United States and WPBF: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox_Broadcast |

<!--PLEASE USE AMERICAN ENGLISH THROUGHOUT THIS ARTICLE, i.e. use labor not labour; and football or soccer not American football or football. Thank You.-->{{dablink|This page is about the country United States of America. For other uses, see the disambiguation pages for [[US (disambiguation)|US]], [[USA (disambiguation)|USA]] and [[United States (disambiguation)|United States]].}}

call_letters = WPBF|

{{Infobox Country <!-- START INFOBOX -->

station_logo = [[Image:Wpbf_abc25.jpg]]|

|native_name = United States of America

station_slogan = ''Where '''You''' Come First''|

|common_name = the United States

station_branding = ''WPBF TV 25'' (general)<br>''WPBF News 25'' (newscasts)|

|image_flag = Flag of the United States.svg

analog = 25 ([[Ultra high frequency|UHF]])|

|image_coat = Great Seal of the US.png|20px

digital = 16 (UHF)|

| symbol_type = Great Seal

affiliations = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]<br>[[The AccuWeather Channel|AccuWx TV]] (on DT2)|

| national_motto = <br />{{lang|la|''[[E pluribus unum]]''}} (1789 to 1956)<br>([[Latin]] for "Out of many, one")<br>''[[In God We Trust]]'' (1956 to present)

founded = [[January 1]], [[1989]]|

| image_map = LocationUSA.png

___location = [[Tequesta, Florida|Tequesta]] - [[West Palm Beach, Florida]]|

| national_anthem = "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]"

callsign_meaning = '''W'''est '''P'''alm '''B'''each, '''F'''lorida|

| official_languages = [[Languages of the United States|None at federal level]];<br />[[English language|English]] [[de facto]]

owner = [[Hearst Corporation]]<br>''operated by [[Hearst-Argyle Television]]''|

| capital = [[Washington, D.C.]]

licensee = WPBF-TV Company|

| latd=38|latm=53|latNS=N|longd=77|longm=02|longEW=W

former_callsigns = |

| government_type = [[Federal Republic]]

former_affiliations = |

| leader_title1 = [[President of the United States|President]]

effective_radiated_power = 5000 [[Watt|kW]] (analog)<br>1000 kW (digital)|

| leader_title2 = [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]]

homepage = [http://www.wpbf.com/ wpbf.com]|

| leader_name1 = [[George W. Bush]]&nbsp;([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])

| leader_name2 = [[Dick Cheney]]&nbsp;([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])

| largest_city = [[New York City]]

| area = 9,631,418

| areami² = 3,718,711

| area_rank = 3rd¹

| area_magnitude = 1 E12

| percent_water = 4.87

| population_estimate = 298,217,215 <!-- 2006 midyear population projection from census bureau website http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/usinterimproj/usproj2000-2050.csv (Add male and female figures for RTT row (total resident population) for year 2006 -->

| population_estimate_year = 2006

| population_estimate_rank = 3rd

| population_census = 281,421,936

| population_census_year = 2000

| population_density = 30

| population_densitymi² = 83 <!--Do not remove -->

| population_density_rank = 143rd

| GDP_PPP_year = 2006

| GDP_PPP = $13,049 billion

| GDP_PPP_rank = 1st

| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $43,555

| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 3rd

| HDI_year=2003

| HDI=0.944

| HDI_rank=10th

| HDI_category=<font color="#009900">high</font>

| sovereignty_type = [[American Revolutionary War|Independence]]

| established_events = - [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declared]]<br>- [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Recognized]]| established_dates = From [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]]<br> [[July 4]], [[1776]]<br>[[September 3]], [[1783]]

| currency = [[United States dollar|Dollar]] ($)

| currency_code = USD

| country_code = USA

| time_zone =

| utc_offset = -5 to -10

| time_zone_DST =

| utc_offset_DST = -4 to -10

| cctld = [[.us]] [[.gov]] [[.edu]] [[.mil]] [[.um]]

| calling_code = 1

| HDI = 0.944

| HDI_rank = 10th

| footnotes = 1.) Area rank is ''[[List of countries and outlying territories by area|disputed]]'' with China and sometimes is ranked 3rd or 4th.

}}

The '''United States of America''', also known as the '''United States''', the '''U.S.''', the '''U.S.A.''', the '''States''', and '''America'''<ref>[[Americas (terminology)]]</ref>, is a [[country]] in [[North America]]. A [[federalism|federal]] [[constitutional republic]], the United States shares land borders with [[Canada]] and [[Mexico]], and extends from the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Its [[capital]] is [[Washington, D.C.]]

'''WPBF''' is the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]-affiliated [[television station]] for the [[Treasure Coast]] area of [[Florida]]'s east coast. Licensed to [[Tequesta, Florida|Tequesta]], the station broadcasts an analog signal on [[UHF]] channel 25 and a digital signal on UHF channel 16. WPBF's transmitter is located south of [[Fort Pierce, Florida|Fort Pierce]] and [[Interstate 95|I-95]] in [[Martin County, Florida|Martin County]]. The station's studios are located on RCA Blvd. in the Monet section of [[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida|Palm Beach Gardens]]. WPBF is owned by the [[Hearst Corporation]] and operated by [[Hearst-Argyle Television]].

The present-day United States has been inhabited for at least 15,000 years by [[Native Americans]]. After 16th-century [[European colonization of the Americas|European exploration]], the [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] established colonies in the eastern portion of the continent in the 17th century. On [[July 4]], [[1776]], at [[American Revolutionary War|war]] with Britain over who would govern, [[thirteen colonies|thirteen of these colonies]] [[United States Declaration of Independence|declared their independence]]; in 1783, the war ended in British acceptance of the new nation. Since then, the country has expanded greatly through territorial acquisitions: it now consists of 50 [[U.S. state|states]], a federal district, and a number of overseas territories.

The station offers [[The AccuWeather Channel]] on its DT2 digital subchannel as well as via live streaming video on its website. The weather channel is known on-air as ''Weather First TV''.

At over 3.7 million square miles (over 9.1 million km²), the U.S. is the [[List of countries and outlying territories by area|third largest country]] by area. Home to nearly 300 million people, it is the world's [[List of countries by population|third most populous nation]].

The United States has maintained a stable [[liberal democracy|liberal democratic]] political system since it adopted its constitution on [[September 17]], [[1787]]. American military and economic stature increased throughout the 20th century; with the [[collapse of the Soviet Union|collapse]] of the [[Soviet Union]] at the end of the [[Cold War]], the nation emerged as the world's [[Superpower#The United States|sole superpower]].<ref>[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040701faessay83406/eliot-a-cohen/history-and-the-hyperpower.html History and the Hyperpower by Eliot A. Cohen]. July/August 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref>

==History of name==

The earliest known use of the name ''[[America]]'' is from 1507, when a globe and a large map created by the [[Holy Roman Empire|German]] cartographer [[Martin Waldseemüller]] in [[Saint-Dié-des-Vosges]] described the combined continents of North and South America. An accompanying book, ''[[Cosmographiae Introductio]]'', explains the name as a [[Grammatical gender|feminized]] version of the [[Latin]] name of Italian explorer [[Amerigo Vespucci]] (''Americus Vespucius''); in Latin, the other continents' names were feminine.

