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@heycarsten

heycarsten/labe.out

Forked from HamptonMakes/gist:44436
Created January 7, 2009 21:13
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gistfile1.rb
require 'open-uri'
labe = open("http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labe").read
usa = open("http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA").read
puts labe
puts "\n\n\n"
puts usa
Raw
labe.out
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usa.out
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<div id="siteNotice"><script type='text/javascript'>if (wgNotice != '') document.writeln(wgNotice);</script></div> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading">United States</h1>
<div id="bodyContent">
<h3 id="siteSub">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</h3>
<div id="contentSub">  (Redirected from <a href="/w/index.php?title=USA&redirect=no" title="USA">USA</a>)</div>
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<div><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Protection_policy#semi" title="This article is semi-protected."><img alt="Semi-protected" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Padlock-silver-medium.svg/20px-Padlock-silver-medium.svg.png" width="20" height="20" border="0" /></a></div>
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<table class="infobox geography vcard" style="width:46ex; margin-top:0.75em;">
<tr class="adr">
<th colspan="3" align="center" class="mergedtoprow fn org country-name" style="line-height:1.2em; padding:0.25em 0.33em 0.33em; font-size:1.25em;">United States of America</th>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<td class="maptable" colspan="3" align="center" style="padding:0.5em 0;">
<table align="center" style="width:100%; background:none;">
<tr>
<td align="center" style="width:58%; vertical-align:middle;"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United States"><img alt="Flag of the United States" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/125px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" width="125" height="66" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a></td>
<td align="center" style="width:auto; vertical-align:middle;"><a href="/wiki/File:US-GreatSeal-Obverse.svg" class="image" title="Great Seal of the United States"><img alt="Great Seal of the United States" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/US-GreatSeal-Obverse.svg/85px-US-GreatSeal-Obverse.svg.png" width="85" height="85" border="0" /></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><small><a href="/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States" title="Flag of the United States">Flag</a></small></td>
<td align="center"><small><a href="/wiki/Great_Seal_of_the_United_States" title="Great Seal of the United States">Great Seal</a></small></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" style="line-height:1.2em; text-align:center;"><b><a href="/wiki/Motto" title="Motto">Motto</a>: </b><a href="/wiki/In_God_We_Trust" title="In God We Trust">In God We Trust</a><span style="white-space:nowrap;">  </span><small>(official)</small><br />
<span lang="la" xml:lang="la"><i><a href="/wiki/E_pluribus_unum" title="E pluribus unum">E Pluribus Unum</a></i></span><span style="white-space:nowrap;">  </span><small>(<a href="/wiki/Latin" title="Latin">Latin</a>; traditional)</small><br />
<small>(Out of Many, One)</small></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" style="line-height:1.2em; text-align:center;"><b><a href="/wiki/National_anthem" title="National anthem">Anthem</a>: </b>"<a href="/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner" title="The Star-Spangled Banner">The Star-Spangled Banner</a>"<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" style="text-align:center; padding:0.6em 0em;">
<div class="center">
<div class="floatnone"><a href="/wiki/File:United_States_(orthographic_projection).svg" class="image" title="Location of the United States"><img alt="Location of the United States" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/United_States_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg/220px-United_States_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg.png" width="220" height="220" border="0" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="position:relative; top:0.3em;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Capital_(political)" title="Capital (political)">Capital</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a><br />
<small><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span class="plainlinksneverexpand"><a href="http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=United_States&params=38_53_N_77_01_W_type:country(9826630)" class="external text" title="http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=United_States&params=38_53_N_77_01_W_type:country(9826630)" rel="nofollow"><span class="geo-default"><span class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for 38°53′N 77°01′W"><span class="latitude">38°53′N</span> <span class="longitude">77°01′W</span></span></span><span class="geo-multi-punct"> / </span><span class="geo-nondefault"><span class="geo-dec geo" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for 38.883 -77.017"><span class="latitude">38.883</span>, <span class="longitude">-77.017</span></span></span></a></span></span></small></td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow">
<th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States" title="Demographics of the United States">Largest city</a></th>
<td><a href="/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2" style="vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Official_language" title="Official language">Official languages</a></th>
<td>None at federal level<sup><small>1</small></sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2" style="vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/National_language" title="National language">National language</a></th>
<td><a href="/wiki/English_Language" title="English Language" class="mw-redirect">English</a> (<i><a href="/wiki/De_facto" title="De facto">de facto</a></i>)<sup><small>2</small></sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Demonym" title="Demonym">Demonym</a></th>
<td><a href="/wiki/Names_for_Americans" title="Names for Americans">American</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Government" title="Government">Government</a></th>
<td><a href="/wiki/Federal_republic" title="Federal republic">Federal</a> <a href="/wiki/Constitutional_republic" title="Constitutional republic">constitutional</a> <a href="/wiki/Republic" title="Republic">republic</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States">President</a></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a> (<a href="/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)" title="Republican Party (United States)">R</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/Vice_President_of_the_United_States" title="Vice President of the United States">Vice President</a></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Dick_Cheney" title="Dick Cheney">Dick Cheney</a> (<a href="/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)" title="Republican Party (United States)">R</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="Speaker of the United States House of Representatives">Speaker of the House</a></span></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi" title="Nancy Pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a> (<a href="/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)">D</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_United_States" title="Chief Justice of the United States">Chief Justice</a></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/John_G._Roberts" title="John G. Roberts">John Roberts</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<th colspan="3"><a href="/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War" title="American Revolutionary War">Independence</a> <span style="font-weight:normal;">from the <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain" title="Kingdom of Great Britain">Kingdom of Great Britain</a></span></th>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence" title="United States Declaration of Independence">Declared</a></td>
<td>July 4, 1776 </td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1783)" title="Treaty of Paris (1783)">Recognized</a></td>
<td>September 3, 1783 </td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Constitution" title="United States Constitution">Current constitution</a></td>
<td>June 21, 1788 </td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<th colspan="3"><a href="/wiki/Area" title="Area">Area</a></th>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;">Total</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/1_E12_m%C2%B2" title="1 E12 m²" class="mw-redirect">9,826,630 km<sup>2</sup></a> <sup id="cite_ref-WF_0-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-WF-0" title=""><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup>(<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area" title="List of countries and outlying territories by area" class="mw-redirect">3rd/4th<sup><small>3</small></sup></a>)<br />
3,794,066 <a href="/wiki/Square_mile" title="Square mile">sq mi</a> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/Water" title="Water">Water</a> (<a href="/wiki/Percent" title="Percent" class="mw-redirect">%</a>)</td>
<td>6.76</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<th colspan="3"><a href="/wiki/Population" title="Population">Population</a></th>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;">2009 estimate</td>
<td>306,078,000<sup id="cite_ref-POP_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-POP-1" title=""><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population" title="List of countries by population">3rd<sup><small>4</small></sup></a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;">2000 census</td>
<td>281,421,906<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2" title=""><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/Population_density" title="Population density">Density</a></td>
<td>31/km<sup>2</sup> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density" title="List of countries by population density" class="mw-redirect">180th</a>)<br />
80/sq mi</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Gross_domestic_product" title="Gross domestic product">GDP</a></b> (<a href="/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity" title="Purchasing power parity">PPP</a>)</td>
<td>2008 estimate</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;">Total</td>
<td>$14.334 trillion<sup id="cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IMF_GDP-3" title=""><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)" title="List of countries by GDP (PPP)">1st</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/Per_capita" title="Per capita">Per capita</a></td>
<td>$47,025<sup id="cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IMF_GDP-3" title=""><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita" title="List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita">6th</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Gross_domestic_product" title="Gross domestic product">GDP</a></b> (nominal)</td>
<td>2008 estimate</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;">Total</td>
<td>$14.334 trillion<sup id="cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IMF_GDP-3" title=""><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)" title="List of countries by GDP (nominal)">1st</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;"><a href="/wiki/Per_capita" title="Per capita">Per capita</a></td>
<td>$47,025<sup id="cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IMF_GDP-3" title=""><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita" title="List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita">17th</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Gini_coefficient" title="Gini coefficient">Gini</a></b> (2007)</td>
<td>46.3<sup id="cite_ref-USCB_IP.26HIC_2007_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-USCB_IP.26HIC_2007-4" title=""><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Human_Development_Index" title="Human Development Index">HDI</a></b> (2006)</td>
<td><span style="color: red; font-size: larger;">▼</span> 0.950 (<span style="color:#090;">high</span><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5" title=""><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup>) (<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index" title="List of countries by Human Development Index">15th</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2" style="vertical-align:middle;"><a href="/wiki/Currency" title="Currency">Currency</a></th>
<td><a href="/wiki/United_States_dollar" title="United States dollar">United States dollar</a> ($) (<code><a href="/wiki/ISO_4217" title="ISO 4217">USD</a></code>)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedtoprow">
<th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Time_zone" title="Time zone">Time zone</a></th>
<td><span style="white-space:nowrap;">(<a href="/wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time" title="Coordinated Universal Time">UTC</a>-5 to -10)</span></td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow">
<td style="width:1em; padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td>
<td style="padding-left:0em;">Summer (<a href="/wiki/Daylight_saving_time" title="Daylight saving time">DST</a>)</td>
<td> (<a href="/wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time" title="Coordinated Universal Time">UTC</a>-4 to -10)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic" title="Right- and left-hand traffic">Drives on the</a></th>
<td>Right</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Country_code_top-level_domain" title="Country code top-level domain">Internet TLD</a></th>
<td><a href="/wiki/.us" title=".us">.us</a> <a href="/wiki/.gov" title=".gov">.gov</a> <a href="/wiki/.mil" title=".mil">.mil</a> <a href="/wiki/.edu" title=".edu">.edu</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/List_of_country_calling_codes" title="List of country calling codes">Calling code</a></th>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size:80%;">
<td align="right"><span style="position:relative; top:0.3em;"><sup>1</sup></span></td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding-left:0em;">English is the official language of at least 28 states—some sources give a higher figure, based on differing definitions of "official." English and <a href="/wiki/Hawaiian_language" title="Hawaiian language">Hawaiian</a> are both official languages in the state of Hawaii.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow" style="font-size:80%;">
<td align="right"><span style="position:relative; top:0.3em;"><sup>2</sup></span></td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding-left:0em;">English is the <i>de facto</i> language of American government and the sole language spoken at home by 82% of Americans age five and older. Spanish is the <a href="/wiki/Spanish_in_the_United_States" title="Spanish in the United States">second most commonly spoken language</a>.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedrow" style="font-size:80%;">
<td align="right"><span style="position:relative; top:0.3em;"><sup>3</sup></span></td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding-left:0em;">Whether the United States or the People's Republic of China is larger is <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_area" title="List of countries and outlying territories by total area">disputed</a>. The figure given is from the U.S. <a href="/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency" title="Central Intelligence Agency">Central Intelligence Agency</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/World_Factbook" title="World Factbook" class="mw-redirect">World Factbook</a></i>. Other sources give smaller figures. All authoritative calculations of the country's size include only the fifty states and the District of Columbia, not the territories.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="mergedbottomrow" style="font-size:80%;">
<td align="right"><span style="position:relative; top:0.3em;"><sup>4</sup></span></td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding-left:0em;">The population estimate includes people whose usual residence is in the fifty states and the District of Columbia, including noncitizens. It does not include either those living in the territories, amounting to more than 4 million U.S. citizens (most in <a href="/wiki/Puerto_Rico" title="Puerto Rico">Puerto Rico</a>), or U.S. citizens living outside the United States.</td>
</tr>
</table>
<div class="dablink">For other uses of terms redirecting here, see <a href="/wiki/US_(disambiguation)" title="US (disambiguation)">US (disambiguation)</a>, <a href="/wiki/USA_(disambiguation)" title="USA (disambiguation)">USA (disambiguation)</a>, and <a href="/wiki/United_States_(disambiguation)" title="United States (disambiguation)">United States (disambiguation)</a></div>
<p>The <b>United States of America</b> (commonly referred to as the <b>United States</b>, the <b>U.S.</b>, the <b>USA</b>, or <b>America</b>) is a <a href="/wiki/Federal_republic" title="Federal republic">federal</a> <a href="/wiki/Constitutional_republic" title="Constitutional republic">constitutional republic</a> comprising <a href="/wiki/U.S._state" title="U.S. state">fifty states</a> and a <a href="/wiki/Federal_district" title="Federal district">federal district</a>. The country is situated mostly in central <a href="/wiki/North_America" title="North America">North America</a>, where its <a href="/wiki/Contiguous_United_States" title="Contiguous United States">forty-eight contiguous states</a> and <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Capital_districts_and_territories" title="Capital districts and territories">capital district</a>, lie between the <a href="/wiki/Pacific_Ocean" title="Pacific Ocean">Pacific</a> and <a href="/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean" title="Atlantic Ocean">Atlantic Oceans</a>, bordered by <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a> to the north and <a href="/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a> to the south. The state of <a href="/wiki/Alaska" title="Alaska">Alaska</a> is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to its east and <a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a> to the west across the <a href="/wiki/Bering_Strait" title="Bering Strait">Bering Strait</a>. The state of <a href="/wiki/Hawaii" title="Hawaii">Hawaii</a> is an <a href="/wiki/Archipelago" title="Archipelago">archipelago</a> in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses <a href="/wiki/Territories_of_the_United_States" title="Territories of the United States">several territories</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Insular_area" title="Insular area">insular areas</a>, scattered around the <a href="/wiki/Caribbean" title="Caribbean">Caribbean</a> and Pacific.</p>
<p>At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km²) and with about 305 million people, the United States is the <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_area" title="List of countries and outlying territories by total area">third or fourth</a> largest country by total area, and third largest by land area and <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population" title="List of countries by population">by population</a>. The United States is one of the world's most <a href="/wiki/Multiethnic_society" title="Multiethnic society">ethnically diverse</a> and <a href="/wiki/Multiculturalism" title="Multiculturalism">multicultural</a> nations, the product of large-scale <a href="/wiki/Immigration_to_the_United_States" title="Immigration to the United States">immigration from many countries</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-DD_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DD-6" title=""><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States" title="Economy of the United States">U.S. economy</a> is the largest national economy in the world, with an estimated 2008 <a href="/wiki/Gross_domestic_product" title="Gross domestic product">gross domestic product</a> (GDP) of <a href="/wiki/United_States_dollar" title="United States dollar">US$</a>14.3 trillion (23% of the world total based on nominal GDP and almost 21% at <a href="/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity" title="Purchasing power parity">purchasing power parity</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IMF_GDP-3" title=""><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7" title=""><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>The nation was founded by <a href="/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies" title="Thirteen Colonies">thirteen colonies</a> of <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain" title="Kingdom of Great Britain">Great Britain</a> located along the <a href="/wiki/East_Coast_of_the_United_States" title="East Coast of the United States">Atlantic seaboard</a>. On July 4, 1776, they issued the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence" title="United States Declaration of Independence">Declaration of Independence</a>, which proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and their formation of a cooperative union. The rebellious states defeated Great Britain in the <a href="/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War" title="American Revolutionary War">American Revolutionary War</a>, the first successful <a href="/wiki/History_of_colonialism" title="History of colonialism">colonial war of independence</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8" title=""><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> A <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Convention" title="Philadelphia Convention">federal convention</a> adopted the current <a href="/wiki/United_States_Constitution" title="United States Constitution">United States Constitution</a> on September 17, 1787; its ratification the following year made the states part of a single republic with a strong central government. The <a href="/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights" title="United States Bill of Rights">Bill of Rights</a>, comprising ten <a href="/wiki/List_of_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="List of amendments to the United States Constitution">constitutional amendments</a> guaranteeing many fundamental civil rights and freedoms, was ratified in 1791.</p>
<p>In the 19th century, the United States acquired land from <a href="/wiki/Louisiana_Purchase" title="Louisiana Purchase">France</a>, <a href="/wiki/Adams-On%C3%ADs_Treaty" title="Adams-Onís Treaty">Spain</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Oregon_Country" title="Oregon Country">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War" title="Mexican–American War">Mexico</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Alaska_purchase" title="Alaska purchase">Russia</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Texas_Annexation" title="Texas Annexation">annexed</a> the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Texas" title="Republic of Texas">Republic of Texas</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Hawaii" title="Republic of Hawaii">Republic of Hawaii</a>. Disputes between the <a href="/wiki/Southern_United_States" title="Southern United States">agrarian South</a> and <a href="/wiki/Northern_United_States" title="Northern United States">industrial North</a> over <a href="/wiki/States%27_rights" title="States' rights">states' rights</a> and the expansion of the <a href="/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States" title="Slavery in the United States">institution of slavery</a> provoked the <a href="/wiki/American_Civil_War" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a> of the 1860s. The North's victory prevented a permanent split of the country and led to the <a href="/wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution">end of legal slavery</a> in the United States. By the 1870s, the national economy was the world's largest.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9" title=""><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War" title="Spanish–American War" class="mw-redirect">Spanish–American War</a> and <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a> confirmed the country's status as a military power. In 1945, the United States emerged from <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> as the <a href="/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_the_United_States" title="Nuclear weapons and the United States">first country with nuclear weapons</a>, a permanent member of the <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council" title="United Nations Security Council">United Nations Security Council</a>, and a founding member of <a href="/wiki/NATO" title="NATO">NATO</a>. The end of the <a href="/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</a> left the United States as the sole <a href="/wiki/Superpower" title="Superpower">superpower</a>. The country accounts for <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures" title="List of countries by military expenditures">approximately 50% of global military spending</a> and is a leading economic, political, and cultural force in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10" title=""><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents">
<tr>
<td>
<div id="toctitle">
<h2>Contents</h2>
</div>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Etymology"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Etymology</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Geography_and_environment"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Geography and environment</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#History"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">History</span></a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Native_Americans_and_European_settlers"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Native Americans and European settlers</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Independence_and_expansion"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Independence and expansion</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Civil_War_and_industrialization"><span class="tocnumber">3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Civil War and industrialization</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#World_War_I.2C_Great_Depression.2C_and_World_War_II"><span class="tocnumber">3.4</span> <span class="toctext">World War I, Great Depression, and World War II</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Cold_War_and_protest_politics"><span class="tocnumber">3.5</span> <span class="toctext">Cold War and protest politics</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Contemporary_era"><span class="tocnumber">3.6</span> <span class="toctext">Contemporary era</span></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Government_and_elections"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Government and elections</span></a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Parties.2C_ideology.2C_and_politics"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Parties, ideology, and politics</span></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Geographic_divisions"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Geographic divisions</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Foreign_relations_and_military"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Foreign relations and military</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Economy"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Economy</span></a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Income_and_human_development"><span class="tocnumber">7.1</span> <span class="toctext">Income and human development</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Science_and_technology"><span class="tocnumber">7.2</span> <span class="toctext">Science and technology</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Transportation"><span class="tocnumber">7.3</span> <span class="toctext">Transportation</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Energy"><span class="tocnumber">7.4</span> <span class="toctext">Energy</span></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Demographics"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Demographics</span></a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Language"><span class="tocnumber">8.1</span> <span class="toctext">Language</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Religion"><span class="tocnumber">8.2</span> <span class="toctext">Religion</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Education"><span class="tocnumber">8.3</span> <span class="toctext">Education</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Health"><span class="tocnumber">8.4</span> <span class="toctext">Health</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Crime_and_law_enforcement"><span class="tocnumber">8.5</span> <span class="toctext">Crime and law enforcement</span></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Culture"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Culture</span></a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Popular_media"><span class="tocnumber">9.1</span> <span class="toctext">Popular media</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Literature.2C_philosophy.2C_and_the_arts"><span class="tocnumber">9.2</span> <span class="toctext">Literature, philosophy, and the arts</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Food"><span class="tocnumber">9.3</span> <span class="toctext">Food</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Sports"><span class="tocnumber">9.4</span> <span class="toctext">Sports</span></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">12</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
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<p><a name="Etymology" id="Etymology"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Etymology</span></h2>
<p>In 1507, <a href="/wiki/Martin_Waldseem%C3%BCller" title="Martin Waldseemüller">Martin Waldseemüller</a> produced a world map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere <a href="/wiki/Americas" title="Americas">"America"</a> after the first name of Italian explorer and <a href="/wiki/Cartography" title="Cartography">cartographer</a> <a href="/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci" title="Amerigo Vespucci">Amerigo Vespucci</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11" title=""><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> The former British colonies first used the country's modern name in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence" title="United States Declaration of Independence">Declaration of Independence</a>, which was the "unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America" adopted by the "Representatives of the united States of America" on July 4, 1776.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12" title=""><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup> The current name was finalized on November 15, 1777, when the <a href="/wiki/Second_Continental_Congress" title="Second Continental Congress">Second Continental Congress</a> adopted the <a href="/wiki/Articles_of_Confederation" title="Articles of Confederation">Articles of Confederation</a>, the first of which states, "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'" The short form <i>United States</i> is also standard. Other common forms include the <i>U.S.</i>, the <i>USA</i>, and <i>America</i>. Colloquial names include the <i>U.S. of A.</i> and <i>the States</i>. <i><a href="/wiki/Columbia_(name)" title="Columbia (name)">Columbia</a></i>, a once popular name for the United States, was derived from <a href="/wiki/Christopher_Columbus" title="Christopher Columbus">Christopher Columbus</a>. It appears in the name "<a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">District of Columbia</a>".</p>
<p>The standard way to refer to a citizen of the United States is as an <i><a href="/wiki/American_(word)" title="American (word)">American</a>.</i> Though <i>United States</i> is the formal adjective, <i>American</i> and <i>U.S.</i> are the most common adjectives used to refer to the country ("American values," "U.S. forces"). <i>American</i> is rarely used in English to refer to people not connected to the United States.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13" title=""><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>The phrase "the United States" was originally treated as plural—e.g., "the United States are"—including in the <a href="/wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution">Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution</a>, ratified in 1865. It became common to treat it as singular—e.g., "the United States is"—after the end of the Civil War. The singular form is now standard; the plural form is retained in the idiom "these United States."<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14" title=""><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>While many in the United States of America generally refer to the country as <i>America</i> and themselves as <i><a href="#American" title="">Americans</a></i>,<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15" title=""><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup> many people elsewhere in the Americas resent what they perceive as misappropriation<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16" title=""><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup> of the term in this context and, thus, this usage is frequently avoided.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17" title=""><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-oxfcdn_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-oxfcdn-18" title=""><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19" title=""><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> In Canada, their southern neighbor is seldom referred to as "America", with <i>the United States</i>, <i>the U.S.</i>, or (informally) <i>the States</i> used instead.<sup id="cite_ref-oxfcdn_18-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-oxfcdn-18" title=""><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup> English dictionaries and compendiums differ regarding usage and rendition.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20" title=""><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21" title=""><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22" title=""><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Geography_and_environment" id="Geography_and_environment"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Geography and environment</span></h2>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Geography_of_the_United_States" title="Geography of the United States">Geography of the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Climate_of_the_United_States" title="Climate of the United States">Climate of the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Environment_of_the_United_States" title="Environment of the United States">Environment of the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<div class="thumb tleft">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:USATopographicalMap.jpg" class="image" title="Topographic map of the contiguous United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a0/USATopographicalMap.jpg/180px-USATopographicalMap.jpg" width="180" height="119" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
