquisitions // Summary Main article: United States territorial acquisitions This image depicts the United States historic acquisitions of territories, such as the Thirteen Colonies, the Louisiana Purchase, British and Spanish Cession, and so on. ... This painting (circa 1872) by John Gast called American Progress is an allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... From Frank Bond, Louisiana and the Louisiana Purchase. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Strength United States Regular army : 99,000 Volunteers: 10,000* Rangers: 3,000 Militia: 458,000** Naval and marine: 20,000 Indigenous peoples New York Iroquois: 600 Northwestern allies: ? Southern allies: ? United Kingdom Regular army: 10,000+ Naval and marine: ? Canadian militia: 86,000+** Indigenous... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Zachary Taylor Winfield Scott Stephen W. Kearney Antonio LÃ³pez de Santa Anna Mariano Arista Pedro de Ampudia Strength 60,000 40,000 Casualties KIA: 1,733 Total dead: 13,283 Wounded: 4,152 25,000 killed or wounded (Mexican government estimate) The Mexican-American...

As new territories were being incorporated, the nation was divided over the issue of states' rights, the role of the federal government, and, by the 1820s, the expansion of slavery. The Northern states were opposed to the expansion of slavery whereas the Southern states saw the opposition as an attack on their way of life, since their economy was dependent on slave labor. The failure to resolve these issues led to the American Civil War, following the secession of many slave states in the South to form the Confederate States of America after the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln.^[5] The 1865 Union victory in the Civil War effectively ended slavery, as well as settling the question of whether a state had the right to secede. The event was a major turning point in American history, with an increase in federal power.^[6] Download high resolution version (900x569, 409 KB)The battle of Gettysburg, Pa. ... Download high resolution version (900x569, 409 KB)The battle of Gettysburg, Pa. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 83,289 75,054 Casualties 23,049 (3,155 killed, 14,529 wounded, 5,365 captured/missing) 28,000 (3,500 killed, 18,000 wounded, 6,500 captured/missing) The Battle of... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederate) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties Killed in action: 110,000 Total dead: 360,000 Wounded: 275,200 Killed in action: 93,000 Total dead: 258... States rights refers to the idea that U.S. states possess certain rights and political powers in the politics of the United States and constitutional law. ... Map of the division of the states during the Civil War. ... Southern United States. ... The history of slavery in the United States began soon after Europeans first settled in what in 1776 became the United States. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederate) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties Killed in action: 110,000 Total dead: 360,000 Wounded: 275,200 Killed in action: 93,000 Total dead: 258... A slave state is a U.S. State that had legal slavery (overwhelmingly the enslavement of African-Americans, although historically also the enslavement of Native Americans, and Whites through indentured servitude) in the period leading up to the American Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: With God As Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861â€“May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861â€“April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3â€“April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 â€“ April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... Map of the division of the states during the Civil War. ...

After the Civil War, an unprecedented influx of immigrants, who helped to provide labor for American industry and create diverse communities in undeveloped areas together with high tariff protections, national infrastructure building, and national banking regulations, hastened the country's rise to international power. The United States subsequently gained new territories as a result of its growing power status, including the annexation of Puerto Rico after a victory in the Spanish-American War,^[7] which marked the beginning of the U.S. as a major world power. The Statue of Liberty was a common sight to many immigrants who entered the United States through Ellis Island For additional information, see also the article Illegal immigration to the United States Immigration to the United States of America is the act of immigrating, or moving, to the United States. ... A typical archetype, the cowboy, in the Wild West. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

At the start of the First World War in 1914, the U.S. initially decided to maintain its neutrality, but eventually helped the Allied Powers turn the tide against the Central Powers. For historical reasons, American sympathies were very much in favor of the British and French, even though a sizable number of citizens, mostly Irish and German, were opposed to intervention.^[8] After the war, the Senate did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles, because of a fear that it would pull the U.S. into European affairs which President Washington had warned against. Instead, the country chose to pursue a policy of unilateralism that bordered at times on being isolationist.^[9] Image File history File links Ellis_island_1902. ... Image File history File links Ellis_island_1902. ... Ellis Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor, was at one time the main immigration port for immigrants entering the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... European military alliances in 1915. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Triple Alliance. ... The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was the peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ... Unilateralism, (one+side-ism) is any doctrine or agenda that supports one-sided action. ... Isolationism is a foreign policy which combines a non-interventionist military and political policy with a policy of economic nationalism (protectionism). ...

The Great Depression ruined the lives of many people in the United States, and led to the rise of greater government intervention in the economy beyond that advocated by Hamilton, considered then a patron saint of American capitalism. Image File history File links Location: Dallas, South Dakota Date: May 13, 1936 Buried machinery in barn lot. ... Image File history File links Location: Dallas, South Dakota Date: May 13, 1936 Buried machinery in barn lot. ... The Great Depression was a global economic slump that began in 1929 and bottomed in 1933. ... The Great Depression was known as a worldwide economic downturn, starting in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s. ... The American System (also known as the National System[1]) is the economic philosophy that dominated United States national policies from the time of the American Civil War until the mid-twentieth century as the countrys policies evolved in a free market direction. ...

During most of the 1920s, the U.S. enjoyed a period of unbalanced prosperity as farm prices fell and industrial profits grew. A rise in debt and an inflated stock market culminated in a crash in 1929, triggering the Great Depression. The nation did not fully recover until 1941, when the U.S. was driven to join the Allies against the Axis after a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. World War II was the costliest war in American history, but helped to pull the economy out of depression as the required production of military materiel provided much-needed jobs and woman entered the workforce in large numbers for the first time.^[10] The Roaring Twenties refers to the North American time period of the 1920s, which has been described as one of the most colorful decades in American history. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Black Monday (1987) on the Dow Jones Industrial Average A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic loss of value of shares of stock in corporations. ... The Great Depression was known as a worldwide economic downturn, starting in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II consisted of those nations opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Combatants United States of America Imperial Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN) Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441 planes... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II...

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union became rival superpowers in an era of ideological rivalry dubbed the Cold War (to denote the lack of open, direct military conflict). The U.S. represented liberal democracy and capitalism, while the USSR represented communism and a centrally planned economy. The result was a series of proxy wars, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the tense nuclear showdown of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1380x1111, 200 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1380x1111, 200 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... (Â©Joe Rosenthal/Associated Press) Raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. ... (Joe Rosenthal / Â©Associated Press) Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima Joe Rosenthal (born October 9, 1911) was a jewish- American photographer, who received the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic World War II portrait of American troops raising the flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. ... Associated Press logo This article concerns the news service. ... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions about the production, allocation and consumption of goods and services are planned ahead of time, usually in a centralized fashion, though some proposed systems favour decentralized planning. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders Douglas Macarthur Park Chang-Ju Jang Tak-Sang Kim Il Sung Oh Chol-Lyong Mun Dong-Gee Choi Un-Hyeok Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) United States of America South Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand the Philippines Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) Strength ~1,200,000 (1968) ~420,000 (1968) Casualties South Vietnamese dead: 230,000 South Vietnamese wounded: 300,000 US dead... U.S.A.F. spy photo of one of the suspected launch sites The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the russia regarding the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. ...

The perception that the U.S. was losing the space race increased government efforts to encourage greater math and science skills in the education system^[11] and lead to President Kennedy calling for the United States to put a "man on the moon" by the end of the 1960's which the country did in 1969. ^[12] Image File history File links Buzz Aldrin with U.S. flag on the moon. ... Image File history File links Buzz Aldrin with U.S. flag on the moon. ... For other uses, see Space Race (disambiguation). ... JFK redirects here. ...

Meanwhile, American society experienced a period of sustained economic expansion. At the same time, discrimination across the U.S., especially in the South, was increasingly challenged by a growing civil-rights movement headed by prominent African Americans such as Martin Luther King, Jr., which led to the abolition of the racist Jim Crow laws in the South.^[13] The U.S. Southern states or The South, known during the American Civil War era as Dixie, is a distinctive region of the United States with its own unique historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Martin Luther King redirects here. ... Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted in the Southern and border states of the United States and in force between 1876 and 1964 that restricted access of African-Americans to public facilities. ...

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States continued to involve itself in military action overseas, such as the Gulf War. // The rise of Gorbachev Although reform in the Soviet Union stalled between 1969â€“1982, a generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ... Combatants U.S.-led coalition Iraq Commanders George H. W. Bush Norman Schwarzkopf Colin Powell Saddam Hussein Ali Hassan al-Majid Hussein Kamel Strength 660,000 545,000 Casualties 345 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 - 100,000 dead, 100,000 - 300,000 wounded The 1991 Gulf War (also called...