The Americas, including the region encompassing the thirteen colonies, were originally known as ''[[Historical Columbia|Columbia]]'', prompting the name ''District of Columbia'' for the land set aside for the nation's capital. ''Columbia'' remained a popular name for the United States until the early [[twentieth century]], when it fell into relative disuse; but it is still used poetically and appears in various names and titles. A female [[personification]] of the country is also called ''Columbia''; she is similar to [[Britannia]]. <ref>http://www.nasa.gov/columbia/home/index.html</ref>^,<ref>http://www.columbiarecords.com/</ref>^,<ref>http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/C/htmlC/columbiabroa/columbiabroa.htm</ref>^,<ref>http://www.reelclassics.com/Studios/Columbia/columbia.htm</ref>^,<ref>http://memory.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200000004/default.html</ref>

The term "United States of America"<!--NOTE: Declaration has "united", NOT "United"--> was first used officially in the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]], adopted on [[July 4]], [[1776]]. On [[November 15]], [[1777]], the [[Second Continental Congress]] adopted the [[Articles of Confederation]], the first of which stated "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'"

==History==

WPBF first went on the air [[January 1]], [[1989]] owned by Brenda Skipper and Sylvia Salinas. The original plans called for the station to be an [[Independent station|independent]]. However, in mid-[[1988]] [[CBS]], which was due to lose its longtime [[Miami]] - [[Fort Lauderdale]] affiliate [[WTVJ]] to [[NBC]], bought [[FOX]] affiliate WCIX (now [[WFOR-TV]]). WCIX only provided a Grade B ("rimshot") signal to Fort Lauderdale because its transmitter was located farther south than the other Miami - Fort Lauderdale stations. CBS persuaded the longtime ABC affiliate in West Palm Beach [[WPEC]] to switch to CBS in order to get a city-grade signal in Fort Lauderdale. In the fall of [[1988]], ABC made the decision to affiliate with WPBF rather than with the former CBS affiliate [[WTVX]]. These changes occurred on the day of WPBF's sign on.

{{main|History of the United States}}

[[Image:MayflowerHarbor.jpg|left|thumb|The [[Mayflower]], which transported [[Pilgrims]] to the New World, arrived in 1620.]]

Before the [[European colonization of the Americas]], a process that began at the end of the 15th century, the present-day U.S. was inhabited exclusively by [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]s, who arrived on the [[North America|continent]] between 50,000 and 11,000 years ago.<ref>[http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmnh/origin.htm "Paleoamerican Origins"]. 1999. Smithsonian Institution. ''Accessed May 2, 2006.''</ref> The first successful English settlement was at [[Virginia Colony|Jamestown]], Virginia, in 1607, followed in 1620 by the [[Pilgrims]]' landing at [[Plymouth]], [[Massachusetts]]. Within the following two decades, several [[Netherlands|Dutch]] settlements, including [[New Amsterdam]] (later [[New York City]]), were established; [[New Sweden]] was founded by the Swedes in Delaware, and extensive [[British]] settlement of the east coast continued making up the original [[thirteen colonies]] that would form the United States in 1776.

[[Image:Declaration independence.jpg|thumb|The signing of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]]]]

Tensions between American colonials and the British during the [[American Revolution|revolutionary period]] of the 1760s and 1770s led to open military conflict in 1775. [[George Washington]] commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) as the [[Second Continental Congress]] adopted the Declaration of Independence on [[July 4]], [[1776]]. The Second Continental Congress had been formed to confront British actions, and did create the [[Continental Army]], but did not have the authority to levy [[tax]]es or make federal laws. In 1777, the Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, uniting the states under a weak federal government, which operated from 1781 until 1788, when enough states had ratified the [[United States Constitution]]. The Constitution, which strengthened the union and the federal government, has since remained the supreme law of the land.<ref>Yanak, Ted and Cornelison, Pam. ''The Great American History Fact-finder: The Who, What, Where, When, and Why of American History''. Page 114. Houghton Mifflin; 2nd Updated edition: August 27, 2004. ISBN 0618439412</ref>

[[Image:U.S. Territorial Acquisitions.png|left|176px|thumb|National Atlas map depicting dates of territorial acquisitions.]]

From 1803 to 1848, the size of the new nation nearly tripled as settlers (many entrenched with the concept of [[Manifest Destiny]] as an inevitable consequence of [[American exceptionalism]]) pushed beyond national boundaries even before the [[Louisiana Purchase]].<ref>[http://eps.berkeley.edu/~brimhall/EPS170AC_LNS170AC/L-20.pdf Manifest Destiny- An interpretation of How the West was Won]. Crossroads of Earth Resources and Society. URL accessed on May 4, 2006.</ref> The expansion was tempered somewhat by the stalemate in the [[War of 1812]], but was subsequently reinvigorated by victory in the [[Mexican-American War]] in 1848.

[[Image:Battle of Gettysburg, by Currier and Ives.png|200px|thumb|right|The [[Battle of Gettysburg]], the bloodiest battle and turning point of the [[American Civil War]]. The victory of the Union kept the country unified.]]

As new territories were being incorporated, the nation was divided over the issue of [[states' rights]], the role of the federal government, and, by the 1820s, the expansion of slavery. The [[Union (American Civil War)|Northern states]] were opposed to the expansion of slavery whereas the [[Southern United States|Southern states]] saw the opposition as an attack on their way of life, since their economy was dependent on [[History of slavery in the United States|slave labor]]. The failure to resolve these issues led to the [[American Civil War]], following the secession of many [[slave state]]s in the South to form the [[Confederate States of America]] after the [[United States presidential election, 1860|1860 election]] of [[Abraham Lincoln]].<ref>Morrison, Michael A ''Slavery and the American West: The Eclipse of Manifest Destiny and the Coming of the Civil War''. Page 176. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807847968.</ref> The 1865 [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] victory in the Civil War effectively ended slavery, as well as settling the question of whether a state had the right to secede. The event was a major turning point in American history, with an increase in federal power.<ref>De Rosa, Marshall L. ''The Politics of Dissolution: The Quest for a National Identity and the American Civil War''. Page 266. Transaction Publishers: January 1, 1997. ISBN 1560003499</ref>

After the Civil War, an unprecedented influx of [[Immigration to the United States|immigrants]], who helped to provide labor for American industry and create diverse communities in [[American Old West|undeveloped areas]] together with high tariff protections, national infrastructure building, and national banking regulations, hastened the country's rise to international power. The United States subsequently gained new territories as a result of its growing power status, including the annexation of [[Puerto Rico]] after a victory in the [[Spanish-American War]],<ref>Spielvogel, Jackson J. ''Western Civilization: Volume II: Since 1500''. Page 708. Wadsworth Publishing: January 10, 2005. ISBN 0534646042</ref> which marked the beginning of the U.S. as a [[Great power|major world power]].

[[Image:Ellis island 1902.jpg|left|thumb|176px|Landing at [[Ellis Island]], 1902. Immigration helped spur the American economy.]]

At the start of the [[First World War]], in 1914, the U.S. remained neutral; but, in 1917, the U.S. joined the [[Triple Entente|Allied Powers]], helping to turn the tide against the [[Central Powers]]. For historical reasons, American sympathies were very much in favor of the British and French, even though a sizable number of citizens, mostly Irish and German, were opposed to intervention.<ref>Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, ''The Reader's Companion to American History.'' Page 576. October 21, 1991. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395513723.</ref> After the war, the Senate did not ratify the [[Treaty of Versailles]], because of a fear that it would pull the U.S. into European affairs which President Washington had warned against. Instead, the country chose to pursue a policy of [[unilateralism]] that bordered at times on being [[isolationism|isolationist]].<ref>McDuffie, Jerome, Piggrem, Gary Wayne, and Woodworth, Steven E. ''U.S. History Super Review''. Page 418. Research & Education Association: June 21, 2005. ISBN 0738600709</ref>

[[Image:Dallas South Dakota 1936.jpg|thumb|right|176px|An abandoned farm in South Dakota during [[the Great Depression]], 1936.]]

During [[Roaring Twenties|most of the 1920s]], the U.S. enjoyed a period of unbalanced prosperity as farm prices fell and industrial profits grew. A rise in debt and an inflated [[stock market]] culminated in a [[Stock market crash|crash]] in 1929, triggering the [[Great Depression]], which with the [[New Deal]], led to the rise of greater government intervention in the economy.

The nation did not fully recover until 1941, when the U.S. was driven to join the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] against the [[Axis Powers|Axis]] after a surprise [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] by the Japanese. [[World War II]] was the costliest war in American history, but helped to pull the economy out of depression as the required production of military materiel provided much-needed jobs and women entered the workforce in large numbers for the first time.<ref>Walker, John F, and Vatter, Harold G ''The Rise of Big Government in the United States''. Page 63. M.E. Sharpe: May 1997. ISBN 0765600676.</ref>

[[Image:WW2 Iwo Jima flag raising.jpg|thumb|left|176px|American Marines [[Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima]],<!--Do not remove this copyright!--> by [[Joe Rosenthal]] / [[The Associated Press]]]]

After World War II, the United States and the [[Soviet Union]] became superpowers in an era of ideological rivalry dubbed the [[Cold War]]. The U.S. represented [[liberal democracy]] and [[capitalism]], while the USSR represented [[communism]] and a centrally [[planned economy]]. The result was a series of [[proxy war]]s, including the [[Korean War]], the [[Vietnam War]], and the tense nuclear showdown of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]].