<div class="thumbcaption">
<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:USATopographicalMap.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
<a href="/wiki/Topography" title="Topography">Topographic map</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Contiguous_United_States" title="Contiguous United States">contiguous United States</a></div>
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<p>The United States is situated almost entirely in the <a href="/wiki/Western_Hemisphere" title="Western Hemisphere">Western Hemisphere</a>: the <a href="/wiki/Contiguous_United_States" title="Contiguous United States">contiguous United States</a> stretches from the Pacific Ocean on the west to the Atlantic Ocean on the east, with the <a href="/wiki/Gulf_of_Mexico" title="Gulf of Mexico">Gulf of Mexico</a> to the southeast; it is bordered by Canada on the <a href="/wiki/Canada_%E2%80%93_United_States_border" title="Canada – United States border">north</a> and Mexico on the <a href="/wiki/Mexico%E2%80%93United_States_border" title="Mexico–United States border">south</a>. Alaska is the largest state in area; separated from the contiguous United States by Canada, it touches the Pacific on the south and the Arctic Ocean on the north. Hawaii occupies an <a href="/wiki/Archipelago" title="Archipelago">archipelago</a> in the central Pacific, southwest of North America. After Russia and Canada, the United States is the world's third or fourth <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_area" title="List of countries and outlying territories by total area">largest nation by total area</a>, ranking just above or below China. The ranking varies depending on how two territories disputed by China and India are counted and how the total size of the United States is calculated: the CIA <i>World Factbook</i> gives 3,794,083 sq mi (9,826,630 km<sup>2</sup>),<sup id="cite_ref-WF_0-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-WF-0" title=""><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> the United Nations Statistics Division gives 3,717,813 sq mi (9,629,091 km<sup>2</sup>),<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23" title=""><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup> and the <i>Encyclopedia Britannica</i> gives 3,676,486 sq mi (9,522,055 km<sup>2</sup>).<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24" title=""><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup> Including only land area, the United States is third in size behind Russia and China, just ahead of Canada.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25" title=""><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States also possesses several <a href="/wiki/Territories_of_the_United_States" title="Territories of the United States">insular territories</a> scattered around the <a href="/wiki/Caribbean" title="Caribbean">West Indies</a> (e.g., the <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_(United_States_insular_area)" title="Commonwealth (United States insular area)">commonwealth</a> of <a href="/wiki/Puerto_Rico" title="Puerto Rico">Puerto Rico</a>) and the Pacific (e.g., <a href="/wiki/Guam" title="Guam">Guam</a>).</p>
<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:202px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Rockies_USA1.jpg" class="image" title="View of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Rockies_USA1.jpg/200px-Rockies_USA1.jpg" width="200" height="150" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
<div class="thumbcaption">
<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Rockies_USA1.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
View of the <a href="/wiki/Rocky_Mountains" title="Rocky Mountains">Rocky Mountains</a> in <a href="/wiki/Colorado" title="Colorado">Colorado</a></div>
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<p>The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to <a href="/wiki/Deciduous" title="Deciduous">deciduous</a> forests and the rolling hills of the <a href="/wiki/Piedmont_(United_States)" title="Piedmont (United States)">Piedmont</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Appalachian_Mountains" title="Appalachian Mountains">Appalachian Mountains</a> divide the eastern seaboard from the <a href="/wiki/Great_Lakes" title="Great Lakes">Great Lakes</a> and the grasslands of the <a href="/wiki/Midwestern_United_States" title="Midwestern United States">Midwest</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Mississippi_River" title="Mississippi River">Mississippi</a>–<a href="/wiki/Missouri_River" title="Missouri River">Missouri River</a>, the world's <a href="/wiki/List_of_rivers_by_length" title="List of rivers by length">fourth longest river system</a>, runs mainly north–south through the heart of the country. The flat, fertile <a href="/wiki/Prairie" title="Prairie">prairie</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Great_Plains" title="Great Plains">Great Plains</a> stretches to the west, interrupted by <a href="/wiki/U.S._Interior_Highlands" title="U.S. Interior Highlands">a highland region</a> in the southeast. The <a href="/wiki/Rocky_Mountains" title="Rocky Mountains">Rocky Mountains</a>, at the western edge of the Great Plains, extend north to south across the country, reaching altitudes higher than 14,000 feet (4,300 m) in <a href="/wiki/Colorado" title="Colorado">Colorado</a>. Farther west are the rocky <a href="/wiki/Great_Basin" title="Great Basin">Great Basin</a> and deserts such as the <a href="/wiki/Mojave_Desert" title="Mojave Desert">Mojave</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Sierra_Nevada_(U.S.)" title="Sierra Nevada (U.S.)">Sierra Nevada</a> and <a href="/wiki/Cascade_Range" title="Cascade Range">Cascade</a> mountain ranges run close to the <a href="/wiki/West_Coast_of_the_United_States" title="West Coast of the United States">Pacific coast</a>. At 20,320 feet (6,194 m), Alaska's <a href="/wiki/Mount_McKinley" title="Mount McKinley">Mount McKinley</a> is the country's tallest peak. Active <a href="/wiki/Volcano" title="Volcano">volcanoes</a> are common throughout Alaska's <a href="/wiki/Alexander_Archipelago" title="Alexander Archipelago">Alexander</a> and <a href="/wiki/Aleutian_Islands" title="Aleutian Islands">Aleutian Islands</a>, and Hawaii consists of volcanic islands. The <a href="/wiki/Supervolcano" title="Supervolcano">supervolcano</a> underlying <a href="/wiki/Yellowstone_National_Park" title="Yellowstone National Park">Yellowstone National Park</a> in the Rockies is the continent's largest volcanic feature.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26" title=""><span>[</span>27<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:142px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Haliaeetus_leucocephalus2.jpg" class="image" title="The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Haliaeetus_leucocephalus2.jpg/140px-Haliaeetus_leucocephalus2.jpg" width="140" height="175" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The <a href="/wiki/Bald_Eagle" title="Bald Eagle">bald eagle</a> has been the <a href="/wiki/National_bird_of_the_United_States" title="National bird of the United States" class="mw-redirect">national bird of the United States</a> since 1782</div>
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<p>The United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. To the east of the <a href="/wiki/100th_meridian_west" title="100th meridian west">100th meridian</a>, the climate ranges from <a href="/wiki/Humid_continental" title="Humid continental" class="mw-redirect">humid continental</a> in the north to <a href="/wiki/Humid_subtropical" title="Humid subtropical" class="mw-redirect">humid subtropical</a> in the south. The southern tip of <a href="/wiki/Florida" title="Florida">Florida</a> is tropical, as is Hawaii. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are semi-arid. Much of the Western mountains are <a href="/wiki/Alpine_climate" title="Alpine climate">alpine</a>. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, <a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_climate" title="Mediterranean climate">Mediterranean</a> in <a href="/wiki/Coastal_California" title="Coastal California">coastal California</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Oceanic_climate" title="Oceanic climate">oceanic</a> in coastal <a href="/wiki/Oregon" title="Oregon">Oregon</a> and <a href="/wiki/Washington" title="Washington">Washington</a> and southern Alaska. Most of Alaska is subarctic or polar. Extreme weather is not uncommon—the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico are prone to <a href="/wiki/Hurricane" title="Hurricane" class="mw-redirect">hurricanes</a>, and most of the world's <a href="/wiki/Tornado" title="Tornado">tornadoes</a> occur within the country, mainly in the Midwest's <a href="/wiki/Tornado_Alley" title="Tornado Alley">Tornado Alley</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27" title=""><span>[</span>28<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>The U.S. ecology is very diverse: about 17,000 species of <a href="/wiki/Vascular_plants" title="Vascular plants" class="mw-redirect">vascular plants</a> occur in the contiguous United States and Alaska, and over 1,800 species of <a href="/wiki/Flowering_plants" title="Flowering plants" class="mw-redirect">flowering plants</a> are found in Hawaii, few of which occur on the mainland.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28" title=""><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States is home to more than 400 mammal, 700 bird, 500 reptile and amphibian, and 90,000 insect species.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29" title=""><span>[</span>30<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Endangered_Species_Act" title="Endangered Species Act">Endangered Species Act</a> of 1973 protects threatened and endangered species and their habitats, which are monitored by the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Fish_and_Wildlife_Service" title="United States Fish and Wildlife Service">United States Fish and Wildlife Service</a>. There are fifty-eight <a href="/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System" title="List of areas in the United States National Park System">national parks</a> and hundreds of other federally managed parks, forests, and <a href="/wiki/Wilderness_area" title="Wilderness area">wilderness areas</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30" title=""><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></a></sup> Altogether, the government regulates 28.8% of the country's land area.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31" title=""><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup> Most of this is <a href="/wiki/Protected_area" title="Protected area">protected</a>, though some is leased for oil and gas drilling,<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32" title=""><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup> mining, or cattle ranching.</p>
<p><a name="History" id="History"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">History</span></h2>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main article: <a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_States" title="History of the United States">History of the United States</a></i></div>
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<p><a name="Native_Americans_and_European_settlers" id="Native_Americans_and_European_settlers"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Native Americans and European settlers</span></h3>
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<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States" title="Native Americans in the United States">Native Americans in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/European_colonization_of_the_Americas" title="European colonization of the Americas">European colonization of the Americas</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies" title="Thirteen Colonies">Thirteen Colonies</a></i></div>
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<p>The <a href="/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas" title="Indigenous peoples of the Americas">indigenous peoples</a> of the U.S. mainland, including <a href="/wiki/Alaska_Natives" title="Alaska Natives">Alaska Natives</a>, <a href="/wiki/Models_of_migration_to_the_New_World" title="Models of migration to the New World">migrated from Asia</a>. They began arriving at least 12,000 and as many as 40,000 years ago.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33" title=""><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup> Some, such as the <a href="/wiki/Pre-Columbian" title="Pre-Columbian">pre-Columbian</a> <a href="/wiki/Mississippian_culture" title="Mississippian culture">Mississippian culture</a>, developed advanced agriculture, grand architecture, and state-level societies. After Europeans began settling the Americas, <a href="/wiki/Population_history_of_American_indigenous_peoples" title="Population history of American indigenous peoples">many millions of indigenous Americans died</a> from epidemics of imported diseases such as <a href="/wiki/Smallpox" title="Smallpox">smallpox</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34" title=""><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:MayflowerHarbor.jpg" class="image" title="The Mayflower transported Pilgrims to the New World in 1620, as depicted in William Halsall's The Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor, 1882"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/MayflowerHarbor.jpg/180px-MayflowerHarbor.jpg" width="180" height="104" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The <i><a href="/wiki/Mayflower" title="Mayflower">Mayflower</a></i> transported <a href="/wiki/Pilgrims" title="Pilgrims">Pilgrims</a> to the New World in 1620, as depicted in William Halsall's <i>The Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor</i>, 1882</div>
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<p>In 1492, <a href="/wiki/Genoa" title="Genoa">Genoese</a> explorer <a href="/wiki/Christopher_Columbus" title="Christopher Columbus">Christopher Columbus</a>, under contract to the Spanish crown, reached several Caribbean islands, making <a href="/wiki/First_contact_(anthropology)" title="First contact (anthropology)">first contact</a> with the indigenous people. On April 2, 1513, Spanish <a href="/wiki/Conquistador" title="Conquistador">conquistador</a> <a href="/wiki/Juan_Ponce_de_Le%C3%B3n" title="Juan Ponce de León">Juan Ponce de León</a> landed on what he called "<a href="/wiki/History_of_Florida" title="History of Florida">La Florida</a>"—the first documented European arrival on what would become the U.S. mainland. Spanish settlements in the region were followed by ones in the present-day <a href="/wiki/Southwestern_United_States" title="Southwestern United States">southwestern United States</a> that drew thousands through Mexico. French <a href="/wiki/Fur_trade" title="Fur trade">fur traders</a> established outposts of <a href="/wiki/New_France" title="New France">New France</a> around the <a href="/wiki/Great_Lakes" title="Great Lakes">Great Lakes</a>; France eventually claimed much of the North American interior, down to the Gulf of Mexico. The first successful English settlements were the <a href="/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia" title="Colony of Virginia">Virginia Colony</a> in <a href="/wiki/Jamestown,_Virginia" title="Jamestown, Virginia">Jamestown</a> in 1607 and the <a href="/wiki/Pilgrim" title="Pilgrim">Pilgrims</a>' <a href="/wiki/Plymouth_Colony" title="Plymouth Colony">Plymouth Colony</a> in 1620. The 1628 chartering of the <a href="/wiki/Massachusetts_Bay_Colony" title="Massachusetts Bay Colony">Massachusetts Bay Colony</a> resulted in a wave of migration; by 1634, <a href="/wiki/New_England" title="New England">New England</a> had been settled by some 10,000 <a href="/wiki/Puritan" title="Puritan">Puritans</a>. Between the late 1610s and the American Revolution, about 50,000 convicts were shipped to Britain's American colonies.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35" title=""><span>[</span>36<span>]</span></a></sup> Beginning in 1614, the Dutch settled along the lower <a href="/wiki/Hudson_River" title="Hudson River">Hudson River</a>, including <a href="/wiki/New_Amsterdam" title="New Amsterdam">New Amsterdam</a> on <a href="/wiki/Manhattan" title="Manhattan">Manhattan Island</a>.</p>
<p>In 1674, the Dutch ceded their American territory to England; the province of <a href="/wiki/New_Netherland" title="New Netherland">New Netherland</a> was renamed New York. Many new immigrants, especially to <a href="/wiki/History_of_the_Southern_United_States" title="History of the Southern United States">the South</a>, were <a href="/wiki/Indentured_servants" title="Indentured servants" class="mw-redirect">indentured servants</a>—some two-thirds of all Virginia immigrants between 1630 and 1680.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36" title=""><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup> By the turn of the century, <a href="/wiki/Slavery_in_the_colonial_United_States" title="Slavery in the colonial United States">African slaves</a> were becoming the primary source of bonded labor. With the 1729 division of <a href="/wiki/The_Carolinas" title="The Carolinas">the Carolinas</a> and the 1732 colonization of <a href="/wiki/Georgia_(U.S._state)" title="Georgia (U.S. state)">Georgia</a>, the thirteen British colonies that would become the United States of America were established. All had local governments with elections open to most free men, with a growing devotion to the ancient <a href="/wiki/Rights_of_Englishmen" title="Rights of Englishmen">rights of Englishmen</a> and a sense of self-government stimulating support for <a href="/wiki/Republicanism" title="Republicanism">republicanism</a>. All legalized the <a href="/wiki/African_slave_trade" title="African slave trade">African slave trade</a>. With high birth rates, low death rates, and steady immigration, the colonial population grew rapidly. The Christian <a href="/wiki/Revivalism" title="Revivalism" class="mw-redirect">revivalist</a> movement of the 1730s and 1740s known as the <a href="/wiki/First_Great_Awakening" title="First Great Awakening">Great Awakening</a> fueled interest in both religion and religious liberty. In the <a href="/wiki/French_and_Indian_War" title="French and Indian War">French and Indian War</a>, British forces seized Canada from the French, but the <a href="/wiki/Francophone" title="Francophone">francophone</a> population remained politically isolated from the southern colonies. Excluding the <a href="/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States" title="Native Americans in the United States">Native Americans</a> (popularly known as "American Indians"), who were being displaced, those thirteen colonies had a population of 2.6 million in 1770, about one-third that of Britain; nearly one in five Americans were black slaves.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37" title=""><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup> Though <a href="/wiki/No_taxation_without_representation" title="No taxation without representation">subject to British taxation</a>, the American colonials had no representation in the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Great_Britain" title="Parliament of Great Britain">Parliament of Great Britain</a>.</p>
<p><a name="Independence_and_expansion" id="Independence_and_expansion"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Independence and expansion</span></h3>
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<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/American_Revolution" title="American Revolution">American Revolution</a>, <a href="/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War" title="American Revolutionary War">American Revolutionary War</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Manifest_Destiny" title="Manifest Destiny">Manifest Destiny</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Declaration_independence.jpg" class="image" title="Declaration of Independence, by John Trumbull, 1817–18"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Declaration_independence.jpg/180px-Declaration_independence.jpg" width="180" height="118" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<i><a href="/wiki/Trumbull%27s_Declaration_of_Independence" title="Trumbull's Declaration of Independence">Declaration of Independence</a></i>, by <a href="/wiki/John_Trumbull" title="John Trumbull">John Trumbull</a>, 1817–18</div>
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<p>Tensions between American colonials and the British during the <a href="/wiki/American_Revolution" title="American Revolution">revolutionary period</a> of the 1760s and early 1770s led to the <a href="/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War" title="American Revolutionary War">American Revolutionary War</a>, fought from 1775 through 1781. On June 14, 1775, the <a href="/wiki/Second_Continental_Congress" title="Second Continental Congress">Continental Congress</a>, convening in <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia</a>, established a <a href="/wiki/Continental_Army" title="Continental Army">Continental Army</a> under the command of <a href="/wiki/George_Washington" title="George Washington">George Washington</a>. Proclaiming that "<a href="/wiki/All_men_are_created_equal" title="All men are created equal">all men are created equal</a>" and endowed with "certain <a href="/wiki/Inalienable_rights" title="Inalienable rights" class="mw-redirect">unalienable Rights</a>," the Congress adopted the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence" title="United States Declaration of Independence">Declaration of Independence</a>, drafted largely by <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson" title="Thomas Jefferson">Thomas Jefferson</a>, on July 4, 1776. That date is now celebrated annually as America's <a href="/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)" title="Independence Day (United States)">Independence Day</a>. In 1777, the <a href="/wiki/Articles_of_Confederation" title="Articles of Confederation">Articles of Confederation</a> established a weak federal government that operated until 1789.</p>
<p>After the <a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Yorktown" title="Siege of Yorktown">British defeat</a> by American forces <a href="/wiki/France_in_the_American_Revolutionary_War" title="France in the American Revolutionary War">assisted by the French</a>, Great Britain <a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1783)" title="Treaty of Paris (1783)">recognized the independence of the United States</a> and the states' <a href="/wiki/Sovereignty" title="Sovereignty">sovereignty</a> over American territory west to the <a href="/wiki/Mississippi_River" title="Mississippi River">Mississippi River</a>. A <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Convention" title="Philadelphia Convention">constitutional convention</a> was organized in 1787 by those wishing to establish a strong national government, with powers of taxation. The <a href="/wiki/United_States_Constitution" title="United States Constitution">United States Constitution</a> was ratified in 1788, and the new republic's <a href="/wiki/1st_United_States_Congress" title="1st United States Congress">first Senate, House of Representatives</a>, and <a href="/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States">president</a>—George Washington—took office in 1789. The <a href="/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights" title="United States Bill of Rights">Bill of Rights</a>, forbidding federal restriction of personal freedoms and guaranteeing a range of legal protections, was adopted in 1791.</p>
<p>Attitudes toward <a href="/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States" title="Slavery in the United States">slavery</a> were shifting; a <a href="/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Section_9:_Limits_on_Congress" title="Article One of the United States Constitution">clause in the Constitution</a> protected the African slave trade only until 1808. The Northern states abolished slavery between 1780 and 1804, leaving the <a href="/wiki/Slave_state" title="Slave state">slave states</a> of the South as defenders of the "<a href="/wiki/Peculiar_institution" title="Peculiar institution">peculiar institution</a>." The <a href="/wiki/Second_Great_Awakening" title="Second Great Awakening">Second Great Awakening</a>, beginning about 1800, made <a href="/wiki/Evangelicalism" title="Evangelicalism">evangelicalism</a> a force behind various social <a href="/wiki/Reform_movement" title="Reform movement">reform movements</a>, including <a href="/wiki/Abolitionism" title="Abolitionism">abolitionism</a>.</p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:U.S._Territorial_Acquisitions.png" class="image" title="Territorial acquisitions by date"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/U.S._Territorial_Acquisitions.png/180px-U.S._Territorial_Acquisitions.png" width="180" height="122" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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Territorial acquisitions by date</div>
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<p>Americans' eagerness to <a href="/wiki/Territorial_acquisitions_of_the_United_States" title="Territorial acquisitions of the United States">expand westward</a> prompted a long series of <a href="/wiki/Indian_Wars" title="Indian Wars" class="mw-redirect">Indian Wars</a> and an <a href="/wiki/Indian_removal" title="Indian removal">Indian removal</a> policy that stripped the native peoples of their land. The <a href="/wiki/Louisiana_Purchase" title="Louisiana Purchase">Louisiana Purchase</a> of French-claimed territory under President Thomas Jefferson in 1803 almost doubled the nation's size. The <a href="/wiki/War_of_1812" title="War of 1812">War of 1812</a>, declared against Britain over various grievances and fought to a draw, strengthened U.S. <a href="/wiki/Nationalism" title="Nationalism">nationalism</a>. A series of U.S. military incursions into Florida led <a href="/wiki/Spanish_Cession" title="Spanish Cession">Spain to cede</a> it and other Gulf Coast territory in 1819. The United States annexed the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Texas" title="Republic of Texas">Republic of Texas</a> in 1845. The concept of <a href="/wiki/Manifest_Destiny" title="Manifest Destiny">Manifest Destiny</a> was popularized during this time.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38" title=""><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup> The 1846 <a href="/wiki/Oregon_Treaty" title="Oregon Treaty">Oregon Treaty</a> with Britain led to U.S. control of the present-day <a href="/wiki/Northwestern_United_States" title="Northwestern United States">American Northwest</a>. The U.S. victory in the <a href="/wiki/Mexican-American_War" title="Mexican-American War" class="mw-redirect">Mexican-American War</a> resulted in the 1848 <a href="/wiki/Mexican_Cession" title="Mexican Cession">cession</a> of <a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a> and much of the present-day <a href="/wiki/Southwestern_United_States" title="Southwestern United States">American Southwest</a>. The <a href="/wiki/California_Gold_Rush" title="California Gold Rush">California Gold Rush</a> of 1848–49 further spurred western migration. <a href="/wiki/Rail_transport_in_the_United_States#History" title="Rail transport in the United States">New railways</a> made relocation easier for settlers and increased conflicts with Native Americans. Over a half-century, up to 40 million <a href="/wiki/American_bison" title="American bison" class="mw-redirect">American bison</a>, or buffalo, were slaughtered for skins and meat and to ease the railways' spread. The loss of the buffalo, a primary resource for the <a href="/wiki/Plains_Indians" title="Plains Indians">plains Indians</a>, was an existential blow to many native cultures.</p>
<p><a name="Civil_War_and_industrialization" id="Civil_War_and_industrialization"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Civil War and industrialization</span></h3>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/American_Civil_War" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a>, <a href="/wiki/Reconstruction_era_of_the_United_States" title="Reconstruction era of the United States">Reconstruction era of the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Spanish-American_War" title="Spanish-American War">Spanish-American War</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Battle_of_Gettysburg,_by_Currier_and_Ives.png" class="image" title="Battle of Gettysburg, lithograph by Currier & Ives, ca. 1863"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Battle_of_Gettysburg%2C_by_Currier_and_Ives.png/180px-Battle_of_Gettysburg%2C_by_Currier_and_Ives.png" width="180" height="114" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<i><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg" title="Battle of Gettysburg">Battle of Gettysburg</a></i>, lithograph by <a href="/wiki/Currier_and_Ives" title="Currier and Ives">Currier & Ives</a>, ca. 1863</div>
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<p><a href="/wiki/Origins_of_the_American_Civil_War" title="Origins of the American Civil War">Tensions</a> between slave and <a href="/wiki/Free_state_(United_States)" title="Free state (United States)">free states</a> mounted with arguments over the relationship between the <a href="/wiki/States%27_rights" title="States' rights">state and federal governments</a>, as well as <a href="/wiki/Bleeding_Kansas" title="Bleeding Kansas">violent conflicts</a> over the spread of slavery into new states. <a href="/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln" title="Abraham Lincoln">Abraham Lincoln</a>, candidate of the largely antislavery <a href="/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)" title="Republican Party (United States)">Republican Party</a>, was elected president in 1860. Before he took office, seven slave states declared their <a href="/wiki/Secession" title="Secession">secession</a>—which the federal government maintained was illegal—and formed the <a href="/wiki/Confederate_States_of_America" title="Confederate States of America">Confederate States of America</a>. With the Confederate <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Sumter" title="Battle of Fort Sumter">attack upon Fort Sumter</a>, the <a href="/wiki/American_Civil_War" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a> began and four more slave states joined the Confederacy. Lincoln's <a href="/wiki/Emancipation_Proclamation" title="Emancipation Proclamation">Emancipation Proclamation</a> committed the <a href="/wiki/Union_(American_Civil_War)" title="Union (American Civil War)">Union</a> to ending slavery. Following the Union victory in 1865, three amendments to the U.S. Constitution <a href="/wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution">ensured freedom</a> for the nearly four million African Americans who had been slaves,<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39" title=""><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution">made them citizens</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Fifteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution">gave them voting rights</a>. The war and its resolution led to a substantial increase in <a href="/wiki/Federalism_in_the_United_States" title="Federalism in the United States">federal power</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40" title=""><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Ellis_island_1902.jpg" class="image" title="Immigrants landing at Ellis Island, New York, 1902"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Ellis_island_1902.jpg/180px-Ellis_island_1902.jpg" width="180" height="122" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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Immigrants landing at <a href="/wiki/Ellis_Island" title="Ellis Island">Ellis Island</a>, New York, 1902</div>
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<p>After the war, the <a href="/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln_assassination" title="Abraham Lincoln assassination">assassination of Lincoln</a> <a href="/wiki/Radical_Republican_(USA)" title="Radical Republican (USA)">radicalized Republican</a> <a href="/wiki/Reconstruction_era_of_the_United_States" title="Reconstruction era of the United States">Reconstruction</a> policies aimed at reintegrating and rebuilding the Southern states while ensuring the rights of the newly freed slaves. The resolution of the disputed <a href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1876" title="United States presidential election, 1876">1876 presidential election</a> by the <a href="/wiki/Compromise_of_1877" title="Compromise of 1877">Compromise of 1877</a> ended Reconstruction; <a href="/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws" title="Jim Crow laws">Jim Crow laws</a> soon <a href="/wiki/Disfranchisement_after_the_Civil_War" title="Disfranchisement after the Civil War" class="mw-redirect">disenfranchised many African Americans</a>. In the North, urbanization and an unprecedented <a href="/wiki/Immigration_to_the_United_States#Immigration_1850_to_1930" title="Immigration to the United States">influx of immigrants</a> from <a href="/wiki/Southern_Europe" title="Southern Europe">Southern</a> and <a href="/wiki/Eastern_Europe" title="Eastern Europe">Eastern Europe</a> hastened the <a href="/wiki/United_States_technological_and_industrial_history#Technological_systems_and_infrastructure" title="United States technological and industrial history" class="mw-redirect">country's industrialization</a>. The wave of immigration, lasting until 1929, provided labor and transformed American culture. High tariff protections, national infrastructure building, and new banking regulations encouraged growth. The 1867 <a href="/wiki/Alaska_purchase" title="Alaska purchase">Alaska purchase</a> from Russia completed the country's mainland expansion. The <a href="/wiki/Wounded_Knee_massacre" title="Wounded Knee massacre" class="mw-redirect">Wounded Knee massacre</a> in 1890 was the last major armed conflict of the <a href="/wiki/Indian_Wars" title="Indian Wars" class="mw-redirect">Indian Wars</a>. In 1893, the <a href="/wiki/Ancient_Hawaii" title="Ancient Hawaii">indigenous monarchy</a> of the Pacific <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Hawaii" title="Kingdom of Hawaii">Kingdom of Hawaii</a> was overthrown in a coup led by American residents; the United States annexed the archipelago in 1898. Victory in the <a href="/wiki/Spanish-American_War" title="Spanish-American War">Spanish-American War</a> the same year demonstrated that the United States was a <a href="/wiki/Great_power" title="Great power">world power</a> and led to the annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the <a href="/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a>. The Philippines gained independence a half-century later; Puerto Rico and Guam remain U.S. territories.</p>
