About Idaho

Posted by admin on December 29th, 2011 — Posted in Uncategorized

NicknameTheGem State in French  : “the State Precious Stones” Motto Esto perpetua ( Latin ) Administration Country  United States Capital Boise Governor CL Otter (R) Union membership July 3, 1890  (43 th  state) Geography Area 216 632 km 2  ( 14 e ) – Earth 214 499 km 2 – Water (%) 2 133 km 2 (0.98%) Altitude  – Maximum M 3859 , Borah Peak – Average 1524 m – Low 216 m Latitude 42 ° N to 49 ° N 491 km Longitude 111 ° W to 117 ° W 771 km Demography Population  (2010 a ) 1,567,582 inhabitants.   ( 39 th ) Density 7.3 inhabitants / km ² Most populous city Boise Language (s) Official De jure: None De facto: English Policy scrabble word finder Senators Larry Craig (R) Mike Crapo (R) Number of representatives 2 Other Information ISO 3166-2 US-ID Time zone -8 Official Website change The Idaho (in English [aɪdəhoʊ] ) is a state in northwestern United States , surrounded on the west by the state of Washington and the Oregon , on the south by Nevada and the Utah and the is the Montana and Wyoming website hosting . Idaho also has a border with the province Canadian of British Columbia . This is a statement of the Rocky Mountains known for its beautiful landscape of snowy peaks, waterfalls, vast lakes and deep canyons. Wildlife is still largely preserved. The identity of the State of Idaho is inseparable from winter sports, with each city in the vicinity of the ski resort. Because of its demographic dynamism Idaho ranks sixth among U.S. states whose population is growing fastest and has a population of 1,567,583 inhabitants in 2010 2 . Summary  [ hide ] 1 Origin of name 2 History 3 Geography 3.1 Territory 3.2 Relief 3.3 Flora and fauna 3.4 Climate 3.5 Hydrography 06.03 Lacs 3.7 Natural sights and tourist 3.8 Subdivisions 3.9 Cities 4 Demographics 5 Policy 5.1 Presidential Elections 5.2 Local Government 5.3 Federal Representation 5.4 The amalgamation with the far right 6 Economy 7 Culture 7.1 Religions 7.2 Education 7.3 Sports 8 Transport 9 Notes and references 10 External links Origin of name

Idaho is an invented word! The lobbyist George M. Willing presented the name “Idaho” in Congress for a new territory around Pike’s Peak, saying it was a Shoshone Indian word meaning “Diamond Mountain”. By the time the fraud was discovered, the name “Idaho” was already in common use. History

Main article: History of Idaho . The region of Idaho is probably inhabited for about 14,500 years. The discovery of arrows 1959 in Wilson Butte Cave near Twin Falls , gave evidence of human activity electronic cigarette among the oldest dated in North America . Tribes Native American most important were the Nez Perce in the north and the Shoshone to the south. Idaho, as part of the country in Oregon , and was claimed by the United States and the United Kingdom until the Union won the appeal in 1846 . Between this event and the creation of the Territory of Idaho in 1863 , parts of the present territory of the State are given to the territories of Oregon, Washington and Dakota. The new territory is in turn composed of many of the current states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming . After some troubles in the territory, such as the chaotic transfer the territorial capital from Lewiston to Boise , and a federal attempt to split the territory between the two Washington Territory and the State of Nevada , Idaho became a State on 3  July  1890 . Main article: Territory of Idaho . The economy of the new state, once mainly mining, is now mainly agriculture and tourism. Geography

 

geophysical map of Idaho Territory   The State of Idaho has a land area of 216 632 km 2 ranking it 11th among the states. The area lies between 42 and 49 degrees north latitude and between 111 ° 03 ‘and 117 ° 15′ west latitude. The state has a singular form. The northern portion of its territory is akin to the tail of pan and form the region of the Idaho Panhandle . It is attached to the time zone Pacific ( UTC-8 ) while the rest belongs to the Idaho Mountain time zone ( UTC-7 ). A ridge via the Continental Divide in the southern section is part of the eastern border between Idaho and Montana State while to the west of Snake River serves as part of the Idaho border and the states of Oregon and Washington. Other borders follow meridians or parallels. Relief

Borah Peak (3859 m) Idaho, with an average altitude of 1524 m, is a mountainous state like other states belonging to the Rocky Mountain region. This state has a varied terrain is plains, mountains and canyons. The Borah Peak, with an altitude of 3859 m, is the highest point in Idaho. The lowest point of the state is located in Lewiston , 224 m above sea level at the confluence of the Snake River and Clearwater. The center of the state consists mainly of high mountain ranges, including the Mountains of the Salmon River. In southern Idaho in a wide alluvial plain known as the crescent-shaped plain of the Snake River , named after the main river flowing through, occupies 25% of the area of the state. This plain is home to the city of Boise , the largest city in the state, situated at an altitude of 824 m. The Snake River is a mighty river which has dug several canyons, including the deepest in the United States, the Hells Canyon on the border between Oregon and Idaho. Fauna and Flora

landscape Sawtooth Range, Idaho About 41% of the area of Idaho is covered with forest. This holds especially the Rocky Mountains of northern and central government. Conifers are particularly well represented with different varieties of pine, fir, spruce and cedar. The pine beetle , drought resistant, grows in areas receiving less than 500 mm of rainfall per year. Other local species found on Douglas fir , the western red cedar and spruce lowland. Poplar is also quite common in southern and birch in the Panhandle. Most southern state is arid and covered with small shrubs and vegetation of the steppes. Most large mammals of the United States are present in the wild in Idaho, as the antelope, elk, grizzly bear, lynx, mule deer and white-tailed deer. A number of small mammals are also represented, such as beaver, coyote, red fox, otter, badger, weasel, mink, woodchuck and raccoon. Idaho is also the crossing point to hundreds of migratory birds heading south in the fall as the mallard and Canada geese. Climate [ change ] Although the west of the state is remote from more than 500 km off the coast of the Pacific maritime influence is still felt it, especially in winter when the clouds are the largest and heaviest rainfall. Thus despite the high altitude of the state the winters are less severe than in the central plains of the Midwest located in the same latitude. This maritime influence is less in the southeast of the state, and winter is the opposite the driest season. Rainfall is generally low but significant differences exist from one point to another, particularly because of the terrain. The Plains have a semiarid climate with rainfall between 200 and 500 mm / year while the mountains have a fairly wet climate with rainfall can exceed 1000 mm / year. Thus Bruneau, located in the plain of the Snake River, it records only 192 mm of annual rainfall while in Pierce, located in the Rocky Mountains of central Idaho, there has been 1076 mm. In the winter of heavy snowfall may occur, making many areas inaccessible for long periods of time. Maximum and minimum average monthly number of localities of Idaho 3 Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Boise (825 m) max. 2.4 6.8 11.6 16.3 21.7 27.2 32.3 31.2 25.0 18.1 9.3 3.2 min. -5.8 -2.5 -0.1 2.6 6.6 11.2 14.3 13.8 9.0 3.9 -0.5 -5.3 Lewiston (439 m) max. 4.2 8.1 11.9 16.4 21.2 26.6 31.7 31.3 25.1 17.3 8.9 4.6 min. -2.4 -0.3 1.5 4.3 8.1 12.2 15.1 14.9 10.5 5.2 1.3 -1.8 Pocatello (1362 m) max. 0.1 3.6 8.2 14.2 19.7 25.6 31.2 30.2 23.9 16.9 7.3 0.9 min. -9.8 -6.8 -3.4 0.2 4.2 8.5 11.7 10.5 6.0 0.8 -3.3 -9.0 Hydrography

the Snake River in Idaho The State of Idaho is located west of the Continental Divide and all denver injury lawyer rivers flow towards the Pacific. These are tributaries or sub-tributaries of the Columbia , which flows into the ocean. However a small portion of Idaho in the far southeast exception. The rivers there head to the Great Salt Lake and belong to the Great Basin . The Snake River is the main rivers of the state and attracts more than 80% of the territory. The main tributaries of the Snake River flowing in Idaho are called: the Salmon River wedding ring the Payette the Clearwater River Bruneau River Boise the Owyhee The north end of the Idaho Panhandle is drained by the tributaries of the Columbia River following: the Kootenai the Pend Oreille the Spokane River The region belonging to the Great Basin is drained by the Bear River , the largest tributary of the Great Salt Lake . Lakes

Lake Pend Oreille. Idaho has a large number of lakes. The largest are in the Idaho Panhandle. The largest of these is Lake Pend Oreille, 345 km ², which is also the fifth deepest in the United States. The lake is fed by the Clark Fork River and the river’s outlet Pack and Pend Oreille River. The other major lakes are called: Coeur d’Alene Payette Lake (McCall) Redfish Lake, Alturas Lake, Petit Lake, Sawtooth Lake Natural attractions and tourist

Shoshone Falls The state is home to many natural wonders (see list below). Among these include the falls of Shoshone Falls . The waters of the Snake River are steep cliffs plunge from a height greater than that of Niagara Falls which earned them the nickname of Niagara Falls in the west. Hells Canyon Yellowstone National Park engagement ring Massacre Rocks Craters of the Moon National Monument City of Rocks Farragut State Park Balanced Rock Subdivisions   Main article: Counties of the State of Idaho . Idaho is divided into 44 counties whose dimensions range from 1 602 km ² for the less extensive ( Payette County ) to 22 020 km ² the largest ( Idaho County ). The most populous county is that of Ada with 380,920 inhabitants (estimated free auto insurance quotes 2008 ) and 110 inhabitants / km ². It houses the capital Boise. The county is the least densely populated than Clark with only 0.22 inhabitants / km ² and a population of 1022 people. It is located in the Rocky Mountains from the center of the state and borders of Montana. Towns   Boise (state capital) Coeur d’Alene Idaho Falls Lewiston Moscow Pocatello Twin Falls Post Falls Demographics

