|
United States
Facts
|
Background:
|
Britain's
American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were
recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following
the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new
states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the
North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions.
The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the
Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a
secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great
Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a
quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World
Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the
world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady
growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in
technology.
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|
Location:
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North
America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific
Ocean, between Canada and Mexico |
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Geographic coordinates:
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38
00 N, 97 00 W |
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Area:
|
total:
9,826,630 sq km
land: 9,161,923 sq km
water: 664,707 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia |
|
Area - comparative:
|
about
half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about
half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil);
slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European
Union |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with
Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US
and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km |
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Coastline:
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19,924
km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial
sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified |
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Climate:
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mostly
temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska,
semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in
the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the
northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm
chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains |
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Terrain:
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vast
central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east;
rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic
topography in Hawaii |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,198 m |
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Natural resources:
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coal,
copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron,
mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas,
timber |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 18.01%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 81.78% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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223,850
sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources:
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3,069
cu km (1985) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total:
477 cu km/yr (13%/46%/41%)
per capita: 1,600 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
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tsunamis,
volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes
along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest
and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west;
flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to
development |
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Environment - current issues:
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air
pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is
the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil
fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers;
limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the
country require careful management; desertification |
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Environment - international
agreements:
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party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes |
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Geography - note:
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world's
third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by
population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in
North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent
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Population:
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307,212,123
(July 2009 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 20.2% (male 31,639,127/female 30,305,704)
15-64 years: 67% (male 102,665,043/female 103,129,321)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 16,901,232/female 22,571,696)
(2009 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
36.7 years
male: 35.4 years
female: 38 years (2009 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.975%
(2009 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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13.82
births/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.27
deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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4.31
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Urbanization:
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urban
population: 82% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
6.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 78.11 years
male: 75.65 years
female: 80.69 years (2009 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.05
children born/woman (2009 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate:
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0.6%
(2007 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living
with HIV/AIDS:
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1.2
million (2007 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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22,000
(2007 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
American(s)
adjective: American |
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Ethnic groups:
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white
79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%,
native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races
1.61% (July 2007 estimate)
note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the
US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin)
living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black,
Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic |
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Religions:
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Protestant
51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish
1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%,
unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.) |
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Languages:
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English
82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island
2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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School life expectancy
(primary to tertiary education):
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total:
16 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2006) |
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Education expenditures:
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5.3%
of GDP (2005)
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA |
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Government type:
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Constitution-based
federal republic; strong democratic tradition |
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Capital:
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name:
Washington, DC
geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W
time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
first Sunday in November
note: the 50 United States cover six time zones |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Dependent areas:
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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
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political
relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands
is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November
1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free
Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated
States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US
(effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free
Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994) |
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Independence:
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4
July 1776 (from Great Britain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day, 4 July (1776) |
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Constitution:
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17
September 1787, effective 4 March 1789 |
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Legal system:
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federal
court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique
legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana, which is still influenced
by the Napoleonic Code) is based on English common law; judicial review
of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice
President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January
2009); Vice President Joseph BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same
ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from
each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible
for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held
on 6 November 2012)
election results: Barack H. OBAMA elected president; percent of
popular vote - Barack H. OBAMA 52.4%, John MCCAIN 46.3%, other 1.3%; |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 members are elected from
each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third are
elected every two years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held
November 2010); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008
(next to be held in November 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - Democratic Party 57, Republican Party 41, independent 2;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- Democratic Party 257, Republican Party 178 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the
advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United
States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County
Courts |
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Political parties and
leaders:
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Democratic
Party [Timothy KAINE]; Green Party; Libertarian Party [William (Bill)
REDPATH]; Republican Party [Michael STEELE] |
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Political pressure groups
and leaders:
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environmentalists;
business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action
committees or PAC; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth
groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups;
women's groups; reform lobbies |
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International organization
participation:
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ADB
(nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic
Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CBSS (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC,
EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC
(observer), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
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Flag description:
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13
equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white;
there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50
small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows
of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the
50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13
original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been
the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia,
Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
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Economy - overview:
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The
US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the
world, with a per capita GDP of $48,000. In this market-oriented
economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the
decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and
services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms
enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and
Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers,
and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers
to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US
markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological
advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and
military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World
War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual
development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the
bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those
at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health
insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the
gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The
war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the
subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national
resources to the military. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in
the Gulf Coast region in August 2005, but had a small impact on overall
GDP growth for the year. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first
half of 2008 threatened inflation and unemployment, as higher gasoline
prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about
two-thirds of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate
investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and
pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits,
and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The
merchandise trade deficit reached a record $847 billion in 2007, but
declined to $810 billion in 2008, as a depreciating exchange rate for
the dollar against most major currencies discouraged US imports and made
US exports more competitive abroad. The global economic downturn, the
sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home
prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by
mid-2008. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress
established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in
October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity
in US banks and other industrial corporations. In January 2009 the US
Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an
additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus - two-thirds on additional
spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the
economy recover. |
|
GDP (purchasing power
parity):
|
$14.29
trillion (2008 est.)
