United States and Londonderry, New Hampshire: Difference between pages

Revision as of 11:16, 30 September 2005

Revision as of 23:07, 14 October 2005

Line 1:

{{cleanup-date|October 2005}}

<!--Use en-US spelling

'''Londonderry, New Hampshire''' is a town located in western [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire]]. Originally called Nutfield, along with the communities of Derry, Windham, and parts of New Hampshire's largest city [[Manchester]] for the prevalance of nut trees in the area. As of the [[2000]] census, the town had a total population of 23,236. Londonderry is known especially for its apple orchards, including Moose Hill Orchards (Mack's Apples), located along [[Mammoth Road]] (Route 128) one of the major roads through Londonderry along with Route 102 (Nashua Road), I-93, Pillsbury Road, Litchfield Road, and Route 28.

== Education ==

-->:''For other uses, see [[US (disambiguation)]] and [[United States (disambiguation)]]''

Londonderry has five schools, with Superintendant Nathan Greenberg.

* Londonderry High School (9-12) - The largest school in the town, home to "The Lancers," and principled by James E. Elefante.

* Londonderry Middle School (6-8) - Principled by Andrew Corey. Formerly called Londonderry Junior High School.

* North School (K-5) - Currently under construction

* Matthew Thornton (K-5) - Named for a [[Revolutionary War]] hero.

* South School (K-5) - Recently renovated due to a mold issue.

* Moose Hill School (pre-K, K) - Largest free standing public kindergarten in the state of [[New Hampshire]]. Also houses preschool and LEEP program.

== Geography ==

The '''United States of America'''—also referred to as 'the United States', 'the US', 'the USA', 'America' (more loosely), 'the States' (colloquially), and '[[Historical Columbia|Columbia]]' (poetically)—is a [[federal republic]] of 50 [[U.S. state|states]], located primarily in central [[North America]].<!--

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 108.6 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]] (41.9 [[square mile|mi&sup2;]]). 108.3 km&sup2; (41.8 mi&sup2;) of it is land and 0.3 km&sup2; (0.1 mi&sup2;) of it is water. The total area is 0.31% water.

== Demographics ==

START INFOBOX

As of the [[census]][[Geographic references#2|²]] of [[2000]], there are 23,236 people, 7,623 households, and 6,319 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] is 214.6/km&sup2; (555.8/mi&sup2;). There are 7,718 housing units at an average density of 71.3/km&sup2; (184.6/mi&sup2;). The racial makeup of the town is 96.92% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.56% [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[Race (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.17% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.16% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.32% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.84% from two or more races. 1.53% of the population are [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There are 7,623 households out of which 50.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.9% are [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 17.1% are non-families. 12.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 3.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.05 and the average family size is 3.36.

-->

{{Infobox Country |

native_name = United States of America |

common_name = the United States |

image_flag = Flag of the United States.svg |

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

national_motto = <br>''[[E pluribus unum]]'' ([[1789]]&ndash;present)<br>([[Latin]]: "Out of Many, One")<br>''[[In God We Trust]]'' ([[1956]]&ndash;present) |

image_map = LocationUSA.png |

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

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

capital = [[Washington, D.C.]] |latd=38|latm=53|latNS=N|longd=77|longm=02|longEW=W|

government_type = [[Democracy|Democratic]] [[federal republic]] |

leader_titles = &nbsp;• [[President of the United States|President]]<br>&nbsp;• [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] |

leader_names = [[George W. Bush]]<br>[[Dick Cheney]] |

largest_city = [[New York City]] |

area = 9,631,418 |

area_rank = 3rd|

area_magnitude = 1 E12|

percent_water = 4.87% |

population_estimate = 297,000,000 |

population_estimate_year = 2005 |

population_estimate_rank = 3rd |

population_census = 281,421,906 |

population_census_year = 2000 |

population_density = 32 |

population_density_rank = 140th |

GDP_PPP_year = 2004 |

GDP_PPP = $11,605,185 million |

GDP_PPP_rank = 1st |

GDP_PPP_per_capita = $39,496 |

GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 3rd |

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

established_events = &nbsp;• Declared<br>&nbsp;• Recognized

In the town the population is spread out with 32.9% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.1 males.

[[United States Constitution|'''Constitution''']]<br>&nbsp;• Completed<br>&nbsp;• Ratified<br>&nbsp;• Effective|

established_dates = From [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]]<br> [[July 4]], [[1776]]<br>[[September 3]], [[1783]]

The median income for a household in the town is $70,501, and the median income for a family is $73,513. Males have a median income of $50,566 versus $33,821 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town is $26,491. 2.1% of the population and 1.6% of families are below the [[poverty line]]. Out of the total population, 1.2% of those under the age of 18 and 6.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

== Town Policy ==

[[September 17]], [[1787]]<br>[[May 23]], [[1788]]<br>[[March 4]], [[1789]]|

Londonderry has been known for town policy that aims to limit development and growth in town. The town has recently been in the news for a legal fight involving the eviction of Robert Saulnier.

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

calling_code = 1 |

HDI = 0.944 |

HDI_rank = 10th |

footnotes=|

}}<!--

END INFOBOX

-->

The United States has land borders with [[Canada]] and [[Mexico]], and [[Territorial waters|territorial water]] boundaries with Canada, [[Russia]] and the [[Bahamas]]. It is otherwise bounded by the [[Pacific Ocean]], the [[Bering Sea]], the [[Arctic Ocean]], the [[Atlantic Ocean]], the [[Gulf of Mexico]], and the [[Caribbean Sea]]. Forty-eight of the states—often referred to as the continental, contiguous or [[Lower 48]] states—are located in a single region between Canada and Mexico. The other two, [[Alaska]] and the [[archipelago]] of [[Hawaii]], are not contiguous with the others. There is a [[federal district]], the [[District of Columbia]], comprising the [[capital]], [[Washington, D.C.]] The United States also owns a number of [[Political divisions of the United States#Territories of the United States|overseas territories]].

The official founding date of the United States is [[July 4]], [[1776]], when the Second [[Continental Congress]]—representing the 13 [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] [[13 colonies|colonies]]—adopted the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]]. However, the structure of the nation was profoundly changed in [[1788]], when the states replaced the [[Articles of Confederation]] with the [[United States Constitution]]; the date on which each of the original 13 states adopted the Constitution is typically regarded as the date that state "entered the Union" (became part of the United States). Since the mid-20th century, the United States has become the dominant [[Geopolitics|global]] influence in [[economic]], [[political]], [[military]], [[scientific]], [[technological]] and [[cultural]] affairs.

==History==

''Main articles: [[History of the United States]], [[Military history of the United States]], [[Timeline of United States history]], [[List of U.S. military history events]]''

American history started with the [[migration]] of people from [[Asia]] across the [[Bering land bridge]] approximately 12,000 years ago following large animals that they preyed upon into the Americas. These '[[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]]' left evidence of their presence in [[petroglyph]]s, [[burial mound]]s, and other [[artifact]]s, it is estimated that at least ten million lived in the territory now occupied by the US before European contact, and the subsequent introduction of foreign diseases such as [[small pox]] that greatly diminished the native populations. Some advanced societies were the [[Anasazi]] of the southwest, who built [[Chaco Canyon]], and the [[Woodland Indians]], who built [[Cahokia]], located near present-day St Louis, a city with a population of 40,000 at its peak in [[1200]] CE.

