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Introduction |
United States |
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Background:
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Britain's
American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and
were recognized as the new nation of the United States of
America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the
19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the
original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American
continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The
two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were
the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the
1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the
end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most
powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady
growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances
in technology. |
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Location:
|
North
America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico |
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Geographic coordinates:
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38 00 N, 97
00 W |
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Map references:
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North America
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Area:
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total:
9,826,630 sq km
land: 9,161,923 sq km
water: 664,707 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of
Columbia |
|
Area - comparative:
|
about half
the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa;
about half the size of South America (or slightly larger
than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice
the size of the European Union |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km
with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased
by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km
|
|
Coastline:
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19,924 km
|
|
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified |
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Climate:
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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 southwest; low
winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated
occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds
from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains |
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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 |
|
Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m |
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Natural resources:
|
coal, copper,
lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron,
mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum,
natural gas, timber |
|
Land use:
|
arable
land: 18.01%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 81.78% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
|
223,850 sq km
(2003) |
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Natural hazards:
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tsunamis,
volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;
hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts;
tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in
California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost
in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development |
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Environment - current issues:
|
air pollution
resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is
the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the
burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of
pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water
resources in much of the western part of the country require
careful management; desertification |
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Environment - international agreements:
|
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Hazardous Wastes |
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Geography - note:
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world's
third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and
by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is
highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest
point on the continent |
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Population:
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301,139,947
(July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 20.2% (male 31,152,050/female 29,777,438)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 100,995,752/female
101,365,035)
65 years and over: 12.6% (male 15,858,477/female
21,991,195) (2007 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
36.6 years
male: 35.3 years
female: 37.9 years (2007 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
|
0.894% (2007
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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14.16
births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate:
|
8.26
deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
|
3.05
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
|
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.721 male(s)/female
total population: 0.967 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
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total:
6.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
|
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 78 years
male: 75.15 years
female: 80.97 years (2007 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
|
2.09 children
born/woman (2007 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.6% (2003
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
950,000 (2003
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
17,011 (2005
est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
American(s)
adjective: American |
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Ethnic groups:
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white 81.7%,
black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%,
native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003 est.)
note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included
because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a
person of Latin American descent (including persons of
Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who
may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian,
etc.) |
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Religions:
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Protestant
52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%,
other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.) |
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Languages:
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English
82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and
Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state
of Hawaii |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
|
conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA |
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Government type:
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Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic
tradition |
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Capital:
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name:
Washington, DC
geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W
time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in
March; ends first Sunday in November
note: the US is divided into six time zones |
|
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 |
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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
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US
administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it
entered into a political relationship with all four
political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a
commonwealth in political union 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); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a
Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3
November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free
Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994) |
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Independence:
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4 July 1776
(from Great Britain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day, 4 July (1776) |
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Constitution:
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17 September
1787, effective 4 March 1789 |
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Legal system:
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federal court
system based on English common law; each state has its own
unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana, which
is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) is based on
English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of
age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001);
Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President George W. BUSH (since
20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20
January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with
Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on
the same ticket by a college of representatives who are
elected directly from each state; president and vice
president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second
term); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
on 4 November 2008)
election results: George W. BUSH reelected president;
percent of popular vote - George W. BUSH 50.9%, John KERRY
48.1%, other 1.0% |
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Legislative branch:
|
bicameral
Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 members are
elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year
terms; one-third are elected every two years) and the House
of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected
by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2006 (next
to be held November 2008); House of Representatives - last
held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 49, Republican Party
49, independent 2; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 233,
Republican Party 202 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court
(nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed
with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to
serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United
States District Courts; State and County Courts |
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Political parties and leaders:
|
Democratic
Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party; Libertarian Party [William
(Bill) REDPATH]; Republican Party [Robert M. (Mike) DUNCAN]
|
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
|
International organization participation:
|
AfDB, ANZUS,
APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE
(observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7,
G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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 (partner), SAARC
(observer), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
|
Flag description:
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13 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 - overview:
|
The US has
the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the
world, with a per capita GDP of $43,500. In this
market-oriented economy, private individuals and business
firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state
governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in
the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater
flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and
Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off
surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same
time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home
markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US
firms are at or near the forefront in technological
advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace,
and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since
the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely
explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor
market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and
the professional/technical skills of those at the top and,
more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health
insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975,
practically all the gains in household income have gone to
the top 20% of households. The response to the terrorist
attacks of 11 September 2001 showed the remarkable
resilience of the economy. The war in March-April 2003
between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent
occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national
resources to the military. The rise in GDP in 2004-06 was
undergirded by substantial gains in labor productivity.
Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast
region in August 2005, but had a small impact on overall GDP
growth for the year. Soaring oil prices in 2005 and 2006
threatened inflation and unemployment, yet the economy
continued to grow through year-end 2006. Imported oil
accounts for about two-thirds of US consumption. Long-term
problems include inadequate investment in economic
infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of
an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and
stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups.
