As of July 15, 2014, the United States has a total resident population of 318,389,000,[1] making it the third-most

populous country in the world.[2] It is very urbanized, with 81% residing in cities and suburbs as of 2014 (the worldwide
urban rate is 54%).[3] California and Texas are the most populous states,[4] as the mean center of U.S. population has
consistently shifted westward and southward.[5] New York City is the most populous city in the United States.[6]
The total fertility rate in the United States estimated for 2013 is 1.87 children per woman, [7] which is below the
replacement fertility rate of approximately 2.1. Compared to other Western countries, in 2012, U.S. fertility rate was
lower than that of France (2.01),[8] Australia (1.93) and the United Kingdom (1.92).[9] However, U.S. population growth
is among the highest in industrialized countries, [10] because the differences in fertility rates are less than the
differences in immigration levels, which are higher in the U.S. [11][12] The United States Census Bureau shows population
increase of 0.75% for the twelve-month period ending in July 2012. Though high by industrialized country standards,
this is below the world average annual rate of 1.1%. [10]
There were over 158.6 million females in the United States in 2009. The number of males was 151.4 million. At age 85
and older, there were more than twice as many women as men. People under 20 years of age made up over a quarter
of the U.S. population (27.3%), and people age 65 and over made up one-eighth (12.8%) in 2009. [13] The national
median age was 36.8 years.[13]
United States of America

Flag

Great Seal

Motto:
"In God we trust" (official)[1][2][3]
"E pluribus unum" (Latin) (traditional)
"Out of many, one"
"Annuit cptis" (Latin) (traditional)
"She/he/it approves (has approved) of the undertakings"
"Novus ordo seclorum" (Latin) (traditional)
"New order of the ages"
Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
The Contiguous United States plus Alaska and Hawaii in green.
The United States and its territories.
Washington, D.C.

Capital
Largest city

3853N 7701W
New York City

4043N 7400W
None at federal level[a]
List[show]
English[b]
American
Federal presidential constitutional
Government
republic
- President
Barack Obama (D)
- Vice President
Joe Biden (D)
- Speaker of the House
John Boehner (R)
- Chief Justice
John Roberts
Legislature
Congress
- Upper house
Senate
- Lower house
House of Representatives
Independence from Great Britain
- Declared
July 4, 1776
- Recognized
September 3, 1783
- Constitution
June 21, 1788
- Current Statehood
August 21, 1959
Area
9,629,091 km2 (3rd/4th)
- Total
3,717,813 sq mi
- Water (%)
2.23
Population
- 2014 estimate
318,389,000[4] (3rd)
34.2/km2 (180th)
- Density
88.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2014 estimate
- Total
$17.528 trillion[5] (1st)
- Per capita
$54,980[5] (7th)
GDP (nominal)
2014 estimate
- Total
$17.528 trillion[5] (1st)
- Per capita
$54,980[5] (9th)
36.9[6]
Gini (2012)
medium 39th (2009)
0.937[7]
HDI (2013)
very high 3rd
United States dollar ($) (USD)
Currency
Time zone
(UTC5 to 10)
- Summer (DST)
(UTC4 to 10[d])
Drives on the
right[e]
Official languages
Recognised regional languages
National language
Demonym

