WELCOME TO THE USA

Welcome to the USA

Map

The federal district is the District of Columbia where the capital city Washington DC is located. The land was donated by the State of maryland specifically to build the nation's capital and is not part of any state.

Capital: Washington, D.C. Population: around 326 million Government: Constitutional Federal Republic Head of State: President Language: English (13% of the population speak Spanish) Currency: US dollar States: 50 states (48 contiguous + Alaska and Hawaii) and one federal district*

Geography The United States extends throughout the North American continent, bordering with Canada to the north, Mexico to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The continental USA is divided into 48 states. There are 2 states which are separated from the rest f the country: - Alaska, located to the north west of Canada - Hawaii located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean

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The USA interactive map

Lakes and rivers

Mountains

In the north, and partly shared with Canada, there are the Great Lakes. Lake Superior is the largest at over 60 km long. The Niagara River , which connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, is the location of the world-famous Niagara Falls. The longest river in the USA, the Missouri, starts in Montana int he north and flows into Mississippi River, the second longest river in the USA, which ends in the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans. The Colorado River, which created the spectacular Grand Canyon, starts in the Rocky Mountains and flows through several states before it ends in the Gulf of California.

The Appalachian Mountains run along the eastern coast of the country from the border with Canada and down to South Carolina. The Rocky Mountains, runing from north to south, form the continental divide of North america: to the east there are the Great Plains, while to the west there are the arid deserts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. The Pacific Coast is quite mountainous with the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern California and the Cascade Mountains in the states of Oregon and Washington. Alaska is also mountainous and has the highest peak in the USA (Mount Denali, 6,194 m)

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Climate

Due to its size, the USA has a very wide range of climatic contidions, from the tropical and sub-tropical climates of Hawaii and Florida, to the sub-arctic climate of Alaska, where mountains have snow all year. The south west is arid and the north east has cold, snowy winter and hot summers. The Central Plains can be subject to warm humid air from the south or cold air from the north, which means dramatic changes in weather and temperature in the same day. The coastal areas of California have a Mideterranean climate, but San Francisco, for example, has its own microclimate and is often cooler with wind and fog.

Early-morning fog in San Francisco

USA Regions Map

NEW ENGLAND

The city of Boston is New England's cultural and commercial hub. Main states: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine.

It occupies the north east of the USA. In 1620, a group of English Puritans who had escaped religious persecution in England landed at Plymouth Rock and established one of America's first permanent settlements. The region boasts magnificent coastlines, beach resorts and forests.

The Mid Atlantic Region

It has two main cities: New York, the financial capital of the world, and Philadelphia, rich in history. Washington D.C., the federal capital of the country, is not part of any state but lies in a special area known as the District of Columbia.

New Jersey's beaches and Pennsylvania's Amish country are major scenic attractions. Main states: New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.

The Great Lakes Region

This region is characterised by incredibly vast expanses of fresh water: Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior. Here we find the famous Niagara Falls, situated on the border of Canada and the USA. Chicago is the region's largest and most cosmopolitan city; other cities are Indianapolis, Cleveland and Detroit, 'the motor city'.

Main states: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota.

The Southeast and Florida

Main states:North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Virginia, Maryland.

The Southeast and Florida encompass diverse landscapes, from the scenic wilderness of the central Appalachian Mountains to the marshlands of Florida, a peninsula that can boast beautiful beaches and the famous Everglades National Park.

Jazz and the blues were born here, particularly in New Orleans, located in southeast Louisiana, along the Mississippi. Main states: Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama.

The Deep South

The Deep South is predominantly agricultural, its main crops being tobacco, cotton and sugar, grown in the broad plains of the Mississippi River.

The Great Plains or Midwest

Main states: North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma.

It is a land of endless open spaces, with cities that used to be frontier outposts, such as Kansas City and St. Louis. Mount Rushmore, sculptured out of the rocks of the Black Hills in South Dakota, is an impressive monument attracting a great number of tourists.

The North American bison is the dominant symbol of the natural world of the Great Plains.

The Rocky Mountains region

Main states:Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado

This region includes a large mountain range that stretches for 3000 miles through Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The region boasts three national parks: Yellowstone, Glacier and Colorado Mesa Verde.

