United States

United States of America
Motto: "In God We Trust"[1]
Other traditional mottos:[2]
Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"[3]
Orthographic map of the U.S. in North America
World map showing the U.S. and its territories
CapitalWashington, D.C.
38°53′N 77°1′W / 38.883°N 77.017°W / 38.883; -77.017
Largest cityNew York City
40°43′N 74°0′W / 40.717°N 74.000°W / 40.717; -74.000
Official languagesNone at the federal level[a]
National languageEnglish[b]
Ethnic groups
(2020)[4][5][6]
By race:
By origin:
Religion
(2023)[7]
  • 22% unaffiliated
  • 2% Judaism
  • 6% other religion
  • 3% unanswered
Demonym(s)American[c][8]
GovernmentFederal presidential republic
• President
Joe Biden
Kamala Harris
Mike Johnson
John Roberts
LegislatureCongress
Senate
House of Representatives
Independence 
July 4, 1776 (1776-07-04)
March 1, 1781 (1781-03-01)
September 3, 1783 (1783-09-03)
June 21, 1788 (1788-06-21)
Area
• Total area
3,796,742 sq mi (9,833,520 km2)[10][d] (3rd)
• Water (%)
7.0[9] (2010)
• Land area
3,531,905 sq mi (9,147,590 km2) (3rd)
Population
• 2023 estimate
Neutral increase 334,914,895[11]
• 2020 census
Neutral increase 331,449,281[e][12] (3rd)
• Density
87/sq mi (33.6/km2) (185th)
GDP (PPP)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase $29.167 trillion[13] (2nd)
• Per capita
Increase $86,601[13] (8th)
GDP (nominal)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase $29.167 trillion[13] (1st)
• Per capita
Increase $86,601[13] (6th)
Gini (2022)Negative increase 41.7[f][14]
medium inequality
HDI (2022)Increase 0.927[15]
very high (20th)
CurrencyU.S. dollar ($) (USD)
Time zoneUTC−4 to −12, +10, +11
• Summer (DST)
UTC−4 to −10[g]
Date formatmm/dd/yyyy[h]
Drives onright[i]
Calling code+1
ISO 3166 codeUS
Internet TLD.us[16]

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal union of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous states border Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, with the states of Alaska to the northwest and the archipelagic Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The United States also asserts sovereignty over five major island territories and various uninhabited islands.[j] The country has the world's third-largest land area,[d] largest exclusive economic zone, and third-largest population, exceeding 334 million.[k] Its three largest metropolitan areas are New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and its three most populous states are California, Texas, and Florida.

Paleo-Indians migrated across the Bering land bridge more than 12,000 years ago, and went on to form various civilizations and societies. British colonization led to the first settlement of the Thirteen Colonies in Virginia in 1607. Clashes with the British Crown over taxation and political representation sparked the American Revolution, with the Second Continental Congress formally declaring independence on July 4, 1776. Following its victory in the 1775–1783 Revolutionary War, the country continued to expand across North America. As more states were admitted, a North-South division over slavery led to the secession of the Confederate States of America, which fought the remaining Union states in the 1861–1865 American Civil War. With the Union's victory and preservation, slavery was abolished nationally. By 1900, the U.S. had established itself as a great power, which was solidified after its involvement in World War I. After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the U.S. entered World War II. Its aftermath left the U.S. and the Soviet Union as the world's two superpowers and led to the Cold War, during which both countries engaged in a struggle for ideological dominance and international influence. Following the Soviet Union's collapse and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the U.S. emerged as the world's sole superpower, wielding significant geopolitical influence globally.

The U.S. national government is a presidential constitutional federal republic and liberal democracy with three separate branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. It has a bicameral national legislature composed of the House of Representatives, a lower house based on population; and the Senate, an upper house based on equal representation for each state. Substantial autonomy is provided by federalism, with a political culture promoting liberty, equality, individualism, personal autonomy, and limited government.

One of the world's most developed countries, the United States has had the largest nominal GDP since about 1890 and accounted for over 15% of the global economy in 2023.[l] It possesses by far the largest amount of wealth of any country and has the highest disposable household income per capita among OECD countries. The U.S. ranks among the world's highest in economic competitiveness, productivity, innovation, human rights, and higher education. Its hard power and cultural influence have a global reach. The U.S. is a founding member of the World Bank, Organization of American States, NATO, and United Nations,[m] as well as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

  1. ^ 36 U.S.C. § 302
  2. ^ "The Great Seal of the United States" (PDF). U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs. 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  3. ^ An Act To make The Star-Spangled Banner the national anthem of the United States of America (H.R. 14). 71st United States Congress. March 3, 1931.
  4. ^ "2020 Census Illuminates Racial and Ethnic Composition of the Country". United States Census. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  5. ^ "Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census". United States Census. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  6. ^ "A Breakdown of 2020 Census Demographic Data". NPR. August 13, 2021.
  7. ^ Staff (June 8, 2007). "In Depth: Topics A to Z (Religion)". Gallup, Inc. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  8. ^ Compton's Pictured Encyclopedia and Fact-index: Ohio. 1963. p. 336.
  9. ^ "The Water Area of Each State". United States Geological Survey. 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Areas of the 50 states and the District of Columbia but not Puerto Rico nor other island territories per "State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates". Census.gov. August 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2020. reflect base feature updates made in the MAF/TIGER database through August, 2010.
  11. ^ "U.S. Population Trends Return to Pre-Pandemic Norms as More States Gain Population". Census.gov. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau Today Delivers State Population Totals for Congressional Apportionment". United States Census. Retrieved April 26, 2021. The 2020 census is as of April 1, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 Edition. (United States)". www.imf.org. International Monetary Fund. October 22, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  14. ^ "Income in the United States: 2022". Census.gov. p. 47. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  15. ^ "Human Development Report 2023/24" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  16. ^ "The Difference Between .us vs .com". Cozab. January 3, 2022. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  17. ^
  18. ^ "China". The World Factbook. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  19. ^ "United States". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2010.


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