[[Image:Buzz Aldrin with U.S. flag.jpg|right|176px|thumb|U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the moon, 1969.]]

The perception that the U.S. was losing the [[space race]] spurred government efforts to raise proficiency in mathematics and science in schools<ref>Rudolph, John L. ''Scientists in the Classroom: The Cold War Reconstruction of American Science Education''. Page 1. Palgrave Macmillan: May 3, 2002. ISBN 0312295715.</ref> and lead to [[John F. Kennedy|President Kennedy]]'s call for the United States to land "a man on the moon" by the end of the 1960s, which was realized in 1969.<ref>Rudolph, John L. ''Scientists in the Classroom: The Cold War Reconstruction of American Science Education''. Page 1. Palgrave Macmillan: May 3, 2002. ISBN 0312295715.</ref>

Meanwhile, American society experienced a period of sustained economic expansion. At the same time, discrimination across the U.S., especially in the [[Southern states|South]], was increasingly challenged by a growing [[American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968)|civil-rights movement]] headed by prominent African Americans such as [[Martin Luther King, Jr.]], which led to the abolition of the racist [[Jim Crow laws]] in the South.<ref>Klarman, Michael J. ''From Jim Crow to Civil Rights: The Supreme Court and the Struggle for Racial Equality''. Page 552. Oxford University Press, USA: May 4, 2006. ISBN 0195310187.</ref>

After the [[History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)|fall of the Soviet Union]] in 1991, the United States continued to involve itself in military action overseas, such as the [[Gulf War]].

Following the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], U.S. foreign policy focused on the threat of [[terrorist]] attacks. In response, the government under [[George W. Bush]] began a series of military and legal operations termed the [[War on Terror]], beginning with the overthrow of Afghanistan's [[Taliban]] government in October 2001. Soon after, the "War on Terror" continued with the controversial [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], with support from 30 governments known as '[[the coalition of the willing]]'. This invasion resulted in a wave of [[anti-American sentiment]] abroad and an anti-war movement that has grown over time. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2862343.stm "US names 'coalition of the willing'"] Steve Schifferes. BBC News. March 18,, 2003. Accessed April 17,, 2006.</ref>

==Government and politics==

<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->

{{morepolitics|country=the United States}}

[[Image:USCapitol.jpg|thumb|266px|right|The United States Capitol]]

The United States is the longest-surviving [[constitution]]al [[republic]] with the oldest written [[United States constitution|constitution]] in the world. Its government operates as a [[representative democracy]] through a [[congressional system]] under a set of powers specified by its [[United States Constitution|Constitution]]. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Officials at all three levels are either elected by voters in a [[secret ballot]] or appointed by other elected officials. Executive and legislative offices are decided by a [[plurality voting system|plurality vote]] of citizens in their respective districts, with judicial and cabinet-level offices nominated by the Executive and approved by the Legislature. In some states, judicial posts are filled by popular election rather than executive appointment.

The [[federal government of the United States|federal government]] comprises three branches, which are designed to [[checks and balances|check and balance]] one another's powers:

*[[legislature|Legislative]]: The [[Congress of the United States|Congress]], made up of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] and the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]].

*[[Executive (government)|Executive]]: The [[President of the United States|President]], who appoints, with Senate approval, the [[United States Cabinet|Cabinet]] and other officers to help administer federal law.

*[[Judiciary]]: The [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the President with Senate approval.

The United States Congress is a [[bicameralism|bicameral]] legislature. The House of Representatives has 435 members, each representing a [[congressional district]] for a two-year term. House seats are [[United States Congressional apportionment|apportioned]] among the [[U.S. state|states]] according to [[population]] every tenth year. Each state has two Senators, regardless of population, elected to six-year terms; one third the 100 Senators are elected every second year.

Under the country's [[federal system]], the relationship between the state and national governments is complex; under [[Law of the United States|U.S. law]], states are considered sovereign entities. However, the American Civil War and ''[[Texas v. White]]'' established that states do not have the right to secede, and, under the Constitution, they are not allowed to conduct [[foreign policy]]. [[Federal law]] overrides [[state law]] in the areas in which the federal government is empowered to act; but the powers of the federal government are subject to limits outlined in the Constitution. All powers not granted to the federal government in the Constitution are left to the states or the people themselves. However, the "[[Necessary-and-proper clause|Necessary and Proper]]" and "[[commerce clause|Commerce]]" clauses of the Constitution legally allow the extension of federal powers into other affairs.

The Constitution contains a dedication to "preserve [[liberty]]" with a "[[United States Bill of Rights|Bill of Rights]]" and other [[United States Constitution#Amendments|amendments]], which guarantee [[freedom of speech]], [[freedom of religion|religion]], and the [[freedom of the press|the press]]; the [[right to a fair trial]]; [[Second Amendment to the United States Constitution|the right to keep and bear arms]]; [[universal suffrage]]; and [[Property|property rights]]. However, although the United States is committed to the Western ideology to pursue human rights, the extent to which these rights are available in practice is debated: various forms of ethnic [[discrimination]] were not legally prohibited until the 1964 [[Civil Rights Act of 1964|Civil Rights Act]]. However, discrimination is fading with a more tolerant culture and the passage of numerous anti-discrimination laws, embraced by the majority of Americans.

There are two major political parties: the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. The Republicans are generally socially conservative and economically classical-liberals with some right-center centrists. The Democrats are generally socially liberal and economically progressive with some left-center centrists. Growing numbers of Americans identify with neither party—with some claiming the title Independent and others joining the emerging [[Green Party (United States)|Green]] or [[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform]] parties. Since the [[United States House election, 1994|1994 elections]], the Republican Party has held the majority in both houses of Congress; since 2001, the president has been [[George W. Bush]], a Republican.

==Foreign relations and military==

{{main articles|[[Foreign relations of the United States]] and [[Military of the United States]]}}

[[image:Bush and Blair at Camp David a better one.jpg|thumb|240px|[[President of the United States]], [[George W. Bush]] (right) at [[Camp David]] in March 2003, hosting the [[British Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] of the United Kingdom. Both countries have dominated world politics.]]

The United States has large economic, political, and military influence on a global scale, which makes its foreign policy a subject of great interest and discussion around the world. Almost all countries have [[List of Washington, D.C. embassies|embassies]] in Washington, D.C., and [[Consul (representative)|consulate]]s around the country. However, [[Cuba]], [[Iran]], [[North Korea]], and [[Sudan]] do not have formal diplomatic relations with the United States.<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/INS/e0304/results.htm "Table 2 Aliens From Countries That Sponsor Terrorism Who Were Ordered Removed - October 1, 2000 through December 31, 2001"]. February 2003. U.S. Department of Justice. ''URL accessed May 30, 2006''.</ref> The U.S. is a founding member of the [[United Nations]] (with a permanent seat on the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]]), among many other [[international organizations]].

In 1949, in their effort to contain communism during the Cold War, the U.S., Canada, and ten Western European nations formed the [[NATO|North Atlantic Treaty Organization]], a mutual-defense alliance in which they have since been joined by 14 other European states—including Turkey, which straddles the Eurasian border, and some former Soviet states. In an example of [[realpolitik]], the U.S. also established diplomatic relations with Communist countries that were antagonistic to the Soviet Union, like the [[People's Republic of China]] during the [[Sino-Soviet split]]. Recently, the United States has fought against not only terrorism but the proliferation of [[weapons of mass destruction]]. Calls by an overwhelming majority of American citizens continue for increased border security against [[illegal immigration]] and the shipment of [[drug trade|illegal narcotics]], with their primary goal the protection of American interests and the safety of U.S. citizens around the world, against such threats as terrorist infiltration at the border with Mexico.<ref name=ISSUES>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html#Issues "Transnational Issues"]. April 20, 2006. CIA World factbook. Accessed April 30, 2006.</ref>

[[Image:USS Nimitz 1997.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Supercarrier]]s like the [[USS Nimitz|USS ''Nimitz'']] are a major component of the U.S. system of [[force projection]].]]

