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• The United States is a country in North America made up of 50 separate states. Founded in 1776 from a collection of thirteen North American colonies then part of the British Empire, the United States has grown since that time to be the world's pre-eminent military and cultural power.

• Fast Facts

  1. Capital: Washington DC
  2. Government: Constitution based, federal
  3. Population: 305,526,311 2008 est.Census Bureau: US PopClock Projection
  4. Currency: USD
  5. GDP (PPP): $13.13 trillion 2006 est CIAgov: Factbook
  6. Official Language: English
  7. Highest mountain: Mount McKinley in Alaska
  8. Lowest point: Death Valley in California
  9. Deepest lake: Crater Lake in Oregon
  10. Longest river: Missouri River
  11. Largest state (by area): Alaska
  12. Notable natural features: Rocky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Great Lakes, Mississippi River
  13. Largest state (by pop.): California
  14. Largest city (by pop): New York City
  15. Notable wars fought: Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, U.S. Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War One, World War Two, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq War, Afghanistan War

• Geography

  The land mass of the United States encompasses approximately 3.79 million square miles, most of which is comprised of the forty-eight contiguous states located on the North American continent between Canada and Mexico. The largest state by land mass in the nation, Alaska, borders the northwest corner of Canada, and the only island state in the nation, Hawaii, is located nearly 2,000 miles southwest of California.

• Climate and Terrain

  The climate of the United States varies widely, from the frigid subarctic zones of Alaska to the sweltering deserts of Nevada and Arizona. The highest mountain in the United States is Alaska's Mount McKinley or Denali, at approximately 20,320 feet, and the lowest point in the nation is in Death Valley National Park in California.

• Government

  The democratically elected government of the United States is one of the oldest continually surviving such governments in the world. Comprised of an executive, legislative, and |judicial branch, the actions and interaction of the branches are governed by an amendable Federal Constitution adopted in 1787. The executive branch consists of the President of the United States and his or her cabinet, and associated organizations and commissions. The legislative branch consists of the United States Congress, split into two houses: a 435-member House of Representatives and a 100-member Senate. The judicial branch is headed by a Supreme Court.

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Washington DC | Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York State | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington State | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | How to Fold a Flag | How to Hang a Flag

• Borders

  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Russia

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