American culture

Full name: United States (United States of America)

National anthem: The Song of the Stars and Stripes ("Stars and Stripes" is translated into "Stars and Stripes"). The lyrics were written by an American lawyer named Francis Scott Key when he saw the Stars and Stripes flying high above the fortress through the smoke of the battlefield during the Anglo-American War. Music score is the famous masterpiece of Susa, the "King of March". Home of the Brave was officially designated as the national anthem by the US Congress in 193 1.

National flag: The Stars and Stripes. It is a horizontal rectangle with the aspect ratio of 19: 10. The main body consists of 13 red and white wide strips, 7 red strips and 6 white strips; In the upper left corner of the flag is a blue rectangle with 9 rows of 50 white five-pointed stars. Red symbolizes strength and courage, white represents purity and innocence, and blue symbolizes vigilance, perseverance and justice. 13 wide stripes represent the first 13 states that launched and won the War of Independence, and 50 five-pointed stars represent the number of states in the United States of America. 18 18, the us congress passed a bill, and the red, white and wide stripes on the national flag were fixed at 13, and the number of five-pointed stars should be consistent with the number of States in the United States. Every time a state is added, a star is added to the national flag, which is generally implemented on July 4 of the second year after NSW joins. So far, the national flag has increased to 50 stars, representing 50 States in the United States. June 14 is "American flag day" every year. On this day, commemorative activities are held all over the United States to show respect for the national flag and love for the United States.

National emblem: the main body is a vulture (vulture) with a shield pattern on its chest. The vulture is the national bird of America. It is a symbol of strength, courage, freedom and immortality. The upper part of the shield is a blue horizontal rectangle, and the lower part is a red and white vertical bar, which means the same as the national flag. The crown on the eagle symbolizes the birth of a new independent country in the world, the United States of America; There are 13 white five-pointed stars in the crown, representing the original 13 states in the United States. The eagle's two claws hold an olive branch and an arrow respectively, symbolizing peace and strength. The yellow ribbon held by the eagle beak reads "e pluribus unum" in Latin, which means that the United States of America is a complete country composed of many states.

National flower: Rose symbolizes beauty, fragrance, enthusiasm and love. 1985 was approved as the national flower by the Senate.

National stone: sapphire

National bird: vulture (vulture) The United States is the first country in the world to determine the national bird. The bald eagle first appeared on the American flag during the War of Independence. 1776 On July 4th, the Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence, which decided that the new America must have a special national emblem. 1On June 20th, 782, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution to make the bald eagle, which is endemic to North America, the national bird of the United States and the bird as the main body of the national emblem. Vultures are beautiful in appearance, fierce in temperament and full of feathers on their heads. Its biggest feature is white head and white tail. It represents courage, strength and victory.

Interpretation of country name: The United States is named after a continent. In English, America and America are the same word "America", but the Chinese translation is different. The former refers to the whole America, and the latter refers to the United States.

Capital: Washington D.C.

The largest city: new york. New york is the most populous city and the largest seaport in the United States. It is one of the four largest financial centers in the world, and Manhattan is the symbol of new york.

Official language: American English (non-official)

Political system: federalism, freedom and democracy.

Current President: George Walker Bush.

National Day: July 4th (American Independence Day, 1776).

independence

Declaration of independence1July 4, 776

Recognition of independence13 September 783

zone

The total is 963 1, 420 km?

The water area ratio is 4.87%

Human population

Estimated 300 million in 2006 (third place)

Density 32/ km? (No.140)

2006 GDP (purchasing power parity) estimate

A total of $65,438+03.05 trillion (No.65,438+0)

$43,555 per person (third place)

Human development index (2003) 0.944 (No.10)-on the high side.

Currency dollar

Time zones UTC-5 to-10.

Daylight Saving Time UTC-4 to-10

International domain is short for us.gov.edu.mil.um

International telephone area code+1

The United States is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Pacific Ocean in the west, Canada in the north and Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico in the south. Its capital is Washington, D.C. ..

The United States originated from the North American colony that broke away from British rule in 1776. In 13, the colonial representatives jointly issued the declaration of independence of the United States. After an arduous war of independence, they signed the Paris Agreement with Britain in 1783, which was recognized by all countries in the world.

politics

The United States is the oldest existing constitutional republic, and the earliest written constitution in the world is still in operation. Authorized by the Constitution, the government practices representative democracy through the National Assembly. There are three levels of government: federal government, state government and local government. Officials of the three levels of government are elected by voters by secret ballot or appointed by elected officials. The Chief Executive and the officials of the legislature are elected by a single constituency majority system, and the judicial system and cabinet officials are appointed by the Chief Executive and approved by the legislature. In some countries, officials of the judicial system are also elected by the majority system.

