{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}

{{for|other uses of "US", "USA", and "United States"|US (disambiguation)|USA (disambiguation)|United States (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox country

|conventional_long_name = United States of America

|common_name = United States

|image_flag = Flag of the United States.svg

|image_coat = Great Seal of the United States (obverse).svg

|symbol_type = Great Seal

|national_motto = <!--Please read the talk page before editing these mottos:--><div style="padding-bottom:0.2em;">"[[In God we trust]]" {{small|(official)}}<ref>{{USC|36|302}} ''National motto''</ref><ref>[[#Simonson|Simonson, 2010]]</ref><ref>[[#God|Dept. of Treasury, 2011]]</ref></div> <div style="line-height:1.15em;">{{native phrase|la|"[[E pluribus unum]]"|italics=off}} {{small|(traditional)}} <br />{{small|"Out of many, one"}}

</div>

|national_anthem = "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]"<br /><center>[[File:Star Spangled Banner instrumental.ogg]]</center>

|image_map = USA orthographic.svg

|alt_map = Projection of North America with the United States in green

|map_width = 220px

|capital = [[Washington, D.C.]]

|latd=38 |latm=53 |latNS=N |longd=77 |longm=01 |longEW=W

|largest_city = [[New York City]]

|official_languages = {{nowrap|None at [[Federal government of the United States|federal level]]{{ref label|engoffbox|a|}}}}

|languages_type = [[National language]]

|languages = [[American English]]{{ref label|engfactobox|b|}}

|demonym = [[Americans|American]]

|government_type = [[Federalism|Federal]] [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[constitutional republic]]

|leader_title1 = [[President of the United States|President]]

|leader_name1 = {{nowrap|[[Barack Obama]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])}}

|leader_title2 = [[Vice President (United States)|Vice President]]

|leader_name2 = {{nowrap|[[Joe Biden]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])}}

|leader_title3 = {{nowrap|[[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]]}}

|leader_name3 = {{nowrap|[[John Boehner]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])}}

|leader_title4 = [[Chief Justice (United States)|Chief Justice]]

|leader_name4 = [[John Roberts]]

|legislature = [[United States Congress|Congress]]

|upper_house = [[Senate (United States)|Senate]]

|lower_house = [[House of Representatives (United States)|House of Representatives]]

|sovereignty_type = [[American Revolution|Independence]]

|sovereignty_note = from [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]]

|established_event1 = [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declared]]

|established_date1 = July 4, 1776

|established_event2 = [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Recognized]]

|established_date2 = September 3, 1783

|established_event3 = {{nowrap|[[United States Constitution|Constitution]]}}

|established_date3 = June 21, 1788

|area_magnitude = 1 E12

|area_sq_mi = 3794101

|area_km2 = 9826675

|area_rank = 3rd/4th

|area_footnote = <ref name="WF"/>{{ref label|areabox|c|}}

|percent_water = 6.76

|population_estimate = {{formatnum:{{data United States | Poptoday }} }}<ref name="POP">{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |title=U.S. POPClock Projection}} (figure updated automatically).</ref>

|population_estimate_year = 2013

|population_estimate_rank = 3rd

|population_density_km2 = 34.2

|population_density_sq_mi = 88.6

|population_density_rank = 179th

|GDP_PPP_year = 2013

|GDP_PPP = {{nowrap|$16.724 trillion<ref name=IMF_GDP>{{cite web |url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2013/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2010&ey=2013&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=72&pr1.y=17&c=111&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CPPPSH%2CLP&grp=0&a= |publisher=International Monetary Fund |title=World Economic Outlook Database: United States |month=November |year=2013 |accessdate=November 5, 2013}}</ref><!--end nowrap:-->}}

|GDP_PPP_rank = 1st

|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $52,839<ref name="IMF_GDP"/>

|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 6th

|GDP_nominal = {{nowrap|$16.724 trillion<ref name="IMF_GDP"/>}}

|GDP_nominal_rank = 1st

|GDP_nominal_year = 2013

|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $52,839<ref name="IMF_GDP"/>

|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 9th

|Gini_year = 2011

|Gini_change = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->

|Gini = 47.7 <!--number only-->

|Gini_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb12-172.html |title=Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2011 |work=Newsroom |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |date=September 12, 2012 |accessdate=January 23, 2013}}</ref>

|Gini_rank = 39th (2009)

|HDI_year = 2013

|HDI_change = increase <!--increase/decrease/steady-->

|HDI = 0.937 <!--number only-->

|HDI_ref = <ref name="HDI">{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR2013_EN_Complete.pdf |title=Human Development Report 2013 |publisher=United Nations Development Programme |date= March 14, 2013 |accessdate= March 14, 2013}}</ref>

|HDI_rank = 3rd

|EF_year = 2007

|EF = {{decrease}} 8.0 gha<ref name="EF">{{cite web |url=http://www.footprintnetwork.org/images/uploads/Ecological_Footprint_Atlas_2010.pdf |title=Ecological Footprint Atlas 2010 |publisher=Global Footprint Network |accessdate=July 11, 2011}}</ref>

|EF_rank = 6th

|currency = [[{{#property:p38}}]] ($)

|currency_code = USD

|country_code = USA

|utc_offset = −5 to −10

|utc_offset_DST = −4 to −10{{ref label|UTCbox|e|}}

|calling_code = [[North American Numbering Plan|+1]]

|iso3166code = US

|drives_on = right{{ref label|driving|g|}}

|cctld = {{nowrap|[[.us]]{{nbsp|3}}[[.gov]]{{nbsp|3}}[[.mil]]{{nbsp|3}}[[.edu]]}}

|footnote_a = {{note|engoffbox}} English is the [[Official language of the United States|official language]] of at least 28 states; some sources give higher figures, based on differing definitions of "official".{{big|<ref name=ILW/>}} English and [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] are both official languages in the state of [[Hawaii]].

|footnote_b = {{note|engfactobox}} English is the ''[[de facto]]'' language of American government and the sole language spoken at home by 80 percent of Americans aged five and older. [[Spanish language in the United States|Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language]].

|footnote_c = {{note|areabox}} Whether the United States or [[China]] is larger has been [[List of countries by area|disputed]]. The figure given is from the U.S. [[Central Intelligence Agency]]'s ''[[The World Factbook]]''. Other sources give smaller figures. All authoritative calculations of the country's size include only the 50 states and the District of Columbia, not the [[Territories of the United States|territories]].

|footnote_d = {{note|popbox}} The population estimate is of people whose usual residence is within the 50 states and the District of Columbia, regardless of nationality. It does not include those living in the territories (over 4&nbsp;million people, mostly in [[Puerto Rico]]).

|footnote_e = {{note|UTCbox}} See [[Time in the United States]] for details about laws governing time zones in the United States.

|footnote_f = {{note|ISO3166box}} Does not include [[insular area]]s and [[United States Minor Outlying Islands]], which have their own [[ISO 3166]] codes.

|footnote_g = {{note|driving}} Except [[United States Virgin Islands|U.S. Virgin Islands]].