<p><a name="World_War_I.2C_Great_Depression.2C_and_World_War_II" id="World_War_I.2C_Great_Depression.2C_and_World_War_II"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">World War I, Great Depression, and World War II</span></h3>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/American_Expeditionary_Force" title="American Expeditionary Force">American Expeditionary Force</a>, <a href="/wiki/Great_Depression_in_the_United_States" title="Great Depression in the United States">Great Depression in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United States during World War II">Military history of the United States during World War II</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Dust_Bowl_-_Dallas,_South_Dakota_1936.jpg" class="image" title="An abandoned farm in South Dakota during the Dust Bowl, 1936"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Dust_Bowl_-_Dallas%2C_South_Dakota_1936.jpg/180px-Dust_Bowl_-_Dallas%2C_South_Dakota_1936.jpg" width="180" height="135" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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An abandoned farm in South Dakota during the <a href="/wiki/Dust_Bowl" title="Dust Bowl">Dust Bowl</a>, 1936</div>
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<p>At the outbreak of <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a> in 1914, the United States remained neutral. Most Americans sympathized with the British and French, although many opposed intervention.<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41" title=""><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup> In 1917, the United States joined the <a href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_I" title="Allies of World War I">Allies</a>, turning the tide against the <a href="/wiki/Central_Powers" title="Central Powers">Central Powers</a>. After the war, the Senate did not ratify the <a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles_(1919)" title="Treaty of Versailles (1919)" class="mw-redirect">Treaty of Versailles</a>, which established the <a href="/wiki/League_of_Nations" title="League of Nations">League of Nations</a>. The country pursued a policy of <a href="/wiki/Unilateralism" title="Unilateralism">unilateralism</a>, verging on <a href="/wiki/Isolationism" title="Isolationism">isolationism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42" title=""><span>[</span>43<span>]</span></a></sup> In 1920, the <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_rights" title="Women's rights">women's rights</a> movement won passage of a <a href="/wiki/Nineteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution">constitutional amendment</a> granting <a href="/wiki/History_of_women%27s_suffrage_in_the_United_States" title="History of women's suffrage in the United States">women's suffrage</a>. The prosperity of the <a href="/wiki/Roaring_Twenties" title="Roaring Twenties">Roaring Twenties</a> ended with the <a href="/wiki/Wall_Street_Crash_of_1929" title="Wall Street Crash of 1929">Wall Street Crash of 1929</a> that triggered the <a href="/wiki/Great_Depression_in_the_United_States" title="Great Depression in the United States">Great Depression</a>. After his election as president in 1932, <a href="/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt" title="Franklin D. Roosevelt">Franklin D. Roosevelt</a> responded with the <a href="/wiki/New_Deal" title="New Deal">New Deal</a>, a range of policies increasing government intervention in the economy. The <a href="/wiki/Dust_Bowl" title="Dust Bowl">Dust Bowl</a> of the mid-1930s impoverished many farming communities and spurred a new wave of western migration.</p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Crossingtherhine.jpg" class="image" title="Soldiers from the US 89th Infantry Division cross the Rhine River in assault boats, 1945"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Crossingtherhine.jpg/180px-Crossingtherhine.jpg" width="180" height="145" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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Soldiers from the US 89th Infantry Division cross the Rhine River in assault boats, 1945</div>
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<p>The United States, effectively neutral during <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>'s early stages after <a href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland_(1939)" title="Invasion of Poland (1939)">invasion of Poland</a> in September 1939, began supplying <a href="/wiki/Materiel" title="Materiel">materiel</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allies</a> in March 1941 through the <a href="/wiki/Lend-Lease" title="Lend-Lease">Lend-Lease</a> program. On December 7, 1941, the United States joined the Allies against the <a href="/wiki/Axis_powers" title="Axis powers">Axis powers</a> after a surprise <a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">attack on Pearl Harbor</a> by Japan. World War II cost far more money than any other war in American history,<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43" title=""><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></a></sup> but it boosted the economy by providing capital investment and jobs. Among the major combatants, the United States was the only nation to become richer—indeed, far richer—instead of poorer because of the war.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44" title=""><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></a></sup> Allied conferences at <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Monetary_and_Financial_Conference" title="United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference">Bretton Woods</a> and <a href="/wiki/Yalta_Conference" title="Yalta Conference">Yalta</a> outlined a new system of international organizations that placed the <a href="/wiki/United_States_and_the_United_Nations" title="United States and the United Nations">United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Soviet_Union_and_the_United_Nations" title="Soviet Union and the United Nations">Soviet Union</a> at the center of world affairs. As <a href="/wiki/Victory_in_Europe_Day" title="Victory in Europe Day">victory was won in Europe</a>, a 1945 <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Conference_on_International_Organization" title="United Nations Conference on International Organization">international conference</a> held in <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco,_California" title="San Francisco, California" class="mw-redirect">San Francisco</a> produced the <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Charter" title="United Nations Charter">United Nations Charter</a>, which became active after the war.<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45" title=""><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States, having <a href="/wiki/Manhattan_Project" title="Manhattan Project">developed the first nuclear weapons</a>, used them on the Japanese cities of <a href="/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki" title="Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki">Hiroshima and Nagasaki</a> in August. <a href="/wiki/Surrender_of_Japan" title="Surrender of Japan">Japan surrendered</a> on September 2, ending the war.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46" title=""><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Cold_War_and_protest_politics" id="Cold_War_and_protest_politics"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Cold War and protest politics</span></h3>
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<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</a>, <a href="/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1955%E2%80%931968)" title="African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)">African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:142px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Martin_Luther_King_-_March_on_Washington.jpg" class="image" title="Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering his "I Have a Dream" speech, 1963"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Martin_Luther_King_-_March_on_Washington.jpg/140px-Martin_Luther_King_-_March_on_Washington.jpg" width="140" height="147" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<a href="/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr." title="Martin Luther King, Jr.">Martin Luther King, Jr.</a> delivering his "<a href="/wiki/I_Have_a_Dream" title="I Have a Dream">I Have a Dream</a>" speech, 1963</div>
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<p>The United States and Soviet Union jockeyed for power after World War II during the <a href="/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</a>, dominating the military affairs of Europe through <a href="/wiki/NATO" title="NATO">NATO</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Warsaw_Pact" title="Warsaw Pact">Warsaw Pact</a>. The United States promoted <a href="/wiki/Liberal_democracy" title="Liberal democracy">liberal democracy</a> and capitalism, while the Soviet Union promoted communism and a centrally <a href="/wiki/Planned_economy" title="Planned economy">planned economy</a>. Both supported dictatorships and engaged in <a href="/wiki/Proxy_war" title="Proxy war">proxy wars</a>. American troops fought <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China" title="People's Republic of China">Communist Chinese</a> forces in the <a href="/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a> of 1950–53. The <a href="/wiki/House_Un-American_Activities_Committee" title="House Un-American Activities Committee">House Un-American Activities Committee</a> pursued a series of investigations into suspected leftist subversion, while Senator <a href="/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy" title="Joseph McCarthy">Joseph McCarthy</a> became the figurehead of anticommunist sentiment.</p>
<p>The 1961 Soviet launch of the <a href="/wiki/Vostok_1" title="Vostok 1">first manned spaceflight</a> prompted President <a href="/wiki/John_F._Kennedy" title="John F. Kennedy">John F. Kennedy</a>'s call for the United States to be first to land <a href="/wiki/Apollo_program" title="Apollo program">"a man on the moon,"</a> achieved in 1969. Kennedy also faced a <a href="/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis" title="Cuban Missile Crisis">tense nuclear showdown</a> with Soviet forces in Cuba. Meanwhile, the United States experienced sustained economic expansion. A growing <a href="/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1955%E2%80%931968)" title="African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)">civil rights movement</a>, led by African Americans such as <a href="/wiki/Rosa_Parks" title="Rosa Parks">Rosa Parks</a> and <a href="/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr." title="Martin Luther King, Jr.">Martin Luther King, Jr.</a>, fought segregation and discrimination. Following <a href="/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_assassination" title="John F. Kennedy assassination">Kennedy's assassination</a> in 1963, the <a href="/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964" title="Civil Rights Act of 1964">Civil Rights Act of 1964</a> and <a href="/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965" title="Voting Rights Act of 1965" class="mw-redirect">Voting Rights Act of 1965</a> were passed under President <a href="/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson" title="Lyndon B. Johnson">Lyndon B. Johnson</a>. Johnson and his successor, <a href="/wiki/Richard_Nixon" title="Richard Nixon">Richard Nixon</a>, expanded a proxy war in Southeast Asia into the unsuccessful <a href="/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a>. A widespread <a href="/wiki/Counterculture_of_the_1960s" title="Counterculture of the 1960s">countercultural movement</a> grew, fueled by <a href="/wiki/Opposition_to_the_Vietnam_War" title="Opposition to the Vietnam War">opposition to the war</a>, <a href="/wiki/Black_nationalism" title="Black nationalism">black nationalism</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Sexual_revolution" title="Sexual revolution">sexual revolution</a>. <a href="/wiki/Betty_Friedan" title="Betty Friedan">Betty Friedan</a>, <a href="/wiki/Gloria_Steinem" title="Gloria Steinem">Gloria Steinem</a>, and others led a <a href="/wiki/Second-wave_feminism" title="Second-wave feminism">new wave of feminism</a> that sought political, social, and economic equality for women.</p>
<p>As a result of the <a href="/wiki/Watergate_scandal" title="Watergate scandal">Watergate scandal</a>, in 1974 Nixon became the first U.S. president to resign, rather than be <a href="/wiki/Impeachment" title="Impeachment">impeached</a> on charges including obstruction of justice and abuse of power; he was <a href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession" title="United States presidential line of succession">succeeded</a> by Vice President <a href="/wiki/Gerald_Ford" title="Gerald Ford">Gerald Ford</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Carter" title="Jimmy Carter">Jimmy Carter</a> administration of the late 1970s was marked by <a href="/wiki/Stagflation" title="Stagflation">stagflation</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisis" title="Iran hostage crisis">Iran hostage crisis</a>. The election of <a href="/wiki/Ronald_Reagan" title="Ronald Reagan">Ronald Reagan</a> as president in 1980 heralded a significant <a href="/wiki/Conservatism_in_the_United_States" title="Conservatism in the United States">rightward shift in American politics</a>, reflected in major changes in <a href="/wiki/Reaganomics" title="Reaganomics">taxation and spending priorities</a>. His second term in office brought both the <a href="/wiki/Iran-Contra_affair" title="Iran-Contra affair">Iran-Contra scandal</a> and significant <a href="/wiki/Cold_War_(1985%E2%80%931991)" title="Cold War (1985–1991)">diplomatic progress with the Soviet Union</a>. The subsequent Soviet collapse ended the Cold War.</p>
<p><a name="Contemporary_era" id="Contemporary_era"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Contemporary era</span></h3>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:WTC9-11.jpg" class="image" title="The World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/WTC9-11.jpg/180px-WTC9-11.jpg" width="180" height="122" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The <a href="/wiki/World_Trade_Center" title="World Trade Center">World Trade Center</a> on the morning of <a href="/wiki/September_11_attacks" title="September 11 attacks">September 11, 2001</a></div>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/September_11_attacks" title="September 11 attacks">September 11 attacks</a>, <a href="/wiki/Iraq_War" title="Iraq War">Iraq War</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Economic_crisis_of_2008" title="Economic crisis of 2008" class="mw-redirect">Economic crisis of 2008</a></i></div>
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<p>The leadership role taken by the United States and its allies in the UN–sanctioned <a href="/wiki/Gulf_War" title="Gulf War">Gulf War</a>, under President <a href="/wiki/George_H._W._Bush" title="George H. W. Bush">George H. W. Bush</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Yugoslav_wars" title="Yugoslav wars">Yugoslav wars</a>, under President <a href="/wiki/Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton">Bill Clinton</a>, helped to preserve its position as a superpower. The longest economic expansion in modern U.S. history—from March 1991 to March 2001—encompassed the Clinton administration and the <a href="/wiki/Dot-com_bubble" title="Dot-com bubble">dot-com bubble</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47" title=""><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup> A <a href="/wiki/Paula_Jones" title="Paula Jones">civil lawsuit</a> and <a href="/wiki/Lewinsky_scandal" title="Lewinsky scandal">sexual scandal</a> led to <a href="/wiki/Impeachment_of_Bill_Clinton" title="Impeachment of Bill Clinton">Clinton's impeachment</a> in 1998, but he remained in office. The <a href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2000" title="United States presidential election, 2000">2000 presidential election</a>, one of the closest in U.S. history, was resolved by a <a href="/wiki/Bush_v._Gore" title="Bush v. Gore">U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>—<a href="/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a>, son of George H. W. Bush, became president.</p>
<p>On <a href="/wiki/September_11_attacks" title="September 11 attacks">September 11, 2001</a>, <a href="/wiki/Al-Qaeda" title="Al-Qaeda">al-Qaeda</a> terrorists struck the <a href="/wiki/World_Trade_Center" title="World Trade Center">World Trade Center</a> in New York City and <a href="/wiki/The_Pentagon" title="The Pentagon">The Pentagon</a> near Washington, D.C., killing nearly three thousand people. In response, President Bush launched the <a href="/wiki/War_on_Terrorism" title="War on Terrorism">War on Terrorism</a>. In late 2001, U.S. forces led an <a href="/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001%E2%80%93present)" title="War in Afghanistan (2001–present)" class="mw-redirect">invasion of Afghanistan</a>, removing the <a href="/wiki/Taliban" title="Taliban">Taliban</a> government and al-Qaeda training camps. Taliban insurgents continue to fight a guerrilla war. In 2002, the Bush administration began to press for <a href="/wiki/Regime_change" title="Regime change">regime change</a> in Iraq on <a href="/wiki/Rationale_for_the_Iraq_War" title="Rationale for the Iraq War">controversial grounds</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48" title=""><span>[</span>49<span>]</span></a></sup> Lacking the support of NATO or an explicit UN mandate for military intervention, Bush organized a <a href="/wiki/Coalition_of_the_willing" title="Coalition of the willing">Coalition of the Willing</a>; coalition forces <a href="/wiki/Preemptive_war" title="Preemptive war">preemptively</a> <a href="/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq" title="2003 invasion of Iraq">invaded Iraq</a> in 2003, removing dictator and former U.S. ally <a href="/wiki/Saddam_Hussein" title="Saddam Hussein">Saddam Hussein</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Iraq_War" title="Iraq War">Iraq War</a>, now opposed by most Americans, continues.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49" title=""><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Amnesty_International" title="Amnesty International">Amnesty International</a> has criticized the United States for human rights violations in its pursuit of the War on Terrorism and the Iraq War.<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-50" title=""><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2005, <a href="/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina" title="Hurricane Katrina">Hurricane Katrina</a> caused severe destruction along much of the <a href="/wiki/Gulf_Coast_of_the_United_States" title="Gulf Coast of the United States">Gulf Coast</a>, devastating <a href="/wiki/New_Orleans" title="New Orleans">New Orleans</a>. On November 4, 2008, amid a major <a href="/wiki/Economic_crisis_of_2008#.23Crisis_in_the_US" title="Economic crisis of 2008" class="mw-redirect">economic crisis</a>, the country elected <a href="/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a> as president. When he is inaugurated on January 20, 2009, he will become the first African American to hold the office.</p>
<p><a name="Government_and_elections" id="Government_and_elections"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Government and elections</span></h2>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States" title="Federal government of the United States">Federal government of the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Elections_in_the_United_States" title="Elections in the United States">Elections in the United States</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Capitol_Building_Full_View.jpg" class="image" title="The west front of the United States Capitol, which houses the United States Congress"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Capitol_Building_Full_View.jpg/180px-Capitol_Building_Full_View.jpg" width="180" height="77" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The west front of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Capitol" title="United States Capitol">United States Capitol</a>, which houses the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">United States Congress</a></div>
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<p>The United States is the world's oldest surviving <a href="/wiki/Federation" title="Federation">federation</a>. It is a <a href="/wiki/Constitutional_republic" title="Constitutional republic">constitutional republic</a>, "in which <a href="/wiki/Majority_rule" title="Majority rule">majority rule</a> is tempered by <a href="/wiki/Minority_rights" title="Minority rights">minority rights</a> protected by <a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_United_States" title="Law of the United States">law</a>."<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51" title=""><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></a></sup> It is fundamentally structured as a <a href="/wiki/Representative_democracy" title="Representative democracy">representative democracy</a>, though U.S. citizens residing in the territories are excluded from voting for federal officials.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52" title=""><span>[</span>53<span>]</span></a></sup> The government is regulated by a system of <a href="/wiki/Separation_of_powers" title="Separation of powers">checks and balances</a> defined by the U.S. Constitution, which serves as the country's supreme legal document and as a <a href="/wiki/Social_contract" title="Social contract">social contract</a> for the American people. In the <a href="/wiki/Federalism#United_States" title="Federalism">American federalist system</a>, citizens are usually subject to <a href="/wiki/Political_divisions_of_the_United_States" title="Political divisions of the United States">three levels of government</a>, federal, state, and local; the <a href="/wiki/Local_government_in_the_United_States" title="Local government in the United States">local government</a>'s duties are commonly split between <a href="/wiki/County_(United_States)" title="County (United States)">county</a> and municipal governments. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a <a href="/wiki/Plurality_voting_system" title="Plurality voting system">plurality vote</a> of citizens by district. There is no <a href="/wiki/Proportional_representation" title="Proportional representation">proportional representation</a> at the federal level, and it is very rare at lower levels. Federal and state judicial and <a href="/wiki/Cabinet" title="Cabinet">cabinet</a> officials are typically nominated by the executive branch and approved by the legislature, although some state judges and officials are elected by popular vote.</p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG" class="image" title="The South Portico of the White House, home and work place of the U.S. president"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG/180px-WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG" width="180" height="133" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The South Portico of the <a href="/wiki/White_House" title="White House">White House</a>, home and work place of the U.S. president</div>
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<p>The federal government is composed of three branches:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/wiki/Legislature" title="Legislature">Legislative</a>: The <a href="/wiki/Bicameralism" title="Bicameralism">bicameral</a> <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">Congress</a>, made up of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">Senate</a> and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives">House of Representatives</a>, makes <a href="/wiki/Federal_law" title="Federal law">federal law</a>, <a href="/wiki/Declaration_of_war" title="Declaration of war">declares war</a>, approves treaties, has the <a href="/wiki/Power_of_the_purse" title="Power of the purse">power of the purse</a>, and has the power of <a href="/wiki/Impeachment" title="Impeachment">impeachment</a>, by which it can remove sitting members of the government.</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Executive_(government)" title="Executive (government)">Executive</a>: The <a href="/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States">president</a> is the <a href="/wiki/Commander-in-chief" title="Commander-in-chief">commander-in-chief</a> of the military, can veto <a href="/wiki/Bill_(proposed_law)" title="Bill (proposed law)">legislative bills</a> before they become law, and appoints the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Cabinet" title="United States Cabinet">Cabinet</a> and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Judiciary" title="Judiciary">Judicial</a>: The <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States" title="Supreme Court of the United States">Supreme Court</a> and lower <a href="/wiki/United_States_federal_courts" title="United States federal courts">federal courts</a>, whose judges are appointed by the president with Senate approval, appoints, interpret laws, and can overturn laws they deem <a href="/wiki/Constitutionality" title="Constitutionality">unconstitutional</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The House of Representatives has 435 members, each representing a <a href="/wiki/Congressional_district" title="Congressional district">congressional district</a> for a two-year term. House seats are <a href="/wiki/United_States_congressional_apportionment" title="United States congressional apportionment">apportioned</a> among the states by population every tenth year. As of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Census,_2000" title="United States Census, 2000" class="mw-redirect">2000 census</a>, seven states have the minimum of one representative, while California, the most populous state, has fifty-three. The Senate has 100 members with each state having two senators, elected <a href="/wiki/At-large" title="At-large">at-large</a> to six-year terms; one third of Senate seats are up for election every other year. The president serves a four-year term and may be elected to the office <a href="/wiki/Term_limits_in_the_United_States" title="Term limits in the United States">no more than twice</a>. The president is <a href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election" title="United States presidential election">not elected by direct vote</a>, but by an indirect <a href="/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College" title="United States Electoral College" class="mw-redirect">electoral college</a> system in which the determining votes are apportioned by state. The Supreme Court, led by the <a href="/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_United_States" title="Chief Justice of the United States">Chief Justice of the United States</a>, has nine members, who serve for life. The state governments are structured in roughly similar fashion; <a href="/wiki/Nebraska" title="Nebraska">Nebraska</a> uniquely has a <a href="/wiki/Unicameral" title="Unicameral" class="mw-redirect">unicameral</a> legislature. The <a href="/wiki/Governor#United_States" title="Governor">governor</a> (chief executive) of each state is directly elected.</p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:USSupremeCourtWestFacade.JPG" class="image" title="The front of the United States Supreme Court building"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d8/USSupremeCourtWestFacade.JPG/180px-USSupremeCourtWestFacade.JPG" width="180" height="135" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The front of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Supreme_Court_building" title="United States Supreme Court building">United States Supreme Court building</a></div>
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</div>
<p>All laws and procedures of both state and federal governments are subject to review, and any law ruled in violation of the Constitution by the judiciary is voided. The original text of the Constitution establishes the structure and responsibilities of the federal government and its relationship with the individual states. <a href="/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Article One of the United States Constitution">Article One</a> protects the right to the "great writ" of <a href="/wiki/Habeas_corpus_in_the_United_States" title="Habeas corpus in the United States">habeas corpus</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Article_Three_of_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Article Three of the United States Constitution">Article Three</a> guarantees the <a href="/wiki/Jury_trial#The_United_States" title="Jury trial">right to a jury trial</a> in all criminal cases. <a href="/wiki/Article_Five_of_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Article Five of the United States Constitution">Amendments to the Constitution</a> require the approval of three-fourths of the states. The Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times; the first ten amendments, which make up the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights" title="United States Bill of Rights">Bill of Rights</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution">Fourteenth Amendment</a> form the central basis of Americans' individual rights.</p>
<p><a name="Parties.2C_ideology.2C_and_politics" id="Parties.2C_ideology.2C_and_politics"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Parties, ideology, and politics</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_States" title="Politics of the United States">Politics of the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Political_ideologies_in_the_United_States" title="Political ideologies in the United States">Political ideologies in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:President_George_W._Bush_and_Barack_Obama_meet_in_Oval_Office.jpg" class="image" title="President-elect Barack Obama (right) meets with current President George W. Bush (left) in the Oval Office, November 10, 2008"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/President_George_W._Bush_and_Barack_Obama_meet_in_Oval_Office.jpg/180px-President_George_W._Bush_and_Barack_Obama_meet_in_Oval_Office.jpg" width="180" height="161" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:President_George_W._Bush_and_Barack_Obama_meet_in_Oval_Office.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
President-elect <a href="/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a> (right) meets with current President <a href="/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a> (left) in the <a href="/wiki/Oval_Office" title="Oval Office">Oval Office</a>, November 10, 2008</div>
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<p>The United States has operated under a <a href="/wiki/Two-party_system" title="Two-party system">two-party system</a> for most of its history. For elective offices at all levels, state-administered <a href="/wiki/Primary_election" title="Primary election">primary elections</a> choose the major party nominees for subsequent <a href="/wiki/General_election" title="General election">general elections</a>. Since the <a href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1856" title="United States presidential election, 1856">general election of 1856</a>, the major parties have been the <a href="/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)">Democratic Party</a>, <a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Democratic_Party" title="History of the United States Democratic Party">founded in 1824</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)" title="Republican Party (United States)">Republican Party</a>, <a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Republican_Party" title="History of the United States Republican Party">founded in 1854</a>. Since the Civil War, only one <a href="/wiki/Third_party_(United_States)" title="Third party (United States)">third-party</a> presidential candidate—former president <a href="/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt" title="Theodore Roosevelt">Theodore Roosevelt</a>, running as a <a href="/wiki/Progressive_Party_(United_States,_1912)" title="Progressive Party (United States, 1912)">Progressive</a> in <a href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1912" title="United States presidential election, 1912">1912</a>—has won as much as 20% of the popular vote.</p>
<p>Within American <a href="/wiki/Political_culture" title="Political culture">political culture</a>, the Republican Party is considered "center-right" or <a href="/wiki/Conservatism_in_the_United_States" title="Conservatism in the United States">conservative</a> and the Democratic Party is considered "center-left" or <a href="/wiki/Modern_liberalism_in_the_United_States" title="Modern liberalism in the United States">liberal</a>. The states of the <a href="/wiki/Northeastern_United_States#Politics" title="Northeastern United States">Northeast</a> and <a href="/wiki/Western_United_States#Politics" title="Western United States">West Coast</a> and some of the <a href="/wiki/Great_Lakes" title="Great Lakes">Great Lakes</a> states, known as "<a href="/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states" title="Red states and blue states">blue states</a>", are relatively liberal. The "<a href="/wiki/Red_states" title="Red states" class="mw-redirect">red states</a>" of the <a href="/wiki/Politics_of_the_Southern_United_States" title="Politics of the Southern United States">South</a> and much of the <a href="/wiki/Midwestern_United_States#Political_trends" title="Midwestern United States">Great Plains</a> and <a href="/wiki/Western_United_States#Politics" title="Western United States">Rocky Mountains</a> are relatively conservative. A plurality of Americans identify as Democrats, yet significantly more Americans identify as conservative than liberal.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53" title=""><span>[</span>54<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>The incumbent president, Republican <a href="/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a>, is the <a href="/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States" title="List of Presidents of the United States">43rd U.S. president</a>. All presidents to date have been men of European descent. After winning the <a href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008" title="United States presidential election, 2008">2008 presidential election</a>, Democrat <a href="/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a> will be the first president of mixed European and African descent. The <a href="/wiki/United_States_general_elections,_2008" title="United States general elections, 2008" class="mw-redirect">2008 elections</a> also saw the Democratic Party strengthen its control of both the House and the Senate. Every member of the U.S. Congress is a Democrat or a Republican except two <a href="/wiki/Independent_(politician)" title="Independent (politician)">independent</a> members of the Senate. An <a href="/wiki/Political_party_strength_in_U.S._states" title="Political party strength in U.S. states">overwhelming majority</a> of state and local officials are also Democrats or Republicans.</p>
