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Right now this country kinda sucks ass
{{Infobox Country <!-- START INFOBOX -->
|native_name = United States of America
|common_name = the United States
|image_flag = Flag of the United States.svg
|image_coat = Great Seal of the US.png|20px
| national_motto = <br>'']'' (1789 to 1956)<br>(]: "Out of Many, One")<br>'']'' (1956 to present)
| image_map = LocationUSA.png
| national_anthem = "]"
| official_languages = ];<br> ] ]
| capital = ]
| latd=38|latm=53|latNS=N|longd=77|longm=02|longEW=W
| government_type = ]<br>]
| leader_titles = <br>&nbsp;• ]<br>&nbsp;• ]
| leader_names = ] (]) <br>] (])
| largest_city = ], ] <!--parallels format of Washington, D.C., above-->
| area = 9,631,418
| areami² = 3,718,711 <!--Do not remove -->
| area_rank = 3rd
| area_magnitude = 1 E12
| percent_water = 4.87
| population_estimate = 299,598,000 <!-- population estimate from census bureau website http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html -->
| population_estimate_year = 2006
| population_estimate_rank = 3rd
| population_census = 281,421,906
| population_census_year = 2000
| population_density = 32
| population_densitymi² = 83
| <!--Do not remove --> population_density_rank = 140th
| GDP_PPP_year = 2006
| GDP_PPP = $13.049 trillion
| GDP_PPP_rank = 1st
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $43,555
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 3rd
| HDI_year=2003
| HDI=0.944
| HDI_rank=10th
| HDI_category=<font color="#009900">high</font>
| sovereignty_type = ]
| established_events = &nbsp;• Declared<br>&nbsp;• ]| established_dates = From ]<br> ], ]<br>], ]
| currency = ] ($)
| currency_code = USD
| country_code = USA
| time_zone =
| utc_offset = -5 to -10
| time_zone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST = -4 to -10
| cctld = ] ] ] ] ]
| calling_code = 1
| HDI = 0.944
| HDI_rank = 10th
| footnotes=
}}
:''For other meanings, see the disambiguation pages for ], ], or ].''

The '''United States of America''' is a ] ] situated primarily in ]. It is bordered on the north by ] and to the south by ]. It comprises 50 ] and one ], and has several ] with differing degrees of affiliation. It is also referred to, with varying formality, as the '''United States''', '''America'''{{ref|America}}, the '''U.S.''', the '''U.S.A.''', the '''U.S. of A.''', the '''States''', or (poetically) ''']'''.

Since the 20th century, following ], the United States has emerged as the dominant ] influence in ], ], ], cultural and technological affairs. It is often regarded as today's sole global ].

The country celebrates its founding date as ], ], when the Second ]—representing ]—adopted the ] that rejected British authority in favor of ]. The structure of the government was profoundly changed on ], ], when the states replaced the ] with the ].

==History==
{{main|History of the United States}}

===Prehistory===
American history began with the ] of people from ] across the ] ] to 12,000 years ago, possibly following large animals that they hunted into the Americas. These ] left evidence of their presence in ]s, ]s, and other ]s. It is estimated that 2&ndash;9 million people lived in the territory now occupied by the U.S. before that population was diminished by European contact and the foreign diseases it brought (although both the number of Native Americans originally on the continent and the number who did not survive European immigration are the subject of continued research and thus are open to debate). Some advanced societies were the ] of the southwest, who inhabited ] (and built sandstone buildings with up to 5 floors), and the Woodland Indians, who built ], a city with a population of 40,000 at its peak in ] 1200, located near present-day ].
{{USHBS}}

===European settlement===
External visitors including ] had arrived before, but it was not until after the voyages of ] in early 1500s that European nations began to explore the land in earnest and settle there permanently.

During the 1500s and 1600s, the Spanish settled parts of the present-day ] and ]. The first successful English settlement was at ], in 1607. Within the next two decades, several Dutch settlements, including ] (the predecessor to ]), were established in what are now the states of ] and ]. In 1637, ] at ] (in what is now Delaware), but lost the settlement to the Dutch in 1655.

This was followed by extensive British settlement of the east coast. The British colonists remained relatively ] by their home country until after the ] when the ] and its North American Colonies fought against ] and its North American Colonies. The war resulted in ] ceding ] and the ] region to ], and ] gaining Louisiana in compensation for its loss of ] to ].

Later that year, the British government under ] issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763 that placed a boundary upon the westward expansion of the British North American colonies. The Proclamation's goal was to force colonists to negotiate with the Native Americans for the lawful purchase of the land and, therefore, to reduce the costly frontier warfare that had erupted over land conflicts.

A tax was imposed on the colonists as it was becoming increasingly difficult for the crown to pay for its military excursions and the defense of the American colonies from native uprisings. The colonists widely resented the taxes as they were denied representation in the ]. Tensions between Britain and the colonists increased, and the thirteen colonies eventually rebelled against British rule.

===Nationhood===
] under the ], ].]]

In 1775, the ] against colonial rule by Britain began. In 1776, the 13 colonies ] from Great Britain and formed the United States. Before the ratification of a national government, the United States existed as an informal alliance of independent individual colonies with their own laws and sovereignty, while the ] was given the nominal authority by the colonies to make decisions regarding the formation and founding of the ] but not to levy taxes or make federal law.

The first united national political structure was a ] proposed in 1777, and ratified in 1781 as the ], making the United States the world's first constitutional ]. After long ], this was supplanted in 1789 by the ], which formed a more centralized ] government. For the original 13 states, the date when they accepted the Constitution is often considered as their date of admission to the union.

===Civil War===
{{main|American Civil War}}

By the mid-19th century, a major division over the issue of ] and the expansion of slavery came to a head.

The Northern states had become opposed to slavery, while the Southern states saw it as necessary for the continued success of ], especially the ] industry, and wanted it expanded to newer territories in the West. Several federal laws were passed in an attempt to settle the dispute, including the ] and the ].

]'s famous painting ''Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way'' (1861). The title of the painting, from a 1726 poem by ], was a phrase often quoted in the era of ], expressing a widely held belief that civilization had steadily moved westward throughout history. ]]
The 1860 election of ] should be considered a harbinger due to the fact that he was not even on the ballot in nine of the Southern states. His platform of increased import taxes to enhance the industrialization of the Northeast was considered a direct tax on Southerners who were more apt to import cheaper priced goods from Britain. Also, Lincoln promised to increase federal spending in the Ohio Valley in the form of new roads with his Homestead policy. For these reasons, many Southern citizens did not consider Lincoln a representative of their interests.

