Country name
United States of America. United: United States, States: plural States, America: United States; Abbreviation: United States (or America)
In the United States, English is also called America (transliteration -America), which was gradually translated into -America. In fact, the United States represents the United States. Americans use it to call the whole United States. Americans often say that "God bless America" means God bless America, not God bless America. American originally meant Americans, including Canadians, Mexicans and Americans. Now it basically only represents Americans. In everyday language, the United States is also called "America" or "States". When shouting slogans or cheering, use USA. In addition, Uncle Sam is also used to address the United States, meaning Uncle Sam.
national flag
The American flag is the star-spangled banner. It is a horizontal rectangle with the aspect ratio of 19: 10. The main body consists of 13 red and white wide strips, 7 red strips and 6 white strips; In the upper left corner of the flag is a blue rectangle with 9 rows of 50 white five-pointed stars. Red symbolizes strength and courage, white represents purity and innocence, and blue symbolizes vigilance, perseverance and justice. 13 wide stripes represent the first 13 states that launched and won the War of Independence, and 50 five-pointed stars represent the number of states in the United States of America. 18 18, the us congress passed a bill, and the red, white and wide stripes on the national flag were fixed at 13, and the number of five-pointed stars should be consistent with the number of States in the United States. Every time a state is added, a star is added to the national flag, which is generally implemented on July 4 of the second year after NSW joins. So far, the national flag has increased to 50 stars, representing 50 States in the United States. June 14 is "American flag day" every year.
The national emblem of the United States
The main body of the national emblem of the United States is a vulture with a shield pattern on its chest, which is the national bird of the United States. The upper part of the shield is a blue horizontal rectangle, and the lower part is a red and white vertical bar, which means the same as the national flag. The crown on the eagle symbolizes the birth of a new independent country in the world, the United States of America; There are 13 white five-pointed stars in the crown, representing the original 13 states in the United States. The eagle's two claws hold an olive branch and an arrow respectively, symbolizing peace and strength. The yellow ribbon in the beak reads "e pluribus unum" in Latin, which means that the United States of America is a complete country composed of many states.
national anthem
The home of the brave (home of the brave). Song of the Stars and Stripes was once translated into English. The lyrics were written by an American lawyer named Francis Scott Key when he saw the stars and stripes flying high above the fortress bombed by the British army through the smoke of the British war. Music score is the famous masterpiece of Susa, the "King of March". 193 1 was officially designated as the national anthem by the US Congress.
national flower
Roses. It symbolizes beauty, fragrance, enthusiasm and love. 1985 was approved as the national flower by the Senate.
National stone
sapphire
national bird
Condor. The United States is the first country in the world to determine the national bird. 1On June 20th, 782, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution to make the bald eagle, which is endemic to North America, the national bird of the United States and the bird as the main body of the national emblem. Vultures are beautiful in appearance and fierce in temperament. They are characterized by two white heads, one with a white tail. It represents courage, strength and victory.
maxim
We believe in God (English: We believe in God, 1956- present) (official motto)
E Pluribus Unum (Latin: e pluribus unum, 1776- present) (traditional motto)
form
1787 was produced in September of 17 and came into effect on March 4, 2009. (Historical name 1787 Constitution).
field
According to the data of the Central Intelligence Agency, from 1989 to 1996, the total area of the United States is 93726 10 square kilometers. . 1997 changed to 9629091km2; In 2004, it was changed to 963 1, 4 18 square kilometers; In 2006, it was changed to 963 1.420 square kilometers, and in 2007 it was changed to 9826630 square kilometers; . This change is mainly caused by the change of statistical methods of water area. According to the latest data on September 4, 2008, the total area of the United States (including 50 states and Washington, D.C.) is 9,826,630 square kilometers, including 9 16 1923 square kilometers on land and 664,707 square kilometers on water. Length of coastline: 19924 km. The native land is 4500 kilometers long from east to west and 2700 kilometers wide from north to south.
Lowest point: Death Valley -86m.
Highest point: Mount McKinley, 6 198m.
Controversy over size: According to the website of the US Central Intelligence Agency, the total area of the United States is equivalent to half that of Russia, 3/ 10 of Africa and half that of South America, slightly larger than that of China and more than twice that of the European Union. According to this website, the total territory of China is 9,596,960 square kilometers, of which 93264 10/0 square kilometers. Water area: 270,550 square kilometers, so if we only compare the land area, then China is bigger than the United States and the third in the world. If the water area is added, the territory of China is smaller than that of the United States, and China becomes the fourth largest in the world.
capital
Washington, D.C. has a population of 588,300 (2007) and an area of 65,438+077.0 square kilometers.
