United States of America

United States of America
Conventional long name	United States of America
Common name	United States
Capital	Washington, D.C.
Largest city	New York City
Official language	English language
Government type	Federal presidential constitutional republic
Area km2	9833517
Population estimate	333000000
Currency	United States dollar
National motto	"In God We Trust"
National anthem	"The Star-Spangled Banner"

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United States of America is a federal republic primarily located in North America consisting of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. It is a founding member of United Nations and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, with extensive influence in NATO, the Organization of American States, and global institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Major cities include Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia.

Etymology and Names

The name derives from the term "America," itself from the explorer Amerigo Vespucci, used in conjunction with "United States" after the Declaration of Independence (United States) of 1776 and the subsequent Articles of Confederation. Early uses of the term appear in documents related to the Continental Congress and writings by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. Alternative historical names include references in the Federalist Papers and contemporaneous diplomatic correspondence with King George III and the Treaty of Paris (1783).

The territory was originally inhabited by diverse Indigenous peoples such as the Iroquois Confederacy, Cherokee Nation, Navajo Nation, and Sioux before European contact by explorers including Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, and Juan Ponce de León. Colonial eras involved claims by Spain, France, England, and Netherlands leading to conflicts like the French and Indian War and policies such as the Mayflower Compact. The American Revolutionary War culminated in independence formalized by the Treaty of Paris (1783), followed by the drafting of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Expansion westward included events like the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and conflicts such as the Mexican–American War. The American Civil War addressed secession and slavery with pivotal battles at Gettysburg and legislation like the Emancipation Proclamation. The nation industrialized through figures and institutions such as Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and the Transcontinental Railroad, and engaged internationally in the Spanish–American War, World War I, and World War II. The 20th century featured the New Deal, the Civil Rights Movement led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Cold War tensions exemplified by the Cuban Missile Crisis, and conflicts including the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Post-9/11 foreign policy involved the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. Recent events have included presidential administrations from Franklin D. Roosevelt through Joe Biden and landmark rulings of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Spanning from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean with borders on the Arctic Ocean via Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico, the nation encompasses varied landscapes including the Rocky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains, the Great Plains, and the Mississippi River basin. Climate zones range from Alaska tundra to the subtropical climates of Florida and Hawaii. Protected areas include Yellowstone National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and the Everglades National Park. Environmental policy debates often reference agencies and legislation such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

The federal system divides power among the executive headed by the President of the United States, the bicameral legislature comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, and the judiciary led by the Supreme Court of the United States. Political life centers on parties such as the Democratic Party (United States) and the Republican Party (United States), with elections governed by the United States Electoral College and laws like the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Federalism involves state governments in California, Texas, New York (state) and others, and national security is administered through institutions like the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency.

The nation has a mixed-market economy characterized by major sectors including technology centered in Silicon Valley, finance concentrated in Wall Street, manufacturing hubs such as Detroit, and energy production in regions like the Permian Basin. Key institutions include the Federal Reserve System, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and trade frameworks such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Major corporations like Apple Inc., Microsoft, Amazon (company), ExxonMobil, and Walmart are globally influential, while economic indicators are published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the United States Census Bureau.

Cultural influence is expressed through media and arts institutions such as Hollywood, Broadway, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and musical movements from jazz and blues to hip hop. Literature and academic traditions feature figures and institutions like Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Harvard University, Yale University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Sports have national followings for leagues including the National Football League, the Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association, while public policy on learning involves entities such as the Department of Education (United States) and landmark legislation including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Category:Countries of North America