$14.11 trillion (2007)
$13.83 trillion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars |
|
GDP (official exchange
rate):
|
$14.33
trillion (2008 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
1.3%
(2008 est.)
2% (2007 est.)
2.8% (2006 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$47,000
(2008 est.)
$46,800 (2007 est.)
$46,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars |
|
GDP - composition by
sector:
|
agriculture:
1.2%
industry: 19.6%
services: 79.2% (2008 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
155.2
million (includes unemployed) (2008 est.) |
|
Labor force - by
occupation:
|
farming,
forestry, and fishing 0.6%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation,
and crafts 22.6%, managerial, professional, and technical 35.5%, sales
and office 24.8%, other services 16.5%
note: figures exclude the unemployed (2007) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
7.2%
(December 2008 est.) |
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Population below poverty
line:
|
12%
(2004 est.) |
|
Household income or
consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: 2%
highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.) |
|
Distribution of family
income - Gini index:
|
45
(2007) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
14.6%
of GDP (2008 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$2.524 trillion
expenditures: $2.979 trillion (2008 est.) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1
October - 30 September |
|
Public debt:
|
60.8%
of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer
prices):
|
4.2%
(2008 est.) |
|
Central bank discount
rate:
|
0.5%
(31 March 2009) |
|
Commercial bank prime
lending rate:
|
3.25%
(31 March 2009) |
|
Stock of money:
|
$1.596
trillion (31 December 2007) |
|
Stock of quasi money:
|
$8.154
trillion (31 December 2007) |
|
Stock of domestic credit:
|
$14.15
trillion (31 December 2007) |
|
Market value of publicly
traded shares:
|
$19.95
trillion (31 December 2007) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat,
corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry,
dairy products; fish; forest products |
|
Industries:
|
leading
industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically
advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace,
telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer
goods, lumber, mining |
|
Industrial production
growth rate:
|
0.2%
(2008 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
4.167
trillion kWh (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
3.892
trillion kWh (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
20.14
billion kWh (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
51.4
billion kWh (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - production
by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 71.4%
hydro: 5.6%
nuclear: 20.7%
other: 2.3% (2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
8.457
million bbl/day (2007 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
20.68
million bbl/day (2007 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
1.165
million bbl/day (2005) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
13.71
million bbl/day (2005) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
20.97
billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
545.9
billion cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
652.9
billion cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
23.28
billion cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
130.3
billion cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved
reserves:
|
5.977
trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) |
|
Current account balance:
|
-$568.8
billion (2008 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$1.377
trillion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
agricultural
products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic
chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle
parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods
(automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2003) |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Canada
21.4%, Mexico 11.7%, China 5.6%, Japan 5.4%, UK 4.3%, Germany 4.3%
(2007) |
|
Imports:
|
$2.19
trillion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
agricultural
products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods
30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts,
office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8%
(automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2003) |
|
Imports - partners:
|
China
16.9%, Canada 15.7%, Mexico 10.6%, Japan 7.4%, Germany 4.8% (2007) |
|
Reserves of foreign
exchange and gold:
|
$70.57
billion (31 December 2007 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$12.25
trillion (30 June 2007) |
|
Stock of direct foreign
investment - at home:
|
$2.22
trillion (2008 est.) |
|
Stock of direct foreign
investment - abroad:
|
$2.751
trillion (2008 est.) |
|
Currency (code):
|
US
dollar (USD) |
|
Currency code:
|
USD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
British
pounds per US dollar: 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006),
0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1.0364 (2008), 1.0724 (2007),
1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004)
Chinese yuan per US dollar: 6.9385 (2008), 7.61 (2007), 7.97
(2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004)
euros per US dollar: 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006),
0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Japanese yen per US dollar: 103.58 (2008), 117.99 (2007), 116.18
(2006) 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)
|
| Communications |
United
States |
|
Telephones - main lines in
use:
|
163.2
million (2007) |
|
Telephones - mobile
cellular:
|
255
million (2007) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose
communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
telephone traffic throughout the country
international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems
provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61
Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
regions) (2000) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM
4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006) |
|
Radios:
|
575
million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast
stations:
|
2,218
(2006) |
|
Televisions:
|
219
million (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.us |
|
Internet hosts:
|
316
million (2008); note - the US Internet total host count includes the
following top level domain host addresses: .us, .com, .edu, .gov, .mil,
.net, and .org |
|
Internet Service Providers
(ISPs):
|
7,000
(2002 est.) |
|
Internet users:
|
223
million (2008)
|
| Transportation |
United
States |
|
Airports:
|
14,951
(2008) |
|
Airports - with paved
runways:
|
total:
5,146
over 3,047 m: 190
2,438 to 3,047 m: 227
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,464
914 to 1,523 m: 2,307
under 914 m: 958 (2008) |
|
Airports - with unpaved
runways:
|
total:
9,805
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 156
914 to 1,523 m: 1,734
under 914 m: 7,909 (2008) |
|
Heliports:
|
146
(2007) |
|
Pipelines:
|
petroleum
products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2006) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
226,612 km
standard gauge: 226,612 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) |
|
Roadways:
|
total:
6,465,799 km
paved: 4,209,835 km (includes 75,040 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,255,964 km (2007) |
|
Waterways:
|
41,009
km (19,312 km used for commerce)
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2008) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
422
by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 61, cargo 69, carrier 2,
chemical tanker 22, container 81, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 59,
petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle
carrier 22
foreign-owned: 74 (Australia 1, Denmark 31, Germany 5, Japan 7,
Malaysia 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Singapore 12, Sweden 5, UK 1)
registered in other countries: 732 (Antigua and Barbuda 8,
Australia 2, Bahamas 106, Bermuda 23, Cambodia 6, Canada 10, Cayman
Islands 42, Comoros 2, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Greece 8, Hong Kong 29,
Ireland 2, Isle of Man 4, Italy 17, South Korea 7, Liberia 98,
Luxembourg 4, Malta 23, Marshall Islands 123, Netherlands 14,
Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 8, Panama 126, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3,
Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore
22, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tuvalu 1, UK 12, Vanuatu 1, unknown 2) (2008) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Corpus
Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New
York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City
|
|
Military branches:
|
United
States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air
Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by
the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the
Department of the Navy (2009) |
|
Military service age and
obligation:
|
18
years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female
voluntary service; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34
(Navy), 28 (Marines); service obligation 8 years, including 2-5 years
active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force,
Marines) (2008) |
|
Manpower available for
military service:
|
males
age 16-49: 72,715,332
females age 16-49: 71,638,785 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military
service:
|
males
age 16-49: 59,764,677
females age 16-49: 59,437,663 (2009 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching
militarily significant age annually:
|
male:
2,196,124
female: 2,085,085 (2009 est.) |
|
Military expenditures:
|
4.06%
of GDP (2005 est.)
|
| Transnational
Issues |
United
States |
|
Disputes - international:
|
the
U.S. has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating
closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control
legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across the
international borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of
the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained
water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the
Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; managed maritime
boundary disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of
Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North
Rock; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime
boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only
mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease;
Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial
claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not
recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake
Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among the
islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution |
|
Refugees and internally
displaced persons:
|
refugees
(country of origin): the US admitted 62,643 refugees during FY04/05
including; 10,586 (Somalia); 8,549 (Laos); 6,666 (Russia); 6,479 (Cuba);
3,100 (Haiti); 2,136 (Iran) (2006) |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
world's
largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from Colombia through Mexico and
the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and Mexican heroin and marijuana;
major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican methamphetamine; minor consumer of
high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis,
marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine;
money-laundering center
|
|
|