The dispute reached a crisis on December 20, 1860, when South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. Six other southern states followed (], ], ], ], ], and ])], forming the ] and leading to the ]. Soon after the war began, four more southern states seceded (], ], ], and ]), and two states (] and ]) had both Union and Confederate governments at different points throughout the war. Though these states were never under consistent Confederate control, they were still counted as Confederate States (seen most prominently on the flag of ]'s ]).

During the war, President ] issued the ], mandating the freedom of slaves located in the states in rebellion. There were some exceptions. Slaves owned by Northerners in the State of Louisiana were considered exempt. Full emancipation did not take place until after the end of the war in 1865, when the ], took effect. The Civil War effectively ended the question of a state's right to secede, and is widely accepted as a major turning point after which the federal government became more powerful than state governments.

===Expansion===
]

During the 19th century, many new ]s were added to the union as the nation expanded across the continent. ] was a philosophy that encouraged westward expansion in the United States: as the population of the Eastern states grew and as a steady increase of immigrants entered the country, settlers moved steadily westward across North America.

In the process, the U.S. displaced most Native American nations. This displacement of Native Americans continues to be a matter of contention in the U.S., with many nations attempting to assert their original claims to various lands, citing the Indian relocation acts of 1830. In some areas, Native American populations had been reduced by foreign diseases contracted through contact with European settlers, and U.S. settlers acquired those emptied lands.
{{see|United States territorial acquisitions|U.S. colonization outside North America}}

During this period, the nation also became an ] and a ].

==Geography and climate==
===Geography===
]. ] vegetation and ]s prevail in the east, transitioning to ], ] forests, and the ] in the west, and ]s in the southwest. In the northeast, the coasts of the ] and ] host much of the country's population.]]
{{main|Geography of the United States}}
The United States shares land borders with ] (to the north) and ] (to the south), and ] boundaries with Canada, ], the ], and numerous smaller nations. It is otherwise bounded by the ] on the west, the ] on the east, and the ] to the southeast. Alaska borders the ] to the south, the ] to the west, and the ] to the north, while ] lies far to the southwest of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean.

Forty-eight of the states are in the single region between Canada and Mexico; this group is referred to, with varying precision and formality, as the ''continental'' or ''contiguous'' ''United States'', sometimes abbreviated ''CONUS'', and as the '']''. ], which is not included in the term ''contiguous United States'', is at the northwestern end of ], separated from the Lower 48 by Canada. The state of ] is an ] in the ]. The capital city, ], is a federal district located on land donated by the state of ]. (] had also donated land, but it was returned in 1847.) The United States also has ] with varying levels of independence and organization.

In total area (which includes inland water and land), only ] and Canada are larger than the United States; if inland water is excluded, ] ranks second, the U.S. ranks third, and Canada ranks fourth. The United States's total area is 3,718,711 ]s (9,631,418 ]), of which land makes up 3,537,438 square miles (9,161,923 km²) and water makes up 181,273 square miles (469,495 km²).

]. This scene is fairly typical of rural portions of the Eastern United States.]]
The United States's landscape is one of the most varied among those of the world's nations. The East consists largely of rolling hills and temperate forests. The ] form a line of low mountains in the Eastern U.S. The five ] are located in the north-central portion of the country, four of them forming part of the border with ]. The Southeast largely contains subtropical forests and ], especially in ]. West of the Appalachians, the ] and ] Valleys and the ] consist largely of rolling hills and productive farmland, stretching south to the ].

Stretching west from the Midwest are the ]. A large portion of the country's agricultural products are grown in this region. The region consists mostly of large, heavily cultivated and very flat grassland. The Great Plains come to an abrupt end at the ]. The Rocky Mountains form a large portion of the ], entering from ] and stretching nearly to ]. The Rocky Mountains generally contain fairly mild slopes and low peaks compared to many of the other great mountain ranges, with a few exceptions (such as the ] in ] and the ] in ]). In addition, instead of being one generally continuous and solid mountain range, it is broken up into a number of smaller, intermittent mountain ranges, forming a large series of basins and valleys.

]
West of the Rocky Mountains lies the ] (also known as the ]), a large, arid desert lying between the Rockies and the ] and ] ranges. The large southern portion, known as the ], consists of salt flats, drainage basins, and many small north-south mountain ranges. The ] is predominantly a low-lying desert region. A portion known as the ], centered around the ] region, is considered to have some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. It is accentuated in such national parks as ], ], and ], among others.

The Intermontane Plateaus come to an end at the ] and the ]. The Cascades consist of largely intermittent, volcanic mountains rising prominently from the surrounding landscape. The Sierra Nevada, further south, is a high, rugged, and dense mountain range. It contains the highest point in the contiguous 48 states, ] (14,505 ft; 4,421 m). These areas contain some spectacular scenery as well, as evidenced by such national parks as ] and ]. West of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada is a series of valleys, such as the ] in ] and the ] in ]. Along the coast is a series of low mountain ranges known as the ]. Much of the ] coast is inhabited by some of the densest vegetation outside of the ], and also the tallest trees in the world (the ]).

], ], the highest point in ] at 20,320 ft (6,194 m)]]
] contains some of the most dramatic and untapped scenery in the country. Tall, prominent mountain ranges rise up sharply from broad, flat tundra plains. On the islands off the south and southwest coast are many ]. ], far to the south of ] in the ], is a chain of tropical, volcanic islands, popular as a tourist destination for many from ] and the mainland United States.

===Climate===
Due to its large size and wide range of geographic features, the United States contains just about every climate. Its comparatively generous climate partially contributed to the country's rise as a world power, with infrequent severe drought in the major agricultural regions, a general lack of widespread flooding, and a mainly temperate climate that receives adequate precipitation.

The main influence on U.S. weather is the ], which brings in large low pressure systems from the ]. The ], ], and ] pick up most of the moisture from these systems as they move eastward. Greatly diminished by the time they reach the ], much of the moisture has been sapped from the ] as it is forced over several mountain ranges. However, once it moves over the ], uninterrupted flat land allows it to reorganize and can lead to major clashes of air masses. In addition, moisture from the ] is often drawn northward. When combined with a powerful jet stream, this can lead to violent thunderstorms, especially during spring and summer. Sometimes during late winter and spring these storms can combine with another low pressure system as they move up the East Coast and into the ], where they intensify rapidly. These storms are known as ]s and often bring widespread, heavy snowfall to the ] and ]. The uninterrupted flat grasslands of the ] also leads to some of the most extreme climate swings in the world. Temperatures can rise or drop rapidly and winds can be extreme, and the flow of heat waves or arctic air masses often advance uninterrupted through the plains.

