Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
38 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
131 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
4 major terrestrial TV networks with affiliate stations, plus cable and satellite networks, independent stations, and a limited public broadcasting sector; thousands of TV stations broadcasting; multiple national radio networks with many affiliate stations; over 15,000 radio stations, most commercial; National Public Radio (NPR) has a network of about 900 member stations; satellite radio available (2018)
Communications: Internet country code
.us
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
94.69% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
26 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
87.987 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
113 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
391 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
maize, soybeans, milk, wheat, sugar beets, sugarcane, potatoes, chicken, pork, tomatoes (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
6.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$6.857 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$4.877 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$339.455 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$369.978 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$408.447 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$396.219 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$367.614 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$438.989 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$441.962 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$593.504 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$858.634 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$1.012 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
-$905.378 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
-$1.134 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
1.0000 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
United States dollar
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
1.0000 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
1.0000 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
1.0000 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
1.0000 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
1.0000 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
1.0000 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
1.0000 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
1.0000 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
1.0000 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
1.0000 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
1.0000 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
1.0000 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, gas turbines, cars (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$2.116 trillion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$2.379 trillion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$2.271 trillion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$2.236 trillion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$2.388 trillion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$2.538 trillion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$2.539 trillion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$2.151 trillion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$2.555 trillion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$3.039 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$3.072 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$3.191 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
10.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
13.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
67.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-14% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
21.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
0.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
17.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
79.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$85,810 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$29.185 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$29.185 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015
41.5 (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016
41.3 (2016 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
41.4 (2017 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
41.8 (2018 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
41.9 (2019 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
40.0 (2020 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
39.7 (2021 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
41.7 (2022 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
41.8 (2023 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2024
41.8 (2024 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
30.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
1.8% (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers, garments (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$2.390 trillion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$2.795 trillion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$2.739 trillion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$2.932 trillion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$3.131 trillion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$3.117 trillion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$2.777 trillion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$3.415 trillion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$3.984 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$3.857 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$4.108 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
3.25% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
0.12% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
1.26% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
2.13% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
2.44% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
1.81% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
1.23% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
4.70% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
8.00% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
4.12% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.95% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
174.174 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2013
95.72% (2013 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2014
95.95% (2014 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
98.69% (2016 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2017
97.88% (2017 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2018
99.22% (2018 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2019
100.98% (2019 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2020
126.37% (2020 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2021
120.37% (2021 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2022
114.69% (2022 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2023
116.92% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$17.608 trillion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$18.295 trillion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$18.805 trillion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$19.612 trillion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$21.540 trillion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$21.354 trillion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$23.681 trillion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$24.276 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$24.977 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$25.676 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
2.95% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
1.82% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
2.46% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
2.97% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
2.58% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-2.16% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
6.06% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
2.51% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
2.89% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
2.79% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$55,153 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$56,849 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$57,977 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$60,048 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$65,228 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$64,402 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$71,307 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$77,861 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$82,305 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$6.613 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$6.503 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$6.578 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$6.827 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$7.093 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
$7.663 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
$8.400 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
$8.712 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$383.728 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$405.942 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$451.285 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$449.907 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$516.701 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$628.370 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$716.152 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$706.644 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$773.426 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$910.037 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
10.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
3.67% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
8.05% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
5.35% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
3.65% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
3.64% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
4.02% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
8.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
