election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative 36.1%, Labor 29%, Liberal Democrats 23%, other 11.9%; seats by party - Conservative 305, Labor 258, Liberal Democrat 57, other 30
note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of 1999 and has been suspended four times, the latest occurring in October 2002 and lasting until 8 May 2007); in 1999, the UK held the first elections for a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly, the most recent of which were held in May 2007
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of the UK (established in October 2009 taking over appellate jurisdiction formerly vested in the House of Lords); Senior Courts of England and Wales (comprising the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, and the Crown Courts); Court of Judicature (Northern Ireland); Scotland's Court of Session and High Court of the Justiciary
Political parties and leaders:
Conservative [David CAMERON]; Democratic Unionist Party or DUP(Northern Ireland) [Peter ROBINSON]; Labor Party [Ed MILIBAND];Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Nick CLEGG]; Party of Wales (PlaidCymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish National Party or SNP [AlexSALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; SocialDemocratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [MargaretRICHIE]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Tom ELLIOTT]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British Industry;National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council(observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CERN,EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10,IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNSecurity Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS,UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Nigel E. SHEINWALD
chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Orlando
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Louis B. SUSMAN
embassy: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE
mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000
consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag description:
blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories
National anthem:
name: "God Save the Queen"
lyrics/music: unknown
note: in use since 1745; by tradition, the song serves as both the national and royal anthem of the United Kingdom; it is known as either "God Save the Queen" or "God Save the King," depending on the gender of the reigning monarch; it also serves as the royal anthem of many Commonwealth nations
Economy ::United Kingdom
Economy - overview:
The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. Over the past two decades, the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining and the UK became a net importer of energy in 2005. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. After emerging from recession in 1992, Britain's economy enjoyed the longest period of expansion on record during which time growth outpaced most of Western Europe. In 2008, however, the global financial crisis hit the economy particularly hard, due to the importance of its financial sector. Sharply declining home prices, high consumer debt, and the global economic slowdown compounded Britain's economic problems, pushing the economy into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompting the then BROWN government to implement a number of measures to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets; these include nationalizing parts of the banking system, cutting taxes, suspending public sector borrowing rules, and moving forward public spending on capital projects. Facing burgeoning public deficits and debt levels, the CAMERON government in 2010 initiiated a five-year austerity program, which aims to lower London's budget deficit from over 11% of GDP in 2010 to nearly 1% by 2015. The Bank of England periodically coordinates interest rate moves with the European Central Bank, but Britain remains outside the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.189 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $2.154 trillion (2009 est.)
$2.268 trillion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.259 trillion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 -5% (2009 est.)
-0.1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$35,100 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $34,800 (2009 est.)
$36,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 22.1%
services: 77.1% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
31.45 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 18.2%
services: 80.4% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 7.6% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
14% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 28.5% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34 (2005) country comparison to the world: 92 36.8 (1999)
Investment (gross fixed):
14.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Public debt:
76.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 68.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 2.2% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 136 0.86% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
0.63% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 4.63% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$88.62 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 33 $84.92 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$3.344 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $3.199 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.151 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 6 $4.436 trillion (31 December 2008)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.796 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 5 $1.852 trillion (31 December 2008)
$3.859 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish
Industries:
machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate:
1.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Electricity - production:
368.6 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Electricity - consumption:
345.8 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Electricity - exports:
1.272 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
12.29 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
1.502 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Oil - consumption:
1.669 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Oil - exports:
1.393 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Oil - imports:
1.491 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Oil - proved reserves:
3.084 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Natural gas - production:
58.56 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - consumption:
87.45 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Natural gas - exports:
12.17 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Natural gas - imports:
41.06 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Natural gas - proved reserves:
292 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Current account balance:
-$40.34 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 -$23.65 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$405.6 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $356.2 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners:
US 14.71%, Germany 11.06%, France 8%, Netherlands 7.79%, Ireland 6.89%, Belgium 4.65%, Spain 4% (2009)
Imports:
$546.5 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $483.9 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Germany 12.87%, US 9.74%, China 8.88%, Netherlands 6.94%, France 6.64%, Belgium 4.86%, Norway 4.84%, Ireland 4.01%, Italy 3.99% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$66.72 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.981 trillion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 3 $9.041 trillion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.169 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.125 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.705 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.652 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
British pounds (GBP) per US dollar - 0.6504 (2010), 0.6389 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006)
Communications ::United Kingdom
Telephones - main lines in use:
32.117 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 10
Telephones - mobile cellular:
80.375 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 14
Telephone system:
general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems
international: country code - 44; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers
Broadcast media:
public service broadcaster BBC is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world; BBC operates multiple TV networks with regional and local TV service; a mixed system of public and commercial TV broadcasters along with satellite and cable systems provide access to hundreds of TV stations throughout the world; BBC operates multiple national, regional, and local radio networks with multiple transmission sites; a large number of commercial radio stations as well as satellite radio services are available (2008)
Internet country code:
.uk
Internet hosts:
7.03 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 14
Internet users:
51.444 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 7
Transportation ::United Kingdom
Airports:
505 (2010) country comparison to the world: 14
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 306
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 124
914 to 1,523 m: 77
under 914 m: 64 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 199
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 173 (2010)
Heliports:
11 (2010)
Pipelines:
condensate 43 km; gas 7,992 km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil 699 km; refined products 4,417 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 16,454 km country comparison to the world: 17 broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland)
standard gauge: 16,151 km 1.435-m gauge (5,248 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 394,428 km country comparison to the world: 16 paved: 394,428 km (includes 3,519 km of expressways) (2009)
Waterways:
3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2008) country comparison to the world: 32
Merchant marine:
total: 527 country comparison to the world: 22 by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 70, carrier 3, chemical tanker 71, container 190, liquefied gas 10, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 67, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 29, vehicle carrier 24
foreign-owned: 292 (US 11)
registered in other countries: 275 (Algeria 12, Antigua and Barbuda 2, Argentina 2, Australia 5, Bahamas 24, Barbados 7, Belgium 2, Belize 4, Bermuda 11, Cambodia 3, Cape Verde 2, Cayman Islands 2, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 2, Cyprus 7, Georgia 4, Gibraltar 4, Greece 27, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 27, Italy 2, Liberia 44, Libya 1, Luxembourg 5, Malta 16, Marshall Islands 9, Moldova 6, Nigeria 2, Panama 44, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 6, Thailand 6, Togo 3, Tonga 1, US 4, unknown 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Dover, Felixstowe, Immingham, Liverpool, London, Southampton,Teesport (England); Forth Ports, Hound Point (Scotland); MilfordHaven (Wales)
Military ::United Kingdom
Military branches:
Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
16-33 years of age (officers 17-28) for voluntary military service (with parental consent under 18); women serve in military services, but are excluded from ground combat positions and some naval postings; as of October 2009, women comprised 12.1% of officers and 9% of enlisted personnel in the regular forces; must be citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, or Republic of Ireland; reservists serve a minimum of 3 years, to age 45 or 55; 16 years of age for voluntary military service by Nepalese citizens in the Brigade of Gurkhas; 16-34 years of age for voluntary military service by Papua New Guinean citizens (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,732,445
females age 16-49: 14,118,320 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,113,310
females age 16-49: 11,604,784 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 386,492
female: 369,185 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Transnational Issues ::United Kingdom
Disputes - international:
in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants since their eviction in 1965; most Chagossians reside in Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK citizenship, where some have since resettled; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed the UK Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Illicit drugs:
producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering center
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@United States (North America)
Introduction ::United States
Background:
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Over a span of more than five decades, the economy has achieved steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
Geography ::United States
Location:
North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the NorthPacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 9,826,675 sq km country comparison to the world: 3 land: 9,161,966 sq km
water: 664,709 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Area - comparative:
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union
Land boundaries:
total: 12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km
Coastline:
19,924 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified
Climate:
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Terrain:
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,207 m above sea level) on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain - higher than Mount Everest, which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea level
Natural resources:
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total
Land use:
arable land: 18.01%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 81.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
223,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
3,069 cu km (1985)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 477 cu km/yr (13%/46%/41%)
per capita: 1,600 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development
volcanism: the United States experiences volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (elev. 4,170 m, 13,678 ft) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (elev. 4,392 m, 14,409 ft) in Washington have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (elev. 2,519 m, 8,264 ft) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (elev. 2,549 m, 8,363 ft), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell; in Hawaii: Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood
Environment - current issues:
air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes
Geography - note:
world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent
People ::United States
Population:
310,232,863 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.2% (male 31,639,127/female 30,305,704)
15-64 years: 67% (male 102,665,043/female 103,129,321)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 16,901,232/female 22,571,696) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.8 years
male: 35.5 years
female: 38.1 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.97% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
Birth rate:
13.83 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Death rate:
8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Net migration rate:
4.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22
Urbanization:
urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.047 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 177 male: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.24 years country comparison to the world: 49 male: 75.78 years
female: 80.81 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.06 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.2 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
22,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Nationality:
noun: American(s)
adjective: American
Ethnic groups:
white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate)
note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic
Religions:
Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)
Languages:
English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian andPacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 17 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 46
Government ::United States
Country name:
conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA
Government type:
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Capital:
name: Washington, DC
geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W
time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
note: the 50 United States cover six time zones
Administrative divisions:
