United States (DPS)

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United States of America

Flag of the United States
Flag
Coat of Arms of
Coat of Arms
Motto: E Pluribus Unum
CapitalWashington, D.C.
Largest cityNew York City
Ethnic groups
(2015)
  • 78% White
  • 10% Afro-Louisianais
  • 10% Native Louisianan
  • 2% Other
Demonym(s)American
Government
• President
Roy Cooper
• Vice President
Maggie Hassan
Mike Braun
LegislatureCongress
Senate
House of Representatives
Independence
• 
4 July, 1776
• Treaty of Paris
3 September, 1776
• Constitution
21 June, 1787
Area
• 
2,302,937.14 km2 (889,169.00 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 estimate
159,154,912
• Density
20.57/km2 (53.3/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)2019 estimate
• Total
$8.4 trillion
• Per capita
$53,235
Gini (2015)Positive decrease 33
medium
HDI (2019)Increase 0.914
very high
CurrencyUnited States Dollar (USD)
Date formatdd/mm/yyyy
Driving sideright

The United States of America is country located in North America. It shares a border with Louisiana to the West, Canada to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. With a population of 159 million, it is the most populous nation in North America, as well as the largest economy with a GDP of 8.4 trillion. It is also the second largest in terms of land area, behind Canada.

Native Americans immigrated to North America from Siberia some 12,000 years ago, and European colonization began in the 16th century when the Spanish established Saint Augustine in modern East Florida. The United States formed as the Thirteen Colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776, and its independence was affirmed in 1783 when the British surrendered. The United State's continental borders have remained unchanged since the Mississippi Conflict in 1829 when the disputed Aroostook region of Maine was ceded by Britain and the US renounced its claims to Upper and Lower Mississippi in exchange for rights to continue trading in New Orleans. Slavery was legal in many states until the Civil War led to its abolition in 1864. The United States entered World War I and emerged victorious, and did the same in World War II, which further cemented its place as a world power. Today, the United States, along with the European Union and Soviet Union, remain the three Superpowers.

The United States is a federal republic consisting of 26 states and one federal territory. It features three branches of government, including a bicameral legislature. The United States is a founding member of NATO, the United Nations, World Bank, and is a member of NAFTA. The United States ranks high in terms of economic freedom, government corruption, quality of life, and quality of higher education. Despite income and wealth disparities, the United States continues to rank high in measures of socioeconomic performance. It is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse nations, and its population has been shaped through centuries of immigration.