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, U.S. foreign policy focused on the threat of terrorist attacks. In response, the government under George W. Bush began a series of military and legal operations termed the War on Terror, beginning with the overthrow of Afghanistan's Taliban government in October 2001. Soon after, the "War on Terror" continued with the controversial 2003 invasion of Iraq, with support from 30 governments known as 'the coalition of the willing. This invasion resulted in a wave of anti-American sentiment and large homegrown anti-war movement that increased with the duration of the war. ^[14] The explosion resulting from the crashing of United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower. ... A terrorist is one who promotes widespread feelings of overwhelming imminent danger in order to change the mindset of the general populous, usually for political purposes. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... The war on terrorism or war on terror (abbreviated in U.S. policy circles as GWOT for Global War on Terror) is an effort by the governments of the United States and its principal allies to destroy groups deemed to be terrorist (primarily radical Islamist organizations such as al-Qaeda... Flag flown by the Taliban. ... Combatants Coalition Forces (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland) Iraq Commanders Tommy Franks Saddam Hussein Strength 263,000 375,000 The 2003 invasion of Iraq, termed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the US administration, began on March 20. ... Coalition of the Willing is a phrase which has been used by the administration of United States President George W. Bush to refer to the nations whose governments supported (most of them not militarily) the United States position in the Iraq disarmament crisis and later the 2003 invasion of Iraq... Cover of Anti-Americanism by French author Jean-Francois Revel. ...

Government and politics

The United States is the longest surviving constitutional republic with the oldest written constitution in the world. Its government operates as a representative democracy through a congressional system under a set of powers specified by its Constitution. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Officials at all three levels are either elected by voters in a secret ballot or are appointed by other elected officials. Almost all executive and legislative offices are decided by a plurality voting system with judicial and cabinet level offices appointmented by the governing party in all but a few cases. ... The federal government of the United States was established by the United States Constitution. ... Image File history File linksMetadata USCapitol. ... Image File history File linksMetadata USCapitol. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people of that state or country. ... Representative democracy is a form of democracy founded on the exercise of popular sovereignty by the peoples representants. ... A presidential system, or a congressional system, is a system of government of a republic where the executive branch is elected separately from the legislative. ... The Polling by William Hogarth (1755); Before the secret ballot was introduced voter intimidation was commonplace Wikisource has original text related to this article: A History of the Australian Ballot System in the United States The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voters choices are confidential. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Plurality. ...

The federal government of the United States is comprised of three branches designed to apply checks and balances on each other: This law-related article does not cite its references or sources. ... The doctrine and practice of dispersing political power and creating mutual accountability between political entities such as the courts, the president or prime minister, the legislature, and the citizens. ...

The United States Congress is a bicameral legislature. The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, each of whom represents a congressional district and serves for a two-year term. House seats are apportioned among the states by population every tenth year. Each state has two Senators for a total of 100 overall, regardless of population, elected to six year terms, 1/3 of which are elected every second year. A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... Congress in Joint Session. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... The chamber of the United States House of Representatives is located in the south wing of the Capitol building, in Washington, D.C.. This photograph shows a rare glimpse of the four vote tallying boards (the blackish squares across the top), which display each members name and vote as... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Cabinet meeting on May 16, 2001. ... In law, the judiciary or judicature is the system of courts which administer justice and provide a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ... The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the judicial branch of the United States federal government. ... The bicameral legislature of the United States is housed in a capitol building with two wings. ... U.S. Congressional districts are determined after each census. ... US Congressional apportionment for states in 2000 The membership of the United States House of Representatives changes each decade following the decennial United States Census. ... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ...

The relationship between the state and national governments is complex due to the country's federal system; under U.S. law, states are considered sovereign entities. 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 or the people themselves. However, the "Necessary and Proper" and "Commerce" clauses of the Constitution legally allows the extension of federal powers into other affairs. Federalism can refer to either: The form of government, or constitutional structure, found in a federation. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederate) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties Killed in action: 110,000 Total dead: 360,000 Wounded: 275,200 Killed in action: 93,000 Total dead: 258... Texas v. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme... A foreign policy is a set of political goals that seeks to outline how a particular country will interact with the other countries of the world. ... Federal law is the body of law created by the federal government of a nation. ... State law, in the United States, is the law of each separate U.S. state, as passed by the state legislature and signed into law by the state governor. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme... The Necessary and Proper Clause (also known as the elastic clause) refers to Article One Section 8 paragraph 18 of the United States Constitution: The interpretation of this phrase has been controversial, especially during the early years of the republic. ... Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, known as the Commerce Clause, empowers the United States Congress To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes. ...

The Constitution of the United States contains a dedication to "preserve liberty" with a "Bill of Rights" and other amendments that guarantee freedom of speech, religion, the press, the right to a fair trial, the right to keep and bear arms, universal suffrage, and property rights. However, although the United States is committed to the Western ideology to pursue human rights, the extent to which these rights are available in practice is debated as various forms of ethnic discrimination were not legally prohibited until the 1964 Civil Rights Act. However, discrimination is fading with a more tolerant culture and the passage of numerous anti-discrimination laws, embraced by the majority of Americans. The Statue of Liberty is a very popular icon of liberty. ... Image of the United States Bill of Rights from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. ... The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... A public demonstration Freedom of speech is the concept of being able to speak freely without censorship. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Freedom of speech. ... The Right to a fair trial is an essential right in all countries respecting the rule of law. ... Amendment II (the Second Amendment) of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, declares the necessity for a well regulated militia, and prohibits infringement of the right of the people to keep and bear arms. // Text The Second Amendment, as passed by the House and... Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of suffrage to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief, or social status. ... // Use of the term In common usage, property means ones own thing and refers to the relationship between individuals and the objects which they see as being their own to dispense with as they see fit. ... This article is about discrimination in the social science sense. ... President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ...

There are two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Republicans are generally socially conservative and economically classical-liberals with some right-center centrists. The Democrats are generally socially liberal and economically progressive with some left-center centrists. A growing number of Americans identify with neither party - with some claiming the title Independent, while others joining the emerging Green or Reform Party. Since the 1994 congressional elections, the Republican Party has been in control of the United States Congress and since the Presidential election of 2000, President George W. Bush, has been in power in Washington, DC. This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... In United States politics, the Green Party has been active as a third party since the 1980s. ... The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA) is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 who said Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics â€“ as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues â€“ and... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ...

Foreign relations and military

The United States has large economic, political and military influence on a global scale, which makes its foreign policy a subject of great interest and discussion around the world. Almost all countries have embassies in Washington, D.C. and consulates around the country. However, a few do not have formal diplomatic relations with the United States, which include Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Sudan.^[15] The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations (with a permanent seat on the Security Council), among many other international organizations. President of the United States, George W. Bush (right) at Camp David in March 2003, hosting the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. ... This article needs to be updated. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... Main Lodge at Camp David during Nixon administration, February 9, 1971. ... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and MP for Sedgefield. ... Flag Seal Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ... The title Consul has been used for official representatives of a state, outside its (metropolitan) territory, looking after its interests (a task normally largely transferred to the formal diplomacy) and, especially, those of its subjects, individuals as well as enterprises. ... United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations (UN). ... For the political science journal, see: International Organization An international organization (also called intergovernmental organization) is an organization of international scope or character. ...

In the effort to contain the Soviets during the Cold War, the U.S. founded NATO, which compels the country to defend against a 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 not only fought against terrorism but the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Calls by an overwhelming majority of American citizens continue for increased border security against illegal immigration and the shipment of illegal narcotics, with their primary goal of protecting American interests and the safety of its citizens at home and abroad, including terrorists coming across the Mexican-United States border.^[16] The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ... Realpolitik (German: real (realistic, practical or actual) and Politik (politics)) is a term used to describe politics based on strictly practical rather than idealistic notions, and practiced without any sentimental illusions. ... The Sino-Soviet split was a major diplomatic conflict between the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), beginning in the late 1950s, reaching a peak in 1969 and continuing in various ways until the late 1980s. ... Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) generally include nuclear, biological, chemical and, increasingly, radiological weapons. ... Illegal immigration describes the long term shift of populations across national borders without complying with the legal requirements. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events...

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.^[16] The Dixon Entrance is a strait about 80 km (50 miles) long and wide in the Pacific Ocean at the International Boundary between the United States ( Alaska) and Canada. ... Approximate area of the Beaufort Sea, and the disputed waters The Beaufort Sea is a large body of water north of The Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska and west of Canadas arctic islands that is a part of the Arctic Ocean. ... The Strait of Juan de Fuca separates Vancouver Island of British Columbia from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. ... Machias Seal Island is an island located at 44Â° 30â€²10â€³N, 67Â° 06â€²10â€³W. Sovereignty of the island is under dispute with ownership claimed by both Canada and the United States. ... North Rock is an offshore rock to the east of the North American continent, adjacent to the Canadian province of New Brunswick and the U.S. state of Maine. ...

The United States has a long standing tradition of civilian control over military affairs. The Armed Forces of the United States are highly respected across the country and are honored with monuments in almost every community to the heroic deeds of past generations. Image File history File links PD Navy photo of USS Nimitz (CVN-68) at sea near the Persian Gulf 12 Oct 1997, cropped from http://www. ... Image File history File links PD Navy photo of USS Nimitz (CVN-68) at sea near the Persian Gulf 12 Oct 1997, cropped from http://www. ... USS , a typical supercarrier, and HMS Illustrious, a light V/STOL aircraft carrier on a joint patrol. ... USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a supercarrier in the United States Navy, the lead ship of its class. ... In military and diplomatic calculations, projection of force is the capacity, either implied, or demonstrated in practice, to exert control over distant theatres through military action. ...