The federal government itself has three branches, which restrict and balance each other:

Legislature: that is, Congress, which consists of House of Representatives and Senate;

Executive organs: namely, the President, cabinet officials nominated by the President and approved by the Senate, and their subordinates are responsible for exercising administrative power based on federal laws;

Judiciary: Supreme Court and lower federal courts. Judges are nominated by the President and approved by the Senate.

The United States Congress has a bicameral legislative system. The House of Representatives has 435 seats, representing their respective congressional districts, with a term of two years. According to the population distribution, the seats in the House of Representatives are re-divided every 10 years, and each state will be allocated at least 1 seats in the House of Representatives: at present, only seven states have 1 seats, and California, the most populous state, has as many as 53 seats. Regardless of the population, each state has two seats in the Senate, adding up to * * * 100 seats, with a term of six years; Every two years, one-third of senators are reelected.

Within the federal system, the relationship between the state and the federal government is very complicated. According to American law, states are sovereign entities. However, the rules established by the American Civil War and Texas v. White case are that the state has no right to secede from the union; According to the constitution, there is no diplomatic right. Federal laws in the United States are superior to different laws enacted by States in the areas authorized by the Constitution, but the power of the federal government can only be exercised within the scope stipulated by the Constitution. All powers not granted to the federal government are reserved by the state government and the people themselves.

A series of amendments, such as the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, are committed to safeguarding civil liberties, including freedom of speech, religious belief and the press; The right to a fair trial; The right to own and carry weapons; Elections and property rights. Although the western ideology cherished by the United States pursues human rights, it is also controversial in practice: racial discrimination was not prohibited until the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Generally speaking, the leading power of state affairs is entirely in the hands of state governments. This includes internal communication; Laws and regulations on property, industry, commerce and public facilities; State laws, such as the death penalty; And work in the state. The laws of many states are very similar from state to state. In other areas, the jurisdiction of the state government overlaps with that of the federal government.

In recent years, the federal government has begun to play an increasingly important role in the fields of medical care, education, welfare, transportation, housing and urban development. State constitutions are basically the same as federal constitutions, except for some details, including human rights and government organizations. In commercial, financial, public service and welfare institutions, state constitutions are usually more detailed than federal constitutions.

The federal and state governments in the United States mainly compete with two political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Some candidates from small parties may sometimes be elected. The center-right and the party usually belong to social conservatives on social issues and classical liberalism on economic issues. The center-left Democratic Party usually belongs to liberals on social issues and progressives on economic issues. Americans generally tend to support one of the two political parties, but some people support independent small political parties and candidates, including the Liberal Party, the Green Party and the Reform Party. Except for the Democratic Party's temporary majority in the Senate from 200/kloc-0 to 2002, the Republican Party has maintained the majority in both houses since 1994. The current President george walker bush belongs to the * * * and Party. After the mid-term elections in 2006, the situation changed again. The Democratic Party replaced the Republican Party as the majority party in both houses.

administrative division

Except Hawaii and Alaska, the other 48 states are located on the American continent, which is also called the continental United States. Some people regard Alaska as a "native" state, because although it is separated from the "Lower 48 States" by Canada, it is still a part of the North American continent geographically. All these words usually include Washington, D.C. ... the fiftieth state, Hawaii, located in the Pacific Islands.

The United States also occupied other lands, regions and occupied areas, the most special being Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, but it had no statehood. Other overseas island territories include American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Baal Milla Atoll is the only incorporated territory in the United States, but it is currently uninhabited. Small islands outside the United States are made up of many uninhabited islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific. In addition, because of 1898, the United States has a huge naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The areas previously occupied by the United States include the Panama Canal area, which has been American territory from 1903 to 1979. In addition, the Philippine Islands also belonged to American territory from 1898 to 1935. Before the Philippines became a completely independent country, the United States established a transitional form here, and finally the Philippines became independent in 1946.

