About USA
General Information
The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles’ Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.
Population
USA has a population of 309,349,689
Political Structure
The United States is the world’s oldest surviving federation. It is a constitutional republic and representative democracy, in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law. The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the U.S. Constitution, which serves as the country’s supreme legal document. For 2016, the U.S. ranked 21st on the Democracy Index (tied with Italy) and 18th on the Corruption Perceptions Index.
Infrastructure and Economy
The United States has a capitalist mixed economy which is fueled by abundant natural resources and high productivity. According to the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. GDP of $16.8 trillion constitutes 24% of the gross world product at market exchange rates and over 19% of the gross world product at purchasing power parity (PPP). The US’s nominal GDP is estimated to be $17.528 trillion as of 2014 from 1983 to 2008, U.S. real compounded annual GDP growth was 3.3%, compared to a 2.3% weighted average for the rest of the G7. The country ranks ninth in the world in nominal GDP per capita and sixth in GDP per capita at PPP. The U.S. dollar is the world’s primary reserve currency.
Languages
USA’s official language is English
Currency
United States dollar ($) (USD)
Exchange Controls
USA does not have exchange controls