The United States is a federal republic with three separate branches of government, including a bicameral legislature. It is a founding member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, NATO, and other international organizations. It is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Considered a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, its population has been profoundly shaped by centuries of immigration. The United States is a liberal democracy; it ranks high in international measures of economic freedom, quality of life, education, and human rights; and it has low levels of perceived corruption. Unlike other western democracies, the United States lacks universal health care, retains capital punishment, and has high levels of incarceration and inequality.[26]
The United States is a highly developed country, and its economy accounts for approximately a quarter of global GDP and is the world's largest by GDP at market exchange rates. By value, the United States is the world's largest importer and second-largest exporter of goods. Although its population is only about 4.2% of the world's total, it holds over 30% of the total wealth in the world, the largest share held by any country. Making up more than a third of global military spending, it is the foremost military power in the world and a leading political, cultural, and scientific force.[27]
"the united states of America", April 6, 1776
The Cliff Palace, built by the Native American Puebloans between AD 1190 and 1260
The original Thirteen Colonies (shown in red) in 1775
Declaration of Independence, a painting by John Trumbull, depicts the Committee of Five presenting the draft of the Declaration to the Continental Congress, July 4, 1776.
Territorial acquisitions of the United States between 1783 and 1917
The Battle of Gettysburg, fought between Union and Confederate forces on July 1–3, 1863, around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, marked a turning point in the American Civil War.
Film by Edison Studios showing immigrants disembarking at Ellis Island in New York Harbor, which served as a major entry point for European immigration into the U.S.[105]
The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world when completed in 1931, during the Great Depression.
U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in one of the most iconic images of the war
Martin Luther King Jr. gives his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington, 1963.
U.S. president Ronald Reagan (left) and Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev at the Geneva Summit in 1985
The World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan during the September 11 terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda in 2001
Köppen climate classifications of U.S. states and territories
Rock formations in the Grand Canyon, northern Arizona
The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782.[198]
The White House, residence and workplace of the U.S. President
The Supreme Court Building, where the nation's highest court sits
Map of the United States showing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five major U.S. territories
Joe Biden 46th President
Kamala Harris 49th Vice President
since January 20, 2021
The United Nations Headquarters has been situated in Midtown Manhattan since 1952. The United States is a founding member of the United Nations.
U.S. Government spending and revenue from 1792 to 2018
The Pentagon, near Washington, D.C., is home to the U.S. Department of Defense.
The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73)
The New York City Police Department is the nation's largest municipal law enforcement agency.
Total incarceration in the United States by year (1920–2014)
A proportional representation of United States exports, 2019
The New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street in New York City
Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, 1969
Wealth inequality in the U.S. increased between 1989 and 2013.[350]
The Interstate Highway System in the contiguous United States, which extends 46,876 miles (75,440 km)[374]
Percentage of respondents in the United States saying that religion is "very important" or "somewhat important" in their lives (2014)[413]
The Texas Medical Center in downtown Houston is the largest medical complex in the world.
The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, is one of the many public colleges and universities in the United States. Some 80% of U.S. college students attend these institutions.
For many immigrants, the Statue of Liberty was their first view of the United States. A gift from France, the statue signified new opportunities in life, and thus the statue is an iconic symbol of the American Dream as well as its ideals.[464]
Mark Twain, American author and humorist
Roasted turkey is a traditional menu item of an American Thanksgiving dinner.[488]
Grammy Museum at L.A. Live
The Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, California
The most popular sports in the U.S. are American football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey.[529]
The headquarters of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City