3 The US 16 The United States of America The US is a country located in North America and the fourth largest country in the world. Its main characteristic is probably the great variety of its geography and its highly diverse population. It is also one of the world9s greatest economic powers, providing the majority of its people with a high standard of living. Structure : It is composed of 50 contiguous states (except Alaska, in the west of Canada, and the Hawaii archipelago in the Pacific Ocean), and one Federal district (Washington DC). The US also administers five self-governing territories and several uninhabited islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Form of Government : It is a federal republic: each state has its own government but a central one deals with national issues. Its headquarters are in Washington, the capital city. The US Constitution (1787) does not cover the complex issues of the contemporary world, so it changes over time and is subject to amendments: 27 have been approved so far. Did you know that Alaska... " is the largest US state? " was a Russian colonial possession until 1867? " became the 49th state of the US in January 1959? Population : With a population of about 350 million, the US is the third most populous country in the world. The population is a mixture of culture and races mainly composed of white (the majority), black, and Asian people. More than 10% have mixed ancestry and Native Americans count for 1%. About 60 million people immigrated to the US in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the number grew dramatically in the 20th century since the US has always been seen as a safe refuge from conflicts and a land of opportunities. 24 Topic 1 " COUNTRIES Did you know that the state of Hawaii... " is one of the remotest countries in the world? Almost 4,000 km separate it from the nearest countries. " became the 50th state of the US in August 1959? " is the birthplace of the Poke Bowl, traditional recipe of rice with raw fish, avocado, and vegetables? Economy : American economy, mainly dominated by privately owned businesses, is highly developed, with advanced industries and technology supported by excellent infrastructure and transportation systems. The US is among the world9s top producers of oil and gas, but 20% of all electricity is generated by wind farms and hydroelectric power plants. Language : The US does not have an official national glossary language, but English is the most commonly used ancestry: origini contiguous: confinante whereas Spanish is the most raw: crudo widespread non-English wind farm: parco eolico language spoken. 1 READING WRITING Say whether these statements are true or false and correct the false ones. T F 1 New York is the capital city of the US. 2 English is the official language of the US. 3 Alaska is a US state located in western Canada. 4 Multiculturalism is a distinctive characteristic of the US population. 5 The US has not developed any form of renewable energy. 6 In the US there is no central government, each state has its own government. 2 READING Look up the names of the five self-governing territories administered by the US. 3 READING WRITING CIVIC EDUCATION Write a short report following the two questions given below. 1 What is a federal republic? 2 Which European countries are federal republics?