United States

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 since grown to be one of the world's pre-eminent military and cultural powers.

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.www.50states.com/facts/hawaii.htm

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.

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.

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