The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $750 billion
in 2006. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$13.13
trillion (2006 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$13.21
trillion (2006 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
3.2% (2006
est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$44,000 (2006
est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 20.4%
services: 78.6% (2006 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
151.4 million
(includes unemployed) (2006 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
farming,
forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing, extraction,
transportation, and crafts 22.9%, managerial, professional,
and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25%, other services
16.5%
note: figures exclude the unemployed (2006) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
4.8% (2006
est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
12% (2004
est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 30.5% (1997) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
45 (2004)
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
2.5% (2006
est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
16.6% of GDP
(2006 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$2.409 trillion
expenditures: $2.66 trillion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
64.7% of GDP
(2005 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat, corn,
other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork,
poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products |
|
Industries:
|
leading
industrial power in the world, highly diversified and
technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles,
aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food
processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
4.2% (2006
est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
3.979
trillion kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 71.4%
hydro: 5.6%
nuclear: 20.7%
other: 2.3% (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
3.717
trillion kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
22.9 billion
kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
34.21 billion
kWh (2004) |
|
Oil - production:
|
7.61 million
bbl/day (2005 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
20.73 million
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
1.048 million
bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
13.15 million
bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
22.45 billion
bbl (1 January 2002) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
531.1 billion
cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
635.1 billion
cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
24.18 billion
cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
120.6 billion
cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
5.451
trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) |
|
Current account balance:
|
-$862.3
billion (2006 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$1.024
trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
agricultural
products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies
(organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors,
aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications
equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines)
15.0% (2003) |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Canada 22.2%,
Mexico 12.9%, Japan 5.8%, China 5.3%, UK 4.4% (2006) |
|
Imports:
|
$1.869
trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
agricultural
products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%),
capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications
equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric
power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles,
clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2003) |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Canada 16%,
China 15.9%, Mexico 10.4%, Japan 7.9%, Germany 4.8% (2006)
|
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$69.19
billion (August 2006 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$10.04
trillion (30 June 2006 est.) |
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $6.9
billion (1997) |
|
Currency (code):
|
US dollar (USD)
|
|
Currency code:
|
USD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
British
pounds per US dollar - 0.5418 (2006), 0.5500 (2005), 0.5462
(2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)
: Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.1334 (2006),
1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002)
: Japanese yen per US dollar - 116.18 (2006) 110.22
(2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002)
: euros per US dollar - .7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005),
0.8054 (2004), 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
: Chinese yuan per US dollar - 7.97 (2006), 8.1943
(2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.2770 (2003), 8.2770 (2002) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 October -
30 September |
|
|
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Communications |
United States |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
268 million
(2003) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
219.4 million
(2005) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: a large, technologically advanced,
multipurpose communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable,
microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic
satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a
rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone
traffic throughout the country
international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable
systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45
Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and
Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 4,789, FM
8,961, shortwave 19 (2006) |
|
Radios:
|
575 million
(1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
2,218 (2006)
|
|
Televisions:
|
219 million
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.us |
|
Internet hosts:
|
195.139
million (2005) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
7,000 (2002
est.) |
|
Internet users:
|
205.327
million (2005) |
|
Transportation |
United States |
|
Airports:
|
14,858 (2006)
|
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
5,119
over 3,047 m: 189
2,438 to 3,047 m: 221
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,426
914 to 1,523 m: 2,337
under 914 m: 946 (2006) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
9,739
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 157
914 to 1,523 m: 1,728
under 914 m: 7,847 (2006) |
|
Heliports:
|
149 (2006)
|
|
Pipelines:
|
petroleum
products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
226,605 km
standard gauge: 226,605 km 1.435-m gauge (2004) |
|
Roadways:
|
total:
6,430,366 km
paved: 4,165,110 km (includes 75,009 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 2,265,256 km (2005) |
|
Waterways:
|
41,009 km
(19,312 km used for commerce)
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including
the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada
(2007) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
465 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,590,325 GRT/13,273,133 DWT
by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 67, cargo 91,
chemical tanker 20, container 76, passenger 19,
passenger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker 76, refrigerated cargo
3, roll on/roll off 27, specialized tanker 1, vehicle
carrier 20
foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 4, Denmark 24,
Germany 2, Greece 1, Malaysia 4, Netherlands 4, Norway 2,
Singapore 2, Sweden 5, Taiwan 1)
registered in other countries: 700 (Antigua and
Barbuda 7, Australia 3, Bahamas 121, Belize 5, Bermuda 27,
Cambodia 8, Canada 2, Cayman Islands 41, Comoros 2, Cyprus
7, Greece 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 21, Ireland 2, Isle of
Man 3, Italy 15, North Korea 3, South Korea 7, Liberia 93,
Luxembourg 3, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 143, Netherlands 13,
Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 13, Panama 94, Peru 1,
Philippines 8, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3, Qatar 1, Russia 1,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21, Sierra Leone 1,
Singapore 7, Spain 7, Sweden 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, UK 6,
Vanuatu 1, Wallis and Futuna 1) (2006) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Corpus
Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los
Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas
City
note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana
Ports) on the Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of
cargo annually |
|
Military branches:
|
Army, Navy
and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; note - Coast
Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of
Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department
of the Navy |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years of
age; 17 years of age with written parental consent (2006)
|
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age
18-49: 67,742,879
females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age
18-49: 54,609,050
females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males age
18-49: 2,143,873
females age 18-49: 2,036,201 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
4.06% (2005
est.) |
|
Transnational Issues |
United States |
|
Disputes - international:
|
the U.S. has
intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating
closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor
and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and
commodities across the international borders; abundant
rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border
region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing
arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering
Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; managed maritime
boundary disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort
Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias
Seal Island and North Rock; The Bahamas and US have not been
able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at
Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement
or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti
claims US-administered 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
states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau
included American Samoa's Swains Island among the islands
listed in its 2006 draft constitution |
|
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
|
refugees
(country of origin): the US admitted 62,643 refugees
during FY04/05 including, 10,586 (Somalia), 8,549 (Laos),
6,666 (Russia), 6,479 (Cuba), 3,100 (Haiti), 2,136 (Iran)
(2006) |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
world's
largest consumer of cocaine, shipped from Colombia through
Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of ecstasy and of Mexican
heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine; minor consumer of
high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of
cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens,
and methamphetamine; money-laundering center |
Information gathered from the Central Intelligence Agency
|
|