<p><a name="Geographic_divisions" id="Geographic_divisions"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Geographic divisions</span></h2>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/U.S._state" title="U.S. state">U.S. state</a>, <a href="/wiki/Territorial_evolution_of_the_United_States" title="Territorial evolution of the United States">Territorial evolution of the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Territorial_acquisitions_of_the_United_States" title="Territorial acquisitions of the United States">Territorial acquisitions of the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>The United States is a <a href="/wiki/Federation" title="Federation">federal union</a> of fifty states. The original thirteen states were the successors of the <a href="/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies" title="Thirteen Colonies">thirteen colonies</a> that rebelled against British rule. Most of the rest have been carved from territory obtained through war or purchase by the U.S. government. One set of exceptions comprises <a href="/wiki/Vermont" title="Vermont">Vermont</a>, <a href="/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a>, and Hawaii: each was an independent republic before joining the union. Another set of exceptions comprises those states created out of the territory of the original thirteen. Early in the country's history, three states were created in this manner: <a href="/wiki/Kentucky" title="Kentucky">Kentucky</a> from <a href="/wiki/Virginia" title="Virginia">Virginia</a>; <a href="/wiki/Tennessee" title="Tennessee">Tennessee</a> from <a href="/wiki/North_Carolina" title="North Carolina">North Carolina</a>; and <a href="/wiki/Maine" title="Maine">Maine</a> from <a href="/wiki/Massachusetts" title="Massachusetts">Massachusetts</a>. During the <a href="/wiki/American_Civil_War" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a>, <a href="/wiki/West_Virginia" title="West Virginia">West Virginia</a> broke away from Virginia. The most recent state—Hawaii—achieved statehood on August 21, 1959. The states <a href="/wiki/Texas_v._White" title="Texas v. White">do not have the right</a> to <a href="/wiki/Secession" title="Secession">secede</a> from the union.</p>
<p>The states compose the vast bulk of the U.S. land mass; the two other areas considered integral parts of the country are the District of Columbia, the <a href="/wiki/Federal_district" title="Federal district">federal district</a> where the capital, Washington, is located; and <a href="/wiki/Palmyra_Atoll" title="Palmyra Atoll">Palmyra Atoll</a>, an uninhabited but <a href="/wiki/Territories_of_the_United_States" title="Territories of the United States">incorporated territory</a> in the Pacific Ocean. The United States also possesses five major overseas territories: <a href="/wiki/Puerto_Rico" title="Puerto Rico">Puerto Rico</a> and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Virgin_Islands" title="United States Virgin Islands">United States Virgin Islands</a> in the Caribbean; and <a href="/wiki/American_Samoa" title="American Samoa">American Samoa</a>, <a href="/wiki/Guam" title="Guam">Guam</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Northern_Mariana_Islands" title="Northern Mariana Islands">Northern Mariana Islands</a> in the Pacific. Those born in the territories (except for American Samoa) possess <a href="/wiki/Birthright_citizenship_in_the_United_States_of_America" title="Birthright citizenship in the United States of America">U.S. citizenship</a>.</p>
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<area href="/wiki/South_Carolina" shape="poly" coords="465,246,500,283,519,255,508,245,485,241" alt="South Carolina" title="South Carolina" />
<area href="/wiki/South_Dakota" shape="poly" coords="235,94,309,98,306,101,311,106,311,132,309,145,288,140,254,137,231,136,232,123,232,108" alt="South Dakota" title="South Dakota" />
<area href="/wiki/Tennessee" shape="poly" coords="386,254,452,248,478,222,390,233" alt="Tennessee" title="Tennessee" />
<area href="/wiki/Texas" shape="poly" coords="235,232,228,298,186,293,207,329,224,340,235,328,249,331,276,380,298,388,298,361,344,331,346,310,338,279,327,274,269,264,268,234" alt="Texas" title="Texas" />
<area href="/wiki/Utah" shape="poly" coords="123,136,155,142,152,157,174,159,165,218,110,208" alt="Utah" title="Utah" />
<area href="/wiki/Vermont" shape="poly" coords="544,83,553,114,559,114,561,81" alt="Vermont" title="Vermont" />
<area href="/wiki/Virginia" shape="poly" coords="473,210,459,224,544,209,535,190,525,187,527,181,519,175,510,175,495,188,492,206" alt="Virginia" title="Virginia" />
<area href="/wiki/Washington" shape="poly" coords="39,52,49,58,49,64,75,69,107,74,114,33,60,17,41,23" alt="Washington" title="Washington" />
<area href="/wiki/West_Virginia" shape="poly" coords="517,176,510,176,504,188,496,187,493,201,486,209,474,211,467,201,470,186,481,178,483,163,485,174,498,172,498,178,510,171,516,172" alt="West Virginia" title="West Virginia" />
<area href="/wiki/Wisconsin" shape="poly" coords="354,87,352,95,348,99,348,115,365,125,365,142,372,146,401,142,407,106,402,104,397,97,371,85,365,81" alt="Wisconsin" title="Wisconsin" />
<area href="/wiki/Wyoming" shape="poly" coords="162,100,151,157,228,165,232,106" alt="Wyoming" title="Wyoming" />
<area href="/wiki/Delaware" shape="rect" coords="599,184,646,197" alt="Delaware" title="Delaware" />
<area href="/wiki/Maryland" shape="rect" coords="598,197,645,214" alt="Maryland" title="Maryland" />
<area href="/wiki/New_Hampshire" shape="rect" coords="458,22,532,41" alt="New Hampshire" title="New Hampshire" />
<area href="/wiki/New_Jersey" shape="rect" coords="588,165,644,182" alt="New Jersey" title="New Jersey" />
<area href="/wiki/Massachusetts" shape="rect" coords="461,60,525,77" alt="Massachusetts" title="Massachusetts" />
<area href="/wiki/Connecticut" shape="rect" coords="590,150,647,165" alt="Connecticut" title="Connecticut" />
<area href="/wiki/West_Virginia" shape="rect" coords="582,230,646,245" alt="West Virginia" title="West Virginia" />
<area href="/wiki/Vermont" shape="rect" coords="493,43,529,58" alt="Vermont" title="Vermont" />
<area href="/wiki/Rhode_Island" shape="rect" coords="585,132,647,149" alt="Rhode Island" title="Rhode Island" /></map><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Map_of_USA_with_state_names.svg/650px-Map_of_USA_with_state_names.svg.png" width="650" height="402" border="0" usemap="#ImageMap_1_163168564" />
<div style="margin-left: 630px; margin-top: -20px; text-align: left;"><a href="/wiki/File:Map_of_USA_with_state_names.svg" title="About this image"><img alt="About this image" src="/w/extensions/ImageMap/desc-20.png" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><br /></p>
<p><a name="Foreign_relations_and_military" id="Foreign_relations_and_military"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Foreign relations and military</span></h2>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Foreign_policy_of_the_United_States" title="Foreign policy of the United States">Foreign policy of the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Military_of_the_United_States" title="Military of the United States" class="mw-redirect">Military of the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Bush_Brown.jpg" class="image" title="President George W. Bush (right) with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Bush_Brown.jpg/180px-Bush_Brown.jpg" width="180" height="121" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
<div class="thumbcaption">
<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Bush_Brown.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
<a href="/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States">President</a> George W. Bush (right) with <a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Prime Minister of the United Kingdom">British Prime Minister</a> <a href="/wiki/Gordon_Brown" title="Gordon Brown">Gordon Brown</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>The United States exercises global economic, political, and military influence. It is a permanent member of the <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council" title="United Nations Security Council">United Nations Security Council</a> and New York City hosts the <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Headquarters" title="United Nations Headquarters">United Nations Headquarters</a>. Almost all countries have <a href="/wiki/List_of_diplomatic_missions_in_the_United_States" title="List of diplomatic missions in the United States">embassies</a> in Washington, D.C., and many host <a href="/wiki/Consul_(representative)" title="Consul (representative)">consulates</a> around the country. Likewise, nearly all nations host <a href="/wiki/Diplomatic_missions_of_the_United_States" title="Diplomatic missions of the United States">American diplomatic missions</a>. However, <a href="/wiki/Cuba-United_States_relations" title="Cuba-United States relations" class="mw-redirect">Cuba</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States-Iran_relations" title="United States-Iran relations" class="mw-redirect">Iran</a>, <a href="/wiki/North_Korea-United_States_relations" title="North Korea-United States relations" class="mw-redirect">North Korea</a>, <a href="/wiki/Bhutan" title="Bhutan">Bhutan</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sudan" title="Sudan">Sudan</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_China" title="Republic of China">Republic of China</a> (Taiwan) do not have formal diplomatic relations with the United States.</p>
<p>The United States enjoys a <a href="/wiki/Special_Relationship_(US-UK)" title="Special Relationship (US-UK)">special relationship</a> with the <a href="/wiki/Anglo-American_relations" title="Anglo-American relations" class="mw-redirect">United Kingdom</a> and strong ties with <a href="/wiki/United_States-Australia_relations" title="United States-Australia relations" class="mw-redirect">Australia</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand-United_States_relations" title="New Zealand-United States relations" class="mw-redirect">New Zealand</a>, <a href="/wiki/Japan-United_States_relations" title="Japan-United States relations" class="mw-redirect">Japan</a>, <a href="/wiki/Israel-United_States_relations" title="Israel-United States relations" class="mw-redirect">Israel</a>, and fellow NATO members. It also works closely with its neighbors through the <a href="/wiki/Organization_of_American_States" title="Organization of American States">Organization of American States</a> and <a href="/wiki/United_States_free_trade_agreements" title="United States free trade agreements">free trade agreements</a> such as the trilateral <a href="/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement" title="North American Free Trade Agreement">North American Free Trade Agreement</a> with <a href="/wiki/Canada_%E2%80%93_United_States_relations" title="Canada – United States relations" class="mw-redirect">Canada</a> and <a href="/wiki/United_States-Mexico_relations" title="United States-Mexico relations" class="mw-redirect">Mexico</a>. In 2005, the United States spent $27 billion on <a href="/wiki/Official_development_assistance" title="Official development assistance">official development assistance</a>, the most in the world. However, as a share of <a href="/wiki/Gross_National_Income" title="Gross National Income">gross national income</a> (GNI), the U.S. contribution of 0.22% ranked twentieth of twenty-two donor states. Nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and educational and religious institutions donated $96 billion. The combined total of $123 billion is also the most in the world and seventh as a percentage of GNI.<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54" title=""><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<div class="thumb tleft">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:USSRONALDREAGANgoodshot.jpg" class="image" title="The USS Ronald Reagan supercarrier"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/USSRONALDREAGANgoodshot.jpg/180px-USSRONALDREAGANgoodshot.jpg" width="180" height="117" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
<div class="thumbcaption">
<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:USSRONALDREAGANgoodshot.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
The <a href="/wiki/USS_Ronald_Reagan_(CVN-76)" title="USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)">USS <i>Ronald Reagan</i></a> <a href="/wiki/Supercarrier" title="Supercarrier">supercarrier</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>The president holds the title of commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces and appoints its leaders, the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Defense" title="United States Secretary of Defense">secretary of defense</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Joint_Chiefs_of_Staff" title="Joint Chiefs of Staff">Joint Chiefs of Staff</a>. The <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Defense" title="United States Department of Defense">United States Department of Defense</a> administers the armed forces, including the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">Army</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">Navy</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">Marine Corps</a>, and <a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">Air Force</a>. The <a href="/wiki/United_States_Coast_Guard" title="United States Coast Guard">Coast Guard</a> is run by the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security" title="United States Department of Homeland Security">Department of Homeland Security</a> in peacetime and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Navy" title="United States Department of the Navy">Department of the Navy</a> in time of war. In 2005, the military had 1.38 million personnel on active duty,<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55" title=""><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></a></sup> along with several hundred thousand each in the <a href="/wiki/Reserve_component_of_the_Armed_Forces_of_the_United_States" title="Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States">Reserves</a> and the <a href="/wiki/National_Guard_of_the_United_States" title="National Guard of the United States">National Guard</a> for a total of <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_total_troops" title="List of countries by number of total troops">2.3 million troops</a>. The Department of Defense also employs about 700,000 civilians, disregarding contractors. Military service is voluntary, though <a href="/wiki/Conscription_in_the_United_States" title="Conscription in the United States">conscription</a> may occur in wartime through the <a href="/wiki/Selective_Service_System" title="Selective Service System">Selective Service System</a>. American forces can be rapidly deployed by the Air Force's large fleet of transport aircraft and aerial refueling tankers, the Navy's fleet of eleven active aircraft carriers, and <a href="/wiki/Marine_Expeditionary_Unit" title="Marine Expeditionary Unit">Marine Expeditionary Units</a> at sea in the Navy's <a href="/wiki/United_States_Fleet_Forces_Command" title="United States Fleet Forces Command">Atlantic and</a> <a href="/wiki/Commander_United_States_Pacific_Fleet" title="Commander United States Pacific Fleet" class="mw-redirect">Pacific fleets</a>. Outside of the United States, the military is <a href="/wiki/Deployments_of_the_United_States_Military" title="Deployments of the United States Military">deployed to 770 bases and facilities</a>, on every continent <a href="/wiki/Military_activity_in_the_Antarctic" title="Military activity in the Antarctic">except Antarctica</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56" title=""><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></a></sup> The extent of this global military presence has prompted scholars to describe the United States as maintaining an "empire of bases."<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57" title=""><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>Total U.S. military spending in 2006, over $528 billion, was 46% of global military spending and greater than the next fourteen largest national military expenditures combined. (In <a href="/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity" title="Purchasing power parity">purchasing power parity</a> terms, it was larger than the next six such expenditures combined.) The per capita spending of $1,756 was about ten times the world average.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58" title=""><span>[</span>59<span>]</span></a></sup> At 4.06% of GDP, U.S. military spending is ranked 27th out of 172 nations.<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59" title=""><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></a></sup> The proposed base <a href="/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States" title="Military budget of the United States">Department of Defense budget</a> for 2009, $515.4 billion, is a 7% increase over 2008 and a nearly 74% increase over 2001.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60" title=""><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></a></sup> The estimated cost of the <a href="/wiki/Iraq_War" title="Iraq War">Iraq War</a> to the United States through 2016 is $2.267 trillion.<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61" title=""><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></a></sup> As of December 12, 2008, the United States had suffered 4,209 military fatalities during the war and almost 31,000 wounded.<sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-62" title=""><span>[</span>63<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Economy" id="Economy"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Economy</span></h2>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main article: <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States" title="Economy of the United States">Economy of the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<table class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="border:1px black; float:right; margin-left:1em;">
<tr>
<th style="background:#F99;" colspan="2">Economic indicators</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Unemployment" title="Unemployment">Unemployment</a></td>
<td>6.7%<sup>November 2008</sup><sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-63" title=""><span>[</span>64<span>]</span></a></sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GDP growth</td>
<td>-0.5%<sup>3Q 2008</sup><br />
2.0%<sup>2007</sup><br />
Growth is expressed as an annualized rate.<sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64" title=""><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Consumer_price_index" title="Consumer price index">CPI</a> inflation</td>
<td>+1.1%<sup>November 2007–November 2008</sup><sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65" title=""><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></a></sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/United_States_public_debt" title="United States public debt">National debt</a> in trillions</td>
<td>Federal $10.554<sup>12 29, 2008</sup><sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66" title=""><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
State and Local Gov. $2.2313<sup>Q3 2008</sup><sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67" title=""><span>[</span>68<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
Total public debt $12.7853<br />
Federal 73.3% of GDP<br />
State and Local Gov. 15.4% of GDP<br />
Total public debt 88.7% of GDP</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States" title="Poverty in the United States">Poverty</a></td>
<td>12.5%<sup>2007</sup><sup id="cite_ref-CBPR08_68-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CBPR08-68" title=""><span>[</span>69<span>]</span></a></sup></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>The United States has a <a href="/wiki/Capitalism" title="Capitalism">capitalist</a> <a href="/wiki/Mixed_economy" title="Mixed economy">mixed economy</a>, which is fueled by abundant <a href="/wiki/Natural_resource" title="Natural resource">natural resources</a>, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity.<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-69" title=""><span>[</span>70<span>]</span></a></sup> According to the <a href="/wiki/International_Monetary_Fund" title="International Monetary Fund">International Monetary Fund</a>, the U.S. GDP of $14.3 trillion constitutes 23% of the <a href="/wiki/Gross_world_product" title="Gross world product">gross world product</a> at market exchange rates and almost 21% of the gross world product at <a href="/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity" title="Purchasing power parity">purchasing power parity</a> (PPP).<sup id="cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IMF_GDP-3" title=""><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> The largest national GDP in the world, it was about 4% less than the combined GDP of the <a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> at PPP in 2007.<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-70" title=""><span>[</span>71<span>]</span></a></sup> The country ranks eighth in the world in <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita" title="List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita">nominal GDP per capita</a> and fourth in <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita" title="List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita">GDP per capita at PPP</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IMF_GDP-3" title=""><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States is the largest importer of goods and third largest exporter, though <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_exports_per_capita" title="List of countries by exports per capita">exports per capita</a> are relatively low. Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany are its top trading partners.<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-71" title=""><span>[</span>72<span>]</span></a></sup> The leading export commodity is electrical machinery, while vehicles constitute the leading import.<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-72" title=""><span>[</span>73<span>]</span></a></sup> After an expansion that lasted just over six years, the U.S. economy has been in <a href="/wiki/Recession" title="Recession">recession</a> since December 2007.<sup id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-73" title=""><span>[</span>74<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>The <a href="/wiki/Private_sector" title="Private sector">private sector</a> constitutes the bulk of the economy, with government activity accounting for 12.4% of GDP. The economy is <a href="/wiki/Post-industrial_society" title="Post-industrial society">postindustrial</a>, with the <a href="/wiki/Tertiary_sector_of_economic_activity" title="Tertiary sector of economic activity" class="mw-redirect">service sector</a> contributing 67.8% of GDP.<sup id="cite_ref-Econ_74-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Econ-74" title=""><span>[</span>75<span>]</span></a></sup> The leading business field by gross business receipts is wholesale and retail trade; by net income it is finance and insurance.<sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-75" title=""><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States remains an industrial power, with chemical products the leading manufacturing field.<sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-76" title=""><span>[</span>77<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States is the third largest producer of oil in the world, as well as its largest importer.<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-77" title=""><span>[</span>78<span>]</span></a></sup> It is the world's number one producer of electrical and nuclear energy, as well as liquid natural gas, sulfur, phosphates, and salt. While <a href="/wiki/Agriculture_in_the_United_States" title="Agriculture in the United States">agriculture</a> accounts for just under 1% of GDP,<sup id="cite_ref-Econ_74-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Econ-74" title=""><span>[</span>75<span>]</span></a></sup> the United States is the world's top producer of corn<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78" title=""><span>[</span>79<span>]</span></a></sup> and soybeans.<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79" title=""><span>[</span>80<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Stock_Exchange" title="New York Stock Exchange">New York Stock Exchange</a> is the world's largest by dollar volume.<sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-80" title=""><span>[</span>81<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Coca-Cola" title="Coca-Cola">Coca-Cola</a> and <a href="/wiki/McDonald%27s" title="McDonald's">McDonald's</a> are the two most recognized brands in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-81" title=""><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Photos_NewYork1_032.jpg" class="image" title="Wall Street is home to the New York Stock Exchange"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Photos_NewYork1_032.jpg/180px-Photos_NewYork1_032.jpg" width="180" height="135" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
<div class="thumbcaption">
<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Photos_NewYork1_032.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
<a href="/wiki/Wall_Street" title="Wall Street">Wall Street</a> is home to the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Stock_Exchange" title="New York Stock Exchange">New York Stock Exchange</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>In 2005, 155 million persons were employed with earnings, of whom 80% had full-time jobs.<sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-82" title=""><span>[</span>83<span>]</span></a></sup> The majority, 79%, were employed in the service sector.<sup id="cite_ref-WF_0-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-WF-0" title=""><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> With about 15.5 million people, health care and social assistance is the leading field of employment.<sup id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-83" title=""><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup> About 12% of workers are <a href="/wiki/Labor_unions_in_the_United_States" title="Labor unions in the United States">unionized</a>, compared to 30% in Western Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-84" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-84" title=""><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></a></sup> The World Bank ranks the United States first in the ease of hiring and firing workers.<sup id="cite_ref-EDBI_85-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-EDBI-85" title=""><span>[</span>86<span>]</span></a></sup> Between 1973 and 2003, a year's work for the average American grew by 199 hours.<sup id="cite_ref-86" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-86" title=""><span>[</span>87<span>]</span></a></sup> Partly as a result, the United States maintains the highest labor productivity in the world. However, it no longer leads in productivity per hour as it did from the 1950s through the early 1990s; workers in Norway, France, Belgium, and <a href="/wiki/Luxembourg" title="Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a> are now more productive per hour.<sup id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-87" title=""><span>[</span>88<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States ranks third in the <a href="/wiki/World_Bank_Group" title="World Bank Group">World Bank's</a> <a href="/wiki/Ease_of_Doing_Business_Index" title="Ease of Doing Business Index">Ease of Doing Business Index</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-EDBI_85-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-EDBI-85" title=""><span>[</span>86<span>]</span></a></sup> Compared to Europe, U.S. property and corporate <a href="/wiki/Taxation_in_the_United_States" title="Taxation in the United States">income tax rates</a> are generally higher, while labor and, particularly, consumption tax rates are lower.<sup id="cite_ref-88" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-88" title=""><span>[</span>89<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Income_and_human_development" id="Income_and_human_development"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Income and human development</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Income_in_the_United_States" title="Income in the United States">Income in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Income_inequality_in_the_United_States" title="Income inequality in the United States">Income inequality in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States" title="Poverty in the United States">Poverty in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Affluence_in_the_United_States" title="Affluence in the United States">Affluence in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
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<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:302px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Income_gains.jpg" class="image" title="Inflation adjusted percentage increase in after-tax household income for the top 1% and four quintiles, between 1979 and 2005 (gains by top 1% are reflected by bottom bar; bottom quintile by top bar)[90]"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Income_gains.jpg/300px-Income_gains.jpg" width="300" height="182" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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Inflation adjusted percentage increase in after-tax household income for the top 1% and four quintiles, between 1979 and 2005 (gains by top 1% are reflected by bottom bar; bottom quintile by top bar)<sup id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-89" title=""><span>[</span>90<span>]</span></a></sup></div>
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<p>According to the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Census_Bureau" title="United States Census Bureau">United States Census Bureau</a>, the pretax <a href="/wiki/Median_household_income" title="Median household income">median household income</a> in 2007 was $50,233. The median ranged from $68,080 in <a href="/wiki/Maryland" title="Maryland">Maryland</a> to $36,338 in <a href="/wiki/Mississippi" title="Mississippi">Mississippi</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-CBPR08_68-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CBPR08-68" title=""><span>[</span>69<span>]</span></a></sup> Using <a href="/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity" title="Purchasing power parity">purchasing power parity</a> exchange rates, the overall median is similar to the most affluent cluster of <a href="/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States#International_comparison" title="Household income in the United States">developed nations</a>. After declining sharply during the middle of the 20th century, <a href="/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States" title="Poverty in the United States">poverty rates</a> have plateaued since the early 1970s, with 11–15% of Americans below the <a href="/wiki/Poverty_threshold" title="Poverty threshold">poverty line</a> every year, and 58.5% spending at least one year in poverty between the ages of 25 and 75.<sup id="cite_ref-USCB_IP.26HIC_2007_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-USCB_IP.26HIC_2007-4" title=""><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-90" title=""><span>[</span>91<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2007, 37.3 million Americans lived in poverty.<sup id="cite_ref-CBPR08_68-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CBPR08-68" title=""><span>[</span>69<span>]</span></a></sup> The U.S. welfare state is now among the most austere in the developed world, reducing both <a href="/wiki/Relative_poverty" title="Relative poverty" class="mw-redirect">relative poverty</a> and <a href="/wiki/Absolute_poverty" title="Absolute poverty" class="mw-redirect">absolute poverty</a> by considerably less than the mean for rich nations.<sup id="cite_ref-Sme_91-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sme-91" title=""><span>[</span>92<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-92" title=""><span>[</span>93<span>]</span></a></sup> While the American welfare state does well in reducing poverty among the elderly,<sup id="cite_ref-93" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-93" title=""><span>[</span>94<span>]</span></a></sup> the young receive relatively little assistance.<sup id="cite_ref-94" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-94" title=""><span>[</span>95<span>]</span></a></sup> A 2007 <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Children%27s_Fund" title="United Nations Children's Fund">UNICEF</a> study of children's well-being in twenty-one industrialized nations ranked the United States next to last.<sup id="cite_ref-95" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-95" title=""><span>[</span>96<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>Despite strong increases in productivity, low unemployment, and low inflation, income gains since 1980 have been slower than in previous decades, less widely shared, and accompanied by increased economic insecurity. Between 1947 and 1979, <a href="/wiki/Real_income" title="Real income">real median income</a> rose by over 80% for all classes, with the incomes of poor Americans rising faster than those of the rich.<sup id="cite_ref-Bar_96-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bar-96" title=""><span>[</span>97<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-97" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-97" title=""><span>[</span>98<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Median_household_income" title="Median household income">Median household income</a> has increased for all classes since 1980,<sup id="cite_ref-98" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-98" title=""><span>[</span>99<span>]</span></a></sup> largely owing to more dual-earner households, the closing of the gender gap, and longer work hours, but growth has been slower and strongly tilted toward the very top (see graph).<sup id="cite_ref-Sme_91-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sme-91" title=""><span>[</span>92<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Bar_96-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bar-96" title=""><span>[</span>97<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-99" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-99" title=""><span>[</span>100<span>]</span></a></sup> Consequently, the share of income of the top 1%—21.8% of total reported income in 2005—has more than doubled since 1980,<sup id="cite_ref-100" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-100" title=""><span>[</span>101<span>]</span></a></sup> leaving the United States with the greatest income inequality among developed nations.<sup id="cite_ref-Sme_91-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sme-91" title=""><span>[</span>92<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-101" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-101" title=""><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup> The top 1% pays 27.6% of all federal taxes; the top 10% pays 54.7%.<sup id="cite_ref-102" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-102" title=""><span>[</span>103<span>]</span></a></sup> Wealth, like income, is highly concentrated: The richest 10% of the adult population possesses 69.8% of the country's household wealth, the second-highest share among developed nations.<sup id="cite_ref-103" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-103" title=""><span>[</span>104<span>]</span></a></sup> The top 1% possesses 33.4% of net wealth.<sup id="cite_ref-104" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-104" title=""><span>[</span>105<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Science_and_technology" id="Science_and_technology"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Science and technology</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Science_and_technology_in_the_United_States" title="Science and technology in the United States">Science and technology in the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Technological_and_industrial_history_of_the_United_States" title="Technological and industrial history of the United States">Technological and industrial history of the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Buzz_salutes_the_U.S._Flag.jpg" class="image" title="Astronaut Buzz Aldrin during the first human landing on the Moon, 1969"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Buzz_salutes_the_U.S._Flag.jpg/180px-Buzz_salutes_the_U.S._Flag.jpg" width="180" height="180" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Buzz_salutes_the_U.S._Flag.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