}}

The '''United States''', officially the '''United States of America''', is a country in northern [[North America]]. Its [[Contiguous United States|contiguous territory]] is bordered in the north by [[Canada]], in the south by [[Mexico]], in the west by the [[Pacific Ocean]], and in the east by the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. Its non-contiguous territory extends the [[Borders of the United States|country's borders]] worldwide. At {{convert|9.83|sqkm|abbr=off|sigfig=1|disp=flip}} in total, the United States is the [[List of countries and dependencies by area|fourth-largest country by total area]].

The U.S. mainland was originally inhabited by various [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American civilizations]]. Europeans [[European colonization of the Americas|colonized the region]] beginning in the 16th century. After obtaining [[American Revolution|independence from Great Britain]] in 1783, the United States developed into a major [[regional power]] in the [[Western Hemisphere]], and underwent territorial expansion under the doctrine of [[manifest destiny]]. The territorial integrity of the state was consolidated following a [[American Civil War|civil war]], and the U.S. thereafter entered a [[Gilded Age]] of increasing industrialization, immigration, and social reform. In the twentieth century, the country's leading role in [[World wars#World wars of the 20th century|two world wars]] confirmed its status as a global [[superpower]] and a [[Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council|permanent member]] of the [[United Nations Security Council]]. After the end of a decades-long [[Cold War]] with the [[Soviet Union]], the United States became the world's foremost economic, military, and technological power.

The United States is a [[federal republic]] divided into 50 [[U.S. state|states]], 16 [[United States territory|territories]], a [[Federal district (United States)|federal district]], and various overseas [[Territories of the United States#Extraterritorial jurisdiction|extraterritorial jurisdictions]]. Its diverse geography include the vast [[Interior Plains]], arctic [[Alaska]], tropical [[Hawaii]], the valleys of its [[Appalachian highlands]], and the arid deserts of its [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]]. It is a [[developed country]] with a very high Human Development Index. Its national economy is the world's largest, and it is fueled by an abundance of natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and a large manufacturing sector.

The U.S. population, estimated at 316 million, is the [[List of countries by population|third largest]] in the world. Americans are multiethnic and multicultural, the product of large-scale [[Immigration to the United States|immigration]]. The main spoken language is English, and a significant number of the nation's inhabitants also speak Spanish. At the forefront of its national identity, the U.S. has traditionally upheld the ideals of freedom, democracy, and opportunity.

==Etymology==

{{See also|Names for United States citizens}}

In 1507, the German [[cartographer]] [[Martin Waldseemüller]] produced a world map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere [[Americas|"America"]] after the Italian explorer and cartographer [[Amerigo Vespucci]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-24-america-turns-500_N.htm?csp=34 |title= Cartographer Put 'America' on the Map 500 years Ago |work=USA Today |location =Washington, D.C. |date=April 24, 2007 |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=November 30, 2008}}</ref>

The first documentary evidence of the phrase "United States of America" is from a letter dated January 2, 1776, written by [[Stephen Moylan|Stephen Moylan, Esq.]], [[George Washington|George Washingon's]] aide-de-camp and Muster-Master General of the [[Continental Army]]. Addressed to [[Joseph Reed (jurist)|Lt. Col. Joseph Reed]], Moylan expressed his wish to carry the "full and ample powers of the United States of America" to Spain to assist in the revolutionary war effort.<ref>DeLear, Byron (July 4, 2013) [http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2013/0704/Who-coined-United-States-of-America-Mystery-might-have-intriguing-answer Who coined 'United States of America'? Mystery might have intriguing answer.] "Historians have long tried to pinpoint exactly when the name 'United States of America' was first used and by whom. A new find suggests the man might have been George Washington himself." ''Christian Science Monitor'' (Boston, MA).</ref>

The first publicly published evidence of the phrase "United States of America" was in an anonymously written essay in ''[[The Virginia Gazette]]'' newspaper in Williamsburg, Virginia, on April 6, 1776.<ref>''"To the inhabitants of Virginia," by A PLANTER.'' Dixon and Hunter's [http://research.history.org/DigitalLibrary/VirginiaGazette/VGIssueThumbs.cfm?IssueIDNo=76.DH.16 Virginia Gazette #1287]&nbsp;– April 6, 1776, Williamsburg, Virginia. Letter is also included in [[Peter Force]]'s ''American Archives'' Vol. 5</ref><ref>Carter, Rusty (August 18, 2012). [http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-usa-first-0818-20120818,0,4983868.story "You read it here first"]{{dead link|date=December 2012}}. ''Virginia Gazette''. "He did a search of the archives and found the letter on the front page of the April 6, 1776, edition, published by Hunter & Dixon."</ref> In June 1776, Thomas Jefferson included the phrase "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" in all capitalized letters in the headline of his "original Rough draught" of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]].<ref>DeLear, Byron (August 16, 2012). [http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2012/0816/Who-coined-the-name-United-States-of-America-Mystery-gets-new-twist#disqus_thread "Who coined the name 'United States of America'? Mystery gets new twist."] ''Christian Science Monitor'' (Boston, MA).</ref><ref>Jefferson's "original Rough draught" of the [http://www.princeton.edu/~tjpapers/declaration/declaration.html Declaration of Independence]</ref> In the final [[Fourth of July]] version of the Declaration, the pertinent section of the title was changed to read, "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America".<!--Do not uppercase "united" here: it is unambiguously lowercased in the Declaration--><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html |title=The Charters of Freedom |publisher=National Archives |accessdate=June 20, 2007}}</ref>

In 1777 the [[Articles of Confederation]] announced, "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America'".<ref>{{cite book|author=Mary Mostert|title=The Threat of Anarchy Leads to the Constitution of the United States|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=jntSQ-yn66AC&pg=PA18|year=2005|publisher=CTR Publishing, Inc|page=18|isbn=9780975385142}}</ref>

The short form "United States" is also standard. Other common forms include the "U.S.", the "USA", and "America". Colloquial names include the "U.S. of A." and, internationally, the "States". "[[Columbia (name)|Columbia]]", a name popular in poetry and songs of the late 1700s,<ref>{{cite web |title=Get to Know D.C. |url= http://www.historydc.org/aboutdc.aspx|publisher=Historical Society of Washington, D.C. |accessdate= July 11, 2011}}</ref> derives its origin from [[Christopher Columbus]]; it appears in the name "[[District of Columbia]]".