During the 1500s and 1600s, the Spanish settled parts of the present-day [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]] and [[Florida]], founding [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]], Florida in 1565 and [[Santa Fe]] (in what is now New Mexico) in 1607. The first successful English settlement was at [[Jamestown, Virginia]], also in 1607. Within the next two decades, several Dutch settlements, including [[New Amsterdam]] (the predecessor to [[New York City]]), were established in what are now the states of [[New York]] and [[New Jersey]]. In 1637, [[Swedish colonization of the Americas|Sweden established a colony]] at [[Fort Christina]] (in what is now Delaware), but lost the settlement to the Dutch in 1655.

This was followed by extensive British settlement of the east coast. The British colonists remained relatively undisturbed by their home country until after the [[French and Indian War]], when France ceded [[Canada]] and the [[Great Lakes]] region to Britain. Britain then imposed taxes on the 13 colonies, widely regarded by the settlers as unfair because they were denied representation in the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British Parliament]]. Tensions between Britain and the settlers increased, and the thirteen colonies eventually rebelled against British rule.

In 1776, the 13 colonies split from Great Britain and formed the United States, the world's first constitutional and democratic [[federal republic]], after their [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] of that year, and the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] (1775&ndash;83). The original political structure was a [[confederation]] in 1777, ratified in 1781 as the [[Articles of Confederation]]. After long [[Federalist papers|debate]], this was supplanted by the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] in 1789, forming a more centralized [[federalism|federal]] government. Prior to all these was the [[Albany Congress]] in 1754, in which a union was first seriously proposed.

[[Image:George-Washington.jpg|thumb|150px|right|First [[President of the United States]], [[George Washington]]]]

From early colonial times, there was a shortage of labor, which encouraged [[unfree labor]], particularly [[indentured servitude]] and [[slavery]]. In the mid-19th century, a major division occurred in the United States over the issue of [[states' rights]] and the expansion of slavery. The northern states had become opposed to slavery, while the southern states saw it as necessary for the continued success of southern [[agriculture]] and wanted it expanded to the territories. Several federal laws were passed in an attempt to settle the dispute, including the [[Missouri Compromise]] and the [[Compromise of 1850]]. The dispute reached a crisis point in 1861, when seven southern states seceded[[Confederate States of America#International Diplomacy and Legal Status|<small>¹</small>]] from the Union and formed the [[Confederate States of America]], leading to the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. Soon after the war began, four more southern states seceded. During the war, [[Abraham Lincoln]] issued the [[Emancipation Proclamation]], mandating the freedom of all slaves in states in rebellion, though full emancipation did not take place until after the end of the war in 1865, the dissolution of the Confederacy, and the [[Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Thirteenth Amendment]] took effect. The Civil War effectively ended the question of a state's right to secede, and is widely accepted as a major turning point after which the federal government became more powerful than state governments.

During the 19th century, many new [[U.S. state|state]]s were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the continent. [[Manifest Destiny]] was a philosophy that encouraged westward expansion in the United States. As the population of the Eastern states grew and as a steady increase of immigrants entered the country, settlers moved steadily westward across North America. In the process, the US displaced most American Indian nations. ''(See [[Trail of Tears]].)'' This displacement of American Indians continues to be a matter of contention in the U.S. with many tribes attempting to assert their original claims to various lands. In some areas American Indian populations were reduced by foreign diseases contracted through contact with European settlers, and US settlers acquired those emptied lands. Unlike European countries, the US was never a colonial power (having itself been spawned from a colonial rebellion) but through various military victories, diplomacy, and outside dealings, the US acquired a number of overseas possessions, from [[Cuba]] to the [[Philippines]], though it gave up most of these over time. ''(See [[United States territorial acquisitions]].)''

During this period, the nation also became an [[industrialisation|industrial power]]. This continued into the 20th century, which has been termed "the [[American Century]]" because of the nation's overriding influence on the world. The US became a center for innovation and technological development; major technologies that America either developed or was greatly involved in improving include the [[telephone]], [[television]], [[computer]], the [[Internet]], [[nuclear weapon]]s, [[nuclear power]], [[air travel|aviation]] and [[space travel|aeronautics]].

In addition to the Civil War, another major traumatic experience for the nation was the [[Great Depression]] (1929&ndash;41). The nation has also taken part in several major foreign wars, including [[World War I]] and [[World War II]] (in both of which the US later joined the [[Allies]]). During the [[Cold War]], the US was a major player in the [[Korean War]] and [[Vietnam War]], and, along with the [[Soviet Union]], was considered one of the world's two "[[superpower]]s". With the [[collapse of the Soviet Union]], the US emerged as the world's leading economic and military power. Beginning in the 1990s, the United States became very involved in [[police action]]s and [[peacekeeping]], including actions in [[Kosovo]], [[Haiti]], [[Somalia]] and [[Liberia]], and the first [[Gulf War]] driving [[Iraq]] out of [[Kuwait]]. After [[September 11, 2001 attacks|attacks]] on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[the Pentagon]] on [[September 11]], [[2001]], the United States and other allied nations started what they called the "[[War on Terrorism]]" and later the [[Iraq war]].

== Government and politics ==

[[Image:George-W-Bush.jpeg|thumb|175px|[[President of the United States]], [[George W Bush]].]]

''Main articles: [[Politics of the United States]], [[Law of the United States]]''

The United States may be regarded as an example of a constitutional [[republic]] or as a [[liberal democracy]], with a government composed of and operating through a set of limited powers imposed by its design and enumerated in that design or [[constitution|Constitution of the United States of America]]. Specifically, the nation operates as a [[representative democracy]]. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Each of these levels host elected officials freely selected by qualified voters eligible and therefore legally qualified to vote after their 17th year regardless of gender or any other civil criterion by [[Secret ballot|secret ballot]]. Americans (except for some [[felony disenfranchisement|felons]]) enjoy [[universal suffrage]] from the age of 18; however, the representation of territories and the federal district of [[Washington, D.C.|Washington, DC]] in [[United States Congress|Congress]] is [[District_of_Columbia_voting_rights|limited]].

===Constitution===

[[Image:United States Bill of Rights.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The American [[Bill of Rights]], enacted in [[1791]], provides a list of basic guaranteed rights]]

:''Main articles: [[Constitution of the United States]], [[Human rights in the United States]]

The Constitution of the United States sets out the powers of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government and recognizes a number of rights of its citizens, including [[freedom of speech]], the [[right to keep and bear arms]], [[freedom of religion]], [[trial by jury]], and protection from [[cruel and unusual punishment]].

===Federal government===

The [[federal government of the United States|federal government]] is the national government, comprising the [[Congress of the United States|Congress]] (the [[legislature|legislative]] branch), the [[President of the United States|President]] (the executive branch), and the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] (the judicial branch). These three branches were designed to apply [[checks and balances]] on each other. The Constitution limits the powers of the federal government to defense, foreign affairs, the issuing and management of currency, the management of trade and relations between the states, and the protection of [[human rights]]. In addition to these explicitly stated powers, the federal government—with the assistance of the Supreme Court—has gradually extended these powers into such areas as [[welfare]] and education, on the basis of the "[[Necessary_and_Proper_Clause|necessary and proper clause]]" of the Constitution. This is in contrast to the Canadian experience, in which a centralist constitution has gradually become less so over the past century.

