Introduction
Background
Thirteen of Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America after the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions.
Geography
Area
total : 9,833,517 sq km
land: 9,147,593 sq km
water: 685,924 sq km
Climate
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Natural resources
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land
People and Society
Population
total: 341,963,408
Ethnic groups
White 61.6%, Black or African American 12.4%, Asian 6%, Indigenous and Alaska native 1.1%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.2%, other 8.4%, two or more races 10.2% (2020 est.)
Languages
English only 78.2%, Spanish 13.4%, Chinese 1.1%, other 7.3% (2017 est.)
Religions
Protestant 46.5%, Roman Catholic 20.8%, Jewish 1.9%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.6%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 0.9%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, Buddhist 0.7%, Hindu 0.7%, other 1.8%, unaffiliated 22.8%, don't know/refused 0.6% (2014 est.)
Population growth rate
0.67% (2024 est.)
Government
Government type
constitutional federal republic
Capital
name: Washington, DC
Executive branch
chief of state: President Joseph R. BIDEN, Jr. (since 20 January 2021)
head of government: President Joseph R. BIDEN, Jr. (since 20 January 2021)
Legislative branch
summary: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats) and the House of Representatives (435 seats)
Economy
Economic overview
high-income, diversified North American economy; NATO leader; largest importer and second-largest exporter; home to leading financial exchanges; high and growing public debt; rising socioeconomic inequalities; historically low interest rates; hit by COVID-19
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$24.662 trillion (2023 est.)
$24.051 trillion (2022 est.)
$23.594 trillion (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$73,600 (2023 est.)
$72,200 (2022 est.)
$71,100 (2021 est.)
Exports
$3.052 trillion (2023 est.)
$3.018 trillion (2022 est.)
$2.567 trillion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners
Canada 16%, Mexico 15%, China 8%, Japan 4%, UK 4% (2022)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, natural gas, cars, integrated circuits (2022)
Imports
$3.832 trillion (2023 est.)
$3.97 trillion (2022 est.)
$3.409 trillion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners
China 18%, Canada 14%, Mexico 14%, Germany 5%, Japan 4% (2022)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, garments, computers (2022)
Page last updated: Tuesday, September 24, 2024