The standard way to refer to a citizen of the United States is as an "[[Americans|American]]". "United States", "American" and "U.S." are used to refer to the country adjectivally ("American values", "U.S.&nbsp;forces"). "[[American (word)|American]]" is rarely used in English to refer to subjects not connected with the United States.<ref>Wilson, Kenneth G. (1993). ''The Columbia Guide to Standard American English''. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 27–28. ISBN 0-231-06989-8.</ref>

The phrase "United States" was originally treated as plural, a description of a collection of independent states—e.g., "the United States are"—including in the [[Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution]], ratified in 1865. It became common to treat it as singular, a single unit—e.g., "the United States is"—after the end of the Civil War. The singular form is now standard; the plural form is retained in the idiom "these United States".<ref name=zimmer>{{cite web |url= http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002663.html |author=Zimmer, Benjamin |date=November 24, 2005 |title=Life in These, Uh, This United States |publisher=University of Pennsylvania—Language Log |accessdate=January 5, 2013}}</ref> The difference has been described as more significant than one of usage, but reflecting the difference between a collection of states and a unit.<ref>G. H. Emerson, The Universalist Quarterly and General Review, Vol. 28 (Jan. 1891), p. 49, quoted in Zimmer paper above.</ref>

In non-English languages, the name is frequently translated as the translation of either the "United States" or "United States of America", and colloquially as "America". In addition, an initialism is sometimes used.<ref>For example, the U.S. embassy in Spain calls itself the embassy of the "Estados Unidos", literally the words "states" and "united", and also uses the initials "EE.UU.", the doubled letters implying plural use in Spanish [http://spanish.madrid.usembassy.gov/] Elsewhere on the site "Estados Unidos de América" is used [http://spanish.madrid.usembassy.gov/es/educacion/benjamin_2013.html]</ref>

==History==

{{Main|History of the United States|Timeline of United States history}}

{{multiple image

| align = left

| direction = vertical

| image1 = Aerial of Texas Medical Center with Downtown Houston in the background.jpg

| alt1 = Yellow cartouche

| width1 = 200

| caption1 = The [[Texas Medical Center]] in Houston is the world's largest medical center.

| image2 = Space Shuttle Columbia launching.jpg

| alt2 = Red cartouche

| width2 = 200

| caption2 = The [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida helped the U.S. [[space exploration|explore outer space]].

}}

==Government==

{{Main|Federal government of the United States|state governments of the United States|elections in the United States}}

{{multiple image

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| image1 = Capitol Building Full View.jpg

| alt1 = Yellow cartouche

| width1 = 200

| caption1 = U.S. Capitol seats the Congress: the Senate, left; the House, right

| image2 = WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG

| alt2 = Red cartouche

| width2 = 200

| caption2 = The White House used by the U.S. President

| image3 = USSupremeCourtWestFacade.JPG

| alt3 = Red cartouche

| width3 = 200

| caption3 = Supreme Court and offices for nine Justices

}}

{{clear}}

==States and territories==

{{Main|Political divisions of the United States|U.S. state|Territories of the United States|List of states and territories of the United States}}

{{Further|Territorial evolution of the United States|United States territorial acquisitions}}

The United States is a [[federation|federal union]] of 50 states. The original 13 states were the successors of the [[Thirteen Colonies|13 colonies]] that rebelled against British rule. Early in the country's history, three new states were organized on territory separated from the claims of the existing states: [[Kentucky]] from [[Virginia]]; [[Tennessee]] from [[North Carolina]]; and [[Maine]] from [[Massachusetts]]. Most of the other states have been carved from territories obtained through war or purchase by the U.S. government. One set of exceptions includes [[Vermont]], [[Texas]], and [[Hawaii]]: each was an independent republic before joining the union. During the [[American Civil War]], [[West Virginia]] broke away from Virginia. The most recent state—Hawaii—achieved statehood on August 21, 1959.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/10/18/special/story4.html |title='The Goal Was Democracy for All |work= Honolulu Star-Bulletin |author=Borreca, Richard |date=October 18, 1999 |accessdate=February 11, 2012}}</ref> The states [[Texas v. White|do not have the right]] to unilaterally [[secession|secede]] from the union.

The states compose the vast bulk of the U.S. land mass; the two other areas considered integral parts of the country are the District of Columbia, the [[federal district]] where the capital, Washington, is located; and [[Palmyra Atoll]], an uninhabited but [[territories of the United States|incorporated territory]] in the Pacific Ocean. The United States also possesses five major overseas territories: [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[United States Virgin Islands]] in the Caribbean; and [[American Samoa]], [[Guam]], and the [[Northern Mariana Islands]] in the Pacific.<ref>See {{usc|8|1101}}(a)(36) and {{usc|8|1101}}(a)(38) U.S. Federal Code, Immigration and Nationality Act. {{USC|8|1101a}}</ref> Those born in the major territories are [[Birthright citizenship in the United States|birthright U.S. citizens]] except Samoans. Samoans born in American Samoa are born [[United States nationality law#Nationals|U.S. nationals]], and may become naturalized citizens.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jenkins |first=William O. |title=American Samoa: Issues Associated with Potential Changes to the Current System for Adjudicating Matters of Federal Law |url=http://books.google.com/?id=Ho_RmgOnwgwC&lpg=PA8 |year=2009 |publisher=DIANE Publishing |isbn=9781437907049 |page=8 }}</ref> American citizens residing in the territories have fundamental constitutional protections and elective self-government, with a territorial [[Delegate (United States Congress)|Member of Congress]], but they do not vote for president as states. Territories have personal and business tax regimes different from that of states.<ref>US General Accounting Office, U.S. Insular Areas. [http://www.gao.gov/assets/230/224900.pdf Application of the U.S. Constitution]. November 1997. p. 9. Appendix I, pp. 23–38. Retrieved April 29, 2013.</ref>

The United States also observes [[Tribal sovereignty in the United States|tribal sovereignty]] of the Native Nations. Though reservations are within state borders, the reservation is a sovereign. While the United States recognizes this sovereignty, other countries may not.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fonseca |first=Felicia |agency=Associated Press |title=Native American nations debate sovereignty after Iroquois passport dispute |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700049039/Native-American-nations-debate-sovereignty-after-Iroquois-passport-dispute.html?pg=all |accessdate=July 28, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City |date=July 17, 2010}}</ref>

{{USA midsize imagemap with state names}}

{{clear}}

==Geography==

{{Main|Geography of the United States|Climate of the United States|Environment of the United States}}

{{multiple image

| align = left

| direction = vertical

| image1 = USA 10654 Bryce Canyon Luca Galuzzi 2007.jpg

| alt1 = Red cartouche

| width1 = 200

| caption1 = The [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida helped the U.S. [[space exploration|explore outer space]].

| image2 = Willow Flats area and Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park.jpg

| alt2 = Red cartouche

| width2 = 200

| caption2 = The [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida helped the U.S. [[space exploration|explore outer space]].