The Congress is a [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] law- making institution composed of the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the [[United States Senate|Senate]], which both meet in the [[United States Capitol]] in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington, DC]]. The House has 435 members, called representatives or congressmen/congresswomen, are elected by the people of a [[congressional district]] to represent that district for a term of two years. The number of districts for each state depends on its population, except that each state has at least one representative. According to the [[United States 2000 census|2000 census]], the districts had an average population of about 640,000 people. The Senate has 100 members, called senators, who represent whole, individual states for terms of six years. Each state is represented by two senators, regardless of population. On the same day as House elections, roughly one third of the Senate seats are contested, one each from roughly two thirds of the states on a rotational basis. The Constitution initially gave the state legislatures the power to elect senators; however, the [[Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Seventeenth Amendment]] transferred this role to the people.

At the top of the executive branch is the President of the United States. The President and Vice President are elected as 'running mates' for four-year terms by the people, via the [[U.S. Electoral College|Electoral College]], for which each state, as well as the District of Columbia, is allocated a number of seats based on its representation (or ostensible representation, in the case of D. C.) in both houses of Congress (see [[U.S. Electoral College]]). The relationship between the President and the Congress reflects that between the English monarchy and parliament at the time of the framing of the United States Constitution. Congress can legislate to constrain the President's executive power, even with respect to his or her command of the armed forces; however, this power is used only very rarely—a notable example was the contraint placed on President [[Richard Nixon]]'s strategy of bombing [[Cambodia]] during the [[Vietnam War]]. The President cannot directly propose legislation, and must rely on supporters in Congress to promote his or her legislative agenda. The President's signature is required to turn congressional bills into law; in this respect, the President has the power—only occasionally used—to veto congressional legislation. Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses. The ultimate power of Congress over the President is that of [[impeachment]] or removal of the elected President through a House vote, a Senate trial, and a Senate vote. The threat of using this power has had major political ramifications in the cases of Presidents [[Andrew Johnson]], Richard Nixon, and [[Bill Clinton]].

The President makes around 2,000 executive appointments, including members of the Cabinet and ambassadors, which must be approved by the Senate; the President can also issue [[executive order]]s and [[pardon]]s, and has other Constitutional duties, among them the requirement to give a [[State of the Union]] address to Congress from time to time. Although the President's constitutional role may appear to be constrained, in practice, the office carries enormous prestige that typically eclipses the power of Congress: the Presidency has justifiably been referred to as 'the most powerful office in the world'. The [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] is first in the [[United States presidential line of succession|line of succession]], and is the [[President of the Senate]] ''ex officio'', with the ability to cast a tie-breaking vote. The members of the President's [[United States Cabinet|Cabinet]] are responsible for administering the various departments of state, including the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]], the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]], and the [[United States Department of State|State Department]]. These departments and department heads have considerable regulatory and political power, and it is they who are responsible for executing federal laws and regulations.

[[Image:Uscapitolindaylight.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The United States Capitol]]

The highest court in the land is the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]], which consists of nine justices. The court deals with federal and constitutional matters, and can declare legislation made at any level of the government as [[Constitution#Constitutional courts|unconstitutional]], nullifying the law and creating [[precedent]] for future law and decisions. A case may be appealed from a state court to a federal court only if there is a federal question; the [[State supreme court|supreme court of each state]] is the final authority on the interpretation of that state's laws and constitution. Below the Supreme Court are the [[United States courts of appeals|courts of appeals]], and below them in turn are the [[United States district court|district courts]], which are the general trial courts for federal law.

===State and local governments===

[[Image:Map of USA with county outlines.png|thumbnail|United States|United States of America, showing [[U.S. state|state]]s, divided into [[Counties of the United States|counties]].]]

The state governments have the greatest influence over people's daily lives. Each state has its own written constitution and has different laws. There are sometimes great differences in law and procedure between the different states, concerning issues such as property, crime, health, and education. The highest elected official of each state is the Governor. Each state also has an elected legislature ([[bicameral]] in every state except [[Nebraska]]), whose members represent the different parts of the state. Of note is the [[New Hampshire]] legislature, which is the third-largest legislative body in the English-speaking world, and has one representative for every 3,000 people. Each state maintains its own judiciary, with the lowest level typically being county courts, and culminating in each [[state supreme court]], though sometimes named differently. In some states, supreme and lower court justices are elected by the people; in others, they are appointed, as they are in the federal system.

The institutions that are responsible for local government are typically town, city, or [[county board]]s, making laws that affect their particular area. These laws concern issues such as traffic, the sale of alcohol, and keeping animals. The highest elected official of a town or city is usually the [[mayor]]. In [[New England]], towns operate [[direct democracy|directly democratically]], and in some states, [[Counties of the United States|counties]] have little or no power, existing only as geographic distinctions. In other areas, county governments have more power, such as to collect taxes and maintain [[law enforcement]] agencies.

=== Political divisions ===

''Main article: [[Political divisions of the United States]]''

With the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]], the [[thirteen colonies]] proclaimed themselves to be [[nation states]] modeled after the European states of the time. Although considered as sovereigns initially, under the [[Articles of Confederation]] of 1781 they entered into a "Perpetual Union" and created a fully sovereign federal state, delegating certain powers to the national Congress, including the right to engage in diplomatic relations and to levy war, while each retaining their individual sovereignty, freedom and independence. But the national government proved too ineffective, so the administrative structure of the government was vastly reorganized with the [[United States Constitution]] of 1789. Under this new union, the continued status of the individual states as sovereign [[nation states]] fell into dispute in 1861, as several states attempted to secede from the union; in response, then-President Abraham Lincoln claimed that such secession was illegal, and the result was the [[American Civil War]]. Following the Union victory in 1865, the independent status of the individual states has not been broached again by any state, and the status of each state within the union, has been deemed by mainstream officials and academics to be settled as being subordinate to the union as a whole.

In subsequent years, the number of states grew steadily due to western expansion, the purchase of lands by the national government from other nation states, and the subdivision of existing states, resulting in the current total of 50. The states are generally divided into smaller administrative regions, including [[county (United States)|counties]], [[List of cities of the United States|cities]] and [[township (United States)|township]]s.

The United States&ndash;Canadian border is the longest undefended political boundary in the world. The US is divided into three distinct sections: the [[continental United States]], also known as "The Lower 48"; [[Alaska]], which is physically connected only to Canada; and the [[archipelago]] of Hawaii in the central [[Pacific Ocean]]. The United States also holds several other territories, districts and possessions, notably the [[federal district]] of the [[District of Columbia]], which is the nation's capital, and several overseas [[insular area]]s, the most significant of which are [[Puerto Rico]], [[American Samoa]], [[Guam]], [[Northern Mariana Islands]], and the [[United States Virgin Islands]]. The [[Palmyra Atoll]] is the United States' only [[Incorporated territory|incorporated]] territory; it is [[Unorganized territory|unorganized]] and uninhabited. The United States Navy has held a base at a portion of [[Guantanamo Bay]], [[Cuba]] since [[1898]]. The United States government possesses a lease to this land, which only mutual agreement or United States abandonment of the area can terminate. The present Cuban government of [[Fidel Castro]] disputes this arrangement, claiming Cuba was not truly [[sovereignty|sovereign]] at the time of the signing. The United States argues this point moot because Cuba apparently ratified the lease post-revolution, and with full sovereignty, when it cashed one rent check in accordance with the disputed treaty.