The Department of Defense administers the United States armed forces (consisting of the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy, which includes the Marine Corps). 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 United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... The armed forces of a state are its government sponsored defense and fighting forces and organizations. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... United States Marine Corps seal The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military, which along with the U.S. Navy, is under the United States Department of the Navy. ... Coast Guard shield The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a military branch of the United States involved in maritime law, mariner assistance and search and rescue, among other duties of any coast guard. ... The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a Cabinet department of the federal government of the United States that is concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. ... Widely-recognized peace symbol Peace is commonly understood to mean the Other definitions include freedom from disputes, harmonious relations and the absence of mental stress or anxiety, as the meaning of the word changes with context. ... Seal The United States Department of the Navy was established by an Act of Congress on April 30, 1798, to provide administrative and technical support, and civilian leadership to the United States Navy. ... The United States detonated an atomic bomb over Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, effectively ending World War II. The bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima (on August 6) immediately killed between 100,000 and 200,000 people and are the only known instances nuclear weapons have ever been used in war. ...

The military of the United States comprises 1.4 million personnel on active duty,^[17] 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. The U.S. is considered to have the most powerful high-tech military in the world because it spends a significant amount on traditional-warfare power projection capabilities, and American defense expenditures are estimated to be greater than the next twenty largest national military budgets combined. However, this budget is only about 4% of the country's GDP,^[18] which is historically fairly low.^[19] As of September 2004, the U.S. maintains 737 military bases and facilities worldwide on every continent besides Antarctica.^[20] Human Resources has at least two meanings depending on context. ... ActiveDuty. ... A reserve component of the United States military is an organization of servicemembers who generally perform a minimum of 39 days of military duty per year and who augment the active duty (or full time) military when necessary. ... It has been suggested that National Guard Bureau be merged into this article or section. ... The US military budget is that portion of the United States discretionary federal budget that is allocated for the funding of the Department of Defense. ... The Military of the United States is deployed in many countries across the world, making it one of the most global militaries since the Roman Empire. ...

States and territories

The contiguous part of the U.S. (i.e. without Hawaii and Alaska) is called the continental United States and consists of forty-eight states. Alaska exists apart from the mainland with Canada in-between whereas Hawaii exists as an Island state in the Pacific making in total fifty states that have grown from the original thirteen states. The political units and divisions of the United States include: the fifty states, which units are typically divided into counties and townships, and incorporate cities, villages, towns, and other types of municipalities, and other autonomous or subordinate public authorities and institutions; and the federal state, which unit is the United... Image File history File links Map_of_USA_with_state_names. ... Image File history File links Map_of_USA_with_state_names. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area Ranked 43rd - Total 10,941 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area Ranked 1st - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,854 kmÂ²) - Width 808 miles (1,300 km) - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km) - % water 13. ... Depending on usage, the term continental United States can refer to either: the 48 contiguous states plus the District of Columbia; or the 48 contiguous states plus the District of Columbia and Alaska. ...

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. Palmyra Atoll is the United States' only incorporated territory, however it is currently unorganized and uninhabited. In addition, the United States Navy possesses a lease to an extensive naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since 1898. Federal districts are subdivisions of a federal system of government. ... ... An insular area is United States territory that is neither a part of one of the fifty states nor a part of the District of Columbia, the nations federal district. ... An incorporated territory of the United States is a specific area under the jurisdiction of the United States, over which the United States Congress has determined that the United States Constitution is to be applied to the territorys inhabitants in its entirety (e. ... The term unorganized territories has several connotations depending the exact usage and context. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... Map of Cuba with location of GuantÃ¡namo Bay indicated. ... Map of Cuba with location of GuantÃ¡namo Bay indicated. ...

Geography and climate

The United States is the world's third largest country by land area after Russia and Canada.^[22] It is bounded by the North Atlantic Ocean to the east, the North Pacific Ocean to the west, Mexico to the south, and Canada to the north. Alaska also borders Canada, with the Pacific Ocean to its south and the Arctic Ocean to its north. The island state of Hawaii is situated in the Pacific, southwest of the North American mainland. A satellite composite image of the contiguous United States. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1680x1050, 694 KB) Summary USA, satellite image composite Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1680x1050, 694 KB) Summary USA, satellite image composite Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Depending on usage, the term continental United States can refer to either: the 48 contiguous states plus the District of Columbia; or the 48 contiguous states plus the District of Columbia and Alaska. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off). ... An Inner Mongolian Grassland. ... A prairie is an area of land of low topographic relief that principally supports grasses and herbs, with few trees, and is generally of a mesic (moderate or temperate) climate. ... Boreal may refer to these: Northern from the eponymous Boreas, god of the North Wind in Greek mythology. ... White Goat Wilderness Area, Alberta, Canada View of the Rocky Mountains as depicted on the Colorado state quarter The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... Desert view in Saudi Arabia. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... Categories: US geography stubs ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1022, 561 KB) Description: Monument Valley Source: Huebi File links The following pages link to this file: Monument Valley ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1022, 561 KB) Description: Monument Valley Source: Huebi File links The following pages link to this file: Monument Valley ... Monument Valley from the valley floor. ... For other Grand Canyons see Grand Canyon (disambiguation). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1626, 2365 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Clackamas County, Oregon Mount Hood Wikipedia:Featured pictures visible Gallery of mountains User:Wahkeenah United States User talk:Howcheng Wikipedia:Featured pictures candidates/April-2006 Wikipedia:Wikipedia... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1626, 2365 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Clackamas County, Oregon Mount Hood Wikipedia:Featured pictures visible Gallery of mountains User:Wahkeenah United States User talk:Howcheng Wikipedia:Featured pictures candidates/April-2006 Wikipedia:Wikipedia... Mount Hood is an active stratovolcano in northern Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. ... The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of the earths surface. ... View of the Pacific Ocean from Oregon. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...

The U.S. has an extremely varied geography. The eastern seaboard has a coastal plain which is widest in the south and almost nonexistent in the north. Beyond the coastal plain, the rolling hills of the piedmont region end at the Appalachian Mountains which rise above 6,000 feet (1,830 m) in North Carolina and New Hampshire. From the west slope of the Appalachians, the Midwestern prairie is relatively flat and is the location of the Great Lakes as well as the Mississippi-Missouri River, the world's fourth longest river system.^[23] West of the Mississippi River, the prairie slopes uphill and blends into the relatively flat and featureless Great Plains. The abrupt rise of the Rocky Mountains at the western edge of the great plains, extends the entire width of the continental U.S., reaching altitudes over 14,000 feet (4,270 m) in Colorado.^[24] Dozens of mountain ranges and valleys are found in the Great Basin region which also has deep chasms including the Snake River and Grand Canyon. At the western end of the great basin, Death Valley lies below sea level and is the lowest point in the western hemisphere. Immediately to the west, the Sierra Nevada mountain range has Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental U.S. Along the Pacific coast, the Coast Ranges and the volcanic Cascade Range extend across the width of the country. Alaska has numerous mountain ranges, including Mount McKinley (Denali), the highest peak in North America. Numerous volcanoes can be found throughout the Alexander and Aleutian Islands extending south and west of the Alaskan mainland. The Hawaiian islands are tropical, volcanic islands extending over 1,500 miles (2400 km), and consisting of six larger islands and another dozen smaller ones that are inhabited. In geography, a coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina The Appalachian Mountains (French: les Appalaches) are a vast system of North American mountains, partly in Canada, but mostly in the United States, forming a zone, from 100 to 300 miles wide, running from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, 1... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area Ranked 46th - Total 9,359 sq. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Prairie refers to an area of land in North America of low topographic relief that principally supports grasses and herbs, with few trees, and is generally of a mesic (moderate or temperate) climate. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest river in the United States; the longest is the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie which lies east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States of America and Canada, covering all or parts of the U.S. states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota and the... White Goat Wilderness Area, Alberta, Canada View of the Rocky Mountains as depicted on the Colorado state quarter The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 8th 104,185 sq mi 269 837 kmÂ² 280 miles 451 km 380 miles 612 km 0. ... Drainage map showing the Great Basin in orange The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States, commonly defined as the contiguous watershed region, roughly between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, that has no natural outlet to the sea. ... This article is about the Snake River in the northwestern United States. ... For other Grand Canyons see Grand Canyon (disambiguation). ... Death Valley and Panamint Range Death Valley is a valley in California that is located southeast of the Sierra Nevada range in the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert, comprising much of Death Valley National Park. ... Sierra Nevada, meaning snowy range in Spanish, is the name of at least two mountain ranges: Sierra Nevada (Spain) in Andalusia, Spain Sierra Nevada (US) in California and Nevada, United States Sierra Nevada (Mexico) in Mexico There are also two single mountains named Sierra Nevada in the Andes which are... Mount Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States. ... The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ... A volcano is a geological landform usually generated by the eruption through a planets surface of magma, molten rock welling up from the planets interior. ... Mount Adams in Washington The Cascade Range is a mountainous region famous for its chain of tall volcanoes called the High Cascades that run north-south along the west coast of North America from British Columbia to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. ... Denali redirects here. ... A MODIS photograph of the Alexander Archipelago The Alexander Archipelago is an archipelago, or group of islands, off the southeast coast of Alaska. ... Looking down the Aleutians from an airplane. ... Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of islands that stretches 2,400 km in a northwesterly direction from the southern tip of the Island of Hawaiâ€˜i. ...

