United States of America
The United
States of America is a large country in North America, often referred to as the
"USA", the "US", the "United States",
"America", or simply "the States". It is home to the
world's third-largest population, with over 310 million people. It includes
both densely populated cities with sprawling suburbs, and vast, uninhabited and
naturally beautiful areas.
With its
history of mass immigration dating from the 17th century, it is a "melting
pot" of cultures from around the world and plays a dominant role in the
world's cultural landscape. It is famous for its wide array of popular tourist
destinations, ranging from the skyscrapers of Manhattan and Chicago, to the
natural wonders of Yellowstone and Alaska, to the warm, sunny beaches of
Florida, Hawaii and Southern California.
Geography
The
contiguous United States (called CONUS by US military personnel) or the
"Lower 48" (the 48 states other than Alaska and Hawaii) is bounded by
the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, with much of
the population living on the two coasts. Its land borders are shared with
Canada to the north, and Mexico to the south. The US also shares maritime
borders with Russia, Cuba, and the Bahamas.
The country
has three major mountain ranges. The Appalachians extend from Canada to the
state of Alabama, a few hundred miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. They are the
oldest of the three mountain ranges and offer spectacular sightseeing and
excellent camping spots. The Rockies are, on average, the highest in North
America, extending from Alaska to New Mexico, with many areas protected as
national parks. They offer hiking, camping, skiing, and sightseeing
opportunities. The combined Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges are the youngest.
The Sierras extend across the "backbone" of California, with sites
such as Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park; the Sierras transition at their
northern end into the even younger volcanic Cascade range, with some of the
highest points in the country.
The Great
Lakes define much of the border between the eastern United States and Canada.
More inland seas than lakes, they were formed by the pressure of glaciers
retreating north at the end of the last Ice Age. The five lakes span hundreds
of miles, bordering the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, and their shores vary from pristine
wilderness areas to industrial "rust belt" cities. They are the
second-largest bodies of freshwater in the world, after the polar ice caps.
Climate
The overall
climate is temperate, with notable exceptions. Alaska is cold and dominated by
Arctic tundra, while Hawaii and South Florida are tropical. The Great Plains
are dry, flat and grassy, turning into arid desert in the far West and
Mediterranean along the California coast.
In the
winter, the northern and mid-western major cities can see as much as 2 feet (61
cm) of snowfall in one day, with cold temperatures. Summers are humid, but
mild. Temperatures over 100°F (38°C) sometimes invade the Midwest and Great
Plains. Some areas in the northern plains can experience cold temperatures of
-30°F (-34°C) during the winter. Temperatures below 0°F (-18°C) sometimes reach
as far south as Oklahoma.
The climate
of the South also varies. In the summer, it is hot and humid, but from October
through April the weather can range from 60°F (15°C) to short cold spells of 20°F
(-7°C) or so.
The Great
Plains and Midwestern states also experience tornadoes from the late spring to
early fall, earlier in the south and later in the north. States along the
Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico, may experience hurricanes between June
and November. These intense and dangerous storms frequently miss the US
mainland, but evacuations are often ordered and should be heeded.
The Rockies
are cold and snowy. Some parts of the Rockies see over 500 inches (12 m) of
snow in a season. Even during the summer, temperatures are cool in the
mountains, and snow can fall nearly year-round. It is dangerous to go up in the
mountains unprepared in the winter and the roads through them can get very icy.
The deserts
of the Southwest are hot and dry during the summer, with temperatures often
exceeding 100°F (38°C). Thunderstorms can be expected in the southwest
frequently from July through September. Winters are mild, and snow is unusual.
Average annual precipitation is low, usually less than 10 inches (25 cm).
Cool and
damp weather is common in the coastal northwest (Oregon and Washington west of
the Cascade Range, and the northern part of California west of the Coast
Ranges/Cascades). Rain is most frequent in winter, snow is rare, especially
along the coast, and extreme temperatures are uncommon. Rain falls almost
exclusively from late fall through early spring along the coast. East of the
Cascades, the northwest is considerably drier. Much of the inland northwest is
either semi-arid or desert, though altitude and weather patterns may result in
wetter climates in some areas.
Northeastern
and cities of the Upper South are known for summers with temperatures reaching
into the 90's (32°C) or more, with extremely high humidity, usually over 80%.
This can be a drastic change from the Southwest. High humidity means that the
temperature can feel hotter than actual readings. The Northeast also
experiences snow, and at least once every few years there will be a dumping of
the white stuff in enormous quantities.