}}

The land area of the [[contiguous United States]] is {{convert|2959064|sqmi|km2|0}}. Alaska, separated from the contiguous United States by Canada, is the largest state at {{convert|663268|sqmi|km2|0}}. Hawaii, occupying an archipelago in the central [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]], southwest of North America, is {{convert|10931|sqmi|km2|0}} in area.<ref>{{cite web|author=Lubowski, Ruben; Vesterby, Marlow; Bucholtz, Shawn |url= http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/arei/eib16/chapter1/1.1/|title=AREI Chapter 1.1: Land Use |publisher= Economic Research Service |date=July 21, 2006|accessdate=March 9, 2009}}</ref>

The United States is the world's third or fourth [[List of countries by area|largest nation by total area]] (land and water), ranking behind Russia and Canada and just above or below [[China]]. The ranking varies depending on how two territories disputed by China and [[India]] are counted and how the total size of the United States is measured: calculations range from {{convert|3676486|sqmi|km2|0}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/616563/United-States |title= United States |publisher= Encyclopædia Britannica |accessdate=March 25, 2008 (area given in square miles)}}</ref> to {{convert|3717813|sqmi|km2|0}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYB2005/Table03.pdf |title=Population by Sex, Rate of Population Increase, Surface Area and Density |publisher=UN Statistics Division |work= Demographic Yearbook 2005 |accessdate=March 25, 2008 (area given in square kilometers)}}</ref> to {{convert|3794101|sqmi|km2|0}}.<ref name="WF">{{cite web |url= https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html |title=United States |publisher=CIA |work=The World Factbook |date=September 30, 2009 |accessdate=January 5, 2010 (area given in square kilometers)}}</ref> Measured by only land area, the United States is third in size behind Russia and China, just ahead of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://web.archive.org/web/20080208233209rn_1/education.yahoo.com/reference/factbook/countrycompare/area/3d.html |title=World Factbook: Area Country Comparison Table |publisher=Yahoo Education |accessdate=February 28, 2007}}</ref>

The coastal plain of the [[Atlantic]] seaboard gives way further inland to [[deciduous]] forests and the rolling hills of the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]]. The [[Appalachian Mountains]] divide the eastern seaboard from the [[Great Lakes]] and the grasslands of the [[Midwest]]. The [[Mississippi (river)|Mississippi]]–[[Missouri River]], the world's [[List of rivers by length|fourth longest river system]], runs mainly north–south through the heart of the country. The flat, fertile [[prairie]] of the [[Great Plains]] stretches to the west, interrupted by [[U.S. Interior Highlands|a highland region]] in the southeast.

The [[Rocky Mountains]], at the western edge of the Great Plains, extend north to south across the country, reaching altitudes higher than 14,000&nbsp;feet (4,300&nbsp;m) in [[Colorado]]. Farther west are the rocky [[Great Basin]] and deserts such as the [[Chihuahua (desert)|Chihuahua]] and [[Mojave (desert)|Mojave]]. The [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] and [[Cascade Range|Cascade]] mountain ranges run close to the [[West Coast of the United States|Pacific coast]], both ranges reaching altitudes higher than {{convert|14000|ft|m}}. The lowest and highest points in the [[Contiguous United States|continental]] United States are in the state of [[California]], and only about {{convert|80|mi|km}} apart. At 20,320&nbsp;feet (6,194&nbsp;m), Alaska's [[Mount McKinley]] is the tallest peak in the country and in North America. Active [[volcano]]es are common throughout Alaska's [[Alexander Archipelago|Alexander]] and [[Aleutian Islands]], and Hawaii consists of volcanic islands. The [[supervolcano]] underlying [[Yellowstone National Park]] in the Rockies is the continent's largest volcanic feature.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/supervolcano/under/under.html |title=Supervolcano: What's Under Yellowstone? |author=O'Hanlon, Larry |publisher=Discovery Channel |accessdate=June 13, 2007|archiveurl=http://archive.is/vXo7|archivedate=May 25, 2012}}</ref>

The United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. To the east of the [[100th meridian west|100th meridian]], the climate ranges from [[humid continental]] in the north to [[humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] in the south. The southern tip of [[Florida]] is tropical, as is Hawaii. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are semi-arid. Much of the Western mountains are [[alpine climate|alpine]]. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] in [[coastal California]], and [[oceanic climate|oceanic]] in coastal [[Oregon]] and [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and southern Alaska. Most of Alaska is subarctic or polar. Extreme weather is not uncommon—the states bordering the [[Gulf of Mexico]] are prone to [[Tropical cyclone|hurricanes]], and most of the world's [[tornado]]es occur within the country, mainly in the Midwest's [[Tornado Alley]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Perkins, Sid |url= http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20020511/bob9.asp |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070701131631/http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20020511/bob9.asp |archivedate=July 1, 2007 |title=Tornado Alley, USA |accessdate=September 20, 2006 |date=May 11, 2002 |work= Science News}}</ref>

==Biodiversity==

{{multiple image

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| image1 = Weisskopf Seeadler haliaeetus leucocephalus 2 amk.jpg

| alt1 = Yellow cartouche

| width1 = 200

| caption1 = U.S. Capitol seats the Congress: the Senate, left; the House, right

| image2 = American bison k5680-1.jpg

| alt2 = Red cartouche

| width2 = 200

| caption2 = The White House used by the U.S. President

}}

The U.S. ecology is considered "[[megadiverse countries|megadiverse]]": about 17,000 species of [[vascular plants]] occur in the contiguous United States and Alaska, and over 1,800 species of [[flowering plant]]s are found in Hawaii, few of which occur on the mainland.<ref>{{cite web |author= Morin, Nancy |url= http://www.fungaljungal.org/papers/National_Biological_Service.pdf |title=Vascular Plants of the United States |publisher= National Biological Service |work=Plants |accessdate=October 27, 2008}}</ref> The United States is home to more than 400 mammal, 750 bird, and 500 reptile and amphibian species.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.sdi.gov/curtis/TxTab4x1.html |title= Global Significance of Selected U.S. Native Plant and Animal Species |publisher=SDI Group |date=February 9, 2001 |accessdate=January 20, 2009}}</ref> About 91,000 insect species have been described.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/bugnos.htm |title=Numbers of Insects (Species and Individuals) |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |accessdate=January 20, 2009}}</ref>

There are 58 [[List of areas in the United States National Park System|national parks]] and hundreds of other federally managed parks, forests, and [[wilderness]] areas.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://home.nps.gov/applications/release/Detail.cfm?ID=639 |title=National Park Service Announces Addition of Two New Units |publisher=National Park Service |date=February 28, 2006 |accessdate=June 13, 2006}}</ref> Altogether, the government owns 28.8% of the country's land area.<ref name=FL>{{cite web |url= http://johnshadegg.house.gov/rsc/Federal%20Land%20Ownership--May%202005.pdf |title=Federal Land and Buildings Ownership |publisher=Republican Study Committee |date=May 19, 2005 |accessdate= March 9, 2009}}</ref>{{dead link|date=June 2013}} Most of this is [[protected area|protected]], though some is leased for oil and gas drilling, mining, logging, or cattle ranching; 2.4% is used for military purposes.<ref name=FL/>{{dead link|date=June 2013}}<ref>{{cite web |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) |accessdate=June 23, 2012 |date=June 21, 2012 |title=NOAA: Gulf of Mexico 'Dead Zone' Predictions Feature Uncertainty |url= http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article_pf.asp?ID=3252}}</ref><ref name="Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium">{{cite web |publisher=Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) |accessdate=May 18, 2013 |title=What is hypoxia? |url= http://www.gulfhypoxia.net/Overview/}}</ref>

===Environmental issues===

{{main|Environmental issues in the United States|Conservation movement#United States}}

[[Environmental issues in the United States|Environmental issues]] have been on the national agenda since 1970. Environmental controversies include debates on oil and nuclear energy, dealing with air and water pollution, the economic costs of protecting wildlife, logging and deforestation,<ref>[http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/biology/a_forest.html Forest Resources of the United States]</ref><ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr587.pdf Land Use Changes Involving Forestry in the United States: 1952 to 1997, With Projections to 2050<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and international responses to global warming.<ref>[[#Daynes|Daynes & Sussman, 2010]], pp. 3, 72, 74–76, 78</ref><ref>Hays, Samuel P. (2000). ''A History of Environmental Politics since 1945''.</ref> Many federal and state agencies are involved. The most prominent is the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA), created by presidential order in 1970.<ref>Rothman, Hal K. (1998).''The Greening of a Nation? Environmentalism in the United States since 1945''</ref> The idea of wilderness has shaped the management of public lands since 1964, with the Wilderness Act.<ref>Turner, James Morton (2012). ''The Promise of Wilderness''</ref> The [[Endangered Species Act]] of 1973 protects threatened and endangered species and their habitats, which are monitored by the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]].