{| style="margin: 1em auto 1.5em auto; border-bottom: 1px solid #efefef;"

|- style="background:#efefef;"

! [[Political divisions of the United States|Political divisions]] of the United States

|-

|

{|

| align="right" style="font-size: 90%; vertical-align: top;" | '''[[U.S. state|States]]'''

| align="left" style="font-size: 90%;" | [[Alabama]] | [[Alaska]] | [[Arizona]] | [[Arkansas]] | [[California]] | [[Colorado]] | [[Connecticut]] | [[Delaware]] | [[Florida]] | [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] | [[Hawaii]] | [[Idaho]] | [[Illinois]] | [[Indiana]] | [[Iowa]] | [[Kansas]] | [[Kentucky]] | [[Louisiana]] | [[Maine]] | [[Maryland]] | [[Massachusetts]] | [[Michigan]] | [[Minnesota]] | [[Mississippi]] | [[Missouri]] | [[Montana]] | [[Nebraska]] | [[Nevada]] | [[New Hampshire|New&nbsp;Hampshire]] | [[New Jersey|New&nbsp;Jersey]] | [[New Mexico|New&nbsp;Mexico]] | [[New York|New&nbsp;York]] | [[North Carolina|North&nbsp;Carolina]] | [[North Dakota|North&nbsp;Dakota]] | [[Ohio]] | [[Oklahoma]] | [[Oregon]] | [[Pennsylvania]] | [[Rhode Island|Rhode&nbsp;Island]] | [[South Carolina|South&nbsp;Carolina]] | [[South Dakota|South&nbsp;Dakota]] | [[Tennessee]] | [[Texas]] | [[Utah]] | [[Vermont]] | [[Virginia]] | [[Washington]] | [[West Virginia|West&nbsp;Virginia]] | [[Wisconsin]] | [[Wyoming]]

|-

| align="right" style="font-size: 90%; vertical-align: top;" | '''[[Federal District|Federal&nbsp;district]]'''

| align="left" style="font-size: 90%;" | [[Washington, D.C.|District of Columbia]]

|-

| align="right" style="font-size: 90%; vertical-align: top;" | '''[[Insular area|Insular&nbsp;areas]]'''

| align="left" style="font-size: 90%;" | [[American Samoa]] | [[Baker Island]] | [[Guam]] | [[Howland Island|Howland&nbsp;Island]] | [[Jarvis Island|Jarvis&nbsp;Island]] | [[Johnston Atoll|Johnston&nbsp;Atoll]] | [[Kingman Reef|Kingman&nbsp;Reef]] | [[Midway Atoll|Midway&nbsp;Atoll]] | [[Navassa Island|Navassa&nbsp;Island]] | [[Northern Mariana Islands|Northern&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;Islands]] | [[Palmyra Atoll|Palmyra&nbsp;Atoll]] | [[Puerto Rico|Puerto&nbsp;Rico]] | [[U.S. Virgin Islands|Virgin&nbsp;Islands]] | [[Wake Island|Wake&nbsp;Island]]

|}

|}

=== Foreign relations and military===

''Main articles: [[Foreign relations of the United States]], [[Military of the United States]]''

The immense military, economic, and cultural dominance of the United States has made foreign relations an especially important topic in its politics, with considerable concern about the image of the United States throughout the world. Reactions towards the United States by other nationalities are often strong, ranging from uninhibited admiration and mimicking of all things American to [[anti-Americanism]]. <!-- Needs rewording -->US foreign policy has swung about several times over the course of its history between the poles of strict [[isolationism]] and [[imperialism]] and everywhere in between. <!-- A paragraph providing a cogent, neutral account is needed; this is totally inadequate. -->

Three of the nation's four military branches are administered by the [[Department of Defense]]: the [[United States Army|Army]], the [[United States Navy|Navy]] (including the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]]), and the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]]. 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 Defense in time of [[war]].

The combined United States armed forces consist of 1.4 million [[active duty]] [[personnel]], along with several hundred thousand each in the [[Reserve component|Reserves]] and the [[National Guard]]. Military [[conscription]] ended in [[1973]]. The United States [[Armed forces]] are considered to be the most powerful ([[conventional warfare|conventional]]) [[military]] on [[Earth]] and their [[force projection]] capabilities are unrivaled by any other single [[nation]]. <!-- Some information on the budget? Evolution of the military? Characteristics of US military strategy, e.g., heavy reliance on air power? -->

== Largest cities ==

{|align=right

|[[image:Panorama_clip3.jpg|thumb|right|245px|New York City, New York]]

|-

|[[Image:DowntownLosAngeles.jpg|thumb|right|245px|Los Angeles, California]]

|-

|[[Image:Chicagoskyline2005.jpg|245px|thumb|right|Chicago, Illinois]]

|}

The United States has dozens of major cities, including several important [[global cities]] such as [[New York City]], [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], and [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]]. The US has 11 of the 55 [[global cities]] of all types.

The figures expressed below are for populations within city limits. A different ranking is evident when considering [[List_of_United_States_metropolitan_statistical_areas_by_population|U.S. metro area populations]], although the top three would be unchanged. The cities with at least one million inhabitants, based on the [[United States Census Bureau]]'s 2004 estimates, are as follows. (Note that some cities not listed, such as [[San Francisco, California]], [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], [[Detroit, Michigan]], [[Seattle, Washington]], [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], [[Miami, Florida]], [[Nashville, Tennessee]], [[Boston, Massachusetts]], and [[Washington, D.C.]] are still considered important on the basis of other factors and issues, including culture, economics, heritage and politics.)

<br><br>

{| border=1 align=left cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="border-collapse:collapse;border:1px solid gray;font-size:95%; text-align:right; margin-left:6px"

|- style="background:#efefef;"

! # !! align=center |City !! Population !! Region

|-

| 1. ||align=left | [[New York City|New York City, New York]] || 8,104,079 || [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]]

|-

| 2. ||align=left | [[Los Angeles, California]] || 3,845,541 || [[Pacific States|Pacific]]-[[Western United States|West]]

|-

| 3. ||align=left | [[Chicago, Illinois]] || 2,862,244 || [[Midwest]]

|-

| 4. ||align=left | [[Houston, Texas]] || 2,012,626 || [[South Central United States|South-Central]]

|-

| 5. ||align=left | [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] || 1,470,151 || [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]]

|-

| 6. ||align=left | [[Phoenix, Arizona]] || 1,418,041 || [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]]

|-

| 7. ||align=left | [[San Diego, California]] || 1,263,756 || [[Pacific States|Pacific]]-[[Western United States|West]]

|-

| 8. ||align=left | [[San Antonio, Texas]] || 1,236,249 || [[South Central United States|South-Central]]

|-

| 9. ||align=left | [[Dallas, Texas]] || 1,210,393 || [[South Central United States|South-Central]]

|}

<br clear=left>

<br>

{{main2|List of cities in the United States|List of United States cities by population}}

== Economy ==

''Main article: [[Economy of the United States]]''

The economy of the United States is organized primarily on a [[capitalism|capitalist model]], with some [[government regulation]] in many industries. There are also some [[social welfare]] programs like [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]] and [[unemployment benefits]], Temporary Assistance to Needy Families ("[[welfare]]"), the [[Earned Income Tax Credit]], [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]], and [[Medicaid]]. Such departures from a pure [[free market|free-market]] economy have generally increased since the late [[1800s]], but are less pronounced in the United States than in other industrialized countries.

