United States

Background

In 1776, thirteen of Britain's American colonies declared independence from the United Kingdom and subsequently gained recognition as the United States of America after the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the nation saw the incorporation of 37 additional states as it expanded across the North American continent and secured various overseas territories. Among the most significant events in the nation's history are the Civil War (1861-65), where the northern Union prevailed over the secessionist Confederacy comprised of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic crisis that resulted in approximately a quarter of the workforce being unemployed. Following triumphs in World Wars I and II, along with the conclusion of the Cold War in 1991, the United States has maintained its status as the world's leading nation-state. Since World War II, the economy has experienced relatively consistent growth, low unemployment rates, and swift technological advancements.

Area

Climate

predominantly temperate, with tropical climates in Hawaii and Florida, arctic conditions in Alaska, semiarid regions in the Great Plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid surroundings in the southwestern Great Basin; in the northwest, low winter temperatures are occasionally moderated in January and February by warm chinook winds from the Rocky Mountains' eastern slopes

Terrain

expansive central plain, western mountains, and eastern hills and low mountains; Alaska features rugged mountains and wide river valleys; Hawaii displays a rugged, volcanic landscape

Land use

Location

North America, situated between Canada and Mexico, borders both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean

Coastline

19,924 km

Elevation

Irrigated land

234,782 sq km (2017)

Major aquifers

Northern Great Plains Aquifer, Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System, Californian Central Valley Aquifer System, Ogallala Aquifer (High Plains), Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer

Map references

North America

Land boundaries

Maritime claims

Natural hazards

tsunamis; volcanic activity; seismic events around the Pacific Basin; hurricanes impacting the Atlantic and Gulf coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mudslides in California; wildfires in the western regions; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska poses significant challenges for development

volcanism: volcanic activity is present in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern Mariana Islands; Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been designated as Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, meriting attention due to their explosive histories and proximity to populated areas; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano within Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a considerable risk to international air travel; St. Helens (2,549 m), renowned for its catastrophic eruption in 1980, remains active; other historically significant volcanoes are primarily located in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii, including (in Alaska) Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof, (in Hawaii) Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi, (in the Northern Mariana Islands) Anatahan, (in the Pacific Northwest) Mount Baker, and Mount Hood; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Geography - note

note 1: the world's third-largest nation by area (trailing only Russia and Canada) and by population (following China and India); Mt. McKinley is the highest point (6,190 m; 20,308 ft) in North America, while Death Valley is the lowest point (-86 m; -282 ft)

note 2: the western coastline of the United States and the southern coastline of Alaska are situated along the Ring of Fire, a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that encompasses approximately 75% of the planet's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's seismic activity

note 3: the Aleutian Islands form a chain of volcanic islands that separate the Bering Sea (to the north) from the main Pacific Ocean (to the south); they extend roughly 1,800 km (1,118 mi) westward from the Alaskan Peninsula; this archipelago includes 14 larger islands, 55 smaller islands, and numerous islets; there are 41 active volcanoes within the islands, contributing to a significant northern segment of the Ring of Fire

note 4: Mammoth Cave, located in west-central Kentucky, holds the title of the world's longest known cave system, featuring over 650 km (405 miles) of mapped passageways, nearly double the length of the second-longest cave system, the Sac Actun underwater cave in Mexico (refer to "Geography - note" under Mexico)

note 5: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is recognized as the longest and deepest lava-tube cave globally, with a surveyed length of 66 km (41 mi) and a depth of 1,102 m (3,614 ft)

note 6: Bracken Cave, situated near San Antonio, Texas, is the largest bat cave in the world, serving as the summer sanctuary for the largest colony of bats globally; approximately 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats inhabit the cave from March to October, creating the largest known concentration of mammals

Natural resources

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land

Area - comparative

approximately half the area of Russia; roughly three-tenths the area of Africa; about half the area of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); marginally larger than China; over twice the area of the European Union

Geographic coordinates

38 00 N, 97 00 W

Population distribution

significant urban populations are distributed across the eastern portion of the United States (notably in the Great Lakes region, northeast, east, and southeast) as well as the western states; regions with mountain ranges like the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, arid areas in the southwest, the thick boreal forests in the far north, and the central prairie regions tend to have lower population densities; the population of Alaska is mainly located along its southern coastline, especially near Anchorage, while Hawaii's population is primarily found on the island of Oahu