10.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
9.4% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
495.156 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
92.28 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
3.825 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: production
534.234 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
247.883 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
58.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: geothermal
0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: nuclear
18.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
4.085 trillion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: exports
19.87 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
38.874 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
1.235 billion kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
191.104 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
278.474 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
920.47 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: exports
215.48 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
82.917 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
1.072 trillion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
13.402 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
96.95GW (2025 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
41 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of operational nuclear reactors
94 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Percent of total electricity production
18.5% (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
38.212 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
20.307 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
20.953 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
777.302 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
1.76 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
2.258 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
4.795 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: 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
Environment: Environmental issues
air pollution; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; declining natural freshwater resources in the west; deforestation; mining; desertification; species conservation; invasive species
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Protocol
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
46.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
33.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
18.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
9,063.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
20,500.6 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
758.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
4,974 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
3.069 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
176.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
209.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
58.39 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
80.12% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
265.225 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
14.8% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union
Geography: Area: land
9,147,593 sq km
Geography: Area: water
685,924 sq km
Geography: Coastline
19,924 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Mount McKinley 6,190 m (highest point in North America)
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Death Valley (lowest point in North America) -86 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
760 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
38 00 N, 97 00 W
Geography: Geography - note
note 1: world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is the highest point (6,190 m; 20,308 ft) in North America, and Death Valley is the lowest point (-86 m; -282 ft) note 2: the western US coast and the southern coast of Alaska lie along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: the Aleutian Islands are a chain of volcanic islands that divide the Bering Sea (north) from the main Pacific Ocean (south); they extend about 1,800 km (1,118 mi) westward from the Alaskan Peninsula; the archipelago consists of 14 larger islands, 55 smaller islands, and hundreds of islets; there are 41 active volcanoes on the islands, which together form a large northern section of the Ring of Fire note 4: Mammoth Cave, in west-central Kentucky, is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 miles) of surveyed passageways, which is nearly twice as long as the second-longest cave system, the Sac Actun underwater cave in Mexico (see "Geography - note" under Mexico) note 5: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava-tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep note 6: Bracken Cave outside San Antonio, Texas is the world's largest bat cave and the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the world; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October, making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals
Geography: Irrigated land
234,782 sq km (2017)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Canada 8,891 km (including 2,475 km with Alaska); Mexico 3,111 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
12,002 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
46.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
33.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
18.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major aquifers
Northern Great Plains Aquifer, Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System, Californian Central Valley Aquifer System, Ogallala Aquifer (High Plains), Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s)
Michigan – 57,750 sq km; Superior* – 53,348 sq km; Huron* – 23,597 sq km; Erie* – 12,890 sq km; Ontario* – 9,220 sq km; Lake of the Woods – 4,350 sq km; Iliamna – 2,590 sq km; Okeechobee – 1,810 sq km; Belcharof – 1,190 sq km; Red – 1,170 sq km; Saint Clair – 1,113 sq km; Champlain – 1,100 sq km note - Great Lakes* area shown as US waters
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s)
Great Salt – 4,360 sq km; Pontchartrain – 1,620 sq km; Selawik – 1,400 sq km; Salton Sea – 950 sq km
Geography: Major rivers (by length in km)
Missouri - 3,768 km; Mississippi - 3,544 km; Yukon river mouth (shared with Canada [s]) - 3,190 km; Saint Lawrence (shared with Canada) - 3,058 km; Rio Grande river source (mouth shared with Mexico) - 3,057 km; Colorado river source (shared with Mexico [m]) - 2,333 km; Arkansas - 2,348 km; Columbia river mouth (shared with Canada [s]) - 2,250 km; Red - 2,188 km; Ohio - 2,102 km); Snake - 1,670 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Gulf of America) Mississippi* (3,202,185 sq km); Rio Grande (607,965 sq km); (Gulf of Saint Lawrence) Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km total, US only 505,000 sq km)
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Pacific Ocean drainage
Yukon* (847,620 sq km, US only 23,820 sq km); Colorado (703,148 sq km); Columbia* (657,501 sq km, US only 554,501 sq km)
Geography: Map references
North America
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
not specified
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of America coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to intercontinental air travel; St. Helens (2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; other historically active volcanoes are mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii, including (in Alaska) Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof, (in Hawaii) Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi, (in the Northern Mariana Islands) Anatahan, (in the Pacific Northwest) Mount Baker, and Mount Hood; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Geography: Population distribution
large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast, particularly around Anchorage, and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu
Geography: Terrain
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Government: Administrative divisions
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Government: Capital: daylight saving time
+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - no DST for Hawaii and most of Arizona
Government: Capital: etymology
named after George WASHINGTON (1732-1799), the first president of the United States
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
38 53 N, 77 02 W
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC-5 (during Standard Time)
Government: Capital: time zone note
the 50 United States cover six time zones
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
yes
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
yes
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no, but the US government acknowledges such situtations exist; US citizens are not encouraged to seek dual citizenship since it limits protection by the US
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed as a "joint resolution" by Congress, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by at least two thirds of the state legislatures; passage requires ratification by three fourths of the state legislatures or passage in state-held constitutional conventions as specified by Congress; the US president has no role in the constitutional amendment process
Government: Constitution: history
previous 1781 (Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union); latest drafted July - September 1787, submitted to the Congress of the Confederation 20 September 1787, submitted for states' ratification 28 September 1787, ratification completed by nine of the 13 states 21 June 1788, effective 4 March 1789
Government: Country name: abbreviation
US or USA
Government: Country name: conventional short form
United States
Government: Country name: etymology
the name America was first used in 1507 and is derived from the first name of Amerigo VESPUCCI (1454-1512), an Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer; the name United States first appeared in a document subtitle during the discussions that led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776
Government: Dependent areas
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (14)
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president, approved by the Senate