[[Image:US_%241_obverse.jpg|left|thumb|220px|The [[United States dollar]] is the official currency.]]

The country has rich [[mineral]] resources, with extensive [[gold]], [[oil]], [[coal]], and [[uranium]] deposits. Successful [[Agriculture|farm industries]] rank the country among the top producers of, among others, [[maize|corn]], [[wheat]], [[sugar]], and [[tobacco]]; the United States is a net exporter of food, and its rich wheat fields have been referred to as the "breadbasket of the world." The U.S. [[manufacturing|manufacturing sector]] produces, among other things, [[automobile|cars]], [[airplanes]], and [[electronics]]. The largest industry is now [[Tertiary sector of industry|service]], which employs roughly three-quarters of U.S. residents.

Economic activity varies greatly from one part of the country to another, with many industries being largely dependent on a certain city or region; [[New York City]] is the center of the American [[finance|financial]], [[publishing]], [[broadcasting]], and [[advertising]] industries; [[Silicon Valley]] is the country&#8217;s primary ___location for [[high technology]] companies, while [[Los Angeles]] is the most important center for [[film]] production. The [[Midwest]] is known for its reliance on manufacturing and heavy industry, with [[Detroit]] serving as the center of the American [[automotive industry]]; the [[Great Plains]] are known as &ldquo;the breadbasket of America&rdquo; for their tremendous agricultural output, while [[Texas]] is largely associated with the [[oil]] industry; the southeast is a major hub for [[medical research]], as well as many of the nation's [[textiles]] manufacturers.

Several countries continue to link their [[currency]] to the [[United States dollar|dollar]] or even use it as a currency (such as [[Ecuador]]), although this practice has subsided since the collapse of the [[Bretton Woods system]].

The largest trading partner of the United States is [[Canada]] (20%), followed by [[Mexico]] (12%), [[People's Republic of China|China]] (Mainland 10%, [[Hong Kong]] 1%) and [[Japan]] (8%). More than 50% of total trade is with these four countries. In 2003, the United States was [[World Tourism Rankings|ranked]] as the third most visited [[Tourism|tourist]] destination in the world; its 40.4 million visitors ranked behind [[France]]'s 75 million and [[Spain]]'s 52.5 million.

''See also: [[List of United States companies]]''

== Geography and climate ==

{{Dual image|National-atlas-general-reference-map-USA.png|Map of the United States|http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/reference/genref}}

''Main article: [[Geography of the United States]]''

As the world's third-largest country after Russia and Canada, with a total area of 3,537,441 square miles (9,161,930 sq km), the United States contains a considerable variety of landscape: temperate forestland and rolling hills on the east coast, [[mangrove]] in [[Florida]], the [[Great Plains|great plains]] in the center of the country, the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]]-[[Missouri River|Missouri]] river system, the [[Great Lakes]] (shared with Canada), the [[Rocky Mountains]] west of the plains, deserts and temperate coastal zones west of the Rocky Mountains and [[temperate rain forests]] in the Pacific northwest. [[Alaska]]'s [[tundra]] and the [[volcano|volcanic]], [[tropical]] islands of [[Hawaii]] add to the geographic diversity.

The climate varies along with the landscape, from tropical in [[Hawaii]] and southern [[Florida]] to [[tundra]] in [[Alaska]] and atop some of the highest mountains. Most of the North and East experience a temperate continental climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Most of the American South experiences a subtropical humid climate with mild winters and long, hot, humid summers. Rainfall decreases markedly from the humid forests of the Eastern Great Plains to the semi-arid shortgrass prairies on the high plains abutting the Rocky Mountains. Arid deserts, including the [[Mojave desert|Mojave]], extend through the lowlands and valleys of the southwest, from westernmost Texas to California and northward throughout much of [[Nevada]]. Some parts of [[California]] have a [[Mediterranean climate]]. Rainforests line the windward mountains of the Pacific Northwest from Oregon to Alaska.

== Transportation ==

[[Image:La city hwys.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Stack [[interchange]] in [[Los Angeles]] ]]

[[Image:Interstate95.png|right|100px]]

''Main article: [[Transportation in the United States]]''

Because the United States is a relatively young nation, most of the development of U.S. cities has taken place after the invention of the [[automobile]]. To link its vast territories, the United States built a network of high capacity, high speed [[highways]], of which the most important aspect is the [[Interstate Highway]] system, commissioned in the [[1950s]] by President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and modeled after the German [[Autobahn]]. The United States also has a [[First Transcontinental Railroad|transcontinental rail system]] which is used for moving freight across the lower forty-eight states.

Passenger rail service is provided by [[Amtrak]], which serves 46 of the lower forty-eight states.

Many cities in the United States have extensive [[mass transit]] systems. [[New York City]], [[NY]] operates one of the world's largest and most heavily used [[subway]] systems. The [[regional rail]] and bus networks which extend into Long Island, New Jersey, Upstate New York, and Connecticut are among the most heavily used in the world.

[[Air travel]] is often preferred for destinations over 300&nbsp;[[mile]]s (500&nbsp;[[kilometer|km]]) away, and some [[airports]], such as [[Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport]] and Chicago's [[O'Hare International Airport]], are among the busiest in the world. There are several major [[seaport]]s in the United States, the three busiest are the [[Port of Los Angeles]] (California), [[Port of Long Beach]] (California) and [[Port_Authority_of_New_York_and_New_Jersey|Port of New York/New Jersey]]. Others include [[Houston, Texas]], [[Savannah, Georgia]], [[Miami, Florida]], [[Portland, Oregon]], [[San Francisco, California]], [[Boston, Massachusetts]], [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], and [[Seattle, Washington]], plus, outside the contiguous 48 states, [[Anchorage, Alaska]] and [[Honolulu, Hawaii]].

<br style="clear:both;" />

== Society ==

=== Demographics ===

<!--[[Image:USA 2000 population density.png|thumb|Population density by county]]]]-->[[Image:2k_night.jpg|thumb|2000 [[population density]]]]

''Main article: [[Demographics of the United States]]''

====Ethnicity and race====

[[Image:Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County.jpg|left|thumb|Top ancestry in each U.S. county in 2000.]]

Americans, in part due to [[Race (U.S. census)|categories]] outlined by the U.S. government, generally are described as belonging to one of five [[Race|racial]] groups: '''[[Whites|White]]''', also called ''Caucasian'' (those having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa); '''[[Black]]''', also called ''[[African American]]'' (those having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa); '''[[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]]/[[Alaskan Native]]s''', also called ''[[Native Americans in the United States|American Indians]]'' (those having origins in any of the original peoples of North, Central and South America, and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment); '''[[Asian]]''', also called ''[[Asian American]]'' and frequently specified as ''[[Chinese American]]'', ''[[Filipino American]]'', ''[[Indian American]]'', ''[[Japanese American]]'', ''[[Korean American]]'' (those having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent); and '''[[Native Hawaiian]]/[[Pacific Islander|Other Pacific Islander]]''' (those having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands).

