National Identity
- Official name
- United States of America
- Name etymology
the name America was first used in 1507 and is derived from the first name of Amerigo VESPUCCI (1454-1512), an Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer; the name United States first appeared in a document subtitle during the discussions that led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776
Sources:- Constitution of the United States ↗ - U.S. Senate - United States Senate
- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Coat of arms
- National flag
- Red: valor and bravery
- White: purity and innocence
- Blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice
As published by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts The Flag of the United States of America consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton 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.
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. General Services Administration The flag's 13 red and white stripes represent the 13 original colonies. Its 50 white stars on a blue background represent the 50 states.
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. General Services Administration Each of the colors on the flag has a meaning:
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. Government Publishing Office The first flag of the colonists to have any resemblance to the present Stars and Stripes was the Grand Union Flag, sometimes referred to as the Congress Colors, the First Navy Ensign, and the Cambridge Flag. Its design consisted of 13 stripes, alternately red and white, representing the Thirteen Colonies, with a blue field in the upper left-hand corner bearing the red cross of St. George of England with the white cross of St. Andrew of Scotland.
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. Government Publishing Office The Stars and Stripes originated as a result of a resolution adopted by the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress at Philadelphia on June 14, 1777. The resolution read: ``Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.''
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. Government Publishing Office Strong evidence indicates that Francis Hopkinson of New Jersey, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was responsible for the stars in the U.S. flag. At the time that the flag resolution was adopted, Hopkinson was the Chairman of the Continental Navy Board's Middle Department.
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. Government Publishing Office Although Betsy Ross, the best known of these persons, made flags for 50 years, there is no proof that she made the first Stars and Stripes.
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. Government Publishing Office Fifteen Stars and Stripes When two new States were admitted to the Union (Kentucky and Vermont), a resolution was adopted in January of 1794, expanding the flag to 15 stars and 15 stripes. This flag was the official flag of our country from 1795 to 1818, and was prominent in many historic events.
As published in EnglishAs published by the U.S. Government Publishing Office However, realizing that the flag would become unwieldy with a stripe for each new State, Capt. Samuel C. Reid, USN, suggested to Congress that the stripes remain 13 in number to represent the Thirteen Colonies and that a star be added to the blue field for each new State coming into the Union. Accordingly, on April 4, 1818, President Monroe accepted a bill requiring that the flag of the United States have a union of 20 stars, white on a blue field, and that upon admission of each new State into the Union one star be added to the union of the flag on the fourth of July following its date of admission. The 13 alternating red and white stripes would remain unchanged. This act succeeded in prescribing the basic design of the flag, while assuring that the growth of the Nation would be properly symbolized. Eventually, the growth of the country resulted in a flag with 48 stars upon the admission of Arizona and New Mexico in 1912. Alaska added a 49th in 1959, and Hawaii a 50th star in 1960. With the 50-star flag came a new design and arrangement of the stars in the union, a requirement met by President Eisenhower in Executive Order No. 10834, issued August 21, 1959. To conform with this, a national banner with 50 stars became the official flag of the United States. The flag was raised for the first time at 12:01 a.m. on July 4, 1960, at the Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, Maryland.