Yellowstone is the oldest and most famous national park in the USA, which attracts over 4 million visitors every year. The thermal activity from the volcano is what creates Yellowstone's most spectacular features of geysers and hot springs. The most popular geyser that tourists want to see is OLD FAITHFUL, which expels a column of water over 100 feet into the air every 90 minutes.

The Southwest

The Southwest is a region of natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley in Arizona.One of the most popular attractions is Las Vegas in Nevada, famous as a resort for gambling.

Main states: Nevada, Utah Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

The Pacific Coast

The Pacific Coast states border the Pacific Ocean and stretch from Canada to Mexico. The area has a varied landscape with mountain chains, deserts and fertile land. With its mild climate and extensive beaches, California has developed into one of the most visited regions in the country.

Main states: Washington, Oregon, California

Around the USA

Exploring Florida

Capital: Tallahassee Other important cities: Miami and Orlando Population: around 21 million

Florida is a peninsula located in the south of the USA. It is known aroud the world as 'The Sunshine State'. Tourism is the most important factor driving Florida's economy, with more than 60 million visitors each year.

WHY GO Florida attracts visitors for its mild climate, its white sandy beaches and its beautiful national parks. There are theme parks and movie studios, as well as a world-famous space centre - so this state has a great number of resources to please a wide range of visitors.

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE The east coast's landmarks include the city of Miami, with the world-famous Miami Beach, Palm Beach and the Kennedy Space Center, where the space shuttles used to be launched. Off the south tip of Florida we find the Florida Keys, a coral cay archipelago, which form the southernmost part of the continental United States.

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE Another major city is Orlando, the largest holiday spot in Florida. Here we find the Walt Disney World resort, which is like a city in itself. Orlando is also home to SeaWorld, a marine-life adventure park, and Universal Studios, a movie- and and TV-based theme park.

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE

Everglades National Park is Florida's other great natural attraction, a huge region of subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the peninsula. There is abundant wildlife such as turtles, alligators, pelicans, deer, etc. You can go on bike rides, walks and boat trips to explore the area.

CALIFORNIA

California is located on the western coast of the USA. It borders with Mexico to the south and Oregon to the north, with the Pacific Ocean to the west and Nevada to the east.

The California's coastline extends form the sandy tropical beaches of the south, near the Mexican border, to the rocky coast of the north, near Oregon. A range of coastal mountains stretches along the entire coast as well as the Sierra Nevada Mountains.To the south of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is the Mojave Desert, containing America's hottest and lowest area: Death Valley

Capital: Sacramento Other major cities: LA, San Francisco, San Diego Population: 40 million

WHY GO

California is a land of natural contrasts, from the snow-capped mountains in Sierra Nevada to the desert of Death Valley. It also has big, culturally diverse cities such as San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles, associated with Hollywood and the extensive movie industry.

Universal Studios in Los Angeles is the largest working movie and TV studio and theme park in the world. In the 1960s, San Francisco was the hub of the Hippy movement, whereas today Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay area, is the centre of the global computer industry.

Where to go, what to see and what to do

To the south, the warm waters of the Pacific attract holidaymakers and surfers all year round (in winter, temperatures hover around 20 degrees, in summer 25 degrees). Famous surfing locations are Santa Monica, La Jolla, a seaside neighbourhood just north of San Diego and the Channel Islands National Park with its wildlife an great snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities. Popular beaches are Long Beach and Malibu Beach, which are often home to those in the film ang TV industry. In winter, world-class ski resorts throughout Sierra Nevada offer plenty of opportunities for winter activities like skiing, cross-country skiing and sledging.

Where to go, what to see and what to do

For nature lovers and hikers California offers nine national parks, among them the best known are Yosemite, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Channel Islands, Redwood, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. But a trip to California wouldn't be complete without a drive along California's Highway 1, known as the Pacific Coast Highway - this scenig highway is 1800 miles long and runs north to south from the Canadian border all the way down to Mexico.

1 Sequoia National Park 2 Yosemite National Park

BIG AMERICAN CITIES

Exploring NEW YORK - the city of superlatives

State: New York Boroughs: Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island Population: about 8.5 million Climate: humid continental, with significant variations during the year

Every New Yorker believes that New York is the greatest city in the world; in fact it is not only the financial heart of the USA, it is also the world's leading tourist destination, attracting almost 44 million visitors each year.