Holidays
The United States has a number of holidays — official and/or cultural —
of which the traveler should be aware. Note that holidays observed on Mondays
or Fridays are usually treated as weekend-long events. (A weekend consists of a
Saturday and a Sunday.) Federal holidays — i.e., holidays observed by the
federal government — are indicated in bold italics. If a
federal holiday with a fixed calendar date (such as Independence Day) falls on
a weekend, federal and most state offices will be closed on the nearest non-weekend
day. Since the early 1970s, several federal holidays, including Memorial Day
and Labor Day, have been observed on a certain Monday rather than on a fixed
date for the express purpose of giving federal employees three-day weekends.
Due to the number of major holidays in close proximity to each other,
many Americans refer to the period between Thanksgiving in late November and
New Year's Day as simply "the holidays." School and work vacations
are commonly taken during this period.
§ New Year's Day (1 January) — most non-retail businesses
closed; parades; brunches and football parties.
§ Martin Luther King Day (third Monday in January) — many government
offices and banks closed; speeches, especially on African-American history and
culture.
§ Chinese New Year (January/February — varies based on the Chinese lunar calendar) —
Chinese cultural celebration.
§ Super Bowl Sunday (usually the first Sunday in February) — The Super Bowl is the
annual championship game of the NFL American football league and the most-watched
sporting event of the year; supermarkets, bars, and electronics stores busy;
big football-watching parties.
§ (St.) Valentine's Day (14 February) — private celebration of
romance and love. Most restaurants are crowded; finer restaurants may require
reservations made well in advance.
§ Presidents Day (third Monday in February; officially Washington's
Birthday) — many government offices and banks closed; many stores have
sales.
§ St. Patrick's Day (17 March) — Irish-themed parades and parties. Expect bars to be
crowded. They will often feature themed drink specials. The wearing of green or
a green accessory is common.
§ Easter (a
Sunday in March or April) — Christian religious observances. Depending on
location, many restaurants, including franchised outlets of major national
chains, may close. Major retailers generally open; smaller shops may or may not
close.
§ Passover (varies
based on the Jewish calendar, eight days around Easter) — Jewish religious observance.
§ Cinco de Mayo (5 May) — A minor holiday in most of Mexico often incorrectly
assumed to be Mexican independence day, but nevertheless a major cultural
celebration for Mexican-Americans. As with St. Patrick's Day, expect bars to be
crowded, frequently with themed drink specials.
§ Memorial Day (last Monday in May) — most non-retail businesses closed; some
patriotic observances; trips to beaches and parks; traditional
beginning of summer tourism season.
§ Independence Day / Fourth of July (4 July) — most non-retail businesses closed;
airports and highways crowded; patriotic parades and concerts, cookouts and
trips to beaches and parks, fireworks at dusk.
§ Labor Day (first Monday in September) — most non-retail businesses closed;
cookouts and trips to beaches and parks; many stores have sales; traditional
ending of summer tourism season.
§ Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (varies based on the Jewish
calendar, September or early October) — Jewish religious observances.
§ Columbus Day (second Monday in October) — many government offices and banks
closed; some stores have sales. Columbus Day can be controversial, especially
among Native Americans, and is not as widely observed as it was in the past.
§ Halloween (31
October) — trick-or-treating, parades, and costume parties.
§ Veterans Day (11 November) — government offices and banks closed; some
patriotic observances.
§ Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) — almost all
businesses closed, including grocery stores and many restaurants;
family dinners. Airports and highways are very crowded. The next day, known as
"Black Friday," major Christmas shopping traditionally begins. Many
non-retail employees are given Friday off or take it as a holiday.
§ Hanukkah / Chanukah (varies based on the Jewish calendar, eight
days usually in December) — Jewish religious observance, often culturally
associated with Christmas.
§ Christmas (25 December) — almost all businesses, grocery stores, and
many restaurants closed the evening before and all day. Airports and
highways are crowded. Families and close friends exchange gifts; Christian
religious observances.
§ Kwanzaa (26
December-1 January) — African-American cultural observance.
§ New Year's Eve (31 December) — many restaurants and bars open late; lots of
parties, especially in big cities.
From a foreign traveler's point of view, there are two major services
affected by federal holidays: visas and mail.
First, if you are a foreigner who needs to apply for a US visa, it is
important to note the federal holidays marked in bold italics. All
US embassies worldwide close on those days and are unable to process
applications on those days, in addition to holidays observed by their host
country.
Second, United States Postal Service retail counters are closed on
federal holidays, and in high-crime areas, the entire post office stays closed.
Self-service kiosks at post offices in relatively safe areas with 24/7 lobby
access remain operational through holidays. However, mail deposited at a post
office or in a mailbox will not be processed until after the holiday is over.
Other federal services like national parks and airport security operate
365 days a year regardless of federal holidays.
Many state governments also observe official holidays of their own which
are not observed in other states or by the federal government.
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