Ultimate Guide on United States
There is no doubt that the United States is among the top powerful nations in the world. Not only in terms of power, but education, technology, and in almost everything, the USA holds a prime position. And that is why people are always attracted to this country. For students, the first choice for higher education is, of course, the United States. You can find a wide diversity of students from India, China, Korea, Pakistan, Mexico, and almost every other corner of the world here.
Not only that, many people prefer to settle here because of the standard of lifestyle, excellent job opportunities, and health care facilities. The US is the kind of nation where people have a voice that cannot be suppressed by some dominion power. People are free to share their thoughts and speak their minds. And the government here is always ready to listen to the problems of their citizens. And of course, there are so many places to travel here. It would take you a very long time to explore all the corners of this vast nation.
All that said, now let us explore and know all about this great country one by one.
An insight into the history and geography of the nation
Though many of you might still think that Christopher Columbus discovered America, but in actuality, that is not the case. Columbus didn’t discover America; he landed in Southern America, which was part of a different nation. The land had already been discovered by the Native Americans. Columbus is given credit because his voyage of 1492 was significant for the Europeans. 10 October is celebrated as Columbus Day in the states of America.
The land of America was discovered long back, but the United States of America was formed in 1776 by the vicious revolution against colonial rule. The revolution was not carried by indigenous peoples but by the colonial settlers against their nation of origin. The states rebelled together against British rule, and thus the new nation, the United States of America, was formed.
The United States is ranked three after Russia and Canada as the largest countries in the world. In total, there are 50 states, out of which 48 are contiguous. This country is so huge that from one corner to another corner, there is a time difference. Washington DC is the capital of the nation which comprises the three iconic buildings; White House, The Capitol, and the Supreme Court.
The country is located in the North. On the west side, it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The United States shares the border with Canada on the North and with Mexico on the south.
The government and politics of the United States
The United States is one of the oldest federation nations. The Republicans and Democrats are the two types of parties that run for the election. The country is headed by its president, who resides in the White House. The election is held every four years by the popular vote; the party that gains maximum votes elects the president of the nation. The US President enjoys great importance and power all over the world.
All the political and governmental power is divided into three branches; legislative, executive, and judiciary. The executive of the nation is the president along with the vice president. The State government has the same pattern as the federal government. The power is divided into legislative, executive, and judicial.
The law and enforcement of America
The law and enforcement lie under the local police department and Sheriff’s department. The FBI and U.S Marshal Service carry out the duties to protect civil rights and national security. In the US, there are a total of 18,000 police agencies. Safety is the major reason why people prefer to stay here. People’s rights are well preserved and protected.
There is strict punishment and imprisonment for those who do not abide by the law. The judicial system takes care of protecting the rights of the citizens. The US law comprises many codified and uncodified laws.
Other than that, there are many minor and basic laws, but they have great significance. Like when driving with a child, you need a proper car seat which should be kept on the back seat. Unlike other countries, driving should be done on the right-hand side of the road. It is important to follow all the laws and instructions. All of them are made for the safety and betterment of the citizens.
The Significant Economy of the country
The currency of the USA is the dollar. It is not hidden how important the value of the dollar is for all the other currencies. It is, without any doubt, the most powerful world currency. The primary reason for it is being globally accepted and most used. The central and commercial banks make use of the US dollar all over the world. Hence it is the world’s primary reserve currency.
Now let us look at the economy of the US. The total GDP of the nation is around 22.7 trillion dollars. Though it faces a debt of 28.8 trillion dollars, the US dollar is still one of the most powerful and significant currencies. If we look at the GDP growth rate, we will clearly see that over the years, the GDP rate of the US has only increased.
Where the private sector constitutes around 86.4% of the total economy of the country, the public sector leads in employment. There are many sectors in the USA that provide paid leave to their employees, but it is not guaranteed by everyone. The US is the only advanced economy nation that does so.
Americans collectively constitute 29.4% of the world’s wealth. It is the greatest percentage for any nation. As of the 2020 survey, it has been found that there are around 724 billionaires and 10.5 million millionaires. The United States is quite expensive to live in. You can find a great rate of price variation. Your mobile phone can be less costly than your grocery shopping here.
The hub of science and technology
The United States has been leading the technological innovations sector forever. The most famous scientists who revolutionized the world with their innovations were all from the United States. Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Wright Brothers, Albert Einstein, and many such scientists need no introduction, and amazingly they all were Americans.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first and the second man to land on the moon. And, of course, they were both Americans. So, from these past victories in science and technology, it is clear that the USA takes much interest in this sector. And even now, they are one of the most technologically advanced countries.
The headquarters of all the top companies are situated in the United States of America. Silicon Valley is the global center of technology and innovations. It is the hub of many internets’ technological companies. Some of the most popular and important companies in the US are Apple, IBM, AMD, Intel, and Microsoft. They have changed the whole world with their most innovative innovations and generations.
Diverse Population of United States of America
The United States comes after China and India to rank as the third-most populous nation in the world. The country sees a net rise of 864 people per day. It has a diverse population of different communities. As per the 2018 report, there were around 90 million immigrants or US-born children from immigrants. Latina American, Latino American, White Hispanic, Afro American are some of the racial groups that you’ll find in the US.
Apart from all these, you can find citizens of India, China, Europe, Korea, Pakistan, Australia, and almost every corner of the world. The two basic reasons for their settlement are either education or job.
