United States

federal republicIndependence 4 July 1776 (from England)

United States as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalWashington, DC
Area9,372,610 km2
1990

Every edition of United States

Populationas each edition published it
250.41 million July 1990 · 338.02m in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.02% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 35.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 75.8 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.9 children per woman 1990 · 1.63 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
10 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 5 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $23,400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.1% in 1993

Geography

15 fields

Land useshare of 9,372,610 km2

arable land 20%meadows and pastures 26%forest and woodland 29%other 25%NEGL% permanent crops; includes 2% irrigated
Total area
9,372,610km2
land area: 9,166,600 km2; includes only the 50 states and District of ColombiaComparative area: about four-tenths the size of USSR; about one-third the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
Coastline
19,924km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
12,248.1km total
Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,326 km, Cuba (US naval base at Guantanamo) 29.1 km

Continental shelf

not specified;

Disputes

  • maritime boundary disputes with Canada;
  • US Naval Base at Guantanamo is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease;
  • Haiti claims Navassa Island;
  • has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation

Climate

mostly temperate, but varies from tropical (Hawaii) to arctic (Alaska); arid to semiarid in west with occasional warm, dry chinook wind

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

Natural resources

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, crude oil, natural gas, timber

Environment

  • pollution control measures improving air and water quality;
  • acid rain;
  • agricultural fertilizer and pesticide pollution;
  • management of sparse natural water resources in west;
  • desertification;
  • tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;
  • continuous permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development

Note

world's fourth-largest country (after USSR, Canada, and China)

People

14 fields
Population
250,410,000
(July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
15Death
9Net migration
2

Religion

Protestant 61% (Baptist 21%, Methodist 12%, Lutheran 8%, Presbyterian 4%, Episcopalian 3%, other Protestant 13%)Roman Catholic 25%Jewish 2%other 5%none 7%
Labor force
125,557,000
(includes armed forces and unemployed); civilian labor force 123,869,000 (1989)

Infant mortality rate

10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

73 years male, 80 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--American(s); adjective--American

Ethnic divisions

85% white, 12% black, 3% other (1985)

Language

predominantly English; sizable Spanish-speaking minority

Organized labor

16,960,000 members; 16.4% of labor force (1989)

Government

Federal republic

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

53.37%
George Bush (Republican Party) 53.37%Michael Dukakis (Democratic Party) 45.67%others 0.96%8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992)

Senate, 100 seats, elected 8 November 1988one dot, one seat

Democratic Party 55Republican Party 45

Percent of vote

Democratic Party 52.1%Republican Party 46.2%others 1.7%

Long-form name

United States of America; abbreviated US or USA

Type

federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital

Washington, DC

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, Pennyslvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Independence

4 July 1776 (from England)

Constitution

17 September 1787, effective 4 June 1789

Dependent areas

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island; Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island. Since 18 July 1947, the US has administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with three of the four political units.

The Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth associated with the US (effective 3 November 1986). Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US that was approved by the US Congress but to date the Compact process has not been completed in Palau, which continues to be administered by the US as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

The Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986). The Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986).

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Executive branch

president, vice president, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989)

Political parties and leaders

  • Republican Party, Lee Atwater, national committee chairman and Jeanie Austin, co-chairman;
  • Democratic Party, Ronald H. Brown, national committee chairman;
  • several other groups or parties of minor political significance

Suffrage

  • universal at age 18 President--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992);
  • results--George Bush (Republican Party) 53.37%, Michael Dukakis (Democratic Party) 45.67%, others 0.96%;
  • Senate--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 6 November 1990);
  • results--Democratic Party 52.1%, Republican Party 46.2%, others 1.7%;
  • seats--(100 total) Democratic Party 55, Republican Party 45;
  • House of Representatives--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 6 November 1990);
  • results--Democratic Party 53.2%, Republican Party 45.3%, others 1.5%;
  • seats--(435 total) Democratic Party 259, Republican Party 174, vacant 2

Communists

Communist Party (claimed 15,000-20,000 members), Gus Hall, general secretary; Socialist Workers Party (claimed 1,800 members), Jack Barnes, national secretary

Member of

ADB, ANZUS, CCC, Colombo Plan, DAC, FAO, ESCAP, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICEM, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Whaling Commission, IWC--International Wheat Council, NATO, OAS, OECD, PAHO, SPC, UN, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation

  • US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Thomas R. PICKERING;
  • Mission at 799 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017;
  • telephone (212) 415-4444

Flag

  • thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white;
  • there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars;
  • the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
  • known as Old Glory;
  • the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including
    • Chile,
    • Liberia,
    • Malaysia,
    • and Puerto Rico

Economy

The US has the most powerful and diversified economy in the world, with a per capita GNP of over $21,000, the largest among the major industrial nations.