The government and Census Bureau considers race to be separate from ethnicity (that is [[Hispanic]] origin).

Although "Asian American" includes those whose ancestry originates from the countries of the [[Indian subcontinent]] (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), the category is more popularly identified with [[East Asia]]. The term ''African-American'' is associated with centuries-long residents, and does not make distinctions between them and, say, recent [[Afro-Caribbean]] immigrants from [[Jamaica]] or refugees from [[Somalia]]. Furthermore, the categories disregard the multi-ethnic heritage of many Americans.

The majority of the 295 million people currently living in the United States descend from [[Europe|European]] immigrants who have arrived since the establishment of the first colonies (most, however, arrived after [[Reconstruction]]). This majority decreases each year, and whites are expected to become a [[plurality]] within several decades. In the [[2000 Census]], Americans were able to state their ancestry. The most frequently stated European ancestries were [[German peoples|German]] (15.2%), [[Irish]] (10.8%), [[English people|English]] (8.7%), [[Italian people|Italian]] (5.6%) and [[Scandinavian]] (3.7%). Many immigrants also hail from [[Slavs|Slavic]] countries such as [[Poland]] (both Catholic [[Poles]] and [[Ashkenazi|Ashkenazi Jews]]), and in recent years an influx of Russians (mainly Ashkenazi Jews). Other significant immigrant populations came from eastern and southern Europe and French Canada. Most Americans of French descent, in fact, including the [[Cajuns]] of [[Louisiana]], are descended from French Canadians, as France has never been a major immigrant-sending country. These numbers, however, are less precise than they appear. Even though a high proportion of the population has two or more ancestries, only slighly more than one ancestry was stated per person, suggesting that many were omitted, either because they were not known or not considered important by the individuals. Also many citizens listed themselves as "American" on the census (7.2%). Some ancestries are likely to have been understated more than others, with English ancestry perhaps particularly prone to be overlooked as it is least distinct from "American". A [[:Image:Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County.jpg|county by county map of plurality ethnic groups]] reveals that the areas with the largest "American" ancestry populations were mostly settled by English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh, suggesting that the percentages listed for those groups should consequently be larger. (See [[British-Americans]].)

[[Image:Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries.jpg|right|thumb|Top ancestries in 2000.]]

Likewise, while there were few immigrants directly from [[Spain]], [[Hispanics in the United States|Hispanics]] from [[Mexico]] and South and Central America are considered the largest minority group in the country, comprising 13.4% of the population in [[2002]]. This has brought increasing use of the [[Spanish in the United States|Spanish language in the United States]]. Mexicans alone made up 7.3% of the population in the 2000 census, and this proportion is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades. The Hispanic category is based more on language than race and is defined by the Census as anybody from or with forebears from Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America so Hispanics may be of any race. About 45% identify by their ethnic background only ("Mexican", "Salvadoran"); they are mostly [[mestizo]], though some may be unmixed [[Amerindian]]s. About 40% identify as white of European (Spanish) ancestry; however, on average, they tend to have a slightly greater admixture of Amerindian or African blood than non-Hispanic whites. They are a diverse group consisting of most [[Cuban American]]s, many [[Puerto Ricans]], and a large proportion of the [[New Mexico|New Mexican]] ''Hispanos'', [[Tejanos]], and recent [[South American]] immigrants, as well as children of mixed marriages between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. Another 5% identify as black or mulatto; they typically are descended from Spanish-speaking Caribbean immigrants such as [[Dominican Republic|Dominicans]]. The remainder includes mostly self-identified Indians ([[Maya]], [[Mixtec]], etc.) and people of mixed background. With the exception of a tiny minority of families with specific Spanish or Mexican ancestry, [[Filipino people|Filipinos]] are not classified as Hispanic.

About 12.9% ([[2000]] census) of the American people is [[African American]]s of non-Hispanic origin, some of whom are descendants of the [[slave trade|enslaved Africans]] brought to the U.S. between the [[1620s]] and [[1807]] and emancipated during the [[American Civil War]]. Starting in the 1970s, the black population has been bolstered by immigration from the [[Caribbean]], especially [[Jamaica]] and [[Haiti]]; more recently, starting in the 1990s, there has been an influx of African immigrants to the United States due to the instability in political and economic opportunities in various nations in [[Africa]].

A third significant minority is the [[Asian American]] population (4.2%), most of whom are concentrated on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] and [[Hawaii]]. It is by no means a monolithic group; the largest groups are immigrants or descendants of emigrants from the [[Philippines]], [[China]], [[India]], [[Vietnam]], [[South Korea]] and [[Japan]]. While the Asian-American population is generally a fairly recent addition to the nation's ethnic mix, large waves of Chinese, Filipino and Japanese immigration happened in the mid to late [[1800s]].

The [[indigenous peoples in the United States]], such as [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]]s and [[Inuit]], make up about 1.5% of the population.

According to the 2000 census, the United States has 31 ethnic groups with at least one million people each.

''See also: [[Immigration to the United States]]''

==== Religion ====

''Main articles: [[Religion in the United States]], [[Demographics of the United States#Religious Affiliation|Demographics of the United States]]''

The United States is noteworthy among developed nations for its relatively high level of religiosity. According to a [[2004]] [[Gallup poll]], about 44% of Americans attend a religious service at least once a week. However, this rate is not uniform across the country; attendance is more common in the [[Bible Belt]]—composed largely of [[Southern U.S.|Southern]] and [[Midwest|Midwestern]] states—than in the [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]] and [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]].

'''Table: Self-reported religious identification of the adults—1990 and 2001''' [http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm]

<small>NB: All figures are after adjustment for refusals to reply, which jumped from 2.3% in 1990 to 5.4% in 2001</small>

{| {{prettytable}} style="text-align:right"

! style="text-align:left" | Religion|| [[1990]] || [[2001]] || Change<br>in %<br>point

|-

!style="text-align:left"|Total Christian

!style="text-align:right"| 88.3%|| 79.8%|| &ndash;8.5%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| [[Catholic]]

| 26.8%|| 25.9%|| &ndash;1.0%

|-

!style="text-align:left;text-indent:15px"| Other Christian

! 61.4%|| 54.0%|| &ndash;7.5%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Baptist]]

| 19.8%|| 17.2%|| &ndash;2.6%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Methodism|Methodist]]

| 8.3%|| 7.2%|| &ndash;1.1%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Christian]] (no [[christian denomination|denomination]] supplied)

| 4.7%|| 7.2%|| +2.5%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]

| 5.3%|| 4.9%|| &ndash;0.4%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]]

| 2.9%|| 2.8%|| &ndash;0.1%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Protestant]] (no [[christian denomination|denomination]] supplied)

| 10.0%|| 2.4%|| &ndash;7.7%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]]/Charismatic

| 1.9%|| 2.2%|| +0.4%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Episcopal|Episcopalian]]/[[Anglicanism|Anglican]]