State dignitaries
The 44th President: George W. Barack Hussein Obama; Vice President: Joseph Robinett; Secretary of State: Hillary (female); Secretary of Defense: Gates;
Speaker of the House of Representatives: Pelosi.
political system
Federalism, liberal democracy, presidential system and separation of powers.
Human population
The level of urbanization is high, and the urban population accounts for about 75%; Uniformly distributed; East dense and west sparse; 50% of the population is distributed in the Great Lakes along the coast; The population migrated to the south and west.
303,824,640 (July 2008, third in the world). Population growth rate: 0.885%
0- 14 years old: 20. 1% (male 3 1.257, 108/ female 29,889,645);
15-64 years old: 67. 1% (male10/.825,901/female 102,16/kloc.
Over 65 years old: 12.7% (male16,263,255/female 22,426,914) (estimated in 2008).
Average age: 36.7 years old, male: 35.4 years old; ; Female: 38. 1 year.
The average life expectancy is 78. 14 years, including 75.29 years for men and 8 1. 13 years for women. Population density is 3 1 person /km2 (world 144).
White people account for 79.96%, Hispanics account for 15. 1%, blacks account for 12.85%, Asians account for 4.43%, Indians and Alaskans account for 0.97%, and Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders account for 0. 18% (CIA, 2000) There are about 2.43 million people in China, accounting for 0.9%, and most of them have been naturalized in the United States (data from the 2000 US Census). The total population of African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians has reached 654.38 million+007 million (July 2007).
language
English is 82. 1%, Spanish is 10.7%, other European languages are 3.8%, Asian languages are 2.7%, and other 0.7% (according to the survey in 2000) cannot determine the official language. English is the de facto national language. 82% of Americans over five use English. Twenty-eight States have passed local laws to ensure the official status of English; Three states recognize other languages as parallel to English: French in Louisiana, Hawaiian in Hawaii and Spanish in New Mexico. The languages with a population of more than 6.5438+0000 are English (2.65438+04800), Spanish (29.7 million), Chinese (2.2 million), French (6.5438+0400), Tagalog (6.5438+0300) and Vietnamese (6.5433). In addition to these major languages, there are 336 other languages in the United States, of which 176 is a native language.
level of education
Definition:/kloc-above 0/5 years old, proficient in American English. Total population: 99%; Male: 99%, female: 99% (estimated in 2003).
religion
The United States guarantees the right to religious freedom, and the government implements a system of separation of church and state, and does not support or oppose any religion. But religion is quite active in American politics. Most American presidents claim to be Protestants. In the early days of the People's Republic of China, only a few presidents were deists, and one was a Catholic (Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States). In China, 5 1.3% of the residents believe in Christianity, 23.9% in Catholicism, 0/.7% in Mormonism, 0/.6% in other Christianity, 0/.7% in Judaism/kloc-0, 0.7% in Buddhism, 0.6% in Muslims and others.
administrative division
The whole country is divided into 10 regions, 50 states and 1 0 special zones (Washington, D.C.), and there are 3042 counties or counties (counties, and counties in Louisiana are parishes).
Areas: New England, Central China, Mid-Atlantic, Southwest China, Appalachia, Alps, Southeast China, Pacific Coast, Great Lakes and Alaska, as well as Hawaii, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho and Illinois. Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, new york, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota.
Federal Territory: Puerto Rico Free Association and Northern Mariana Islands;
Overseas Territories (inhabited): American Samoa, Guam, midway and the United States Virgin Islands;
Overseas Territories (uninhabited): Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Island, Kingman Reef, Navissa Island, Palmier Island and wake island.
The largest city
New york City: the largest city and commercial port in the United States, and one of the world financial centers. The population is 8,274,500 (in 2007, American cities 1 and world cities 13), with an area of 1, 2 14.4 square kilometers.
Major city
(Top 20 population in 2007)
New york, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Columbus, Austin, Memphis, Fort Worth, Baltimore and Charlotte.
Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity)
13.543 trillion us dollars (2007 world ranking 1). The per capita GDP is $43,444 (the fourth in the world).
Gross domestic product (nominal)
13.794 trillion us dollars (2007 world ranking 1). The per capita GDP is 43,594 US dollars (the 9th in the world).
Gini coefficient
0.469(2007).
Human development index
0.95 1 (high, ranked in the world in 2005 12).
money
Dollar; Symbol: $
time zone
climate
The United States has almost all the climate types in the world (the land spans cold, warm and hot areas, and the mainland is in temperate zone). There are few serious droughts and floods in major agricultural areas, and the temperature is mild, so enough rainfall can be obtained.