In addition to the actual states and territories of the United States, several countries have voluntarily joined the associated countries of the United States, including Micronesia (since 1986), Palau (since 1994) and Marshall Islands (since 1986), all of which have retained their sovereignty in international law and the highest control over their territories. However, the governments of these countries allow the United States to provide national defense and financial assistance, and the United States also gives these countries special treatment, providing many opportunities to join US domestic policy plans, including disaster prevention, relief and reconstruction. These freely associated countries rely on the financial assistance provided by the United States to maintain government operations and capital needs.

diplomacy

The United States has global economic, political and military influence, and its foreign policy trend has always been the focus of world attention and discussion. The scale of American diplomatic relations is the largest in the world. Almost all countries have embassies and ambassadors in DC. Israel, Britain, Canada and Japan are regarded as America's closest allies. Only a few countries have not established formal diplomatic relations with the United States, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Somalia and Sudan.

During the American War of Independence, the United States established diplomatic relations with some European countries and persuaded France, Spain and the Netherlands to help fight Britain. In the subsequent years of land reclamation, the United States has been vacillating between pro-French and pro-British choices. At that time, the United States was unwilling to intervene in European affairs and focused on the territorial development of North America. Later, Monroe Doctrine weakened Europe's influence in Latin America to ensure the dominance of regional affairs in the Americas. The expansion policy of the United States has successively triggered wars with Mexico and Spain, and both wars ended in the victory of the United States. During the civil war, the United States accused Britain and France of supporting the split of the United States in the south and trying to occupy Mexico, but after the civil war, the dominant position of the United States in North America has never been challenged.

With the increasing national strength, the United States began to turn its attention overseas, especially the development of foreign trade. To this end, the United States occupied many territories in the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii and the Philippines, forcing Japan to open its trade and compete with European powers for influence in China. After World War II, the United States played an important role in the founding of the United Nations and became one of the five permanent members of the Security Council.

During the cold war, the United States initially tried to limit the influence of the Soviet Union in the world. In order to contain the Soviet Union, the United States, Canada and 10 Western European countries * * * established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, uniting their allies to oppose any military invasion of North America and Europe. Later 14 European countries joined this * * * defense alliance one after another, including Turkey, some former Warsaw Pact members and some former Soviet Union. For the sake of political reality, the United States has also formed alliances with producers who fought against the Soviet Union, such as People's Republic of China (PRC) after the split between China and the Soviet Union. In recent years, the United States has focused on its own border security to prevent illegal immigrants and illegal drug trafficking from entering the country-especially for Mexico and Caribbean countries. The United States is also committed to fighting terrorism and avoiding the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, but its main goal is still to protect national interests at home and abroad and the safety of citizens.

military affairs

The US military is divided into four services: Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, all of which are managed by the Ministry of National Defense. The coast guard is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime and the Admiralty in wartime.

Although the US military experienced World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Kosovo War, Iraq War and other wars from the 20th century to today's 100 year, and participated in many UN peacekeeping operations, such as driving the Iraqi troops that invaded Kuwait out of Kuwait in the Gulf War, the total number of US soldiers killed by these wars and peacekeeping operations was less than 500,000, while 65,438+American civilians in the United States were few.

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the military strength of the US military was stronger than that of any other country in the world. What is special about the US military is that it can quickly project its military power to the whole world. Although France and Britain also have certain military projection power, the US military is the only army that can carry out large-scale regional wars in any country and any corner of the world. The United States also has the largest usable nuclear arsenal in the world and is the only country in the world that has used nuclear weapons in actual combat. At the end of World War II, two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

The military potential of the U.S. military is also manifested in logistics management, and its great advantages in this respect enable the U.S. military to quickly assemble its troops to deal with the war. The US Air Force has huge aircraft carriers such as C-5, C- 17, and is equipped with the most advanced F-22 Raptor fighter in the world. The US Navy has 12 large aircraft carriers in active service, which conforms to the principle of military projection and enables the US military to quickly respond to any possible threat. The United States joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a regional military defense organization, on April 4, 1949, which also gave the United States a military protection barrier except the US military.

At present, there are 6,543,800 active servicemen and hundreds of thousands of soldiers in reserve and national guard. The United States implements voluntary military service and compulsory military service in wartime. The United States ranks first in the world in military expenditure, and in 2005, its military expenditure exceeded the sum of 14 countries. However, the US military budget only accounts for 4% of its GDP. The United States has more than 700 military bases around the world, including Cuba, which has no diplomatic relations with the United States, covering all continents except Antarctica.