| 1.8% || 1.8%|| --

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Mormon]]/[[Latter Day Saint]]s

| 1.5%|| 1.4%|| --

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Churches of Christ]]

| 1.0%|| 1.3%|| +0.3%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Congregational church|Congregational]]/[[United Church of Christ]]

| 0.3%|| 0.7%|| +0.4%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]

| 0.8%|| 0.7%|| &ndash;0.1%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Assemblies of God]]

| 0.4%|| 0.6%|| +0.2%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]]

| 0.1%|| 0.5%|| +0.4%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Church of God]]

| 0.3%|| 0.5%|| +0.2%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh Day Adventist]]

| 0.4%|| 0.4%|| --

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]]

| 0.3%|| 0.3%|| --

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:40px"| Other Christian (less than 0.3% each)

| 1.6%|| 1.9%|| +0.3%

|-

!style="text-align:left;"|Total other religions

! 3.5% || 5.2% || +1.7%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| [[Judaism|Jewish]]

| 1.8%|| 1.4%|| &ndash;0.4%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| [[Non-denominational]]

| 0.1%|| 1.3%|| +1.2%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| [[Islam|Muslim]]

| 0.3%|| 0.6%|| +0.3%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| [[Buddhism|Buddhist]]

| 0.2%|| 0.5%|| +0.3%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| [[Hinduism|Hindu]]

| 0.1%||0.4%||+0.3%

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| [[Unitarian Universalism|Unitarian Universalist]]

| 0.3%||0.3%|| --

|-

|align=left style="text-indent:15px"| Others (less than 0.07% each)

| 0.6%||0.7%|| +0.1%

|---

!style="text-align:left;" |No Religion, [[Atheism|Atheist]] or [[Agnosticism|Agnostic]]

! 8.4%|| 15.0%|| +6.6%

|---

|}

=== Education ===

''Main article: [[Education in the United States]]''

In the United States, education is a state, not federal, responsibility, and the laws and standards vary considerably. In most states, all students must attend mandatory schooling starting with [[kindergarten]] and following through twelfth grade (although in some states, students are permitted to drop out upon the age of 16 with the permission of their parents/guardians). Parents may educate their own children at home (with varying degrees of state oversight), send their children to a [[public school]], which is free, or to a [[private school]], where parents must pay [[tuition]]. Public schools are highly decentralized with funding and curriculum decisions taking place mostly at the local level through [[school boards]].

After high school, students have a choice of attending either a [[public university|public]]/[[state university]], a [[private university]], entering the workforce, or enlisting in the military. Public universities receive funding from the federal and state government but students still pay tuition, which can vary depending on the university, state, and whether the student is a resident of the state or not. Tuition at private universities tends to be much higher than at public universities.

American colleges and universities range from highly competitive schools, such as [[Stanford University]], [[Harvard University]], and [[Johns Hopkins University]] to hundreds of local [[community college]]s with open admission policies. For a complete list, see [[List of colleges and universities in the United States|Colleges and Universities in the United States]].

=== Language ===

''Main article: [[Languages in the United States]]''

The United States does not have an [[official language]] at federal level; nevertheless, [[English language|English]] is the first and/or only language of the overwhelming majority of the population and serves as the ''[[de facto]]'' official language: English is the language used for legislation, regulations, executive orders, treaties, federal court rulings, and all other official pronouncements.

Twenty-seven individual states have adopted English as their official language, and three of those—[[Hawaii]], [[Louisiana]], and [[New Mexico]]—have also adopted a second official language ([[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]], [[French language|French]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]], respectively). [[Spanish language|Spanish]] follows English as the second-most spoken language in the United States, primarily due to the influence of recent [[Latin America]]n immigrants and the fact that almost a fifth of its continental territory was originally part of Mexico, and it is a primary spoken language in some areas of the [[U.S. Southwestern states|Southwest]]. [[Puerto Rico]]'s first language is Spanish, and while it is a US territory and not a state its citizens have similar rights and their migration has a significant linguistic impact on [[New York State]] and other areas.

The primary signed language is [[American Sign Language]] (ASL).

As of 2004, the United States was the home of approximately 336 languages (spoken or signed), of which 176 are indigenous to U.S. territory.

=== Culture ===

''Main article: [[Culture of the United States]]''

[[Image:Elvisstamp.jpg|frame|right|[[Elvis Presley]], an American singer and star who had a large impact on music and youth culture in the world.]]

U.S. popular culture has a significant influence on the rest of the world, especially the [[Western world]]. [[Music of the United States|U.S. music]] is heard all over the world, and it is the sire of such forms as [[blues]] and [[jazz]] and had a primary hand in the shaping of modern [[rock and roll]] and [[popular music]] culture. Many great [[Western classical music]]ians and ensembles find their home in the U.S. [[New York City]] is a hub for international [[opera]]tic and [[instrumental]] music as well as the world-famed [[Broadway]] plays and musicals, [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]] is a world leader in the [[grunge]] and [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] music industries, and [[Nashville]] is the capital of [[country music]]. New York, Seattle, and [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] are worldwide leaders in [[graphic design]] and New York and [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] compete with major European cities in the fashion industry.

[[Cinema of the United States|U.S. movies]] (primarily embodied in [[Hollywood]]) and [[Television of the United States|television]] shows can be seen almost anywhere except the most [[authoritarian]] [[communist]] places. This is in stark contrast to the early days of the republic, when the country was viewed by Europeans as an agricultural backwater with little to offer the culturally "advanced" world centers of Asia and Europe.

[[Image:Motherhood and apple pie.jpg|250px|thumb|left|''[[Apple pie]] shown alongside [[United States]] cultural icons.'']]

Nearing the mid-point of its third century of nationhood, the U.S. plays host to the gamut of human intellectual and artistic endeavor in nearly every major city, offering classical and popular music; historical, scientific and art research centers and museums; dance performances, musicals and plays; outdoor art projects and internationally significant architecture. This development is a result of both contributions by private philanthropists and government funding.

American holidays are variously national and local. Many holidays recognize events or people of importance to the nation's history; as such, they represent significant cultural observance.

''See also: [[Arts and entertainment in the United States]], [[Media of the United States]], and [[Holidays of the United States]]''

==== Sports ====

The [[major league|major]] team sports in America are home grown. [[American football]], [[basketball]], and [[baseball]], which is often referred to as the [[baseball|Great American Pastime]], are the top three. [[Ice hockey]] is also popular in the U.S., especially in Michigan and the northeast states. The majority of the world's highest paid athletes play team sports in America [http://www.forbes.com/2004/06/23/04athletesland.html]. The U.S. hosted the [[Football World Cup|World Cup]] in [[1994]].

The United States hosts some of the premier events in other sports such as [[golf]] (including three of the four [[major championships]]), and [[tennis]] (the [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]]). The most popular form of [[auto racing]] is [[NASCAR]]. [[Formula One]], while dominant in the rest of the world, has made limited inroads into the U.S. market.