Historical population Year Population 1870 14 999 1880 32 610 1890 88 548 1900 161 772 1910 325 594 1920 431 866 1930 445 032 1940 524 873 1950 588 637 1960 667 191 1970 712 567 1980 973 935 1990 1006749 2000 1293953 2010 1567582

map of the distribution of the population in Idaho In 2005 , Idaho has an estimated population of 1,429,096 inhabitants, which represents an increase of 33,956 or 2.4% from the previous year and an increase of 135,140 or 10.4%, since the year 2 thousand ( 1 293 953 inhabitants). Idaho is the sixth state in the country in terms of growth, after Nevada , the Arizona , the Florida , the Georgia and the Utah . The main language of the state is the English . At the origins of its inhabitants, the statistics show: 88% white 7.9% Hispanic 1.4% Native 0.9% Asian 0.4% Black Other 2% The main ancestors are German (18.9%), English (18.1%), Irish (10%), American (8.4%), Norwegian (3.6%) and Sweden (3.5%) . A community Basque than 15 000 people live in the southwest of the state 4 . They are descended from shepherds who settled in the region at the beginning of xx th  century. The metropolitan area of Boise – Nampa , most populous state, consisted of 464 840 inhabitants in the census of 2000 or 35.9% free ipad of the total population of the state. Other metropolitan areas by population are decreasing Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls and Lewiston. Policy

Idaho is a conservative state dominated nationally and locally by the Republican Party . Presidential elections   Results in the presidential election in Idaho Year Republican Democrat 2008 61.5% 403.012 36.1% 236.440 Plastic Storage Containers 2004 68.38% 409.235 30.26% 181.098 2000 67.17% 336.937 27.64% 138.637 1996 52.18% 256.595 33.65% 165.443 1992 42.03% 202.645 28.42% 137.013 1988 62.08% 253.881 36.01% 147.272 1984 72.36% 297.523 26.39% 108.510 1980 66.46% 290.699 25.19% 110.192 1976 59.88% 204.151 37.12% 126.549 1972 64.24% 199.384 26.04% 80.826 1968 56.79% 165.369 30.66% 89.273 1964 49.08% 143.557 50.92% 148.920 1960 53.78% 161.597 46.22% 138.853 During the first presidential elections in the fledgling State of Idaho in 1892 , voters brought the majority of their votes to James Weaver , candidate of the Populist Party (54.21%), face the Republican candidate Benjamin Harrison (44, 31%). In 1896 , William J. Bryan candidate of the Democratic Party but also of the Populist Party won 78% of the vote in Idaho and crushed the Republican William McKinley (21.32%), however, elected to the national level. Four later, Bryan, candidate of the only Democrats still prevails (50.79%) but with a narrower face McKinley (46.96%). In 1904 , with 65.84% of the vote, Theodore Roosevelt is the first Republican candidate to win Idaho in a presidential election while the Democrats took over the State during the presidential elections of 1912 and 1916 . Democrat Woodrow Wilson has particular narrowly with 32.08% of the vote in 1912, as part of an election triangular face of Republican President William Taft (31.02%) and face the Republican candidate progressive Theodore Roosevelt (24 , 14%). The 1920′s were marked by political domination of the Republican candidates, while the Democratic candidates are laminated. In 1924 , John Davis gets only 16% of the vote behind the Republican Calvin Coolidge (47.12%) but also behind Robert LaFollette , candidate of the Progressive Party (36.52%). In the year 1930 , during the Great Depression and then during the Second World War , Democrat Franklin Roosevelt needed to face all his Republican opponents as Harry Truman , the relative accuracy in 1948 (with 49.98% of votes) . Since the presidential election of 1952 , Idaho is a state committed to the Republicans. Only once, however, in 1964 , the state went to the Democrats but by a very narrow margin. So if Lyndon Johnson , Democratic president in office, was replayed nationally with 61.05% of the vote, he won Idaho with only 50.92% against 49.08% for Republican Barry Goldwater (38.47 % nationally). In 2008 , Republican John McCain has received 61.5% of the vote and the majority in 41 counties against 36.1% and 3 counties Democrat Barack Obama , elected nationally. In view of these results, it is the County Blaine (65.71%), where is located the ski resort of Sun Valley , and to a lesser extent those of Latah (51.32%) and Teton (49 , 41%) who lean more toward the Democrats. Local Government

The capitol of Idaho in Boise . Main article: List of Governors of Idaho . The Constitution of Idaho separates the government into three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The parliament is bicameral . The State is divided into 35 constituencies which are represented by one senator and two deputies. Since 1946 , the terms of Governor, Lieutenant Governor , Secretary of State, Controller ( Auditor since 1994 ), Treasurer, Attorney General and Superintendent of Public Instruction ; last four years. At present, the original constitution of the State, passed in 1889 , is still in application. Since 2007 , the governor is Republican CL Otter , who succeeded to the Republican Jim Risch and Dirk Kempthorne . Positions eligible for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasury secretary and attorney general are held by Republicans. Since the creation of the state in 1892 , Republicans were the dominant political party in Idaho while the Democrats split into two movements had to compete or the populist party. If the Democrats regained a dominant position in the year 1930 , they were confined to the role of minority party in Congress since the 1960 local (The Democrats have not won the House of Representatives of Idaho since 1958 , that “They dominated a single seat in the legislature). Both houses of the state and are largely dominated by Republicans since the 1960′s . During the session 2 011 – 2013 , the Senate is dominated by 28 local Republicans facing seven Democrats, while the lower chamber has 57 Republicans to 13 Democrats. In November 2006 , voters in Idaho, for 65% of the vote, approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage . Federal Representation   At the federal level during the 112th Congress (term 2011-2013), the delegation of Idaho in the United States Congress is composed of two Republican senators, Jim Risch and Mike Crapo , and two representatives , also Republicans, Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson . The last Democrat to be elected to the Senate of the United States is Frank Church in 1974 . The amalgam with the far right   Idaho is one of the states most politically right of the country and is home to some militias and paramilitary groups of the extreme right or neo-Nazis . Some of these groups survivalists gathered under the name “Aryan Nation” ( Aryan Nations ) are concentrated in the upstate, near Coeur d’Alene . However, the vast majority of Idahoans rejects the ideology of these mining australia groups and denounced amalgam commonly made ​​between their state and the extreme right. In addition, in 2002 , the camp group Aryan Nations in Hayden Lake located was dismantled and the organization expelled from the state. Economy

Idaho is a state agricultural importantly, it produces about one third of all potatoes grown in the United States . A public agency, the Idaho Potato Commission is responsible for promoting this activity. Other agricultural productions are notable beans , the lentils , the barley , the wheat , the bulls and sugar beet . The main industries are the production of wood , machinery, chemicals, production of paper , the money and the tourism . The Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a government laboratory for research on the nuclear energy , is also an important part of the economy is in the state. Today, the industry of the state is growing, and it is led by high technology products. Since the late 1970s , Boise has become a center for the development of semiconductors , it welcomes more Micron Technology , the only company in the country creating arrays of DRAM ( dynamic random access memory ). Hewlett-Packard also has local in the same city, dedicated to the production of laser printers. Culture

Religions   Statistics are five  : Christians – 77% Protestant – 46% Baptists – 10% Methodist – 10% Lutheran – 3% Presbyterian – 3% Other Protestant – 20% Catholics – 16% Mormons – 15% Other religions – 2% No religion – 20% Like other states in the West, the proportion of people identifying themselves as “non-religious” is important in comparison with the rest of the United States. Education   Universities  : Albertson College of Idaho the Boise State University Brigham Young University-Idaho the University of Idaho Lewis-Clark State College Northwest Nazarene University the University of Idaho North Idaho College College of Southern Idaho Sports   The teams of baseball in the Minor League baseball in the state are: Boise Hawks Idaho Falls Chukars Other sports teams include: Idaho Stampede Idaho Steelheads Boise State Broncos ( NCAA ) Idaho Vandals ( NCAA ) Transportation

Major highways Interstate 15 Interstate 84 Interstate 86 Interstate 90 Interstate 184 US Highway 2 US Highway 12 US Highway 20 US Highway 26 US Highway 30 US Highway 89 US Highway 91 US Highway 93 US Highway 95

United States Jump to: navigation , search For items uses, see U.S. (disambiguation) , United States (disambiguation) and America (disambiguation) .  Should not be confused with America . United States of America ( in ) United States of America ( fr )   ( Flag of the United States ) ( Great Seal of the United States ) National motto : “  In God We Trust  ” (official) (“In God we believe a  “) “  E pluribus unum  ” (traditional) ( Latin  : “From many, one”)

