United States of America
Picturesque USA gained independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776.
Abbreviation: US or USA
Capital: Washington, DC
Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Area: total: 9,631,418 sq km
land: 9,161,923 sq km
water: 469,495 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Population: 293,027,571 (July 2004 est.)
Symbols of the USA: Bald Eagle, Liberty Bell, Gateway Arch, Mount Rushmore, Golden Gate Bridge, Statue of Liberty
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, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, 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, Virgin Islands, Wake Island
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
Government type: Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Military branches: Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard
Bird: Western Meadowlark
Flower: Indian paintbrush
Tree: Plains cottonwood
Largest Cities: Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette, Rock Springs, Sheridan, Green River, Evanston, Riverton, Cody
Bordering States: Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, Idaho
Major Rivers: Bighorn River, Green River, Belle Fourche River, Powder River, North Platte River
Major Lakes: Yellowstone Lake, Glendo Reservoir, Bighorn Lake, Boysen Reservoir, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Seminoe Reservoir, Alcova Reservoir, Keyhole Reservoir
Highest Point: Mt. McKinley - 20,320 feet (6,194 m) above sea level
Lowest Point: Death Valley, 282 feet (86 m) below sea level [this is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere]
Agriculture: Cattle, sugar beets, sheep, hay, wheat
Industry: Mining, chemical products, lumber and wood products, printing and publishing, machinery, tourism
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