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2024: Donald J. TRUMP elected president; electoral vote - Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 312, Kamala HARRIS (Democratic Party) 226; percent of direct popular vote - Donald J. TRUMP 49.8%, Kamala HARRIS 48.3%, other 1.9% 2020: Joseph R. BIDEN, Jr. elected president; electoral vote - Joseph R. BIDEN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 306, Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 232; percent of direct popular vote - Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. 51.3%, Donald J. TRUMP 46.9%, other 1.8%
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by the Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
7 November 2028
Government: Executive branch: head of government
President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
5 November 2024
Government: Flag
description: 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue rectangle in the upper-left corner has 50 five-pointed white stars, arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars meaning: the stars represent the 50 states, and the stripes represent the 13 original colonies; blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red for courage, zeal, and fervency; white for purity and rectitude of conduct
Government: International law organization participation
withdrew acceptance of compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in 2005; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002
Government: International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
US Supreme Court (consists of 9 justices -- the chief justice and 8 associate justices)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
president nominates and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints Supreme Court justices; justices serve for life
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
Courts of Appeal (includes the US Court of Appeal for the Federal District and 12 regional appeals courts); 94 federal district courts in 50 states and territories
Government: Legal system
common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law, except Louisiana, where state law is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
House of Representatives
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
November 2026
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
11/5/2024
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
435 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: parties elected and seats per party
Republican Party (220); Democratic Party (215)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
28.9%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: term in office
2 years
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
Senate
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
November 2026
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
11/5/2024
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
100 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: parties elected and seats per party
Republican Party (15); Democratic Party (19)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
26%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
partial renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: term in office
6 years
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Congress
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, Francis Scott KEY witnessed the successful American defense of Baltimore's Fort McHenry against a British naval bombardment, later writing a poem about it that would become the US national anthem; the lyrics were set to the tune of "The Anacreontic Song;" there are four verses, but only the first verse is sung
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH
Government: National color(s)
red, white, blue
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Yellowstone National Park (n); Grand Canyon National Park (n); Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (c); Independence Hall (c); Statue of Liberty (c); Yosemite National Park (n); Papahānaumokuākea (m); Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point (c); The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright (c); Mesa Verde National Park (c); Mammoth Cave National Park (n); Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (c); Olympic National Park (n); Everglades National Park (n); Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek (n); Redwood National and State Parks (n); Great Smoky Mountains National Park (n); La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico (c); Chaco Culture (c); Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (n); Taos Pueblo (c); Carlsbad Caverns National Park (n); Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (n); Moravian Church Settlements (c); San Antonio Missions (c); Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks (c)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
26 (13 cultural, 12 natural, 1 mixed); note - includes one site in Puerto Rico
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Government: National symbol(s)
bald eagle
Government: Political parties
Alliance Party Constitution Party Democratic Party Green Party Libertarian Party Republican Party Vermont Progressive Party
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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 following 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. Two of the most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Since the end of World War II, the economy has achieved relatively steady growth, low unemployment, and rapid advances in technology.
Military and Security: Military - note
the US military's primary missions are to deter potential enemies, provide for the defense of the US, its Territories, Commonwealths and possessions, and any areas occupied by the US, and to protect US national interests; its responsibilities are worldwide and include providing humanitarian assistance, participating in international military exercises and operations, conducting military diplomacy, and fulfilling the US's alliance and treaty commitments; the US has been a leading member of NATO since the Alliance's formation in 1949 the US military has a global presence; the separate services operate jointly under 11 regional or functionally based joint service "combatant" commands: Africa Command; Central Command, Cyber Command, European Command, Indo-Pacific Command, Northern Command, Southern Command, Space Command, Special Operations Command, Strategic Command, and Transportation Command Congress officially created the US military in September 1789; the US Army was established in June 1775 as the Continental Army; after the declaration of independence in July 1776, the Continental Army and the militia in the service of Congress became known collectively as the Army of the United States; when Congress ordered the Continental Army to disband in 1784, it retained a small number of personnel that would form the nucleus of the 1st American Regiment for national service formed later that year; both the US Navy and the US Marines were also established in 1775, but the Navy fell into disuse after the Revolutionary War, and was reestablished by Congress in 1794; the first US military unit devoted exclusively to aviation began operations in 1913 as part of the US Army; the Army Air Corps (AAC) was the US military service dedicated to aerial warfare between 1926 and 1941; the AAC became the US Army Air Forces in 1941 and remained as a combat arm of the Army until the establishment of the US Air Force in 1947 (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
United States Armed Forces (aka US Military): US Army (USA), US Navy (USN; includes US Marine Corps or USMC), US Air Force (USAF), US Space Force (USSF); US Coast Guard (USCG); National Guard (Army National Guard and Air National Guard) (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 1.28 million active duty Armed Forces (450,000 Army; 334,000 Navy; 317,000 Air Force; 10,000 Space Force; 168,000 Marine Corps); 42,000 Coast Guard) (2025)
Military and Security: Military deployments
the US has approximately 200,000 military personnel deployed overseas on a permanent or a long-term rotational (typically 3-9 months) basis (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the US military's inventory is comprised almost entirely of domestically produced weapons systems (some assembled with foreign components) along with a smaller mix of imported equipment from a variety of countries such as Germany and the UK; the US defense industry is capable of designing, developing, maintaining, and producing the full spectrum of weapons systems; the US is the world's leading arms exporter (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
3.46% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
3.40% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
3.30% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
3.30% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
3.41% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
3.65% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
3.40% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
3.31% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
3.30% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
3.42% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2025
3.2% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
17 years of age (under 18 with parental consent) for voluntary service for men and women; maximum enlistment age varies by service; 8-year initial service obligation, including 2-5 years active duty depending on the particular military service (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
18.1% (male 31,618,532/female 30,254,223)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
63.4% (male 108,553,822/female 108,182,491)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
18.5% (2024 est.) (male 28,426,426/female 34,927,914)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
3.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
3.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
8.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
1.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
10.75 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.4% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
16.69% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
52.1% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
8.76 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
29.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
3.4 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
56 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
26.8 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
11.3% national budget (2021 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
5.42% (2021 est.)