Official language None at the federal level 2 The American English is the de facto language of American government. The English is the official language in 28 states over 50 3  , ​​19.7% of the population speaks another language at home, the Spanish (12.2% ) being the most common, after the Chinese (0.87%), the Tagalog (0.53%), the French (0.47%) and Vietnamese (0.43%). Capital Washington, DC 38 ° 53′N 77 ° 02′W Largest city New York Form of the state Republic Federal in presidential systems  -  President  - Vice President Barack Obama Joe Biden Area  - Total  - Water (%) Ranked 4 th 9,629,048 km 2 2.20% Population  - Total ( 2010 )  - Density 3- E 308 745 538 4  hab. 31.15 inhabitants / km 2 Independence  - Declared  - Recognized Of Great Britain on July 4 1776 3 September 1783 Demonym American (e) (see the dedicated article ) GDP (PPP) ( 2008 ) $ 14 264 milliards 5 ( 1 st ) GDP (nominal) ( 2010 ) $ 14 510 milliards 6 ( 1 st ) HDI ( 2011 ) 0.910 7 (very high) ( 4 th ) Currency U.S. Dollar ( USD ) Time zone UTC -5 to -10 National anthem The Star-Spangled Banner ISO 3166-1 code United States, US Internet domain . Us Indicative phone A

The United States , the long form in the United States of America 8 , in English United States or United States of America , is a republic, constitutional government in presidential systems of North America . The United States is a union of fifty states , forty-eight are adjacent and located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean , east to west, and bordered on the north by Canada payday loan and south by Mexico . The two non-contiguous States are the Alaska , located in western Canada, and Hawaii , an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the country includes fourteen island territories scattered around the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific. The federal capital, Washington , is located in the District of Columbia , federal district outside the fifty states. The United States has in 2011 more than three hundred eleven million inhabitants and is the third most populous country in the world after China and the India 9 . The area of the United States is 9,629,000, and forty-eight (9,629,048) square miles, making it the fourth largest country in the world after Russia , Canada and China 10 . Immigration is abundant and the population more diverse ethnically and culturally. The national economy is the largest in the world with a GDP in 2011, the highest in the world. While the Declaration of Independence of the United States was proclaimed on 4 July 1776 by ​​the thirteen colonies established in British North America, the United States gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1783 ( Treaty of Paris ) after the war of Independence and adopted the Constitution of the United States in 1787 at the Philadelphia Convention . The Bill of Rights ( Bill of Rights ) was, in turn, ratified by the first Congress of the United States in 1791 . The development of the territory is mainly in the xix th  century with the conquest of the West and Indian wars , but also through bilateral agreements with other nations in Europe and North America. In 1865 , the Civil War ended in favor of Northern States , protectionist and egalitarian face of the South , free trade and slavery . The Spanish-American War of 1898 and World War I later confirmed the country’s military power. After World War II and the Cold War , the United States became a superpower . The United States are members of the Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO), the Economic Cooperation Asia-Pacific (APEC), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), of the Organization of American States (OAS), the ANZUS , the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the G8 , and permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations . Summary  [ hide ] A name 2 History 2.1 Pre-Columbian period (before 1492) 2.2 Colonial Period (1492-1775) 2.3 revolution, independence and new institutions (1775-1800) 2.4 Conquest of the West, industrialization and end of slavery (1800-1917) 2.5 Rising to the rank of superpower country through war (1917-1991) 2.6 The “New World Order” (since 1991) 3 Policy 4 States and territories 5 Geography 5.1 Features 5.2 large natural 5.2.1 Hydrography 5.3 Human Geography 5.3.1 Distribution of Population 5.3.2 Towns and urban population 5.3.3 Distribution of activities 6 Foreign Policy 7 Armed Forces 8 Economy 8.1 General Situation 8.2 Economic policy of the federal government 8.3 Key figures 9 Company 9.1 Features 9.2 Social Protection 10 Demographics 11 Science and Culture 1.11 Science and technology 11.2 Literature and payday loan Philosophy 11/03 visual arts and 11.4 Architecture 11.5 Music and Performing Arts 11.6 Kitchen 7.11 Religion 8.11 Sport 11.9 Public Holidays 11.10 Languages 11.10.1 The role of language 11.10.1.1 Louisiana 12 Famous American People 13 Symbols of the United States 14 Statistics 15 Codes 16 Notes and references 17 Bibliography 18 Appendices 18.1 Related 18.2 External Links Name

In 1507 , the cartographer Lorraine Martin Waldseemüller produced a world map showing the southern region of the Western Hemisphere . He then wrote the name feminized “  America  “in honor of the browser Florentine Amerigo Vespucci , knowing that Amerigo is the equivalent Italian name of Germanic origin of “  Aymeric  “southern variant of”  Henry  . ” The country’s name was suggested by Thomas Paine and adopted for the first time by thirteen colonies of the British Empire in the Declaration of Independence of the United States on 4  July  1776 . The designation in short form – use in everyday life, education and mapping 11 – of this country is “United States” (in English United States, abbreviated as “Us”) and the long form – to use in official documents – is “United States of America” ​​(in English United States of America, abbreviated as “United States”). The long form “United States of America” ​​is not like most of the long forms that starts with “Republic of”, “Kingdom”, etc.. It is however close to that of the neighboring country, the United Mexican States . In France and in many other countries, the country is also known in short form, in common language 12 , but also sometimes in official speeches 13 , the informal term for American 14 . In English, the short form “America” ​​is widely used, including in official speeches 15 . In French , in common parlance, the country is sometimes also referred to as “the US”, “the United States”, “the States” or “States” (the latter is in use in Canada , including Quebec ). History

Main article: History of the United States . Pre-Columbian period (before 1492)   Main articles: Native Americans in the United States , Colonial history of the United States and thirteen colonies . Human presence is attested in Alaska to 20,000 BC. AD 16 , around 16,000 BC. AD on the Atlantic coast and from 13 000 BC. AD on the site Clovis ( New Mexico ). The first inhabitants of the United States today are descended from peoples prehistoric came from Asia who crossed the Bering Strait during the last glaciation casino there are 30 000 or 40 000 years 17 . Several civilizations relatively advanced ( Anasazi , Mound Builders , the Mississippi civilization ) have succeeded in the area and have mysteriously disappeared before the arrival of Europeans. Colonial period (1492-1775)   Main article: European colonization of the Americas , and Thirteen Colonies .

Map of North America to 1775

The New France , an important part of the United States today. Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492 and explores the current Puerto Rico the following year. At the xvi th  century , European powers to find the Northwest Passage and wealth, and then navigate settled along the Atlantic coast. Here is a succession of colonial Spanish, English, French, Dutch and Scandinavian, more or less permanent. Institutions the most famous and oldest are those of Saint Augustine ( Florida , 1565 ), Jamestown ( 1607 ) and Plymouth (founded by the Pilgrims Puritans in 1620 ). In the southwest, the Spanish enlarge the New Spain by leading expeditions from Mexico . Northwest, the Russians settled along the coast Pacific . Whites make contact and do business with Aboriginal people. But the Indians do not stand up to epidemics introduced by the Europeans ( smallpox , measles ), with the acculturation (alcohol, firearms), the massacres and colonial wars. In the xvii th and xviii th  centuries gradually formed thirteen colonies of the British east coast, ancestors of the United States ( map ). Colonization is provided by companies and a system of charters . The French explored the valley of the Mississippi and founded the Louisiana . North America is rapidly becoming an issue between the colonial powers: England gradually assure his supremacy by winning the Anglo-Dutch War and the War of the Conquest ( 1763 ) against France, loses possessions of the east of the Mississippi ( map ). The settlement is mainly by migrants and by the British slave trade . The slaves are black employees in the plantations of tobacco in the south but also for infrastructure development. By 1775 , the thirteen colonies are prosperous and have more than two million inhabitants. Revolution, independence and new institutions (1775-1800)   Main articles: History of the United States from 1776 to 1865 and American Revolution .

The Declaration of Independence. by John Trumbull , 1817-18 In the course of the year 1770 , the American colonists opposed more to their city: London denied Indian lands west of the mountains Appalachians . The taxes are increased, while the American subjects are not represented in British Parliament . The system of exclusive injures the merchants of the East Coast. More troops are sent to America and settled in a climate revolutionary New England , to Philadelphia and Virginia . In 1770 , British soldiers fired on protesters ( Boston Massacre ). In December 1773 , settlers destroyed a cargo of tea ( Boston Tea Party ): the war broke out the following year. The Insurgents send representatives to the Continental Congress , which approved the Declaration of Independence of the United States on 4  July  1776 . This text, written mostly by Thomas Jefferson , proclaims the principles of freedom , of equality and right to happiness. During the war, thousands of Loyalists fleeing the country. The U.S. Army , commanded by George Washington , eventually defeating the English with the backing of France: The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 and dedicated the sovereignty and the birth of the United States. The second Continental Congress which ratified the Articles of Confederation in 1781 , wrote the U.S. Constitution to the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 . This text, which added ten amendments ( Bill of Rights ) in 1791 , remains today the foundation of democratic America. George Washington was chosen as the first U.S. president in 1789 . The institutions settle permanently in Washington (DC) in 1800 . The Morocco was the first country to recognize the independence of the United States of America 18 . The American Declaration of Independence was based also the first nation colonized the world, although independence was not officially recognized in 1783 with the Treaty of Versailles . It influenced the drafters of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789 . In the xix th  century and the xx th  century , it served as a reference to separatist leaders like Ho Chi Minh during the decolonization . Conquest of the West, industrialization and end of slavery (1800-1917)   Main articles: Gold Rush , Conquest of the West , Civil War and History of the United States from 1865 to 1918 .

