搜索
TheUnitedStatesofAmericaTheUnitedStatesofAmerica(alsoreferredtoastheUnitedStates,theU.S.,theUSA,orAmerica)isafederalconstitutionalrepubliccomprisingfiftystatesandafederaldistrict.ThecountryissituatedmostlyincentralNorthAmerica,whereitsforty-eightcontiguousstatesandWashington,D.C.,thecapitaldistrict,liebetweenthePacificandAtlanticOceans,borderedbyCanadatothenorthandMexicotothesouth.ThestateofAlaskaisinthenorthwestofthecontinent,withCanadatotheeastandRussiatothewestacrosstheBeringStrait.ThestateofHawaiiisanarchipelagointhemid-Pacific.ThecountryalsopossessesseveralterritoriesintheCaribbeanandPacific.At3.79millionsquaremilesandwithover310millionpeople,theUnitedStatesisthethirdorfourthlargestcountrybytotalarea.Itisoneoftheworld'smostethnicallydiverseandmulticulturalnations,theproductoflarge-scaleimmigrationfrommanycountries.TheU.S.economyistheworld'slargestnationaleconomy.ThenationalflagoftheUnitedStatesconsistsofthirteenequalhorizontalstripesofred(topandbottom)alternatingwithwhite,withabluerectangleinthecanton(referredtospecificallyastheunion)bearingfiftysmall,white,five-pointedstarsarrangedinnineoffsethorizontalrowsofsixstars(topandbottom)alternatingwithrowsoffivestars.Thefiftystarsontheflagrepresentthe50statesandthe13stripesrepresentthethirteencoloniesthatrebelledagainsttheBritishmonarchyandbecamethefirststatesintheUnion.NicknamesfortheflagincludetheStarsandStripes,OldGlory,andTheStar-SpangledBanner(alsothenameofthenationalanthem).Washington,D.C.,formallytheDistrictofColumbiaandcommonlyreferredtoasWashington,theDistrict,orsimplyD.C.,isthecapitaloftheUnitedStates,filledwithmajormuseumsandmonuments,alongwithmulti-culturalcommunities.NewYorkisthemostpopulouscityintheUnitedStatesandoneofthemostpopulousmetropolitanareasintheworld.NewYorkexertsasignificantimpactuponglobalcommerce,finance,media,art,fashion,research,technology,education,andentertainment.AsthehomeoftheUnitedNationsHeadquarters,itisanimportantcenterforinternationalaffairsandiswidelydeemedtheculturalcapitaloftheworld.ThecityisalsoreferredtoasNewYorkCityortheCityofNewYorktodistinguishitfromthestateofNewYork,ofwhichitisapart.ManydistrictsandlandmarksinNewYorkCityhavebecomewellknowntooutsiders.TimesSquare,iconifiedasTheCrossroadsoftheWorld,isthebrightlyilluminatedhuboftheBroadwaytheaterdistrict,oneoftheworld'sbusiestpedestrianintersections,andamajorcenteroftheworld'sentertainmentindustry.Thecityhostsmanyworldrenownedbridges,skyscrapers,andparks.LosAngelesisoneofthemostpopulousmetropolitanareasintheworldandthesecondlargestintheUnitedStates.NicknamedtheCityofAngels,LosAngelesisaworldcenterofbusiness,internationaltrade,entertainment,culture,media,fashion,science,technology,andeducation.AsthehomebaseofHollywood,itisknownastheEntertainmentCapitaloftheWorld,leadingtheworldinthecreationofmotionpictures,televisionproduction,videogames,andrecordedmusic.TheUnitedStatesisextraordinarilydiverseinitsarrayofattractions.Therearevariousplacesofinterestinthecounty,suchasNiagaraFalls,YellowstoneNationalPark,StatueofLiberty,TimesSquare,TheWhiteHouse,CentralPark,GrandCanyon,theGoldenGateBridge,etc.OutofallofAmerica'ssymbols,nonehasprovedmoreenduringorevocativethantheStatueofLiberty.Thisgiantfigure,torchinhandandclutchingastonetablet,hasforacenturyactedasafigureheadfortheAmericanDream.TheGoldenGateBridgeisasuspensionbridgespanningtheGoldenGate,theopeningoftheSanFranciscoBayontothePacificOcean.ItconnectsthecityofSanFranciscoonthenortherntipoftheSanFranciscoPeninsulatoMarinCounty.IthasbecomeaninternationallyrecognizedsymbolofSanFranciscoandCalifornia.TheUnitedStatesisamulticulturalnation,hometoawidevarietyofethnicgroups,traditions,andvalues.AsidefromthenowsmallNativeAmericanandNativeHawaiianpopulations,nearlyallAmericansortheirancestorsimmigratedwithinthepastfivecenturies.ThecultureheldincommonbymostAmericans—mainstreamAmericanculture—isaWesternculturelargelyderivedfromthetraditionsofEuropeanimmigrantswithinfluencesfrommanyothersources,suchastraditionsbroughtbyslavesfromAfrica.MorerecentimmigrationfromAsiaandespeciallyLatinAmericahasaddedtoaculturalmixthathasbeendescribedasbothahomogenizingmeltingpotandaheterogeneoussaladbowlinwhichimmigrantsandtheirdescendantsretaindistinctiveculturalcharacteristics.Americanscelebrateavarietyoffederalholidaysandothernationalobservancesthroughouttheyear,suchasNewYear'sDay,Easter,MemorialDay,IndependenceDay,LaborDay,Thanksgiving,andChristmas.Americanholidayscanbesecular,religious,international,oruniquelyAmerican.TraditionalAmericancuisineusesindigenousingredients,suchasturkey,venison,potatoes,sweetpotatoes,corn,squash,andmaplesyrup,whichwereconsumedbyNativeAmericansandearlyEuropeansettlers.Characteristicdishessuchasapplepie,friedchicken,pizza,hamburgers,andhotdogsderivefromtherecipesofvariousimmigrants.Frenchfries,MexicandishessuchaspastadishesfreelyadaptedfromItaliansourcesarewidelyconsumed.Baseballhasbeenregardedasthenationalsportsincethelate19thcentury.Basketballandicehockeyarethecountry'snexttwoleadingprofessionalteamsports.Boxingandhorseraci