Compared with the Cold War, the military expenditure and attitude of the United States have changed greatly due to the changes in military thinking within the political system. Measured purely by material resources, the current expenditure of the US military is smaller than that of 20 years ago. However, the US military is still regarded by the world as a well-trained and most advanced force. Compared with potential rivals, the U.S. military has an absolute advantage in science and technology, which is accumulated through a lot of scientific research investment all the year round. Research related to national defense has led to many technological breakthroughs, including space exploration, computer, Internet, hypertext system, nuclear energy, global positioning system, low detectability, bulletproof vest, even microwave oven, and recently developed laser weapon. For the us military, these research funds are usually higher than the combatants' funds. Military technology keeps close contact with the private economy, which has contributed to the development of science, technology and economy in the United States. Other countries often benefit from technology transfer.

history

Before the colonial period (1607)

More than 20,000 years ago, a group of vagrants from Asia came to Central and South America via North America. These people are the ancestors of Indians. When Columbus discovered the New World, there were about 20 million Indians living in America, of whom about 1 10,000 lived in what is now Canada and the north-central United States, and most of the rest lived in what is now Mexico and the southern United States. About 6.5438 million years ago, another group of Asians moved to northern North America, which became the Eskimos. The first white people to come to America may be vikings. They are a group of adventurous fishermen. Some people think that they visited the east coast of North America 65,438+0,000 years ago. During the colonial period (65,438+0607 ~ 65,438+0753), Jamestown was founded in Schabik Beach, which was the first permanent colony established by Britain in North America. In the following 150 years, many colonists came in and settled in the coastal areas. Most of them came from Britain, but some came from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and other countries. In the middle of 2008+08 century, 13 British colony gradually formed. They have their own government and parliament under the supreme sovereignty of Britain. Due to the differences in climate and geographical environment, the economic forms, political systems and concepts of these 13 colonies are different.

Independent movement (1754 ~ 1783)

/kloc-in the middle of the 0/8th century, there was a rift between Britain and the American colonies. The expansion of the colonies made them consciously persecuted in Britain, and they had the idea of independence. 19438+0774, 12 state representatives gathered in Philadelphia to hold the so-called first continental conference, hoping to find a reasonable way to cooperate with Britain. But the king of England insisted that the colony must unconditionally submit to the king of England and accept punishment. 1968+0775, the war was ignited in Massachusetts, and the second continental congress was held in May, which strengthened the determination of war and independence, issued a famous declaration of independence, and put forward sufficient reasons for fighting this war, which was also the key factor to win the final victory. At 1968 +078 1.

Form a new government (1784 ~ 18 19)

The success of the revolution gave the American people the opportunity to express their political ideas in the form of legislation. 1787, a federal conference was held in Philadelphia, and Washington was promoted to chairman. They adopted the principle that the power of the central government is general, but it must be carefully defined and explained. At the same time, they also accepted the fact that the national government must have the power to collect taxes, mint money, adjust commerce, declare war and conclude treaties. In addition, in order to prevent the central government from being too powerful, Montesquieu's theory of balance of power is adopted, that is, three departments of equal cooperation and mutual checks and balances are set up within the government, namely, the legislative, administrative and judicial powers are reconciled and balanced with each other, and no right occupies a controlling position.

Westward expansion (1820 ~ 1849)

/kloc-At the beginning of the 9th century, thousands of people crossed the Appalachian Mountains and moved westward. Some pioneers moved to the border of the United States and even went deep into the territory of Mexico and Oregon between Alaska and California. Pioneers bravely and diligently sought a better life in the west.

North-South conflict (1850 ~ 1869)

The causes of civil war are not only economic, political and military issues, but also ideological conflicts. The civil war exposed America's weakness and tested its existence. After this test, the United States embarked on the road of a centralized and modern country. There is a dispute between the north and the south on the issue of slavery. The main policy of the south in national politics is to protect and expand the system of "cotton and slaves". On the other hand, the northern States are mainly manufacturing, commercial and financial centers, and there is no need to rely on slaves for these productions. This kind of economic and political conflict has a long history. In the early 1960s, 65,438+065,438+0 southern states seceded from the federation and another government was established. However, the northern States indicated that they were willing to pay any price for reunification. When the civil war broke out, Americans fought face to face for four years. South China has been severely damaged, leaving deep scars.40100.00000000005 1968+0865, the north was defeated. This victory not only shows that the United States is reunified, but also shows that slavery is no longer practiced in all parts of the country.