Historical background

The region was inhabited by Native Americans at the time of its discovery by Europeans at the beginning of the 16th century. At the end of the 16th century Henry Hudson, an English navigator working for the Dutch, sailed up the river that bears his name and described the island that the Indians called Man-a-hat-ta (Heavenly Land). European settlement began with the fonding of a Dutch fur trading post, later called 'New Amsterdam', on the southern tip of Manhattan in 1624. New Amsterdam became the British colony of New York in the 1670s and it remained under the British rule until the War od Independence (1775-1783).

Historical background

New York grew in importance as a trading port under British rule. In the 19th century, the city was transformed by immigration and development. Throughout eh 20th century the city became a world centre for industry and commerce. By the turn of the 20th century, New York City had become the city we know today. New York soon became the most populated urbanised area in the world in the early 1920s, overtaking London, and in the early 1930s, became the first megacity in human history.

Today, about 8.5 million New Yorkers live in the five boroughs: more than one third are various ethnic groups and have adopted a common culture, which has given the city the nickname of 'melting pot'.

Thanks to the city's diversity and vibrant intellectual life, it remains the cultural capital of the United States

New York City comprises five distinct boroughs: Manhattan, the central borough (an island and the smallest of the five, but the most densely populated), the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island (or Richmond). Manhattan is linked to Brooklyn by the famous Brooklyn Bridge.

Manhattan

Manhattan is the geographically smallest and most densely populated borough. It is the symbol of New York City, home to most of the city's skyscrapers and prominent landmarks, including Times Square and Central Park. Manhattan is the cultural, administrative, and financial center of New York and contains the headquarters of many major multinational corporations, the United Nations Headquarters, Wall Street, and a number of important universities.

Most of the borough is situated on Manhattan Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River. Several small islands are also part of the borough of Manhattan, such as the Liberty Island, on which the Statue of Liberty stands. Manhattan Island is divided into Lower, Midtown, and Uptown. Uptown Manhattan is divided by Central Park into the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side, and above the park there is Harlem.

Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan and its attractions

The Statue of Liberty It is the most iconic symbol of the city. This monument, located at the entrance to New York Harbour, is 93-metre high and it was placed on Liberty Island in 1886. In one hand Liberty holds a torch while in the other is abook inscribed July 4, 1776. The rays of its crown represent the seven seas and seven continents. Nearby is Ellis Island, a small island, which served as an immigration station from 1892 to 1954. The site today houses the Immigration Museum, which recaptures the lives of those who passed through the immigration process.

The Empire State Building It is the symbol of the city as well. The tallest building in the world for over forty years, and currently the tallest building in New York, the Empire State Building is an Art Deco classic with excellent views of the city from the observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors. Construction began in 1930, not long after the stock market crash.

Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Center, a National Historic Landmark, was built in the 1930s and five new structures have been added to the original fourteen Art Deco buildings. It is often referred to as 'a city within a city' because it was the first project to combine retail, etertainment and office space. The views from the open-air observation deck of the 'Top of the Rock' are absolutely stunning

The Flatiron Building At the intersection of Broadway, Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street, you can find the famous 1902 Flatiron Building with its distinctive triangular shape, similar to the flat metal base of an iron. It was New York's first iron-frame skyscraper and the world's tallest building until 1909.

Central Park Central Park is the most distinctive landmark of Upper Manhattan. It covers an area of more than 300 hectares. The Park splits Manhattan into two halves and provides green space and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. One of the most popular tourist activities is to rent a horse-drawn carriage or hop into a pedicab.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, situated on the eastern side of Central Park, with over five million visitors a year, is New York's most popular single-site tourist attraction. The Met houses treasures that span 5,000 years of culture from all over the world. It is one of the world's largest art galleries and rooms not to be missed include Egyptian art, American paintings, European paintings, Modern art, Greek and Roman art.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum The Museum is the permanent home of a continuously expanding collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art and also features special exhibitions throughout the year.