As published in EnglishSources:- prd.uscourts.gov ↗ - the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
- usa.gov ↗ - the U.S. General Services Administration
- govinfo.gov ↗ - the U.S. Government Publishing Office
- National anthem
- The Star Spangled Banner1:18
- Title
- The Star Spangled Banner
- Lyrics
- English
1Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thru the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
2On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: ‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
3And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out of their foul footsteps’ pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
4Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.” And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Source: - Citizens
- Americans
- Official name:Constitution of the United States ↗ - U.S. Senate - United States Senate
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- National flag:prd.uscourts.gov ↗ - the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
- National flag:usa.gov ↗ - the U.S. General Services Administration
- National flag:govinfo.gov ↗ - the U.S. Government Publishing Office
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Total area
- 9,372,610 km²
- Land area
- 9,147,420 km²
- Water area
- 225,190 km²
- Land borders
- 12,002 km(2 countries)
- Coastline
- 19,924 km
- Terrain
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 - Mean elevation
- 760 m
- Highest point
- 6,190 mMount McKinley
- Lowest point
- −86 mDeath Valley
- Climate
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 - Avg. temperature
- 9.7 °C
- Avg. daily range
- 4.9 to 15.4 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 827 mm
Temperature °CMeanDaily rangePrecipitation mmMonthly climate normals Month Avg. high, °C Mean, °C Avg. low, °C Precipitation, mm January 2.4 −2.7 −6.5 63 February 4.9 −0.7 −4.8 59 March 9.5 3.5 −1.2 68 April 15.1 8.9 3.8 72 May 20.6 14.6 9.3 78 June 25.6 19.6 14.2 76 July 28.1 22.2 16.8 71 August 27.1 21.1 15.9 71 September 23.1 17 11.9 70 October 16.1 10.2 5.5 69 November 8.6 3.3 −0.8 63 December 3.4 −1.4 −5.2 68 Country-wide averages over 1991–2020.
Sources:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Arable16.6%Perm. crops0.3%Pasture29.2%Forest33.8%Other18.7%
- Arable land
- 151,563,525 hectares (16.6%)
- Permanent crops
- 3,170,600 hectares (0.3%)
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 266,806,242 hectares (29.2%)
- Forest
- 309,039,000 hectares (33.8%)
- Other land
- 170,930,973 hectares (18.7%)
Source: - Major rivers
- Major lakes
- Superior82,102 km²Huron59,569 km²Michigan57,750 km²Erie25,666 km²Ontario19,010 km²Great Salt4,360 km²Lake of the Woods4,350 km²Iliamna2,590 km²Okeechobee1,810 km²Pontchartrain1,620 km²Selawik1,400 km²Belcharof1,190 km²Red1,170 km²Saint Clair1,113 km²Champlain1,100 km²Salton Sea950 km²Source:
- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Natural hazards2026
- Coastal floods8.4Very high#9/191Earthquakes7.7Very high#34/191Tropical cyclones7.7Very high#17/191River floods7.5Very high#32/191Tsunamis7.2Very high#21/191Epidemics4.8Medium#99/191Drought4.2Medium#64/191
Scores out of 10, ranks out of 191 countries.
Source:- INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Mean elevation, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate, Major rivers, Major lakes:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Climate:Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
- Natural hazards:INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
Demographics
- Population change2026
- +0.51% per year+1,759,686 people/yearWorld Rank141stof 237
- Birth rate
- 10.5 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 9.0 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- +3.4 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 38.7 yearsWorld Rank79thof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years16.9%15-64 years64.3%65 years +18.8%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 18.8%
- Share aged under 18
- 20.7%
- Total dependency ratio
- 56
- Youth dependency ratio
- 26
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 29
- Sex ratio
- 1.01 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 1.8% 2.6% 70-79 4.0% 4.6% 60-69 5.9% 6.0% 50-59 5.9% 5.8% 40-49 6.7% 6.3% 30-39 7.1% 6.6% 20-29 6.9% 6.4% 10-19 6.4% 6.1% 0-9 5.6% 5.3% - 2026
- 0.48 below the replacement level for the United States ()1.62 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank147thof 237
- 0.78 daughters per woman0.22 below replacement, long-run each generation smaller than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- +1.5 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 1.5 more births than deaths a year
- 2026
- +3.4 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 80.3% live in 280,183,866 urban residents
- Largest cities2025
- New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, HoustonRankCity, Town or PlacePopulation (2025 estimate)1New York, NY8,584,6292Los Angeles, CA3,869,0893Chicago, IL2,731,5854Houston, TX2,397,3155Phoenix, AZ1,665,4816Philadelphia, PA1,574,2817San Antonio, TX1,548,4228San Diego, CA1,406,1069Dallas, TX1,329,49110Fort Worth, TX1,028,117Source:
- U.S. Census Bureau (2025 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution
- Large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast, particularly around Anchorage, and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu.