Process of entry into the Union of the several States

Dred Scott of Scott v. Sandford (1857)

Battle of Fredericksburg (1862) American history at the xix th  century was marked by four major issues: the conquest of the West , the slavery in the South, the industrialization and the immigration . The U.S. is growing steadily westward through purchases ( Louisiana to France in 1803 , Alaska to Russia in 1867 ) and conflict. Driven by the doctrine of “  Manifest Destiny  “and the”  Myth of the Frontier  , “the Americans are the war on the Indians and rob their land. The war against Mexico ( 1 846 – 1,848 ) and the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo leads the annexation of Texas and of California . The Oregon Treaty ( 1846 ) defines the line of the border between Canada and the United States west of the Rocky Mountains . The gold rush in the middle of the xix th  century accelerated white settlement of the West . Finally, the construction of the first transcontinental railroad ( 1869 ) facilitates the integration of new territories. The conquest of the West ends with the massacre of Wounded Knee ( 1890 ), the annexation of Hawaii ( 1898 ) and the entry of Arizona into the Union ( 1912 ). While the slave trade was abolished at the federal level in 1808 and the northern states abolished slavery between 1777 19 and 1804 , the planters of the South continued to defend this institution. In 1860 , Abraham Lincoln , candidate of the anti-slavery party, won the presidential election, seven slave states seceded and are then form the Confederate States of America . The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 1861) marks the beginning of the civil war which caused 970,000 casualties (3% of the U.S. population), including 620,000 soldiers 20 . After the victory of the Union in 1865 , three new constitutional amendments are voted to abolish slavery, freeing four million slaves 21 , give them citizenship and voting . But Jim Crow introduce the racial segregation in the South, even in the years 1950-1960. The Civil War also results strengthen the federal government 22 . The industrialization starts from the year 1850 . It leads to demographic changes, economic and social benefits. It changes the geography of the country. The U.S. cities multiply and grow rapidly. The immigration is accelerating and diversifying. The Industrial Revolution gave birth to a working class city and accompanies the birth of capitalism . At the end of the xix th and early xx th  century, the second industrial revolution saw the emergence of consumer society and the automobile . The first skyscrapers were built in the inner cities of Chicago and New York . The United States needs throughout the xix th  century assert itself on the international stage. Thus, the UK tried in vain to regain sovereignty over the U.S. during the War of 1812 . The country won the Spanish-American War in 1898  : Puerto Rico and the Philippines came under control of Washington . Rising to the rank of superpower country through war (1917-1991)   Main articles: History of the United States from 1918 to 1945 , Great Depression , Cold War , History of the United States from 1945 to 1964 , History of the United States from 1964 to 1980 and History of the United States since 1980 .

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933)

Migrant Mother , photograph by Dorothea Lange (1936)

Ronald Reagan (1981)

The first steps of mankind on the Moon  : Buzz Aldrin photographed by Neil Armstrong (1969) Especially the First World War who devote American power. In the xx th  century , the United States became the leading economic power, cultural, political and military world. First neutral at the beginning of the First World War , the country working Bankruptcy alongside the Allies on 2  April  1917 and reverses the power relationship . The United States Congress refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles (1919) and integrate League , faithful to the principle of isolationism . The period between the wars is first a period of material prosperity and cultural effervescence called the “  Roaring Twenties  “. Native Americans and women won the right to vote. It is also the time of Prohibition . Then the Great Depression of 1929 after the Wall Street crash causes a rise in unemployment . The Dust Bowl affected the south and increases the poverty of the peasants. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected in 1932 and offers a New Deal (“new deal”) to combat the crisis, laying the foundations of the welfare state . Unemployment does not go away completely as during the Second World War . The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7  December  1941 entry into the war caused the United States in the camp of the Allies against the Axis . The U.S. military plays an important role in the liberation of Western Europe and during the Pacific campaigns . In August 1945 , President Harry S. Truman decided to send two atomic bombs to surrender the Empire of Japan . The United States became a superpower along with the USSR . The United Nations Charter signed in June 1945 in San Francisco , lays the foundation of the UN , whose General Assembly headquarters in New York . In the years following the conflict, the United States pose as leader of the capitalist camp against the Soviet Union: the Cold War when two opposing political and economic models. In order to stem the communist , Washington operates in Europe ( the Marshall botox brisbane Plan , Berlin , creation of NATO ) and Asia ( Korean War , Vietnam War , War in Afghanistan ). In the same vein, in 1949 , Harry S. Truman said his chiropractic marketing commitment to helping underdeveloped countries to increase their standard of living by the industrialization , through the provision of technical knowledge of the United States 23 . The country is also launching in the arms race and the space (creation of NASA in 1958 , first steps on the moon in 1969 ). In 1962 , the Cuban missile crisis was almost the trigger of the third world war will cause an “  embargo  “always on, even if relaxed under the presidencies of Clinton and Obama . The Inside Story of the country is marked by the Movement African-American civil rights in the years 1950-1960 led by Martin Luther King , by the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 and the Watergate scandal in 1974 . The year 1968 is for the United States on top of a troubled decade (Vietnam, Berkeley, assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, etc..), The beginning of a period of uncertainty 24 . The new policy of Ronald Reagan ( 1 981 – 1989 ) was a success both in the country, with Reaganomics , and abroad, he encourages the relationship, including the USSR , and lowers arms. It is generally perceived as the winner of the Cold War . The “new world order” (since 1991)   Main article: Attacks of September 11, 2001 , War against terrorism and the subprime crisis .

In 2001 , the United States for the first time since 1941, attack on their territory.

Swearing-in of Barack Obama on January 20, 2009 , which became the 44 th President of the United States. Since the end of the Cold War and the dismantling of the Soviet Union in 1989-1991, the United States is the only superpower in the world. The country is engaged in diplomatic relations in the Middle East , and participates in the Gulf War (1990-1991) . The presidency of Bill Clinton ( 1 993 – 2001 ) will be marked by the wars of Yugoslavia , in the case of Monica Lewinsky auto insurance quotes , the explosion of the Internet bubble and continued economic growth. George W. Bush came to power in 2001 after one of the most controversial elections in history. On September 11 of that year, the United States are victims of a wave of attacks Islamic terrorists who killed nearly three thousand. In response, Washington began a “  war against terrorism  “in Afghanistan and then Iraq ( war in Afghanistan and Iraq war ). In 2005 , the south was hit hard by Katrina , a hurricane ‘s most devastating in the history of the United States. From 2007 , the country is hit by an economic crisis and financial , caused by the subprime crisis and will become global. Large companies like Lehman Brothers or General Motors is bankrupt. In 2008 , Barack Obama was elected as first president African American in the country, taking over from outgoing President George W. Bush became unpopular 25 . Policy contrasts with its predecessor, especially on the domestic front, where he managed to pass a reform of the health system . In 2010 , while the country is still in economic crisis, the Gulf of Mexico and the southern beaches are affected by the worst oil spill that the country has seen following the explosion of an oil platform in BP . Policy

Main article: Politics of the United States .

The first page of the Constitution of the United States (1787)

The White House , the executive branch.

The Capitol , the legislative power.

The Supreme Court , the judiciary. The United States is a republic, federal presidential bicameral . The form of government is that of representative democracy  : the right to vote is granted to U.S. citizens over 18 years, it is not mandatory. U.S. citizens are governed at three levels: the federal level since the capital Washington, DC , the level of federal states and local level ( counties , municipalities ). Currency, foreign policy, military and foreign trade within the federal government. The country consists of fifty federal states which have full sovereignty in many areas: justice, education, transportation, etc.. Each of the 50 states has its own flag, its governor, its Congress and its government. The legislation differs from one district to another. The U.S. Constitution is the oldest modern constitution still in force (1787). Supplemented by the Bill of Rights and many amendments , it guarantees individual rights to U.S. citizens. To be adopted, an amendment must receive the approval of three fourths of the states. The three powers (legislative, executive and judicial) are separated: The executive power is provided by the President and the Vice President . They are all elected for four years by indirect universal suffrage. Each state is represented by the College of electors whose number is roughly proportional to population of the State. Since 1951 , the President may exercise only two terms. The President is the Commander in Chief , but can not declare war. He resides in the White House and has a veto on bills . He appoints the e cigarette members of his cabinet and directs the U.S. government . Barack Obama was elected president of the United States in November 2008 (his term began on 20 January 2009 ). The legislature returns martial arts denver to a Congress composed of two chambers, the Senate and House of Representatives , serving on Capitol Hill . The House of Representatives has 435 members elected in districts ( congressional district ) for a term of two years. The number of members depends on the demographic weight of the States: the less populous send a representative to Congress, while California has 53. Each state elects two senators for six years, regardless of population. The Senate is renewed by thirds every two years. The Supreme Court is the highest weight loss pills court in the federal court system . Composed of nine judges for life chosen by the President with the consent of the Senate, she interprets the laws and checks their constitutionality. Political life is dominated by two parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party . The Republican Party, founded in 1854 , is regarded as conservative or right, its symbol is the elephant and the color red. The Democratic Party is described as liberal in English and listed in the center or center-left, the animal is the donkey and the color blue. Among the smaller parties include the Green Party and the Communist Party . The states of Northeast, the Great Lakes and West Coast are considered more progressive than those of the South and Rocky Mountains . Related Articles: U.S. Presidents , Vice-President of the United States , Constitution of the United States , List of governors of the United States and United States presidential election . States and territories

Main articles: States of the United States , States of the United States in order of entry into the Union , States of the United States by population , States of the United States by land and Territories of the United States .

