United States

Coordinates: 40°N 100°W / 40°N 100°W / 40; -100

United States of America
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  "In God We Trust"[1] Other traditional mottos: "E pluribus unum" (Latin)[2] "Out of many, one" "Annuit cœptis" (Latin)[2] "Providence favors our undertakings" "Novus ordo seclorum" (Latin)[2] "New order of the ages"
Anthem:  "The Star-Spangled Banner"[3] March:  "The Stars and Stripes Forever"[4][5]
Great Seal:[2]
Show globe (states and D.C. only) Show the U.S. and its territories
Capital	Washington, D.C. 38°53′N 77°01′W / 38.883°N 77.017°W / 38.883; -77.017
Largest city	New York City 40°43′N 74°00′W / 40.717°N 74.000°W / 40.717; -74.000
Official languages	None at the federal level[a]
National language	English
Ethnic groups (2019)[8]	By race: 76.3% White 13.4% Black 5.9% Asian 2.8% Multiracial 1.3% Native American 0.2% Pacific Islander By ethnicity: 81.5% Non-Hispanic or Latino 18.5% Hispanic or Latino
Religion	See Religion in the United States
Demonym(s)	American[b][9]
Government	Federal presidential constitutional republic
• President	Joe Biden (D)
• Vice President	Kamala Harris (D)
• House Speaker	Nancy Pelosi (D)
• Chief Justice	John Roberts
Legislature	Congress
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Independence  from Great Britain
• Declaration	July 4, 1776
• Confederation	March 1, 1781
• Treaty of Paris	September 3, 1783
• Constitution	June 21, 1788
• Bill of Rights	September 25, 1789
• Last state admitted	August 21, 1959
• Last amendment	May 5, 1992
Area
• Total area	3,796,742 sq mi (9,833,520 km2)[c][10] (3rd/4th)
• Water (%)	4.66 (as of 2015)[11]
• Total land area	3,531,905 sq mi (9,147,590 km2)
Population
• 2019 estimate	328,239,523[8] (3rd)
• 2010 census	308,745,538[d][12] (3rd)
• Density	87/sq mi (33.6/km2) (146th)
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total	$20.807 trillion[13] (2nd)
• Per capita	$63,051[13] (7th)
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$20.807 trillion[13] (1st)
• Per capita	$63,051[13] (5th)
Gini (2020)	48.5[14] high
HDI (2019)	0.926[15] very high · 17th
Currency	United States dollar ($) (USD)
Time zone	UTC−4 to −12, +10, +11
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 to −10[e]
Date format	mm/dd/yyyy yyyy-mm-dd
Mains electricity	120 V–60 Hz
Driving side	right[f]
Calling code	+1
ISO 3166 code	US
Internet TLD	Generic top-level domain [16] .com, .org, .net, .edu, .gov, .mil ccTLD (generally not used in the U.S.) .us, .pr, .as, .gu, .mp, .vi and, formerly, .um (removed by ICANN in 2008, but still recognized by the U.S. government as a ccTLD)

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US), or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, 326 Indian reservations, and some minor possessions.^[g] At 3.8 million square miles (9.8 million square kilometers), it is the world's third- or fourth-largest country by total area.^[c] With a population of more than 328 million people, it is the third most populous country in the world. The national capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City.

Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago, and European colonization began in the 16th century. The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast. Disputes over taxation and political representation with Great Britain led to the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), which established independence. In the late 18th century, the U.S. began vigorously expanding across North America, gradually acquiring new territories, frequently displacing Native Americans, and admitting new states; by 1848, the United States spanned the continent. Slavery was legal in the southern United States until the second half of the 19th century when the American Civil War led to its abolition. The Spanish–American War and World War I established the U.S. as a world power, a status confirmed by the outcome of World War II.

During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in various proxy wars but avoided direct military conflict. They also competed in the Space Race, culminating in the 1969 spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. The Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991 ended the Cold War, leaving the United States as the world's sole superpower.

The United States is a federal republic and a representative democracy with three separate branches of government, including a bicameral legislature. It is a founding member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, NATO, and other international organizations. It is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Considered a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, its population has been profoundly shaped by centuries of immigration. The U.S. ranks high in international measures of economic freedom, reduced levels of perceived corruption, quality of life, quality of higher education, and human rights. However, the country has received criticism in regard to inequality related to race, wealth and income, the use of capital punishment, high incarceration rates, and lack of universal health care.

The United States is a highly developed country, and continuously ranks high in measures of socioeconomic performance. It accounts for approximately a quarter of global GDP and is the world's largest economy by GDP at market exchange rates. By value, the United States is the world's largest importer and the second-largest exporter of goods. Although its population is only 4.2% of the world total, it holds 29.4% of the total wealth in the world, the largest share held by any country. Making up more than a third of global military spending, it is the foremost military power in the world and is a leading political, cultural, and scientific force internationally.^[22]

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