United States

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"America", "US", "USA", and "United States of America" redirect here. For the
landmass comprising North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean, see Americas.
For other uses, see America (disambiguation), US (disambiguation), USA
(disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation).
Coordinates: 40°N 100°W

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United States of America
Flag of the United States
Flag
Coat of arms of the United States
Coat of arms
Motto:
"In God We Trust"[1]
Other traditional mottos [show]
Anthem:
"The Star-Spangled Banner"
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March:
"The Stars and Stripes Forever"[3][4]
MENU0:00
Great Seal:
Great Seal of the United States (obverse).svg Great Seal of the United States
(reverse).svg
Projection of North America with the United States in green
The United States and its territories
The United States, including its territories
Capital
Washington, D.C.
38°53′N 77°01′W
Largest city
New York City
40°43′N 74°00′W
Official languages None at federal level[a]
National language English
Ethnic groups (2018)[7]
By race:
76.5% White
13.4% Black
5.9% Asian
2.7% Other/multiracial
1.3% Native American
0.2% Pacific Islander
Ethnicity:
18.3% Hispanic or Latino
81.7% non-Hispanic or Latino
Religion (2017)[8]
73.0% Christian
21.3% Unaffiliated
2.1% Jewish
0.8% Muslim
2.9% Other
Demonym(s) American[b][9]
Government Federal presidential constitutional republic
• President
Donald Trump (R)
• Vice President
Mike Pence (R)
• House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (D)
• Chief Justice
John Roberts
Legislature Congress
• Upper house
Senate
• Lower house
House of Representatives
Independence from Great Britain
• Declaration
July 4, 1776
• Confederation
March 1, 1781
• Treaty of Paris
September 3, 1783
• Current constitution
June 21, 1788
Area
• Total area
3,796,742 sq mi (9,833,520 km2)[c][10] (3rd/4th)
• Water (%)
6.97
• Total land area
3,531,905 sq mi (9,147,590 km2)
Population
• 2019 estimate
Increase328,239,523[7] (3rd)
• 2010 census
308,745,538[d][11] (3rd)
• Density
87/sq mi (33.6/km2) (146th)
GDP (PPP) 2019 estimate
• Total
$21.439 trillion[12] (2nd)
• Per capita
$65,112[12] (11th)
GDP (nominal) 2019 estimate
• Total
$21.439 trillion[12] (1st)
• Per capita
$65,112[12] (7th)
Gini (2017) Positive decrease 39.0[13]
medium · 56th
HDI (2018) Increase 0.920[14]
very high · 15th
Currency United States dollar ($) (USD)
Time zone UTC−4 to −12, +10, +11
• Summer (DST)
UTC−4 to −10[e]
Date format
mm/dd/yyyy
yyyy-mm-dd
Mains electricity 120 V–60 Hz
Driving side right[f]
Calling code +1
ISO 3166 code US
Internet TLD
.us[g]
Periods in United States history
[hide]
Colonial period 1607–1765
American Revolution 1765–1783
Confederation Period 1783–1788
Federalist Era 1788–1801
Jeffersonian Era 1801–1817
Era of Good Feelings 1817–1825
Jacksonian Era 1825–1849
Civil War Era 1850–1865
Reconstruction era 1865–1877
Gilded Age 1877–1895
Progressive Era 1896–1916
World War I 1917–1919
Roaring Twenties 1920–1929
Great Depression Era 1929–1941
World War II 1941–1945
Post-war Era 1945–1964
Civil Rights Era 1965–1980
Reagan Era 1981–1989
Timeline
vte
The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or
US) or America, is a country consisting of 50 states, a federal district, five
major self-governing territories, and various possessions.[h] At 3.8 million square
miles (9.8 million km2), it is the world's third or fourth-largest country by total
area[c]. Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and
Mexico. With an estimated population of over 328 million, the U.S. is the third
most populous country in the world. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most
populous city is New York City.

Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000
years ago.[20] European colonization began in the 16th century. The United States
emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast.
Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American
Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783, leading to independence.[21] The
United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the
19th century—gradually acquiring new territories,[22] displacing Native Americans,
and admitting new states—until 1848 when it spanned the continent.[22] During the
second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the abolition of
slavery in the United States.[23][24] The Spanish–American War and World War I
confirmed the country's status as a global military power.

The United States emerged from World War II as a global superpower. It was the
first country to develop nuclear weapons and the only country to have used them in
warfare. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union competed in
the Space Race, culminating with the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, the spaceflight that
first landed humans on the Moon. The end of the Cold War and collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991 left the United States as the world's sole superpower.[25]

The United States is a federal republic and a representative democracy. It is a

founding member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund,
Organization of American States (OAS), NATO, and other international organizations.
It is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

A highly developed country, the United States is the world's largest economy by
nominal GDP, the second-largest by purchasing power parity, and accounts for
approximately a quarter of global GDP.[26] The United States is the world's largest
importer and the second-largest exporter of goods, by value.[27][28] Although its
population is 4% of the world total,[29] it holds 31% of the total wealth in the
world, the largest share of global wealth concentrated in a single country.[30]
Despite income and wealth disparities, the United States continues to rank very
high in measures of socioeconomic performance, including average wage, median
income, median wealth, human development, per capita GDP, and worker productivity.
[31][32] It is the foremost military power in the world, making up more than a
third of global military spending,[33] and is a leading political, cultural, and
scientific force internationally.[34]