- Ethnic groups2020
- Hispanic is not a separate group here and can be any race.White61.6%Black or African American12.4%Asian6.0%Indigenous and Alaska native1.1%Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander0.2%Other8.4%Mixed10.2%
The US Census Bureau counts Hispanic as origin, not race, so people of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin appear within the race groups. An estimated 18.7% of the total US population is Hispanic as of 2020.
Source:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Religions2014
- Protestant46.5%Roman Catholic20.8%Jewish1.9%Church of Jesus Christ1.6%Other Christian0.9%Muslim0.9%Jehovah's Witness0.8%Buddhist0.7%Hindu0.7%Other1.8%Unaffiliated22.8%Don't know/refused0.6%
- Languages
- English
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Largest cities:U.S. Census Bureau (2025 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- RepublicElectors appointed by each State choose the President for four years; the Constitution never calls the Union a republic, but guarantees each State "a Republican Form of Government" and reserves powers to the States (Art. II, s. 1; Art. IV, s. 4; Amends. X, XII).Sources:
- The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription ↗, Art. II, s. 1; Art. IV, s. 4; Amends. X, XII
- The Bill of Rights: A Transcription ↗, Art. II, s. 1; Art. IV, s. 4; Amends. X, XII
- The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 ↗, Art. II, s. 1; Art. IV, s. 4; Amends. X, XII
- System of government
- PresidentialThe President holds the whole executive power, with no prime minister or collegiate cabinet; Congress can remove the President only by impeachment and conviction, not by a confidence vote, and there is no power to dissolve Congress (Art. II, ss. 1, 4; Amend. XX).Sources:
- The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription ↗, Art. II, ss. 1, 4; Amend. XX
- The Bill of Rights: A Transcription ↗, Art. II, ss. 1, 4; Amend. XX
- The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 ↗, Art. II, ss. 1, 4; Amend. XX
- Territorial organisation
- Federal
- Official websites
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.702,250 people(2024)
- National holidays
- 12 days in 2026
- ThuJan 1New Year's Day
- MonJan 19Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- MonFeb 16Washington's Birthday
- MonMay 25Memorial Day
- FriJun 19Juneteenth National Independence Day
- FriJul 3Independence Day (observed)
- SatJul 4Independence Day
- MonSep 7Labor Day
- MonOct 12Columbus Day
- WedNov 11Veterans Day
- ThuNov 26Thanksgiving Day
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- ESTEastern TimeUTC−5 (UTC−4 in summer)
United States spans multiple time zones, the capital's is shown here. All 6 time zones
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Entry requirements
- Official visa and entry information
- Calling code
- +1
- Internet TLD
- .us
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- US, USA
- Infrastructure
- Passengers carried
- 941,557,000 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Heliports
- 8,130
- Aircraft departures
- 9,267,193 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Air freight
- 42,762.9 million tonne-km(2023)
- Aircraft registration prefix
- N
Sources:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Passenger rail
- Amtrak
- 2025
- 64 / 100World Rank29thof 182
Significant declinerDown 12 points since 2015, when it scored 76.