==Economy==

{{Main|Economy of the United States}}

[[File:Photos NewYork1 032.jpg|thumb|235px|The [[New York Stock Exchange]] on [[Wall Street]], the world's largest stock exchange per total [[market capitalization]] of its listed companies.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.world-exchanges.org/files/file/stats%20and%20charts/July%202010%20WFE%20Market%20Highlights.pdf |title= Market highlights for first half-year 2010 |publisher=World Federation of Exchanges |accessdate=November 22, 2012}}</ref>]]

The United States has a [[capitalism|capitalist]] [[mixed economy]], which is fueled by abundant [[natural resource]]s, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity.<ref>Wright, Gavin; Czelusta, Jesse (2007). "Resource-Based Growth Past and Present", in ''Natural Resources: Neither Curse Nor Destiny'', ed. Daniel Lederman and William Maloney. World Bank. p. 185. ISBN 0-8213-6545-2.</ref> According to the [[International Monetary Fund]], the U.S. GDP of $15.1 trillion constitutes 22% of the [[gross world product]] at market exchange rates and over 19% of the gross world product at [[purchasing power parity]] (PPP).<ref name="IMF_GDP"/> Though larger than any other nation's, its national GDP was about 5% smaller at PPP in 2011 than the [[European Union]]'s, whose population is around 62% higher.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/3-28072011-AP/EN/3-28072011-AP-EN.PDF |title= EU27 Population 502.5 Million at 1 January 2011 |publisher= Eurostat Press Office |date=July 28, 2011 |accessdate=June 19, 2012}}</ref> The country ranks ninth in the world in [[List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita|nominal GDP per capita]] and sixth in [[List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|GDP per capita at PPP]].<ref name="IMF_GDP"/> The [[United States dollar|U.S. dollar]] is the world's primary [[reserve currency]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.imf.org/external/np/sta/cofer/eng/cofer.pdf |title=Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves |publisher=International Monetary Fund |accessdate=April 9, 2012}}</ref>

The United States is the [[List of countries by imports|largest importer]] of goods and [[List of countries by exports|second largest exporter]], though [[List of countries by exports per capita|exports per capita]] are relatively low. In 2010, the total [[U.S. trade deficit]] was $635 billion.<ref name=Trade>{{cite web |title=Trade Statistics |url= http://greyhill.com/trade-statistics |publisher= Greyhill Advisors |accessdate=October 6, 2011}}</ref> Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany are its top trading partners.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top/dst/current/balance.html |title=Top Ten Countries with which the U.S. Trades|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=August 2009 |accessdate= October 12, 2009}}</ref> In 2010, oil was the largest import commodity, while transportation equipment was the country's largest export.<ref name=Trade/> China is the largest foreign holder of U.S. public debt.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/DC-Decoder/2011/0204/National-debt-Whom-does-the-US-owe |title= National debt: Whom does the US owe? |work=The Christian Science Monitor |location =Boston MA |date=February 4, 2011 |accessdate=July 14, 2011}}</ref>

In 2009, the private sector was estimated to constitute 86.4% of the economy, with federal government activity accounting for 4.3% and state and local government activity (including federal transfers) the remaining 9.3%.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://greyhill.com/gdp-by-industry/ |title=GDP by Industry |publisher=Greyhill Advisors|accessdate=October 13, 2011}}</ref> While its economy has reached a [[post-industrial society|postindustrial]] level of development and its [[Tertiary sector of economic activity|service sector]] constitutes 67.8% of GDP, the United States remains an industrial power.<ref name=Econ>{{cite web |url= http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/economy-in-brief/page3.html |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20080312123609/http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/economy-in-brief/page3.html |archivedate=March 12, 2008 |title=USA Economy in Brief |publisher=U.S. Dept. of State, International Information Programs}}</ref> The leading business field by gross business receipts is wholesale and retail trade; by net income it is manufacturing.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009/tables/09s0724.xls |title=Table 724—Number of Tax Returns, Receipts, and Net Income by Type of Business and Industry: 2005 |format=XLS |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |accessdate=October 12, 2009}}</ref>

Chemical products are the leading manufacturing field.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009/tables/09s0964.xls|title=Table 964—Gross Domestic Product in Current and Real (2000) Dollars by Industry: 2006|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=May 2008|accessdate=October 12, 2009}}</ref> The United States is the third largest producer of oil in the world, as well as its largest importer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2173rank.html|title=Rank Order—Oil (Production)|publisher=CIA|work=The World Factbook|accessdate=October 12, 2009}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2174rank.html|title=Rank Order—Oil (Consumption)|publisher=CIA|work=The World Factbook|accessdate=October 12, 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html|title=Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports Top 15 Countries|publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration|date=September 29, 2009|accessdate=October 12, 2009}}</ref> It is the world's number one producer of electrical and nuclear energy, as well as [[Liquefied natural gas|liquid natural gas]], sulfur, phosphates, and [[salt]]. While [[Agriculture in the United States|agriculture]] accounts for just under 1% of GDP,<ref name=Econ/> the United States is the world's top producer of corn<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grains.org/page.ww?section=Barley,+Corn+%26+Sorghum&name=Corn|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080112182404/http://www.grains.org/page.ww?section=Barley,+Corn+%26+Sorghum&name=Corn|archivedate=January 12, 2008|title=Corn|publisher=U.S. Grains Council|accessdate=March 13, 2008}}</ref> and soybeans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5442|title=Soybean Demand Continues to Drive Production|publisher=Worldwatch Institute|date=November 6, 2007|accessdate=March 13, 2008}}</ref> The [[National Agricultural Statistics Service]] maintains [http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/pnpr3713.txt agricultural statistics] for products that include; [[peanuts]], [[Oats]], [[Rye]], [[Wheat]], [[Rice]], [[Cotton]], [[maize|corn]], [[barley]], [[hay]], [[sunflowers]], and [[oilseed]]s. In addition, the [[United States Department of Agriculture|United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)]] provides [http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=ANIMAL_PRODUCTION livestock statistics] regarding [[beef]], [[poultry]], [[pork]], along with [[Milk|dairy products]]. The [[National Mining Association]] provides data pertaining to [[coal]] and [[minerals]] that include; [[beryllium]], [[copper]], [[lead]], [[magnesium]], [[zinc]], [[titanium]] and others.<ref>[http://www.nma.org/index.php/coal-statistics Coal Statistics<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.nma.org/index.php/minerals-statistics/minerals-production Minerals Production<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the [[franchising]] business model, [[McDonald's]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] are the two most recognized brands in the world. [[Coca-Cola]] is the most recognized [[soft drink]] company in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cheskin.com/view_news.php?id=2|title=Sony, LG, Wal-Mart among Most Extendible Brands|publisher=Cheskin|date=June 6, 2005|accessdate=June 19, 2007}}</ref>

