FACTS y Motto : In God We Trust(Official) y E Pluribus Unum (traditional) y Latin : Out of Many, One y Anthem : The Star-Spangled Banner y Capital : Washington, D.C. y Largest city : New York City y National language : English HISTORY 12,000 B.C : North American Indian culture flourished A.D. 1000 : Norse seaman , Leif Ericsson lands in Newfoundland, which he called Vinland 1492 : Christopher Columbus, financed by Spain, makes the first of four voyages to the New World 1513 : Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed on the coast of Florida 1565 : Saint Augustine, Florida settled by the Spanish, becomes the first permanent European colony in North America Cntd͙ 1775ʹ1783 : American Revolution-War of independence fought between Great Britain and the 13 British colonies on the eastern seaboard of North America. Battles of Lexington and Concord, Mass., between the British Army and colonial minutemen, marked the beginning of the war (April 19, 1775). 1776 : Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia (July 4). 1783 : Great Britain formally acknowledged American independence in the Treaty of Paris, which officially brings the war to a close . 1789 : George Washington is became the first president of the United States. GEOGRAPHY y World's third largest country by size y Comprises of 50 states and a federal district y Largest state - Alaska y Border countries : Canada on north & Mexico on south y Border oceans : North pacific & North Atlantic ocean Cntd.. AREA : Total : 9,826,675 sq km ELEVATION EXTREMES : Lowest point : Death Valley : 86 m Highest point : Mount McKinley : 6,194 m TERRAIN : Vast central plain Mountains in west Hills and low mountains in east Rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska Volcanic topography in Hawaii DEMOGRAPHY y Population : 313,232,044 y Population growth rate : 0.98% y World͛s third largest country by population Age structure 0-14 years : 20.1% 15-64 years : 66.8% 65 years and over : 13.1% Major cities ʹ population New York : 19.3 million Los Angeles : 12.675 million Chicago : 9.134 million Miami : 5.699 million Washington, D.C. : 4.421 million CULTURE Western culture influenced by European cultures USA is an ethnically and racially diverse country as result of large-scale immigration from many different countries throughout its history Religion Christians-78.5% Jewish-1.7% Buddhist-0.7% Muslim-0.6% Others-2.5% Languages English -82.1% Spanish -10.7% other Indo-European -3.8% Asian and Pacific island -2.7% other- 0.7% IMPORTANT SYMBOLS 1. Statue of liberty 2. Bald eagle 3. Liberty bell 4. Uncle sam 5. USA flag CUISINES Denny breakfast Chicken fried steak Meat loaf with sauce Long john silver Cntd.. FESTIVALS Christmas Independence Day-July 4 Kite festival - January Thanks giving day - 4th Thursday, November Halloween ± Oct 31st SPORTS Cntd.. POLITICAL SYSTEM Constitution-based federal republic Strong democratic tradition Chief of state & head of government : President : Barack H. Obama Vice President : Joseph R. Biden 3 levels of government : Federal,State,Local Dominance of only 2 main parties Democratic Party Republican Party Economy Largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world Capitalist mixed economy Largest national GDP in the world Per capita GDP : $47,400 GDP growth rate : 2.7% Unemployment : 8.9% Inflation : 2.7% Poverty : 14.3% Largest importer of goods and third largest exporter The New York Stock Exchange is the world's largest by dollar volume Government is the leading field of employment : 21.2 million The largest private employment sector is health care and social assistance : 16.4 million TRADE EXPORTS : $1.27 trillion Exports - commodities Agricultural products , industrial supplies, capital goods , consumer goods Exports - partners Canada , Mexico , China , Japan , UK , Germany IMPORTS : $1.903 trillion Imports - commodities Agricultural products , industrial supplies , capital goods, consumer goods Imports - partners China , Canada , Mexico , Japan , Germany Industries Second largest industrial output in world 3rd largest producer of oil & largest importer Petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining Industrial production growth rate : 3.3% TOURISM YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK MOUNT RUSHMORE GRAND CANYON NIAGRA FALLS,NY STATUE OF LIBERTY DISNEY WORLD TIMES SQUARE,NY CITY GOLDEN GATE TRADE Tax System complex system Imposed in federal, state and local governments Tax burden low for individuals Tax burden high for companies.