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY SA GU PR IM IV The United States is composed of 50 states and one Federal District , the District of Columbia . Forty-eight contiguous states – all states except the Alaska and Hawaii – are called contiguous United States or “  lower 48  (in)  “and occupy most of central North America. Alaska is separated from the contiguous U.S. by Canada, and together they form the continental United States. Hawaii, the fiftieth state, is located in the Pacific. The map shows against the fifty states, territories, and highlights electronic cigarettes the census regions of the United States. The District of Columbia does not appear. In addition to the areas indicated on the pass, the U.S. also include several other territories. The Palmyra Atoll is an unincorporated territory, but it is uninhabited. The Minor Outlying Islands United States are uninhabited islands and atolls in the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. In addition, the Navy has established a major naval base in Guantánamo Bay in Cuba since 1898 and on the atoll Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean since 1971. Geography

Main articles: Geography of the United States and the United States Climate .

Reliefs

Topographic map from satellite images

Cartography

Average annual rainfall

Wind

Main cities

Densities   Click on a thumbnail to enlarge Main Features

The Mount McKinley , the highest point of the United States ( Alaska )

The Death Valley contains the lowest point of the United States ( California ) The United States is the fourth largest country ( 9,631,417 square kilometers ) behind Russia , the Canada and China 26 . With 7% of the landmass of the planet, the size of the U.S. is comparable to the European continent and is 17 times that of metropolitan France . States of Alaska and Texas are bigger than France. Located in North America , the 48 states in one piece (sometimes called “  Mainland  “or” continental U.S. “), whose shape evokes a pentagon stretch over four time zones . 4 500 km separating the coast Atlantic east coast and Pacific to the west 27 . You should run 2 500 km to link Canada to Mexico. The U.S. has 12 034 km of land borders 28 , 8 893 km with Canada (including 477 km 2 with the Alaska ), 3 141 km with Mexico and 28 km with Cuba ( naval base at Guantánamo Bay ) . The total length of the U.S. coast is 19 924 km . All Missouri – Mississippi travels more than 6 000 km in the Mainland , the equivalent of the course of the Amazon in South America . The last two federal states are hcg diet plan Hawaii , an island volcano in the North Pacific Ocean and Alaska, western Canada. Northeast of the Caribbean , the island of Puerto Rico is a commonwealth state: it is also the largest and most populous of the U.S. territories . The highlight of the country, Mount McKinley ( 6,194 meters ) is located in Alaska. Outside Alaska, the main peak is Mount Whitney in California ( 4421 meters ). The lowest altitude is the Badwater in the National Park Death Valley , California (- 86 meters ). Main peaks of the United States 29  : Top State Chain or mass Altitude in meters McKinley (Mount) Alaska Chain Alaska 6194 Whitney (Mount) California Sierra Nevada 4421 Elbert (Mount) Colorado Rocky Mountain 4401 Rainier (Mount) Washington Cascade 4392 Saint Elias (Mountain) Alaska Saint Elias Mountains 5489 Large natural   Main articles: National Park in the United States and U.S. National Monument .

Oceanic climate ( Oregon )

Desert climate ( Utah )

Tropical climate ( Hawaii )

Polar climate ( Alaska )

Cactus in Saguaro National Park ( Arizona ) The vastness of the territory, the great variety of landforms and climates produce very different landscapes in different regions. The country’s large natural follow roughly a meridional organization: to the east, a plain of increasingly large on the way to Florida, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The northern ( New England ) is subject to air masses in the polar winter. The south is influenced tropical. To succeed within the hills of Piedmont and the mountains Appalachians , rising to 2037 meters and are covered with forests. The plains and plateaus of the Center are drained by the river all the Mississippi and Missouri . To the north, the Great Lakes (North America) are an important waterway connected to the St. Lawrence River . The southern regions (of Texas , to Florida , via Louisiana ) experience the passage of hurricanes in late summer, the climate is humid subtropical except southern Florida (near Miami ) already tropical . East of the Rocky Mountains stretch the Great Plains and the High Plains fertile semi-arid, from Mexico to Canada. This is where is the Tornado Alley , an area covering more States or parts of States, where tornadoes occur frequently. The American West is dominated by the Rocky Mountains, the Cascade and Sierra Nevada that frame the valleys ( Central Valley (USA) ), trays ( Colorado Plateau , Columbia Plateau ) and pools of altitude ( Great Basin ). The Rocky Mountain peak at about 4401 feet in Colorado: the climate is mountainous and vegetation is stepped. To the north is the supervolcano of Yellowstone . Inland basins are marked by the aridity ( Mojave Desert , Death Valley ). The Pacific coast is dominated by mountain ranges covered with forests. The Pacific Maritime influence is immediately blocked by the mountains and is limited to a narrow coastal strip. The area is subject to the risk volcanic ( Mount St. Helens , Mount Rainier ) and seismic ( San Andreas Fault ). The coastal states of Washington and the Oregon are oceanic climate very humid, that of California is experiencing a Mediterranean climate . Alaska is a state dominated by mountains and active volcanoes ( Alexander Archipelago , Aleutian Islands ): the coast is influenced when the ocean is far north polar climate . Finally, the islands of Hawaii consists of a series of hot spots and has a tropical climate . Most volcanoes are located to the west, Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands: Mount Blackburn (4996 m), Alaska Mount Rainier (4392 m), Washington Mount Shasta (4322 m), California Mauna Loa (4171 m), Hawaii Mount Adams (3743 m), Washington Mount Hood (3429 m), Oregon Glacier Peak (3213 m), Washington Mount Redoubt (3108 m), Alaska Mount St. Helens (2549 m), Washington Hydrography

Waterfall in Yosemite National Park ( California ) Major rivers of the United States: Name Length in km Watershed in km ² Missouri 4370 1376180 Mississippi 3778 2981076 Yukon 3185 847 600 Rio Grande 3060 607 965 Arkansas 2348 505 000 Colorado 2317 629 100 Ohio 2102 490 601 Columbia 2044 668 217 Snake River 1670 279 719 Kuskokwim 1165 120 000 Tennessee 1049 105 870 The Great Lakes represent a total area of about 250,000 sq km , or half the size of France. List of Great Lakes, ranked from largest to smallest: Lake Superior Lake Huron Lake Michigan Lake Erie Lake Ontario Other important lakes are: Lake Pontchartrain Great Salt Lake Lake Champlain Lake Mead Lake Almanor Lake Powell Utah Lake Lake Tahoe Human Geography   Population Distribution   The approximately 310 million Americans 30 are distributed unevenly over the territory. The population density is actually higher in the east than the west. Half the population is concentrated in the east of 100 th meridian with the Megalopolis of BosWash the shores of the Great Lakes (Chicago / Detroit / Milwaukee / Cleveland) and ChiPitts , the Appalachians and the Atlantic coast. Beyond the 100 th meridian, the low densities for historical reasons (the stand was made ​​from east to west) and natural (dryness). The Pacific coast is more dense with the axis California ( San Francisco / Los Angeles ) and the Puget Sound ( Seattle / Portland ). The average density of the United States is 31 inhabitants per km ². Americans focus on the shoreline, including the Great Lakes . West of the 100 th meridian to the Pacific coast and Alaska , densities are generally low, except in a few isolated towns and California. This is the most populous state in the United States and continues to attract internal and external migration. Towns and urban population   Main articles: Towns in the United States , List of most populous cities in the United States and Metropolitan Area United States . Over three-quarters of the population is urban. The United States is in third place worldwide for the urban population in absolute 31 . Over 30% of Americans live in a metropolis of more than five million 32 . These settlements are recent and structured networks. Their economic importance is considerable for the country. They have problems related to immigration, social change and globalization . The megalopolis of BosWash , a group of urban areas in the north-east, stretches 800 km between Boston and Washington, DC via New York. List of major cities: Rank City Population in the limits of the municipality

Density per square kilometer Area Metropolitan Region Illustration million rank A New York City , New York 8214426 10 194,2 25.0 A Northeast  2 Los Angeles , California 3849378 3 041,2 18.5 2 West  3 Chicago , Illinois 2853114 4 922,9 11.4 3 Midwest  4 Houston , Texas 2144491 1 301,8 5.6 12 South  5 Phoenix , Arizona 1512986 1 074,1 4.0 14 West  6 Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 1448394 4 337,3 6.3 7 Northeast  7 San Antonio , Texas 1296682 1 084,4 1.9 33 South  8 San Diego , California 1256951 1 456,3 2.9 17 West  9 Dallas , Texas 1232940 1 339,7 6.3 8 South  10 San Jose , California 953 679 2 003,1 1.7 30 West  Distribution of activities   The most dynamic regions and most attractive are in the Sun Belt . The conversion of the North-East of the country allows it to play an important role. See also: List of cities in the United States ~ List of botanical gardens in the United States ~ Environmental Policy of the United States ~ Transportation in the U.S. Foreign Policy

 

David Cameron and Barack Obama Main article: Chicago Criminal Lawyer Foreign policy of the United States . The U.S. influence on the economic and political world. They are a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations and the City of New York hosts the UN headquarters . Almost all countries have an embassy in Washington, DC and several consuls across the country. Similarly, almost all countries hosting an American diplomatic mission. However, Cuba , the Iran , the North Korea , the Bhutan , the Sudan and the Republic of China (Taiwan) have no formal diplomatic relations with the United States. The United States enjoy a special relationship with the United Kingdom and close links with the Australian , the New Zealand (as part of the ANZUS ), the South Korea , the Japan , Israel , and members of NATO . They also cna certification work closely with their neighbors through the Organization of American States and of free trade agreements such as the Trilateral Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade with Canada and Mexico . In 2005, the U.S. spent $ 27 billion in official development assistance , most in the world. However, as part of gross national income (GNI), the U.S. contribution is 0.22% and the twentieth of twenty-two largest donor countries. The non-governmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and educational and religious institutions provide for a total of 96 billion dollars. The combined total is 123 billion dollars, the largest in the world and seventh as a percentage of GNI 33 . auto transport Armed Forces

