The United States at a Glance
Area: 3.7 million square miles (9.6 million square km.)
Population: 301,862,500 (US Census Bureau estimate)
Capital: Washington, DC, federal district
Largest Cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston
Currency: US Dollar
Language: Majority, English
Religion: Majority, Christian
The Country
The United States, bordered by Canada to the north, Mexico to the south and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on the east and west, respectively, is composed of 48 continental states, two detached states and several territories. The United States is a country with many different markets, geographically and culturally and depending on your customer target, can be segmented in many different ways
In October 2006, the United States population passed the 300,000,000 mark and is now estimated to be about 301,862,500. According to the last census, in 2000, 79% of the country's citizens lived in urban areas. In 2003, the US Census Bureau estimated that more than ½ of the population lived in metropolitan areas with populations of over 1,000,000 people.
Its 3.7 million square miles of land, the US is the third largest country in the world in land area, following Russia and China an in just ahead of Canada. Its vast size allows its states to include almost all geographical features, from plains and prairies to mountains and tropical forests.
Because of its long history of immigration, the United State's is home to 39 different ethnic groups, the majority of which are of European origins. Hispanics are the country's largest minority group, surpassing African Americans for the first time, in 2003, since the country started counting the population over two hundred years ago.
Government System
The United States is defined as a federal constitutional republic, the world's oldest surviving federation. The country is a representative democracy, maintaining a government defined by checks and balances between its three levels of power, executive, legislative and judicial. These three levels of government operate on federal, state and local levels.
The Republican and Democratic parties dominate the US political arena. President George Bush leads the current Republican majority government. The Democratic Party gained the majority vote during the 2006 mid-term elections, the first time since 1994.
Economy
The United State's economy is defined as a "capitalist mixed economy;" private and public institutions both play a large role. Private institutions compose the majority of organizations; however, government activity accounts for about 36% of the country's GDP.
The US's strong economy is fueled by an abundance of natural resources, a strong infrastructure and high labor productivity. Strong management also gives the country a great advantage in the global economy. In the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007, the US was ranked number one.
Canada, China, Mexico, Japan and Germany count as the United State's top trade partners. The country currently has a huge international trade deficit, reaching a record $7.8 billion in 2005. Still, the country remains the second largest exporter in the world, currently after Germany.
As for trade, the US maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries, specifically excluding Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Bhutan and Sudan. Also, almost ever country has embassies based in Washington DC. The US was a founding member and is the headquarters of the UN, as well as a permanent member of the Security Council. Part of the WTO, the US also maintains many regional and bilateral trade agreements.
The United States at a Glance
Area: 3.7 million square miles (9.6 million square km.)
Population: 301,862,500 (US Census Bureau estimate)
Capital: Washington, DC, federal district
Largest Cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston
Currency: US Dollar
Language: Majority, English
Religion: Majority, Christian
The Country
The United States, bordered by Canada to the north, Mexico to the south and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on the east and west, respectively, is composed of 48 continental states, two detached states and several territories. The United States is a country with many different markets, geographically and culturally and depending on your customer target, can be segmented in many different ways
In October 2006, the United States population passed the 300,000,000 mark and is now estimated to be about 301,862,500. According to the last census, in 2000, 79% of the country's citizens lived in urban areas. In 2003, the US Census Bureau estimated that more than ½ of the population lived in metropolitan areas with populations of over 1,000,000 people.
Its 3.7 million square miles of land, the US is the third largest country in the world in land area, following Russia and China an in just ahead of Canada. Its vast size allows its states to include almost all geographical features, from plains and prairies to mountains and tropical forests.
Because of its long history of immigration, the United State's is home to 39 different ethnic groups, the majority of which are of European origins. Hispanics are the country's largest minority group, surpassing African Americans for the first time, in 2003, since the country started counting the population over two hundred years ago.
Government System
The United States is defined as a federal constitutional republic, the world's oldest surviving federation. The country is a representative democracy, maintaining a government defined by checks and balances between its three levels of power, executive, legislative and judicial. These three levels of government operate on federal, state and local levels.
The Republican and Democratic parties dominate the US political arena. President George Bush leads the current Republican majority government. The Democratic Party gained the majority vote during the 2006 mid-term elections, the first time since 1994.
Economy
The United State's economy is defined as a "capitalist mixed economy;" private and public institutions both play a large role. Private institutions compose the majority of organizations; however, government activity accounts for about 36% of the country's GDP.
The US's strong economy is fueled by an abundance of natural resources, a strong infrastructure and high labor productivity. Strong management also gives the country a great advantage in the global economy. In the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007, the US was ranked number one.
Canada, China, Mexico, Japan and Germany count as the United State's top trade partners. The country currently has a huge international trade deficit, reaching a record $7.8 billion in 2005. Still, the country remains the second largest exporter in the world, currently after Germany.
As for trade, the US maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries, specifically excluding Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Bhutan and Sudan. Also, almost ever country has embassies based in Washington DC. The US was a founding member and is the headquarters of the UN, as well as a permanent member of the Security Council. Part of the WTO, the US also maintains many regional and bilateral trade agreements.
