United States

World Book Index

Introduction

Background
Thirteen of Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America after the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions.

Geography

Area
total : 9,833,517 sq km
land: 9,147,593 sq km
water: 685,924 sq km

Climate
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Natural resources
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land

People and Society

Population
total: 341,963,408 (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups
White 61.6%, Black or African American 12.4%, Asian 6%, Indigenous and Alaska native 1.1%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.2%, other 8.4%, two or more races 10.2% (2020 est.)

Languages
English only (official) 78.2%, Spanish 13.4%, Chinese 1.1%, other 7.3% (2017 est.)

Religions
Protestant 46.5%, Roman Catholic 20.8%, Jewish 1.9%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.6%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 0.9%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, Buddhist 0.7%, Hindu 0.7%, other 1.8%, unaffiliated 22.8%, don't know/refused 0.6% (2014 est.)

Population growth rate
0.67% (2024 est.)

Government

Government type
constitutional federal republic

Capital
name: Washington, D.C.

Executive branch
chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)
head of government: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)

Economy

Economic overview
world’s largest economy by nominal GDP; largest importer and second-largest exporter; home to leading financial exchanges and global reserve currency; high and growing public debt; inflation moderating but remains above pre-pandemic levels

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$25.676 trillion (2024 est.)
$24.977 trillion (2023 est.)
$24.276 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$75,500 (2024 est.)
$74,200 (2023 est.)
$72,700 (2022 est.)

Exports
$3.191 trillion (2024 est.)
$3.072 trillion (2023 est.)
$3.039 trillion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners
Canada 14%, Mexico 13%, China 8%, Germany 5%, Japan 4% (2023)

Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, gas turbines, cars (2023)

Imports
$4.108 trillion (2024 est.)
$3.857 trillion (2023 est.)
$3.984 trillion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners
Mexico 15%, China 15%, Canada 14%, Germany 5%, Japan 5% (2023)

Imports - commodities
cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers, garments (2023)

Human Development Index

The country's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.938, ranking it 17th out of 193 countries tested. (more information)

World Happiness Report

The World Happiness Report ranked the country 64th out of 158 countries tested with a score of 5.968. (more information)