The climate of the U.S. is as varied as its landscape. In northern Alaska, tundra and arctic conditions predominate, and the temperature has fallen as low as minus 80 °F (−62 °C).^[25] On the other end of the spectrum, Death Valley, California once reached 134 °F (56.7 °C), the second-hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth,^[26] T In physical geography, tundra is an area where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. ... The red line indicates the 10Â°C isotherm in July, commonly used to define the Arctic region border The Arctic is the area around the Earths North Pole. ... Death Valley National Park is a mostly arid National Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County, California, USA with a small section extending into Nevada. ...

The northern states near the Canadian border receive the most snowfall, with the highest snowfall levels in the Cascade Range in Washington and on the highest peaks of the northern Rocky Mountains. Along the northwestern Pacific coast, rainfall is greater than anywhere else in the continental U.S. ^{[citation needed]}, but Hawaii receives even more, with 250 inches (635 cm) measured annually on some islands. Some areas in the southwestern deserts receive less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain annually.^[27] Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area Ranked 18th - Total 71,342 sq. ...

In central portions of the U.S., tornadoes are more common than anywhere else on Earth^{[citation needed]}, and touch down most commonly in the spring and summer. Deadly and destructive hurricanes occur almost every year along the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico. The Appalachian region and the Midwest experience the worst floods, though virtually no area in the U.S. is immune to flooding.^[28] Union City, Oklahoma tornado (1973) A tornado is a violently rotating column of air which is in contact with both a cumulonimbus (or, in rare cases, cumulus) cloud base and the surface of the earth. ... This article is about weather phenomena. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

Flora and fauna

The U.S. has over 17,000 native plant and tree species that have been identified, including 5,000 just in the state of California.^[29] With habitats ranging from tropical to arctic, the flora of the U.S. is the most diverse of any country, yet thousands of non-native exotic species sometimes adversely affect indigenous plant and animal communities. Over 400 species of mammals, 700 species of birds, 500 species of reptiles and amphibians and 90,000 species of insects have been documented. Many plants and animals are very localized in their distribution and some are in danger of extinction.^[30] The U.S. enacted the Endangered Species Act in 1973, to protect native plant and animal species and the habitats they reside in. Sweet clover (Melilotus sp. ... The Endangered Species Act (7 U.S.C. 136; 16 U.S.C. 460 et seq. ...

Conservation has a long history in the U.S., and in 1872 the world's first National Park was established at Yellowstone. Over 50 more national parks and hundreds of other federally managed parks and forests have been created since.^[31] In some sections of the country, wilderness areas have been established to ensure long term protection for pristine habitats. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitors endangered and threatened species and has set aside numerous areas for species and habitat preservation. Altogether, the U.S. government owns 653,299,090 acres (2,643,807 km²) which is 28.8% of the total land area of the U.S.^[32] The bulk of this land is protected park and forestland, but some is leased for oil and gas exploration, mining and to cattle ranchers. Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales A national park is a reserve of land, usually owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ... For the next-generation airliner series from Boeing, see Boeing Yellowstone Project. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The USFWS logo The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a unit of the United States Department of the Interior that is dedicated to managing and preserving wildlife. ... The endangered Sea Otter An endangered species is a population of organisms (usually a taxonomic species), which is either (a) so few in number or (b) threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters that it is at risk of becoming extinct. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra â€“ rock and elaion â€“ oil or Latin oleum â€“ oil ) or crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine This article is about mineral extraction. ...

Economy

The economic history of the United States has its roots in the marginally successful colonial economies that progressed to largest industrial nation in the world by the turn of the 20th Century. The United States has the largest and one of the most technologically advanced national economies in the world, with a GDP of 13. ... The United States came into being during the Age of Enlightenment (circa 1680 to 1800), a period in which writers and thinkers rejected the superstitions of the past. ... Because the automobile industry took off very early in the United States (when compared to other Western nations), much of the development of U.S. urban areas reflects the personal mobility enjoyed by a large portion of the U.S. population. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 431 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Wall Street ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 431 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Wall Street ... View up Wall Street from Pearl Street NYSE and Broad Street view from Wall Street Wall Street is the name of a narrow street in lower Manhattan running east from Broadway downhill to the East River. ... The Borough of Manhattan, highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area - City 1,214. ... Image Number K5052-5 Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania. ... Image Number K5052-5 Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania. ... Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... 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 economic system of the United States can be described as a capitalist-mixed economy, in which corporations and other private firms make the majority of microeconomic decisions, and governments prefer to take a smaller role in the domestic economy, although the combined role of all levels of government is relatively large, at 36% of the GDP. The U.S. has a small social safety net, and regulation faced by business firms in the U.S. is slightly below the average of developed countries.^[33] In economics, a capitalist is someone who owns capital, presumably within the economic system of capitalism. ... A mixed economy is an economy that contains both private and public, or state owned (or controlled) enterprises. ... A corporation is a legal person which, while being composed of natural persons, exists completely separately from them. ... Microeconomics is the study of the economic behaviour of individual consumers, firms, and industries and the distribution of production and income among them. ... The social safety net is a term used to describe a collection of services provided by the state (such as welfare, universal healthcare, homeless shelters, and perhaps various subsidized services such as transit), which prevent any individual from falling into poverty beyond a certain level. ... This is a list of companies from the United States: #Current companies #Former companies, including acquired and merged ones #By industry #By location #See also Current companies Contents: Top - 0â€“9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S...

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 San Francisco Bay Area is a major center for technology. 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 area for medical research, tourism, and the lumber industry. Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area - City 1,214. ... Finance studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses and organizations raise, allocate and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in their projects. ... This article is concerned with the production of books, magazines, and other literary material (whether in printed or electronic formats). ... individually-donated time and energy direct government payments or operation indirect government payments, such as radio and television licenses grants from foundations or business entities selling advertising or sponsorship public subscription or membership fees charged to all owners of TV sets or radios, regardless of whether they intend to receive... Advertising, generally speaking, is the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually performed by an identified sponsor. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815 County Wayne County Mayor... Automakers are companies that produce automobiles. ... Southeast is the ordinal direction halfway between south and east. ... Medical research is research conducted to aid the body of knowledge in the field of medicine. ... More than 3 million tourists visited the Taj Mahal in Agra, India in 2004. ... Lumber is the name used, generally in North America, for wood that has been cut into boards or other shapes for the purpose of woodworking or construction. ...

The largest sector in the United States economy is service, which employs roughly three quarters of the work force.^[34] The economy is fueled by an abundance in natural resources such as coal, petroleum, and precious metals. However, the country still depends much of its energy source on foreign countries. 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.^[35] The U.S. has a large tourist industry, ranking third in the world,^[36] and is also a major exporter 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. The service sector or the service industry, is one of the three main industrial categories of a developed economy, the others being the secondary industry (manufacturing and primary goods production such as agriculture), and primary industry (extraction such as mining and fishing). ... Coal (previously referred to as pitcoal or seacoal) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra â€“ rock and elaion â€“ oil or Latin oleum â€“ oil ) or crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Noble metal. ... Binomial name Zea mays L. Maize (Zea mays ssp. ... Binomial name Glycine max Merr. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice refers to two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia and to Africa, which together provide more than one fifth of the calories consumed by humans[1]. Rice is an annual plant, growing to 1-1. ... Species T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum References: ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat (Triticum spp. ... The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie which lies east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States of America and Canada, covering all or parts of the U.S. states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota and the... A good in economics is any physical object (natural or man-made) or service that, upon consumption, increases utility, and therefore can be sold at a price in a market. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Fixed-wing aircraft is a term used to refer to what are more commonly known as aeroplanes in Commonwealth English (excluding Canada) or airplanes in North American English. ... The old steel cable of a colliery winding tower Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ... The field of electronics is the study and use of systems that operate by controlling the flow of electrons (or other charge carriers) in devices such as thermionic valves and semiconductors. ...

While the per-capita income of the United States is among the highest in the world, the wealth is comparatively concentrated, with approximately 40% of the population being worse off than most of western Europe and the top 20% being substantially richer.^[37] The social mobility of the U.S. is relatively low and has been characterized since 1975 as a "two-tier labor market," in which practically all the income gains have gone to the top 20% of households. A common understanding of Western Europe in modern times. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The United States is an influential country in scientific and technological research and the production of innovative technological products. During World War II, the U.S. was the first to develop the atomic bomb, ushering in the atomic age. Since the country was relatively undamaged by the war, it was able to revive scientific and technological progress in a short period of time. During the beginnings of the Cold War, the U.S. began successes in space science and technology, leading to a space race, which led to rapid advances in rocketry, weaponry, material science, computers, and many other areas, culminating the first visit of a man to the moon, when Neil Armstrong stepped off of Apollo 11 in July 1969.^[38] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (700x813, 126 KB)Launching of the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 in April 1981. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (700x813, 126 KB)Launching of the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 in April 1981. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... Technologies or gadgets that are either developed or significantly advanced in the United States. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ... The Atomic Age was a phrase used for a time in the 1950s in which it was believed that all power sources in the future would be atomic in nature. ... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... For other uses, see Space Race (disambiguation). ... A rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving exhaust from within a rocket engine. ... A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ... Materials science includes those parts of chemistry and physics that deal with the properties of materials. ... The tower of a personal computer. ... Neil Alden Armstrong (born August 5, 1930) is a former American astronaut, test pilot, and naval aviator famous as the first human ever to set foot on the Moon. ... Apollo 11 was the fifth human spaceflight of the Apollo program, the third human voyage to the moon, and the first manned mission to land on the Moon. ...