Confidence intervalCorruption index score by year Year Score Lower bound Upper bound 2012 73 66 79 2013 73 66 80 2014 74 68 80 2015 76 70 82 2016 74 69 80 2017 75 70 80 2018 71 66 76 2019 69 62.3 75.7 2020 67 62.9 71.1 2021 67 63.4 70.6 2022 69 65.5 72.5 2023 69 65.5 72.5 2024 65 61.4 68.6 2025 64 59.7 68.3 Source:- Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription ↗ - National Archives and Records Administration
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:The Bill of Rights: A Transcription ↗ - National Archives and Records Administration
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 ↗ - National Archives and Records Administration
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Infrastructure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Corruption Perceptions Index:Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
Economy
- High income
- GDP growth (real)2026
- +2.3% per yearWorld Rank118thof 195
- GDP per capita (PPP)2026
- GDP per capita (nominal)
- $95,212 (8th in the world)
Source:- 2021
- Services76.3% of GDPIndustry17.6% of GDPAgriculture0.9% of GDPManufacturing10.5%part of industry
- Households
- +67.9%
- Government
- +13.6%
- Investment
- +21.5%
- Exports
- +11%
- Imports
- −14%
The shape of the economyGDP by end useSource:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Inflation2026
- 3.6%up 0.9 percentage points0.9pp from 2025
- Labor force2024
- 176.9 million (51% of population)World Rank3rdof 187
- Labor force participation2024
- 62.0% of people aged 15+
- Unemployment2024
- 4.0%
- Youth unemployment2024
- 8.9% ages 15 to 24
- Labor productivity2024
- $80.6 per hour worked at PPP
- Labor cost2024
- $44.67 per hour$44.67 (PPP)
- Budget balance2026
- 8.5% of GDP deficit
- Current account
- 3.9% of GDP, $1.3 trillion deficit
Source: - Debt2024
- Government debt120.8% of GDPHousehold debt69.4% of GDPCompany debt73.8% of GDPInterest on debt4% of GDPCentral government debt102.7% of GDP
- Trade2025
- Goods$2.2 trillion64.1%
- Services$1.2 trillion35.9%
- Total exports
- $3.4 trillion
- Change from 2024
- up 6.1 percent on the previous year6.1%
Sources:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- 2024
- +1.11World Rank20thof 145
- Projected GDP growth
- +1.9% a year over the next 10 years
Source:- Atlas of Economic Complexity ↗ - Harvard Growth Lab
- Agricultural products2024
- Maize (corn), Soya beans, Meat of cattle with the bone (fresh or chilled), and 7 more
- 1Maize (corn)3.9×
- 2Soya beans3.8×
- 3Meat of cattle with the bone (fresh or chilled)2.2×
- 4Meat of chickens (fresh or chilled)2×
- 5Seed cotton (unginned)1.7×
- 6Raw milk of cattle1.6×
- 7Sugar beet1.4×
- 8Meat of pig with the bone (fresh or chilled)1.3×
- 9Wheat0.9×
- 10Tomatoes0.7×
ProductSource:- FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Gold reserves2025
- 8,133 tonnesWorth $1.1 trillion, 82% of total official reserves by value
- Industries
- highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second-largest industrial output in the world
- petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
- Income level, GDP by sector, Trade, Gold reserves:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- GDP (nominal), GDP growth (real), GDP per capita (PPP), Inflation, Budget balance:IMF World Economic Outlook ↗
- Labor force, Labor force participation, Unemployment, Youth unemployment, Labor productivity, Labor cost:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- Debt:IMF Global Debt Database ↗
- Debt:IMF Public Finances in Modern History ↗
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Economic Complexity Index:Atlas of Economic Complexity ↗ - Harvard Growth Lab
- Agricultural products:FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
Cost of Living
- Cost of living index
- Loading
- Monthly costs (excluding rent)
- Loading
- Rent
- Loading
- Buying an apartment
- Loading
- Average gross salary2025
- $6,273 per month$6,273 (PPP)
- Median
- $4,481 per month
- Men
- $7,206 per month
- Women
- $5,270 per month
Source:- ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- 2026
- $1,257 per month, gross$1,257 (PPP)
- Average gross salary, Minimum wage:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
Society
- 2023
- 0.938Very highWorld Rank17thof 193United StatesWorld
Human Development Index by year Year United States World 1990 0.878 0.608 1991 0.878 0.611 1992 0.882 0.614 1993 0.884 0.617 1994 0.887 0.620 1995 0.888 0.625 1996 0.890 0.631 1997 0.893 0.636 1998 0.895 0.641 1999 0.895 0.646 2000 0.895 0.651 2001 0.897 0.657 2002 0.898 0.662 2003 0.900 0.669 2004 0.905 0.675 2005 0.907 0.681 2006 0.911 0.688 2007 0.914 0.694 2008 0.914 0.698 2009 0.915 0.701 2010 0.919 0.707 2011 0.920 0.713 2012 0.923 0.717 2013 0.925 0.721 2014 0.926 0.726 2015 0.928 0.731 2016 0.929 0.735 2017 0.931 0.739 2018 0.934 0.741 2019 0.936 0.745 2020 0.925 0.742 2021 0.921 0.742 2022 0.930 0.752 2023 0.938 0.756 Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- 2024
- 41.8
- Mean years of schooling2023
- 13.9 years
- Expected for a child today
- 15.9 years
Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Education expenditure2021
- 5.4% of GDP
- Share of government spending
- 11.3%
Source:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Internet users2024
- 94.7% of the population
- Households with Internet access
- 94.9%
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Mobile subscriptions2024
- 391 million
- Fixed telephone lines
- 81,549,000
- Fixed broadband
- 38.9 subscriptions per 100 people
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership2021
- 67% of adults
- Debit-card ownership
- 83%
- Account at a bank or mobile-money provider
- 95%
- Made or received a digital payment
- 93%
Source:- Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted2025
- 435,333 people
- Asylum seekers
- 3,184,162
- Internally displaced persons
- 44,000All due to disasters
- Refugees from the United States abroad
- 1,419
Sources:- Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- 2024
- Official tourism site72.4 million arrivalsdown 9% against 20199% below 2019World Rank2ndof 139
- Per resident
- 2.1 arrivals per 10 residents
- Same-day visitors
- 44.5 million arrivals(2021, latest available)
- $251.6 billion
- Spending per arrival
- $3,476
- 3% tourism direct GDP(2023)
- Residents' trips abroad
- 33.5 million overnight trips(2020, latest available)
- $250.3 billion
- Average hotel stay
- 9.5 nights(2020, latest available)
Overnight arrivals by year2010 to 2024A tourist stays at least one night. Arrivals count trips, not people.
Source:- UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 26 sites13 cultural12 natural1 mixed
Site Type Yellowstone National Park Natural Grand Canyon National Park Natural Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site Cultural Independence Hall Cultural Statue of Liberty Cultural Yosemite National Park Natural Papahānaumokuākea Mixed Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point Cultural The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Cultural Mesa Verde National Park Cultural Mammoth Cave National Park Natural Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville Cultural Olympic National Park Natural Everglades National Park Natural Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek Natural Redwood National and State Parks Natural Great Smoky Mountains National Park Natural La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico Cultural Chaco Culture Cultural Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Natural Taos Pueblo Cultural Carlsbad Caverns National Park Natural Waterton Glacier International Peace Park Natural Moravian Church Settlements Cultural San Antonio Missions Cultural Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks Cultural includes one site in Puerto Rico
Source:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Human Development Index, Mean years of schooling:Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Income inequality (Gini), Education expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership:Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted:Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Refugees hosted:Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- Inbound tourists:UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
Crime & Safety
- Active humanitarian crisisAug 2026
- None - no active crisis
- Homicide rate2023
- Medium by global standards5.8 per 100,000 peopleWorld Rank29thof 115
- Crime rates
- 6 offence categories
Offence Per 100,000 Count Year Homicide (victims) 5.8 19,796 2023 Serious assault 277.9 949,193 2022 Kidnapping 15.4 52,441 2022 Burglary 268.5 916,971 2022 Theft 1,458.3 4,980,665 2022 Vehicle theft 288.5 985,323 2022 A low figure can also mean weak recording.
