United States (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
The United States of America (also called the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, the state of Hawaii is in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 9.83 million km and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third largest country by both land area and population ranking behind Russia and Canada. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy.
The United States was founded by thirteen British colonies located along the Atlantic seaboard. On July 4, 1776, they issued the Declaration of Independence, which proclaimed their right to self-determination. The current United States Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787.
Government and politics
The United States is the world's oldest federation. It is a constitutional republic. The U.S. Constitution serves as the country's supreme legal document.
The federal government is composed of three branches:
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Legislative: The Congress, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of impeachment.
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Executive: The president is the commander-in-chief of the military, can veto legislative bills before they become law, and appoints the members of the Cabinet and other officers, who enforce federal laws and policies.
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Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the president with Senate approval, interpret laws and overturn those they find unconstitutional.
The House of Representatives has 435 members. House seats are apportioned among the states by population every tenth year. As of the 2000 census, seven states have the minimum of one representative, while California, the most populous state, has fifty-three. The Senate has 100 members with each state having two senators. The president serves a four-year term and may be elected to the office no more than twice. The Supreme Court has nine members, who serve for life. The state governments are structured in similar fashion. The governor of each state is elected.
Parties
The United States has operated under a two-party system for most of its history. The major parties are the Democratic Party, founded in 1824, and the Republican Party, founded in 1854.
The winner of the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama, is the 44th U.S. president.
Economy
The United States is the largest importer of goods and third largest exporter. In 2010, oil was the largest import commodity, while transportation equipment was the country's largest export.
Chemical products are the leading manufacturing field. It is the world's number one producer of electrical and nuclear energy.