[[Consumer spending]] comprises 71% of the U.S. economy in 2013.<ref>[http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=hh3 "Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE)/Gross Domestic Product (GDP)"] ''FRED Graph'', Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis</ref> In August 2010, the American labor force consisted of 154.1 million people. With 21.2 million people, government is the leading field of employment. The largest private employment sector is health care and social assistance, with 16.4 million people. About 12% of workers are [[Labor unions in the United States|unionized]], compared to 30% in Western Europe.<ref>{{cite news |author= Fuller, Thomas |url= http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/14/news/europe.php |title=In the East, Many EU Work Rules Don't Apply |date=June 15, 2005 |work=International Herald Tribune |location= Paris |accessdate=June 28, 2007}}</ref> The World Bank ranks the United States first in the ease of hiring and firing workers.<ref name="EDBI">{{cite web |url= http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/?economyid=197 |accessdate=June 28, 2007 |title= Doing Business in the United States |year=2006 |publisher=World Bank}}</ref> The United States is the only advanced economy that that does not [[List of statutory minimum employment leave by country|guarantee its workers paid vacation]]<ref>Ray, Rebecca; Sanes, Milla; Schmitt, John (May 2013). [http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/no-vacation-update-2013-05.pdf No-Vacation Nation Revisited]. ''[[Center for Economic and Policy Research]].'' Retrieved September 8, 2013.</ref> and is one of just a few countries in the world without [[paid family leave]] as a [[legal right]], with the others being [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Suriname]] and [[Liberia]].<ref>Bernard. Tara Siegel (February 22, 2013). [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/your-money/us-trails-much-of-the-world-in-providing-paid-family-leave.html "In Paid Family Leave, U.S. Trails Most of the Globe"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved August 27, 2013.</ref> In 2009, the United States had the third highest [[labor productivity]] per person in the world, behind [[Luxembourg]] and [[Norway]]. It was fourth in productivity per hour, behind those two countries and the [[Netherlands]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.conference-board.org/data/economydatabase/ |title=Total Economy Database, Summary Statistics, 1995–2010 |publisher=The Conference Board|work=Total Economy Database |date=September 2010 |accessdate=September 20, 2009}}</ref>

The [[2008-2012 global recession]] had a significant impact on the United States. For example, persistent high [[unemployment]] [[99ers|remains]], along with low [[Consumer Confidence Index|consumer confidence]], the [[United States housing bubble|continuing decline in home values and increase in foreclosures and personal bankruptcies]], an escalating [[United States public debt|federal debt crisis]], [[inflation]], and [[2000s energy crisis|rising petroleum and food prices]]. In fact, a 2011 poll found that more than half of all Americans think the U.S. is still in recession or even [[Economic depression|depression]], despite official data that shows a historically modest recovery.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/us-usa-economy-gallup-idUSTRE73R3WW20110428?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews |work=Reuters |title=Most Americans say U.S. in recession despite data: poll |date=April 28, 2011}}</ref>

==Demographics==

{{Main|Demographics of the United States|Americans|List of United States cities by population}}

[[File:Mulberry Street NYC c1900 LOC 3g04637u edit.jpg|thumb|Largest ancestry groups by county, 2000]]

The [[U.S. Census Bureau]] estimates the country's population now to be {{formatnum:{{data United States | Poptoday}}}},<ref name="POP"/> including an approximate 11.2 million [[Illegal immigration to the United States|illegal aliens]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cis.org/articles/2008/back808.pdf| author =Camarota, Steven A.; Jensenius, Karen |title= Homeward Bound: Recent Immigration Enforcement and the Decline in the Illegal Alien Population |month=July |year=2008 |publisher= Center for Immigration Studies |accessdate= August 6, 2008}}</ref> The U.S. population almost quadrupled during the 20th century, from about 76 million in 1900.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/06statab/pop.pdf |title= Statistical Abstract of the United States |year=2005 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The third most populous nation in the world, after China and [[India]], the United States is the only major industrialized nation in which large population increases are projected.<ref name="PRC">{{cite web |url= http://www.prcdc.org/summaries/uspopperspec/uspopperspec.html |title=Executive Summary: A Population Perspective of the United States |publisher=Population Resource Center |month=May |year=2000 |accessdate=December 20, 2007 |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070604165856/http://www.prcdc.org/summaries/uspopperspec/uspopperspec.html |archivedate=June 4, 2007}}</ref>

With a birth rate of 13 per 1,000, 35% below the world average, its [[population growth]] rate is positive at 0.9%, significantly higher than those of many developed nations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr60/nvsr60_02.pdf|title=Births: Preliminary Data for 2010|publisher=National Center for Health Statistics|work=National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 60|year=2011|accessdate=August 17, 2012}}</ref> In fiscal year 2012, over one million [[Immigration to the United States|immigrants]] (most of whom entered through [[Chain migration#Legislation and chain migration|family reunification]]) were granted [[United States Permanent Resident Card|legal residence]].<ref name="LPR">[http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ois_lpr_fr_2012_2.pdf "U.S. Legal Permanent Residents: 2012"]. [[Office of Immigration Statistics]] ''Annual Flow Report.''</ref> [[Mexico]] has been the leading source of new residents for over two decades; since 1998, [[China]], India, and the Philippines have been in the top four sending countries every year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dhs.gov/yearbook-immigration-statistics-2011-1|title=Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2011 – Persons Obtaining Legal Permanent Resident Status by Region and Country of Birth: Fiscal Years 2002 to 2011 (Table 3)|publisher=U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security|accessdate=February 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.dhs.gov/files/statistics/publications/LPR07.shtm|title=Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2007 – Persons Obtaining Legal Permanent Resident Status by Region and Country of Birth: Fiscal Years 1998 to 2007 (Table 3)|publisher=U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security|accessdate=February 4, 2013}}</ref> 9 million Americans identify as [[homosexual]], [[bisexual]] or [[transgender]], making up less than four percent of the population.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://abcnews.go.com/Health/williams-institute-report-reveals-million-gay-bisexual-transgender/story?id=13320565 |title= Gay Americans Make Up 4 Percent of Population |accessdate= August 26, 2012 |work= ABC News |date=April 8, 2011 |author=Donaldson James, Susan}}</ref> A 2010 survey found that seven percent of men and eight percent of women identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual.<ref>[http://www.nationalsexstudy.indiana.edu/ National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior]. Retrieved January 6, 2013.</ref>