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Prison population2022
- 529.4 per 100,000 people
- Persons held
- 1,808,100
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Active humanitarian crisis:INFORM Severity Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Homicide rate, Crime rates, Prison population:UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 79.8 years
- Health expenditure2023
- 16.7% of GDP$13,473 per person
- Physicians2022
- 3.68 per 1,000 population
- Hospital beds2022
- 2.7 per 1,000 population
- Infant mortality2026
- 4.7 per 1,000 live births
- Maternal mortality2023
- 17 per 100,000 live births
- Alcohol consumption2022
- 9.8 litres of pure alcohol per adult per year
- Tobacco use2023
- 16.4% of adults
- Men
- 20.8%
- Women
- 12%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Alcohol and Tobacco Spending2023
- 1.9% of household spendingWorld Rank73rdof 105
- World median
- 3.1%
Source:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Road traffic deaths2019
- 12.7 per 100,000 population
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Health expenditure, Physicians, Hospital beds, Road traffic deaths:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Maternal mortality:Maternal mortality estimates ↗ - UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group
- Alcohol consumption, Tobacco use:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Alcohol and Tobacco Spending:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 4,632.2 Mt per yearup 0.3 percent on the previous year0.3% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 13.6 t per personWorld Rank16thof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- 11.7%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 843.4 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 215.6 Mt CO₂-eq
- Fluorinated gases
- 221.5 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 5,912.6 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 7.1 µg/m³ of PM2.50.2 years of life expectancy lost against the WHO guidelineMost polluted165thof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
- National standard
- 9 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- air pollution
- water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers
- declining natural freshwater resources in the west
- deforestation
- mining
- desertification
- species conservation
- invasive species
Source:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- International agreements
- 9 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 144 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement withdrew 2026 2016 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in force 1994 Kyoto Protocol signed 1998, not ratified Ozone layer Montreal Protocol in force 1989 Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) in force 1988 Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity signed 1993, not ratified CITES in force 1975 Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) not a party Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety not a party Nagoya Protocol not a party Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in force 1987 World Heritage Convention in force 1975 UN Convention to Combat Desertification in force 2001 Chemicals and waste Basel Convention signed 1990, not ratified Rotterdam Convention (PIC) signed 1998, not ratified Stockholm Convention (POPs) signed 2001, not ratified Minamata Convention on Mercury in force 2017 Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea not a party High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) signed 2023, not ratified MARPOL 73/78 in force 1983 Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
- No access to safe drinking water2022
- 0.8% of the population
- Renewable water2022
- 3,069 billion m³ per year
- Per person
- 8,986 m³ per year
- Dependency ratio
- 8% originates outside the country
- Annual water withdrawal
- 444 billion m³ per year
- Withdrawn for agriculture
- 40%
- Water stress
- 28% of available freshwater withdrawn
Source:- AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity2024
- 41% of adults
- Men
- 39.6%
- Women
- 42.4%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children2018
- 0.4% of children under five
- No access to safe drinking water, Renewable water:AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 288.8 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- 15.6%
- Supply
- Surplusproduces 1.1× what it consumes, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- 4,393 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 4,393 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 4,194 TWh per year
- Imports
- 33 TWh per year
- Exports
- 19 TWh per year
- Net
- −14 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- Surplusproduces 1.1× what it consumes, 2025Oil reserves202583.7 billion barrelsWorld Rank8thof 99
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Mineral resources2025
- Copper, Lithium, Rare earths
Mineral Mine production Reserves Copper 1 million t4.4% of world 47 million t Lithiumas pure lithium Withheldto avoid disclosing company data 4.4 million t Rare earthsas rare-earth oxide 51,000 t13.1% of world 1.9 million t USGS estimates. Shows only minerals where the country is a major producer.
Source:- Mineral Commodity Summaries ↗ - U.S. Geological Survey
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal:Worldwide Oil and Gas Survey ↗ - Oil & Gas Journal
- Mineral resources:Mineral Commodity Summaries ↗ - U.S. Geological Survey
Defense
- Military expenditure2024
- 3.4% of GDP$997.3 billion, 9.1% of government spending
- Military personnel2025
- approximately 1.28 millionactive duty Armed Forces; 42,000 Coast Guard
- Army
- 450,000
- Navy
- 334,000
- Air Force
- 317,000
- Space Force
- 10,000
- Marine Corps
- 168,000
Source:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Military service2025
- Voluntaryall-volunteer since 1973, but an act of Congress can reinstate the draft in case of a national emergency; men and women 17+, under 18 with parental consent, maximum enlistment age varies by service; 8-year initial service obligation, including 2–5 years active duty depending on the particular military service
Males aged 18–25 must register with Selective Service.All military occupations and positions open to women; women comprised 17.7% of the total US regular military personnel as of 2023.Non-citizens living permanently and legally in the US may join as enlisted personnel; they must have permission to work in the US, a high school diploma, and speak, read, and write English fluently; under the Compact of Free Association, citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands may volunteer.