 

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan Main article: Armed Forces of the United States . The U.S. military influence in the world. The president holds the title of commander in chief of the nation, the armed forces and appoints its leaders, the Secretary of Defense and those of the Joint Chiefs of Joint Chiefs of Staff . The Department of Defense of the United States administers the armed forces, including the Army , the Navy , the Marine Corps , and Air Force . The Coast Guard is directed by the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime and the Department of the Navy in wartime. In 2005, the military had locksmith 1.38 million personnel on active service 34 , in addition to several hundred thousand in the Reserve and National Guard , for a total of 2.3 million soldiers. The Department of Defense also employs about 700,000 civilians , not counting those contractors. Military service is voluntary, though conscription may occur in wartime through the Selective Service System. U.S. forces can be deployed rapidly by the Air Force with its large fleet of transport aircraft and aerial refueling, the United States Navy consists of eleven aircraft carriers, and Marine Expeditionary Unit at sea all the world’s oceans. Outside the U.S. armed forces are deployed to 770 bases and facilities on every continent except Antarctica 35 , 36 . The total military spending of the United States in 2006, over $ 528 billion , accounted for 46% of global official military spending and greater than the sum of the fourteen largest military budgets combined. (In terms of purchasing Storage Bins power parity , this corresponds to the next six) per capita expenditures were $ 1 756 , or about ten times more than the world average 37 . At 4.06% of GDP, military spending in the United States are ranked 27 th out of 172 nations 38 . The basic proposal for the military budget for 2009 is $ 515.4 billion from an increase of 7% over 2008 and almost 74% more than in 2001 39 . The estimated cost of the Iraq war to the United States until 2016 is 2.267 trillion 40 . As of October 17, 2008, engaged in two major military operations, the United States suffered during the Iraq war losses of 4,185 soldiers killed and over 30,000 injured 41 and 615 killed during the war in Afghanistan since 2001 42 . Economy

Main articles: Economy of the United States and List of American companies . General situation   U.S. Economy Economic Indicators GDP $ 14 266 milliards 43 ( 2009 ) GDP / capita. ( PPA ) $ 46 442 ( two thousand and nine ) Unemployment 9.9% 44 ( April 2010 ) Growth of GDP - 2.4% 43 ( 2008 – 2009 ) Inflation ( CPI ) 2.3% 45 ( March 2009 – March 2010 ) Public debt 84% of GDP 46 ( 2010 ) Poverty 13.2% 47 ( 2008 ) Value of money Exchange rate (for 1 € ) 1.2517 48 ( 20  April  2010 ) Exchange rate (for 1 £ ) 1.4379 48 ( 20  April  2010 ) Exchange rate (for a ¥ ) 0.0112 48 ( 20  April  2010 ) The United States since the 1870s the world’s largest economy 49 . They have a mixed economy in which the public sector in 2007 represents 12.4% of GDP 50 . According to the International Monetary Fund , the United States produce more than 14 500 billion, more than 19% of all wealth in the world 43 . In 2006, U.S. GDP was slightly lower than the European Union at purchasing power parity 51 . The country ranks eighth in the world for GDP per capita and fourth in purchasing power parity 43 . The rate of unemployment is relatively low, usually between 3 and 5% of the workforce . But the economic crisis of 2008 led to a rise in unemployment so that the rate is 6.5% in November 2008 (according to the ILO ) 52 and 9.9% in April 2010 44 . U.S. GDP increased by 32% between 2000 and 2008 while the budget of the federal government has increased over the same period of 1798 billion to 2931 billion an increase of almost 40% 53 . The most dynamic sectors are chemicals , the computer , the aerospace industry , the health , the biotechnology and defense industries, even if the advance has shrunk since the end of World War II . The main point of this post-industrial economy is the service sector (retail, banking and financial services, insurance, film, tourism …), which accounts for 75% of GDP. The United States are the largest importers of goods and the third exporter behind China and the German . The Canada , China, Mexico , the Japan and Germany are major trading partners 54 . The balance of trade deficit is U.S., especially with China. Electrical equipment is the main export and the country imports many motor vehicles 55 . The NYSE ( New York Stock Exchange ) are the first in the world.

Wall Street in New York , a symbolic place in the U.S. economy The public debt is the U.S. the world’s highest: in 2005, it accounted for 23% of the world 56 . The United States ranked 35 th out of 120 countries for the debt to GDP 57 . Several advantages explain the power of the U.S. economy: the U.S. is huge, well endowed with mineral resources (the second largest producer of coal , oil , natural gas , gold , copper …) and agricultural products. It is located between the two great oceans of the planet, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is also well controlled by a diverse transportation network ( Great Lakes , railroads , ports , airports ) and dense. The population is cosmopolitan and mobile. The average life is strong, even if social inequalities are important. The dollar and the English language has an international reputation. The federal government invests a relatively large share of GDP in research and does not hesitate to show protectionist . The multinational U.S. are present on all continents and contribute to the economic power of the country. The United States is at the heart of the NAFTA , a regional organization that promotes the free movement of goods and capital. In 2005, the workforce is 155 million workers, 80% work full time 58 . 79% of the U.S. labor force works in services 59 . With approximately 15.5 million people, the health and welfare sectors are occupying the most jobs 60 . The unionization rate is 12% against 30% in Western Europe 61 . Labour mobility is important and paid holidays are shorter than in other industrialized countries. The United States maintains one of the productivity of labor the highest in the world. Economic policy of the federal government   In early 1990, President Bill Clinton launched a very active policy of economic intelligence , called policy of advocacy ( advocacy policy 62 ). The effectiveness of this policy is the ability to obtain, exchange and exploitation of information between a multitude of actors and decision makers, federated by networks of interest and collusion. The perception of the world such players have is definitely electronic and field of vision is a world under American control. The means for this is the closest possible control of the complex information-media because it gives power. The effectiveness of this strategy is largely due to corporate clothing the strong relationship between the public sector, private sector and civil society 63 . The federal government also has a systematic policy of influence , based on Common Law and Standards International. The U.S. government seeks to influence global multilateral organizations ( OECD , UN , ILO …), the European institutions and in particular the European Commission , private forums ( International suits brisbane Chamber of Commerce , Business Action for Sustainable Development , International Accounting Standards Board ) and civil protection of the environment . The influence is also exercised in business practices and doctrines of development assistance. Finally it is exercised in the socio-cultural sphere, using the technique of social learning , for teaching, English and film 64 . The U.S. government has also established a longstanding policy very protectionist in relation to procurement of the U.S. administration (see section procurement of U.S. protectionism section ). Key figures

U.S. dollars . Some recent figures: GDP per capita at PPP in 2004 $ 39,498 65 Investment (GFCF, 2004): 19.6% of GDP 65 Research and development (% of GDP in 2003): 2.6% 65 Inflation rate (2005): 3.4% 65 Distribution of the labor force (in% by 2004) 65 Primary sector: 1.7% Secondary sector: 20.8% Tertiary sector: 77.4% The U.S. economy created 2 million new jobs in 2005 Cumulative trade deficit in May 2007: 296 billion to $ 66 See also North American Free Trade Agreement See the paragraphs on the economy of states and cities. Company [ modify ]