] ] in ], ].]]
The ] and ] (the ]) are arid or semiarid regions that lie in the rain shadow of the ] and ]. Precipitation averages less than 15 inches (38 cm). The ] is a hot desert, with temperatures exceeding 100&deg;F (38&deg;C) for several weeks at a time in summer. The Southwest and the Great Basin are also affected by the ] from the ] from July-September, which brings localized but often severe thunderstorms to the region. Much of ] consists of a ], with sometimes excessive rainfall from October-April and nearly no rain the rest of the year. In the ] rain falls year-round, but is much heavier during winter and spring. The mountains of the west receive abundant precipitation and very heavy snowfall. The Cascades are one of the snowiest places in the world, with some places averaging over 600 inches (1,520 cm) of snow annually, but the lower elevations closer to the coast receive very little snow. Another significant (but localized) weather effect is ] that falls south and east of the ], especially in the hilly portions of the ] of ] and on the ] in ]. The ] and ] in ] can also receive significant lake effect accumulations off of the ].

===Natural disasters===
] assisting in relief during ] in ].]]
The United States is affected by a large variety of natural disasters yearly. Although severe drought is rare, it has occasionally caused major problems, such as during the ] from ]-], which coincided with the ]. Farmland failed throughout the Plains, entire regions were virtually depopulated, and dust storms ravaged the land. More recently, the western U.S. experienced widespread drought from ]-], and signs of a major, long-term drought across the ] have developed.

The United States also experiences, by a large margin, the most frequent and powerful ]es in the world. The ], due to the contrasting air masses, sees frequent severe thunderstorms and tornado outbreaks during spring and summer. The strip of land from north ] north to ] and east into ] is known as ], where many houses have tornado shelters and many towns have tornado sirens. Another natural disaster that frequents the country are ]s, which can hit anywhere along the ] or the ], particularly the central and southern ] coasts, the area from southeastern ] east to the ], the east coast of ], and the ] of ], although any portion of the coast is at risk. Hurricane season runs from ] to ], with a peak from mid-August through early October. Some of the more devastating hurricanes have included the ], ] in ], and ] in ]. The remnants of tropical cyclones from the Eastern Pacific also occasionally impact the southwestern United States, bringing sometimes heavy rainfall.

Like drought, widespread severe flooding is rare. Some exceptions include the ], the ], and widespread flooding and mudslides caused by the ]-] ] event in the western United States. Localized flooding can, however, occur anywhere, and mudslides from heavy rain can cause problems in any mountainous area, particularly the Southwest. Large stretches of desert shrub in the west can fuel the spread of ]s. The narrow canyons of many mountain areas in the west and severe thunderstorm activity during the ] season in summer leads to sometimes devastating ]s as well, while ] snowstorms can bring activity to a halt throughout the Northeast (although heavy snowstorms can occur almost anywhere).

The West Coast of the continental United States makes up part of the ], an area of heavy tectonic and volcanic activity that is the source of 90% of the world's earthquakes. The American Northwest sees the highest concentration of active volcanoes in the United States, in Washington, Oregon and northern California along the ]. Other hotspots for volcanic activity include the islands south and southwest of ] and on the ]. There are many volcanoes located in the islands of ], but several are dormant and the rest show only sporadic activity. The last recorded eruption in Hawaii occurred in the 18th century. Volcanic eruptions can occasionally be devastating, such as in the ] in ].

The Ring of Fire makes ] and southern ] particularly vulnerable to ]s. Earthquakes can cause devastating damage, such as the ] or the ] ] near ]. California is well known for seismic activity, and requires large structures to be ] to minimize loss of life and property. Outside of devastating earthquakes, California experiences minor earthquakes on a regular basis.

==Government==
] is the supreme ] of the United States.]]
{{main|Federal government of the United States|Politics of the United States|Law of the United States}}

===Republic and suffrage===
The United States is a ]al ], with a government composed of and operating through a set of limited powers imposed by its design and enumerated in the ]. Specifically, the nation operates as a ]. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Each level enjoys certain exclusive powers and obligations, and the precise division of these powers has been a matter of considerable ongoing debate. Officials of each of these levels are either elected by eligible voters via ] or appointed by other elected officials. Almost all electoral offices are decided in "]" elections, where a specific candidate who earns at least a ] of the vote is elected to office, rather than a party being elected to a seat to which it may then appoint an official. Suffrage has changed significantly over time. In the early years of the United States, voting was considered a matter for state governments, and was commonly restricted to white men who owned land. Direct elections were held only for the Federal House of Representatives (the "lower house" of a bicameral parliament, or ]) and state legislatures, although this varied from state to state. Under this original system, the Senate (the "upper house" of Congress) was chosen by a majority vote of their state's legislature. Now, since the 1913 ratification of the ], members of both Houses of Congress are directly elected. Today, partially due to the ], Americans enjoy almost ] from the age of 18 regardless of race, sex, or wealth, and both Houses of Congress are directly elected. There are some limits, however: ] are disenfranchised and in some states former felons are as well. Furthermore, the national representation of territories and the federal district of ], in ] is ]: residents of the District of Columbia are subject to federal laws and federal taxes but their only Congressional representative is a ].

===Federal government===
The ] is comprised of a ] Branch (led by ]), an ] Branch (led by the ]), and a ] Branch (led by the ]). These three branches were designed to apply ] on each other. The Constitution limits the powers of the federal government to defense, foreign affairs, the issuing and management of currency, the management of trade and relations between the states, as well as the protection of ]. All other government powers theoretically repose in the individual states. However, in addition to these explicitly stated powers, the federal government—with the assistance of the Supreme Court—has gradually extended their power into such areas as ] and education, on the basis of the "]" and "]" clauses of the Constitution.

====Legislative branch====
]
The ] is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is ], being comprised of the ] and the ]. The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, each of whom represents a ] and serves for a two-year term. House seats are ] among the ] by ]; in contrast, each state has two Senators, regardless of population. There are a total of 100 senators (as there are currently 50 states), who serve six-year terms (one third of the Senate stands for election every two years). Each House has particular exclusive powers—the Senate must give "advice and consent" to many important Presidential appointments, and the House must introduce any bills for the purpose of raising revenue. However, the consent of both Houses is required to make any law. The powers of Congress are limited to those enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the ]. The Constitution also includes the "]", which grants Congress the power to "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers."

====Executive branch====
]
All executive power in the federal government is vested in the ], although power is often delegated to his/her ] members and other officials. The President and ] are elected as 'running mates' for four-year terms by the ], for which each state, as well as the ], is allocated a number of seats based on its representation (or ostensible representation, in the case of D.C.) in both houses of Congress.
{{see|U.S. Electoral College}}

The relationship between the President and the Congress reflects that between the English monarchy and parliament at the time of the framing of the ]. ] can legislate to constrain the President's executive power, even with respect to his or her command of the armed forces; however, this power is used only very rarely—a notable example was the constraint placed on President ]'s strategy of bombing ] during the ]. While the President can directly propose legislation (for instance, the Federal Budget), he must rely on supporters in Congress to promote and support his or her legislative agenda. After identical copies of a particular bill have been approved by a majority of both Houses of Congress, the President's signature is required to make these bills law; in this respect, the President has the power—only occasionally used—to veto congressional legislation. Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote from both houses. The ultimate power of Congress over the President is that of ] or removal of the elected President through a House vote, a Senate trial, and a Senate vote (by two-thirds majority in favor). The threat of using this power has had major political ramifications in the cases of Presidents ], ], and ].