In the sciences, the United States has a large share of Nobel Prizes, especially in the fields of physiology and medicine. The National Institutes of Health, a focal point for biomedical research in the United States, has contributed to the completion of the Human Genome Project.^[39] The main governmental organization for aviation and space research is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Many corporations also play an important role, such as Boeing or Lockheed Martin. The Nobel Prizes (pronounced no-BELL or no-bell) are awarded annually to people who have done outstanding research, invented groundbreaking techniques or equipment, or made outstanding contributions to society. ... Physiology (in Greek physis = nature and logos = word) is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. ... Medicine is the branch of health science and the sector of public life concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury. ... The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for medical research. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... NASA Logo Listen to this article Â· (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661 ) is the worldâ€™s largest aircraft manufacturer. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ...

The automobile industry took off very early in the United States in comparison with other countries; so 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 3,981,521 miles (6,407,637 km) of roadways in the U.S., the most in the world.^[40] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Highway in Pennsylvania, USA For other uses, see Highway (disambiguation). ... A mile is any of a number of units of distance, each in the magnitude of 1â€“10 km. ... A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words Ï‡Î¯Î»Î¹Î± (khilia) = thousand and Î¼ÎÏ„ÏÎ¿ (metro) = count/measure). ...

Despite the popularity of cars, mass transit systems are also available in 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, lacking high-speed rail links connecting major cities. In the United States of America, transit describes local area common carrier passenger transportation configured to provide scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis. ... A cycle rickshaw at rest in Manhattan. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... This map from 2001 shows a number of proposed highâ€“speed routes in the U.S. High-speed rail in the United States is more a case of hope than reality. ...

Air travel is the preferred means of travel for long distances, the busiest airport being Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport followed closely by O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. 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. This article refers to the tool of travel. ... Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL) is located in the Atlanta, Georgia, USA metropolitan area, and is the busiest airport in the world both in terms of number of passengers as well as the number of takeoffs and landings, surpassing Chicagos OHare International Airport. ... ORD redirects here. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area City 606. ... Categories: Stub | Commercial item transport and distribution | Transportation ... General Information Founded December 9, 1907 Coordinates - Latitude - Longitude 33Âº4239 N 118Âº1459 W Area - Total - Land - Water 7500 acres 4200 acres 3300 acres Available Berths 270 Vessel Arrivals 2,813 (FY 2004) Annual container volume 7. ... The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest seaport in the United States and the tenth busiest port in the world. ... The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state agency (operated pursuant to an interstate compact) that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure including the bridges, tunnels, airports and seaports within the New York-New Jersey Port District. ...

Demographics

As of June 2006, there are an estimated 298,967,801 people in the United States, with a population growth rate of about 0.59%.^[41] According to Census 2000, about 79 percent of the population lives in urban areas,^[42] and the country has 31 ethnic groups with at least one million members each, with numerous others represented in smaller amounts.^[43] The following is an overview of the demographics of the United States. ... // Although the United States currently has no official language, it is largely monolingual with English being the de facto official language. ... Despite official separation of church and state, many churches in the U.S. take strong stances on political subjects. ... Health care in the United States is provided by many separate legal entities. ... Educational oversight Secretary Deputy Secretary U.S. Department of Education Margaret Spellings Eugene W. Hickok National education budget $69. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x766, 116 KB) Summary United States population density map based on Census 2000 data. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x766, 116 KB) Summary United States population density map based on Census 2000 data. ... The 22nd United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ...

The majority of Americans descend from European immigrants; this majority, which has been declining since 1965, is expected to be reduced to a plurality by 2050 if current immigration trends continue. 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.^[44] African Americans, or Blacks, first arrived as slaves from Africa, particularly between 1690 and 1808. 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 percent of them living on reservations.^[45] World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... The Statue of Liberty was a common sight to many immigrants who entered the United States through Ellis Island For additional information, see also the article Illegal immigration to the United States Immigration to the United States of America is the act of immigrating, or moving, to the United States. ... A plurality (or relative majority) is the largest share of something, which may or may not be a majority. ... The English are an ethnic group associated with England and the English language. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe named after the Scandinavian Peninsula. ... The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples in Europe. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... Indigenous peoples in the United States are distinct groups of peoples who are indigenous to what are now states or territories of the United States of America. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... Inuit (Inuktitut syllabics: áƒá“„áƒá‘¦, singular Inuk / áƒá“„á’ƒ) is a general term for a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic coasts of Siberia, Alaska, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Quebec, Labrador and Greenland (see Eskimo). ... BIA map of Indian reservations in the continental United States. ...

Current demographic trends include the immigration of Hispanics from Latin America into the Southwest, a region that is home to about 60 percent of the 35 million Hispanics in the U.S. Immigrants from Mexico make up about 66 percent of the Hispanic community,^[46] are second only to the German-descent population in the single-ethnic category. The Hispanic population, which has been growing at an annual rate of about 58 percent since the 1990s, is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades, due largely to illegal migration .^[47] According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the population of the United States will reach 300 million people in October 2006.^[48] Hispanic, as used in the United States, is one of several terms used to categorize US citizens, permanent residents and temporary immigrants, whose background hail either from the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America or relating to a Spanish-speaking culture. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... The Southwest region of the United States is drier than the adjoining Midwest in weather; the population is less dense and, with strong Spanish-American and Native American components, more ethnically varied than neighboring areas. ...

Although the U.S. has no official language, it is largely monolingual with English being the national language,^[49] which is spoken by about 82 percent of the population as a native language and nearly everyone as a daily language. Even though English is not the official language, knowledge of it is required to become a naturalized citizen. There have been moves by citizens recently to make English the official language, which is the present case for many states. Twenty-seven states recognize English as an official language, and three states recognize other languages along with English - French in Louisiana, Hawaiian in Hawaii, and Spanish in New Mexico.^[50] American English (AmE) is the dialect of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area Ranked 31st - Total 51,885 sq. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area Ranked 43rd - Total 10,941 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area Ranked 5th - Total 121,665 sq. ...

The United States is overwhelmingly Christian with Protestant denominations making up the majority at 52 percent, followed by Roman Catholics (24%), Mormon (1%), Jewish (1-3%), Muslim (1%), other (10%), and none (variously estimated at 10% to 15%).^[41] The country is also noteworthy for its relatively high level of religiosity among developed nations. About 46 percent of American adults attend church at least once a week (not counting weddings, funerals and christenings), compared with 14 percent of adults in Great Britain, 8 percent in France, and 7 percent in Sweden. Moreover, 58 percent of Americans say they often think about the meaning and purpose of life, compared with 25 percent of the British, 26 percent of the Japanese, and 31 percent of West Germans.^[51] However, this rate is not uniform across the country as regular attendance is more common in the Bible Belt, composed largely of Southern and Midwestern states, than in the Northeast or the West Coast.^[52] Examples of the prevalence of religious conviction in the U.S. are local laws forbidding the selling of alcoholic beverages on Sunday. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 1304 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: United States Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 1304 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: United States Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq. ... The approximate extent of the Bible Belt, indicated in red A Bible Belt is an area in which Christian Evangelical Protestantism is a pervasive or dominant part of the culture. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The approximate extent of the Bible Belt, indicated in red A Bible Belt is an area in which Christian Evangelical Protestantism is a pervasive or dominant part of the culture. ... The U.S. Southern states or the South, also known colloquially as Dixie, constitute a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States, with its own unique heritage, historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... Regional definitions vary The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...

Education in the United States, has been a state or local, not federal, responsibility. However, the Department of Education of the federal government exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. 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 student loans after graduation. Tuition at private universities is generally much higher than at public universities. The United States Department of Education (also known as ED) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. ... The term public school has different (and in some cases contradictory) meanings due to regional differences. ... A kindergarten in Afghanistan. ... The term public school has different (and in some cases contradictory) meanings due to regional differences. ... Thomas Edison attended compulsory school for only three months, after which he was taught at home by his mother and a tutor. ... A parochial school (or faith school) is a type of private school which engages in religious education in addition to conventional education. ... Private schools, or independent schools, are schools not administered by local or national government, which retain the right to select their student body and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition rather than with public (state) funds. ... Lists of high schools in the United States by state or territory: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Los Angeles County Orange County San Diego County 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... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... A private university is a university that is run without the control of any government entity. ...

There are many competitive institutions of higher education in the United States, both private and public. The United States has 168 universities in the world's top 500, 17 of which are in the top 20.^[53] There are also many smaller universities and liberal arts colleges, and local community colleges of varying quality across the country with open admission policies. Image File history File links RotundaII.jpg Summary The Rotunda at the University of Virginia. ... Image File history File links RotundaII.jpg Summary The Rotunda at the University of Virginia. ... Site #86: Memphis and its Necropolis, including the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt). ... Mascot Cavalier Website www. ... This List of colleges and universities in the United States includes colleges and universities in the U.S. that grant four-year baccalaureate and/or post-graduate masters and doctorate degrees. ... In the history of education, the seven liberal arts comprise two groups of studies, the trivium and the quadrivium. ... In Canada and the United States, a community college, sometimes called a junior college, is an educational institution providing post-secondary education and lower-level tertiary education, granting certificates, diplomas, and associates degrees. ...