Main Features   Main article: American Society . American Society Average income (in constant $ per household) 46 326 67 2005 HDI 0.910 68 2011 Gini coefficient 46.9 2005 Poverty 12.6% to 3.3% 67 2005 The United States is a wealthy, developed country with strong social inequalities. The HDI was 0.902 in 2010 and ranks the country fourth in the most developed states of the world. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average gross income was 46,326  dollars in 2005 67 . He is the highest in the country in New Jersey ($ 60,246) and lowest in Mississippi ( $ 34,396 ) 69 . In purchasing power parity , these income levels are comparable to those of other developed countries. In 2006, 10% of richest households concentrated almost 50% of income 70 . The percent in the richest 23% received 71 . This last category has benefited between 2002 and 2006 three quarters of income growth. The share of Americans living below the poverty line increased slightly during the two terms of George W. Bush . Social protection   Main article: Social protection in the United States . Social protection in the United States covers 90% of the U.S. population 72 . Since the New Deal and the creation of the welfare state ( welfare state ), the Government is implementing several programs to help those in need: Medicare , Medicaid , Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for at-home mothers, Early Childhood Intervention and SCHIP for children in difficulty, SSI for the elderly, blind and disabled 73 , Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for the poorest 74 , Old-Age, Survivors, Disability and Health Insurance (OASDHI) for the unemployed and the widows, etc.. In 2000 , 180 million Americans 75 benefited from the social security . The system of distribution of social benefits is pluralistic and decentralized  : The federal government provides a fixed with 50 federal states . Social welfare depends on the situation of the individual: the health insurance is not mandatory. The federal United States leads to geographical inequalities with respect to social spending and redistribution. The philosophy is that the most dominant social insurance is the full employment  : the various successive governments seek above all to maintain economic growth and lower unemployment. Contrary to popular belief, the fate of the poor do not go unnoticed in the U.S. 76 . Poverty is widely supported by Americans as part of the charities (over 650 000 nationwide), religious organizations and institutions, philanthropic  , and the United States the first country to volunteer 77  : 93 million Americans 77 the practice to varying degrees. It involves mainly pensioners and women. Volunteering is particularly developed in American arts, and contributes to the functioning of many cultural institutions. In 2005 , the pension system procured more than half of San Diego Homes For Rent their income to two-thirds of retirees in the United States 78 . The U.S. pension system is complex: the Social security is a federal pension calculated based on years worked, contributions and the inflation . In the late 1990s, the federal government spent 289 billion dollars for the mandatory pension system 79 . The Pensions are paid by corporations and governments. Finally, the funded pension plans consists of retirement savings and pension funds . The poorest pensioners receive additional federal aid (OASDHI) and care (Medicare). Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of the United States , List of the richest places in the United States and American Society ziPhone . Demographics U.S. Population (million inhab.) 309 2010 Density (inhabitants / km ²) 33.2 2008 Growth in population (%) 6.4 80 2000-2006 Life expectancy (years) Men: 75.6 Women: 80.8 Population: 78.1 2007 Population 65 + 12.4% 80 2005 Fertility rate 2.04 65 2004 Birth rate (for 1000) 14.2 2008 Mortality rates (for 1000) 8.34 2008 Mortality rate , infant (per 1,000) 6.63 2004 Migration rate (for 1000) 3.41 2004 Median age (years) 36.7 2008 White non-Hispanics (%) 65.6 80 2008 Black (%) 12.8 80 2008 Asian (%) 4.5 80 2008 Hispanic (%) 15.4 80 2008 With over 300 million Jewish Wedding Gifts since 2006, the population of the United States represents about 4.5% of the world’s population . According to the Census Bureau , as of 1 st  April  2010 the resident population of the United States was $ 308,745,538 81 . The U.S. population grew by 27.3 million, or 9.7% since the 2000 census. The annual population growth is 0.89% 59 . Its fertility rate is 2.05 children per woman 59 . The number of illegal immigrants is estimated at 12 million, or 4% of the total population 82 . In 2006, 1.27 million immigrants received legal residence card. Mexico is their first home after two decades, since 1998, China , the India and the Philippines 83 . In 2009, the five most populous states were the California (about 37 million inhabitants), the Texas (about 25 million ), the New York State (about 19.5 million ), the Florida (about 18.5 million ) and the Illinois (about 13 million ) 84 . Seven states had a population of less than 1 million inhabitants: in descending order, the Montana , the Delaware , the South Dakota , the Alaska , the North Dakota , the Vermont , and Wyoming , which is the state less populated with less than 550 000 inhabitants 84 . Finally, the 2000 census shows that the ten most populous states contain 54% of the population, while 3% of the population resides in the ten smallest states. In 2000, South (100.2 million, or 36% of the population) and West (63.2 million, or 22% of the population) had over half of the total population . They are now more populous than the North East (53.6 million, or 19% of the population), the historical center of population and the industrial revolution. Since the year 1950 , there was a shift in the center of gravity of the country from the Northeast (which contained 26% of the population in 1950) to the southwest. It is in fact the states of West and South have the highest population growth. Between 1980 and 1990, 54.3% of the national population growth has be to the three states of California, Florida and Texas. This trend continued between 1990 and 2000 the growth rate of the West was of 19.7% and 17.3% in South while it was 5.5% in the Northeast , Texas is now more populous than New York. Between 1990 and 2000, for the first time, all states have seen their population increase, first and foremost, Nevada. As during the previous decade (+ 42%), he again recorded the growth rate the most important (66%). Arizona, Colorado and Utah show growth reaching over 30%. Age structure (2010 estimate 28 ): 0-14 years: 20.2% ( men  : 31.6 million, female  : 30.3 million); 15-64 years: 67% (male: 102,600,000, female: 103.1 million); + 65 years: 12.8% (male: 16.9 million, female: 22.5 million). The demographics of the United States differs in some respects, from that of other industrialized and developed countries: engagement rings It is the first immigration country in the world: in 1991 , they welcomed more than 1.8 million immigrants, and in 2005, they officially have 36 million people born overseas, 12.4% of the population. The birth rate is stronger and more dynamic than in other rich countries. They are the third largest most populous countries, behind China and the India . About a third of people now claim ancestral belonging to a minority . There are fifty cities of over one million inhabitants. Eleven or twelve million illegal immigrants would work in the United States, mainly from Latin America. Science and culture

Main article: American Culture .

La Crosse to Hudson , in the Ohio There are two types of culture in the United States: the high culture and popular culture. The first is little known, the second radiates throughout the world through film, music, Internet. American culture has a core Anglo-Saxon, reflecting the historical origins of the country. The English is the language vps hosting most spoken. However, the contributions of other cultures contribute to the United States a cultural melting pot: the Native American heritage can be seen in some words and names. Hispanic influence is strong in California, New Mexico and Texas and several other major cities (New York, Miami, Florida, Hartford, Connecticut). French influence, but mostly Acadian, is strong in Louisiana . European immigrants also marked the country’s culture. Main articles: American Inventions , Universities in the United States , List of universities in the USA , libraries in the United States , Educational System of the United States , American Cinema and American Society . Science and technology

The MIT is one of the places in the U.S. research Since the end of the xix th  Cell Phone Accessories century, the United States is the world leaders for scientific research and innovation techniques . In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell filed a patent for the invention of the telephone . The laboratory of Thomas Edison developed the phonograph , the incandescent lamp and one of the first cameras . At the beginning of xx th  century, companies Ransom E. Olds and of Henry Ford are experimenting with new ways of producing vehicles automobiles . In 1903 , the Wright brothers conduct one of the first flights. The coming to power of the Nazis in the early 1930′s forced many European scientists to emigrate to the United States, such that Albert Einstein and Enrico Fermi . During the Second World War , the Manhattan Project brought the world into the atomic age. The space race during the Cold War has produced important advances in the arms and the aerospace industry . It’s the U.S. that were born the ARPANET and the Internet . The computer systems for network-centric warfare developed during the Iran-Iraq War have spread in t shirt printing most U.S. strategic businesses, and provide a dominance by the technical knowledge . The federal government and provides a strategic information to support that large U.S. companies win contracts in the export 85 . Today, the scientific and technical research remains at the forefront especially in the field of GMOs , with significant investments and leading universities. A majority of Americans now have access to the Internet, and 99% are owners of a station television (there are now more TVs than residents in the average household, not to mention items that are spreading in public places such as public transport, elevators or airports hall 86 ). Literature and philosophy   Main articles: American literature and theater in the United States .

The American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) In the xviii th  century and beginning of the xix th  century , American literature is influenced by the works and European authors [ref. needed] . The middle of the xix th  century is a strictly American literature with authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne , Edgar Allan Poe and Henry David Thoreau . The novelist Mark Twain and poet Walt Whitman are the major literary figures of the United States in the second half of the xix th  century . Emily Dickinson , who was not famous during his lifetime, was later recognized as one of essential poets of America. Eleven Americans were awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in xx th  century , Toni Morrison is the last in 1993 . Ernest Hemingway , winner of the year 1954 , and John Steinbeck , winner of the year 1962 , are major writers of the twentieth e  century . Among the most important novels include: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1885), The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925), The Grapes of Wrath STD Test by John Steinbeck ( 1939 ). The thriller is one of the most popular literary genres. The Transcendentalists led by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are the source of the philosophical movement first U.S. xix th  century . After the Civil War, Charles Sanders Peirce and William James and John Dewey develop the movement of pragmatism . In the xx th  century , Willard Van Orman Quine and Richard Rorty are the representatives of analytic philosophy. Plastic and visual arts   Main article: Arts in the United States . In the middle of xix th  century , the Hudson River School is an artistic movement, founded by a group of painters influenced by romanticism . Their paintings depict the American landscape. Exposure of the Armory Show in 1913 in New York is considered the starting point of modern art in the United States. Georgia O’Keeffe , Marsden Hartley and other artists are experimenting with new styles and implement a unique sensibility. After 1945 , Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning give rise to the abstract expressionism  , Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein invent pop art . The art of photography is growing at an early stage in the United States, from the xix th  century , with photographers like Alfred Stieglitz , Edward Steichen , Ansel Adams , and many others. In the field of comics, the comic and the comic strip are two genres born in the U.S. press. The superheroes like Superman (1938), Batman (1939) and Spider-Man (1962), have become icons and symbols of America. Architecture   Main article: Architecture in the United States .

Empire State Building and Chrysler Building, New York The architecture in the United States is diverse by region and was built with external inputs, which were not only English . Native American and colonial architecture has left few traces. With the birth of the United States, public buildings are influenced by ancient Greek and Latin, reflecting the republican ideal. In the xix th  century many successive styles such as Greek Revival , Gothic Revival , City Beautiful , eclectic , Beaux-Arts style , Victorian style which relate to European traditions. The really emancipated American Relevant Life Policy architecture in the late xix th  century with the creation of a new type of building: the skyscraper . Between the two World Wars, the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building are examples of famous style Art Deco . The Prairie School inaugurates the period of organic architecture in the United States. Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright is considered its main representatives. The UN headquarters in New York is the most remarkable illustration of the international style after 1945 . In the 1960s, the major works of postmodernism is the Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera . The years 1970-1980 were marked by the building of museums with bold shapes ( Guggenheim Museum , Walker Art Center , Getty Center ) and architects Pei and Richard Meier . Music and Performing Arts   Main article: Music of the United States .