The President makes around 2,000 executive appointments, including members of the ] and ambassadors, which must be approved by the Senate; the President can also issue ]s and ]s, and has other Constitutional duties, among them the requirement to give a ] address to Congress from time to time (usually once a year). (The Constitution does not specify that the State of the Union address be delivered in person; it can be in the form of a letter, as was the practice during most of the 19th century.) Although the President's constitutional role may appear to be constrained, in practice, the office carries enormous prestige that typically eclipses the power of Congress: the Presidency has justifiably been referred to as 'the most powerful office in the world'. The ] is first in the ], and is the ] ''ex officio'', with the ability to cast a tie-breaking vote. The members of the President's ] are responsible for administering the various departments of state, including the ], the ], and the ]. These departments and department heads have considerable regulatory and political power, and it is they who are responsible for executing federal laws and regulations. ] is the 43rd President, currently serving his second term.

====Judicial branch====
]

The highest court is the ], which currently consists of nine justices. The court deals with matters pertaining to the Federal Government, disputes between states, and interpretation of the ], and can declare legislation or executive action made at any level of the government as ], nullifying the law and creating ] for future law and decisions. Below the Supreme Court are the ], and below them in turn are the ], which are the general trial courts for federal law.
Separate from, but not entirely independent of, this federal court system are the individual court systems of each state, each dealing with its own laws and having its own judicial rules and procedures. A case may be appealed from a state court to a federal court only if there is a ] (an issue arising under the U.S. Constitution, or laws/treaties of the United States); the ] is the final authority on the interpretation of that state's laws and constitution.

===State, tribal, and local governments===
]s, divided into ]. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the ] and the ] ] are omitted from this map.]]
]
The state governments have the greatest influence over most Americans' daily lives. Each state has its own written constitution, government, and code of laws. There are sometimes great differences in law and procedure between individual states, concerning issues such as property, crime, health, and education. The highest elected official of each state is the Governor. Each state also has an elected legislature (] in every state except ]), whose members represent the voters of the state. Each state maintains its own judiciary, with the lowest level typically being county courts, the highest being the ], though sometimes named differently. In some states, supreme and lower court justices are elected by the people; in others, they are appointed, as they are in the federal system. See ] for more information.

As a result of the ] case ], ] are considered "domestic dependent nations" that operate as ] governments subject to Federal authority but, generally, outside of the influence from state governments. Hundreds of laws, ]s, and court cases have modified the governmental status of tribes vis-à-vis states, but have kept the two officially distinct. Tribal capacity to operate robust governments varies, from a simple council used to manage all aspects of tribal affairs, to large and complex bureaucracies with several branches of government. Tribes are empowered to form their own governments, with power resting in elected tribal councils, elected tribal chairpersons, or religiously appointed leaders (as is the case with ]s). Tribal citizenship (and voting rights) is generally restricted to individuals of Native descent, but tribes are free to set whatever membership requirements they wish.

The institutions that are responsible for local government are typically town, city, or county boards, making laws that affect their particular area. These laws concern issues such as traffic, the sale of alcohol, and keeping animals. The highest elected official of a town or city is usually the ]. In ], towns operate in a ] fashion, and in some states, such as Rhode Island and Connecticut, ] have little or no power, existing only as geographic distinctions. In other areas, county governments have more power, such as to collect taxes and maintain ] agencies.

===Political divisions===
{{main|Political divisions of the United States}}
With the ], the ] proclaimed themselves to be ] modeled after the European states of the time. Although considered as sovereigns initially, under the ] of 1781 they entered into a "Perpetual Union" and created a fully sovereign federal state, delegating certain powers to the national Congress, including the right to engage in diplomatic relations and to levy war, while each retaining their individual sovereignty, freedom and independence. But the national government proved too ineffective, so the administrative structure of the government was vastly reorganized with the ] of 1789. Under this new union, the continued status of the individual states as sovereign ] fell into dispute in 1861, as several states attempted to secede from the union; in response, then-President ] claimed that such secession was illegal, and the result was the ]. Since the Union victory in 1865, the independent status of the individual states has not been broached again by any state, and the status of each state within the union has been deemed by mainstream officials and academics to be settled as being subordinate to the union as a whole.

In subsequent years, the number of states grew steadily due to ], the purchase of lands by the national government from other nation states, and the subdivision of existing states, resulting in the current total of 50. The states are generally divided into smaller administrative regions, including ], ] and ]s.

The United States&ndash;Canadian border is the longest undefended political boundary in the world. The 50 states are divided into distinct sections:
* the "]," also known as "the Lower 48" and more accurately termed the conterminous, coterminous, or contiguous United States
* ], an ], which is physically connected only to ]
* the ] of ], in the central ].

The United States also holds several other territories, districts, and possessions, notably the ] of the ], which is the nation's capital, and several overseas ]s, the most significant of which are ], ], the ], ], and the ]. The ] is the United States's only ]; it is ] and uninhabited. Islands gained by the United States in the war against ] at the turn of the 20th century were no longer to be considered foreign territory; on the other hand, the ] declared that they were not automatically covered by the ] and that it was up to ] to decide what portions of the ], if any, applied to them. This had been the precisely the quarrel between American colonies and ] that resulted in the founding of the United States. Seen like this, the Supreme Court in 1901 would have decided in favor of ].

The ] has held a base at a portion of ], ], since 1898. The United States government possesses a lease to this land, which only mutual agreement or United States abandonment of the area can terminate. The present Cuban government of ] disputes this arrangement, claiming Cuba was not truly ] at the time of the signing. The United States argues this point moot because Cuba apparently ratified the lease post-revolution, and with full sovereignty, when it cashed one rent check in accordance with the disputed treaty.

===Foreign relations and military===
] was a centennial gift to the United States from France. (''See'' ].)]]
{{main|Foreign relations of the United States|Military of the United States}}

The immense military and economic strength of the United States has made its foreign relations an especially important topic in international politics. Reactions towards American foreign policy by other nationalities are often strong, ranging from admiration to fierce criticism. The same range of opinions is also found within the United States, with many Americans either supporting or strongly criticizing United States foreign policy.

Traditionally, the greatest military ally of the United States has been the ], though the earliest alliance the nation formed was with ] (see ]).

