Description

America consists of fifty states (including Alaska to the north and Hawaii in the Pacific) which makes it the third largest country by both land mass and population in the world. "America, The Beautiful" certainly deserves its name. From coastal plains in the east, to the Appalachian and the Rocky mountain ranges, to the flat prairies, the southwestern deserts, southeastern swamps, to Alaskan ice, and Californian beaches, the geography of this vast nation transitions from state to state, and region to region, leaving room for surprises along the way. The U.S. has more species of flora and fauna than any other country in the world, due to the many different climate zones and ecosystems across the nation. Referred to as the leader of the modern world, The United States, though a young country, has successfully influenced governments, economies, and cultures throughout the world. It is a constitutional republic, "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law." It is fundamentally structured as a representative democracy.

The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the United States Constitution, which serves as the country's supreme legal document and as a social contract for the people of the United States. The per capita income in the U.S. is among the highest in the world. Many of its immigrants traveled to America in search of jobs, equal opportunity, and to fulfill the "American dream" to make a better life. The United States is constantly influencing the rest of the world with advancements in technology, democratic philosophies, and of course, pop culture and entertainment. Founded as "the New World" in 1492, The U.S. became a country of immigrants, making it now one of the most ethnically, socially, and culturally diverse nations. From George Washington, Elvis Presley, Mark Twain, Martin Luther King Jr., Michael Jordan, and even Britney Spears, Americans have made a name for themselves across the world. The "land of the free" has much to offer through both opportunity and experience from the bustling streets of New York City to the cattle ranches of Wyoming.

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