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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Location The USA is situated in the southern part of North America. Its neighbors are Canada in the north, Mexico in the south, the Atlantic Ocean in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west. The United States began as a nation of 13 states. The two newest states, Alaska and Hawaii, stand apart – with Alaska (əˈlæskə) bordering on the north-western of Canada and Hawaii (həˈwaiː), lying in the central Pacific.
Geography (rivers, lakes, mountains)
The largest rivers are the Mississippi and the Missouri (mɪˈzʊəri),together 6,212 km. It is the third longest river system in the world after the Amazon and the Nile. The Rio Grande, nearly 3,200 km long, forms a natural boundary between Mexico and the USA. The border with Canada is in its central part made by the four of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario). Lake Michigan, the fifth one, doesn’t make up the border. The Niagara /naɪˈægᵊrə/ Falls connect Lake Erie /ˈɪəri/ and Lake Ontario. The Great Lakes make up the biggest reservoir of fresh water in the world. The Rocky Mountains are “the backbone of the continent.” They are the same age as the Alps in Europe. The highest mountain is Mt. Mc Kinley (6,194 m) in Alaska. The Appalachians /æpəˈleɪʃənz/ in the east are geologically the oldest. The highest mountain there is Mt. Mitchell /ˈmɪʧᵊl/.
Climate There are big variations of climate. Temperatures change from the arctic cold in Alaska to the subtropical warmth in the south and the temperate climate in the centre. The climate is influenced by the oceans. On western coast, temperatures change very little between summer and winter. But on eastern coast, in the north central states, temperatures vary a lot between summer and winter. The most beautiful climate is on the Hawaiian Islands.
People/language/cities The first inhabitants, the American Indians, are nowadays called the Native Americans. American society is a multicultural society, sometimes called the melting pot because people living here are of all possible origins and all the races can mix here together. The main language spoken here is American English, but various ethnic minorities speak their original languages, such as Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese and so on. In the past the majority of the population was of European origin. Besides the large black minority, there are Mexican and Asian minorities as well. Washington D.C. is the national capital. It was named in honour of George Washington, the first US president.
Government The head of the USA is the President. His powers are even wider than those of the British Prime Minister. Presidential elections are held every four years. The president can be elected to only two terms. The system of Federal Government consists of three branches: the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial.
Economy
The country is rich in raw materials such as petroleum and natural gas (near the Gulf of Mexico in Texas and also in California), coal (north part of Appalachians) and iron ore (near the Great Lakes), as well as copper, zinc, gold and silver (in the Rocky Mountains). The American industry produces a lot of goods – cars, trucks, chemicals, machinery, computers, airplanes, metal products, agricultural products, paper, textiles etc. American farms produce tobacco, cotton, sugar, fruits and vegetables - grown especially in the south. Cattle breeding and forestry are also important.
Sports
Like elsewhere in the world sports are very popular. Some of them have their origin here, e.g. baseball, basketball and American football. Besides local and national sports teams there is a long tradition of school sports clubs - both at high schools and colleges. Being healthy and keeping oneself in good shape - fitness - is a part of general way of life.
Flag
The American flag consists of two parts: 13 stripes symbolizing the original 13 states and 50 stars symbolizing 50 American states.
Places of interest
There are many places of interest. Well-known are American national parks with beautiful nature - Yellowstone National Park, the oldest and largest in the USA established in 1872, there are about 3 000 geysers and hot springs. Yosemite National Park - includes the highest waterfall in the USA and many giant sequoias. The Grand Canyon in Arizona was carved out by the Colorado river. The Niagara River, flowing from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is famous for the Niagara Falls - one of the main American tourist attractions.