The United States has a low literacy rate as compared to other developed countries, with a reading literacy rate at 86-98% of the population over age 15,^[54] while ranking below average in science and mathematics.^[55] Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ...

Compared to other developed countries, health level in the United States is ranked low (72nd) by WHO and infant mortality rate is high (5 per 1,000); only Latvia's is higher at 6 per 1,000.^[56] ^[57] Obesity is also a public health problem, which is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars every year.^[58] Public health is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. ...

Unlike most Western governments, the U.S. government does not guarantee publicly-funded health care to its citizens, leading to a notably high number of people suffering from lack of proper healthcare. Private charities and insurance play a huge role in covering health care costs. Health insurance in the United States is traditionally a benefit of employment, which is mandated by law in many cases. Also, emergency care facilities are required to provide service regardless of the patient's ability to pay. Medical bills are overwhelmingly the most common reason for personal bankruptcy in the United States.^[59] However, the country spends a notable amount on research through such federal agencies as the National Institutes of Health.^[60] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for medical research. ...

Culture

American culture has been a melting pot of different cultures around the world which have formed a unified culture centered on the American Dream, which is a faith held by many in the United States that through: hard work, courage, and self-determination - without regard to one's social class a person can achieve a better life.^[61] This belief is rooted in the belief that the country is a "city upon a hill, a light unto the nations,"^[62] which were values held by many early European settlers that have been passed on to subsequent generations. This article serves as an overview of the customs and culture of the United States; for the popular (pop) culture of the United States, see arts and entertainment in the United States. ... http://www. ... http://www. ... In cooking, an apple pie is a fruit cake in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... National flag and ensign. ... Alternate meaning: crucible (science) The melting pot is a metaphor for the way in which heterogenous societies develop, in which the ingredients in the pot (iron, tin; people of different backgrounds and religions, etc. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... City upon a hill is the phrase often used to refer to John Winthrops famous sermon, A Model of Christian Charity,, of 1630, based on Matthew 5:14 (You are the light of the world. ...

American cuisine, embraces Native American ingredients like turkey, potatoes, corn, and squash which have become integral parts of American culture. Such popular icons as apple pies, pizza, and hamburgers are all derived from European dishes. Burritos and tacos similarly have their origins in Mexico. However, many of the food items now enjoyed worldwide either originated in the United States or were substantially altered by American chefs. As a nation of immigrants, it is no surprise that the cuisine of the United States is incredibly diverse. ... Binomial name Solanum tuberosum L. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, grown for its starchy tuber. ... Look up corn in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up squash in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In cooking, an apple pie is a fruit cake in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. ... A Pizza Margherita made in Naples (Napoli), Italy. ... Hamburgers often contain beef, lettuce, onions, and other toppings in a bun. ... A large burrito. ... Tacos al pastor Plate of tacos A taco is a traditional Mexican dish comprising a rolled or folded, pliable maize tortilla filled with meat (generally grilled beef, picadillo, fish, chicken or pork), and optionally, a wide variety of vegetables and/or sauces. ...

Music in the United States also traces to the country's melting pot population through a diverse array of styles. Rock and roll, hip hop, country, blues, and jazz are among the country's most internationally renowned genres. Since the beginning of the 20th century, popular recorded music from the United States has become increasingly known across the world, to the point where some forms of American popular music are listened to almost everywhere.^[63] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Hip hop music (also referred to as rap or rap music) is a style of popular music. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) In popular music, country music, also called country and western music or country-western, is an amalgam of popular musical forms developed in the Southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, blues, gospel music, and old-time music that began... Rhythm and blues (or R&B or even Runub) was coined as a musical marketing term in the United States in 1949 by Jerry Wexler at Billboard magazine, and was used to designate upbeat popular music performed by African American artists that combined jazz, gospel, and blues. ... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory, and is marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... A genre is a division of a particular form of art according to criteria particular to that form. ... Popular music is music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and mostly distributed commercially. ...

However, not all American culture is derived from some other form found elsewhere in the world. For example, the birth of cinema, as well as its radical development, can largely be traced back to the United States. In the early 20th century, the first recorded instance of photographs capturing and reproducing motion was Eadweard Muybridge's series of photographs of a running horse, which he captured in Palo Alto, California using a set of still cameras placed in a row. Since then, the American film industry, centered in Hollywood, California, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world. Other areas of development include the comic book and Disney's animated cartoons, which saw widespread popularity and influence, especially in Japanese anime and manga, and Chinese animation and manhua. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (529x800, 37 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (529x800, 37 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Muybridges The Horse in Motion. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Official website: http://www. ... An American comic book is a small magazine containing a narrative in the comics form. ... Disney may refer to: The Walt Disney Company and its divisions, including Walt Disney Pictures. ... An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn (or made with computers to look similar to something hand-drawn) moving picture for the cinema, TV or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot (even if it is a very short one). ... // A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime ) is a medium of animation originating in Japan, with distinctive character and background aesthetics that visually set it apart from other forms of animation. ... This page is about the development of animation and comic industry in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. ...

Watching sports is a national pastime, and playing sports, especially, football, baseball, and basketball is very popular on the high school level. Professional sports in the U.S. is big business and its athletes are well compensated. The majority of the world's highest paid athletes play team sports in the United States.^[65] The "Big Four" sports include baseball, football, ice hockey, and basketball. Other popular sports include auto racing especially NASCAR. Lacrosse, originally played by some of the indigenous tribes, is a visible sport and growing. Soccer (football elsewhere) is a popular participatory sport, especially among children, but it does not yet have a large following as a spectator sport in contrast to its extreme popularity in other countries. The United States is among the most influential regions in shaping three popular board-based recreational sports—surfboarding, skateboarding, and snowboarding—which have many competitions and a large dedicated subculture. Eight Olympic Games have been hosted in the United States. The U.S. generally fares very well in them, especially the Summer Olympics—for instance, in the 2004 Olympics, the country topped the medals table with a record 103 medals (35 gold, 39 silver and 29 bronze).^[66] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2284x2012, 500 KB) Subject: Pro Bowl Source page url: http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2284x2012, 500 KB) Subject: Pro Bowl Source page url: http://www. ... Tackle during 2006 Pro Bowl in Hawaii A top cheerleader from each team takes part in the 2006 Pro Bowl in Hawaii The Pro Bowl is the National Football Leagues all-star game. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... A spectator sport is one that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005 For other uses, see Basketball (disambiguation). ... High school - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005 For other uses, see Basketball (disambiguation). ... Auto racing (also known as automobile racing, autosport or motorsport) is a sport involving racing automobiles. ... The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... The Dive Shot. A womens lacrosse player carries the ball past a defender. ... Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... A spectator sport is one that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. ... The first boardsport was surfing, followed by skateboarding. ... See World Wide Web for surfing the web; see also Wind surfing Surfing at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. ... A skateboarder performing a frontside lipslide. ... This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ... For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ... Poster for the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. ... The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... This is the full table of the medal count of the 2004 Summer Olympics. ...

This article discusses the culture of the United States; for customs and way of life, see Culture of the United States. ... The media of the United States consists of several different types of communications media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites. ... Closely related to the development of American music in the early 20th century was the emergence of a new, and distinctively American, art form -- modern dance. ... The United States has a history of architecture that includes a wide variety of styles. ... Holidays of the United States vary with local observance. ... // List of people by Ethnicity African Americans Albanian Americans American Indians Arab Americans Armenian Americans Australian Americans Austrian Americans Hispanic Americans Chinese Americans Cuban Americans Dutch Americans English Americans Estonian Americans Filipino Americans Finnish Americans French Americans German Americans Greek Americans Hungarian Americans Indian Americans Iranian Americans Irish Americans Italian...

Further reading

Johnson, Paul M. A History of the American People. 1104 pages. Harper Perennial: March 1, 1999. ISBN 0060930349.
Litwak, Robert S. Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy : Containment after the Cold War. 300 pages. Woodrow Wilson Center Press: February 1, 2000. ISBN 0943875978.
Nye, Joseph S. The Paradox of American Power : Why the World's Only Superpower Can't Go It Alone. 240 pages. Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition: May 1, 2003. ISBN 0195161106.
Susser, Ida (Editor), and Patterson, Thomas C. (Editor). Cultural Diversity in the United States: A Critical Reader. 476 pages. Blackwell Publishers: December 2000. ISBN 0631222138.
Whalen, Edward. The United States Of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy. 320 pages. The Penguin Press HC: November 4, 2004. ISBN 1594200335.
Pierson, Paul. Politics in Time : History, Institutions, and Social Analysis. 208 pages. Princeton University Press: August 9, 2004. ISBN 0691117152.