The United States has a very [[multiethnic society|diverse population]]—31 [[maps of American ancestries|ancestry groups]] have more than one million members.<ref name="An2000">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-35.pdf|title=Ancestry 2000|publisher=U.S.Census Bureau|month=June|year=2004|accessdate=June 13, 2007}}</ref> [[White American]]s are the largest [[race (classification of humans)|racial group]]; [[German American]]s, [[Irish American]]s, and [[English American]]s constitute three of the country's four largest ancestry groups.<ref name="An2000"/> [[African American|Black Americans]] are the nation's largest [[minority group|racial minority]] and third largest ancestry group.<ref name="An2000"/> [[Asian American]]s are the country's second largest racial minority; the three largest Asian American ethnic groups are [[Chinese American]]s, [[Filipino American]]s, and [[Indian American]]s.<ref name="An2000"/>

==Culture==

{{Main|Culture of the United States}}

{{See also|Social class in the United States|Public holidays in the United States|Tourism in the United States}}

[[File:EdwardMoran-UnveilingTheStatueofLiberty1886Large.jpg|left|thumb|The [[Statue of Liberty]] in [[New York City]] is a symbol of both the U.S. and ideals of freedom, democracy, and opportunity.<ref>{{cite web| title = Statue of Liberty| work=World Heritage| publisher=UNESCO| url = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/307| accessdate = October 20, 2011}}</ref>]]

The United States has a diverse makeup of nationalities, home to a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values.<ref name="DD"/><ref name="Society in Focus">Thompson, William; Hickey, Joseph (2005). ''Society in Focus''. Boston: Pearson. ISBN 0-205-41365-X.</ref> Aside from the relatively small [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] and [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] populations, nearly all Americans or their ancestors settled or immigrated within the past five centuries.<ref>Fiorina, Morris P.; Peterson, Paul E. (2000). ''The New American Democracy''. London: Longman, p. 97. ISBN 0-321-07058-5.</ref> Mainstream American culture is a [[Western culture]] largely derived from the [[European American|traditions of European immigrants]] with influences from many other sources, such as [[African-American culture|traditions brought by slaves from Africa]].<ref name="DD"/><ref>Holloway, Joseph E. (2005). ''Africanisms in American Culture'', 2d ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, pp. 18–38. ISBN 0-253-34479-4. Johnson, Fern L. (1999). ''Speaking Culturally: Language Diversity in the United States''. Thousand Oaks, Calif., London, and New Delhi: Sage, p. 116. ISBN 0-8039-5912-5.</ref> More recent immigration from [[Asian American|Asia]] and especially [[Latin American culture|Latin America]] has added to a cultural mix that has been described as both a homogenizing [[melting pot]], and a heterogeneous [[salad bowl (cultural idea)|salad bowl]] in which immigrants and their descendants retain distinctive cultural characteristics.<ref name="DD"/>

Core American culture was established by [[Protestant]] British colonists and shaped by the [[frontier]] settlement process, with the traits derived passed down to descendants and transmitted to immigrants through assimilation. Americans have traditionally been characterized by a strong [[work ethic]], competitiveness, and individualism, as well as a unifying belief in an "American Creed" emphasizing liberty, equality, private property, democracy, rule of law, and a preference for limited government.<ref>{{cite book|last=Huntington|first=Samuel P.|title=Who are We?: The Challenges to America's National Identity|year=2004|publisher=Simon and Schuster|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=6xiYiybkE8kC&vq=core&source=gbs_navlinks_s|chapter=Chapters 2–4}}</ref> Americans are extremely charitable by global standards. According to a 2006 British study, Americans gave 1.67% of GDP to charity, more than any other nation studied, more than twice the second place British figure of 0.73%, and around twelve times the French figure of 0.14%.<ref>{{cite news|last=AP|title=Americans give record $295B to charity|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-06-25-charitable_N.htm?POE=click-refer|accessdate=October 4, 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=June 25, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=International comparisons of charitable giving|url=http://www.cafonline.org/pdf/International%20Comparisons%20of%20Charitable%20Giving.pdf|publisher=Charities Aid Foundation|accessdate=October 4, 2013|month=November|year=2006}}</ref>

American culture is considered the most [[individualism|individualistic]] in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/individualism/|title=Individualism| publisher = Clearly Cultural|accessdate=February 28, 2009}}</ref> The [[American Dream]], or the perception that Americans enjoy high [[social mobility]], plays a key role in attracting immigrants.<ref name="socialmobility">{{cite web |url= http://www.oecd.org/tax/public-finance/chapter%205%20gfg%202010.pdf |title=A Family Affair: Intergenerational Social Mobility across OECD Countries |publisher=OECD| work = Economic Policy Reforms: Going for Growth|year=2010 |accessdate=September 20, 2010}} {{cite web |url= http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/IntergenerationalMobility.pdf |title=Intergenerational Mobility in Europe and North America|author=Blanden, Jo; Gregg, Paul; Malchin, Stephen |publisher= Centre for Economic Performance |month=April |year=2005 |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20060623094610/http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/IntergenerationalMobility.pdf |archivedate= June 23, 2006}}</ref> Social mobility is actually lower than other high-income countries, with the OECD ranking the U.S. 10th behind France, Germany, Canada, Australia, and the [[Nordic countries]],<ref name="socialmobility"/><ref>Dave Serchuk. [http://www.forbes.com/sites/daveserchuk/2011/12/07/happy-countrysocial-mobility/ Happy Country=Social Mobility?] ''[[Forbes]].'' 12/7/2011</ref><ref>Gould, Elise (October 10, 2012). [http://www.epi.org/publication/usa-lags-peer-countries-mobility/ "U.S. lags behind peer countries in mobility."] ''[[Economic Policy Institute]].'' Retrieved July 15, 2013.</ref><ref name=CAP>CAP: ''[http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2006/04/b1579981.html Understanding Mobility in America]''. April 26, 2006</ref> This has been partly attributed to the depth of [[Poverty in the United States|American poverty]], which leaves poor children starting especially far behind.<ref name=DeParle>DeParle, Jason (January 4, 2012). [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/us/harder-for-americans-to-rise-from-lower-rungs.html?sq=mobility&st=cse&scp=1&pagewanted=all Harder for Americans to Rise From Lower Rungs]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved September 8, 2013.</ref> Such studies are based on relative comparisons within each nation rather than absolute wealth earned throughout one's life, the U.S. having both a more stretched-out income distribution and a higher [[median household income|median income]] than those nations.<ref name=Schneider>{{cite web |last=Schneider |first=Donald |title=A Guide to Understanding International Comparisons of Economic Mobility |url= http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/07/a-guide-to-understanding-international-comparisons-of-economic-mobility |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |accessdate=August 22, 2013 |date=July 29, 2013}}</ref> While the mainstream culture holds that the United States is a [[classless society]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Gutfield |first=Amon |year=2002 |title=American Exceptionalism: The Effects of Plenty on the American Experience |publisher=Sussex Academic Press |location=Brighton and Portland |page=65 |isbn=1-903900-08-5}}</ref> scholars identify significant differences between the country's social classes, affecting [[socialization]], language, and values.<ref>{{cite book |last=Zweig |first=Michael |year=2004 |title=What's Class Got To Do With It, American Society in the Twenty-First Century |publisher=Cornell University Press |location=Ithaca, NY |isbn=0-8014-8899-0}} {{cite web |url= http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED309843&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&objectId=0900000b800472a5 |title=Effects of Social Class and Interactive Setting on Maternal Speech |publisher=Education Resource Information Center |accessdate=January 27, 2007}}</ref>