The museum's building, a landmark work of 20th-century architecture, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, drew controversy for the unusual shape of its display spaces and took 15 years to design and build. It was completed in 1959.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world. MoMA's collection offers an overview of modern and contemporary art, including works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, illustrated and artist's books, film, and electronic media. It houses one of the finest collections of modern and contemporary art in the world, with masterpieces such as Van Gogh's The Starry Night, Picasso's Demoiselles d'Avignon, Dali's Persistence of Memory and Warhol's Gold Marylin Monroe.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

The area on the tip of Manhattan is home to the financial district, with its symbols of economic strenght like the New York Stock Exchange and Wall Street.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

The National September 11 Memorial commemorates the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when nearly 3,000 people died in the destruction of the World Trade Centre. The devastated area was renamed ''Ground Zero'', where the new World trade Centre lies now. There are two large pools with waterfalls set in the footprints of the twin towers, with the names of the victims inscribed on bronze panels around the pools. The underground museum provides a moving account of that day's events. Built to a symbolic 1,776 feet, One World Trade Center opened to the public in 2015 and there are high speed lifts to take you to the observation decks, where, as you can imagine, the views are breathtaking.

Strolling along the 5th Avenue

Fifth Avenue, with its high-class reputation, has been immortalised in films and songs and extends from West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park. Along this stretch you'll find a range of famous stores that have made Fifth Avenue synonymous with luxury goods throughout the world.

The High Line

Since it opened as a park in 2009, this disused railway line has been one of the city's most popular and innovative parks, attracting around 5 million visitors every year. It provides 2.3 km of green space raised above Manhattan's street level, with eleven access points, including five which provide wheelchair access.

Grand Central Terminal

The Grand Central Terminal , a train station, may not seem a likely place to relax, but this is a key recreational meeting-point for New Yorkers.

As well as being a station (it has 44 platforms), there are also shops, restaurants, cafés and guided tours as the 19th-century building is also of architectural interest.

Entertainment

The iconic Times Square, in the heart of the theatre district, is full of neon advertising signs and hosts the productions of Broadway, famous as New York's official Theater District. Broadway is a street known for its theatres, and in particular for its musicals.

The US political system

The United States is a Federal Republic, meaning that powers are divided between central government and individual states. The US federal Government is divided into three branches: - the legislative: the US Congress - the executive: the President and his cabinet - the judicial: the federal courts The separation of powers is designed to provide a system of checks and balances which prevents one group or individual from gaining too much control.

The Constitution

The USA is a constitutional federal republic formed by 50 states. The US Constitution, which entered into force in 1789, is the framework for the American system of government. It defines the three separate branches of government (legislative, executive and judicial), their powers and a system of checks and balances. Each branch has a form of power over the others to ensure no single branch can become dominant. The Constitution, as the supreme law of the land, limits the legislative and executive powers of all levels of government. Any law that is considered to be in conflict with the Constitution can be invalidated by the Supreme Court.

The Constitution

Amendments to the Constitution are possible, but so far only 27 amendments have been made. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, called the Bill of Rights, guarantee important freedoms to every American, including freedom of speech, press and religion. The other amendments mainly concern the expansion of political and civil liberties such as the abolition of slavery and voting rights.

The legislative branch

The Legislatve Branch makes the laws. The American political system is bicameral: CONGRESS

Senate

House of Representatives

The House of Representatives

The House has 435 members. The number representing each state is determined by population. Elected to a two-year term, each representative serves the people of a specific congressional district by introducing bills, among other duties.

The Senate has 100 members, two from each state, who are elected to serve for a term of six years. Besides making laws, the Senate also has 'advice and consent' privileges in matters of treaties and nominations.

The Senate

The legislative branch

A bill can start in either House of Congress and both Houses have to agree on the same version of the bill before it goes to the President. When the President signs the bill, it becomes law. However, the President can veto a bill by refusing to sign it. But if both the Senate and the House of Representatives pass a bill by a two-thirds majority, the President cannot veto it. There are two main political parties, the Republicans abd the Democrats, to which the Senators and Representatives belong.

The executive branch

The executive branch makes the laws official, and is responsible for making decisions which will benefit the country and the people. THE PRESIDENT THE VICE PRESIDENT THE CABINET The President is both the head of state and head of the government, and commander-in-chief of the US army. He has the power to nominate a cabinet. As well as approving or vetoing bills from Congress, the President can also propose legislation for the Houses to approve. The President is limited to two four-year terms in office. The vice-president is part of the cabinet, ready to assume presidency in case of need. There are 15 members of the Cabinet: the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defence, the Secretary of Education, etc. The Cabinet members advise the President on important issues.

The US court system

The US court system is made up of the Supreme Court and Federal Courts. The President appoints nine Supreme Court Justices, with the Senate giving final approval. Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life. They decide whether a law is in line with the Consititution.