The United States has a long-standing tradition of civilian control over military affairs. The [[Department of Defense]] administers the United States [[armed forces]], which comprise the [[United States Army|Army]], the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]], and the [[United States Navy|Navy]] (including the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]]). The [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]] falls under the jurisdiction of the [[Department of Homeland Security]] in [[Peace|peacetime]], but is placed under the [[Department of the Navy]] in times of [[war]].

The military of the United States comprises 1.4 million [[personnel]] on [[active duty]]<ref>[http://www.dior.whs.mil/mmid/military/ms9.pdf "Active Duty Military Personnel Strength Levels"]. 2002. ''Accessed May 2, 2006.''</ref>, along with several hundred thousand each in the [[Reserve component|Reserves]] and the [[United States National Guard|National Guard]]. Service in the military is voluntary, though conscription may occur in times of war. The U.S. is considered to have the most powerful high-tech military in the world, because it spends a significant amount on traditional-warfare power projection capabilities; American defense expenditures are estimated to be greater than the [[Military budget of the United States|next twenty largest national military budgets combined]]. However, this budget is only about 4% of the country's GDP<ref>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html#Military Military]. June 1, 2006. [[CIA Factbook]]. ''URL accessed June 3, 2006.''</ref>, which is historically fairly low.<ref>{{cite web | author = Truth and Politics | title = Relative Size of US Military Spending from 1940 to 2003 | url = http://www.truthandpolitics.org/military-relative-size.php | accessdate = May 26 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref> As of September 2004, the U.S. maintains [[Deployments of the United States Military|737 military bases and facilities]] on every continent but [[Antarctica]].<ref>[http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/20050527_2005BSR.pdf U.S. Department of Defense Base Structure Report, Fiscal Year 2005 Baseline]. ''Accessed June 1 2006.''</ref>

==States and territories==

{{main|Political divisions of the United States}}

[[Image:Map of USA with state names.svg|300px|thumbnail|right|Map of United States, showing state names.<ref>Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales; the [[Aleutian Islands]] and the [[uninhabited island|uninhabited]] [[Northwestern Hawaiian Islands]] are omitted from this map.</ref>]]

The conterminous, or contiguous, forty-eight states—all the states but [[Alaska]] and [[Hawaii]]—are also called the [[continental United States]]. Some include Alaska in the "continental" states, because, although it is separated from the "lower forty-eight" by Canada, it is part of the North American mainland. All of these terms commonly include the [[District of Columbia]]. Hawaii, the fiftieth state, is an [[archipelago]] in the Pacific Ocean.

The United States also holds several other territories, districts, and possessions, notably the [[federal district]] of the District of Columbia—which contains the nation's capital city, Washington—and several overseas [[insular area]]s, the most significant of which are [[American Samoa]], [[Guam]], the [[Northern Mariana Islands]], [[Puerto Rico]], and the [[United States Virgin Islands]]. [[Palmyra Atoll]] is the United States' only [[incorporated territory]]; but it is [[Unorganized territory|unorganized]] and uninhabited. In addition, since 1898, the United States Navy has leased an extensive [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|naval base]] at [[Guantanamo Bay]], [[Cuba]].

==Ecology==

===Geography and climate===

{{main|Geography of the United States}}

[[Image:USA-satellite.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A satellite composite image of the [[continental United States|contiguous U.S.]]

[[Deciduous]] vegetation and [[grassland]]s prevail in the east, transitioning to [[prairies]], [[boreal]] forests, and the [[Rocky Mountains]] in the west, and [[desert]]s in the southwest. In the northeast, the coasts of the [[Great Lakes]] and [[Atlantic seaboard]] host much of the country's population.

]]

[[Image:MtHood TrilliumLake.jpg|right|150px|thumb|[[Mount Hood]], an active volcano in the northwest.]]

The United States is the world's third largest country by land area, after Russia and Canada.<ref>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html Rank Order- Area]. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref> It is bounded by the North [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the east, the North [[Pacific Ocean]] to the west, [[Mexico]] to the south, and Canada to the north. Alaska also borders Canada, with the Pacific Ocean to its south and the [[Arctic Ocean]] to its north. The island state of Hawaii is situated in the Pacific, southwest of the [[North America]]n mainland.

The U.S. has an extremely varied geography. The eastern seaboard has a [[coastal plain]] which is widest in the south and almost nonexistent in the north. Beyond the coastal plain, the rolling hills of the [[Piedmont (United States)|piedmont]] region end at the [[Appalachian Mountains]] which rise above 6,000&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|feet]] (1,830&nbsp;[[metre|m]]) in [[North Carolina]] and [[New Hampshire]]. From the west slope of the Appalachians, the [[Midwestern United States|Midwestern]] [[prairie]] is relatively flat and is the ___location of the [[Great Lakes]] as well as the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]]-[[Missouri River]], the world's fourth longest river system.<ref>[http://www.visitbemidji.com/index.html Mississippi River]. 2004. Visit Bemidji- First City on the Mississippi. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref> West of the Mississippi River, the prairie slopes uphill and blends into the vast and oftentimes featureless [[Great Plains]]. The abrupt rise of the [[Rocky Mountains]] at the western edge of the great plains, extends the entire width of the continental U.S., reaching altitudes over 14,000&nbsp;feet (4,270&nbsp;m) in [[Colorado]].<ref>Peakbagger.com, [http://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=21360 Colorado 14,000-foot Peaks], ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref> Dozens of mountain ranges and valleys are found in the [[Great Basin]] region which also has deep chasms including the [[Snake River]] and [[Grand Canyon]]. At the western end of the great basin, [[Death Valley]] lies below sea level and is the lowest point in the western hemisphere. Immediately to the west, the [[Sierra Nevada (US)|Sierra Nevada]] mountain range has [[Mount Whitney]], the highest peak in the continental U.S. Along the Pacific coast, the [[Coast Ranges]] and the [[volcano|volcanic]] [[Cascade Range]] extend across the width of the country. Alaska has numerous mountain ranges, including [[Mount McKinley]] (Denali), the highest peak in North America. Numerous volcanoes can be found throughout the [[Alexander Archipelago|Alexander]] and [[Aleutian Islands]] extending south and west of the Alaskan mainland. The Hawaiian islands are [[Hawaiian islands|tropical, volcanic islands]] extending over 1,500&nbsp;[[mile]]s (2,400&nbsp;[[kilometre|km]]), and consisting of six larger islands and another dozen smaller ones that are inhabited.

[[Image:Ppeak-s.jpg|200px|thumb|left|[[Pikes Peak]], in [[Colorado]], part of the Rocky Mountains, which rise abruptly over the Great Plains.]]