The American economic system has the characteristics of both capitalism and mixed economy. In this system, enterprises and private institutions make major microeconomic decisions, and the government plays a less important role in domestic economic life; However, the sum of governments at all levels accounts for 36% of GDP; Among developed countries, the social welfare network in the United States is relatively small, and the government's control over business is lower than that in other developed countries.
In different parts of the country, the focus of economic activities is different. For example, new york is the center of finance, publishing, broadcasting and advertising. Los Angeles is the production center of movies and TV programs; The San Francisco Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest are technology development centers; The midwest is the center of manufacturing and heavy industry, Detroit is a famous automobile city, and Chicago is the financial and commercial center of the region; Southeast China is mainly engaged in medical research, tourism and building materials, and its salary cost is lower than other regions, so it continues to attract manufacturing investment.
The service industry accounts for the largest proportion in the United States, and three-quarters of the country's labor force is engaged in the service industry. The United States is rich in mineral resources, including gold, oil and uranium, but many energy supplies depend on foreign imports. The United States is one of the largest agricultural exporters in the world, and its main agricultural products include corn, wheat, sugar and tobacco. The amazing agricultural output of the great plains in the central and western regions makes it known as the "world granary". American industrial products mainly include automobiles, airplanes and electronic products. The United States also has developed tourism, ranking third in the world. The United States is also a major exporter of aircraft, steel, weapons and electronic equipment.
The largest trading partner of the United States is neighboring Canada (19%), followed by China (12%), Mexico (1 1%) and Japan (8%). Every day, about $ 165438+ billion worth of products flow through the border between the United States and Canada. The American economy is considered as the largest and most important economy in the world. The American economy is highly developed, and the currencies of many countries in the world are linked to the US dollar. The American securities market is considered as a barometer of the world economy.
Since Ronald Reagan/Kloc-0 became president in the 1980s, the United States has increased the use of neo-liberal economic policies, reduced government intervention in the economy, reduced the size of the welfare system, and abandoned the Keynesian economic policies that have been implemented for a long time since the economic panic. Therefore, the American government provides less social welfare services than other industrialized countries, reduces domestic taxes, and relies more on free markets and private charities.
transport
The United States has a complete and convenient transportation network, and various means of transportation are readily available. From 2000 to 2003, the output value was 31370 million, 3,066,543.8+0 billion, 3 10.4 billion and 31780 million dollars respectively. Transportation-related products and services account for about 3% of the total US economy, and 1/8 jobs have been absorbed.
Because the automobile industry developed quite early in the United States (compared with other western countries), the development of many cities in the United States has paid attention to the road network design matching cities and residential areas in advance. In order to connect the vast territory, the United States has designed and built large and high-speed highways in Qualcomm, and the national transportation system of the United States mainly relies on these highway networks. One of the most important is the construction of interstate highway system. These expressways were built under the authorization of then President dwight eisenhower in 1960s and 1950s. According to the data in 2004, the total length of American highways is 6407637 kilometers, ranking first in the world.
Big cities also have systems to build public transportation. New york's subway network is one of the largest, and it is also one of the largest MRT networks in the world. Regional railway and bus networks extend to Long Island, new york, New Jersey and Connecticut, all of which have become one of the largest transportation networks in the world. But generally speaking, the public transportation in American cities is still relatively weak compared with other developed countries, and people use private cars more.
The United States has built a transcontinental railway network to transport goods between 48 states. The National Railroad Passenger Transport Company of the United States has also built a railway network spanning 46 of the 48 states, dedicated to passenger transport. The American railway freight system is the busiest and most advanced in the world, and the total length of American railways ranks first in the world. However, American railway passenger transport is not as developed as Western Europe and Japan, partly because of its vast territory. If you want to reach a big city thousands of miles away, it takes less time to fly than to take the railway. According to the analysis of the American government, air passenger transport was the main reason for the collapse of the railway passenger transport company in the 1970s.
Air transportation is a better choice for long-distance travel. In terms of passenger flow, among the 30 busiest airports in the world in 2004, 17 were located in the United States, among which Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta ranked first. In terms of cargo volume, in the same year, 65,438+02 of the 30 busiest cargo airports in the world were in the United States, including Memphis International Airport (MEM), which ranked first.
