TEFL Reviews

TEFL Reviews

United States Country Facts

TEFL Trainees / ESL Teachers

Size:
Total Area: 9,826,675 sq km
Land: 9,161,966 sq km
Water: 664,709 sq km
Note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Population:
July 2010 estimate: 310,232,863
July 2004 estimate: 293,027,571
Density: 32.147/km2

Neighboring Countries:
Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska)
Mexico 3,141 km

Currency:
Currency of USA: US Dollar (USD)
Code: USD
Subunit: 1/10 Dime; 1/100 Cent; 1/1000 Mill (only used in accounting)
Banknotes: Freq. used: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100; Rarely used: $2
Central Bank: Federal Reserve System
Mint: United States Mint

Politics:
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States (the head of state and head of government), Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments. Federal and state elections generally take place within a two-party system, although this is not enshrined in law.

The Executive Branch is headed by President and is independent of the legislature. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The judicial branch (or judiciary), composed of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts, exercises judicial power (or judiciary). The judiciary’s function is to interpret the United States Constitution and federal laws and regulations. This includes resolving disputes between the executive and legislative branches. The Federal Government of the United States was established by the Constitution.

Major Parties: Democratic Party and Republican Party.
These two parties have won every United States presidential election since 1852 and have controlled the United States Congress since at least 1856.

Minor Parties: Constitution Party (1992); Green Party (1996); Libertarian Party (1971)
Historical Parties: Federalist Party (c. 1789 – c. 1820); Anti-Federalist Party (c. 1789 – c. 1792); Democratic-Republican Party (1792 – c. 1824); Toleration Party (1816 – c. 1827); Anti-Masonic Party (1826 – 1838); National Republican Party (1829 – 1833); Nullifier Party (1830 – 1839); Whig Party (1833 – 1856); Liberty Party (1840 – 1848)

Languages:
English 82.1%
Spanish 10.7%
Other Indo-European 3.8%
Asian and Pacific Island 2.7%
Other 0.7%
(according to 2000 census)

Note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii.

Religions:
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 estimation)
Culture:

The Culture of the United States of America has been influenced by European ideals, especially British, and domestic originality.

American culture covers almost every aspects like traditions, ideals, customs, beliefs, values, arts, and innovations developed both domestically and imported via colonization and immigration from the British Isles. The ideas which evolved domestically such as important national holidays, uniquely American Sports, proud military tradition, and innovations in the arts and entertainment give a strong sense of national pride among the population.

It includes both conservative and liberal elements, military and scientific competitiveness, political structures, risk taking and free expression, materialist and moral elements.

It also includes elements which evolved from Native Americans, and other ethnic subcultures; most prominently the culture of African American slave descendants and different cultures from Latin America. Many cultural elements have been exported across the globe through modern mass media.

Sports:
The most popular team sports are:
Baseball
American Football
Basketball
Ice Hockey

Important Cities:
Washington D.C. (Capital), New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas, San Antonio, Detroit, San Jose, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Columbus, Austin, Memphis, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Boston, Charlotte, El Paso, Seattle, Fort Worth, Denver, Nashville-Davidson, Portland, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas