GENERAL

Official name of the state

United States of America.

Capital

Washington DC.
There are 25 cities in the United States with more populations than Washington DC. New York is the largest city with over 8 million people.

Geography

As a country located in North America according to a2zgov, the United States covers much of the North American continent and is bordered by Canada to the north, Mexico to the south, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The state of Alaska is located in the far northwest of the continent, is bounded in the north by the Arctic Ocean and is separated from the rest of the USA by Canada. Hawaii is located in the central Pacific. Because of the huge size of the United States, the landscape is extraordinarily diverse. The climate ranges from subtropical to arctic with the corresponding flora and fauna.

Government

Presidential Federal Republic with a federal constitution since 1787, last constitutional amendment 1992. Bicameral parliament (Congress): House of Representatives with 435 members elected for two years and Senate with 100 members elected for six years (1/3 of the senators are all Elected for 2 years). After the head of state and government, the highest rank is held by the Secretary of State. The USA consists of 50 equal states with their own constitution, parliament and an elected governor. State sovereignty applies in the areas of school legislation, as well as civil, commercial and criminal jurisdiction. There are also the District of Columbia, 2 US Commonwealth Territories, and external and leased areas.

Head of state

Donald Trump (45th President of the USA), since January 2017.

Head of government

Donald Trump (45th President of the USA), since January 2017.

Electricity

120V, 60Hz. Adapter or dual power switches required.

CLIMATE

Best travel time

The US territory extends over six climate zones (with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii). The best travel time therefore depends on the place and time. Spring (March, April, May) and autumn (September and October) are usually cooler and the most comfortable times of the year to travel. The summer months (June, July, and August) are hot across the country, while the winter months (November to February) have very different temperatures depending on the area in the United States.

The Continental Moist Zone is located in the northeast, the southwest boundary of this climate zone runs roughly along the border of Iowa with Nebraska and Missouri. Summers are warm and very rainy, and winters are cold. You have to reckon with severe winters with snow and frost on the great lakes.

To the south is the Subtropical Moist Zone, which extends west to the border of Oklahoma with Arkansas and Louisiana and to the south to the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures are similar to the Continental Moist Zone with warm, rainy summers, but the seasonal differences are not as stark and the winters do not get as cold. The hurricane season lasts from early June to late November.

The Continental Steppe Zone is located in the northwest of the USA and runs through the large inland and plateaus west of the Rocky Mountains. This area has much less rainfall. The summers are warm, the winters cool and dry.

The Rocky Mountains themselves together with the mountain ranges on the Pacific coast form the Highland Climate Zone. Because of the high altitude, the temperatures in this area are generally lower than in areas at the same latitude in the valley.

In the wide lowlands between the Rocky Mountains and the elevations on the east coast lies the Continental Desert Zone, which extends in the south to the Mexican border. In this desert climate it gets quite warm in summer and cool in winter. There is hardly any rainfall throughout the year.

The coastal strip on the Pacific with the California long valley of the Sacramento River forms the Marine Temperate Zone. The climate here is very temperate, summers are warm, hot in the south, and winters are cool in the north and mild in the south. Most of the precipitation falls in winter. The best time to travel to northern California is in the summer months, southern California from September to November and the national parks from May to September. The climate in Death Valley is most bearable in spring and autumn. In the Sierra Nevada, winter sports conditions are best from October to April.

There are three different climates in Alaska. The south coast has a temperate oceanic climate. The largest climatic zone is the subarctic zone, which extends to the Brooks Range mountains in the north. The winters get really cold here. The coldest zone is the area in the north of the state, the tundra zone with permafrost, short summers and long winters. The summer months are the best time to travel to Alaska.

The climate in the tropical state of Hawaii is much warmer. In spring and autumn, heavy rainfall falls on the east coast of the islands. Hawaii is a popular travel destination all year round.

New York City is a popular travel destination all year round, regardless of the weather. The north east coast is particularly popular in autumn during Indian Summer.

COUNTRY DATA

Area code +1 Area (km2) 9826675 Population 321 418 820 Population density (per km2) 33 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 911