The United States presently occupies 702 military bases worldwide in 132 different countries. The United States is currently involved in an occupation in Iraq and an ]. It has also embarked upon a ].

The United States currently enjoys a particularly positive relationship with the ], ], ], and ], among several others, in that these nations are participating as active military allies with, or logistical supporters of, the United States in all theaters. ], ], and other nations, are participating in the Afghanistan theater but not in Iraq.

Three of the nation's four military branches are administered by the ]: the ], the ] (including the ]), and the ]. The ] falls under the jurisdiction of the ] in ], but is placed under the ] in times of ].

The combined United States ] comprise 1.4 million ] ], along with several hundred thousand each in the ] and the ]. Military ] ended in 1973. The United States armed forces are considered to be the most powerful (of any sort) in the world and their force projection capabilities are unrivaled by any nation or collaboration of nations. They are dominant on land, water, air, and space.

The 2005 defense budget amounted to $401.7 billion, an increase of 4% over 2004 and 35% since 2001, with over 50% being spent in research & development. The 2006 defense budget will amount to nearly $440 billion, the highest ever. U.S. defense expenditure is estimated to be greater than the ], although citing this figure can be controversial since it does not take into effect local-currency purchasing power ratios.

It should be noted that the United States' focus on military expenditures has ranged very broadly, due to regularly changing ideologies inherent in its political system. The American military, in terms of physical resources, is actually smaller now than it was twenty years ago, despite being larger than it was five years ago, for example.
<!-- U.S. defense budget from http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/defense.html -->
<!-- Some information on the evolution of the military? Characteristics of U.S. military strategy, e.g., heavy reliance on air power? -->

===Human rights===
{{main|Human rights in the United States}}
The United States abolished ] almost one hundred years after its founding, and some critics discern lasting forms of ethnic and religious discrimination. The United States is sometimes criticized for interventionist policies in ] and elsewhere during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and occasional aid (financial, military and otherwise) given to repressive governments during the ] period. These policies were considered a counterweight to the aid the Soviet Union is sometimes claimed to have given, either to the same repressive governments or other more pro-Soviet groups. Some critics maintain that this aid was given for strictly profit-driven reasons (often related to ], whether it is seen as good or bad), while others maintain that it was a necessary counterweight to a Soviet drive toward world ].

In the early 21st century, most notably following the ] and the ensuing ], some suggest that invasions of ], intrusive inspections, detentions under the ] and restrictions on freedom of expression are predominant issues.
<!-- COMMENT:
Note: This section was far too detailed for an article in general about the country. I've cut it down considerably, please use the Talkpage for discussion. -Uris

Do not vandalize this section - consult TALK PAGE for discussion about the article.

Alleged suppression of human rights in U.S. is a debate globally (sometimes domestically as well), and has great impact on foreign relations and general image: for a good overall picture, the reader should be aware of the debate.

Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
For references, see article United States/References
-->

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of the United States}}
The United States has the largest and most diverse economy in the world, with a ] annual ] of $41,747 (as of Q2 2005 ). As in all market-oriented economies, private individuals and business firms in the U.S. make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. This is financed via taxes and borrowings in the money and capital markets. Federal borrowings are subject to borrowing caps to theoretically prevent fiscal irresponsibility. The cap as of 2004 stands at 8.2 trillion. (Borrowings as of November 2005 are 8.1 trillion.)
] is the national currency.]]
The largest sector of the U.S. economy is now ], which employs roughly three quarters of the work force. The United States has many ], including coal, oil and gas, metals, and such minerals as ], ], and ]. In ], it is a top producer of, among other crops, ], ], ] and ]; the United States is a net exporter of food. The ] sector produces ] such as ], ], ], and ], among many others.

Economic activity varies greatly from one part of the country to another, with many industries being concentrated in certain cities or regions. For example, ] is the center of the American ], ], ], and ] industries. ] is the country's largest ] hub, while ] is the most important center for ] and ] production. The ] is known for its reliance on manufacturing and heavy industry with ] as the "Capital of the Midwest," and with ], ], serving as the center of the American ]. The ] are known as the "breadbasket" of America for their tremendous agricultural output; the intermountain region serves as a mining hub and natural gas resource; the Pacific Northwest for fish and timber, while ] is largely associated with the ] industry; and the ] is a major hub for both ] and the ] industry.

Several countries continue to link their ] to the ] or even use it as a currency (such as ]), although this practice has subsided since the collapse of the ]. Many markets are also quoted in dollars, such as those of oil and gold. The dollar is also the predominant reserve currency in the world, and more than half of global reserves are in dollars.

The largest trading partner of the United States is ] (19%), followed by ] (12%), ] (11%), and ] (8%). About $1.1 billion dollars worth of goods cross the U.S.-Canada border each day, making the two the largest trading partners in the world.

In 2003, the United States was ] as the third most visited ] destination in the world; its 40,400,000 visitors ranked behind ]'s 75,000,000 and ]'s 52,500,000. Whereas a great majority of those nations' visitors come from fellow European nations, tourism to the United States is more likely to come from continents other than its own.

Labor unions have existed since the 19th century, and grew large and powerful from the 1930s to the 1950s. See ]. Since 1970 they have shrunk in the private sector and now cover fewer than 8% of the workers. However union membership has grown rapidly in the public sector, especially among teachers, nurses, police, postal workers, and municipal clerks. There have been few strikes in recent years.

The United States's imports exceed exports by 80%, leading to a real annual trade deficit of $650.3 billion or 5.7% of real gross domestic product. It is the largest debtor nation in the world, with total gross foreign liabilities of over $12,000,000 million as of 2004, and it absorbs more than 50% of global savings annually.

Since the 1980s, the U.S. has increased the use of ] economic policies that reduce ] and reduce the size of the ], backing away from the more interventionist ] economic policies that had been in favor since the ]. As a result, the United States provides fewer government-delivered ] services than most industrialized nations, choosing instead to keep its tax burden lower and relying more heavily on the ] and private ].

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have minimum wages higher than the national level ($5.15 per hour), including the highest, the State of Washington's $7.35. Twenty-six states are the same as the federal level; two—Ohio and Kansas—are below; and six do not have state laws.

The United Nations Development Programme Report 2005 ranks income the United States as the 74th most equal out of 124 countries, as measured by the ]. The richest 10% make 15.9 times as much as the poorest 10%, and the richest 20% make 8.4 times as much as the poorest 20%. (See ].) However, the ] in America is greater than in most industrialized nations, placing higher by the Gini coefficient.

America's ] ], defined for a family of four as an income of less than $19,157, is at 12.7% of the general population. Approximately one out of every five children in the United States grows up below the official poverty line. Among racial groups; Native Americans and Alaska Natives have the lowest median income while Asians have the highest. Regionally, the southern states have the lowest median incomes while the West Coast and New England have the highest.