17 fields
External debt
$532billion
(December 1988)

Budget

Revenues
$976 billionExpenditures
$1,137 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (FY89 est.)

Overview

The US has the most powerful and diversified economy in the world, with a per capita GNP of over $21,000, the largest among the major industrial nations. In 1989 the economy entered its eighth successive year of growth, the longest in peacetime history. The expansion has featured continued moderation in wage and consumer price increases, an unemployment rate of 5.2%, (the lowest in 10 years), and an inflation rate of 4.8%. On the negative side, the US enters the 1990s with massive budget and trade deficits, huge and rapidly rising medical costs, and inadequate investment in industrial capacity and economic infrastructure.

GNP

$5,233.3 billion, per capita $21,082; real growth rate 2.9% (1989)

Exports

  • $322.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
  • commodities--capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products;
  • partners--Canada 22.9%, Japan 11.8% (1988)

Imports

  • $440.9 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
  • commodities--crude and partly refined petroleum, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages;
  • partners--Japan 19.6% , Canada 19.1% (1988)

Industrial production

growth rate 3.3% (1989)

Electricity

776,550,000 kW capacity; 2,958,300 million kWh produced, 11,920 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

  • leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified;
  • petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, fishing, lumber, mining

Agriculture

  • accounts for 2% of GNP and 2.8% of labor force;
  • favorable climate and soils support a wide variety of crops and livestock production;
  • world's second-largest producer and number-one exporter of grain;
  • surplus food producer;
  • fish catch of 5.7 million metric tons (1987)

Illicit drugs

  • illicit producer of cannabis for domestic consumption with 1987 production estimated at 3,500 metric tons or about 25% of the available marijuana;
  • ongoing eradication program aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not reduced production

Aid

donor--commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-88), $90.5 billion

Currency

United States dollar (plural--dollars); 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

  • British pounds (L) per US$--0.6055 (January 1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985);
  • Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$--1.1885 (February 1990), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987), 1.3895 (1986);
  • French francs (F) per US$--5.695 (February 1990), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985);
  • Italian lire (Lit) per US$--1,244.8 (February 1990), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987), 1,490.8 (1986), 1,909.4 (1985);
  • Japanese yen (Y) per US$--145.55 (February 1990), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987), 168.52 (1986), 238.54 (1985);
  • FRG deutsche marks (DM) per US$--1.6775 (February 1990), 1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987), 2.1715 (1986), 2.9440 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 October-30 September

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 373 ships by type

passenger-cargo 2cargo 37bulk 22tanker 165tanker tug-barge 13liquefied gas 10intermodal; in addition there are 248 government-owned vessels 124373 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling NA GRT/NA DWT)

Networkskm

Highways
6,365,590Railroads
270,312Pipelines
275,800 (1985)
Highways: , including 88,641 km expressways · Pipelines: , 305,300 km natural gas

Highways

6,365,590 km, including 88,641 km expressways

Inland waterways

41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes (est.)

Pipelines

275,800 km petroleum, 305,300 km natural gas (1985)

Ports

Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston, Cleveland, Duluth, Freeport, Galveston, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Richmond (California), San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Wilmington

Civil air

3,297 commercial multiengine transport aircraft, including 2,989 jet, 231 turboprop, 77 piston (1985)

Airports

15,422 in operation (1981)

Telecommunications

  • 182,558,000 telephones;
  • stations--4,892 AM, 5,200 FM (including 3,915 commercial and 1,285 public broadcasting), 7,296 TV (including 796 commercial, 300 public broadcasting, and 6,200 commercial cable);
  • 495,000,000 radio receivers (1982);
  • 150,000,000 TV sets (1982);
  • satellite earth stations--45 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 16 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force

3 fields

Military manpower

total
2,247,000Army
781,000Air Force
599,000Navy (includes 200,000 Marine Corps) (1988)
793,000
Defense expenditures
5.8%of GNP
or $302.8 billion (1989)

Branches

Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force

Central Intelligence Agency. “United States.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/united-states/1990.

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