Astronaut <a href="/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin" title="Buzz Aldrin">Buzz Aldrin</a> during the first human <a href="/wiki/Moon_landing" title="Moon landing">landing on the Moon</a>, 1969</div>
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<p>The United States has been a leader in scientific research and technological innovation since the late 19th century. In 1876, <a href="/wiki/Alexander_Graham_Bell" title="Alexander Graham Bell">Alexander Graham Bell</a> was awarded the first U.S. <a href="/wiki/Invention_of_the_telephone" title="Invention of the telephone">patent for the telephone</a>. <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Edison" title="Thomas Edison">Thomas Edison</a>'s laboratory developed the <a href="/wiki/Phonograph" title="Phonograph">phonograph</a>, the first <a href="/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb" title="Incandescent light bulb">long-lasting light bulb</a>, and the first viable <a href="/wiki/Kinetoscope" title="Kinetoscope">movie camera</a>. <a href="/wiki/Nikola_Tesla" title="Nikola Tesla">Nikola Tesla</a> pioneered <a href="/wiki/Alternating_current" title="Alternating current">alternating current</a>, the <a href="/wiki/AC_motor" title="AC motor">AC motor</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Radio" title="Radio">radio</a>. In the early 20th century, the automobile companies of <a href="/wiki/Ransom_E._Olds" title="Ransom E. Olds">Ransom E. Olds</a> and <a href="/wiki/Henry_Ford" title="Henry Ford">Henry Ford</a> promoted the <a href="/wiki/Assembly_line" title="Assembly line">assembly line</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Wright_brothers" title="Wright brothers">Wright brothers</a>, in 1903, made the <a href="/wiki/First_flying_machine" title="First flying machine">first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-105" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-105" title=""><span>[</span>106<span>]</span></a></sup> The rise of <a href="/wiki/Nazism" title="Nazism">Nazism</a> in the 1930s led many European scientists, including <a href="/wiki/Albert_Einstein" title="Albert Einstein">Albert Einstein</a> and <a href="/wiki/Enrico_Fermi" title="Enrico Fermi">Enrico Fermi</a>, to immigrate to the United States. During World War II, the <a href="/wiki/Manhattan_Project" title="Manhattan Project">Manhattan Project</a> developed nuclear weapons, ushering in the <a href="/wiki/Atomic_Age" title="Atomic Age">Atomic Age</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Space_Race" title="Space Race">Space Race</a> produced rapid advances in rocketry, <a href="/wiki/Materials_science" title="Materials science">materials science</a>, and computers. The United States largely developed the <a href="/wiki/ARPANET" title="ARPANET">ARPANET</a> and its successor, the <a href="/wiki/Internet" title="Internet">Internet</a>. Today, the bulk of research and development funding, 64%, comes from the private sector.<sup id="cite_ref-106" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-106" title=""><span>[</span>107<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States leads the world in scientific research papers and <a href="/wiki/Impact_factor" title="Impact factor">impact factor</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-107" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-107" title=""><span>[</span>108<span>]</span></a></sup> Americans possess high levels of technological consumer goods,<sup id="cite_ref-108" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-108" title=""><span>[</span>109<span>]</span></a></sup> and almost half of U.S. households have <a href="/wiki/Broadband_Internet_access" title="Broadband Internet access">broadband Internet access</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-109" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-109" title=""><span>[</span>110<span>]</span></a></sup> The country is the primary developer and grower of <a href="/wiki/Genetically_modified_food" title="Genetically modified food">genetically modified food</a>; more than half of the world's land planted with biotech crops is in the United States.<sup id="cite_ref-110" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-110" title=""><span>[</span>111<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Transportation" id="Transportation"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Transportation</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main article: <a href="/wiki/Transportation_in_the_United_States" title="Transportation in the United States">Transportation in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:I-80_Eastshore_Fwy.jpg" class="image" title="Interstate 80, the second-longest U.S. Interstate highway, runs from California to New Jersey"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/I-80_Eastshore_Fwy.jpg/180px-I-80_Eastshore_Fwy.jpg" width="180" height="130" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<a href="/wiki/Interstate_80" title="Interstate 80">Interstate 80</a>, the second-longest U.S. <a href="/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System" title="Interstate Highway System">Interstate highway</a>, runs from <a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a> to <a href="/wiki/New_Jersey" title="New Jersey">New Jersey</a></div>
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<p>As of 2003, there were 759 automobiles per 1,000 Americans, compared to 472 per 1,000 inhabitants of the European Union the following year.<sup id="cite_ref-111" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-111" title=""><span>[</span>112<span>]</span></a></sup> About 40% of <a href="/wiki/Passenger_vehicles_in_the_United_States" title="Passenger vehicles in the United States">personal vehicles</a> are vans, <a href="/wiki/Sport_utility_vehicle" title="Sport utility vehicle">SUVs</a>, or light trucks.<sup id="cite_ref-112" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-112" title=""><span>[</span>113<span>]</span></a></sup> The average American adult (accounting for all drivers and nondrivers) spends 55 minutes driving every day, traveling 29 miles (47 km).<sup id="cite_ref-113" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-113" title=""><span>[</span>114<span>]</span></a></sup> The U.S. intercity passenger rail system is relatively weak.<sup id="cite_ref-114" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-114" title=""><span>[</span>115<span>]</span></a></sup> Only 9% of total U.S. work trips use <a href="/wiki/Public_transport" title="Public transport">mass transit</a>, compared to 38.8% in Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-115" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-115" title=""><span>[</span>116<span>]</span></a></sup> Bicycle usage is minimal, well below European levels.<sup id="cite_ref-116" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-116" title=""><span>[</span>117<span>]</span></a></sup> The civil airline industry is entirely privatized, while most major airports are publicly owned. The five largest airlines in the world by passengers carried are American; <a href="/wiki/American_Airlines" title="American Airlines">American Airlines</a> is number one.<sup id="cite_ref-117" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-117" title=""><span>[</span>118<span>]</span></a></sup> Of the world's thirty busiest passenger airports, sixteen are in the United States, including the busiest, <a href="/wiki/Hartsfield-Jackson_Atlanta_International_Airport" title="Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport">Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport</a> (ATL).<sup id="cite_ref-118" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-118" title=""><span>[</span>119<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Energy" id="Energy"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Energy</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Energy_use_in_the_United_States" title="Energy use in the United States" class="mw-redirect">Energy use in the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Energy_policy_of_the_United_States" title="Energy policy of the United States">Energy policy of the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>The United States energy market is 29,000 <a href="/wiki/Terawatt" title="Terawatt" class="mw-redirect">terawatt</a> hours per year. <a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_energy_consumption_per_capita" title="List of countries by energy consumption per capita">Energy consumption per capita</a> is 7.8 tons of oil equivalent per year, compared to Germany's 4.2 tons and Canada's 8.3 tons. In 2005, 40% of this energy came from petroleum, 23% from coal, and 22% from natural gas. The remainder was supplied by nuclear power and <a href="/wiki/Renewable_energy" title="Renewable energy">renewable energy</a> sources.<sup id="cite_ref-119" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-119" title=""><span>[</span>120<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States is the world's largest consumer of petroleum.<sup id="cite_ref-120" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-120" title=""><span>[</span>121<span>]</span></a></sup> For decades, nuclear power has played a limited role relative to many other developed countries. Recently, applications for new nuclear plants have been filed.<sup id="cite_ref-121" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-121" title=""><span>[</span>122<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Demographics" id="Demographics"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Demographics</span></h2>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States" title="Demographics of the United States">Demographics of the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Immigration_to_the_United_States" title="Immigration to the United States">Immigration to the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County-1396x955.png" class="image" title="Largest ancestry groups by county, 2000"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County-1396x955.png/180px-Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County-1396x955.png" width="180" height="123" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County-1396x955.png" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
Largest ancestry groups by county, 2000</div>
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<p>The United States population is projected by the U.S. Census Bureau to be 306,078,000,<sup id="cite_ref-POP_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-POP-1" title=""><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> including an estimated 11.2 million <a href="/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_the_United_States" title="Illegal immigration to the United States">illegal immigrants</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-122" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-122" title=""><span>[</span>123<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States is the third most populous nation in the world, after China and India. Its <a href="/wiki/Population_growth" title="Population growth">population growth</a> rate is 0.89%,<sup id="cite_ref-WF_0-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-WF-0" title=""><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> compared to the European Union's 0.16%.<sup id="cite_ref-123" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-123" title=""><span>[</span>124<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Birth_rate" title="Birth rate">birth rate</a> of 14.16 per 1,000, 30% below the world average, is higher than any European country's except <a href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</a> and <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-124" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-124" title=""><span>[</span>125<span>]</span></a></sup> In fiscal year 2007, 1.05 million immigrants were granted <a href="/wiki/United_States_Permanent_Resident_Card" title="United States Permanent Resident Card" class="mw-redirect">legal residence</a>. Mexico has been the leading source of new residents for over two decades; since 1998, China, India, and the Philippines have been in the top four sending countries every year.<sup id="cite_ref-125" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-125" title=""><span>[</span>126<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States is the only industrialized nation in which large population increases are projected.<sup id="cite_ref-PRC_126-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PRC-126" title=""><span>[</span>127<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>The United States has a very <a href="/wiki/Multiethnic_society" title="Multiethnic society">diverse population</a>—thirty-one <a href="/wiki/Maps_of_American_ancestries" title="Maps of American ancestries">ancestry groups</a> have more than a million members.<sup id="cite_ref-An2000_127-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-An2000-127" title=""><span>[</span>128<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/White_Americans" title="White Americans" class="mw-redirect">White Americans</a> are the largest <a href="/wiki/Racial_group" title="Racial group" class="mw-redirect">racial group</a>, with <a href="/wiki/German_American" title="German American">German Americans</a>, <a href="/wiki/Irish_American" title="Irish American">Irish Americans</a>, and <a href="/wiki/English_American" title="English American">English Americans</a> constituting three of the country's four largest ancestry groups.<sup id="cite_ref-An2000_127-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-An2000-127" title=""><span>[</span>128<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/African_American" title="African American">African Americans</a> are the nation's largest <a href="/wiki/Minority_group" title="Minority group">racial minority</a> and third largest ancestry group.<sup id="cite_ref-Cen2007_128-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cen2007-128" title=""><span>[</span>129<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-An2000_127-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-An2000-127" title=""><span>[</span>128<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Asian_American" title="Asian American">Asian Americans</a> are the country's second largest racial minority; the two largest Asian American ancestry groups are <a href="/wiki/Chinese_American" title="Chinese American">Chinese</a> and <a href="/wiki/Filipino_American" title="Filipino American">Filipino</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-An2000_127-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-An2000-127" title=""><span>[</span>128<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2007, the U.S. population included an estimated 4.5 million people with some <a href="/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States" title="Native Americans in the United States">American Indian</a> or <a href="/wiki/Alaska_Native" title="Alaska Native" class="mw-redirect">Alaskan native</a> ancestry (2.9 million exclusively of such ancestry) and over 1 million with some <a href="/wiki/Native_Hawaiians" title="Native Hawaiians">native Hawaiian</a> or <a href="/wiki/Pacific_Islander" title="Pacific Islander">Pacific island</a> ancestry (0.5 million exclusively).<sup id="cite_ref-Cen2007_128-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cen2007-128" title=""><span>[</span>129<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Minority_129-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Minority-129" title=""><span>[</span>130<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<div style="font-size: 90%">
<table class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="border:1px black; float:right; margin-left:1em;">
<tr>
<th style="background:#F99;" colspan="2">Race/Ethnicity (2007)<sup id="cite_ref-Cen2007_128-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cen2007-128" title=""><span>[</span>129<span>]</span></a></sup></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/White_American" title="White American">White</a></td>
<td>80.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/African_American" title="African American">African American</a></td>
<td>12.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Asian_American" title="Asian American">Asian</a></td>
<td>4.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States" title="Native Americans in the United States">Native American and Alaskan Native</a></td>
<td>1.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Native_Hawaiians" title="Native Hawaiians">Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander</a></td>
<td>0.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Multiracial" title="Multiracial">Multiracial</a></td>
<td>1.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans" title="Hispanic and Latino Americans">Hispanic or Latino</a> (<i>of any race</i>)</td>
<td>15.1%</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p>The population growth of <a href="/wiki/Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans" title="Hispanic and Latino Americans">Hispanic and Latino Americans</a> (the terms are officially interchangeable) is a major <a href="/wiki/Demographic_transition" title="Demographic transition">demographic trend</a>. There are 45.4 million Americans of Hispanic descent as of 2007, an increase of 28.7% since 2000.<sup id="cite_ref-130" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-130" title=""><span>[</span>131<span>]</span></a></sup> 64% of Hispanic Americans are of <a href="/wiki/Mexican_American" title="Mexican American">Mexican descent</a>; <a href="/wiki/Puerto_Rican" title="Puerto Rican">Puerto Ricans</a>, <a href="/wiki/Spanish_American" title="Spanish American">Spanish Americans</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Cuban_American" title="Cuban American">Cuban Americans</a> are also among the largest Hispanic ancestry groups.<sup id="cite_ref-CB2007_131-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CB2007-131" title=""><span>[</span>132<span>]</span></a></sup> Between 2000 and 2007, the country's Hispanic population increased 27% while the non-Hispanic population rose just 3.6%.<sup id="cite_ref-Cen2007_128-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cen2007-128" title=""><span>[</span>129<span>]</span></a></sup> Much of this growth is from immigration; as of 2006, 12.1% of the U.S. population was foreign-born, with 54% of that figure born in <a href="/wiki/Latin_America" title="Latin America">Latin America</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-132" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-132" title=""><span>[</span>133<span>]</span></a></sup> Fertility is also a factor; the average Hispanic woman gives birth to three children in her lifetime. The comparable fertility rate is 2.2 for non-Hispanic black women and 1.8 for non-Hispanic white women (below the <a href="/wiki/Total_fertility_rate#Replacement_rates" title="Total fertility rate">replacement rate</a> of 2.1).<sup id="cite_ref-PRC_126-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PRC-126" title=""><span>[</span>127<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a href="/wiki/Minorities" title="Minorities" class="mw-redirect">Minorities</a> (as defined by the Census Bureau, all those beside non-Hispanic, non-multiracial whites) constitute 34% of the population; they are projected to be the majority by 2042.<sup id="cite_ref-133" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-133" title=""><span>[</span>134<span>]</span></a></sup> However, White Americans overall (non-Hispanic Whites together with <a href="/wiki/White_Hispanics" title="White Hispanics" class="mw-redirect">White Hispanics</a>) are projected to remain the racial majority at 73.1% (or 303 million out of 420 million) in 2050.<sup id="cite_ref-projection_134-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-projection-134" title=""><span>[</span>135<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-135" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-135" title=""><span>[</span>136<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>About 79% of Americans live in <a href="/wiki/United_States_urban_area" title="United States urban area" class="mw-redirect">urban areas</a> (as defined by the Census Bureau, such areas include the <a href="/wiki/Suburb" title="Suburb">suburbs</a>); about half of those reside in cities with populations over 50,000.<sup id="cite_ref-136" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-136" title=""><span>[</span>137<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2006, 254 <a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population" title="List of United States cities by population">incorporated places</a> had populations over 100,000, nine cities had more than 1 million residents, and four <a href="/wiki/Global_city" title="Global city">global cities</a> had over 2 million (New York City, <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles,_California" title="Los Angeles, California" class="mw-redirect">Los Angeles</a>, Chicago, and <a href="/wiki/Houston,_Texas" title="Houston, Texas" class="mw-redirect">Houston</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-PopEstBigCities_137-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PopEstBigCities-137" title=""><span>[</span>138<span>]</span></a></sup> There are fifty <a href="/wiki/Table_of_United_States_Metropolitan_Statistical_Areas" title="Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas">metropolitan areas</a> with populations greater than 1 million.<sup id="cite_ref-PopEstMSA_138-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PopEstMSA-138" title=""><span>[</span>139<span>]</span></a></sup> Of the fifty fastest-growing metro areas, twenty-three are in the West and twenty-five in the South. The metro areas of <a href="/wiki/Atlanta,_Georgia" title="Atlanta, Georgia" class="mw-redirect">Atlanta</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dallas,_Texas" title="Dallas, Texas" class="mw-redirect">Dallas</a>, <a href="/wiki/Houston,_Texas" title="Houston, Texas" class="mw-redirect">Houston</a>, <a href="/wiki/Phoenix,_Arizona" title="Phoenix, Arizona">Phoenix</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Riverside,_California" title="Riverside, California">Riverside</a> all grew by more than three-quarters of a million people between 2000 and 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-139" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-139" title=""><span>[</span>140<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<table class="infobox" style="text-align:center; width:97%; margin-right:10px; font-size:90%">
<tr>
<th align="center" style="background:#FF9999;" colspan="9">Leading population centers</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population" title="List of United States cities by population">Rank</a></th>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;">Core city</th>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;"><a href="/wiki/U.S._state" title="U.S. state">State</a></th>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;">Pop.<small><sup id="cite_ref-PopEstBigCities_137-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PopEstBigCities-137" title=""><span>[</span>138<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-140" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-140" title=""><span>[</span>141<span>]</span></a></sup></small></th>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;"><a href="/wiki/Table_of_United_States_Metropolitan_Statistical_Areas" title="Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas">Metro area rank</a></th>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;">Metro area pop.<small><sup id="cite_ref-PopEstMSA_138-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PopEstMSA-138" title=""><span>[</span>139<span>]</span></a></sup></small></th>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;">Region<small><sup id="cite_ref-141" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-141" title=""><span>[</span>142<span>]</span></a></sup></small></th>
<th align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;"></th>
<th rowspan="11"><br />
<a href="/wiki/File:NYC_wideangle_south_from_Top_of_the_Rock.jpg" class="image" title="New York City"><img alt="New York City" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/NYC_wideangle_south_from_Top_of_the_Rock.jpg/135px-NYC_wideangle_south_from_Top_of_the_Rock.jpg" width="135" height="95" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a><br />
<a href="/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/File:LosAngeles05.jpg" class="image" title="Los Angeles"><img alt="Los Angeles" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/LosAngeles05.jpg/135px-LosAngeles05.jpg" width="135" height="90" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles" title="Los Angeles">Los Angeles</a></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">1</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/New_York" title="New York">New York</a></td>
<td>8,250,567</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>18,818,536</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Northeastern_United_States" title="Northeastern United States">Northeast</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">2</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles" title="Los Angeles">Los Angeles</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a></td>
<td>3,849,378</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>12,950,129</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Western_United_States" title="Western United States">West</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">3</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/Chicago" title="Chicago">Chicago</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Illinois" title="Illinois">Illinois</a></td>
<td>2,833,321</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>9,505,748</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Midwestern_United_States" title="Midwestern United States">Midwest</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">4</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/Houston" title="Houston">Houston</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a></td>
<td>2,169,248</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>5,539,949</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Southern_United_States" title="Southern United States">South</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">5</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/Phoenix,_Arizona" title="Phoenix, Arizona">Phoenix</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Arizona" title="Arizona">Arizona</a></td>
<td>1,512,986</td>
<td>13</td>
<td>4,039,182</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Western_United_States" title="Western United States">West</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">6</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Pennsylvania" title="Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania</a></td>
<td>1,448,394</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>5,826,742</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Northeastern_United_States" title="Northeastern United States">Northeast</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">7</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/San_Antonio,_Texas" title="San Antonio, Texas" class="mw-redirect">San Antonio</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a></td>
<td>1,296,682</td>
<td>29</td>
<td>1,942,217</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Southern_United_States" title="Southern United States">South</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">8</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/San_Diego,_California" title="San Diego, California" class="mw-redirect">San Diego</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a></td>
<td>1,256,951</td>
<td>17</td>
<td>2,941,454</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Western_United_States" title="Western United States">West</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">9</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/Dallas" title="Dallas">Dallas</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a></td>
<td>1,232,940</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>6,003,967</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Southern_United_States" title="Southern United States">South</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;">10</td>
<td align="left"><b><a href="/wiki/San_Jose,_California" title="San Jose, California">San Jose</a></b></td>
<td><a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a></td>
<td>929,936</td>
<td>30</td>
<td>1,787,123</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/Western_United_States" title="Western United States">West</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="11" align="center" style="background:#f5f5f5;">2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimates</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a name="Language" id="Language"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Language</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States" title="Languages of the United States">Languages of the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Language_Spoken_at_Home_(U.S._Census)" title="Language Spoken at Home (U.S. Census)">Language Spoken at Home (U.S. Census)</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<div style="font-size: 90%">
<table class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="border:1px black; float:right; margin-left:1em;">
<tr>
<th style="background:#F99;" colspan="2">Languages (2005)<sup id="cite_ref-USCB_Lang_142-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-USCB_Lang-142" title=""><span>[</span>143<span>]</span></a></sup></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>English (<i>only</i>)</td>
<td>216.2 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Spanish, incl. <a href="/wiki/Spanish-based_creole_languages" title="Spanish-based creole languages">Creole</a></td>
<td>32.2 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chinese</td>
<td>2.3 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>French, incl. <a href="/wiki/French-based_creole_languages" title="French-based creole languages">Creole</a></td>
<td>1.9 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Tagalog_language" title="Tagalog language">Tagalog</a></td>
<td>1.4 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/wiki/Vietnamese_language" title="Vietnamese language">Vietnamese</a></td>
<td>1.1 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>German</td>
<td>1.1 million</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p><a href="/wiki/American_English" title="American English">English</a> is the de facto <a href="/wiki/National_language" title="National language">national language</a>. Although there is no <a href="/wiki/Official_language" title="Official language">official language</a> at the federal level, some laws—such as <a href="/wiki/United_States_nationality_law#Naturalization" title="United States nationality law">U.S. naturalization requirements</a>—standardize English. In 2005, about 216 million, or 81% of the population aged five years and older, spoke only English at home. <a href="/wiki/Spanish_in_the_United_States" title="Spanish in the United States">Spanish</a>, spoken by 12% of the population at home, is the second most common language and the most widely taught foreign language.<sup id="cite_ref-USCB_Lang_142-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-USCB_Lang-142" title=""><span>[</span>143<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-143" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-143" title=""><span>[</span>144<span>]</span></a></sup> Some Americans advocate making English the country's official language, as it is in at least twenty-eight states.<sup id="cite_ref-144" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-144" title=""><span>[</span>145<span>]</span></a></sup> Both <a href="/wiki/Hawaiian_language" title="Hawaiian language">Hawaiian</a> and English are official languages in Hawaii by state law.<sup id="cite_ref-145" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-145" title=""><span>[</span>146<span>]</span></a></sup> While neither has an official language, <a href="/wiki/New_Mexico" title="New Mexico">New Mexico</a> has laws providing for the use of both English and Spanish, as <a href="/wiki/Louisiana" title="Louisiana">Louisiana</a> does for English and French.<sup id="cite_ref-146" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-146" title=""><span>[</span>147<span>]</span></a></sup> Other states, such as <a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a>, mandate the publication of Spanish versions of certain government documents including court forms.<sup id="cite_ref-147" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-147" title=""><span>[</span>148<span>]</span></a></sup> Several insular territories grant official recognition to their native languages, along with English: <a href="/wiki/Samoan_language" title="Samoan language">Samoan</a> and <a href="/wiki/Chamorro_language" title="Chamorro language">Chamorro</a> are recognized by Samoa and Guam, respectively; <a href="/wiki/Carolinian_language" title="Carolinian language">Carolinian</a> and Chamorro are recognized by the Northern Mariana Islands; Spanish is an official language of Puerto Rico.</p>
<p><a name="Religion" id="Religion"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Religion</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_States" title="Religion in the United States">Religion in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/History_of_religion_in_the_United_States" title="History of religion in the United States">History of religion in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_the_United_States" title="Freedom of religion in the United States">Freedom of religion in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States" title="Separation of church and state in the United States">Separation of church and state in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/List_of_religious_movements_that_began_in_the_United_States" title="List of religious movements that began in the United States">List of religious movements that began in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Pisgah.jpg" class="image" title="A Protestant church. Around 80% of Americans are Christian.[149]"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Pisgah.jpg/180px-Pisgah.jpg" width="180" height="135" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
<div class="thumbcaption">
<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Pisgah.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
A <a href="/wiki/Protestant" title="Protestant" class="mw-redirect">Protestant</a> <a href="/wiki/Church" title="Church">church</a>. Around 80% of Americans are <a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christian</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Pew_148-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pew-148" title=""><span>[</span>149<span>]</span></a></sup></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>The United States is an officially <a href="/wiki/Secular_state" title="Secular state">secular nation</a>; the <a href="/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="First Amendment to the United States Constitution">First Amendment</a> of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the <a href="/wiki/Establishment_of_religion" title="Establishment of religion" class="mw-redirect">free exercise of religion</a> and forbids the establishment of any religious governance. In a 2002 study, 59% of Americans said that religion played a "very important role in their lives," a far higher figure than that of any other wealthy nation.<sup id="cite_ref-149" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-149" title=""><span>[</span>150<span>]</span></a></sup> According to a 2007 survey, 78.4% of adults identified themselves as <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_the_United_States" title="Christianity in the United States">Christian</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Pew_148-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pew-148" title=""><span>[</span>149<span>]</span></a></sup> down from 86.4% in 1990.<sup id="cite_ref-ARIS_150-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ARIS-150" title=""><span>[</span>151<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Protestantism" title="Protestantism">Protestant</a> denominations accounted for 51.3%, while <a href="/wiki/Roman_Catholicism_in_the_United_States" title="Roman Catholicism in the United States">Roman Catholicism</a>, at 23.9%, was the largest individual denomination. The study categorizes white <a href="/wiki/Evangelicalism" title="Evangelicalism">evangelicals</a>, 26.3% of the population, as the country's largest religious cohort;<sup id="cite_ref-Pew_148-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pew-148" title=""><span>[</span>149<span>]</span></a></sup> another study estimates evangelicals of all races at 30–35%.<sup id="cite_ref-151" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-151" title=""><span>[</span>152<span>]</span></a></sup> The total reporting non-Christian religions in 2007 was 4.7%, up from 3.3% in 1990.<sup id="cite_ref-ARIS_150-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ARIS-150" title=""><span>[</span>151<span>]</span></a></sup> The leading non-Christian faiths were <a href="/wiki/American_Jews" title="American Jews">Judaism</a> (1.7%), <a href="/wiki/Buddhism_in_the_United_States" title="Buddhism in the United States">Buddhism</a> (0.7%), <a href="/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States" title="Islam in the United States">Islam</a> (0.6%), <a href="/wiki/Hinduism_in_the_United_States" title="Hinduism in the United States">Hinduism</a> (0.4%), and <a href="/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism" title="Unitarian Universalism">Unitarian Universalism</a> (0.3%).<sup id="cite_ref-Pew_148-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pew-148" title=""><span>[</span>149<span>]</span></a></sup> From 8.2% in 1990,<sup id="cite_ref-ARIS_150-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ARIS-150" title=""><span>[</span>151<span>]</span></a></sup> 16.1% in 2007 described themselves as <a href="/wiki/Agnosticism" title="Agnosticism">agnostic</a>, <a href="/wiki/Atheism" title="Atheism">atheist</a>, or simply having <a href="/wiki/Irreligion" title="Irreligion">no religion</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Pew_148-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pew-148" title=""><span>[</span>149<span>]</span></a></sup> still significantly less than in other postindustrial countries such as Britain (2005: 44%) and Sweden (2005: 85%).<sup id="cite_ref-152" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-152" title=""><span>[</span>153<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Education" id="Education"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Education</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States" title="Education in the United States">Education in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_United_States" title="Educational attainment in the United States">Educational attainment in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Higher_education_in_the_United_States" title="Higher education in the United States">Higher education in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
</dl>
<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:UVA_Rotunda.jpg" class="image" title="The University of Virginia, designed by Thomas Jefferson, a UNESCO World Heritage Site"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/UVA_Rotunda.jpg/180px-UVA_Rotunda.jpg" width="180" height="120" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
<div class="thumbcaption">
<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:UVA_Rotunda.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
The <a href="/wiki/University_of_Virginia" title="University of Virginia">University of Virginia</a>, designed by <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson" title="Thomas Jefferson">Thomas Jefferson</a>, a <a href="/wiki/UNESCO" title="UNESCO">UNESCO</a> <a href="/wiki/World_Heritage_Site" title="World Heritage Site">World Heritage Site</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>American <a href="/wiki/Public_education" title="Public education">public education</a> is operated by state and local governments, regulated by the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Education" title="United States Department of Education">United States Department of Education</a> through restrictions on federal grants. Children are required in most states to attend school from the age of six or seven (generally, <a href="/wiki/Kindergarten" title="Kindergarten">kindergarten</a> or <a href="/wiki/First_grade" title="First grade">first grade</a>) until they turn eighteen (generally bringing them through <a href="/wiki/Twelfth_grade" title="Twelfth grade">twelfth grade</a>, the end of <a href="/wiki/High_school" title="High school">high school</a>); some states allow students to leave school at sixteen or seventeen.<sup id="cite_ref-153" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-153" title=""><span>[</span>154<span>]</span></a></sup> About 12% of children are enrolled in <a href="/wiki/Parochial_school" title="Parochial school">parochial</a> or <a href="/wiki/Nonsectarian" title="Nonsectarian">nonsectarian</a> <a href="/wiki/Private_school" title="Private school">private schools</a>. Just over 2% of children are <a href="/wiki/Homeschooling" title="Homeschooling">homeschooled</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-154" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-154" title=""><span>[</span>155<span>]</span></a></sup> The United States has many competitive private and public <a href="/wiki/List_of_American_institutions_of_higher_education" title="List of American institutions of higher education">institutions of higher education</a>, as well as local <a href="/wiki/Community_college" title="Community college">community colleges</a> with open admission policies. Of Americans twenty-five and older, 84.6% graduated from high school, 52.6% attended some college, 27.2% earned a <a href="/wiki/Bachelor%27s_degree" title="Bachelor's degree">bachelor's degree</a>, and 9.6% earned graduate degrees.<sup id="cite_ref-155" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-155" title=""><span>[</span>156<span>]</span></a></sup> The basic <a href="/wiki/Literacy#United_States" title="Literacy">literacy rate</a> is approximately 99%.<sup id="cite_ref-WF_0-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-WF-0" title=""><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-156" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-156" title=""><span>[</span>157<span>]</span></a></sup> The United Nations assigns the United States an Education Index of 0.97, tying it for 12th in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-157" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-157" title=""><span>[</span>158<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Health" id="Health"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Health</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States" title="Health care in the United States">Health care in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States" title="Health care reform in the United States">Health care reform in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Health_insurance_in_the_United_States" title="Health insurance in the United States">Health insurance in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
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<p>The United States <a href="/wiki/Life_expectancy" title="Life expectancy">life expectancy</a> of 77.8 years at birth<sup id="cite_ref-158" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-158" title=""><span>[</span>159<span>]</span></a></sup> is a year shorter than the overall figure in Western Europe, and three to four years lower than that of Norway, Switzerland, and Canada.<sup id="cite_ref-159" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-159" title=""><span>[</span>160<span>]</span></a></sup> Over the past two decades, the country's rank in life expectancy has dropped from 11th to 42nd in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-160" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-160" title=""><span>[</span>161<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Infant_mortality" title="Infant mortality">infant mortality rate</a> of 6.37 per thousand likewise places the United States 42nd out of 221 countries, behind all of Western Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-161" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-161" title=""><span>[</span>162<span>]</span></a></sup> U.S. cancer survival rates are the highest in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-162" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-162" title=""><span>[</span>163<span>]</span></a></sup> Approximately one-third of the adult population is <a href="/wiki/Obesity" title="Obesity">obese</a> and an additional third is overweight;<sup id="cite_ref-163" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-163" title=""><span>[</span>164<span>]</span></a></sup> the obesity rate, the highest in the industrialized world, has more than doubled in the last quarter-century.<sup id="cite_ref-164" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-164" title=""><span>[</span>165<span>]</span></a></sup> Obesity-related <a href="/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_2" title="Diabetes mellitus type 2">type 2 diabetes</a> is considered <a href="/wiki/Epidemic" title="Epidemic">epidemic</a> by health care professionals.<sup id="cite_ref-165" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-165" title=""><span>[</span>166<span>]</span></a></sup> The U.S. adolescent pregnancy rate, 79.8 per 1,000 women, is nearly four times that of France and five times that of Germany.<sup id="cite_ref-166" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-166" title=""><span>[</span>167<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States" title="Abortion in the United States">Abortion</a>, legal on demand, is highly controversial. Many states ban public funding of the procedure and restrict late-term abortions, require parental notification for minors, and mandate a waiting period. While the abortion rate is falling, the abortion ratio of 241 per 1,000 live births and abortion rate of 15 per 1,000 women aged 15–44 remain higher than those of most Western nations.<sup id="cite_ref-167" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-167" title=""><span>[</span>168<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:FlightHoustontoDallas086.jpg" class="image" title="The Texas Medical Center in Houston, the world's largest medical center[169]"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/FlightHoustontoDallas086.jpg/180px-FlightHoustontoDallas086.jpg" width="180" height="120" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:FlightHoustontoDallas086.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
The <a href="/wiki/Texas_Medical_Center" title="Texas Medical Center">Texas Medical Center</a> in <a href="/wiki/Houston,_Texas" title="Houston, Texas" class="mw-redirect">Houston</a>, the world's largest medical center<sup id="cite_ref-168" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-168" title=""><span>[</span>169<span>]</span></a></sup></div>
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<p>The U.S. health care system far outspends any other nation's, measured in both per capita spending and percentage of GDP.<sup id="cite_ref-169" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-169" title=""><span>[</span>170<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/World_Health_Organization" title="World Health Organization">World Health Organization</a> ranked the U.S. health care system in 2000 as first in responsiveness, but 37th in overall performance. The United States is a leader in medical innovation. In 2004, the nonindustrial sector spent three times as much as Europe per capita on biomedical research.<sup id="cite_ref-170" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-170" title=""><span>[</span>171<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>Unlike in all other developed countries, health care coverage in the United States is not <a href="/wiki/Universal_health_care" title="Universal health care">universal</a>, and largely relies on private funding. In 2004, private insurance paid for 36% of personal health expenditures, private out-of-pocket payments covered 15%, and federal, state, and local governments paid for 44%.<sup id="cite_ref-CDC_H_171-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CDC_H-171" title=""><span>[</span>172<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2005, 46.6 million Americans, 15.9% of the population, were uninsured, 5.4 million more than in 2001. The main cause of this decline is the drop in the number of Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance.<sup id="cite_ref-CBPP_172-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CBPP-172" title=""><span>[</span>173<span>]</span></a></sup> The subject of uninsured and underinsured Americans—estimates of which vary widely—is a major political issue.<sup id="cite_ref-173" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-173" title=""><span>[</span>174<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to mandate universal health insurance.<sup id="cite_ref-174" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-174" title=""><span>[</span>175<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Crime_and_law_enforcement" id="Crime_and_law_enforcement"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Crime and law enforcement</span></h3>
<dl>
<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Policing_in_the_United_States" title="Policing in the United States" class="mw-redirect">Policing in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_United_States" title="Law of the United States">Law of the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States" title="Crime in the United States">Crime in the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Prisons_in_the_United_States" title="Prisons in the United States" class="mw-redirect">Prisons in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States" title="Capital punishment in the United States">Capital punishment in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:302px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Homicide_rate_by_country.svg" class="image" title="Homicide rates in selected countries, 2004"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Homicide_rate_by_country.svg/300px-Homicide_rate_by_country.svg.png" width="300" height="165" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<a href="/wiki/List_of_countries_by_homicide_rate" title="List of countries by homicide rate" class="mw-redirect">Homicide rates</a> in selected countries, 2004</div>
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<p>Law enforcement in the United States is primarily the responsibility of local police and <a href="/wiki/Sheriff" title="Sheriff">sheriff</a>'s departments, with <a href="/wiki/State_police" title="State police">state police</a> providing broader services. Federal agencies such as the <a href="/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation" title="Federal Bureau of Investigation">Federal Bureau of Investigation</a> (FBI) and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Marshals_Service" title="United States Marshals Service">U.S. Marshals Service</a> have specialized duties. At the federal level and in almost every state, jurisprudence operates on a <a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">common law</a> system. State courts conduct most criminal trials; <a href="/wiki/United_States_federal_courts" title="United States federal courts">federal courts</a> handle certain designated crimes as well as <a href="/wiki/Appeal" title="Appeal">appeals</a> from state systems.</p>
<p>Among <a href="/wiki/Developed_country" title="Developed country">developed nations</a>, the United States has above-average levels of violent crime and particularly high levels of <a href="/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States" title="Gun violence in the United States">gun violence</a> and <a href="/wiki/Homicide" title="Homicide">homicide</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-175" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-175" title=""><span>[</span>176<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2007, there were 5.6 murders per 100,000 persons,<sup id="cite_ref-Crime_2007_176-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Crime_2007-176" title=""><span>[</span>177<span>]</span></a></sup> three times the rate in neighboring Canada.<sup id="cite_ref-177" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-177" title=""><span>[</span>178<span>]</span></a></sup> The U.S. homicide rate, which decreased by 42% between 1991 and 1999, has been roughly steady since.<sup id="cite_ref-Crime_2007_176-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Crime_2007-176" title=""><span>[</span>177<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Second Amendment to the United States Constitution">Gun ownership rights</a> are the subject of <a href="/wiki/Gun_politics_in_the_United_States" title="Gun politics in the United States">contentious political debate</a>.</p>
<p>The United States has the highest documented <a href="/wiki/Incarceration" title="Incarceration">incarceration</a> rate<sup id="cite_ref-SP_178-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SP-178" title=""><span>[</span>179<span>]</span></a></sup> and total prison population<sup id="cite_ref-179" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-179" title=""><span>[</span>180<span>]</span></a></sup> in the world. At the start of 2008, more than 2.3 million people were incarcerated, more than one in every 100 adults.<sup id="cite_ref-180" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-180" title=""><span>[</span>181<span>]</span></a></sup> The current rate is about seven times the 1980 figure.<sup id="cite_ref-181" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-181" title=""><span>[</span>182<span>]</span></a></sup> African American males are jailed at about six times the rate of white males and three times the rate of Hispanic males.<sup id="cite_ref-SP_178-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SP-178" title=""><span>[</span>179<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2006, the U.S. incarceration rate was over three times the figure in Poland, the <a href="/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Development" title="Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development">Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development</a> (OECD) country with the next highest rate.<sup id="cite_ref-182" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-182" title=""><span>[</span>183<span>]</span></a></sup> The country's high rate of incarceration is largely due to <a href="/wiki/Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines" title="Federal Sentencing Guidelines">sentencing</a> and <a href="/wiki/Drug_policy_of_the_United_States" title="Drug policy of the United States">drug policies</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-SP_178-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SP-178" title=""><span>[</span>179<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-HRW_183-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-HRW-183" title=""><span>[</span>184<span>]</span></a></sup> Though it has been abolished in most Western nations, <a href="/wiki/Capital_punishment" title="Capital punishment">capital punishment</a> is sanctioned in the United States for certain federal and military crimes, and in thirty-seven states. Since 1976, when the U.S. Supreme Court <a href="/wiki/Gregg_v._Georgia" title="Gregg v. Georgia">reinstated the death penalty</a> after a four-year moratorium, there have been over 1,000 executions.<sup id="cite_ref-184" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-184" title=""><span>[</span>185<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2006, the country had the sixth highest number of executions in the world, following China, Iran, <a href="/wiki/Pakistan" title="Pakistan">Pakistan</a>, Iraq, and <a href="/wiki/Sudan" title="Sudan">Sudan</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-185" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-185" title=""><span>[</span>186<span>]</span></a></sup> In December 2007, <a href="/wiki/New_Jersey" title="New Jersey">New Jersey</a> became the first state to abolish the death penalty since the 1976 Supreme Court decision.</p>
<p><a name="Culture" id="Culture"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Culture</span></h2>
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<dd>
<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Culture_of_the_United_States" title="Culture of the United States">Culture of the United States</a> and <a href="/wiki/Social_class_in_the_United_States" title="Social class in the United States">Social class in the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Motherhood_and_apple_pie.jpg" class="image" title="American cultural icons: apple pie, baseball, and the American flag"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Motherhood_and_apple_pie.jpg/180px-Motherhood_and_apple_pie.jpg" width="180" height="120" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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<div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Motherhood_and_apple_pie.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt="" /></a></div>
American cultural icons: <a href="/wiki/Apple_pie" title="Apple pie">apple pie</a>, <a href="/wiki/Baseball" title="Baseball">baseball</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States" title="Flag of the United States">American flag</a></div>
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<p>The United States is a <a href="/wiki/Multicultural" title="Multicultural" class="mw-redirect">multicultural</a> nation, home to a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values.<sup id="cite_ref-DD_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DD-6" title=""><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Society_in_Focus_186-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Society_in_Focus-186" title=""><span>[</span>187<span>]</span></a></sup> There is no "American" ethnicity; aside from the now small <a href="/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States" title="Native Americans in the United States">Native American</a> and <a href="/wiki/Native_Hawaiians" title="Native Hawaiians">Native Hawaiian</a> populations, nearly all Americans or their ancestors immigrated within the past five centuries.<sup id="cite_ref-187" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-187" title=""><span>[</span>188<span>]</span></a></sup> The culture held in common by most Americans is referred to as mainstream American culture, a <a href="/wiki/Western_culture" title="Western culture">Western culture</a> largely derived from the traditions of <a href="/wiki/Western_Europe" title="Western Europe">Western European</a> migrants, beginning with the early <a href="/wiki/English_American" title="English American">English</a> and <a href="/wiki/Dutch_American" title="Dutch American">Dutch</a> settlers. <a href="/wiki/German_American#German_American_influence" title="German American">German</a>, <a href="/wiki/Irish_American" title="Irish American">Irish</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Scottish_American" title="Scottish American">Scottish</a> cultures have also been very influential.<sup id="cite_ref-DD_6-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DD-6" title=""><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> Certain cultural attributes of <a href="/wiki/Mand%C3%A9_peoples" title="Mandé peoples">Mandé</a> and <a href="/wiki/Wolof_people" title="Wolof people">Wolof</a> slaves from West Africa were adopted by the American mainstream; based more on the traditions of Central African <a href="/wiki/Bantu_peoples" title="Bantu peoples">Bantu</a> slaves, a distinct <a href="/wiki/African_American_culture" title="African American culture">African American culture</a> developed that would also deeply affect the mainstream.<sup id="cite_ref-188" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-188" title=""><span>[</span>189<span>]</span></a></sup> Westward expansion integrated the <a href="/wiki/Louisiana_Creole_people" title="Louisiana Creole people">Creoles</a> and <a href="/wiki/Cajun" title="Cajun">Cajuns</a> of Louisiana and the <a href="/wiki/Hispanos" title="Hispanos">Hispanos</a> of the Southwest and brought close contact with the <a href="/wiki/Culture_of_Mexico" title="Culture of Mexico">culture of Mexico</a>. Large-scale immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries from <a href="/wiki/Southern_Europe" title="Southern Europe">Southern</a> and <a href="/wiki/Eastern_Europe" title="Eastern Europe">Eastern Europe</a> introduced many new cultural elements. More recent immigration from <a href="/wiki/Asian_American" title="Asian American">Asia</a> and especially <a href="/wiki/Latin_American_culture" title="Latin American culture">Latin America</a> has had broad impact. The resulting cultural mix may be described as a homogeneous <a href="/wiki/Melting_pot" title="Melting pot">melting pot</a>, or as a pluralistic <a href="/wiki/Salad_bowl_(cultural_idea)" title="Salad bowl (cultural idea)">salad bowl</a> in which immigrants and their descendants retain distinctive cultural characteristics.<sup id="cite_ref-DD_6-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DD-6" title=""><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>While the mainstream culture holds that the United States is a <a href="/wiki/Classless_society" title="Classless society">classless society</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-189" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-189" title=""><span>[</span>190<span>]</span></a></sup> scholars identify significant differences between the country's social classes, affecting <a href="/wiki/Socialization" title="Socialization">socialization</a>, language, and values.<sup id="cite_ref-190" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-190" title=""><span>[</span>191<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/American_middle_class" title="American middle class">American middle and professional class</a> has initiated many contemporary social trends such as <a href="/wiki/History_of_women_in_the_United_States" title="History of women in the United States">modern feminism</a>, <a href="/wiki/Environmental_movement_in_the_United_States" title="Environmental movement in the United States">environmentalism</a>, and multiculturalism.<sup id="cite_ref-191" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-191" title=""><span>[</span>192<span>]</span></a></sup> Americans' self-images, social viewpoints, and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an unusually close degree.<sup id="cite_ref-192" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-192" title=""><span>[</span>193<span>]</span></a></sup> While Americans tend greatly to value socioeconomic achievement, being <a href="/wiki/Average_Joe" title="Average Joe">ordinary or average</a> is generally seen as a positive attribute.<sup id="cite_ref-193" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-193" title=""><span>[</span>194<span>]</span></a></sup> Though the <a href="/wiki/American_Dream" title="American Dream">American Dream</a>, or the perception that Americans enjoy high <a href="/wiki/Social_mobility" title="Social mobility">social mobility</a>, plays a key role in attracting immigrants, some analysts find that the United States has less social mobility than Western Europe and Canada.<sup id="cite_ref-194" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-194" title=""><span>[</span>195<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>Women now mostly work outside the home and receive a majority of <a href="/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_United_States" title="Educational attainment in the United States">bachelor's degrees</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-195" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-195" title=""><span>[</span>196<span>]</span></a></sup> In 2005, <a href="/wiki/Society_of_the_United_States#Household_arrangements" title="Society of the United States">28% of households</a> were married childless couples, the most common arrangement.<sup id="cite_ref-196" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-196" title=""><span>[</span>197<span>]</span></a></sup> The extension of <a href="/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States" title="Same-sex marriage in the United States">marital rights to homosexuals</a> is contentious—several states permit <a href="/wiki/Civil_union_in_the_United_States" title="Civil union in the United States">civil unions</a> in lieu of marriage. Between 2003 and 2008, the supreme courts of <a href="/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_Massachusetts" title="Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts">Massachusetts</a>, <a href="/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_California" title="Same-sex marriage in California">California</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_Connecticut" title="Same-sex marriage in Connecticut">Connecticut</a> ruled those states' bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. The California ruling was superseded by a state constitutional amendment, approved by voters in November 2008, that defines marriage as between a man and woman. Between 2004 and 2008, voters in <a href="/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_legislation_in_the_United_States_by_state" title="Same-sex marriage legislation in the United States by state">13 other states</a> approved similar constitutional bans on same-sex marriage.</p>
<p><a name="Popular_media" id="Popular_media"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Popular media</span></h3>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Cinema_of_the_United_States" title="Cinema of the United States">Cinema of the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Television_in_the_United_States" title="Television in the United States">Television in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Music_of_the_United_States" title="Music of the United States">Music of the United States</a></i></div>
</dd>
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<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:PB050006.JPG" class="image" title="The Hollywood sign"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/PB050006.JPG/180px-PB050006.JPG" width="180" height="135" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The <a href="/wiki/Hollywood_sign" title="Hollywood sign" class="mw-redirect">Hollywood sign</a></div>