Eight [[Olympics|Olympic Games]] have been hosted in the U.S., more than any other nation. The United States generally fares very well in the Olympics, especially the [[Summer Olympics]]: in [[2004]], the U.S. topped the [[2004 Summer Olympics medals count|medals table]] with 103 medals (35 gold, 39 silver and 29 bronze). For details see: [[United States at the Olympics]]

== Related topics ==

''Main article: [[List of United States-related topics]]''

{{US_topics}}

== International rankings ==

* [[A.T. Kearney]]/[[Foreign Policy|Foreign Policy Magazine]]: [http://www.atkearney.com/main.taf?p=5,4,1,116 Globalization Index 2005], ranked 4 out of 62 countries

* [[IMD International]]: [http://www01.imd.ch/wcy/ World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005], ranked 1 out of 60 economies (countries and regions)

* [[Reporters without borders]]: [http://www.rsf.fr/article.php3?id_article=11715 Third annual worldwide press freedom index (2004)], ranked 22 (American territory; tied with Belgium) & 108 (in Iraq) out of 167 countries

* [[Save the Children]]: [http://www.savethechildren.org/mothers/report_2005/ State of the World's Mothers 2005], ranked 11 out of 110 countries

* [[The Wall Street Journal]]: [http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/ 2005] [[Index of Economic Freedom]], ranked 12 out of 155 countries

* [[The Economist]]: [http://www.economist.com/theworldin/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3372495&d=2005 The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005], ranked 13 out of 111 countries

* [[Transparency International]]: [http://www.transparency.org/pressreleases_archive/2004/2004.10.20.cpi.en.html Corruption Perceptions Index 2004], ranked 17 out of 146 countries (tied with Belgium and Ireland)

* [[United Nations Development Programme]]: [http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/ Human Development Index 2004], ranked 8 out of 177 countries

* [[World Economic Forum]]: [http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Global+Competitiveness+Programme%5CGlobal+Competitiveness+Report Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005 - Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking], ranked 2 out of 104 countries

==Notes==

{{anb|America}} ''[[America]]'' may refer to the nation of the United States or to ''[[the Americas]]'' — [[North America|North]], [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]. The latter usage is more common in [[Latin American]] countries where the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] word ''Am&eacute;rica'' refers to both continents. The ''United States'' (or ''Estados Unidos'' in Spanish and Portuguese) is a less ambiguous term and less likely to cause offense. The term ''[[Use of the word American|American]]'' meaning a citizen or national of the United States has no straightforward unambiguous synonym. Many [[alternative words for American]] have been proposed, but none have enjoyed widespread acceptance.<br>

== External links ==

*[http://www.londonderrynh.org Official Town Website]

*[http://www.londonderry.org Londonderry School District]

[[Category:Rockingham County, New Hampshire]]

{{portal}}

[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]

{{sisterlinks|United States}}

=== United States government ===

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

*[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

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

*[http://www.firstgov.gov Official website of the United States government] - Gateway to governmental sites

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

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

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

*[http://vlib.iue.it/history/USA/ WWW-VL: United States History Index]

=== Other ===

*[http://www.adbusters.org/jams/history/timeline.swf Archive of 163 U.S. interventions]

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

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

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

*[http://www.travel-directory.org/Destinations/North_America/United_States/index.html Reference: U.S. specific web resources sorted by state]

*[http://www.mediatico.com/en U.S. Newspapers by State]

*[http://schema-root.org/region/americas/north_america/usa/government/ Schema-root.org: United States government] - 1080 US government topics, each with a current news feed

=== Further Reading ===

* Johnson, Paul M. ''A History of the American People'', Perennial, 1999. ISBN 0060930349</br>

* Zinn, Howard. ''A People's History of the United States'', Perennial, 2003. ISBN 0060528370

{{U.S. regions}}

{{North_America}}

{{UN Security Council}}

[[Category:North American countries]]

[[Category:Republics]]

[[Category:United States| ]]

[[af:Verenigde State]]

[[als:USA]]

[[ang:Geānlǣht Rīcu American]]

[[ar:ولايات متحدة أمريكية]]

[[an:Estatos Unitos]]

[[ast:Estaos Uníos]]

[[bg:Съединени американски щати]]

[[zh-min-nan:Bí-kok]]

[[be:Злучаныя Штаты Амэрыкі]]

[[bn:যুক্তরাষ্ট্র]]

[[bs:Sjedinjene Američke Države]]

[[br:Stadoù-Unanet Amerika]]

[[ca:Estats Units]]

[[cv:Америкăри Пĕрлешӳллĕ Штатсем]]

[[chr:ᎠᎺᎢ]]

[[cs:Spojené státy americké]]

[[cy:Unol Daleithiau America]]

[[da:USA]]

[[de:USA]]

[[et:Ameerika Ühendriigid]]

[[el:Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες]]

[[es:Estados Unidos]]

[[eo:Usono]]

[[fa:ایالات متحده‌ امریکا]]

[[fr:États-Unis d’Amérique]]

[[fy:Feriene Steaten fan Amearika]]

[[ga:Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá]]

[[gd:Na Stàitean Aonaichte]]

[[gl:Estados Unidos de América - United States of America]]

[[ko:미국]]

[[ht:Etazini]]

[[hi:संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका]]

[[hr:Sjedinjene Američke Države]]

[[io:Usa]]

[[id:Amerika Serikat]]

[[ia:Statos Unite de America]]

[[iu:ᐊᒥᐊᓕᑲ]]

[[is:Bandaríkin]]

[[it:Stati Uniti d'America]]

[[he:ארצות הברית]]

[[ks:संयुक्त राज्‍य अमेरिका]]

[[ku:Dewletên Yekbûyî yên Emerîkayê]]

[[la:Uniti Status Americae]]

[[lv:Amerikas Savienotās Valstis]]

[[lt:JAV]]

[[li:Vereinegde State van Amerika]]

[[hu:Amerikai Egyesült Államok]]

[[mt:Stati Uniti]]

[[mr:अमेरिकेची संयुक्त संस्थाने]]

[[ms:Amerika Syarikat]]

[[nah:Altepetl Osehsepanoaseh Amerikak]]

[[nv:Wááshindoon bikéyah ałhidadiidzooígíí]]

[[nl:Verenigde Staten van Amerika]]

[[nds:USA]]

[[ja:アメリカ合衆国]]

[[no:Amerikas forente stater]]

[[nn:USA]]

[[oc:Estats Units]]

[[os:Америкæйы Иугонд Штаттæ]]

[[pl:Stany Zjednoczone]]

[[pt:Estados Unidos da América]]

[[ro:Statele Unite ale Americii]]

[[rm:Stadis Unids da l'America]]

[[ru:Соединённые Штаты Америки]]

[[se:Amerihká ovttastuvvan stáhtat]]

[[sa:संयुक्त राज्‍य अमेरिका]]

[[sco:Unitit States]]

[[sh:Sjedinjene Američke Države]]

[[scn:Stati Uniti]]

[[simple:United States]]

[[sk:Spojené štáty americké]]

[[sl:Združene države Amerike]]

[[sr:Сједињене Америчке Државе]]

[[fi:Yhdysvallat]]

[[sv:USA]]

[[tl:Estados Unidos]]

[[th:สหรัฐอเมริกา]]

[[vi:Hoa Kỳ]]

[[tr:Amerika Birleşik Devletleri]]

[[uk:Сполучені Штати Америки]]

[[ur:امریکہ]]

[[yi:פֿאַראײניקטע שטאַטן פֿון אַמעריקע]]

[[za:Meijgoz]]

[[zh:美国]]