Each state elects its Senators and Representatives. Presidential elections are held every four years, while mid-term elections occur every two years. Before the general elections, voters choose their party's candidate in the primary elections. The USA has a two-party system: the two parties are called Democrats and Republicans.

Exploring the national parks

Today, the United States has 59 national parks. Among the most visited are Yellowstone, Death Valley, the Everglades, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Glasier National Park. Let's take a closer look at each of these parks!

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Home

Yellowstone, the oldest and most famous national park in the USA, is a true wilderness and one of the world's largest (2.2 million acres) reserves. It is located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho.

Yellowstone was established in 1872 as the first national park in the US and is considered to be the first national park in the world. It covers an area of 8,983 km2, comprising lakes, canyons, rivers, and mountain ranges. The park is known for its wildlife and its many geothermal features (geysers, hot springs, fumaroles) especially the Old Faithful geyser, one of the most popular and recognized natural wonders in the United States.

Yellowstone National Park sits on top of a dormant volcano and is home to more geysers and hot springs than any other place on earth. The park is an important area of wildlife conservation. There are hundreds species of animals and birds, including grizzly bears, coyotes, eagles, wolves and herds of bison. The vast forests and grasslands also include unique species of plants. In fact, Yellowstone Park is the largest and most famous megafauna location in the US.

5% of the park is covered by water, including Yellowstone Lake and 290 waterfalls. 15% is covered by grassland and 80% by forest.

In 1978, Yellowstone was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Yellowstone has numerous recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, boating, canoeing, fishing, bird and wildlife watching, cross-country skiing, etc. Paved roads provide close access to the major geothermal areas as well as some of the lakes and waterfalls.

The Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

Carved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon (nearly 1500 m deep) is the most spectacular gorge in the world. Its high walls reveal 2 billion years of geological history which scientists are still studying today. Most visitors go to the South Rim, which is open all year and where there are lots of tourist facilities, like lodges and a free shuttle bus to the various viewpoints. For the more adventurous, the inner canyon offers plenty of opportunities for hiking, backpacking and river trips.

The Canyon twists and turns 445 km. It is the result of millions of years of geological erosion.

Yosemite National Park (California)

This park is a protected area within the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Yosemite is world famous for its granite cliffs, unusual rock formations, impressive waterfalls, deep valleys and giant sequoia trees, which can live to be more than 3000 years old.

Yosemite National Park (California)

Death Valley National Park (California and Nevada)

This park is the driest, hottest and lowest point in the USA: 86 m below sea level, with temperatures that can reach 49 degrees Celsius in summer. Despite the park’s name and sweltering temperatures, however, it’s more than just an arid desert. Death Valley is truly a land of extremes and remarkable diversity. Though the park does protect acres of sand dunes, salt-flats, and badlands, it also encompasses snow-capped peaks and canyons.

Badwater Basin: the lowest point the USA

In the heart of Death Valley there is a unique place, the Badwater Basin, a basin of a large prehistoric lake now dried up and located at the lowest point in North America (86 meters below sea level). This salt flat represents the most popular attraction in the park.

Badwater Basin: the lowest point the USA

There is a huge lake of what looks like snow. Since it is the desert, it is not snow but is the leftover salt from the evaporated water.

Zabriskie Point

Zabriskie Point is a part of the Amargosa Range located east of Death Valley National Park, noted for its erosional landscape. It is composed of sediments from Furnace Creek Lake, which dried up 5 million years ago—long before Death Valley came into existence.

Everglades National Park (Florida)

This park is located a the south end of the Everglades, an area of subtropical wilderness in the southern part of Florida. A World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, this park has a unique mix of tropical and temperate plants and animals, including the endangered species like the manatee, crocodile, and Florida panther. Water is essential to the survival of this ecosystem.

Everglades National Park (Florida)

Glacier National Park (Montana, close to the Canadian border)

An area of glacier-carved valleys, the park is characterised by forests, alpine meadows, rocky mountains and spectacular lakes.

With over 700 miles of trails, 762 lakes, dozens of glaciers and innumerable waterfalls, it is a paradise for adventurous visitors and hikers seeking wilderness and solitude.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee)

The most-visited National Park in the USA, with more than 10 million visitors every year, is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in the east of the country on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. The mountains take their name from the bluish haze that hangs over them caused by the hydrocarbons which are released by the vegetation. They offer breathtaking mountain scenery, forests, streams and an incredible diversity of plant and animal life.