Source:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Space program2025
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; established 1958)
Has a large, comprehensive space program and is one of the world’s top space powers; builds, launches, and operates space launch vehicles (SLVs)/rockets and the full spectrum of spacecraft, including interplanetary probes, manned craft, reusable rockets, satellites, space stations, and space planes/shuttles; has an astronaut program and a corps of astronauts; researching and developing a broad range of other space-related technologies, including advanced telecommunications and optics, navigational aids, propulsion, and robotics; has launched orbital or lander probes to the Sun and all the planets in the solar system, as well as to asteroids and beyond the solar system; has dozens of international missions and projects, including with Canada, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the ESA; as of January 2026, 60 countries had signed onto the US-led Artemis Accords to enhance the governance of civil exploration and use of outer space; the US commercial space industry is one of the world’s largest and is active across the spectrum of US government space programs; US commercial companies conduct the majority of NASA and US military space launches
- Launch sites
- Has 20 government and commercial spaceports licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration spread across 10 states (Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia)
- 1958-1963
- Project Mercury first manned space flights
- 1961-1963
- Project Gemini (longer-duration manned flights in preparation for Moon landings)
- 1963-1971
- Project Apollo Moon landings (world's first manned landing on the Moon, 1969)
- 1964
- Launched first successful Mars probe (Mariner)
- 1965-1979
- Operated Skylab space station
- 1977
- Began launching Voyager probes to Jupiter, Saturn, and beyond the solar system
- 1980s-2011
- Operated Space Shuttle program (world’s first re-usable space orbiters)
- 1990
- Launched Hubble Space Telescope
- 1993
- Began participating in International Space Station project
- 2003
- Launched surface rover vehicles (Spirit and Opportunity) to Mars
- 2011
- Launched orbital probe (Juno) to Jupiter
- 2016
- Launched OSIRIS-REx mission to retrieve asteroid sample (landed on asteroid Bennu in 2020 and returned with sample in 2023)
- 2017
- Initiated Artemis lunar landing project
- 2019
- Initiated Gateway lunar orbital station project
- 2021
- Launched James Webb Space Telescope (ESA contributed launch vehicle and launch site); surface rover vehicle (Perseverance) with robot helicopter (Ingenuity) successfully landed on surface of Mars
- 2024
- Successfully placed a commercial lander on the Moon and launched probe (Europa Clipper) to study Jupiter's Europa moon
Key milestones
the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO; established in 1961) is responsible for designing, building, launching, and maintaining intelligence satellites; the US Space Command (USSPACECOM; established in 2019) is one of 11 unified combatant commands within the Department of Defense and is responsible for military operations in outer space, specifically all operations over 100 kilometers or 62 miles above mean sea level); the US Space Force (USSF; established 2019) is a branch of the US Armed Forces
Source:- The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Nuclear weapons2026
- 5,042 warheads1,770 deployed, 3,700 in the military stockpile
Deployed, strategicOn long-range missiles and at bomber bases 1,670 Deployed, nonstrategicOn short-range weapons 100 ReserveIn storage, not on launchers 1,930 Military stockpileDeployed and reserve, held for use 3,700 RetiredAwaiting dismantlement 1,342 Total inventory 5,042 Approximate FAS estimates. Parts may not sum.
Source:- Status of World Nuclear Forces ↗ - Federation of American Scientists
- Military expenditure:SIPRI Military Expenditure Database ↗ - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Military expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Military personnel, Military service, Space program:The World Factbook: United States - CIA
- Nuclear weapons:Status of World Nuclear Forces ↗ - Federation of American Scientists
