24 Facts About United States

1.

The United States emerged from the Thirteen British Colonies when disputes with the British Crown over taxation and political representation led to the American Revolution, which established the nation's independence.

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2.

The United States is a founding member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, NATO, and is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

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3.

The first documented arrival of Europeans in the continental United States is that of Spanish conquistadors such as Juan Ponce de Leon, who made his first expedition to Florida in 1513.

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4.

At that same time, the United States Congress adopted The Star-Spangled Banner as the country's official national anthem.

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5.

The United States emerged relatively unscathed from the war, and with even greater economic and military influence.

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6.

The United States developed the first nuclear weapons and used them on Japan in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945; the Japanese surrendered on September 2, ending World War II.

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7.

In 1959, the United States admitted Alaska and Hawaii to become the 49th and 50th states, formally expanding beyond the contiguous United States.

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8.

The United States supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War; in response, the country faced an oil embargo from OPEC nations, sparking the 1973 oil crisis.

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9.

The lowest and highest points in the contiguous United States are in the state of California, and only about 84 miles apart.

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10.

The United States is home to 428 mammal species, 784 birds, 311 reptiles, and 295 amphibians, and 91, 000 insect species.

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11.

Territories of the United States do not have presidential electors, therefore people there cannot vote for the president.

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12.

The United States observes limited tribal sovereignty of the American Indian nations, like states' sovereignty.

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13.

The United States is a member of the G7, G20, and OECD intergovernmental organizations.

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14.

The United States has the third-largest combined armed forces in the world, behind the Chinese People's Liberation Army and Indian Armed Forces.

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15.

The Air Force can strike targets across the globe through its fleet of strategic bombers, maintains the air defense across the United States, and provides close air support to Army and Marine Corps ground forces.

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16.

Law in the United States is mainly enforced by local police departments and sheriff's offices.

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17.

The United States ranked the 41st highest in income inequality among 156 countries in 2017, and the highest compared to the rest of the developed world.

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18.

The United States has a higher percentage of low-income workers than almost any other developed nation, largely because of a weak collective bargaining system and lack of government support for at-risk workers.

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19.

In 2020, the United States was the country with the second-highest number of published scientific papers and second most patents granted, both after China.

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20.

The United States has the world's second-largest automobile market, and has the highest vehicle ownership per capita in the world, with 816.

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21.

The United States led the world in refugee resettlement for decades, admitting more refugees than the rest of the world combined.

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22.

The United States is the only developed nation without a system of universal health care, and a significant proportion of the population that does not carry health insurance.

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23.

Theater in the United States derives from the old European theatrical tradition and has been heavily influenced by the British theater.

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24.

The United States hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup and will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with Canada and Mexico.

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