United States Facts

  • The United States of America is also called the USA, US, United States or sometimes America.
  • On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was issued, establishing the United States of America.
  • The US is the 4th largest country in the world by land area and 3rd by population.
  • On February 25, 2013, the estimated population of the US was 315,568,000.
  • The US is a diverse country with a multicultural society.
  • The US has the world's largest economy.
  • The US developed the first nuclear weapons, using them on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War 2.
  • The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers combine to form the longest river system in the US and the fourth longest in the world.
  • The tallest mountain the US is Mt McKinley, located in the state of Alaska it reaches 20,320 ft (6,194 m) above sea level.
  • Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 and is the largest state in the US by land area.
  • Hawaii is the most recent of the 50 states in the US (joining in 1959) and is the only one made up entirely of islands.
  • Most of the world's tornadoes occur in the Midwest region of the US known as Tornado Alley.
  • The most populated city in the US is New York City, followed by Los Angeles and Chicago.
  • English is the most commonly spoken language in the US, followed by Spanish.
  • The first man to walk on the moon was American Neil Armstrong (July 21, 1969).
  • The US was the leading force behind the development of the Internet.
  • The US consumes more petroleum than any other country in the world.
  • The most popular team sports in the US are American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey.
  • For more information, check out maps of the United States or take a closer look at the US flag.

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