United States

federal republicIndependence 4 July 1776 (from England)

United States as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 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
1992

Every edition of United States

Populationas each edition published it
254.52 million July 1992 · 250.41m in 1990
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
1.8 children per woman 1992 · 1.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
10 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 10 in 1990
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

13 fields
Total area
9,372,610km2
Comparative area: about three-tenths the size of Russia; 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
Contiguous zone: 12 nmContinental shelf: not specifiedExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
12,248.1km
Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,326 km, Cuba (US naval base at Guantanamo) 29.1 km

Land area

9,166,600 km2; includes only the 50 states and District of Colombia

Disputes

  • maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca);
  • 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;
  • US 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;
  • Marshall Islands claims Wake Island

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

Land use

  • arable land 20%;
  • permanent crops NEGL%;
  • meadows and pastures 26%;
  • forest and woodland 29%;
  • other 25%;
  • includes irrigated 2%

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 Russia, Canada, and China)

People

14 fields
Population
254,521,000
(July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth
14Death
9Net migration
2

Ethnic divisions(1989)

white 84.1%black 12.4%other 3.5% (1989)

Religions(1989)

Protestant 56%Roman Catholic 28%Jewish 2%other 4%none 10% (1989)
Labor force
126,867,000
(includes armed forces and unemployed); civilian labor force 125,303,000 (1991)
Literacy
98%
(male 97%, female 98%) age 25 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1989)

Infant mortality rate

10 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 79 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate

1.8 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality

noun - American(s); adjective - American

Languages

predominantly English; sizable Spanish-speaking minority

Organized labor

16,568,000 members; 16.1% of total wage and salary employment which was 102,786,000 (1991)

Government

Federal republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

53.37%
George BUSH (Republican Party) 53.37%Michael DUKAKIS (Democratic Party) 45.67%other 0.96%

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, Pennsylvania, 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, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island

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

Leaders

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, Richard N. BOND, national committee chairman;
  • 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

Elections

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%, other 0.96%
Senate:
  • last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992);
  • results - Democratic Party 51%, Republican Party 47%, other 2%;
  • seats - (100 total) Democratic Party 56, Republican Party 44
House of Representatives:
  • last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992);
  • results - Democratic Party 52%, Republican Party 44%, other 4%;
  • seats - (435 total) Democratic Party 267, Republican Party 167, Socialist 1

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

AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, ESCAP, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NATO, NEA, OAS, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UN Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

  • US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Thomas R. PICKERING;
  • Mission at 799 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017;
  • telephone (212) 415-4050, after hours (212) 415-4444;
  • FAX (212) 415-4443

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

Note

  • 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 in political union 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)

Economy

The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy | in the world, with a per capita GDP of $22,470, the largest among major | industrial nations.

17 fields

Budget

Revenues
$1,054 billionExpenditures
$1,323 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91)

Overview

The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $22,470, the largest among major industrial nations. The economy is market oriented with most decisions made by private individuals and business firms and with government purchases of goods and services made predominantly in the marketplace.

In 1989 the economy enjoyed its seventh successive year of substantial growth, the longest in peacetime history. The expansion featured moderation in wage and consumer price increases and a steady reduction in unemployment to 5.2% of the labor force. In 1990, however, growth slowed to 1% because of a combination of factors, such as the worldwide increase in interest rates, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August, the subsequent spurt in oil prices, and a general decline in business and consumer confidence.

In 1991 output failed to recover, unemployment grew, and signs of recovery proved premature. Ongoing problems for the 1990s include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs, and sizable budget and trade deficits.

GDP

purchasing power equivalent - $5,673 billion, per capita $22,470; real growth rate -0.7% (1991)

Exports

$428.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)

commodities:
capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products
partners:
Western Europe 27.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 12.1% (1989)

Imports

$499.4 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)

commodities:
crude and partly refined petroleum, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages
partners:
Western Europe 21.5%, Japan 19.7%, Canada 18.8% (1989)

Industrial production

growth rate -1.9% (1991)

Electricity

776,550,000 kW capacity; 3,020,000 million kWh produced, 12,080 kWh per capita (1990)

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 GDP 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 5.0 million metric tons (1988)

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

Economic aid

donor - commitments, including ODA and OOF, (FY80-89), $115.7 billion

Currency

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

Exchange rates

British pounds:
(#) per US$ - 0.5599 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987)
Canadian dollars:
(Can$) per US$ - 1.1926 (March 1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987)
French francs:
(F) per US$ - 5.6397, (March 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Italian lire:
(Lit) per US$ - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1.372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987)
Japanese yen:
(Y) per US$ - 132.70 (March 1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987)
German deutsche marks:
(DM) per US$ - 1.6611 (March 1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800 (1989), 1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 396 ships by type

passenger-cargo 3cargo 38bulk 25tanker 174tanker tug-barge 13liquefied gas 14intermodal; in addition, there are 231 government-owned vessels 129396 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,969 GRT/20,179 DWT

Airports, 14,177 total, 12,417 usable

permanent-surface runways
4,820| runways over 3,659 m
63runways 2,440-3,659 m
325runways | 1,220-2,439 m
2,524

Networkskm

Highways
6,365,590Railroads
270,312
Highways: , including 88,641 km expressways

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

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

Ports

Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, 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

8,252 commercial multiengine transport aircraft (weighing 9,000 kg and over) including 6,036 jet, 831 turboprop, 1,382 piston (December 1989)

Telecommunications

  • 182,558,000 telephones;
  • broadcast 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 ground 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

Branches

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

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 66,458,000; NA fit for military service

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $323.5 billion, 5.7% of GNP (1991)

Central Intelligence Agency. “United States.” The World Factbook 1992. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/united-states/1992.

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