United States of America | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||
Location of the USA in North America
|
||||||
Capital | Washington, D.C. | |||||
Largest city | New York City | |||||
Government | Federal presidential republic | |||||
- | President | Joe Biden | ||||
- | Vice President | Hillary Clinton | ||||
- | Speaker of the House | Chuck Schumer | ||||
Legislature | Congress | |||||
- | Upper house | Senate | ||||
- | Lower house | House of Representatives | ||||
Establishment | ||||||
- | Declaration of independence from the United Kingdom | July 4, 1776 | ||||
- | Constitution | June 21, 1788 | ||||
Population | ||||||
- | Estimate | 334,199,681 | ||||
GDP (PPP) | 2021 estimate | |||||
- | Total | $25.842 trillion (1th) | ||||
- | Per capita | $81,309 (2th) | ||||
Currency | Dollar ($) |
United States of America commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territories, 326 Indian reservations, and some minor possessions.
Most of the country is located in central North America, made up of 48 states and the District of Columbia, the federal district of the capital. Bathed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, it borders Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, bordering Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the Central Pacific. The country also has several other territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. With population of more than 330 million inhabitants, the country is the fourth largest in total area, the fifth largest in contiguous area and third in population. The United States is one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations in the world, a product of strong immigration from many countries.
The United States is a federal republic and a representative democracy with three separate branches of government, including a bicameral legislature. It is a founding member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, NATO, and other international organizations. It is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Considered a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, its population has been profoundly shaped by centuries of immigration. The U.S. ranks high in international measures of economic freedom, quality of life, education, and human rights; it has low levels of perceived corruption. However, the country has been criticized for inequality related to race, wealth, and income; use of capital punishment; high incarceration rates; and lack of universal health care.