The [[climate]] of the U.S. is as varied as its landscape. In northern Alaska, [[tundra]] and [[arctic]] conditions predominate, and the temperature has fallen as low as minus 80&nbsp;°[[Fahrenheit|F]] (&minus;62&nbsp;°[[Centigrade|C]]).<ref>Williams, Jack [http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wcstates.htm Each state's low temperature record], ''USA today'', ''URL accessed June 13, 2006.''</ref> On the other end of the spectrum, [[Death Valley, California]] once reached 134&nbsp;°F (56.7&nbsp;°C); the second-highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.<ref>Death-Valley.us, [http://www.death-valley.us/climate/climate1.html Weather Landmarks], ''Death Valley Weather Facts'', ''URL accessed June 13, 2006.''</ref>

The northern states near the Canadian border receive the most snowfall, with the highest snowfall levels in the Cascade Range in [[Washington]], in the region near the Great Lakes and on the highest peaks of the northern Rocky Mountains. Along the northwestern Pacific coast, rainfall is greater than anywhere else in the continental U.S.<ref>National Atlas, [http://www.nationalatlas.gov/mld/prism0p.html Average Annual Precipitation, 1961-1990], ''URL accessed June 15, 2006.''</ref> but Hawaii receives even more, with 250&nbsp;[[inch]]es (635&nbsp;[[centimetre|cm]]) measured annually on some islands. Some areas in the southwestern deserts receive less than 10&nbsp;inches (25&nbsp;cm) of rain annually.<ref>Hereford, Richard, et al, [http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs117-03/ Precipitation History of the Mojave Desert Region, 1893–2001], ''U.S. Geological Survey, Fact Sheet 117-03'', ''URL accessed June 13, 2006.''</ref>

In central portions of the U.S., [[tornado]]es are more common than anywhere else on Earth<ref>NOVA, [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tornado/country.html Tornado Heaven], ''Hunt for the Supertwister'', ''URL accessed June 15, 2006.''</ref> and touch down most commonly in the spring and summer. Deadly and destructive [[hurricane]]s occur almost every year along the Atlantic seaboard and the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. The Appalachian region and the Midwest experience the worst floods, though virtually no area in the U.S. is immune to flooding.<ref>O'Connor, Jim E. and John E. Costa, [http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2003/circ1245/ Large Floods in the United States: Where They Happen and Why], ''U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1245'', ''URL accessed June 13, 2006.''</ref>

===Flora and fauna===

[[Image:Haliaeetus leucocephalus2.jpg|right|125px|thumb|The [[Bald Eagle]] is on the [[Great Seal of the United States]]. Protection of this once endangered species has helped save them from extinction.]]

The U.S. has over 17,000 identified native plant and tree species, including 5,000 just in California.<ref>Morse, Larry E., et al, [http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/noframe/j085.htm Native Vascular Plants], ''Our Living Resources, U.S. Department of the Interior'', ''URL accessed June 14, 2006.''</ref> With habitats ranging from tropical to arctic, the flora of the U.S. is the most diverse of any country; yet, thousands of non-native [[exotic species|exotic]] species sometimes adversely affect indigenous plant and animal communities. Over 400 species of mammal, 700 species of bird, 500 species of reptile and amphibian, and 90,000 species of insect have been documented.<ref>National Biological Service, [http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/index.htm Our Living Resources], ''URL accessed June 14, 2006.''</ref> Many plants and animals are very localized in their distribution, and some are in danger of extinction. The U.S. passed the [[Endangered Species Act]] in 1973, to protect native plant and animal species and their habitats.

Conservation has a long history in the U.S.; in 1872, the world's first [[National Park]] was established, at [[Yellowstone National Park|Yellowstone]]. Another 57 national parks and hundreds of other federally managed parks and forests have since been designated.<ref>National Park Service, [http://www.nps.gov/applications/release/Detail.cfm?ID=639 National Park Service Announces Addition of Two New Units], ''National Park Service News release'' (February 28, 2006), ''URL accessed June 13, 2006.''</ref> In some parts of the country, [[wilderness]] areas have been established to ensure long-term protection of pristine habitats. The [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]] monitors [[endangered species|endangered]] and [[threatened species|threatened]] species and has set aside numerous areas for species- and habitat-preservation. Altogether, the U.S. government owns 1,020,779 square miles (2,643,807&nbsp;km²) which is 28.8% of the total land area of the U.S.<ref>Republican Study Committee, [http://johnshadegg.house.gov/rsc/Federal%20Land%20Ownership--May%202005.pdf Federal Land and Buildings Ownership], (May 19, 2005), ''URL accessed June 13, 2006.''</ref> The bulk of this land is protected park and forestland; but some is leased for [[petroleum|oil and gas]] exploration, [[mining]], and cattle ranching.

==Economy==

{{main articles|[[Economy of the United States]], [[Science and technology in the United States]], and [[Transportation in the United States]]}}

The [[economic history of the United States]] has its roots in the marginally successful colonial economies that progressed to largest industrial nation in the world by the turn of the 20th Century.

[[Image:Photos NewYork1 032.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Wall Street]], in [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]], represents the status of the U.S. as a major global financial power.]]

The economic system of the United States can be described as a [[capitalist]]-[[mixed economy]], in which [[corporation]]s and other private firms make the majority of [[microeconomic]] decisions, and governments prefer to take a smaller role in the domestic economy, although the combined role of all levels of government is relatively large, at 36% of the GDP. The U.S. has a small [[social safety net]], and regulation faced by [[List of United States companies|business firms in the U.S.]] is slightly below the average of developed countries.<ref>[http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cfm Index of Economic Freedom 2006] by [[Heritage Foundation]]. ''URL accessed May 13, 2006.''</ref>

Economic activity varies greatly across the country. For example, [[New York City]] is a center of [[finance|financial]], [[publishing]], [[broadcasting]], and [[advertising]] industries, while [[Los Angeles]] is the most important center for [[film]] and [[television]] production. The [[San Francisco Bay Area]] and the [[Pacific Northwest]] are major centers for technology. The [[Midwest]] is known for its reliance on manufacturing and heavy industry, with [[Detroit]] serving as the center of the American [[automotive industry]]. The [[Southeast]] is a major area for [[medical research]], [[tourism]], and the [[lumber]] industry.

[[Image:Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania.jpg|thumb|200px|left|A farm near [[Klingerstown, Pennsylvania]]. [[Farming]] is a major contributor to the American economy.]]

The largest sector in the United States economy is [[Tertiary sector of industry|service]], which employs roughly three quarters of the work force.<ref>[http://www.issues.org/15.2/herzenberg.htm "Toward a Learning Economy" by Stephen A. Herzenberg, John A. Alic, and Howard Wial]. 2006. Toward a Learning Economy. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref> The economy is fueled by an abundance in [[natural resource]]s such as [[coal]], [[petroleum]], and [[precious metal]]s. However, the country still depends much of its energy source on foreign countries. In [[agriculture]], the country is a top producer of [[maize|corn]], [[soy beans]], [[rice]], and [[wheat]], with the [[Great Plains]] labeled as the "breadbasket of the world" for their tremendous agricultural output.<ref>Frazier, Ian. ''Great Plains.'' Page 9. May 4, 2001. Picador; 1st Picado edition. ISBN 0312278500</ref> The U.S. has a large tourist industry, ranking third in the world,<ref>[http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/analysis/keyfacts99.html The United States International Travel Industry- Key Facts About Inbound Tourism]. May 8, 2000. ITA Office of Travel & Tourism Industries. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref> and is also a major exporter in [[Good (economics)|goods]] such as [[automobile]]s, [[fixed-wing aircraft|airplane]]s, [[steel]], [[weapons]], and [[electronics]]. The largest trading partner of the United States is Canada (19%), followed by the [[People's Republic of China]], [[Mexico]], and [[Japan]].

While the per-capita income of the United States is among the highest in the world, the wealth is comparatively concentrated, with approximately 40% of the population being worse off than most of [[western Europe]] and the top 20% being substantially richer.<ref>[http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/cache/papers/cs/1185/http:zSzzSzwww.nuff.ox.ac.ukzSzeconomics_wpzSzw13zSzlyonrev.pdf/atkinson95income.pdf Income Distribution in Europe and the United States by A B Atkinson]. September 1995. Nuffield College in Oxford. ''URL accessed June 3, 2006.''</ref> The [[social mobility]] of the U.S. is relatively low and has been characterized since 1975 as a "two-tier labor market," in which practically all the income gains have gone to the top 20% of households.<ref>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html#Econ Economy]. June 13, 2006. CIA World Factbook. ''URL accessed June 15, 2006.''</ref>

[[Image:Shuttle.jpg|thumb|The [[Space Shuttle]] takes off on a manned mission to space.]]