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<p>The world's first commercial motion picture exhibition was given in New York City in 1894, using <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Edison" title="Thomas Edison">Thomas Edison</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Kinetoscope" title="Kinetoscope">Kinetoscope</a>. The next year saw the first commercial screening of a projected film, also in New York, and the United States was in the forefront of <a href="/wiki/Sound_film" title="Sound film">sound film</a>'s development in the following decades. Since the early 20th century, the U.S. film industry has largely been based in and around <a href="/wiki/Hollywood,_Los_Angeles,_California" title="Hollywood, Los Angeles, California">Hollywood, California</a>. Director <a href="/wiki/D._W._Griffith" title="D. W. Griffith">D. W. Griffith</a> was central to the development of <a href="/wiki/Film_grammar" title="Film grammar">film grammar</a> and <a href="/wiki/Orson_Welles" title="Orson Welles">Orson Welles</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/Citizen_Kane" title="Citizen Kane">Citizen Kane</a></i> (1941) is frequently cited as the greatest film of all time.<sup id="cite_ref-197" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-197" title=""><span>[</span>198<span>]</span></a></sup> American screen actors like <a href="/wiki/John_Wayne" title="John Wayne">John Wayne</a> and <a href="/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe" title="Marilyn Monroe">Marilyn Monroe</a> have become iconic figures, while producer/entrepreneur <a href="/wiki/Walt_Disney" title="Walt Disney">Walt Disney</a> was a leader in both <a href="/wiki/Animation" title="Animation">animated film</a> and movie <a href="/wiki/Merchandising" title="Merchandising">merchandising</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Major_film_studio" title="Major film studio">major film studios</a> of Hollywood have produced the most commercially successful movies in history, such as <i><a href="/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_IV:_A_New_Hope" title="Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope">Star Wars</a></i> (1977) and <i><a href="/wiki/Titanic_(1997_film)" title="Titanic (1997 film)">Titanic</a></i> (1997), and the products of Hollywood today dominate the global film industry.<sup id="cite_ref-198" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-198" title=""><span>[</span>199<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>Americans are the heaviest television viewers in the world,<sup id="cite_ref-199" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-199" title=""><span>[</span>200<span>]</span></a></sup> and the average viewing time continues to rise, reaching five hours a day in 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-200" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-200" title=""><span>[</span>201<span>]</span></a></sup> The four major broadcast networks are all commercial entities. Americans listen to radio programming, also largely commercialized, on average just over two-and-a-half hours a day.<sup id="cite_ref-201" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-201" title=""><span>[</span>202<span>]</span></a></sup> Aside from <a href="/wiki/Web_portal" title="Web portal">web portals</a> and <a href="/wiki/Web_search_engine" title="Web search engine">web search engines</a>, the most popular websites are <a href="/wiki/MySpace" title="MySpace">MySpace</a>, <a href="/wiki/YouTube" title="YouTube">YouTube</a>, <a href="/wiki/Facebook" title="Facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="/wiki/EBay" title="EBay">eBay</a>, and Wikipedia.<sup id="cite_ref-202" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-202" title=""><span>[</span>203<span>]</span></a></sup> Twelve million Americans keep a blog.<sup id="cite_ref-203" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-203" title=""><span>[</span>204<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p>The rhythmic and lyrical styles of <a href="/wiki/African_American_music" title="African American music">African American music</a> have deeply influenced <a href="/wiki/Music_of_the_United_States" title="Music of the United States">American music</a> at large, distinguishing it from European traditions. Elements from <a href="/wiki/Folk_music" title="Folk music">folk</a> idioms such as the <a href="/wiki/Blues" title="Blues">blues</a> and what is now known as <a href="/wiki/Old-time_music" title="Old-time music">old-time music</a> were adopted and transformed into <a href="/wiki/Popular_music" title="Popular music">popular genres</a> with global audiences. <a href="/wiki/Jazz" title="Jazz">Jazz</a> was developed by innovators such as <a href="/wiki/Louis_Armstrong" title="Louis Armstrong">Louis Armstrong</a> and <a href="/wiki/Duke_Ellington" title="Duke Ellington">Duke Ellington</a> early in the 20th century. <a href="/wiki/Country_music" title="Country music">Country music</a>, <a href="/wiki/Rhythm_and_blues" title="Rhythm and blues">rhythm and blues</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Rock_and_roll" title="Rock and roll">rock and roll</a> emerged between the 1920s and 1950s. In the 1960s, <a href="/wiki/Bob_Dylan" title="Bob Dylan">Bob Dylan</a> emerged from the <a href="/wiki/American_folk_music_revival" title="American folk music revival">folk revival</a> to become one of America's greatest songwriters and <a href="/wiki/James_Brown" title="James Brown">James Brown</a> led the development of <a href="/wiki/Funk" title="Funk">funk</a>. More recent American creations include <a href="/wiki/Hip_hop_music" title="Hip hop music">hip hop</a> and <a href="/wiki/House_music" title="House music">house music</a>. American pop stars such as <a href="/wiki/Elvis_Presley" title="Elvis Presley">Elvis Presley</a>, <a href="/wiki/Michael_Jackson" title="Michael Jackson">Michael Jackson</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Madonna_(entertainer)" title="Madonna (entertainer)">Madonna</a> have become global celebrities.<sup id="cite_ref-204" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-204" title=""><span>[</span>205<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
<p><a name="Literature.2C_philosophy.2C_and_the_arts" id="Literature.2C_philosophy.2C_and_the_arts"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Literature, philosophy, and the arts</span></h3>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main articles: <a href="/wiki/American_literature" title="American literature">American literature</a>, <a href="/wiki/Visual_arts_of_the_United_States" title="Visual arts of the United States">Visual arts of the United States</a>, <a href="/wiki/Theater_in_the_United_States" title="Theater in the United States">Theater in the United States</a>, and <a href="/wiki/American_classical_music" title="American classical music">American classical music</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Kerouac_by_Palumbo.jpg" class="image" title="Writer Jack Kerouac, one of the best known figures of the Beat Generation"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Kerouac_by_Palumbo.jpg/180px-Kerouac_by_Palumbo.jpg" width="180" height="180" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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Writer <a href="/wiki/Jack_Kerouac" title="Jack Kerouac">Jack Kerouac</a>, one of the best known figures of the <a href="/wiki/Beat_Generation" title="Beat Generation">Beat Generation</a></div>
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<p>In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, American art and literature took most of its cues from Europe. Writers such as <a href="/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne" title="Nathaniel Hawthorne">Nathaniel Hawthorne</a>, <a href="/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe" title="Edgar Allan Poe">Edgar Allan Poe</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau" title="Henry David Thoreau">Henry David Thoreau</a> established a distinctive American literary voice by the middle of the 19th century. <a href="/wiki/Mark_Twain" title="Mark Twain">Mark Twain</a> and poet <a href="/wiki/Walt_Whitman" title="Walt Whitman">Walt Whitman</a> were major figures in the century's second half; <a href="/wiki/Emily_Dickinson" title="Emily Dickinson">Emily Dickinson</a>, virtually unknown during her lifetime, is now recognized as an essential American poet. A work seen as capturing fundamental aspects of the national experience and character—such as <a href="/wiki/Herman_Melville" title="Herman Melville">Herman Melville</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/Moby-Dick" title="Moby-Dick">Moby-Dick</a></i> (1851), Twain's <i><a href="/wiki/Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn" title="Adventures of Huckleberry Finn">The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</a></i> (1885), and <a href="/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald" title="F. Scott Fitzgerald">F. Scott Fitzgerald</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby" title="The Great Gatsby">The Great Gatsby</a></i> (1925)—may be dubbed the "<a href="/wiki/Great_American_Novel" title="Great American Novel">Great American Novel</a>."</p>
<p>Eleven U.S. citizens have won the <a href="/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Literature" title="Nobel Prize in Literature">Nobel Prize in Literature</a>, most recently <a href="/wiki/Toni_Morrison" title="Toni Morrison">Toni Morrison</a> in 1993. <a href="/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway" title="Ernest Hemingway">Ernest Hemingway</a>, the 1954 Nobel laureate, is often named as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.<sup id="cite_ref-205" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-205" title=""><span>[</span>206<span>]</span></a></sup> Popular literary genres such as the <a href="/wiki/Western_fiction" title="Western fiction">Western</a> and <a href="/wiki/Hardboiled" title="Hardboiled">hardboiled crime fiction</a> developed in the United States. The <a href="/wiki/Beat_Generation" title="Beat Generation">Beat Generation</a> writers opened up new literary approaches, as have <a href="/wiki/Postmodern_literature" title="Postmodern literature">postmodernist</a> authors such as <a href="/wiki/John_Barth" title="John Barth">John Barth</a>, <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Pynchon" title="Thomas Pynchon">Thomas Pynchon</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Don_DeLillo" title="Don DeLillo">Don DeLillo</a>.</p>
<p>The <a href="/wiki/Transcendentalism" title="Transcendentalism">transcendentalists</a>, led by <a href="/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson" title="Ralph Waldo Emerson">Ralph Waldo Emerson</a> and Thoreau, established the first major American <a href="/wiki/Philosophical_movement" title="Philosophical movement">philosophical movement</a>. After the Civil War, <a href="/wiki/Charles_Peirce" title="Charles Peirce" class="mw-redirect">Charles Peirce</a> and then <a href="/wiki/William_James" title="William James">William James</a> and <a href="/wiki/John_Dewey" title="John Dewey">John Dewey</a> were leaders in the development of <a href="/wiki/Pragmatism" title="Pragmatism">pragmatism</a>. In the 20th century, the work of <a href="/wiki/Willard_Van_Orman_Quine" title="Willard Van Orman Quine">W. V. Quine</a> and <a href="/wiki/Richard_Rorty" title="Richard Rorty">Richard Rorty</a> brought <a href="/wiki/Analytic_philosophy" title="Analytic philosophy">analytic philosophy</a> to the fore of U.S. academics. <a href="/wiki/Ayn_Rand" title="Ayn Rand">Ayn Rand</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Objectivism_(Ayn_Rand)" title="Objectivism (Ayn Rand)">objectivism</a> won mainstream popularity.</p>
<p>In the visual arts, the <a href="/wiki/Hudson_River_School" title="Hudson River School">Hudson River School</a> was a mid-19th-century movement in the tradition of European <a href="/wiki/Naturalism_(arts)" title="Naturalism (arts)">naturalism</a>. The 1913 <a href="/wiki/Armory_Show" title="Armory Show">Armory Show</a> in New York City, an exhibition of European <a href="/wiki/Modern_art" title="Modern art">modernist art</a>, shocked the public and transformed the U.S. art scene.<sup id="cite_ref-206" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-206" title=""><span>[</span>207<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Georgia_O%27Keeffe" title="Georgia O'Keeffe">Georgia O'Keeffe</a>, <a href="/wiki/Marsden_Hartley" title="Marsden Hartley">Marsden Hartley</a>, and others experimented with new styles, displaying a highly individualistic sensibility. Major artistic movements such as the <a href="/wiki/Abstract_expressionism" title="Abstract expressionism">abstract expressionism</a> of <a href="/wiki/Jackson_Pollock" title="Jackson Pollock">Jackson Pollock</a> and <a href="/wiki/Willem_de_Kooning" title="Willem de Kooning">Willem de Kooning</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Pop_art" title="Pop art">pop art</a> of <a href="/wiki/Andy_Warhol" title="Andy Warhol">Andy Warhol</a> and <a href="/wiki/Roy_Lichtenstein" title="Roy Lichtenstein">Roy Lichtenstein</a> developed largely in the United States. The tide of modernism and then <a href="/wiki/Postmodernism" title="Postmodernism">postmodernism</a> has brought fame to American architects such as <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lloyd_Wright" title="Frank Lloyd Wright">Frank Lloyd Wright</a>, <a href="/wiki/Philip_Johnson" title="Philip Johnson">Philip Johnson</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Frank_Gehry" title="Frank Gehry">Frank Gehry</a>.</p>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:45th_St_theatres_NYC.JPG" class="image" title="New York City's Broadway theater district is host to many popular shows"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/45th_St_theatres_NYC.JPG/180px-45th_St_theatres_NYC.JPG" width="180" height="135" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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New York City's <a href="/wiki/Broadway_theatre" title="Broadway theatre">Broadway theater district</a> is host to many popular shows</div>
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<p>One of the first major promoters of American theater was impresario <a href="/wiki/P._T._Barnum" title="P. T. Barnum">P. T. Barnum</a>, who began operating a lower <a href="/wiki/Manhattan" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a> entertainment complex in 1841. The team of <a href="/wiki/Edward_Harrigan" title="Edward Harrigan">Harrigan and Hart</a> produced a series of popular <a href="/wiki/Musical_theatre" title="Musical theatre">musical</a> comedies in New York starting in the late 1870s. In the 20th century, the modern musical form emerged on <a href="/wiki/Broadway_theatre" title="Broadway theatre">Broadway</a>; the songs of musical theater composers such as <a href="/wiki/Irving_Berlin" title="Irving Berlin">Irving Berlin</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cole_Porter" title="Cole Porter">Cole Porter</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Stephen_Sondheim" title="Stephen Sondheim">Stephen Sondheim</a> have become <a href="/wiki/Traditional_pop_music" title="Traditional pop music">pop standards</a>. Playwright <a href="/wiki/Eugene_O%27Neill" title="Eugene O'Neill">Eugene O'Neill</a> won the Nobel literature prize in 1936; other acclaimed U.S. dramatists include multiple <a href="/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize_for_Drama" title="Pulitzer Prize for Drama">Pulitzer Prize</a> winners <a href="/wiki/Tennessee_Williams" title="Tennessee Williams">Tennessee Williams</a>, <a href="/wiki/Edward_Albee" title="Edward Albee">Edward Albee</a>, and <a href="/wiki/August_Wilson" title="August Wilson">August Wilson</a>.</p>
<p>Though largely overlooked at the time, <a href="/wiki/Charles_Ives" title="Charles Ives">Charles Ives</a>'s work of the 1910s established him as the first major U.S. composer in the classical tradition; other experimentalists such as <a href="/wiki/Henry_Cowell" title="Henry Cowell">Henry Cowell</a> and <a href="/wiki/John_Cage" title="John Cage">John Cage</a> created an American approach to classical composition. <a href="/wiki/Aaron_Copland" title="Aaron Copland">Aaron Copland</a> and <a href="/wiki/George_Gershwin" title="George Gershwin">George Gershwin</a> developed a unique synthesis of popular and classical music. <a href="/wiki/Choreography" title="Choreography">Choreographers</a> <a href="/wiki/Isadora_Duncan" title="Isadora Duncan">Isadora Duncan</a> and <a href="/wiki/Martha_Graham" title="Martha Graham">Martha Graham</a> helped create <a href="/wiki/Modern_dance" title="Modern dance">modern dance</a>, while <a href="/wiki/George_Balanchine" title="George Balanchine">George Balanchine</a> and <a href="/wiki/Jerome_Robbins" title="Jerome Robbins">Jerome Robbins</a> were leaders in 20th century ballet. Americans have long been important in the modern artistic medium of <a href="/wiki/Photography" title="Photography">photography</a>, with major photographers including <a href="/wiki/Alfred_Stieglitz" title="Alfred Stieglitz">Alfred Stieglitz</a>, <a href="/wiki/Edward_Steichen" title="Edward Steichen">Edward Steichen</a> and <a href="/wiki/Ansel_Adams" title="Ansel Adams">Ansel Adams</a>. The newspaper <a href="/wiki/Comic_strip" title="Comic strip">comic strip</a> and the <a href="/wiki/American_comic_book" title="American comic book">comic book</a> are both U.S. innovations. <a href="/wiki/Superman" title="Superman">Superman</a>, the quintessential comic book <a href="/wiki/Superhero" title="Superhero">superhero</a>, has become an American icon.</p>
<p><a name="Food" id="Food"></a></p>
<h3><span class="mw-headline">Food</span></h3>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main article: <a href="/wiki/Cuisine_of_the_United_States" title="Cuisine of the United States">Cuisine of the United States</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Strip_Mall.jpg" class="image" title="An example of an American strip mall, with restaurants featuring Mexican- and Chinese-based food."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/02/Strip_Mall.jpg/180px-Strip_Mall.jpg" width="180" height="135" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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An example of an American <a href="/wiki/Strip_mall" title="Strip mall">strip mall</a>, with restaurants featuring Mexican- and Chinese-based food.</div>
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<p>Mainstream American <a href="/wiki/Culinary_art" title="Culinary art">culinary arts</a> are similar to those in other Western countries. <a href="/wiki/Wheat" title="Wheat">Wheat</a> is the primary <a href="/wiki/Cereal" title="Cereal">cereal</a> grain. Traditional American cuisine uses ingredients such as <a href="/wiki/Turkey_(bird)" title="Turkey (bird)">turkey</a>, <a href="/wiki/White-tailed_deer" title="White-tailed deer">white-tailed deer</a> <a href="/wiki/Venison" title="Venison">venison</a>, <a href="/wiki/Potato" title="Potato">potatoes</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sweet_potato" title="Sweet potato">sweet potatoes</a>, <a href="/wiki/Maize" title="Maize">corn</a>, <a href="/wiki/Squash_(plant)" title="Squash (plant)">squash</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Maple_syrup" title="Maple syrup">maple syrup</a>, indigenous foods employed by Native Americans and early European settlers. Slow-cooked pork and beef <a href="/wiki/Barbecue" title="Barbecue">barbecue</a>, <a href="/wiki/Crab_cake" title="Crab cake">crab cakes</a>, <a href="/wiki/Potato_chip" title="Potato chip">potato chips</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Chocolate_chip_cookie" title="Chocolate chip cookie">chocolate chip cookies</a> are distinctively American styles. <a href="/wiki/Soul_food" title="Soul food">Soul food</a>, developed by African slaves, is popular around the South and among many African Americans elsewhere. <a href="/wiki/Syncretism" title="Syncretism">Syncretic</a> cuisines such as <a href="/wiki/Louisiana_Creole_cuisine" title="Louisiana Creole cuisine">Louisiana creole</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cajun_cuisine" title="Cajun cuisine">Cajun</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Tex-Mex_cuisine" title="Tex-Mex cuisine">Tex-Mex</a> are regionally important. Characteristic dishes such as <a href="/wiki/Apple_pie" title="Apple pie">apple pie</a>, <a href="/wiki/Fried_chicken" title="Fried chicken">fried chicken</a>, <a href="/wiki/Pizza" title="Pizza">pizza</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hamburger" title="Hamburger">hamburgers</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Hot_dog" title="Hot dog">hot dogs</a> derive from the recipes of various immigrants. <a href="/wiki/French_fried_potatoes" title="French fried potatoes" class="mw-redirect">French fries</a>, Mexican dishes such as <a href="/wiki/Burrito" title="Burrito">burritos</a> and <a href="/wiki/Taco" title="Taco">tacos</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Pasta" title="Pasta">pasta</a> dishes freely adapted from Italian sources are widely consumed.<sup id="cite_ref-IFT_207-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IFT-207" title=""><span>[</span>208<span>]</span></a></sup> Americans generally prefer coffee to tea. Marketing by U.S. industries is largely responsible for making orange juice and milk ubiquitous breakfast beverages.<sup id="cite_ref-208" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-208" title=""><span>[</span>209<span>]</span></a></sup> During the 1980s and 1990s, Americans' caloric intake rose 24%;<sup id="cite_ref-IFT_207-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IFT-207" title=""><span>[</span>208<span>]</span></a></sup> frequent dining at <a href="/wiki/Fast_food" title="Fast food">fast food</a> outlets is associated with what health officials call the American "obesity epidemic." Highly sweetened <a href="/wiki/Soft_drink" title="Soft drink">soft drinks</a> are widely popular; sugared beverages account for 9% of the average American's caloric intake.<sup id="cite_ref-209" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-209" title=""><span>[</span>210<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
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<h3><span class="mw-headline">Sports</span></h3>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main article: <a href="/wiki/Sports_in_the_United_States" title="Sports in the United States">Sports in the United States</a></i></div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="width:182px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Ldt_tackle.jpg" class="image" title="The Pro Bowl (2006), American football's annual all-star game"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e0/Ldt_tackle.jpg/180px-Ldt_tackle.jpg" width="180" height="106" border="0" class="thumbimage" /></a>
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The <a href="/wiki/Pro_Bowl" title="Pro Bowl">Pro Bowl</a> (2006), <a href="/wiki/American_football" title="American football">American football</a>'s annual <a href="/wiki/All-star_game" title="All-star game">all-star game</a></div>
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<p>Since the late 19th century, <a href="/wiki/Baseball" title="Baseball">baseball</a> has been regarded as the <a href="/wiki/National_sport" title="National sport">national sport</a>; <a href="/wiki/American_football" title="American football">American football</a>, <a href="/wiki/Basketball" title="Basketball">basketball</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Ice_hockey" title="Ice hockey">ice hockey</a> are the country's three other leading professional team sports. <a href="/wiki/College_football" title="College football">College football</a> and <a href="/wiki/College_basketball" title="College basketball">basketball</a> attract large audiences. Football is now by several measures the most popular <a href="/wiki/Spectator_sport" title="Spectator sport">spectator sport</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-210" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-210" title=""><span>[</span>211<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Boxing" title="Boxing">Boxing</a> and <a href="/wiki/Horse_racing" title="Horse racing">horse racing</a> were once the most watched individual sports, but they have been eclipsed by <a href="/wiki/Golf" title="Golf">golf</a> and <a href="/wiki/Auto_racing" title="Auto racing">auto racing</a>, particularly <a href="/wiki/NASCAR" title="NASCAR">NASCAR</a>. <a href="/wiki/Association_football" title="Association football">Soccer</a> is played widely at the youth and amateur levels and is growing in popularity as a professional spectator sport. <a href="/wiki/Tennis" title="Tennis">Tennis</a> and many outdoor sports are popular as well.</p>
<p>While most major U.S. sports have evolved out of European practices, basketball, <a href="/wiki/Volleyball" title="Volleyball">volleyball</a>, <a href="/wiki/Skateboarding" title="Skateboarding">skateboarding</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Snowboarding" title="Snowboarding">snowboarding</a> are American inventions. <a href="/wiki/Lacrosse" title="Lacrosse">Lacrosse</a> and <a href="/wiki/Surfing" title="Surfing">surfing</a> arose from Native American and Native Hawaiian activities that predate Western contact. Eight <a href="/wiki/Olympic_Games" title="Olympic Games">Olympic Games</a> have <a href="/wiki/United_States_at_the_Olympics" title="United States at the Olympics">taken place in the United States.</a> The United States has won 2,301 medals at the <a href="/wiki/Summer_Olympic_Games" title="Summer Olympic Games">Summer Olympic Games</a>, more than any other country,<sup id="cite_ref-211" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-211" title=""><span>[</span>212<span>]</span></a></sup> and 216 in the <a href="/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games" title="Winter Olympic Games">Winter Olympic Games</a>, the second most.<sup id="cite_ref-212" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-212" title=""><span>[</span>213<span>]</span></a></sup></p>
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<p><a name="See_also" id="See_also"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">See also</span></h2>
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<td><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United States.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/32px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" width="32" height="17" border="0" /></a></td>
<td style="padding:0 0.2em;"><i><b><a href="/wiki/Portal:United_States" title="Portal:United States">United States portal</a></b></i></td>
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<div class="noprint relarticle mainarticle"><i>Main article: <a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States-related_topics" title="List of United States-related topics">List of United States-related topics</a></i></div>
</dd>
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<div style="clear:both"></div>
<p><a name="References" id="References"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">References</span></h2>
<div class="references-small references-column-width" style="-moz-column-width:30em; column-width:30em;">
<ol class="references">
<li id="cite_note-WF-0">^ <a href="#cite_ref-WF_0-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-WF_0-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-WF_0-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-WF_0-3" title=""><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-WF_0-4" title=""><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html" class="external text" title="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html" rel="nofollow">United States</a>". <i>The World Factbook</i>. CIA (2007-05-31). Retrieved on 2008-10-14.</li>
<li id="cite_note-POP-1">^ <a href="#cite_ref-POP_1-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-POP_1-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html" rel="nofollow">U.S. POPClock Projection</a>". U.S. Census Bureau. Figure updated automatically.</li>
<li id="cite_note-2"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_submenuId=population_0&_sse=on" class="external text" title="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_submenuId=population_0&_sse=on" rel="nofollow">Population Finder: United States</a>". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.</li>
<li id="cite_note-IMF_GDP-3">^ <a href="#cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-3" title=""><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-4" title=""><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-5" title=""><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IMF_GDP_3-6" title=""><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/02/weodata/index.aspx" class="external text" title="http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/02/weodata/index.aspx" rel="nofollow">World Economic Outlook Database</a>". International Monetary Fund (October 2008). Retrieved on 2008-10-27.</li>
<li id="cite_note-USCB_IP.26HIC_2007-4">^ <a href="#cite_ref-USCB_IP.26HIC_2007_4-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-USCB_IP.26HIC_2007_4-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> DeNavas-Walt, Carmen, Bernadette D. Proctor, and Jessica Smith (August 2008). "<a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf" rel="nofollow">Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007</a>" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-11-13.</li>
<li id="cite_note-5"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_USA.html" class="external text" title="http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_USA.html" rel="nofollow">The Human Development Index—Going Beyond Income</a>". <i>Human Development Report 2007</i>. United Nations Development Program. Retrieved on 2007-11-27.</li>
<li id="cite_note-DD-6">^ <a href="#cite_ref-DD_6-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-DD_6-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-DD_6-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-DD_6-3" title=""><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> Adams, J.Q., and Pearlie Strother-Adams (2001). <i>Dealing with Diversity</i>. Chicago: Kendall/Hunt. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/078728145X" class="internal">ISBN 078728145X</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-7"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7" title="">^</a></b> The <a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation.</li>
<li id="cite_note-8"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8" title="">^</a></b> Dull, Jonathan R. (2003). "Diplomacy of the Revolution, to 1783," p. 352, chap. in <i>A Companion to the American Revolution</i>, ed. Jack P. Greene and J. R. Pole. Maiden, Mass.: Blackwell, pp. 352–361. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1405116749" class="internal">ISBN 1405116749</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-9"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9" title="">^</a></b> Maddison, Angus (2006). "<a href="http://www.ggdc.net/maddison/Historical_Statistics/horizontal-file_09-2008.xls" class="external text" title="http://www.ggdc.net/maddison/Historical_Statistics/horizontal-file_09-2008.xls" rel="nofollow">Historical Statistics for the World Economy</a>". Retrieved on 2008-11-06.</li>
<li id="cite_note-10"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10" title="">^</a></b> Cohen, Eliot A. (July/August 2004). "<a href="http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040701faessay83406/eliot-a-cohen/history-and-the-hyperpower.html" class="external text" title="http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040701faessay83406/eliot-a-cohen/history-and-the-hyperpower.html" rel="nofollow">History and the Hyperpower</a>". <i>Foreign Affairs</i>. Retrieved on 2006-07-14. "<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1217752.stm" class="external text" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1217752.stm" rel="nofollow">Country Profile: United States of America</a>". BBC News (2008-04-22). Retrieved on 2008-05-18.</li>
<li id="cite_note-11"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-24-america-turns-500_N.htm?csp=34" class="external text" title="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-24-america-turns-500_N.htm?csp=34" rel="nofollow">Cartographer Put 'America' on the Map 500 years Ago</a>". <i>USA Today</i> (2007-04-24). Retrieved on 2008-11-30.</li>
<li id="cite_note-12"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html" class="external text" title="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html" rel="nofollow">The Charters of Freedom</a>". National Archives. Retrieved on 2007-06-20.</li>
<li id="cite_note-13"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13" title="">^</a></b> Wilson, Kenneth G. (1993). <i>The Columbia Guide to Standard American English</i>. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 27–28. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0231069898" class="internal">ISBN 0231069898</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-14"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14" title="">^</a></b> Zimmer, Benjamin (2005-11-24). "<a href="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002663.html" class="external text" title="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002663.html" rel="nofollow">Life in These, Uh, This United States</a>". University of Pennsylvania—Language Log. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.</li>
<li id="cite_note-15"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15" title="">^</a></b> Burchfield, R. W. 2004. <i><a href="/wiki/Fowler%27s_Modern_English_Usage" title="Fowler's Modern English Usage" class="mw-redirect">Fowler's Modern English Usage</a>.</i> (<a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0198610211" class="internal">ISBN 0-19-861021-1</a>) Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; p. 48.</li>
<li id="cite_note-16"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16" title="">^</a></b> "Uso abusivo", numeral 4 <i><a href="http://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/SrvltGUIBusDPD?lema=Estados%20Unidos" class="external free" title="http://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/SrvltGUIBusDPD?lema=Estados%20Unidos" rel="nofollow">http://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/SrvltGUIBusDPD?lema=Estados%20Unidos</a></i></li>
<li id="cite_note-17"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17" title="">^</a></b> "American." <i>The Oxford Companion to the English Language</i> (<a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/019214183X" class="internal">ISBN 0-19-214183-X</a>); McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 35.</li>
<li id="cite_note-oxfcdn-18">^ <a href="#cite_ref-oxfcdn_18-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-oxfcdn_18-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "America." <i>Oxford Guide to Canadian English Usage.</i> (<a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0195416198" class="internal">ISBN 0-19-541619-8</a>) Fee, Margery and McAlpine, J., ed., 1997. Toronto: Oxford University Press; p. 36.</li>