{{seealso|List of United States companies}}

==Demographics==
=== Population ===
]

{| class="toccolours" align="right" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 95%;"
|-
! colspan=2 bgcolor="#ccccff" align="center"| Historical populations
|-
! align="center"| Census<br>year !! align="right"| Population
|-
| colspan=2|<hr>
|-
| align="center"| 1790 || align="right"| 3,929,214
|-
| align="center"| 1800 || align="right"| 5,308,483
|-
| align="center"| 1810 || align="right"| 7,239,881
|-
| align="center"| 1820 || align="right"| 9,638,453
|-
| align="center"| 1830 || align="right"| 12,866,020
|-
| align="center"| 1840 || align="right"| 17,069,453
|-
| align="center"| 1850 || align="right"| 23,191,876
|-
| align="center"| 1860 || align="right"| 31,443,321
|-
| align="center"| 1870 || align="right"| 38,558,371
|-
| align="center"| 1880 || align="right"| 50,189,209
|-
| align="center"| 1890 || align="right"| 62,979,766
|-
| align="center"| 1900 || align="right"| 76,212,168
|-
| align="center"| 1910 || align="right"| 92,228,496
|-
| align="center"| 1920 || align="right"| 106,021,537
|-
| align="center"| 1930 || align="right"| 123,202,624
|-
| align="center"| 1940 || align="right"| 132,164,569
|-
| align="center"| 1950 || align="right"| 151,325,798
|-
| align="center"| 1960 || align="right"| 179,323,175
|-
| align="center"| 1970 || align="right"| 203,302,031
|-
| align="center"| 1980 || align="right"| 226,542,199
|-
| align="center"| 1990 || align="right"| 248,709,873
|-
| align="center"| ] || align="right"| 281,421,906
|}
]
{{main|Demographics of the United States}}

The ] continues to drift farther west and south. The fastest growing region is the ], followed by the ]. Growth in some parts of the nation have been particularly extreme such as the fastest growing metropolitan area, ], which went from 273,288 people in 1970 to about 1,650,671 in 2004. Between 1990 and 2000, 19 of the 20 fastest-growing states were in these two regions.

Major demographic trends include the mass immigration of Hispanics from ] into the ], which is home to 60% (21 of the 35 million) of the nation's Hispanics (their numbers increased 57.9% nationally in the 1990s). The ] has been the residence of choice for immigrating Asians, particularly from the ] and ]. The West Coast is now home to approximately half of all American citizens of Asian ancestry (5 of the 10 million, increasing 52.4% in number during the 1990s).

====Ethnicity and race====
{{main|Racial demographics of the United States}}

The United States is a very ethnically ] country. According to the 2000 census, it has 31 ethnic groups with at least one million members each, and numerous others represented in smaller amounts.

The majority of Americans descend from ] ] immigrants who either arrived after the establishment of the first ] or after the period ] (1863-1877). This majority -- 69% in 2000 -- decreases each year, and is expected to become a ] within a few decades. The most frequently stated European ancestries are ] (15.2%), ] (10.8%), ] (8.7%), ] (5.6%) and ] (3.7%). Many immigrants also hail from ] countries such as ] and ]. Other significant immigrant populations come from eastern and southern Europe and French Canada.

] from ] are second only to the German-American population in the single-race category. Hispanics comprise 13% of the population (2000 census) which include people from ] and ]. People of Mexican descent made up 7.3% of the population in the 2000 census and about 66% of the Hispanic-American community. This proportion is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades.

] or Blacks comprise 13% (2000 census) of the American population. This percentage includes 0.6% of individuals that identified as black and one or more other race. The initial wave of people from Africa arrived enslaved, particularly throughout the colonial period and infancy of the new nation (1690-1808). Today, ] are spread throughout the country, but the population is largely concentrated in the ].

], including ] and ], are a fourth significant minority (4% of the population in 2000). Most Asian Americans are concentrated on the ] and ] with a growing concentration in the ] Metropolitan Area and ]. The largest groups are immigrants or descendants of emigrants from the ], ], ], ], ], and ].

], such as ]s and ], make up 1% of the population (2000 census). About 35% live on ].

For the first time ever, American citizens were able to list all of the ], ], or ] groups which they felt was appropriate for them in the 2000 census. For example, a person could be counted in both the Italian and the Irish ancestry group if they described themselves as being of dual ancestry.

{{seealso|Immigration to the United States}}

====Religion====
{{main|Religion in the United States|Demographics of the United States#Religious Affiliation}}
There is no official religion in the United States. The ] forbids the establishment of an official religion or restrictions on free religious expression. Christianity is the predominant religion in the United States, with polls estimating 80% of Americans to be ]s of various denominations. While Christianity is growing in America in absolute terms, it is not growing as fast as the general population increase, resulting in a 10% decline from a 90% share of the total population as recently as 1990. About 2% of Americans profess ]. The other 18% comprises 15% people of no religion and 3% other religions, such as ], ], and ]. The largest Christian denomination in the United States is ] (about 26%), followed by the ] Christian faith (about 17%).

The United States is noteworthy among developed nations for its relatively high level of religiosity. According to a 2004 ], about 44% of Americans attend religious services at least once a week. However, this rate is not uniform across the country; regular attendance is more common in the ]—composed largely of ] and ] states—than in the ] and on the ]. In the Southern states, Baptists constitute the largest group, followed by ]. Roman Catholicism is predominant in the Northeast and in large parts of the Midwest due to these being settled by descendants of Catholic immigrants from Europe, such as Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Poland, or other parts of North America (mainly Quebec and Puerto Rico). The ], whose members are commonly known as Mormons, is the predominant religion in the state of ], with significant populations in neighboring states, as well. The rest of the country generally has a mixture of various Christian denominations.

====Language====
:''Main article:'' ]

The United States has no official language, but ] is the most widely spoken language, spoken by nearly all of American citizens. 97% of Americans speak English well or very well. There have been moves in the past for English to be named as the official language of the United States, but this has been a major political issue for a good part of the country's existence. Some states, such as ], ], ], ] and ] have made English the official language at the state level, but there still is strong resistance at the national level.

] is the second most widely spoken language of the U.S., spoken mainly by immigrants or descendants of recent immigrants from ] and ], but also by generations-old descendants of the original settlers of the traditionally Spanish-held ]. ]s now make up the largest ethnic minority in the country. There are also large populations of non-Hispanic Americans who speak fluent Spanish. Spanish is widely taught as a second language, especially in areas with large Hispanic populations such as ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Younger generations of non-Hispanics seem to be learning Spanish in larger numbers, thanks to the growing Hispanic population and increasing popularity of ]n movies and music performed in the Spanish language. Over 30 million Americans, roughly 12% of the population, speak Spanish, making the U.S. the fifth largest Spanish speaking population in the world after ], ], ], and ].