Calling code
+1
ISO 3166 code
US
Internet TLD
.us .gov .mil .edu
^ English is the official language of at least 28 states; some
sources give higher figures, based on differing definitions of
"official".[8] English and Hawaiian are both official languages in
the state of Hawaii. French is a de facto language in the states of
a.
Maine and Louisiana, while New Mexico state law grants Spanish
a special status. [9] [10] [11] [12] Cherokee is an official language in the
Cherokee Nation tribal jurisdiction area and in the United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians based in east and northeast
Oklahoma.[13] [14][15]
^ English is the de facto language of American government and
the sole language spoken at home by 80 percent of Americans
b.
aged five and older. 28 states and five territories have made
English an official language. Other official languages include
Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Carolinian, and Spanish.
^ Whether the United States or China is larger has been disputed.
The figure given is from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's
c.
The World Factbook. Other sources give smaller figures. All
authoritative calculations of the country's size include only the 50
states and the District of Columbia, not the territories.
d. ^ See Time in the United States for details about laws governing
time zones in the United States.
e.
^ Except U.S. Virgin Islands.
The United States of America (USA or U.S.A.), commonly referred to as the United States (US or U.S.), America,
and sometimes the States, is a federal republic[16][17] consisting of 50 states and a federal district. The 48 contiguous
states and Washington, D.C., are in central North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is the
northwestern part of North America and the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also has
five populated and nine unpopulated territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean. At 3.71 million square miles
(9.62 million km2) and with around 318 million people, the United States is the world's third or fourth-largest country
by total area and third-largest by population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations,
the product of large-scale immigration from many countries.[18] The geography and climate of the United States is also
extremely diverse, and it is home to a wide variety of wildlife.
The United States is a developed country and has the world's largest national economy, with an estimated GDP in
2013 of $16.8 trillion23% of global nominal GDP and 19% at purchasing-power parity.[5][26] The economy is fueled by
an abundance of natural resources and high worker productivity, [27] with per capita GDP being the world's sixth-highest
in 2010.[5] While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial, it continues to be one of the world's largest
manufacturers.[28] The U.S. has the highest mean and fourth highest median household income in the OECD as well as
the highest gross average wage,[29][30][31] though it has the fourth most unequal income distribution,[32][33] with roughly
15% of the population living in poverty as defined by the U.S. Census.[34] The country accounts for 36.6% of global
military spending,[35] being the world's foremost economic and military power, a prominent political and cultural force,
and a leader in scientific research and technological innovation. [
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the country's population now to be 318,389,000, [4] including an approximate 11.2
million illegal immigrants.[169] The U.S. population almost quadrupled during the 20th century, from about 76 million in
1900.[170] The third most populous nation in the world, after China and India, the United States is the only major
industrialized nation in which large population increases are projected. [171]
The United States has a very diverse population31 ancestry groups have more than one million members.[172]
German Americans are the largest ethnic group (more than 50 million) - followed by Irish Americans (circa 35 million),
Mexican Americans (circa 31 million) and English Americans (circa 27 million).[173][174]
White Americans are the largest racial group; Black Americans are the nation's largest racial minority and third largest
ancestry group.[172] Asian Americans are the country's second largest racial minority; the three largest Asian American
ethnic groups are Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, and Indian Americans.[172]
With a birth rate of 13 per 1,000, 35% below the world average, its population growth rate is positive at 0.9%,
significantly higher than those of many developed nations. [175] In fiscal year 2012, over one million immigrants (most of
whom entered through family reunification) were granted legal residence.[176] Mexico has been the leading source of
new residents since the 1965 Immigration Act. China, India, and the Philippines have been in the top four sending
countries every year
Government and politics
Main articles: Federal government of the United States, state governments of the United States and elections in the
United States
U.S. Capitol,
where Congress meets:
the Senate, left; the House, right
The White House, home of the U.S. President
Supreme Court Building, where the nation's highest court sits
The United States is the world's oldest surviving federation. It is a constitutional republic and representative
democracy, "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law".[224] The government is regulated
by a system of checks and balances defined by the U.S. Constitution, which serves as the country's supreme legal
document.[225] For 2012, the U.S. ranked 21st on the Democracy Index[226] and 19th on the Corruption Perceptions
Index.[227]
In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government: federal, state, and local.
The local government's duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. In almost all cases,
executive and legislative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by district. There is no proportional
representation at the federal level, and it is very rare at lower levels.

