United States

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Languages & Population

Approximate Population: 301,139,947 (July 2007 est.)

Nationality (Noun): American(s)

Nationality (Adjective): American

Official Language(s): English

Major Languages Spoken: Blackfoot, Burmese, Cajun, Chinook, Creole, Crow, English, Hawaiian, Hmong, Hungarian, Japanese, Malay, Navajo, Sindhi, Sioux, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, Yiddish, Filipino, Sign Language - American

Country Facts

Country Name (long form): United States of America

Country Name (short form): United States

Country Name (local long form): none

Country Name (local short form): none

Name of Capital: Washington, DC

UTC Time Difference (from capital): UTC-5 (during Standard Time)

Countries Near by, and Bordering United States: Mexico, Russia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Cuba

Land Area: 9161923 sq km

Water Area: 664707 sq km

Comparative Area: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa

Total Land Boundry: 12,034 km

Coastline: 19,924 km

National Holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

International Phone Code: 1

Currency Code: US dollar (USD)

Internet Country Code: .us

US Embassy Location: NA

US Embassy Mailing Address: NA