External links

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A government map, probably created in the mid-20th century, that depicts a simplified history of territorial acquistions within the continental United States. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederate) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties Killed in action: 110,000 Total dead: 360,000 Wounded: 275,200 Killed in action: 93,000 Total dead: 258... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First... The Great Depression was known as a worldwide economic downturn, starting in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) United States of America South Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand the Philippines Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) Strength ~1,200,000 (1968) ~420,000 (1968) Casualties South Vietnamese dead: 230,000 South Vietnamese wounded: 300,000 US dead... Historically, the Civil Rights Movement was a concentrated period of time around the world of approximately one generation (1960-1980) wherein there was much worldwide civil unrest and popular rebellion. ... President of the United States, George W. Bush (right) at Camp David in March 2003, hosting the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... 48-star flag, 1957 This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of the United States. ... The federal government of the United States was established by the United States Constitution. ... The law of the United States was originally largely derived from the common law of the system of English law, which was in force at the time of the Revolutionary War. ... Image of the United States Bill of Rights from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... Political parties in the United States lists political parties in the United States. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at federal (national), state and local level. ... An electoral college is a set of electors who are empowered as a deliberative body to elect someone to a particular office. ... This article provides a list of major political scandals of the United States. ... The political units and divisions of the United States include: the fifty states, which units are typically divided into counties and townships, and incorporate cities, villages, towns, and other types of municipalities, and other autonomous or subordinate public authorities and institutions; and the federal state, which unit is the United... Map of results by state of the 2000 U.S. presidential election, representing states as either red or blue. ... This is an incomplete list of federal agencies, which are either departmental agencies within the executive branch of the United States government or are Independent Agencies of the United States Government (including regulatory agencies and government corporations). ... A congress is a gathering of people, especially a gathering for a political purpose. ... The chamber of the United States House of Representatives is located in the south wing of the Capitol building, in Washington, D.C.. This photograph shows a rare glimpse of the four vote tallying boards (the blackish squares across the top), which display each members name and vote as... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is, in the words of Adlai Stevenson, a heartbeat from the presidency. ... Cabinet meeting on May 16, 2001. ... 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White Goat Wilderness Area, Alberta, Canada View of the Rocky Mountains as depicted on the Colorado state quarter The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... For other Grand Canyons see Grand Canyon (disambiguation). ... The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie which lies east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States of America and Canada, covering all or parts of the U.S. states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota and the... The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... The U.S. Southern states or the South, also known colloquially as Dixie, constitute a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States, with its own unique heritage, historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest river in the United States; the longest is the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Darker red states are always considered part of the Pacific Northwest. ... The highest mountains in the U.S. are overwhelmingly located in four states: Alaska (home of 19 of the 20 highest peaks in the U.S.--Californias Mt. ... This is a list of valleys of the United States including valleys which lie within the United States and another country (Mexico and Canada, just for example): Berkshire Valley (Massachusetts) Big Smoky Valley (Nevada) Cache Valley (Utah-Idaho) Central Valley (California) Champlain Valley Coachella Valley (California) Columbia River Gorge Connecticut... Rivers in the United States is a list of rivers in the United States. ... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... This is a list of cities in the fifty United States as well as U.S.-owned territories (Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa) and the District of Columbia. ... United States of America, showing states, divided into counties. ... This list of regions of the United States includes official (governmental) and non-official areas within the borders of the United States, not including U.S. states, the federal district of Washington, D.C. or standard subentities such as cities or counties. ... This is a list of the extreme points of the United States, the points that are farther north, south, east, or west than any other location in the country. ... United States Banking began in 1781 with an act of United States Congress that established the Bank of North America in Philadelphia. ... This is a list of companies from the United States: #Current companies #Former companies, including acquired and merged ones #By industry #By location #See also Current companies Contents: Top - 0â€“9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S... The standard of living in the United States is one of the highest in the world by almost any measure. ... This article is about general United States currency. ... View up Wall Street from Pearl Street NYSE and Broad Street view from Wall Street Wall Street is the name of a narrow street in lower Manhattan running east from Broadway downhill to the East River. ... This article very generally discusses the customs and culture of the United States; for the culture of the United States, see arts and entertainment in the United States. ... The following is an overview of the demographics of the United States. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... The contemporary United States has no legally-recognized social classes. ... The standard of living in the United States is one of the highest in the world by almost any measure. ... Holidays of the United States vary with local observance. ... The folklore of the United States, or American folklore, is the folk tradition which has evolved on the North American continent since Europeans arrived in the 16th century. ... This article discusses the culture of the United States; for customs and way of life, see Culture of the United States. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... American classical music refers to music written in the United States but in the European classical music tradition. ... American roots music is a broad category of music including country music, bluegrass, gospel, ragtime, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Tejano and Cajun and Native American music. ... The first major American popular songwriter, Stephen Foster Starting with the birth of recorded music, American popular music has had a profound effect on music across the world. ... The cinema of the United States, sometimes simply referred to as Hollywood, is typically used in reference to the larger, studio-produced cinema within the U.S.. Much like American popular music, the American film industry has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th... This article is about television in the United States, specifically its history, art, business and government regulation. ... ... This topic is considered to be an essential subject on Wikipedia. ... The poetry of the United States began as a literary art during the colonial era. ... Transcendentalism was a group of new ideas in literature, religion, culture, and philosophy that emerged in the New England region of the United States of America in the early-to mid-nineteenth century. ... The Harlem Renaissance was a flowering of art, literature and music in the United States in the 1920s and early 1930s led by the African American community based in Harlem, New York City. ... The term Beat Generation refers primarily to a group of American writers of the 1950s. ... The Rocky Mountains, Landers Peak, 1863 by Albert Bierstadt, one of the Hudson River School painters Visual arts of the United States refers to the history of painting and visual art in the United States. ... This USPS stamp illustrates Pollocks drip technique. ... As a nation of immigrants, it is no surprise that the cuisine of the United States is incredibly diverse. ... Closely related to the development of American music in the early 20th century was the emergence of a new, and distinctively American, art form -- modern dance. ... The United States has a history of architecture that includes a wide variety of styles. ... United States territory is any extent of region under the jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States, including all waters (around islands or continental tracts). ... The primary regulator of communications in the United States is the Federal Communications Commission. ... Current U.S. Highway shield The United States Highway System is an integrated system of roads in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid. ... Interstate Highways in the lower 48 states. ... There arergwertwertert[1] Kyle Railroad (KYLE) [2] Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad (MNA) [3] Montana Rail Link (MRL) [4] Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway (MMA) [5] Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado RailNet (NKCR) New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (NYSW) [6] Northern Plains Railroad Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) [7] Palouse... J. M. Flaggs Uncle Sam recruited soldiers for World War I. Uncle Sam is a national personification of the United States dating from the War of 1812. ... National flag and ensign. ... Historical American flags in Washington, DC: the Betsy Ross flag hangs on both ends and the classic Old Glory is to each side of the current 50 state version. ... The United States of America has a large and lucrative tourism industry serving millions of international and domestic tourists. ... Social issues in the United States as perceived by social justice advocates and other groups and commentators include an unequal educational system, poverty, high rates of crime and incarceration, and lack of access to quality health care. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Race in the profile of a persons considered likely to commit a particular crime or type of crime (see Offender Profiling). ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Operation Mallorca, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, 2005 [1] Massive mark-ups for drugs, UK Govt report No significant impact on retail or wholesale prices, UK Govt report The War on Drugs is an initiative undertaken by the United States to carry out an all-out offensive (as President Nixon... Pornography may use any of a variety of media â€” written and spoken text, photos, movies, etc. ... Same-sex marriage, often called gay marriage, is a marriage between two persons of the same sex. ... There has been significant disagreement about poverty in the United States; particularly over how poverty ought to be defined. ... Capital punishment in the United States is officially sanctioned by 36 of the 50 states, as well as by the federal government and the military. ... Cover of Anti-Americanism by French author Jean-FranÃ§ois Revel. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The folklore of the United States, or American folklore, is the folk tradition which has evolved on the North American continent since Europeans arrived in the 16th century. ... American English (AmE) is the dialect of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. ... The United States Mexico barrier is actually several separation barriers designed to prevent illegal immigration into the United States from the territory of adjacent Mexico along the U.S.-Mexico border. ... The political units and divisions of the United States include: the fifty states, which units are typically divided into counties and townships, and incorporate cities, villages, towns, and other types of municipalities, and other autonomous or subordinate public authorities and institutions; and the federal state, which unit is the United... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area Ranked 30th - Total 52,423 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area Ranked 1st - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,854 kmÂ²) - Width 808 miles (1,300 km) - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km) - % water 13. ... Official language(s) None Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area Ranked 6th - Total 113,998 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area Ranked 29th - Total 53,179 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area Ranked 3rd - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 kmÂ²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 8th 104,185 sq mi 269 837 kmÂ² 280 miles 451 km 380 miles 612 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Area Ranked 48th - Total 5,549 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area Ranked 49th - Total 2,491 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area Ranked 22nd - Total 65,794 sq mi (170,451 kmÂ²) - Width 162 miles (260 km) - Length 497 miles (800 km) - % water 17. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area Ranked 43rd - Total 10,941 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Boise Largest city Boise Area Ranked 14th - Total 83,642 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area Ranked 25th - Total 57,918 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area Ranked 38th - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 kmÂ²) - Width 140 miles (225 km) - Length 270 miles (435 km) - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area Ranked 26th - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 kmÂ²) - Width 199 miles (320 km) - Length 310 miles (500 km) - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area Ranked 15th - Total 82,277 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area Ranked 37th - Total 40,444 sq. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area Ranked 31st - Total 51,885 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 39th 33,414 sq mi 86,542 kmÂ² 190 miles 305 km 320 miles 515 km 13. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area Ranked 42nd - Total 12,417 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area Ranked 44th - Total 10,555 sq. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area Ranked 11th - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 kmÂ²) - Width 239 miles (385 km) - Length 491 miles (790 km) - % water 41. ... Official language(s) None Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area Ranked 12th - Total 87,014 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Area Ranked 32nd - Total 48,434 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area Ranked 4th - Total 147,165 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Area Ranked 16th - Total 77,421 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Carson City Las Vegas Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 7th 110,567 sq mi 286,367 kmÂ² 322 miles 519 km 490 miles 788 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area Ranked 46th - Total 9,359 sq. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area Ranked 47th - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 kmÂ²) - Width 70 miles (110 km) - Length 150 miles (240 km) - % water 14. ... Official language(s) None Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area Ranked 5th - Total 121,665 sq. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area Ranked 27th - Total 54,520 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Largest city Bismarck Fargo Area Ranked 19th - Total 70,762 sq mi (183,272 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 340 miles (545 km) - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Columbus Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area Ranked 34th - Total 44,825 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area Ranked 20th - Total 69,960 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Salem Portland Area Ranked 9th - Total 98,466 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 kmÂ²) - Width 160 miles (255 km) - Length 280 miles (455 km) - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area Ranked 50th - Total 1,214 sq mi (3,144 kmÂ²) - Width 37 miles (60 km) - Length 48 miles (77 km) - % water 32. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1760-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Area Ranked 40th - Total 34,726 mileÂ² (82,965 kmÂ²) - Width 200 miles (320 km) - Length 260 miles (420 km) - % water 6 - Latitude 32Â°430N to 35Â°12N - Longitude 78Â°030W... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area Ranked 17th - Total 77,163 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 kmÂ² 195 km 710 km 2. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area Ranked 2nd - Total 268,581 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area Ranked 13th - Total 84,876 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area Ranked 43rd - Total 9,620 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area Ranked 18th - Total 71,342 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area Ranked 23rd - Total 65,498 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area Ranked 10th - Total 97,872 sq. ... Federal districts are subdivisions of a federal system of government. ... Flag Seal Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ... An insular area is United States territory that is neither a part of one of the fifty states nor a part of the District of Columbia, the nations federal district. ... National motto: Official languages English, Chamorro, Carolinian. ... Motto: Latin: Joannes Est Nomen Eius; Spanish: Juan es su nombre (English: John is his name) Anthem: La BorinqueÃ±a Capital San Juan Largest city San Juan Official language(s) Spanish, English Government Commonwealth Governor AnÃbal Acevedo VilÃ¡ Independence None (U.S. Commonwealth) Area - Total 9,104 kmÂ² (Ranked... National motto: United in Pride and Hope Official language English Capital Charlotte Amalie Governor Charles Wesley Turnbull Area - Total - % water Ranked N/A 352 kmÂ² 1% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked N/A 124,778 (July 2003 est. ... The United States Minor Outlying Islands, defined by ISO 3166-1, consists of the following list of islands: Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Navassa Island Palmyra Atoll Wake Island All of these islands are in the Pacific Ocean except Navassa Island, which is... Howland Island Howland Island is an uninhabited atoll located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean at 0Â°48â€²N 176Â°38â€²W, about 3,100 km (1,675 nautical miles) southwest of Honolulu. ... The flag of the US is used on Jarvis Island Map of Jarvis Island Jarvis Island is an uninhabited 4. ... Johnston Atoll is a 130 kmÂ² atoll in the North Pacific Ocean at 16Â°45â€²N 169Â°30â€²W, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands. ... The flag of the US is used for Kingman Reef Kingman Reef Kingman Reefâ€”NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Kingman Reef is a one-square-kilometer tropical coral reef located in the North Pacific Ocean, roughly half way between Hawaiian Islands and American Samoa at 6Â°24... Orthographic projection centred over Midway Midway Atoll (also known as Midway Island or Midway Islands, Hawaiian: Pihemanu) is a 6. ... Navassa Island map from The World Factbook Navassa Island - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Navassa Island (La Navase in French, Lanavaz in Haitian KreyÃ²l) is a small, uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea. ... Map of Palmyra Atoll Palmyra Atoll, is an incorporated but uninhabited territory with a unique status of being privately owned (by The Nature Conservancy), but administered by the United States government. ... Wake Island - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Wake Island (also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll (having a coastline of 12 miles (19. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Motto: Â¡Vivan siempre el trabajo y la paz! Live forever work and peace! The last rhyme of the national anthem remarks the tireless and peaceful spirit of the country. ... Motto: Spanish: Dios, Patria, Libertad (English: God, Fatherland, Liberty) Anthem: Quisqueyanos valientes Capital Santo Domingo Largest city Santo Domingo Official language(s) Spanish Government Republic President Leonel FernÃ¡ndez Independence from Haiti 27 February 1844 Area - Total 48,730 kmÂ² (128th) 18,810 sq mi - Water (%) 1. ... Motto: Dios, UniÃ³n, Libertad (Spanish: God, Union, Liberty) Anthem: Saludemos la Patria orgullosos Capital San Salvador Largest city San Salvador Official language(s) Spanish Government Republic - President Antonio Saca Independence - From Spain September 15, 1821 - From the UPCA 1842 Area - Total 21,040 kmÂ² (149th) 8,123 sq mi... Royal anthem: God Save the Queen National motto: Country Above Self Location of Saint Kitts and Nevis Official language English Capital Basseterre Queen Elizabeth II Governor General Sir Cuthbert Sebastian Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas Area - Total - % water Ranked 186th 261 kmÂ² Negligible Population - Total - Density Ranked 209th 42,696... Lc redirects here. ... Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an independent sovereign state of the Caribbean, part of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... Motto: Together we aspire, together we achieve Anthem: Forged From The Love of Liberty Capital Port of Spain Largest city Chaguanas Official language(s) English Government President Prime Minister George Maxwell Richards Patrick Manning Independence from the UK 31 August 1962 Area - Total 5,128 kmÂ² (163rd) 1,979 sq... Dependent areas are territories that for some reason do not possess full political independence or sovereignty as states. ... Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (French Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) 46Â°47â€²N 56Â°12â€²W is a French overseas collectivity consisting of several small islands off the eastern coast of Canada near Newfoundland. ... Motto: Libertate unanimus (Latin: Unified by freedom) Anthem: Anthem without a title Capital Willemstad Largest city Willemstad Official language(s) Dutch Government Queen Governor Prime minister Beatrix Frits Goedgedrag Emily de Jongh-Elhage Dependent area of Kingdom of the Netherlands Area - Total - Water (%) 960 kmÂ² (~170th) 371 sq mi Negligible... National motto: The Land, The People, The Light Official language English Political status Non-sovereign, Overseas territory of the UK Capital Road Town Governor David Pearey Chief minister Orlando Smith Area - Total - % water Ranked 176th 153 kmÂ² 1. ... Motto: He hath founded it upon the seas Anthem: God Save the Queen (Royal Anthem) Capital George Town Largest city George Town Official language(s) English Government Governor Leader of Govt Business Constitutional monarchy Stuart Jack Kurt Tibbetts Creation (split from Jamaica) 1963 Area - Total - Water (%) 260 kmÂ² (221st... The Turks and Caicos Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas, at . ... Navassa Island map from The World Factbook Navassa Island - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Navassa Island (La Navase in French, Lanavaz in Haitian KreyÃ²l) is a small, uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea. ... Motto: Latin: Joannes Est Nomen Eius; Spanish: Juan es su nombre (English: John is his name) Anthem: La BorinqueÃ±a Capital San Juan Largest city San Juan Official language(s) Spanish, English Government Commonwealth Governor AnÃbal Acevedo VilÃ¡ Independence None (U.S. Commonwealth) Area - Total 9,104 kmÂ² (Ranked... National motto: United in Pride and Hope Official language English Capital Charlotte Amalie Governor Charles Wesley Turnbull Area - Total - % water Ranked N/A 352 kmÂ² 1% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked N/A 124,778 (July 2003 est. ...

Notes

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^ Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, The Reader's Companion to American History. Page 576. October 21, 1991. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395513723.
^ McDuffie, Jerome, Piggrem, Gary Wayne, and Woodworth, Steven E. U.S. History Super Review. Page 418. Research & Education Association: June 21, 2005. ISBN 0738600709
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^ Rudolph, John L. Scientists in the Classroom: The Cold War Reconstruction of American Science Education. Page 1. Palgrave Macmillan: May 3, 2002. ISBN 0312295715.
^ Klarman, Michael J. From Jim Crow to Civil Rights: The Supreme Court and the Struggle for Racial Equality. Page 552. Oxford University Press, USA: May 4, 2006. ISBN 0195310187.
^ "US names 'coalition of the willing'" Steve Schifferes. BBC News. March 18,, 2003. Accessed April 17,, 2006.
^ "Table 2 Aliens From Countries That Sponsor Terrorism Who Were Ordered Removed - October 1, 2000 through December 31, 2001". February 2003. U.S. Department of Justice. URL accessed May 30, 2006.
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Contents

Origin and history of name GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");