Political system of the United States

The federal government is composed of three branches:

Legislative: The bicameral Congress, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, makes federal
law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse,[228] and has the power of impeachment, by
which it can remove sitting members of the government. [229]

Executive: The president is the commander-in-chief of the military, can veto legislative bills before they
become law (subject to Congressional override), and appoints the members of the Cabinet (subject to Senate
approval) and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies. [230]

Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the president with
Senate approval, interpret laws and overturn those they find unconstitutional.
The House of Representatives has 435 voting members, each representing a congressional district for a two-year term.
House seats are apportioned among the states by population every tenth year. At the 2010 census, seven states had
the minimum of one representative, while California, the most populous state, had 53. [231]
The Senate has 100 members with each state having two senators, elected at-large to six-year terms; one third of
Senate seats are up for election every other year. The president serves a four-year term and may be elected to the
office no more than twice. The president is not elected by direct vote, but by an indirect electoral college system in
which the determining votes are apportioned to the states and the District of Columbia.[232] The Supreme Court, led by
the Chief Justice of the United States, has nine members, who serve for life.[233]
The state governments are structured in roughly similar fashion; Nebraska uniquely has a unicameral legislature.[234]
The governor (chief executive) of each state is directly elected. Some state judges and cabinet officers are appointed
by the governors of the respective states, while others are elected by popular vote.
The original text of the Constitution establishes the structure and responsibilities of the federal government and its
relationship with the individual states. Article One protects the right to the "great writ" of habeas corpus, The
Constitution has been amended 27 times;[235] the first ten amendments, which make up the Bill of Rights, and the
Fourteenth Amendment form the central basis of Americans' individual rights. All laws and governmental procedures
are subject to judicial review and any law ruled by the courts to be in violation of the Constitution is voided. The
principle of judicial review, not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, was established by the Supreme Court in
Marbury v. Madison (1803)[236] in a decision handed down by Chief Justice John Marshall.[237]
Education
Main article: Education in the United States
See also: Educational attainment in the United States and Higher education in the United States

The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, is one of the many public universities in the United
States.
American public education is operated by state and local governments, regulated by the United States Department of
Education through restrictions on federal grants. In most states, children are required to attend school from the age of
six or seven (generally, kindergarten or first grade) until they turn 18 (generally bringing them through twelfth grade,
the end of high school); some states allow students to leave school at 16 or 17. [402] About 12% of children are enrolled
in parochial or nonsectarian private schools. Just over 2% of children are homeschooled.[403] The U.S. spends more on
education per student than any nation in the world, spending more than $11,000 per elementary student in 2010 and
more than $12,000 per high school student.[404] Some 80% of U.S. college students attend public universities.[405]
The United States has many competitive private and public institutions of higher education. According to prominent
international rankings, 13 or 15 American colleges and universities are ranked among the top 20 in the world. [406][407]
There are also local community colleges with generally more open admission policies, shorter academic programs, and
lower tuition. Of Americans 25 and older, 84.6% graduated from high school, 52.6% attended some college, 27.2%
earned a bachelor's degree, and 9.6% earned graduate degrees.[408] The basic literacy rate is approximately 99%.[148]
[409]
The United Nations assigns the United States an Education Index of 0.97, tying it for 12th in the world. [410]
As for public expenditures on higher education, the U.S. trails some other OECD nations but spends more per student
than the OECD average, and more than all nations in combined public and private spending. [404][411] As of 2012, student
loan debt exceeded one trillion dollars, more than Americans owe on credit cards
Great Britain
Satellite image of Great Britain in April 2002

Location
Coordinates
Archipelago
Adjacent bodies of water
Area
Area rank
Highest elevation
Highest point

Countries
Largest city
Population
Density
Ethnic groups

Geography
North-western Europe
5350N 225W
British Isles
Atlantic Ocean
229,848 km2 (88,745 sq mi)[1]
9th
1,344 m (4,409 ft)
Ben Nevis
Sovereign state
United Kingdom
England, Scotland, Wales
London
Demographics
60,800,000[2] (2011 census)
302 /km2 (782 /sq mi)

86.8% White

7.1% Asian

3.1% Black

2.0% Mixed

0.3% Arab

0.6% Other

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Royal coat of arms[nb 1]

Flag

Anthem: "God Save the Queen"[1][nb 2]

Location of the United Kingdom (dark green)
in Europe (green & dark grey)
in the European Union (green)
Capital
and largest city
Official languages
Recognised
regional languages

Ethnic groups (2011)

London
5130N 07W
English
Scots, Ulster-Scots, Welsh, Cornish, Irish,
Scottish Gaelic[2][nb 3]