], mostly of the ] dialect, is the third largest language spoken in the United States, almost completely spoken within Chinese-American populations, especially in ], although many young Americans, not of Chinese descent, have become interested in learning the language, though it is the ] dialect that is mostly taught. Over 2 million Americans speak Chinese dialects.

Other European languages are widely spoken as well. ], the fourth largest foreign language, is spoken mainly by the small native ], ] or ] populations. It is widely spoken in ] and in ], a former colony of ], where it is still used with ] as the state's de facto official language. ], although not widely spoken, was the second official language of ] until 1950. ], ] and ] are still widely spoken among populations descending from immigrants from those countries in the early 20th century, but the use of these languages is dwindling as older generations die out. Starting in the 1970's and continuing until the mid 1990's, many people from the ] and later its constituent republics such as ], ], ], and ] have immigrated to the United States, causing Russian to become widely spoken in the United States.

] and ] have over one million speakers in the United States, almost entirely within recent immigrant populations.

There are also a small population of ] who still speak their native languages, but these populations are dropping and the languages are almost never widely used outside of reservations. ], although having few native speakers, is still used at the state level in ] along with ].

====Public health====
{{main|Health care in the United States}}

The United States has the most advanced health-care services in the world. People from all over the world travel to the United States for medical care, and numerous medical discoveries and innovative treatments are pioneered in the United States.

Despite this, the United States has several ] problems: widespread ], ] among over a quarter of the population, and ].

Unlike most Western governments, the U.S. government does not provide all-embracing ]. Several proposals (notably during the ]) have been made and failed to generate sufficient interest among voters. The United States does offer a number of limited forms of ], which occupy a larger portion of the U.S. Federal budget than any other class of programs, such as defense. Major programs include ] and ]; there are also many programs on the state and county level, as well as some private charities. Since the 1980s, ] coverage has increased as a means of controlling costs; critics charge that some HMOs make care decisions that are not in the patient's interest in order to save money; criticism has also been made of interference in the patient-doctor relationship. Health insurance in the United States is traditionally a benefit of employment, and in many cases this is mandated by law. It should also be noted that any licensed emergency care facility is required by law to provide emergency care if needed, regardless of the patient's ability to pay.

==People and culture==
], an American singer and star who had a large impact on music and youth culture in the world.]]
{{main|Culture of the United States}}

U.S. popular culture has a significant influence on the rest of the world, especially the ]. ] is heard all over the world, and it is the sire of such forms as ], ], and ] and had a primary hand in the shaping of modern ] and ] culture. Many famous ]ians and ensembles find their home in the U.S. ] is a hub for international ]tic and ] music as well as the world-famed ] plays and musicals. ] is the center of the ] industry. Another export of the last 20 years is ], which began in New York and is growing in influence as it branches into the fashion, food and drink, and movie industries. New York, ], and ] are worldwide leaders in ] and New York and ] compete with major European cities in the fashion industry.

], ], and the ].]]
] (primarily embodied in ]) and ] shows can be seen almost anywhere except the most ] of places. This is in stark contrast to the early days of the republic, when the country was viewed by Europeans as an agricultural backwater with little to offer the culturally advanced world centers of Asia and Europe.

Nearing the mid-point of its third century of nationhood, the U.S. plays host to the gamut of human intellectual and artistic endeavor in nearly every major city, offering classical and popular music; historical, scientific and art research centers and museums; dance performances, musicals and plays; outdoor art projects and internationally significant architecture. This development is a result of both contributions by private philanthropists and government funding.

American holidays are variously national and local. Many holidays recognize events or people of importance to the nation's history; as such, they represent significant cultural observance.

{{see also|Arts and entertainment in the United States|Media of the United States|Holidays of the United States}}

==Largest cities==
{|align=right
|]
|-
|]
|-
|]
|-
|}
The United States has dozens of major cities, including 11 of the 55 ] of all types—with three "alpha" global cities: ], ], and ].
The figures expressed below are for populations within city limits. A different ranking is evident when considering ], although the top three would be unchanged.
Note that some cities not listed (such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]) are still considered important on the basis of other factors and issues, including culture, economics, heritage, and politics.
The ten largest cities, based on the ] 2004 estimates, are as follows:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; margin-right:60px"
|-
!rowspan=2| Rank
!rowspan=2 align=center |City
!rowspan=2| Population<br><small> within<br>city limits</small>
! rowspan=2| Population<br>Density<br><small> per sq mi</small>
! colspan=2 rowspan=1 |Metropolitan<br>Area
!rowspan=2| Region
|-
!rowspan=1|<small>millions</small>
!rowspan=1|<small>rank</small>
|-
| 1 ||align=left | ], ] || '''8,104,079''' || 26,402.9 ||18.9 ||1|| ]
|-
| 2 ||align=left | ], ] || '''3,845,541''' || 7,876.8 || 12.9||2|| ]
|-
| 3 ||align=left | ], ] || '''2,862,244''' || 12,750.3 || 9.4 ||3|| ]
|-
| 4 ||align=left | ], ] || '''2,012,626''' || 3,371.7 ||5.2 ||7|| ]
|-
| 5 ||align=left | ], ] || '''1,470,151''' || 11,233.6|| 5.8 ||4 || ]
|-
| 6 ||align=left | ], ] || '''1,418,041''' || 2,782.0|| 3.7 ||14 || ]
|-
| 7 ||align=left | ], ] || '''1,263,756''' || 3,771.9 || 2.9 ||17|| ]
|-
| 8 ||align=left | ], ] || '''1,236,249''' || 2,808.5|| 1.8 ||29 || ]
|-
| 9 ||align=left | ], ] || '''1,210,393''' || 3,469.9|| 5.7 ||5 || ]
|-
|10 ||align=left | ], ] || '''904,522''' || 5,117.9|| 1.7 ||30 || ]
|}
<br clear=left>
{{see|List of United States cities by population}}
{{seealso|United States metropolitan area}}

==Education==
]s include ]'s home at ] and the ] (], designed by Jefferson, shown above), the only collegiate campus on the list. Both sites are located in ].]]
{{main|Education in the United States}}

In the United States, education is a state, not federal, responsibility, and the laws and standards vary considerably. However, the federal government, through the ], is involved with funding of some programs and exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. In most states, students are generally obliged to attend mandatory schooling starting with ], which is normally entered into at age 5, and following through 12th grade, which is normally completed at age 18 (although in some states, students are permitted to drop out upon the age of 16 with the permission of their parents/guardians). Parents may educate their own children at ] (with varying degrees of state oversight), send their children to a ], which is funded with tax money, or to a ], where parents must pay ]. Public schools are highly decentralized with funding and curriculum decisions taking place mostly at the local level through ].