Major lakes (area sq km)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Missouri - 3,768 km; Mississippi - 3,544 km; Yukon river mouth (shared with Canada [s]) - 3,190 km; Saint Lawrence (shared with Canada) - 3,058 km; Rio Grande river source (mouth shared with Mexico) - 3,057 km; Colorado river source (shared with Mexico [m]) - 2,333 km; Arkansas - 2,348 km; Columbia river mouth (shared with Canada [s]) - 2,250 km; Red - 2,188 km; Ohio - 2,102 km; Snake - 1,670 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Languages

English only (official) 78.2%, Spanish 13.4%, Chinese 1.1%, other 7.3% (2017 est.)

Religions

Protestant 46.5%, Roman Catholic 20.8%, Jewish 1.9%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.6%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 0.9%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, Buddhist 0.7%, Hindu 0.7%, other 1.8%, unaffiliated 22.8%, don't know/refused 0.6% (2014 est.)

Sex ratio

Birth rate

10.75 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

8.76 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco use

Urbanization

Age structure

Ethnic groups

White 61.6%, Black or African American 12.4%, Asian 6%, Indigenous and Alaska native 1.1%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.2%, other 8.4%, two or more races 10.2% (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios

Physician density

3.68 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Health expenditure

Net migration rate

2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.63 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Education expenditure

Infant mortality rate

Population growth rate

0.45% (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.02 (2025 est.)

Population distribution

Significant urban clusters are distributed across the eastern half of the US (notably in the Great Lakes region, Northeast, East, and Southeast) and the western states; areas of high elevation such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, arid regions in the Southwest, the thick boreal forests in the far North, and the central prairie states exhibit lower population densities; the population of Alaska is primarily located along its southern coastline, especially near Anchorage, while Hawaii's population is predominantly found on the island of Oahu.

Life expectancy at birth

Maternal mortality ratio

17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Alcohol consumption per capita

Major urban areas - population

18.937 million New York-Newark, 12.534 million Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, 8.937 million Chicago, 6.707 million Houston, 6.574 million Dallas-Fort Worth, 5.490 million WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) (2023)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

36.2% (2016)

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.5 years (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.1% (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.4% (2018 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Climate

The climate is predominantly temperate, with tropical conditions in Florida and Hawaii, arctic climates in Alaska, semiarid regions in the Great Plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid environments in the southwestern Great Basin. In the northwest, low winter temperatures are occasionally mitigated in January and February by warm chinook winds originating from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Land use

Urbanization

Methane emissions

Waste and recycling

Environmental issues

Issues include air pollution, water pollution resulting from pesticide and fertilizer runoff, diminishing natural freshwater supplies in the western regions, deforestation, mining activities, desertification, conservation of species, and the presence of invasive species 

Total water withdrawal

Carbon dioxide emissions

Particulate matter emissions

7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

3.069 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International environmental agreements

Flag

description: features 13 equal horizontal stripes in red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue rectangle occupies the upper-left corner, containing 50 five-pointed white stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows, with six stars in the top and bottom rows alternating with five stars in the middle rows

meaning: the stars symbolize the 50 states, while the stripes represent the 13 original colonies; blue signifies loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red stands for courage, zeal, and fervency; white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct

Capital

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Constitution

Country name

Independence

4 July 1776 (achieved independence from Great Britain); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain)

Legal system

operates under a common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems are primarily based on common law, with the exception of Louisiana, which follows the Napoleonic civil code; includes judicial review of legislative acts

Dependent areas

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (14)

Government type

constitutional federal republic

Judicial branch

Executive branch

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

National color(s)

red, white, blue

National heritage

Political parties

Alliance Party
Constitution Party
Democratic Party
Green Party
Libertarian Party
Republican Party
Vermont Progressive Party

Legislative branch

National anthem(s)

National symbol(s)

bald eagle

Administrative divisions

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Legislative branch - lower chamber

Legislative branch - upper chamber

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

International law organization participation

withdrew acceptance of compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in 2005; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002

Budget

Exports

Imports

Industries

a highly diversified and globally leading innovator in high technology, possessing the second-largest industrial output worldwide; key sectors include petroleum, steel, automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, and mining

