United States

United States of America
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "In God We Trust"[1] Other traditional mottos:[2] "E pluribus unum" (Latin) "Out of many, one" "Annuit cœptis" (Latin) "Providence favors our undertakings" "Novus ordo seclorum" (Latin) "New order of the ages"
Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"[3]
Show globe (states and D.C. only) Show the U.S. and its territories Show territories with their exclusive economic zone
Capital	Washington, D.C. 38°53′N 77°1′W / 38.883°N 77.017°W / 38.883; -77.017
Largest city	New York City 40°43′N 74°0′W / 40.717°N 74.000°W / 40.717; -74.000
Official languages	None at the federal level[a]
National language	English[b]
Ethnic groups (2020)[4][5][6]	By race: 61.6% White 12.4% Black 6% Asian 1.1% Native American 0.2% Pacific Islander 10.2% two or more races 8.4% other By origin: 81.3% non-Hispanic or Latino 18.7% Hispanic or Latino
Religion (2023)[7]	67% Christianity 33% Protestantism 22% Catholicism 1% Mormonism 11% other Christian 22% unaffiliated 2% Judaism 6% other religion 3% unanswered
Demonym(s)	American[c][8]
Government	Federal presidential republic
• President	Donald Trump
• Vice President	JD Vance
• House Speaker	Mike Johnson
• Chief Justice	John Roberts
Legislature	Congress
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Independence  from Great Britain
• Declaration	July 4, 1776 (1776-07-04)
• Confederation	March 1, 1781 (1781-03-01)
• Recognition	September 3, 1783 (1783-09-03)
• Constitution	June 21, 1788 (1788-06-21)
Area
• Total area	3,796,742 sq mi (9,833,520 km2)[10][d] (3rd)
• Water (%)	7.0[9] (2010)
• Land area	3,531,905 sq mi (9,147,590 km2) (3rd)
Population
• 2024 estimate	340,110,988[11]
• 2020 census	331,449,281[e][12] (3rd)
• Density	87/sq mi (33.6/km2) (185th)
GDP (PPP)	2024 estimate
• Total	$29.168 trillion[13] (2nd)
• Per capita	$86,601[13] (8th)
GDP (nominal)	2024 estimate
• Total	$29.168 trillion[13] (1st)
• Per capita	$86,601[13] (6th)
Gini (2023)	41.6[f][14] medium inequality
HDI (2022)	0.927[15] very high (20th)
Currency	U.S. dollar ($) (USD)
Time zone	UTC−4 to −12, +10, +11
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 to −10[g]
Date format	mm/dd/yyyy[h]
Drives on	Right[i]
Calling code	+1
ISO 3166 code	US
Internet TLD	.us[16]

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal union of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous states border Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, with the semi-exclavic state of Alaska in the northwest and the archipelagic state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The United States also asserts sovereignty over five major island territories and various uninhabited islands.^[j] The country has the world's third-largest land area^[d] and third-largest population, exceeding 340 million.^[k] The U.S. also possesses the world's second-largest exclusive economic zone. Its three largest metropolitan areas are New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and its three most populous states are California, Texas, and Florida.

Paleo-Indians migrated to North America across the Bering land bridge more than 12,000 years ago, and formed various civilizations and societies. Spanish exploration and colonization led to the establishment in 1513 of Spanish Florida, the first European colony in what is now the continental United States. France's colony of French Florida was destroyed by the Spaniards, and permanent French colonies were founded much later. Subsequent British colonization, with the first settlement of the Thirteen Colonies in Virginia in 1607, proved resilient, and these colonies expanded rapidly. European colonies were also established by the Dutch and the Swedes, and small Russian settlements were founded in Alaska. The development of intensive agriculture in the British colonies soon led to the forced migration of enslaved Africans. Clashes with the British Crown over taxation and political representation sparked the American Revolution, with the Second Continental Congress formally declaring independence on July 4, 1776. Following its victory in the 1775–1783 Revolutionary War, the country continued to expand westward across North America, resulting in the dispossession of native inhabitants. As more states were admitted (and created after the 1803 purchase of the vast Louisiana territory from France), a North–South division developed over slavery. This division led to the secession of the Confederate States of America, which fought the Union in the 1861–1865 American Civil War. With the victory and preservation of the United States, slavery was abolished nationally. By 1900, the country had established itself as a great power, a status solidified after its involvement in World War I. After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the U.S. entered World War II. Its aftermath left the U.S. and the Soviet Union as the world's two superpowers and led to the Cold War, during which both countries struggled for ideological dominance and international influence. Following the Soviet Union's collapse and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the U.S. emerged as the world's sole superpower, wielding significant geopolitical influence globally.

The U.S. national government is a presidential constitutional federal republic and liberal democracy with three separate branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. It has a bicameral national legislature composed of the House of Representatives, a lower house based on population, and the Senate, an upper house based on equal representation for each state. Federalism provides substantial autonomy to the 50 states, while American values are based on a democratic political tradition that draws its inspiration from the European Enlightenment movement.

One of the world's most developed countries, the United States has had the largest nominal GDP since about 1890 and accounted for over 15% of the global economy in 2023.^[l] It possesses by far the largest amount of wealth of any country as well as the highest disposable household income per capita among OECD countries, but has high levels of wealth and income inequality. The U.S. ranks among the world's highest in economic competitiveness, productivity, innovation, human rights, and higher education. Its hard power and cultural influence have a global reach. The U.S. is a founding member of the World Bank, the Organization of American States, NATO, and the United Nations,^[m] as well as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

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