Broadway in New York Phineas Taylor Barnum is one of the first promoters of American theater, which began in the theater district in Manhattan in 1841 . Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart team up in the year 1870 to produce a series of musicals in New York. At the beginning of xx th  century, Broadway became the center of its kind in the United States. The songs and melodies of Irving Berlin , Cole Porter and Stephen Sondheim become classics. In 1936, playwright Eugene O’Neill won the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Pulitzer Prize in Theatre honors Tennessee Williams , Edward Albee and August Wilson . In music, Charles Ives (1874-1954) is considered one of the first great American composers, in the year 1910 . Henry Cowell and John Cage after he tried to give an American approach to classical composition. Aaron Copland and George Gershwin developed a uniquely American synthesis of popular and classical music. As for popular music in the xx th  century, the United States is Denver Divorce Lawyer the birthplace of gospel music , the jazz , the blues , the rhythm and blues , from rock ‘n’ roll , the soul , the house music , the disco , the funk , the jazz-rock and rap . Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham were central figures in the creation of modern dance  , George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are the big names of ballet . Kitchen

American dessert: the apple pie Main article: Cuisine of the United States . The kitchen is a reflection of the country’s population, that is to say diverse and mixed. However, the main contributions are German, Dutch and Irish influences persist to this day. The kitchen also has many Native American: traditional recipes of the Indians of Alabama is preserved and protected as a cultural heritage 87 . There are also many regional cuisines and dishes: Kitchen Amish in Pennsylvania , Cajun cooking of Louisiana, country kitchen of the Old South (including the kitchen Virginia ), California or New England . That the United States were born fast food ( fast food ) and the products of mass consumption, which are distributed worldwide ( Coca-Cola , etc.).. Religion   Main article: Religion in the United States . Since the end of the xviii th  century , the religion was officially separated from the State and this principle is guaranteed by the Constitution (Article VI and the first amendment ). In the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, he never refers to God or Providence 88 . However, it is found on the U.S. currency “  In God We Trust  “(which means” In God we believe “) is the national motto cambodia travel since 1956 and was declared legally compatible with the Constitution 89 . However, the federal government does not subsidize any religious school in the name of religious freedom 90 . Since 1962, prayer in schools is prohibited by Engel against Vitale 88 . Finally, it should be remembered that the First Amendment guarantees of non-state interference in religion and freedom of worship. American society attaches great importance to religion and spirituality: for example, can be found in each hotel room a Bible, in the streets of flags and other labels claiming sovereignty and mercy of Jesus , and the President American does not hesitate to mention God in his speeches. It speaks often of “civil religion”. The wide variety of churches and energy they bring is largely explained by the country’s history. Even today, the various churches are involved in social and political life of the nation. The atheism tends to progress in the United States 91  : According to a survey Pew Forum in August 2007, Americans agnostics constitute 21% of the population or 63 million people 92 . A survey of April 2009, the number of Americans with no religion was 15% 91 . American Atheists are organized in associations including the secular Coalition for America is the most powerful. In universities, the Student Alliance Lay has about 146 offices on the campuses of the country 91 . However, atheists are the group that U.S. citizens do not trust the most, even before the Muslims and homosexuals, social reaction of a nation still deeply rooted in history and religious identity in which the overwhelming majority of Americans are Protestant denominations legacy of the early British settlers. The Christian component is seen more strengthened in the United States of sustained immigration from Hispanic countries warning of whose populations are deeply Catholic and restoring force in American Catholicism particularly in the states of California , Arizona , Texas and Florida . Sport   Main article: Sport in the United States spa covers .

The Cowboys Stadium in Texas contains the largest giant screen in the world Since the end of the xix th  century , the baseball was considered the national sport of the United States, before being supplanted by the American Football 93 . The racing ( NASCAR ), the basketball and ice hockey are other major disciplines (in that order) in the country 93 . The boxing and horse racing are the most watched individual sports, even if they are challenged by the golf course . The football called soccer in the United States, is widely practiced by the youth and amateur teams. Tennis and other outdoor sports are also popular. While many sports have been imported from Europe, America is born basketball: it was invented by Canadian James Naismith in Springfield in 1891 . As for the Crosse , it derives from pre-colonial Native Chrome Wire Shelving American practices. The surf there in the islands Hawaii from the xv th  century and was brought up to date by Duke Kahanamoku (1890-1968). The skateboarding and snowboarding have been invented in the United States in xx th  century. Eight Olympic Games were held in the U.S., four Summer ( St Louis, 1904  , Los Angeles, 1932  , Los Angeles, 1984  , Atlanta, 1996 ), four Winter ( Lake Placid, 1932  , Squaw Valley, 1960  ; Lake Placid, 1980  , Salt Lake City, 2002 ). U.S. athletes won a total of 2,191 medals since the beginning of the Summer Olympics , more than any other country 94 . The country ranks second behind Norway for the Olympic Winter Games with 216 medals, 95 . Several American athletes have become famous throughout the world include, among other baseball player Babe Ruth , boxer Muhammad Ali , tennis player John McEnroe , the athlete Carl Lewis , the basketball player Michael Jordan , the golfer Tiger Woods or the swimmer Michael Phelps . Among the most important sporting events, there is the Super Bowl (American football finals), the World Series (baseball final), the Indianapolis 500 (automobile race at the world famous), the US Open Tennis , or New York Marathon . Public Holidays   Public Holidays Date French name American name Meaning 1 st  January New Year’s Day New Year’s Day New Year Third Monday in January Martin Luther King Day Martin Luther King Day Birth of Martin Luther King , pastor African-American activist for black civil rights. Third Monday in February Day of George Washington Washington’s Birthday (commonly, President’s Day) Birth of George Washington , first president of the United States (February 22), and of Abraham Lincoln (February 12). Last Monday in May Remembrance Day Memorial Day Memory of veterans. July 4 Independence Day Independence Day Commemoration of the Declaration of Independence of 1776 . First Monday in September Labour Day Labor Day Celebrating the contribution of workers in the country, the first parade in 1882. Second Monday in October Columbus Day Columbus Day Festival celebrated in honor of Christopher Columbus . November 11 Day veterans Veterans Day Commemoration of the end of the First World War . Fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanks to God for the safe arrival in America boat Mayflower . December 25 Christmas Christmas Day Nativity Some days are public holidays in one state but not the other: in California, for example, Cesar Chavez Day (March 31) or Native American Day (4 th Monday of September), public schools are closed. Languages ​​  Main article: Languages ​​of the United States . Languages ​​(2008) 96 English 227.4 million Spanish (incl. Creole) 34.6 million Chinese 2.5 million French (incl. Cajun and Creole French) 1.9 million Tagalog 1.4 million Vietnamese 1.2 million German 1.1 million The role of language   No legislation has been passed or to specify the official languages ​​at the federal level. However, 30 of 50 states have passed such laws in favor of English as the official language, and 28 of them now apply the law 3 . In addition, the State of Hawaii is officially bilingual in English and Hawaiian . The State of New Mexico allows the use of two languages, the Spanish and English, but none are official. Similarly, the Louisiana allows the use of French and English. In the island territories, English and one or two official languages ​​are: Spanish in Puerto Rico , the Samoan in American Samoa , the Chamorro on the island of Guam , the Chamorro and Carolinian in the Islands Northern Marianas . In the xxi th  century, the two main federal political parties do not seem inclined to pass legislation at the federal level, as it poses the problem from growing importance of Hispanics in some states. Discuss English as official language was considered by these parties as a formal online snow gear conflict between the English-speaking voters and voters from a recent immigration. Pressure groups, such as US Français Français or First, try to impose English. Louisiana   1968  : The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), state agency responsible for promoting French in Louisiana is created at the initiative of James Domengeaux , representative (MP) and French-speaking lawyer. Subsequently, the French won a special status in the state (however, Louisiana is not declared officially bilingual). The laws of 1968 in favor of the French Renaissance are passed unanimously by the House of Representatives and the Senate in Louisiana. 1971  : Edwin Edwards is the first French governor of Louisiana in the xx th  century. Famous American personalities

See: List of prominent Americans American artists American writers American economists American businessmen American politicians American historians U.S. computer American engineers U.S. military U.S. scientists American religious American sports Lists: Alphabetical list of American painters List of leaders of major institutions of the United States List of American writers in chronological order List of judges of the Supreme Court of the United States List of prominent Americans by state List of American poets List of Presidents of the United States List of American scientists in alphabetical order Symbols of the United States [ change ]

Flag of the United States

Great Seal of the United States E pluribus unum

Reverse of Great Seal Annuit Coeptis , Novus Ordo Seclorum

Roundel of the Air Force ( USAF ) 97

Statue of Liberty

Uncle Sam

Bald Eagle

Columbia Statistics

Military expenditures: 688 billion USD (2010 budget for 98 ) Telephone lines: 150 million (in 2008) 28 Cell phones: 270 million (in 2008) 28 Radios: 575 million (in 1997) Televisions: 219 million (in 1997) Computers: 659 per 1 000 Internet users: 231 million (in 2008) 28 . 15 th world in the proportion of population with access to broadband with 81.17 million subscribers (June 2009) 99 . Number of Internet Service Providers: 7800 (2000) Highways: 6,465,799 km (including 4,209,835 tarred) (2007) 28 Railways: 427 km 226 (2007) 28 Waterways: 009 km 41 (2008) 28 Number of airports: 15,095 (including 5,174 with paved runways) (2009) 28 Codes

The United States have codes: K , according to the list of prefixes ICAO airport codes , N , according to the list of prefixes ICAO aircraft registration , US , according to the list of country codes used by NATO , alpha-2 code, US , according to standard ISO 3166-1 (list of country codes), alpha-2 code, . Us , according to the IANA , the country code Top Level Domain , ISO 3266-1USA , according to standard ISO 3166-1 (list of country codes), alpha-3 code, United States , according to the list of country codes used by NATO , alpha-3 code, United States , according to the list of country codes IOC , United States , according to the list of international codes of plates ,