Labor force

174.174 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Remittances

Exchange rates

British pounds per US dollar:  0.782 (2024 est.), 0.805 (2023 est.), 0.811 (2022 est.), 0.727 (2021 est.), 0.780 (2020 est.)
Canadian dollars per US dollar:  1.369 (2024 est.), 1.35 (2023 est.), 1.302 (2022 est.), 1.254 (2021 est.), 1.341 (2020 est.)
Chinese yuan per US dollar:  0.783 (2024 est.), 7.084 (2023 est.), 6.737 (2022 est.), 6.449 (2021 est.), 6.901 (2020 est.)
euros per US dollar:  0.924 (2024 est.), 0.925 (2023 est.), 0.950 (2022 est.), 0.845 (2021 est.), 0.876 (2020 est.)
Japanese yen per US dollar:  151.366 (2024 est.), 140.49 (2023 est.), 131.50 (2022 est.), 109.75 (2021 est.), 106.78 (2020 est.)

note 1: The following territories and nations employ the US dollar as their official currency: British Virgin Islands, Ecuador, El Salvador, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Timor Leste, Turks and Caicos, and Caribbean Netherlands islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba)

note 2: The following countries and territories utilize the US dollar alongside local currency as legal tender: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, and Panama

Economic overview

The world's largest economy in terms of nominal GDP; leading importer and the second-largest exporter; home to major financial exchanges and the global reserve currency; characterized by a high and increasing public debt; inflation is moderating but continues to surpass pre-pandemic levels

Unemployment rate

Exports - partners

Canada 14%, Mexico 13%, China 8%, Germany 5%, Japan 4% (2023)

Imports - partners

Mexico 15%, China 15%, Canada 14%, Germany 5%, Japan 5% (2023)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP growth rate

Agricultural products

maize, soybeans, milk, wheat, sugar beets, sugarcane, potatoes, chicken, pork, tomatoes (2023)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, gas turbines, cars (2023)

Imports - commodities

cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers, garments (2023)

Current account balance

Taxes and other revenues

10.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$29.185 trillion (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

Average household expenditures

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Industrial production growth rate

3.25% (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural gas

Nuclear energy

Electricity access

Energy consumption per capita

Electricity generation sources

Internet users

Broadcast media

4 major terrestrial TV networks with affiliate stations, plus cable and satellite networks, independent stations, and a limited public broadcasting sector; thousands of TV stations broadcasting; multiple national radio networks with many affiliate stations; over 15,000 radio stations, most commercial; National Public Radio (NPR) has a network of about 900 member stations; satellite radio available (2018)

Internet country code

.us

Telephones - fixed lines

Telephones - mobile cellular

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Ports

Airports

16,116 (2025)

Railways

Heliports

8,130 (2025)

Merchant marine

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

N

Military - note

The primary missions of the US military include deterring potential adversaries, ensuring the defense of the United States, its territories, Commonwealths, possessions, and any regions under US control, as well as safeguarding US national interests. Its responsibilities extend globally and encompass providing humanitarian aid, engaging in international military exercises and operations, conducting military diplomacy, and upholding the US's commitments to alliances and treaties. Since the inception of NATO in 1949, the US has played a pivotal role as a leading member of the Alliance.

The US military maintains a worldwide presence, with its branches operating collaboratively under 11 regional or functionally oriented joint service "combatant" commands: Africa Command, Central Command, Cyber Command, European Command, Indo-Pacific Command, Northern Command, Southern Command, Space Command, Special Operations Command, Strategic Command, and Transportation Command.

Officially established by Congress in September 1789, the US Army traces its origins to the Continental Army, which was founded in June 1775. Following the declaration of independence in July 1776, both the Continental Army and the militia serving Congress were referred to collectively as the Army of the United States. When Congress directed the disbandment of the Continental Army in 1784, a small contingent of personnel was retained to create the core of the 1st American Regiment for national service formed later that same year. Additionally, both the US Navy and the US Marines were founded in 1775; however, the Navy experienced a period of inactivity after the Revolutionary War until Congress reestablished it in 1794. The first military unit in the US dedicated solely to aviation began operations in 1913 as part of the US Army. The Army Air Corps (AAC) served as the branch focused on aerial combat from 1926 until 1941, transitioning to the US Army Air Forces in 1941 and remaining a combat arm of the Army until the US Air Force was established in 1947 (2025).