The United States is an influential country in scientific and technological research and the production of [[Technological innovations of the United States|innovative technological products]]. During [[World War II]], the U.S. was the first to develop the [[atomic bomb]], ushering in the [[atomic age]]. Since the country was relatively undamaged by the war, it was able to revive scientific and technological progress in a short period of time. During the beginnings of the [[Cold War]], the U.S. began successes in space science and technology, leading to a [[space race]], which led to rapid advances in [[rocketry]], [[weaponry]], [[material science]], [[computers]], and many other areas, culminating the first visit of a man to the moon, when [[Neil Armstrong]] stepped off of [[Apollo 11]] in July 1969.<ref>[http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/introduction.htm Apollo 30th Anniversary]. September 20, 2002. NASA. ''Accessed May 2, 2006.''</ref>

In the sciences, the United States has a large share of [[Nobel Prizes]], especially in the fields of [[physiology]] and [[medicine]]. The [[National Institutes of Health]], a focal point for biomedical research in the United States, has contributed to the completion of the [[Human Genome Project]].<ref>[http://www.genome.gov/ The National Human Genome Research Institute]. 2006. National Human Genome Research Institute- National Institutes of health. ''Accessed May 2, 2006''.</ref> The main governmental organization for [[aviation]] and space research is the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]. Major corporations, such as [[Boeing]] and [[Lockheed Martin]], also play an important role.

The automobile industry took off early in the United States in comparison with other countries, and much of the nation's transportation development has been centered on the construction of a network of high-capacity [[highway]]s. From data taken in 2004, there are about 3,981,521 [[mile]]s (6,407,637&nbsp;[[kilometer|km]]) of roadways in the U.S., the most in the world.<ref>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2085rank.html Rank Order- Roadways]. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. Accessed April 30, 2006.</ref>

Despite the popularity of cars, [[mass transit]] systems are also available in large cities, such as [[Transportation in New York City|New York]], which operates one of the busiest [[Rapid transit|subway]] systems in the world. However, in comparison to [[Japan]] and [[Europe]], the United States has an underdeveloped [[railroad|rail]] network, lacking [[High-speed rail in the United States|high-speed rail links]] connecting major cities.

[[Air travel]] is the preferred means of travel for long distances, the busiest airport being [[Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport]] (as well as being the [[World's busiest airport|busiest airport in the world]]), followed closely by [[O'Hare International Airport]] in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]]. There are also several major [[seaport]]s in the United States, with the three busiest being the [[Port of Los Angeles]], the [[Port of Long Beach]], and the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey|Port of New York and New Jersey]], all three among the [[world's busiest port]]s.

==Demographics==

{{main|Demographics of the United States}}

[[Image:US_population_map.png|left|240px|thumb|right|2000 Population Density Map]]

As of June 2006, there are an estimated 298,967,801 people in the United States, with a population growth rate of about 0.59%.<ref name=POP>[http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html#People People]. June 12, 2006. American Fact Finder. Accessed June 13th, 2006.</ref> According to [[United States Census, 2000|Census 2000]], about 79 percent of the population lives in urban areas,<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_lang=en&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTP1_US1&-format=US-1&-CONTEXT=gct "United States -- Urban/Rural and Inside/Outside Metropolitan Area"]. United States Census 2000. ''URL accessed May 29, 2006.''</ref> and the country has 31 ethnic groups with at least one million members each, with numerous others represented in smaller amounts.<ref>[http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-35.pdf Table 2. Ancestries With 100,000 or More People in 2000: 1990 and 2000]. Ancestry: 2000 - Census 2000 Brief. ''URL accessed May 29, 2006.''</ref>

The majority of Americans are descendants of [[Europe]]an [[Immigration to the United States|immigrants]]; this majority, which has been declining since 1965, is expected to be reduced to a [[plurality]] by 2050 if current immigration trends continue. The largest ethnic group of European ancestry is [[German peoples|German]] at 15.2 percent, followed by [[Irish people|Irish]] (10.8%), [[English people|English]] (8.7%), [[Italian people|Italian]] (5.6%) and [[Scandinavia]]n (3.7%). Many immigrants also hail from [[Slavs|Slavic]] countries, such as [[Poland]] and [[Russia]], as well as from [[French Canada]].<ref>[http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-35.pdf Figure 2 - Fifteen Largest Ancestries: 2000]. 2000. U.S. Census Bureau. ''URL accessed May 30, 2006.''</ref> [[African Americans]], or Blacks, first arrived as slaves from [[Africa]], particularly between 1690 and 1808. [[Indigenous peoples in the United States]], such as [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] and [[Inuit]], make up only a very small percentage of the total population, with about 35 percent of them living on [[Indian reservations|reservations]].<ref>[http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/pubs/fedgaz/06-03/trends.cfm "Tribal trends" by Douglas Clement]. March 2006. fedgazette. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006''.</ref>

Current demographic trends include the immigration of [[Hispanics]] from [[Latin America]] into the [[Southwest United States|Southwest]], a region that is home to about 60 percent of the 35 million Hispanics in the U.S. Immigrants from [[Mexico]] make up about 66 percent of the Hispanic community,<ref>[http://www.ushcc.com/res-statistics.html Population & Economic Strength]. United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. ''Accessed May 2, 2006.''</ref> are second only to the German-descent population in the single-ethnic category. The Hispanic population, which has been growing at an annual rate of about 4.46 percent since the 1990s, is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades, due largely to illegal migration .<ref>[http://www.facsnet.org/issues/faith/espinosa.php "Latino Religion in the U.S.: Demographic Shifts and Trends" by Bruce Murray]. January 5, 2006. FacsNet. ''Accessed May 2, 2006''.</ref> According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the population of the United States will reach 300 million people in October 2006.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=1503435 America Approaches 300 Million Population]. January 13 2006. ABC News. ''Accessed May 21, 2006.''</ref>

The United States has dozens of [[List of United States cities by population|major cities]], which play an important role in U.S. culture, heritage, and economy. In 2004, 251 [[incorporated place]]s had populations of at least 100,000 and nine had populations greater than 1,000,000, including several important [[global city|global cities]], such as [[New York City]], [[Los Angeles]], and [[Chicago]]. In addition, there are fifty [[List of United States metropolitan statistical areas by population|metropolitan areas]] with populations over 1,000,000.

===Language===

{{main|Languages in the United States}}

Although the U.S. has no official language, it is largely monolingual with [[American English|English]] being the [[national language]],<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Immigration-English.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "Gonzales: Language Bill Purely Symbolic"]. May 21, 2006. The Associated Press. ''URL accessed May 21, 2006.''</ref> which is spoken by about 82 percent of the population as a native language and nearly everyone as a daily language. Even though English is not the official language, knowledge of it is required to become a naturalized citizen. There have been moves by citizens recently to make English the [[official language]], which is the present case for many states. Twenty-seven states recognize English as an official language, and three states recognize other languages along with English - [[French language|French]] in [[Louisiana]], [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] in [[Hawaii]], and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] in [[New Mexico]].<ref>[http://www.englishfirst.org/efstates.htm 27 States Have Made English Official (25 State Laws Still in Effect)]. Englishfirst.org. ''URL accessed May 21, 2006.</ref>

===Religion===

{{main|Religion in the United States}}

[[Image:Pisgah.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Pisgah Baptist Church in Four Oaks, [[North Carolina]]. The [[Bible Belt]] is well known for its large Christian population.]]

