America

America
Conventional long name	United States of America
Common name	United States
Capital	Washington, D.C.
Largest city	New York City
Official languages	English language
Recognized languages	Spanish language
Government	federal presidential constitutional republic
Leader title1	President
Leader name1	Joe Biden
Area km2	9833517
Population estimate	331893745
Population estimate year	2020
Currency	United States dollar
Time zone	multiple
Calling code	+1

America

The United States is a federal republic in North America composed of fifty states, the District of Columbia, and several territories including Puerto Rico and Guam. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and shares land borders with Canada and Mexico. Founded in the late 18th century through the American Revolution, it has been a prominent actor in global affairs, with influential institutions such as the United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund engaging with its policies. Major cities include Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia.

Etymology

The name derives from the British Empire colonial labels used by European explorers and mapmakers in the 16th and 17th centuries, alongside names applied during expeditions by Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, and Amerigo Vespucci. Early colonial charters issued by the Kingdom of England and later acts of the Parliament of Great Britain formalized territorial names that persisted into the era of the Thirteen Colonies, whose delegates met at the Continental Congress and issued the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Subsequent treaties such as the Treaty of Paris (1783) and the Louisiana Purchase helped codify modern toponyms.

Geography and Environment

The country encompasses major physiographic regions including the Appalachian Mountains, the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, and the Mississippi River watershed, as well as coastal systems along the Gulf of Mexico. It contains diverse biomes from the Sonoran Desert to the Everglades and the Alaska Range with Denali National Park and Preserve. Environmental policy disputes have involved actors like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nature Conservancy, and treaties such as the Paris Agreement. Natural hazards include hurricanes affecting Florida and Louisiana, earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault, and wildfires in California and Oregon.

History

Colonization by powers including Spain, France, and Great Britain led to competing settlements such as Jamestown, Virginia and New Amsterdam before the growth of the Thirteen Colonies. Revolutionary leaders including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams shaped the founding documents of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Expansion occurred via events like the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican–American War, and the doctrine articulated in the Monroe Doctrine. The American Civil War between the Union and the Confederate States of America over slavery culminated in the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment. The nation industrialized with innovations from inventors such as Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell and saw waves of immigration through ports like Ellis Island. In the 20th century, leaders including Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman guided involvement in World War I and World War II and in the postwar era institutions such as NATO and the United Nations formed. The Cold War era pitted the country against the Soviet Union with crises including the Cuban Missile Crisis and conflicts like the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Civil rights movements led by figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People secured legal change through cases like Brown v. Board of Education and legislation including the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Recent decades have seen events such as the September 11 attacks, military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan, and political developments involving administrations of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.

Politics and Government

The federal system divides powers among branches in structures influenced by the Federalist Papers and judicial review established in Marbury v. Madison. The United States Congress comprises the Senate and the United States House of Representatives. The presidency has been held by leaders from parties including the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Supreme Court of the United States decides constitutional questions in cases such as Roe v. Wade and Brown v. Board of Education. Federal institutions interact with state governments in California and Texas among others, and electoral mechanisms include the United States Electoral College and legislation like the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Foreign policy is conducted through the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and ambassadors to entities such as the European Union and NATO allies.

Economy

A mixed-market economy features major sectors led by corporations such as Walmart, Apple Inc., ExxonMobil, Amazon, and Berkshire Hathaway. Financial centers include Wall Street in New York City with institutions like the Federal Reserve System and exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Industrial history involved firms like General Motors and technologies advanced by Intel and Microsoft. Trade agreements and disputes have referenced the North American Free Trade Agreement and the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Regulatory agencies include the Securities and Exchange Commission and taxation occurs under statutes such as the Internal Revenue Code. Economic crises have included the Great Depression and the 2007–2008 financial crisis.

Demographics and Society

Population diversity results from migrations from regions including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America with communities such as Irish Americans, African Americans, Chinese Americans, and Hispanic and Latino Americans. Urbanization centers around metropolitan areas like New York metropolitan area and Los Angeles metropolitan area, while educational institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shape research in partnership with agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Social movements include labor unions like the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations and advocacy groups such as Planned Parenthood and The Sierra Club. Public health responses have involved the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and campaigns addressing issues like the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Culture and Identity

Cultural life spans literature from Mark Twain and Emily Dickinson to contemporary authors like Toni Morrison and Stephen King, music from Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley to Madonna and Beyoncé, and film industries centered in Hollywood with studios such as Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Studios. National symbols include the Stars and Stripes flag and monuments like the Statue of Liberty and the Lincoln Memorial. Sports traditions feature leagues such as the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association, with events like the Super Bowl and figures like Michael Jordan and Serena Williams. Media outlets include The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and Fox News Channel. Holidays such as Thanksgiving and observances like Independence Day reflect civic rituals and regional customs.

Category:Countries of North America