87.1% White

7.0% Asian

3.0% Black

2.0% Mixed

0.9% Other[3][nb 4]
Demonym
British, Briton
Government
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
- Prime Minister
David Cameron
Legislature
Parliament
- Upper house
House of Lords
- Lower house
House of Commons
Formation
- Acts of Union 1707 1 May 1707
- Acts of Union 1800 1 January 1801
- Anglo-Irish Treaty 6 December 1922
Area
243,610 km2 (80th)
- Total
94,060 sq mi
- Water (%)
1.34
Population
- 2013 estimate
64,100,000[4] (22nd)
- 2011 census
63,181,775[5] (22nd)
255.6/km2 (51st)
- Density
661.9/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2014 estimate
- Total
$2.497 trillion[6] (8th)
- Per capita
$38,711[6] (21st)
GDP (nominal)
2014 estimate
- Total
$2.828 trillion[6] (6th)
- Per capita
$43,830[6] (21st)
32.8[7]
Gini (2012)
medium 33rd
0.875[8]
HDI (2013)
very high 26th
Pound sterling (GBP)
Currency
Time zone
GMT (UTC)
- Summer (DST)
BST (UTC+1)
Date format
dd/mm/yyyy (AD)
Drives on the
left
Calling code
+44
ISO 3166 code
GB
Internet TLD
.uk
Prime Minister of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Incumbent
David Cameron
since 11 May 2010
Government of the United Kingdom

Office of the Prime Minister

Style
The Right Honourable

Member of

Reports to
Residence

Cabinet

Privy Council

European Council
Parliament

10 Downing Street

Chequers
Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom
Monarch of the United Kingdom
Appointer by convention, based on appointee's ability to command
confidence in the House of Commons.
At Her Majesty's pleasure,[1]
Term length so long as General Elections are held no more than five
years apart.[2]
Sir Robert Walpole
Inaugural
as First Lord of the Treasury and de facto first Prime
holder
Minister.
Formation 4 April 1721; 293 years ago
Salary
142,000 (annual, including 67,060 MP's salary)
Website
www.number10.gov.uk
Seat

Elizabeth II
Queen of the United Kingdom and
the other Commonwealth realms[show]
Reign
6 February 1952 present
Coronation
2 June 1953
Predecessor George VI
Heir apparent Charles, Prince of Wales
Prime Ministers see list
Spouse

Issue
Detail

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (m. 1947)

Charles, Prince of Wales

Anne, Princess Royal

Andrew, Duke of York

Edward, Earl of Wessex

Full name
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary
House
Windsor
Father
George VI
Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
21 April 1926 (age 88)
Born
17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Religion
Anglican
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926)[a] is the constitutional monarch of sixteen realms of the
53-member Commonwealth of Nations. She is also Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church
of England.
Upon her accession on 6 February 1952, Elizabeth became Head of the Commonwealth and queen regnant of seven
independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan
and Ceylon. Her coronation the following year was the first to be televised. From 1956 to 1992, the number of her
realms varied as territories gained independence and some realms became republics. Today, in addition to the first
four of the aforementioned countries, Elizabeth is Queen of Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New
Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and
Saint Kitts and Nevis. She is the longest-lived and, after her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria, the second
longest-reigning British monarch.
Elizabeth was born in London and educated privately at home. Her father acceded to the throne as George VI on the
abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake
public duties during the Second World War, in which she served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In 1947, she married
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, with whom she has four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
Elizabeth's many historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland, the first state visit of an
Irish president to Britain, and reciprocal visits to and from the Pope. She has seen major constitutional changes, such
as devolution in the United Kingdom and Canadian patriation, and has also reigned through various wars and conflicts
involving many of her realms.
Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children and grandchildren, the
investiture of the Prince of Wales, and the celebration of milestones such as her Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees
in 1977, 2002, and 2012, respectively. Moments of sorrow for her include the death of her father at 56, the
assassination of Prince Philip's uncle, Lord Mountbatten, the breakdown of her children's marriages in 1992 (a year
deemed her annus horribilis), the death in 1997 of her son's former wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, and the deaths of
her mother and sister in 2002. Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and severe press criticism of the
royal family, but support for the monarchy and her personal popularity remain high.