To get a green card from the USA, you must have lived there for almost 30 continuous years. Once you have got the green card, you can apply for citizenship after five years. Those who get the green card by marrying an American citizen have to wait for three years to apply for citizenship.
The Liberty of Religion
The United States provides its citizens the freedom to follow any religion they want. The larger section of the population comprises Christians, Protestants, and Catholics. Other than that, you will also find Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Buddhists. Not only this, in the USA, there is a wide fraction of people who are atheists; that is, they don’t believe in God.
All this only proves that the US warmly welcomes the people of different religions to settle in their country peacefully. They are free to pray to their God and celebrate their festivals. Christmas and Thanksgiving are two widely celebrated festivals in the US. Not only Christians but people of different religions too celebrate these mesmerizing festivals. Other than these, Halloween is widely celebrated all over the country with full enthusiasm.
The World-Class Education System
The education system of the USA allows the children of age five to six to start attending the schools and study till the age of 18. Few states allow the student to leave school at the age of 16 or 17. A significant percentage of students are homeschooled too.
Education in the United States is quite expensive, but luckily the government provides students loans. The students of this country spend most on their education, and that is why the literacy rate is 99%.
If you want to continue your higher education in the USA, then you can find numerous options here. Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, and many more such universities rank top not only in the USA but all over the world.
American universities have a high standard of selection. Passing and getting admission to universities is not so simple. There is a systematic pattern that needs to be followed and passed. All this is done to preserve the high quality of education.
The Cultural Diversity of United States
America is a nation with a diverse culture. Most of the Americans are the ancestors of the immigrants. That is why you will find great diversification of culture. When people migrated to America, they brought their traditions which their successors carried on.
Any kind of racial or cultural discrimination is not tolerated in the United States. Equality, liberty, and fraternity are the three basic rules by which people abide. So no matter what culture you follow, one thing is for sure: the USA welcomes every culture warmly.
When we talk about the culture, we cannot miss the music and food. The United States encourages and celebrates music hugely. America has given the music industry many legends. The pop legend of this era Taylor Swift is none other than an American. The Coachella Music Festival is one of the largest and most celebrated music festivals.
Now let us talk about food; the USA has the largest fast-food industry. It has introduced the world to some of the tastiest food like turkey, sweet potato, maple syrup. Thanksgiving is the festival on which people prepare many exotic and traditional dishes to share their happiness. Ice cream, hamburgers, donuts, fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese are a few staple eateries of Americans.
Apart from this, you will find many Italian, Indian, Mexican, Spanish, and Pakistani restaurants here. Tacos and pasta are the most consumed Mexican dish in America. Lastly, it is a well-known fact that Americans are one of the top consumers of coffee. Starbucks, a coffee franchise that can be found in almost every corner of the USA and another world, is also an American Corporation. So if you travel to the USA, then you will never face any issue with the food. You can get everything at the nearest distance.
Landmarks and Travelling Site of America
As we talked about earlier, America is one of the largest nations. It would take you quite some time to explore it completely. And even after that, it is for sure that you will miss a few places. There are so many places and landmark areas to visit. Of course, we cannot cover all those places in this article. But you can find some of the most popular and mesmerizing places with great history that you must visit. Let us look and get a brief understanding of the places.
Statue of Liberty: The Statue of Liberty was a gift to America by France in order to celebrate the friendship between the citizens. It symbolizes democracy and freedom and is one of the largest statues in the world. There is lots of history related to this statue. The woman holding the torch represents the Roman Goddess, whereas the crown’s spikes are the oceans and continents.
The statue is located on Liberty Island in New York Harbour. It is one of the most visited places in New York. Everyone who visits America is sure to go to see this marvelous statue.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial: This gigantic sculpture is located in South Dakota. It is a memorial with faces of famous American Presidents. This sculpture is actually not complete due to some reasons. Mount Rushmore has become a kind of symbol of the United States.
Empire State Building: The most famous skyscraper, the Empire State Building, is situated in mid-Manhattan. It is a symbolic building of New York. It was built to conduct corporate meetings, but now it is one of the most visited sites in America. The tourists from all over the world come to visit the top of this building.
Central Park: Central Park is famous for its outstanding landscaping. It is a complete masterpiece and one of the highlights of America. It is also located in New York. You can find scenic hills, a playground, and skating rinks. In short, you can say that it is the perfect place to picnic or spend quality time with friends and family.
Walt Disney World: If you are visiting the US with your kids, then, of course, you can not miss Disney Park. There are around 12 Disney parks in America, but Disney World is one of the largest of all. Not only for children, even for adults, but it is also an extremely fun entertainment resort complex.
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum: The most famous wax museum in the world is Madame Tussauds. You can find real-life statues of famous people, celebrities, and iconic characters here. There are around 4 Madame Tussauds museums in the United States.
Final Words
The United States of America is one of the most powerful and significant nations in the world. It holds a prime and a top position. Not only that, the president of the nation is respected a lot all over the world.
From education, culture, economy, and in every aspect, the United States comes at the top. Apart from all this, it is an excellent place to travel and spend your holidays with your family. The standard of living and education, along with job opportunities, make it one of the most expensive nations. All these are the reasons why getting a US Visa is so difficult.
All being said, if you are planning a foreign trip, then the United States of America should be on the top of your list. It is a dream of millions to study in America. No doubt, there is no other nation like this great nation.