Americans' self-images, social viewpoints, and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an unusually close degree.<ref>{{cite book |last=Eichar |first=Douglas |year=1989 |title=Occupation and Class Consciousness in America |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, CT |isbn=0-313-26111-3}}</ref> While Americans tend greatly to value socioeconomic achievement, being [[Average Joe|ordinary or average]] is generally seen as a positive attribute.<ref>{{cite book |last=O'Keefe |first=Kevin |year=2005 |title=The Average American |publisher=PublicAffairs |location=New York |isbn=1-58648-270-X}}</ref>

==See also==

{{Portal|United States}}

* [[Index of United States-related articles]]

* [[Outline of the United States]]

* [[List of United States cities by population]]

* [[List of metropolitan areas of the United States]]

* [[List of official United States national symbols]]

*{{Wikipedia books link}}

==References==

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{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==

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*{{cite book |author=Karen Wood Weierman|title=One Nation, One Blood: Interracial Marriage In American Fiction, Scandal, And Law, 1820–1870 |year=2005|publisher=<br>[[University of Massachusetts Press]]|isbn=978-1-55849-483-1|page=214}}, [http://books.google.com/books?id=24mIQuLBuN8C&pg=PA44 Book]

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*{{cite book |last=Simonson |first=Peter |title=Refiguring Mass Communication: A History |ref=Simonson |year=2010 |publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]]|quote=He held high the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the nation's unofficial motto, ''e pluribus unum'', even as he was recoiling from the party system in which he had long participated. |location=Urbana |isbn=9780252077050}}, [http://books.google.com/books?id=N6lrAmPlbvIC&pg=PA79&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false Book]

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*{{cite book |last=Soss |first=Joe |editor-last=Hacker |editor-first=Jacob S. |editor2-last=Mettler |editor2-first=Suzanne |ref=Soss |title=Remaking America: Democracy and Public Policy in an Age of Inequality |year=2010 |publisher=<br>Russell Sage Foundation |isbn=9781610446945 |pages=}}, [http://books.google.com/?id=JttyjBoyb3AC&lpg=PA12 Book]

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*{{cite book |last=Thornton |first=Russell |title=American Indian Holocaust and Survival: A Population History Since 1492 |series=Volume 186 of Civilization of the American Indian Series |year=1987 |ref=Thornton |publisher=<br>University of Oklahoma Press |isbn=9780806122205 |page=49}}, [http://books.google.com/?id=9iQYSQ9y60MC&lpg=PA49 Book]

*{{cite book|last=Tooze|first=Adam|authorlink=Adam Tooze|year=2006|title=[[The Wages of Destruction|The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy]]|location=<br>London|publisher=Allen Lane|isbn=978-0-713-99566-4|ref=harv}}

*{{cite book |last=Vaughan |first=Alden T. |ref=Vaughan |title=New England Encounters: Indians and Euroamericans Ca. 1600–1850 |publisher=<br>North Eastern University Press |page= |year=1999}}

*{{cite book |last=Walton |first=Gary M. |last2=Rockoff |first2=Hugh |title=History of the American Economy |year=2009 |ref=Walton |publisher=Cengage Learning}}, [http://books.google.com/books/about/History_of_the_American_Economy_With_Acc.html?id=lyhI1q_E4G0C Book]

*{{cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=Daniel K. |year=2012 |ref=Williams |title=Questioning Conservatism's Ascendancy: A Reexamination of the Rightward Shift in Modern American Politics; {Reviews in American History} |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=325–331 |publisher=<br>The Johns Hopkins University Press |doi=10.1353/rah.2012.0043 |url=http://courses.ttu.edu/secunnin/40.2.williams.pdf |accessdate=March 11, 2013}}

*{{cite book |last=Zinn |first=Howard |authorlink=Howard Zinn |year=2005 |title=[[A People's History of the United States]] |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=0060838655}}

{{refend}}

===Website sources===

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*{{cite web |author=Cohen, Eliot A. |ref=Cohen |location=Washington D.C. |url= http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/59919/eliot-a-cohen/history-and-the-hyperpower |title=''History and the Hyperpower'' |work=Foreign Affairs |date=July/August 2004 |accessdate=July 14, 2006}}

*{{cite web |title=Slavery and the Slave Trade in Rhode Island |ref=Brown |url=http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/John_Carter_Brown_Library/jcbexhibit/Pages/exhibSlavery.html}}

*{{cite web |url= http://anthropology.si.edu/HumanOrigins/faq/americas.htm |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20071128083459/http://anthropology.si.edu/HumanOrigins/faq/americas.htm |archivedate=November 28, 2007 |ref=HumanOrigins |title=''Peopling of America''s |publisher=Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History |month=June |year=2004 |accessdate=June 19, 2007}}

*{{cite web |url= http://www.treasury.gov/about/education/Pages/in-god-we-trust.aspx |title=History of "In God We Trust" |ref=God |publisher=U.S. Department of the Treasury |date=March 8, 2011 |accessdate=February 23, 2013}}

*{{cite web |url=http://www.mchspa.org/body.htm |title=''Early History, Native Americans, and Early Settlers in Mercer County'' |year=427 |ref=Mercer |publisher=Mercer County Historical Society|archiveurl=http://archive.is/GkED4|archivedate=April 15, 2013}}, [http://books.google.com/books?id=2MjxPJ9W4gwC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Book]

*{{cite news |title=Looking back 20 years: Who deserves credit for ending the Cold War? |author=Nick Hayes |ref=Hayes |url=http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2009/11/looking-back-20-years-who-deserves-credit-ending-cold-war |newspaper=MinnPost |date=November 6, 2009 |accessdate=March 11, 2013}}

*{{cite web |url=http://www.ushistory.org/us/59e.asp |title=59e. The End of the Cold War |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |work=U.S. History.org |ref=ushistory13|publisher=Independence Hall Association |accessdate=March 10, 2013}}

*{{cite book |last=Levy |first=Peter B. |ref=Levy1996 |title=Encyclopedia of the Reagan-Bush Years |url=http://books.google.com/?id=7veohk0fkLYC&lpg=PA88 |year=1996 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn= 9780313290183 |page=442}}

*{{cite journal |last1=Wallander |first1=Celeste A. |year=2003 |ref=Wallander2003 |title=Western Policy and the Demise of the Soviet Union |journal=[[Journal of Cold War Studies]] |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=137–177 |publisher=[[President and Fellows of Harvard College]] and the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] |doi=10.1162/152039703322483774 |url=http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/152039703322483774?journalCode=jcws |accessdate=March 11, 2013}}

{{refend}}