USA - Country Profile (Kelly, Julia)

Country Profile – U.S.A.
Physical GeographyOfficial Name of Country: United States of AmericaClimate: 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 southwestAbsolute Location: 38’00 N, 97’00 WRelative location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and MexicoPolitical GeographyType of government: Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic traditionMajor political parties: Democratic Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, Republican PartyCapital: Washington D.C.International Organization participation: ADB, AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEA, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN, CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC, SECI, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZCCultural GeographyOfficial language: EnglishOther languages spoken: Spanish, FrenchEthnic composition: White 79.96%, Black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%Major religions: Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%Population: 307,212,123Population growth rate: 0.975%Major cities: Washington D.C, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Memphis, Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco and SeattleInfant mortality rate: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsAverage life expectancy: 78.11 yearsEconomic Geography
GDP: $14.44 trillion
Percentage of arable land used for agriculture: 18.01%
Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Major exports: agricultural products 9.2%, industrial supplies 26.8%, capital goods 49.0%, consumer goods 15.0%Major imports: agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9%, capital goods 30.4%, consumer goods 31.8%Currency: 32.36NT: $1Balance of trade: Export: $4.132 trillion