The United States is the largest Christian-majority nation in the world, with [[Protestant]] denominations making up the majority, estimated at 52 percent (the most in the world), followed by [[Roman Catholics]] (24%), Mormon (2%), Jewish (1%), Muslim (1%), other (10%), and none (variously estimated at 10% to 15%).<ref name=POP>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html#People People]. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. Accessed May 1, 2006.</ref> The country is also noteworthy for its relatively high level of religiosity among developed nations. About 46 percent of American adults attend church at least once a week (not counting weddings, funerals and christenings), compared with 14 percent of adults in Great Britain, 8 percent in France, and 7 percent in Sweden. Moreover, 58 percent of Americans say they often think about the meaning and purpose of life, compared with 25 percent of the British, 26 percent of the Japanese, and 31 percent of West Germans.<ref>[http://www.umich.edu/news/index.html?Releases/2003/Nov03/r111703 "U-M study: U.S. among the most religious nations in the world"]. November 17, 2003. University of Michigan News Service. ''URL accessed May 29, 2006.''</ref> However, this rate is not uniform across the country as regular attendance is more common in the [[Bible Belt]], composed largely of [[Southern U.S.|Southern]] and Southern [[Midwest|Midwestern]] states, than in the [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]] or the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]].<ref name=RELIGION>[http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/church_poll020301.html "Who Goes to Church?"]. 2004. ABC News. ''Accessed May 2, 2006.''</ref>

===Education===

{{main|Education in the United States}}

Education in the United States, has been a state or local, not federal, responsibility. However, the [[United States Department of Education|Department of Education]] of the federal government exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. Students are generally obliged to attend mandatory schooling in [[public school]]s starting with [[kindergarten]], and ending with the 12th grade, which is normally completed at age 18, but many states may allow students to drop out at the age of 16. Besides [[public school]]s, parents may also choose to educate their own children at [[homeschooling|home]] or to send their children to [[parochial school|parochial]] or [[private school]]s. After [[List of high schools in the United States|high school]], students may choose to attend universities, either [[public university|public]] or [[private university|private]]. Public universities receive funding from the federal and state governments, as well as other sources, but students still have to pay student loans after graduation. Tuition at private universities is generally much higher than at public universities.

[[Image:RotundaII.jpg|200px|right|thumb|America's 19 [[World Heritage Site]]s include the [[University of Virginia]], one of many highly regarded public universities supported by taxpayers at the state level of government.]]

There are many competitive [[List of colleges and universities in the United States|institutions of higher education]] in the United States, both private and public. The United States has 168 universities in the world's top 500, 17 of which are in the top 20.<ref>[http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2005/ARWU2005Statistics.htm ARWU2005 Statistics] by Shanghai Jiao Tong university. URL accessed on May 16, 2006.</ref> There are also many smaller universities and [[liberal arts]] colleges, and local [[community college]]s of varying quality across the country with open admission policies.

The United States has a low literacy rate as compared to other developed countries, with a reading [[literacy rate]] at 86-98% of the population over age 15,<ref name=EDU>[http://nces.ed.gov/NAAL/PDF/2006470.PDF A First Look at the Literacy of America’s Adults in the 21st Century], U.S. Department of Education, 2003. Accessed May 13, 2006. 2% of the population do not have minimal literacy and 14% have Below Basic prose literacy.</ref> while ranking below average in science and mathematics.<ref>[http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/index.asp Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)], [[OECD]], reading literacy, science literacy and mathematics literacy all rank near the bottom of OECD-countries.</ref>

===Health===

{{main|Health care in the United States}}

Compared to other developed countries, health level in the United States is ranked low (72nd) by WHO and infant mortality rate is high (5 per 1,000); only [[Latvia]]'s is higher at 6 per 1,000.<ref>[http://www.who.int/whr/2000/annex10_en.xls "Health system performance in all Member States"] 1997. World Health Organization. Accessed May 1, 2006.</ref> <ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12699453/ "U.S. gets poor grades for newborns' survival- Nation ranks near bottom among modern nations, better only than Latvia"]. May 9, 2006. Associated Press. ''URL accessed May 9, 2006''.</ref> [[Obesity]] is also a [[public health]] problem, which is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars every year.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3418603.stm "Obesity cost US $75bn, says study" by Jannat Jalil]. January 21, 2004. BBC News. ''URL accessed May 12, 2006.</ref>

Also before signing on, WPBF had bought a large inventory of classic sitcoms and cartoons, but did not have any time in its broadcast day to air them due to ABC affiliation. It sold this programming to WTVX a couple of months later when that station shut down its news department.

Unlike most Western governments, the U.S. government does not guarantee [[publicly-funded health care]] to its citizens, leading to a notably high number of people suffering from lack of proper healthcare. Private charities and insurance play a huge role in covering health care costs. Health insurance in the United States is traditionally a benefit of employment, which is mandated by law in many cases. Also, emergency care facilities are required to provide service regardless of the patient's ability to pay. Medical bills are overwhelmingly the most common reason for personal bankruptcy in the United States.<ref>[http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.w5.63/DC1 "Illness And Injury As Contributors To Bankruptcy"], by David U. Himmelstein, Elizabeth Warren, Deborah Thorne, and Steffie Woolhandler, published at Health Affairs journal in 2005, ''Accessed May 10, 2006''.</ref> However, the country spends a notable amount on research through such federal agencies as the [[National Institutes of Health]].<ref name=HEALTH>[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/factover/ch7.htm Chapter Seven A REPUBLIC OF SCIENCE- Inquiry and innovation in science and medicine]. USINFO.STATE.GOV. ''Accessed May 2, 2006''.</ref>

Initially, WPBF had a small news department. In [[1993]], WPBF was sold to [[ion Media Networks|Paxson Communications]] (which at the time owned several FM radio stations and a few ABC and CBS affiliates), who added additional newscasts to the schedule. In [[1997]], Paxson sold their radio stations and network affiliates (including WPBF) in order to finance their acquisition of stations for the PAX TV network (now [[ION Television|ION]]), with channel 25 going to Hearst Corporation, its current owner. As soon as the transaction was finalized, Hearst handed over control of WPBF to its majority-owned subsidiary, Hearst-Argyle Television.

==Culture==

{{main|Culture of the United States}}

[[Image:Motherhood and apple pie.jpg|thumb|176px|right|American cultural icons, such as [[apple pie]], [[baseball]], and the [[Flag of the United States|American flag]].]]

American culture has been a [[melting pot]] of different cultures around the world, which have formed a unified culture centered on the [[American Dream]], a faith, held by many in the United States, that, through hard work, courage, and self-determination, regardless of social class, a person can [[social mobility|gain a better life]].<ref>Boritt, Gabor S. ''Lincoln and the Economics of the American Dream''. Page 1. December 1994. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252064453.</ref> This belief is rooted in the belief that the country is a "[[city upon a hill]], a light unto the nations,"<ref>[[Ronald Reagan]]. [http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1989/011489a.htm "Final Radio Address to the Nation"]. January 14, 1989. ''URL accessed June 3, 2006.''</ref> which were values held by many early European settlers and maintained by subsequent generations.

All Hearst-Argyle ABC affiliates including WPBF preempted ''[[Saving Private Ryan]]'' in [[2004]]. WPBF was one of three ABC affiliates in Florida that preempted the movie.

[[Cuisine of the United States|American cuisine]], embraces native American ingredients like [[Turkey (bird)|turkey]], [[potatoes]], [[corn]], and [[squash]] which have become integral parts of American culture. Such popular icons as [[apple pie]]s, [[pizza]], and [[hamburger]]s are all derived from European dishes. [[Burritos]] and [[taco]]s have their origins in Mexico. However, many of the food items now enjoyed worldwide either originated in the United States or were substantially altered by American chefs.

On [[July]] 12, [[2006]], WPBF started a 30 minute 4 PM weekday newscast called ''Weather First at 4''. While the main intention of this new broadcast iswas to cover West Palm Beach area weather, news updates and headlines were also added. The weather portions are anchored by Chief Meteorologist Mike Lyons and meteorologist Felicia Rodriguez. The news portions are anchored by Jon Shainman and Tiffany Kenney. The 4 PM newscast can be seen via live streaming vidio on the station's website. WPBF is the only West Palm Beach station to air a 4 PM weekday newscast.

[[Music of the United States|Music in the United States]] also traces to the country's melting-pot population through a diverse array of styles. [[Rock and roll]], [[hip hop music|hip hop]], [[country music|country]], [[rhythm and blues|blues]], and [[jazz]] are among the country's most internationally renowned [[genre]]s. Since the late 19th century, popular recorded music from the United States has become increasingly known across the world, such that some forms of American [[popular music]] are heard almost everywhere.<ref>Provine, Rob with Okon Hwang and Andy Kershaw. "Our Life Is Precisely a Song" in the ''Rough Guide to World Music, Volume 2'', pg. 167. ISBN 1858286360.</ref>

On [[July 17]], WPBF added 30 minutes to its weekday morning newscast, which then began airing at 5:30 AM.

[[Image:Mickey-06.gif|76px|thumb|Mickey Mouse has become an American icon.]]