After ], students may choose to continue their schooling at a ]/] or a ]. Public universities receive funding from the federal and state governments, as well as other sources, but students still pay tuition. The amount paid varies depending on the university, state, and whether the student is a resident of the state or not. Tuition at private universities tends to be much higher than at public universities, though financial aid tends to remedy the disparity. It is not uncommon for students to join the workforce or the military before attending college; both the military and many private employers may subsidize post-secondary education. <!--These establishments are oftenly known as 'Military Schools'. -->

American ]s and universities range from competitive schools, both private (such as ] and ]) and public (such as the ] and the ]), to hundreds of local ]s with open admission policies.
{{see|List of colleges and universities in the United States}}

==Transportation==
] in ] ]]
{{clearright}}
{| align="right"
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{{main|Transportation in the United States}}

Because the ] industry took off very early in the United States (when compared to other Western nations), much of the development of U.S. urban areas has taken place around the concept of creating cities and residential areas to suit the needs of road vehicles. The automobile industry was quick to attain influence in government and ] alike, and was also the force behind the dismantling of the electric rail transport systems or ] in over 40 U.S. cities through a subsidiary called ].
To link its vast territory, the United States built a network of high-capacity, high-speed ]s, of which the most important element is the ] system. These highways were commissioned in the 1950s by President ] and modeled after the ] ]. There is also a ], which is used for moving freight across the lower forty-eight states. Passenger rail service is provided by ], which serves forty-six of the lower forty-eight states.

Some cities provide usable ] systems. The largest of them, ], operates one of the world's most heavily used ] systems. The ] and bus networks that extend into ], ], ], and ] are among the most heavily used in the world.

] is the preferred means of travel for long distances. In terms of passengers, seventeen of the world's thirty busiest ] in 2004 were in the U.S., including the world's busiest, ]. In terms of cargo, in the same year, twelve of the world's thirty busiest airports were in the U.S., including the world's busiest, ]. There are several major ]s in the United States; the three busiest are the ], ]; the ], ]; and the ]. Others include ], ]; ], ]; ], ]; ], ]; ], ]; ], ]; ], ]; ], ]; ], ]; and ], ]; plus, outside the contiguous forty-eight states, ], ], and ], ].
<br style="clear:both;" />

==Sports==
] is one of the most popular ]s in the United States.]]
{{main|Sports in the United States}}
The ] team ]s in America are home-grown. ], ] (often called "The National Pastime"), and ], are the top three main sports in America. ] is also popular in the U.S., especially in the ] and ]. Although it is currently one of the most played sports amongst American youth, ] does not have a particularly large following in the U.S. in contrast to its extreme popularity in most other countries. Nevertheless, the U.S. did host the ] in 1994 and the ] in 1999 and 2003. Professional sports in America is very big business and its athletes are very well compensated. The majority of the world's highest paid athletes play team sports in America .

The United States also hosts large followings of traditional European sporting events. ] is popular as a gambling event and the United States hosts several world renowned horse racing events, including the ]. ] has also established itself as a popular sport with a loyal following. Other European sports such as ] and ], while not popular, do attract players and have established leagues.

The United States hosts some of the premier events in other sports such as ] (including three of the four ]), and ] (the ]).

In the 20th century, the United States became the center of the two most popular Western ]s&mdash;], which is popular as both a ] and a gambling event, and ], which is more scripted entertainment than a true sport. The United States has produced many champion boxers who have become public figures in their own right. Other combat sports based on ] martial arts, such as ] competitions, maintain large national leagues and hold frequent competitions.

The number of gun owners in America has given widespread popularity to ] as an amateur pastime. Competitions on marksmanship and other firearm related skills are a regular feature at many shooting ranges. Several organizations (such as the ]) maintain national leagues or participate in international leagues such as the ]. The United States also developed a unique shooting sport in the 1980s called ].

The three popular ] - ], ] and ] were created in The United States. While first practiced by native ], Americans were almost solely responsible for creating surfboarding's worldwide popularity. Skateboarding and snowboarding are completely modern American inventions, and all three have given rise to national competitions and a large dedicated subculture. Snowboarding is the only one of the three to become an Olympic event, beginning with the ] in 1998.

Eight ] have been hosted in the U.S., more than in any other nation. The United States generally fares fairly well in the Olympics, especially the ]: in 2004, the U.S. topped the ] with a record 103 medals (35 gold, 39 silver and 29 bronze). {{see|United States at the Olympics}}

During times of extreme popularity certain teams have been (unofficially) crowned "America's team." The ], the ], and the ] are examples of teams that have reached this status.

American ] are nearly as popular as professional sports, particularly ] and ]. American colleges often support wide-ranging sports programs, including ] and more eclectic sports such as ]. Similarly, many American ] maintain extensive sports programs, and in some areas of the country, high school football and basketball competitions are major local events.

==See also==
{{main|List of United States-related topics}}
{{US_topics}}
{{United States 2}}

==International rankings==
* ]/]: , ranked 4 out of 62 countries
* ]: , ranked 1 out of 60 economies (countries and regions)
* ]: ] (2003 PISA), Ranked 24th of 38 in mathematics, 19th of 38 in science, 12th of 38 in reading, and 26th of 38 in problem solving.
* ]: , ranked 44 (American territory) & 137 (in Iraq) out of 167 countries
* ]: , ranked 11 out of 110 countries
* ]: ], ranked 12 out of 155 countries
* ]: , ranked 13 out of 111 countries
* ]: , ranked 17 out of 146 countries
* ]: , ranked 2 out of 104 countries
* ] and ]: , ranked 45 out of 146 countries.

==Notes==
Detailed references available in a subpage ].

# {{note|America}} In English-speaking societies, ''America'' is most commonly used to describe the United States and less often to refer to the ]&mdash;] and ]. The latter usage is most common in ] countries. '']'' as a noun to describe an inhabitant of America or a citizen or national of the United States, and as an adjective meaning "of the United States," has no straightforward unambiguous synonym in ]. Many ] have been proposed, but none has been widely accepted.
:* ''See also: ]''

==External links==
{{portal}}
{{sisterlinks|United States}}

===United States government===
* - Official site of the U.S. President
* - Official site of the United States Senate
* - Official site of the United States House of Representatives
* - Official site of the Supreme Court of the United States
* - Links to official United States sites
*
* - Gateway to governmental sites
* - Published by the United States Information Agency, September 1997.
*
*
* Updated regularly by U.S. Bureau of the Census.
*
*

===Other===
*
*
*
*
*

{{U.S. regions}}
{{US ties}}
{{G8}}

<!--the * has a purpose. It is intended to keep this at the very top of the United States category-->

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Revision as of 03:30, 12 March 2006

Right now this country kinda sucks ass