Military deployments

The United States has around 200,000 military personnel stationed overseas either permanently or on a long-term rotational basis, typically lasting between 3 to 9 months (2025).

Military expenditures

Military and security forces

United States Armed Forces (commonly known as the US Military): US Army (USA), US Navy (USN; which includes the US Marine Corps or USMC), US Air Force (USAF), US Space Force (USSF); US Coast Guard (USCG); National Guard (comprising the Army National Guard and Air National Guard) (2025).

Military service age and obligation

Individuals may enlist at the age of 17 (younger than 18 with parental consent) for voluntary service for both men and women; the maximum age for enlistment varies across different services. An initial service obligation of 8 years is required, which includes 2 to 5 years of active duty, depending on the specific military branch (2025).

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The inventory of the US military consists primarily of domestically manufactured weaponry, with some systems assembled using foreign components, along with a smaller selection of imported equipment from various nations such as Germany and the United Kingdom. The US defense industry is proficient in the design, development, maintenance, and production of a comprehensive range of weapon systems, positioning the US as the leading arms exporter globally (2025).

Military and security service personnel strengths

There are approximately 1.28 million active duty members of the Armed Forces, which includes 450,000 from the Army, 334,000 from the Navy, 317,000 from the Air Force, 10,000 from the Space Force, and 168,000 from the Marine Corps; additionally, there are 42,000 personnel in the Coast Guard (2025).

Terrorist group(s)

al-Qa'ida; Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); La Mara Salvatruche (MS-13); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Space launch site(s)

encompasses 20 spaceports that have been licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration, distributed over 10 states: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia (2025)

Space agency/agencies

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; founded 1958) (2025)

Space program overview

possesses a vast and intricate space program, ranking among the leading space powers globally; manufactures, launches, and operates space launch vehicles (SLVs)/rockets along with a complete array of spacecraft, including interplanetary probes, crewed vehicles, reusable rockets, satellites, space stations, and space planes/shuttles; operates an astronaut program with a dedicated corps of astronauts; is engaged in the research and development of a wide variety of space-related technologies, such as advanced telecommunications and optics, navigational aids, propulsion, and robotics; has dispatched orbital or lander probes to the Sun and every planet in the solar system, in addition to asteroids and regions beyond the solar system; participates in numerous international missions and projects with countries including Canada, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the European Space Agency (ESA); as of January 2026, 60 nations had endorsed the US-led Artemis Accords aimed at improving the governance of civil exploration and utilization of outer space; the US commercial space sector ranks among the largest in the world, actively participating across the spectrum of US government space initiatives; US commercial enterprises account for the majority of NASA and US military space launches (2026)

Key space-program milestones

1958-1963 - Project Mercury conducted the first manned space flights

1961-1963 - Project Gemini focused on longer-duration manned flights to prepare for Moon landings

1963-1971 - Project Apollo achieved the Moon landings (notably the first manned landing on the Moon in 1969)

1964 - successfully launched the first Mars probe (Mariner)

1965-1979 - operated the Skylab space station

1977 - commenced the launch of Voyager probes to Jupiter, Saturn, and beyond the solar system

1980s-2011 - managed the Space Shuttle program (the world’s first reusable space orbiters)

1990 - launched the Hubble Space Telescope

1993 - began involvement in the International Space Station project

2003 - sent surface rover vehicles (Spirit and Opportunity) to Mars

2011 - launched the orbital probe (Juno) towards Jupiter

2016 - initiated the OSIRIS-REx mission to collect an asteroid sample (landed on asteroid Bennu in 2020 and returned with sample in 2023)

2017 - launched the Artemis lunar landing initiative

2019 - started the Gateway lunar orbital station project

2021 - successfully deployed the James Webb Space Telescope (with ESA providing the launch vehicle and location); the surface rover vehicle (Perseverance) along with the robotic helicopter (Ingenuity) landed on Mars

2024 - successfully delivered a commercial lander to the Moon and launched the Europa Clipper probe to investigate Jupiter's moon Europa