However, not all American culture is derived from some other form found elsewhere in the world. For example, the birth of [[Cinema of the United States|cinema]], as well as its radical development, can largely be traced back to the United States. In 1878, the first recorded instance of sequential photographs capturing and reproducing motion was [[Eadweard Muybridge]]'s series of a [[:Image:The Horse in Motion.jpg|running horse]], which the British-born photographer produced in [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]], California, using a row of still cameras. Since then, the American film industry, centered in Hollywood, California, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world. Other areas of development include the [[American comic book|comic book]] and [[Disney]]'s [[animated cartoon|animated film]]s, which saw widespread popularity and influence, especially in Japanese [[anime]] and [[manga]] and [[Chinese animation]] and [[manhua]].

WPBF remains the lowest rated network affiliated television station in the West Palm Beach Market behind [[WFLX]], [[WPEC]], and [[WPTV (TV)|WPTV]] (in ascending order). This can be attributed to [[WPLG]]'s very strong over the air signal in Palm Beach County and its availability on [[Comcast]] cable systems throughout the area. WPLG is the highested rated local television station in all [[South Florida]], which also includes WPBF's market area.

[[Image:2006 Pro Bowl tackle.jpg|176px|thumb|left|[[Pro Bowl]], 2006. [[American football]] is the most popular [[spectator sport]] in the United States.<ref>Maccambridge, Michael. ''America's Game : The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation''. October 26, 2004. Random House. ISBN 0375504540</ref>]]

Unlike many other network affiliates in the area, WPBF does not air a weekday Noon newscast. Also, the station does not have a sports department.

[[Sports in the United States|Sport]]s are a national pastime, and playing sports, especially [[American football]], [[baseball]], and [[basketball]], is very popular at the [[high school|high-school]] level. Professional sports in the U.S. is big business, with most of the world's most highly paid athletes.<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/2004/06/23/04athletesland.html "The Best-Paid Athletes"]. June 24, 2004. Forbes.com. ''Accessed May 2, 2006.''</ref> The "Big Four" sports are baseball, football, ice hockey, and basketball. Another popular sport is [[auto racing]], especially [[NASCAR]]. [[Lacrosse]], originally played by some of the indigenous tribes, is a visible sport and growing. [[Soccer]] (called ''football'' elsewhere) is a popular participatory sport, especially among children; but it does not have a large following as a [[spectator sport]], in contrast to its much greater popularity in other countries. The United States is among the most influential regions in shaping three popular [[Boardsport|board-based recreational sports]]—[[surfboarding]], [[skateboarding]], and [[snowboarding]]—which have many competitions and a large, dedicated subculture. Eight [[Olympic Games|Olympiads]] have taken place in the [[United States at the Olympics|United States]]. The country generally fares very well in them, especially the [[Summer Olympic Games|Summer Olympics]]: for instance, in the [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Olympics]], the U.S. topped the [[2004 Summer Olympics medal count|medals table]], with a record 103 medals (35 gold, 39 silver, and 29 bronze).<ref>[http://abc.net.au/olympics/2004/results/medaltally.htm Medal Tally]. ABC News. ''Accessed May 3, 2006''.</ref> Baseball is popularly termed "the national pastime"; since the early 1990s, [[American Football]] has largely been considered the most popular sport in America.

==News Team==

{{see also|Arts and entertainment in the United States|Media of the United States|Dance of the United States|Architecture of the United States|Holidays of the United States|Lists of Americans}}

WPBF's [[weather radar]] is known as "Weather First True View" and is located north of West Palm Beach.

'''Anchors'''

==See also==

*Jim Abath - weekday mornings (also reporter)

{{portal}}

*Bryce Daniels - weekday mornings

{{main|List of United States-related topics}}

*Jon Shainman - weeknights at 4, 5:30, and 6 PM

*[[International rankings of the United States]]

*Tiffany Kenney - weeknights at 4, 5:30, and 6 PM (also health reporter)

*[[Historical Columbia]]

*Lisa Hayward - weeknights at 5 and 11 PM

*Kristin Hoke - weeknights at 5 and 11 PM

*Corey Saban - Saturday nights and Sunday nights at 6 PM (also reporter three days a week)

*Angela Rozier - Sunday nights at 11 PM (also reporter)

==Notes==

<div class="references-small">

<references/>

</div>

'''''Weather First Specialists'''''

==Further reading==

*Mike Lyons - Chief seen weeknights[[Image:NWASoA.jpg|29px]]

{{sisterlinks|United States}}

*Felicia Rodriguez - weeknights at 4 PM

<div class="references-small">

*Eric Burris - weekday mornings [[Image:AMSSoA.jpg|25px]]

*Johnson, Paul M. ''A History of the American People''. 1104 pages. Harper Perennial: March 1, 1999. ISBN 0060930349.

*Kate Wentzel - weekends [[Image:AMSSoA.jpg|25px]][[Image:NWASoA.jpg|29px]]

*Litwak, Robert S. ''Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy : Containment after the Cold War''. 300 pages. Woodrow Wilson Center Press: February 1, 2000. ISBN 0943875978.

*Nye, Joseph S. ''The Paradox of American Power : Why the World's Only Superpower Can't Go It Alone''. 240 pages. Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition: May 1, 2003. ISBN 0195161106.

*Susser, Ida (Editor), and Patterson, Thomas C. (Editor). ''Cultural Diversity in the United States: A Critical Reader''. 476 pages. Blackwell Publishers: December 2000. ISBN 0631222138.

*Whalen, Edward. ''The United States Of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy''. 320 pages. The Penguin Press HC: November 4, 2004. ISBN 1594200335.

*Pierson, Paul. ''Politics in Time : History, Institutions, and Social Analysis''. 208 pages. Princeton University Press: August 9, 2004. ISBN 0691117152.

</div>

==External links==

'''Government'''

*[http://www.firstgov.gov Official U.S. government Web portal] - Gateway to governmental sites

*[http://www.whitehouse.gov White House] - Official site of the President of the United States

*[http://www.senate.gov Senate] - Official site of the United States Senate

*[http://www.house.gov House] - Official site of the United States House of Representatives

*[http://www.supremecourtus.gov Supreme Court] - Official site of the Supreme Court of the United States

'''OverviewsReporters'''

*Amanda Burden

*[http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/ U.S. Census Housing and Economic Statistics] Updated regularly by U.S. Bureau of the Census.

*Brian Albert

*[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/factover/homepage.htm Portrait of the United States] - Published by the United States Information Agency, September 1997.

*Bonny Ghosh

*[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html CIA World Factbook Entry for United States]

*Cathleen O'Toole

*[http://www.teacheroz.com/states.htm Info links for each state]

*Marianne Milano - website host

*Amanda Salinas - also fill in anchor

*Terri Parker - investigative reporter

*Traci Mitchell - National Correspondent

*Laurie Kinney - National Correspondent

*Sally Kidd - National Correspondent

==Administration==

'''History'''

*Joseph J. Coscia - News Director

*[http://www.nationalcenter.org/HistoricalDocuments.html Historical Documents]

*Steve Boyer - Assistant News Director

*[http://www.religioustolerance.org/nat_mott.htm National Motto: History and Constitutionality]

*Caroline Scollard - General Sales Manager

*[http://www.historicalstatistics.org/index2.html Historicalstatistics.org] - Links to historical statistics of USA

*Ryan Rothstein - Local Sales Manager

*Mark Prutisto - Director of Integrated Media

'''Maps'''

* [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=41771312&x=-99492187&z=4&l=0&m=a WikiSatellite view of United States] at [[WikiMapia]]

*[http://nationalatlas.gov/ The National Atlas of the United States.]

*[http://www.united-states-map.org United States map]

'''Immigration'''

*[http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] USCIS.gov.

*[http://www.immihelp.com/citizenship/us-citizenship-sample-civics-questions.html U.S. citizenship sample civics questions for naturalization interview] Immihelp.com - from an immigrant to future immigrants.

*[http://www.iandoli.com/documents/Sample_Civics_Questions.html Civic Orientation - Sample Questions for Naturalization]

==External Links==

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*[http://www.wpbf.com/ Station Website]

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