People and Society: 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.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.02 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
16.6% of GDP (2022)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
24.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
2.7 beds/1,000 population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
4.7 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
5.4 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
81.4 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
76.5 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
18.937 million New York-Newark, 12.534 million Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, 8.937 million Chicago, 6.707 million Houston, 6.574 million Dallas-Fort Worth, 5.490 million WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
40 years
People and Society: Median age: male
37.8 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
27.5 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
American
People and Society: Net migration rate
2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
36.2% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
3.68 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
People and Society: Population
340,110,988 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast, particularly around Anchorage, and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.45% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
170,472,705
People and Society: Population: male
167,543,554
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
17 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
15 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
16 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.81 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
16.7% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
27.7% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
22.1% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.63 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
80.12% (2024 est.)
Space: Key space-program milestones
1958-1963 - Project Mercury first manned space flights 1961-1963 - Project Gemini (longer-duration manned flights in preparation for Moon landings) 1963-1971 - Project Apollo Moon landings (world's first manned landing on the Moon, 1969) 1964 - launched first successful Mars probe (Mariner) 1965-1979 - operated Skylab space station 1977 - began launching Voyager probes to Jupiter, Saturn, and beyond the solar system 1980s-2011 - operated Space Shuttle program (world’s first re-usable space orbiters) 1990 - launched Hubble Space Telescope 1993 - began participating in International Space Station project 2003 - launched surface rover vehicles (Spirit and Opportunity) to Mars 2011 - launched orbital probe (Juno) to Jupiter 2016 - launched OSIRIS-REx mission to retrieve asteroid sample (landed on asteroid Bennu in 2020 and returned with sample in 2023) 2017 - initiated Artemis lunar landing project 2019 - initiated Gateway lunar orbital station project 2021 - launched James Webb Space Telescope (ESA contributed launch vehicle and launch site); surface rover vehicle (Perseverance) with robot helicopter (Ingenuity) successfully landed on surface of Mars 2024 - successfully placed a commercial lander on the Moon and launched probe (Europa Clipper) to study Jupiter's Europa moon
Space: Space agency/agencies
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; established 1958) (2025)
Space: Space launch site(s)
has 20 government and commercial spaceports licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration spread across 10 states (Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia) (2025)
Space: Space program overview
has a large, comprehensive space program and is one of the world’s top space powers; builds, launches, and operates space launch vehicles (SLVs)/rockets and the full spectrum of spacecraft, including interplanetary probes, manned craft, reusable rockets, satellites, space stations, and space planes/shuttles; has an astronaut program and a corps of astronauts; researching and developing a broad range of other space-related technologies, including advanced telecommunications and optics, navigational aids, propulsion, and robotics; has launched orbital or lander probes to the Sun and all the planets in the solar system, as well as to asteroids and beyond the solar system; has dozens of international missions and projects, including with Canada, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the ESA; as of January 2026, 60 countries had signed onto the US-led Artemis Accords to enhance the governance of civil exploration and use of outer space; the US commercial space industry is one of the world’s largest and is active across the spectrum of US government space programs; US commercial companies conduct the majority of NASA and US military space launches (2026)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
al-Qa'ida; Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); La Mara Salvatruche (MS-13); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); Tren de Aragua (TdA)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
21,737 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
3,619,495 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
16,116 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
N
Transportation: Heliports
8,130 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
bulk carrier 4, container ship 60, general cargo 96, oil tanker 68, other 3,305
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
3,533 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Chester, Cleveland, Detroit, Galveston, Houston, Los Angeles, Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), Mobile, New Orleans, New York City, Norfolk, Oakland, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Tri-City Port
Transportation: Ports: large
21
Transportation: Ports: medium
38
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
204
Transportation: Ports: small
132
Transportation: Ports: total ports
666 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
475
Transportation: Railways: standard gauge
293,564.2 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
Transportation: Railways: total
293,564.2 km (2014)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.