Many major ports in the world are also located in the United States; The busiest ports are Los Angeles Port and Long Beach Port in California, and new york Port, which are the busiest ports in the world. The Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario) also have a lot of shipping traffic. Each lake is widely connected with the river network of the Mississippi River, and the lowest point of the river reaches the Atlantic Ocean. The Erie Canal, the first canal connecting the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, promoted the rapid development of agriculture and industry in the midwest of the United States and made new york the economic center of the United States.
Buzz aldrin: 1969 1 the finance of the first American to land on the moon.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the US government implemented the Keynesian deficit fiscal policy, which greatly increased social welfare and military expenditure. In the 1980s, the Reagan administration cut taxes on the one hand, and expanded government expenditure, especially military expenditure, on the other hand, which led to a sharp expansion of the US federal fiscal deficit. From 65438 to 0992, the federal fiscal deficit in the United States reached an all-time high of $290.4 billion, accounting for 4.9% of the gross domestic product of the United States that year. 1993 after the Clinton administration took office, "deficit reduction" was one of the key points of administration. In the 1990s, the sustained economic growth in the United States greatly increased tax revenue, while the Clinton administration strengthened tax collection and management. 1998 fiscal year, the US federal finance turned losses into profits, with a surplus of $69.2 billion. 200 1, 1 After the Bush administration took office in June, facing the economic depression, it advocated tax cuts to stimulate economic recovery, and anti-terrorism and military spending increased substantially. In fiscal year 2002, the US federal fiscal deficit reappeared, reaching157.8 billion US dollars. In fiscal year 2004, the US fiscal deficit reached 4 123 billion US dollars, a record high. At the end of 2004, the total public debt of the United States was $7,596.2 billion, and the public holding was $4,408.4 billion. (Source: US Treasury Department)
bank
In recent years, the American government has gradually relaxed its control over the financial industry, and the merger and reorganization of the financial industry has intensified. The total number of commercial banks decreased from more than 1985 to 7887 in 2002. 1999165438+10 In October, the US Congress passed the Modern Financial Services Act, which further lifted the restrictions on the mixed operation of securities, insurance and commercial banks.
The major commercial banks in the United States are:
1, Citigroup
2. JPMorgan Chase Company (J.P. Morgan Chase &; Co)
3. Bear Stearns Company.
4. Bank of America Company
5. First Bank Company
In addition, the main commercial banks are: First United Bank, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, National City Bank, and Ibero-American Bank.
Foreign investment and foreign capital
In 2004, US foreign direct investment was US$ 225.8 billion, higher than US$151800 million in 2003. By the end of 2004, the total foreign direct investment in the United States was about $2,367.4 billion (calculated at 2004 prices). In 2004, foreign direct investment in the United States was $654.38+004.9 billion, much higher than the previous year's $29.8 billion. By the end of 2004, the total foreign direct investment in the United States was about $654.38+070.88 billion (calculated at 2004 prices).
foreign aid
In fiscal year 2005, the United States will approve development assistance funds (including Iraq's debt reduction and reconstruction plan) * * about $654.38+0.7 billion, of which the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) accounts for $654.38+0.5 billion; "Core development" (including development assistance fund, "transformation plan" and children and health projects, etc. ) accounted for more than $3 billion.
Israel and Egypt are still the largest receiving countries in the United States. In fiscal year 2005, US aid to Israel and Egypt was $2.56 billion and $654.38+0.8 billion respectively. In addition, in fiscal year 2005, US aid to Afghanistan was US$ 2.68 billion (including US$ 6,543.8+US$ 72.4 million emergency appropriation led by the Ministry of National Defense), and US aid to Palestine was US$ 270 million. (Source: Congressional Research Service, 2004)
People's lives
In 2004, the total personal income was $9465.438+085 billion, which was mainly composed of salary income of $565.438+0086 billion, other labor income of $65.438+065.438+0034 billion, asset income of $85465438+0 billion, rental income of $65.438+0686 billion and so on. Disposable personal income reached $8,327.6 billion. The personal savings rate (personal savings/disposable income) in the United States has been declining in recent years, with 1997 and 1998 being 4.2% and 4.7% respectively, and dropping to 2.3% in 2002 and 2.0% in 2004.
The gap between the rich and the poor in the United States has further widened, and the proportion of the top 20% households in national income has increased from 65438+4 1. 1% in 1980 to 50% in 2002. In 2002, the poverty rate rose for the second consecutive year, from 1 1.7% in the previous year to 12. 1%, and the number of poor people increased by16.63 million, reaching 34.57 million.
Social welfare in the United States is divided into social insurance and non-social insurance. Social insurance benefits include: old-age disability insurance, unemployment insurance and other employment insurance; Non-social insurance benefits include: subsidies for families with difficulties in raising children, social security income, food stamps, medical subsidies, housing subsidies and energy subsidies.