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, NewHampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, NorthDakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, SouthCarolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Dependent areas:
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, VirginIslands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)
Independence:
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution:
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Legal system:
federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique legal system of which all but one (Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) is based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held on 6 November 2012)
election results: Barack H. OBAMA elected president; percent of popular vote - Barack H. OBAMA 52.4%, John MCCAIN 46.3%, other 1.3%;
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 members elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012); House of Representatives - last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 51, Republican Party 47, independent 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 192, Republican Party 243
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Timothy KAINE]; Green Party; Libertarian Party[William (Bill) REDPATH]; Republican Party [Reince PRIEBUS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PAC; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbies
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC,Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS,BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CERN (observer), CICA(observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10,IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE,Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer),SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL,UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Flag description:
13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; the blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct; commonly referred to by its nickname of Old Glory
note: the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
National anthem:
name: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH
note: adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, after witnessing the successful American defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore following British naval bombardment, Francis Scott KEY wrote the lyrics to what would become the national anthem; the lyrics were set to the tune of "The Anacreontic Song;" only the first verse is sung
Economy ::United States
Economy - overview:
The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $47,400. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 threatened inflation and unemployment, as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about 60% of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $840 billion in 2008 before shrinking to $506 billion in 2009, and ramping back up to $630 billion in 2010. The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and other industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. Approximately two-thirds of these funds were injected into the economy by the end of 2010. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed a health insurance reform bill into law that will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a bill designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. In late 2010, the US Federal Reserve Bank (The Fed) announced that it would purchase $600 billion worth of US Government bonds by June 2011, in an attempt to keep interest rates from rising and snuffing out the nascent recovery.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.72 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $14.33 trillion (2009 est.)
$14.72 trillion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$14.62 trillion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 -2.6% (2009 est.)
0% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$47,400 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $46,700 (2009 est.)
$48,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.2%
industry: 22.2%
services: 76.7% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
153.9 million country comparison to the world: 4 note: includes unemployed (2010 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
farming, forestry, and fishing: 0.7%
manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts: 20.3%
managerial, professional, and technical: 37.2%
sales and office: 24%
other services: 17.7%
note: figures exclude the unemployed (2009)
Unemployment rate:
9.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 9.3% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
12% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45 (2007) country comparison to the world: 42 40.8 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
12.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Public debt:
58.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 53.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
note: data cover only what the United States Treasury denotes as "Debt Held by the Public," which includes all debt instruments issued by the Treasury that are owned by non-US Government entities; the data include Treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by individual US states, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of Treasury borrowings from surpluses in the trusts for Federal Social Security, Federal Employees, Hospital Insurance (Medicare and Medicaid), Disability and Unemployment, and several other smaller trusts; if data for intra-government debt were added, "Gross Debt" would increase by about 30% of GDP
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 -0.3% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 137 0.86% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
3.25% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 5.09% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$1.74 trillion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 5 $1.722 trillion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$12.39 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 3 $12.46 trillion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$32.61 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $31.53 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$15.08 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 1 $11.74 trillion (31 December 2008)
$19.95 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products
Industries:
highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second largest industrial output in world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Electricity - production:
4.11 trillion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Electricity - consumption:
3.873 trillion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Electricity - exports:
24.08 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
57.02 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
9.056 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Oil - consumption:
18.69 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Oil - exports:
1.704 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Oil - imports:
11.31 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Oil - proved reserves:
19.12 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Natural gas - production:
593.4 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Natural gas - consumption:
646.6 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Natural gas - exports:
30.35 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - imports:
106.1 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.928 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Current account balance:
-$561 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 -$378.4 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$1.27 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $1.069 trillion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0%
Exports - partners:
Canada 19.37%, Mexico 12.21%, China 6.58%, Japan 4.84%, UK 4.33%,Germany 4.1% (2009)
Imports:
$1.903 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $1.575 trillion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys)
Imports - partners:
China 19.3%, Canada 14.24%, Mexico 11.12%, Japan 6.14%, Germany 4.53% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$130.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$13.98 trillion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 1 $13.75 trillion (31 December 2008)