Industrialization and reform (1870 ~ 1929)

/kloc-at the beginning of the 0/9th century, the United States began to industrialize, but after the civil war, it entered a mature stage. It took less than 50 years from the civil war to the first world war, and it changed from an agricultural country to an urbanized country. Machines have replaced manual work, and products have increased greatly. The national railway network has improved the circulation of goods. Many new inventions were put on the market to meet the needs of the public. The banking industry provides loans. It promoted the development of industry and commerce. So the nearly 30 years from 1890 to 19 17 is called the so-called "progress period". 19 14 World War broke out, and in 19 17, the United States was finally involved in the whirlpool of war. exist

World war ii (1930 ~ 1959)

The economic panic not only affected the United States, but also affected all countries in the world. The economic panic caused millions of workers to lose their jobs, a large number of farmers were forced to give up their farmland, factories and shops closed, banks closed down and there was a depression. 1932, Roosevelt was elected president. He argued that the government should take action to end the economic panic. Although the new government solved many difficulties, the American economy didn't wake up until World War II. After World War II, the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorated day by day, and preparations were stepped up in military, political, economic and propaganda aspects, just like in wartime. This state is called "Cold War".

In the mid-1970s, the economy once recovered, but in the late 1970s, inflation reappeared. 1976, the nation celebrated the bicentennial of the founding of the United States. On April 198 12, the United States successfully launched the space shuttle Columbia, bringing mankind into another new era in space.

economy

Looking at the economic history of the United States, it is a transition from a successful colonial economy to the world's largest industrial country in the 20th century.

The American economic system has the characteristics of both capitalism and mixed economy. In this system, enterprises and private institutions make major microeconomic decisions, and the government plays a less important role in domestic economic life; However, the sum of governments at all levels accounts for 36% of GDP; Among developed countries, the social welfare network in the United States is relatively small, and the government's control over business is lower than that in other developed countries.

In different parts of the country, the focus of economic activities is different. For example, new york is the center of finance, publishing, broadcasting and advertising. Los Angeles is the production center of movies and TV programs; The San Francisco Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest are technology development centers; The midwest is the center of manufacturing and heavy industry, Detroit is a famous automobile city, and Chicago is the financial and commercial center of the region; Southeast China is mainly engaged in medical research, tourism and building materials, and its salary cost is lower than other regions, so it continues to attract manufacturing investment.

The service industry accounts for the largest proportion in the United States, and three-quarters of the country's labor force is engaged in the service industry. The United States is rich in mineral resources, including gold, oil and uranium, but many energy supplies depend on foreign imports. The United States is one of the largest agricultural exporters in the world, and its main agricultural products include corn, wheat, sugar and tobacco. The amazing agricultural output of the great plains in the central and western regions makes it known as the "world granary". American industrial products mainly include automobiles, airplanes and electronic products. The United States also has developed tourism, ranking third in the world. The United States is also a major exporter of aircraft, steel, weapons and electronic equipment.

The largest trading partner of the United States is neighboring Canada (19%), followed by China (12%), Mexico (1 1%) and Japan (8%). Every day, about $ 165438+ billion worth of products flow through the border between the United States and Canada. The American economy is considered as the largest and most important economy in the world. The American economy is highly developed, and the currencies of many countries in the world are linked to the US dollar. The American securities market is considered as a barometer of the world economy.

Although the per capita income of the United States ranks among the highest in the world, its wealth is relatively concentrated. Compared with western Europe, 40% of the population is relatively poor, while the top 20% of the population is rich. Since 1975, social mobility is low, the labor market is polarized, and the fruits of economic growth flow to 20% families with higher incomes. This gap is caused by relatively high economic freedom. However, as the Gini coefficient shows, the average household income in the United States is still much higher than that in most industrialized countries. Moreover, in the 2006 Human Development Report published by the United Nations, the human development index of the poorest 20% population in the United States is also the same as that of Cuba, a producer that calls itself "the superiority of socialism".