In 2002, the average life expectancy in the United States was 77.4 years, including 74.5 years for men and 80.2 years for women. In 2004, the birth rate in the United States was 14‰ and the death rate was 8.2‰.
[Edit this paragraph] VI. culture
Apple pie, baseball and the American flag are all symbols of American culture. See the entry "American culture".
music
The history of American music can be traced back to the traditional religious music of early Native Americans. With the arrival of a large number of immigrants from European countries, American music has been added with the color of Christian chorus and music score. Since then, every wave of immigration has brought music with different regions, cultures and characteristics. A large number of African-Americans also brought traditional music with African characteristics. /kloc-American pop music, which began to appear in the late 9th century, largely originated from these African-American blues and gospel music which began to develop in the 1920s. African-American music has become the basis of American pop music, and it has blended European and local musical elements. The United States also has a lot of folk music and music from immigrants such as Ukraine, Ireland, Scotland, Poland, Mexico and Jews. Many American towns have also developed independent local music.
literature
In the earliest colonial period, the main theme of American literature was to praise the benefits brought by the New World to the colonists and the European motherland. The controversy of religious belief is also one of the themes. With the outbreak of the War of Independence and the independence of the United States, the political works of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine had a great influence on literature and politics, and also gave birth to the independent consciousness of the new country. With the war of 18 12 and the desire for independent literary characteristics, more new writers with American characteristics, such as Allan Poe, gradually emerged. The conflict of slavery and the ensuing civil war also had a far-reaching impact on American literature. By the end of 19, due to the progress of industrialization and the end of the land development period, American literature broke away from the original frontier literature, and Mark Twain became the first major writer who was not born on the east coast, which opened the precedent of American native literature.
In the 20th century, the social transformation brought by industrialization made American literature more diverse and complex. Hemingway reflected people's aversion to the First World War. The biography of the tycoon published by Fitzgerald 1925 represents the dream of Americans before the great economic panic in the 1920s. Black literature, southern literature and modern literature also rose at the same time. After World War II, the new generation, new ethnic, regional and social characteristics are very different from the previous generation, and a large number of immigrant literature and emerging feminist literature have also become part of American literature.
Film, television and drama
Not all American cultures originated from other countries, but the birth and development of movies originated from the United States. Muybridge, a British-born American photographer, filmed the first film "Running Horse" in human history. Since then, the American film industry has developed rapidly. Hollywood in California has become an important town for the development of human films. The innovation and development of film technology mostly originated from Hollywood, and Hollywood films have become one of the main representatives of American culture. In the1920s, the United States produced an average of 800 regular films every year. Charlie Chaplin's comedies "Gone with the Wind", "Titanic", "Superman" and "Batman" based on novels set unprecedented box office, which spread to almost every continent and country and became household names in the United States. The export of these films has also made great economic profits for the United States. In addition to movies, the cartoon technology pioneered by Disney also originated in the United States.
The United States is also one of the countries with the earliest development and popularization of TV technology in the world. Today, there are thousands of TV stations in America. Television is a part of American culture and life, and watching TV is one of the few characteristics of most Americans. Americans know the news and current events at home and abroad through TV, and watch movies, competitions, cartoons and soap operas.
sports
Sports is a national leisure activity in the United States, and its popularity is unmatched by other leisure activities. Professional sports is a field with great business opportunities in the United States, and people who choose to become professional athletes also get high returns. Most of the highest-paid sports teams and athletes in the world are in the United States. Known as the "big four" sports fields include baseball, American football, ice hockey and basketball. Other popular sports include car racing and lacrosse-it originated from Native Americans and is the oldest sport in the United States. Although football is also a very popular sport, its popularity in the United States is not high compared with other countries.
There are also many sports in the United States that originated in Europe and developed widely in the United States, such as horse racing. Rugby is also very popular. Other European sports such as hockey and cricket are not popular, but they also have many die-hard audiences. The United States is also a big country that develops golf, tennis and other sports. America is also the development center of boxing and professional wrestling in western countries. Other fighting sports, such as karate from Japan, are also quite popular in America.
College sports are also quite popular in the United States, almost equivalent to professional fields, especially football and basketball. Many universities and colleges have trained sports teams and held inter-school competitions regularly. Universities and colleges train a wide range of sports, from track and field to water polo. Similarly, high schools in the United States also have various sports activities, and sometimes these inter-school competitions become the official website of the United States: http://www.usa.gov/.