Since Ronald Reagan/Kloc-0 became president in the 1980s, the United States has increased the use of neo-liberal economic policies, reduced government intervention in the economy, reduced the size of the welfare system, and abandoned the Keynesian economic policies that have been implemented for a long time since the economic panic. Therefore, the American government provides less social welfare services than other industrialized countries, reduces domestic taxes, and relies more on free markets and private charities.

science and technology

The United States is one of the most influential countries in scientific and technological research and technological product innovation. Many of the most important inventions in the history of human industry, including cotton gin, general parts, production line, etc. , originated in the United States, in which industrial production lines are particularly important, making industrial mass production from a dream to a reality. Other important inventions include airplanes, light bulbs and telephones. The United States also planned the famous Manhattan Atomic Bomb Project, Apollo Moon Landing Project and Human Genome Project in the 20th century. During World War II, the United States first developed the atomic bomb, which brought human science and technology into a new era of the atomic age. After the beginning of the Cold War, the United States took the lead in the field of space science and technology and took the lead in the space race, which led to great progress in rocket technology, weapons research, materials science, computers and other fields. 1969 In July, when neil armstrong stepped out of Apollo 1 1 spacecraft and became the first man to set foot on the moon, the competition reached its peak. The United States has made great contributions in the history of computer and Internet development, including the computer invented in World War II, the initial militarized application, and the development and innovation of personal computers today. ARPA network founded by US Department of Defense is the pioneer of network technology.

American scholars have won many Nobel Prizes in scientific research, especially in the fields of biology and medicine. The National Health Research Center of the United States is the focus of biomedical science in the United States, and has completed the human genome project, which has made the research on the cure of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other diseases enter an important stage. The government agency responsible for aerospace research is NASA. Private companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin also played an important role.

transport

Because the automobile industry developed quite early in the United States (compared with other western countries), the development of many cities in the United States has paid attention to the road network design matching cities and residential areas in advance. In order to connect the vast territory, the United States has designed and built large and high-speed highways in Qualcomm, and the national transportation system of the United States mainly relies on these highway networks. One of the most important is the construction of interstate highway system. These expressways were built under the authorization of then President dwight eisenhower in 1960s and 1950s. According to the data in 2004, the total length of American highways is 6407637 kilometers, ranking first in the world.

Although the United States used to be a British colony, since the United States became independent from Britain, because it wanted to draw a clear line with Britain, the former sovereign country, and indirectly supported American independence with right-handed France, it did not follow the British principle of "walking left and standing right" (right-handed and left-handed), but set the road traffic direction as "right-handed" (left-handed and right-handed). This plan has also affected other countries,

Big cities also have systems to build public transportation. New york's subway network is one of the largest, and it is also one of the largest MRT networks in the world. Regional railway and bus networks extend to Long Island, northern new york, New Jersey and Connecticut, which have become one of the largest transport networks in the world. But generally speaking, the public transportation in American cities is still relatively weak compared with other developed countries, and people use private cars more.

The United States has built a transcontinental railway network to transport goods between 48 states. The National Railroad Passenger Transport Company of the United States has also built a railway network spanning 46 of the 48 states, dedicated to passenger transport. The American railway freight system is the busiest and most advanced in the world, and the total length of American railways ranks first in the world. However, American railway passenger transport is not as developed as Western Europe and Japan, partly because of its vast territory. If you want to reach a big city thousands of miles away, it takes less time to fly than to take the railway. According to the analysis of the American government, air passenger transport was the main reason for the collapse of the railway passenger transport company in the 1970s.

Air transportation is a better choice for long-distance travel. In terms of passenger flow, among the 30 busiest airports in the world in 2004, 17 were located in the United States, among which Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta ranked first. In terms of cargo volume, in the same year, 65,438+02 of the 30 busiest cargo airports in the world were in the United States, including Memphis International Airport (MEM), which ranked first.

Many major ports in the world are also located in the United States; The busiest ports are Los Angeles Port and Long Beach Port in California, and new york Port, which are the busiest ports in the world. There is also a lot of shipping traffic in the Great Lakes. Each Great Lake is widely connected with the Mississippi River network, and the lowest part of the river goes directly to the Atlantic Ocean. The Erie Canal, the first canal connecting the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, promoted the rapid development of agriculture and industry in the midwest of the United States and made new york the economic center of the United States.

geography

The land area of the United States is the third largest in the world, second only to Russia and Canada. The United States borders the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Gulf of Mexico in the south and Canada in the north. Alaska also borders Canada, with the Pacific Ocean in the south and the Arctic Ocean in the north. Hawaii is located on an island in the Pacific Ocean, in the southwest of the North American continent.

The topography of the United States is varied, especially in the west. There are coastal plains on the east coast, which are wide in the south and narrow in the north. There are no coastal plains in northern New Jersey, but there are some glacial sedimentary plains in Long Island and other places.