<li id="cite_note-19"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/america.html" class="external text" title="http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/america.html" rel="nofollow">America</a>." <i><a href="http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/dictionaryhome.aspx" class="external text" title="http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/dictionaryhome.aspx" rel="nofollow">Microsoft Encarta Dictionary</a></i>. 2007. <a href="/wiki/Microsoft" title="Microsoft">Microsoft</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-20"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20" title="">^</a></b> <a href="http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/America" class="external text" title="http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/America" rel="nofollow">America - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary</a></li>
<li id="cite_note-21"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21" title="">^</a></b> <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=America" class="external text" title="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=America" rel="nofollow">America - Definitions from Dictionary.com</a></li>
<li id="cite_note-22"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22" title="">^</a></b> <a href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/america" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.yourdictionary.com/america" rel="nofollow">[1]</a></li>
<li id="cite_note-23"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYB2005/Table03.pdf" class="external text" title="http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYB2005/Table03.pdf" rel="nofollow">Population by Sex, Rate of Population Increase, Surface Area and Density</a>" (PDF). <i>Demographic Yearbook 2005</i>. UN Statistics Division. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.</li>
<li id="cite_note-24"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:2lOa44xXcrgJ:www.britannica.com/eb/article-9111233/United-States+United+States+Area+encyclopedia+britannica&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us" class="external text" title="http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:2lOa44xXcrgJ:www.britannica.com/eb/article-9111233/United-States+United+States+Area+encyclopedia+britannica&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us" rel="nofollow">United States</a>". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.</li>
<li id="cite_note-25"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://education.yahoo.com/reference/factbook/countrycompare/area/3d.html;_ylt=As1XMsN8kgSx746VWazy_s7PecYF" class="external text" title="http://education.yahoo.com/reference/factbook/countrycompare/area/3d.html;_ylt=As1XMsN8kgSx746VWazy_s7PecYF" rel="nofollow">World Factbook: Area Country Comparison Table</a>". Yahoo Education. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.</li>
<li id="cite_note-26"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26" title="">^</a></b> O'Hanlon, Larry. "<a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/supervolcano/under/under.html" class="external text" title="http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/supervolcano/under/under.html" rel="nofollow">Supervolcano: What's Under Yellowstone?</a>". Discovery Channel. Retrieved on 2007-06-13.</li>
<li id="cite_note-27"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27" title="">^</a></b> Perkins, Sid (2002-05-11). "<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20070701131631/http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20020511/bob9.asp" class="external text" title="http://web.archive.org/web/20070701131631/http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20020511/bob9.asp" rel="nofollow">Tornado Alley, USA</a>". <i>Science News</i>. Archived from <a href="http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20020511/bob9.asp" class="external text" title="http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20020511/bob9.asp" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 2007-07-01. Retrieved on 2006-09-20.</li>
<li id="cite_note-28"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28" title="">^</a></b> Morin, Nancy. "<a href="http://www.fungaljungal.org/papers/National_Biological_Service.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.fungaljungal.org/papers/National_Biological_Service.pdf" rel="nofollow">Vascular Plants of the United States</a>" (PDF). <i>Plants</i>. National Biological Service. Retrieved on 2008-10-27.</li>
<li id="cite_note-29"><b><a href="#cite_ref-29" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://biology.usgs.gov/error.html" class="external text" title="http://biology.usgs.gov/error.html" rel="nofollow">Our Living Resources</a>". National Biological Service. Retrieved on 2006-06-14.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template"><span title="The citation in the vicinity of this tag is broken since December 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:RS" title="Wikipedia:RS" class="mw-redirect">broken citation</a></i>]</span></sup></li>
<li id="cite_note-30"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://home.nps.gov/applications/release/Detail.cfm?ID=639" class="external text" title="http://home.nps.gov/applications/release/Detail.cfm?ID=639" rel="nofollow">National Park Service Announces Addition of Two New Units</a>". National Park Service (2006-02-28). Retrieved on 2006-06-13.</li>
<li id="cite_note-31"><b><a href="#cite_ref-31" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://johnshadegg.house.gov/rsc/Federal%20Land%20Ownership--May%202005.pdf" class="external text" title="http://johnshadegg.house.gov/rsc/Federal%20Land%20Ownership--May%202005.pdf" rel="nofollow">Federal Land and Buildings Ownership</a>" (PDF). Republican Study Committee (2005-05-19). Retrieved on 2006-06-13.</li>
<li id="cite_note-32"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/27/bloomberg/bxbeer.php" class="external text" title="http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/27/bloomberg/bxbeer.php" rel="nofollow">Abuse of Trust: A Brief History of the Bush Administration’s Disastrous Oil and Gas Development Policies in the Rocky Mountain West</a>". Wilderness Society (2007-05-28). Retrieved on 2007-06-11.</li>
<li id="cite_note-33"><b><a href="#cite_ref-33" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://anthropology.si.edu/HumanOrigins/faq/americas.htm" class="external text" title="http://anthropology.si.edu/HumanOrigins/faq/americas.htm" rel="nofollow">Peopling of Americas</a>". Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (June 2004). Retrieved on 2007-06-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-34"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="Journal" id="CITEREFMeltzer.2C_D.J.1992">Meltzer, D.J. (1992), "<a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13618424.700-how-columbus-sickened-the-new-world-why-were-nativeamericans-so-vulnerable-to-the-diseases-european-settlers-brought-with-them.html" class="external text" title="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13618424.700-how-columbus-sickened-the-new-world-why-were-nativeamericans-so-vulnerable-to-the-diseases-european-settlers-brought-with-them.html" rel="nofollow">How Columbus Sickened the New World: Why Were Native Americans So Vulnerable to the Diseases European Settlers Brought With Them?</a>", <i>New Scientist</i>: 38–38<span class="printonly">, <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13618424.700-how-columbus-sickened-the-new-world-why-were-nativeamericans-so-vulnerable-to-the-diseases-european-settlers-brought-with-them.html" class="external free" title="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13618424.700-how-columbus-sickened-the-new-world-why-were-nativeamericans-so-vulnerable-to-the-diseases-european-settlers-brought-with-them.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13618424.700-how-columbus-sickened-the-new-world-why-were-nativeamericans-so-vulnerable-to-the-diseases-european-settlers-brought-with-them.html</a></span></cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=How+Columbus+Sickened+the+New+World%3A+Why+Were+Native+Americans+So+Vulnerable+to+the+Diseases+European+Settlers+Brought+With+Them%3F&rft.jtitle=New+Scientist&rft.aulast=Meltzer%2C+D.J.&rft.au=Meltzer%2C+D.J.&rft.date=1992&rft.pages=38%E2%80%9338&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newscientist.com%2Farticle%2Fmg13618424.700-how-columbus-sickened-the-new-world-why-were-nativeamericans-so-vulnerable-to-the-diseases-european-settlers-brought-with-them.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-35"><b><a href="#cite_ref-35" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.dinsdoc.com/butler-1.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.dinsdoc.com/butler-1.htm" rel="nofollow">British Convicts Shipped to American Colonies</a>". <i>American Historical Review 2</i>. Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (October 1896). Retrieved on 2007-06-21.</li>
<li id="cite_note-36"><b><a href="#cite_ref-36" title="">^</a></b> Russell, David Lee (2005). <i>The American Revolution in the Southern Colonies</i>. Jefferson, N.C., and London: McFarland, p. 12. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0786407832" class="internal">ISBN 0786407832</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-37"><b><a href="#cite_ref-37" title="">^</a></b> Blackburn, Robin (1998). <i>The Making of New World Slavery: From the Baroque to the Modern, 1492–1800</i>. London and New York: Verso, p. 460. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1859841953" class="internal">ISBN 1859841953</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-38"><b><a href="#cite_ref-38" title="">^</a></b> Morrison, Michael A. (1999). <i>Slavery and the American West: The Eclipse of Manifest Destiny and the Coming of the Civil War</i>. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, pp. 13–21. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0807847968" class="internal">ISBN 0807847968</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-39"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1860a-02.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1860a-02.pdf" rel="nofollow">1860 Census</a>" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Page 7 lists a total slave population of 3,953,760.</li>
<li id="cite_note-40"><b><a href="#cite_ref-40" title="">^</a></b> De Rosa, Marshall L. (1997). <i>The Politics of Dissolution: The Quest for a National Identity and the American Civil War</i>. Edison, NJ: Transaction, p. 266. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1560003499" class="internal">ISBN 1560003499</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-41"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41" title="">^</a></b> Foner, Eric, and John A. Garraty (1991). <i>The Reader's Companion to American History.</i> New York: Houghton Mifflin, p. 576. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0395513723" class="internal">ISBN 0395513723</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-42"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42" title="">^</a></b> McDuffie, Jerome, Gary Wayne Piggrem, and Steven E. Woodworth (2005). <i>U.S. History Super Review</i>. Piscataway, NJ: Research & Education Association, p. 418. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0738600709" class="internal">ISBN 0738600709</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-43"><b><a href="#cite_ref-43" title="">^</a></b> Francis, David R. (2005-08-29). "<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0829/p15s01-cogn.html" class="external text" title="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0829/p15s01-cogn.html" rel="nofollow">More Costly than "The War to End All Wars"</a>". <i>Christian Science Monitor</i>. Retrieved on 2006-10-24.</li>
<li id="cite_note-44"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44" title="">^</a></b> Kennedy, Paul (1989). <i>The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers</i>. New York: Vintage, p. 358. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0670728197" class="internal">ISBN 0670728197</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-45"><b><a href="#cite_ref-45" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/55407.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/55407.htm" rel="nofollow">The United States and the Founding of the United Nations, August 1941–October 1945</a>". U.S. Dept. of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of the Historian (October 2005). Retrieved on 2007-06-11.</li>
<li id="cite_note-46"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46" title="">^</a></b> Pacific War Research Society (2006). <i>Japan's Longest Day</i>. New York: Oxford University Press. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/4770028873" class="internal">ISBN 4770028873</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-47"><b><a href="#cite_ref-47" title="">^</a></b> Voyce, Bill (2006-08-21). "<a href="http://iwin.iwd.state.ia.us/iowa/ArticleReader?itemid=00003700&print=1" class="external text" title="http://iwin.iwd.state.ia.us/iowa/ArticleReader?itemid=00003700&print=1" rel="nofollow">Why the Expansion of the 1990s Lasted So Long</a>". Iowa Workforce Information Network. Retrieved on 2007-08-16.</li>
<li id="cite_note-48"><b><a href="#cite_ref-48" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2003-02-14-eu-survey.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2003-02-14-eu-survey.htm" rel="nofollow">Many Europeans Oppose War in Iraq</a>". <i>USA Today</i> (2003-02-14). Retrieved on 2008-09-01.Springford, John (December 2003). "<a href="http://www.cer.org.uk/pdf/back_brief_springford_dec03.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.cer.org.uk/pdf/back_brief_springford_dec03.pdf" rel="nofollow">'Old’ and ‘New’ Europeans United: Public Attitudes Towards the Iraq War and US Foreign Policy</a>" (PDF). Centre for European Reform. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.</li>
<li id="cite_note-49"><b><a href="#cite_ref-49" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm" rel="nofollow">Iraq [poll</a>]". PollingReport.com. Retrieved on 2008-09-25.</li>
<li id="cite_note-50"><b><a href="#cite_ref-50" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/Regions/Americas" class="external text" title="http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/Regions/Americas" rel="nofollow">Amnesty International Report 2007</a>". Amnesty International. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.</li>
<li id="cite_note-51"><b><a href="#cite_ref-51" title="">^</a></b> Scheb, John M., and John M. Scheb II (2002). <i>An Introduction to the American Legal System</i>. Florence, KY: Delmar, p. 6. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0766827593" class="internal">ISBN 0766827593</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-52"><b><a href="#cite_ref-52" title="">^</a></b> Raskin, James B. (2003). <i>Overruling Democracy: The Supreme Court Vs. the American People</i>. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 36–38. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0415934397" class="internal">ISBN 0415934397</a>.</li>
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<li id="cite_note-55"><b><a href="#cite_ref-55" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.globalpolicy.org/empire/tables/2005/1231militarypersonnel.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.globalpolicy.org/empire/tables/2005/1231militarypersonnel.pdf" rel="nofollow">Department of Defense Active Duty Military Personnel Strengths by Regional Area and by Country (309A)</a>" (PDF). Global Policy Forum (2005-12-31). Retrieved on 2007-06-21.</li>
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<li id="cite_note-57"><b><a href="#cite_ref-57" title="">^</a></b> Ikenberry, G. John (March/April 2004). "<a href="http://people.cas.sc.edu/rosati/ttp.ikenberry.empirereviews.fa.march04.htm" class="external text" title="http://people.cas.sc.edu/rosati/ttp.ikenberry.empirereviews.fa.march04.htm" rel="nofollow">Illusions of Empire: Defining the New American Order</a>". <i>Foreign Affairs</i>. Kreisler, Harry, and Chalmers Johnson (2004-01-29). "<a href="http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people4/CJohnson/cjohnson-con3.html" class="external text" title="http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people4/CJohnson/cjohnson-con3.html" rel="nofollow">Conversations with History</a>". University of California at Berkeley. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.</li>
<li id="cite_note-58"><b><a href="#cite_ref-58" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.sipri.org/contents/milap/milex/mex_major_spenders.pdf/download" class="external text" title="http://www.sipri.org/contents/milap/milex/mex_major_spenders.pdf/download" rel="nofollow">The Fifteen Major Spender Countries in 2006</a>". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2007). Retrieved on 2007-06-20.</li>
<li id="cite_note-59"><b><a href="#cite_ref-59" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html" class="external text" title="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html" rel="nofollow">Rank Order—Military Expenditures—Percent of GDP</a>". <i>The World Factbook</i>. CIA (2007-05-31). Retrieved on 2007-06-13.</li>
<li id="cite_note-60"><b><a href="#cite_ref-60" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/defense.html" class="external text" title="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/defense.html" rel="nofollow">Department of Defense</a>". <i>Budget of the United States Government, FY 2009</i>. Office of Management and Budget. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.</li>
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<li id="cite_note-62"><b><a href="#cite_ref-62" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx" class="external text" title="http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx" rel="nofollow">Iraq Coalition Casualties</a>". Iraq Coalition Casualty Count (2008-12-12). Retrieved on 2008-12-12.</li>
<li id="cite_note-63"><b><a href="#cite_ref-63" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm" rel="nofollow">Employment Situation Summary</a>". U.S. Dept. of Labor (2008-12-05). Retrieved on 2008-12-11.</li>
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<li id="cite_note-65"><b><a href="#cite_ref-65" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf" rel="nofollow">Consumer Price Index: November 2008</a>" (PDF). U.S. Dept. of Labor (2008-12-16). Retrieved on 2008-12-22.</li>
<li id="cite_note-66"><b><a href="#cite_ref-66" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np" class="external text" title="http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np" rel="nofollow">Debt Statistics</a>". U.S. Dept. of the Treasury. Retrieved on 2008-12-31.</li>
<li id="cite_note-67"><b><a href="#cite_ref-67" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/z1/Current/" class="external text" title="http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/z1/Current/" rel="nofollow">Debt growth, borrowing and debt outstanding tables</a>". Federal Reserve. Retrieved on 2009-01-01.</li>
<li id="cite_note-CBPR08-68">^ <a href="#cite_ref-CBPR08_68-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CBPR08_68-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CBPR08_68-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html" rel="nofollow">Household Income Rises, Poverty Rate Unchanged, Number of Uninsured Down</a>". U.S. Census Bureau (2008-08-26). Retrieved on 2008-09-06.</li>
<li id="cite_note-69"><b><a href="#cite_ref-69" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFLederman.2C_Daniel.2C_and_William_Maloney2007">Lederman, Daniel, and William Maloney (2007). <i>Natural Resources: Neither Curse Nor Destiny</i>. World Bank. p. 185. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0821365452" class="internal">ISBN 0821365452</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Natural+Resources%3A+Neither+Curse+Nor+Destiny&rft.aulast=Lederman%2C+Daniel%2C+and+William+Maloney&rft.au=Lederman%2C+Daniel%2C+and+William+Maloney&rft.date=2007&rft.pages=p.%26nbsp%3B185&rft.pub=World+Bank&rft.isbn=0821365452&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-70"><b><a href="#cite_ref-70" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html" class="external text" title="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html" rel="nofollow">Rank Order—GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)</a>". <i>World Factbook</i>. CIA (2008-10-09). Retrieved on 2008-10-21.</li>
<li id="cite_note-71"><b><a href="#cite_ref-71" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top/dst/current/balance.html" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top/dst/current/balance.html" rel="nofollow">U.S. Top Trading Partners, 2006</a>". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-03-26.</li>
<li id="cite_note-72"><b><a href="#cite_ref-72" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/foreign.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/foreign.pdf" rel="nofollow">Table 1289. U.S. Exports and General Imports by Selected SITC Commodity Groups: 2002 to 2005</a>" (PDF). <i>Statistical Abstract of the United States 2007</i>. U.S. Census Bureau (October 2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-26.</li>
<li id="cite_note-73"><b><a href="#cite_ref-73" title="">^</a></b> Grynbaum, Michael A. (2008-12-01). "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/business/02markets.html" class="external text" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/business/02markets.html" rel="nofollow">Dow Plunges 680 Points as Recession Is Declared</a>". <i>New York Times</i>. Retrieved on 2008-12-01.</li>
<li id="cite_note-Econ-74">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Econ_74-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Econ_74-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/economy-in-brief/page3.html" class="external text" title="http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/economy-in-brief/page3.html" rel="nofollow">USA Economy in Brief</a>". U.S. Dept. of State, International Information Programs. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.</li>
<li id="cite_note-75"><b><a href="#cite_ref-75" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/business.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/business.pdf" rel="nofollow">Table 726. Number of Returns, Receipts, and Net Income by Type of Business and Industry: 2003</a>" (PDF). <i>Statistical Abstract of the United States 2007</i>. U.S. Census Bureau (October 2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-26.</li>
<li id="cite_note-76"><b><a href="#cite_ref-76" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/manufact.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/manufact.pdf" rel="nofollow">Table 971. Gross Domestic Product in Manufacturing in Current and Real (2000) Dollars by Industry: 2000 to 2005 (2004)</a>" (PDF). <i>Statistical Abstract of the United States 2007</i>. U.S. Census Bureau (October 2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-26.</li>
<li id="cite_note-77"><b><a href="#cite_ref-77" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2173rank.html" class="external text" title="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2173rank.html" rel="nofollow">Rank Order—Oil (Production)</a>". <i>The World Factbook</i>. CIA (2007-09-06). Retrieved on 2007-09-14. "<a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2174rank.html" class="external text" title="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2174rank.html" rel="nofollow">Rank Order—Oil (Consumption)</a>". <i>The World Factbook</i>. CIA (2007-09-06). Retrieved on 2007-09-14. "<a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html" class="external text" title="http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html" rel="nofollow">Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports Top 15 Countries</a>". U.S. Energy Information Administration (2008-08-26). Retrieved on 2008-09-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-78"><b><a href="#cite_ref-78" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.grains.org/page.ww?section=Barley%2C+Corn+%26+Sorghum&name=Corn" class="external text" title="http://www.grains.org/page.ww?section=Barley%2C+Corn+%26+Sorghum&name=Corn" rel="nofollow">Corn</a>". U.S. Grains Council. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.</li>
<li id="cite_note-79"><b><a href="#cite_ref-79" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5442" class="external text" title="http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5442" rel="nofollow">Soybean Demand Continues to Drive Production</a>". Worldwatch Institute (2007-11-06). Retrieved on 2008-03-13.</li>
<li id="cite_note-80"><b><a href="#cite_ref-80" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://ir.nyse.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=129145&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1036503&highlight=" class="external text" title="http://ir.nyse.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=129145&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1036503&highlight=" rel="nofollow">New Release/Ultra Petroleum Corp.,</a>". NYSE Euronext (2007-07-03). Retrieved on 2007-08-03.</li>
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<li id="cite_note-EDBI-85">^ <a href="#cite_ref-EDBI_85-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-EDBI_85-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/?economyid=197" class="external text" title="http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/?economyid=197" rel="nofollow">Doing Business in the United States (2006)</a>". World Bank. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.</li>
<li id="cite_note-86"><b><a href="#cite_ref-86" title="">^</a></b> Dobbs, Lou (2003-11-02). "<a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/031110/10dobbs.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/031110/10dobbs.htm" rel="nofollow">The Perils of Productivity</a>". <i>U.S. News & World Report</i>. Retrieved on 2007-06-30.</li>
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<li id="cite_note-Sme-91">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Sme_91-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Sme_91-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Sme_91-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> Smeeding, T. M. (2005). "Public Policy: Economic Inequality and Poverty: The United States in Comparative Perspective." <i>Social Science Quarterly</i> 86, 955–983.</li>
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<li id="cite_note-136"><b><a href="#cite_ref-136" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-state=gct&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-P1&-mt_name=&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=&-format=US-1&-_lang=en" class="external text" title="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-state=gct&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-P1&-mt_name=&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=&-format=US-1&-_lang=en" rel="nofollow">United States—Urban/Rural and Inside/Outside Metropolitan Area (GCT-P1. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000)</a>". U.S. Census Bureau (2000-04-01). Retrieved on 2008-09-23.</li>
<li id="cite_note-PopEstBigCities-137">^ <a href="#cite_ref-PopEstBigCities_137-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-PopEstBigCities_137-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2007/cb07-91table1.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2007/cb07-91table1.pdf" rel="nofollow">Table 1: Population Estimates for the 25 Largest U.S. Cities Based on July 1, 2006, Population Estimates: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006</a>" (PDF). <i>2006 Population Estimates</i>. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (2007-06-28). Retrieved on 2007-09-08.</li>
<li id="cite_note-PopEstMSA-138">^ <a href="#cite_ref-PopEstMSA_138-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-PopEstMSA_138-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/cb07-51tbl2.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/cb07-51tbl2.pdf" rel="nofollow">Table 2. Population Estimates for the 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas Based on July 1, 2006, Population Estimates</a>" (PDF). <i>2006 Population Estimates</i>. U.S. Census Bureau (2007-04-05). Retrieved on 2007-06-17.</li>
<li id="cite_note-139"><b><a href="#cite_ref-139" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/009865.html" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/009865.html" rel="nofollow">50 Fastest-Growing Metro Areas Concentrated in West and South</a>". U.S. Census Bureau (2007-04-05). Retrieved on 2007-01-26.</li>
<li id="cite_note-140"><b><a href="#cite_ref-140" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/2000s/vintage_2006/06s_challenges.html" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/2000s/vintage_2006/06s_challenges.html" rel="nofollow">Accepted Challenges to Vintage 2006 Population Estimates</a>". <a href="/wiki/United_States_Census_Bureau" title="United States Census Bureau">United States Census Bureau</a>. Retrieved on 2008-05-07.</li>
<li id="cite_note-141"><b><a href="#cite_ref-141" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/glossry2.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/glossry2.pdf" rel="nofollow">Figure A–3. Census Regions, Census Divisions, and Their Constituent States</a>". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-06-17.</li>
<li id="cite_note-USCB_Lang-142">^ <a href="#cite_ref-USCB_Lang_142-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-USCB_Lang_142-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/08statab/pop.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/08statab/pop.pdf" rel="nofollow">Table 52—Languages Spoken at Home by Language: 2005</a>" (PDF). <i>Statistical Abstract of the United States 2006</i>. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-10-18.</li>
<li id="cite_note-143"><b><a href="#cite_ref-143" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.adfl.org/resources/enrollments.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.adfl.org/resources/enrollments.pdf" rel="nofollow">Foreign Language Enrollments in United States Institutions of Higher Learning</a>" (PDF). MLA (fall 2002). Retrieved on 2006-10-16.</li>
<li id="cite_note-144"><b><a href="#cite_ref-144" title="">^</a></b> Feder, Jody (2007-01-25). "<a href="http://www.ilw.com/immigdaily/news/2007,0515-crs.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.ilw.com/immigdaily/news/2007,0515-crs.pdf" rel="nofollow">English as the Official Language of the United States—Legal Background and Analysis of Legislation in the 110th Congress</a>" (PDF). ILW.COM (Congressional Research Service). Retrieved on 2007-06-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-145"><b><a href="#cite_ref-145" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.hawaii.gov/lrb/con/conart15.html" class="external text" title="http://www.hawaii.gov/lrb/con/conart15.html" rel="nofollow">The Constitution of the State of Hawaii, Article XV, Section 4</a>". Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau (1978-11-07). Retrieved on 2007-06-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-146"><b><a href="#cite_ref-146" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFDicker.2C_Susan_J.2003">Dicker, Susan J. (2003). <i>Languages in America: A Pluralist View</i>. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters. pp. 216, 220–25. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1853596515" class="internal">ISBN 1853596515</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Languages+in+America%3A+A+Pluralist+View&rft.aulast=Dicker%2C+Susan+J.&rft.au=Dicker%2C+Susan+J.&rft.date=2003&rft.pages=pp.%26nbsp%3B216%2C+220%E2%80%9325&rft.place=Clevedon%2C+UK&rft.pub=Multilingual+Matters&rft.isbn=1853596515&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-147"><b><a href="#cite_ref-147" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=90544325063+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve" class="external text" title="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=90544325063+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve" rel="nofollow">California Code of Civil Procedure, Section 412.20(6)</a>". Legislative Counsel, State of California. Retrieved on 2007-12-17. "<a href="http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms/allforms.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms/allforms.htm" rel="nofollow">California Judicial Council Forms</a>". Judicial Council, State of California. Retrieved on 2007-12-17.</li>
<li id="cite_note-Pew-148">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Pew_148-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pew_148-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pew_148-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pew_148-3" title=""><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pew_148-4" title=""><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf" class="external text" title="http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf" rel="nofollow">Religious Composition of the U.S.</a>" (PDF). <i>U.S. Religious Landscape Survey</i>. Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life (2007). Retrieved on 2008-10-23.</li>
<li id="cite_note-149"><b><a href="#cite_ref-149" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=167" class="external text" title="http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=167" rel="nofollow">Among Wealthy Nations…U.S. Stands Alone in its Embrace of Religion</a>". <i>Pew Global Attitudes Project</i>. Pew Research Center (2002-12-19). Retrieved on 2008-10-23.</li>
<li id="cite_note-ARIS-150">^ <a href="#cite_ref-ARIS_150-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ARIS_150-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ARIS_150-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm" rel="nofollow">American Religious Identification Survey</a>". CUNY Graduate Center (2001). Retrieved on 2007-06-17.</li>
<li id="cite_note-151"><b><a href="#cite_ref-151" title="">^</a></b> Green, John C. "<a href="http://www.uakron.edu/bliss/docs/Religious_Landscape_2004.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.uakron.edu/bliss/docs/Religious_Landscape_2004.pdf" rel="nofollow">The American Religious Landscape and Political Attitudes: A Baseline for 2004</a>" (PDF). University of Akron. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.</li>
<li id="cite_note-152"><b><a href="#cite_ref-152" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_46.html" class="external text" title="http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_46.html" rel="nofollow">Studies on Agnostics and Atheists in Selected Countries</a>". Adherents.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.</li>
<li id="cite_note-153"><b><a href="#cite_ref-153" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d02/dt150.asp" class="external text" title="http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d02/dt150.asp" rel="nofollow">Ages for Compulsory School Attendance...</a>". U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-154"><b><a href="#cite_ref-154" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/nonpublic/statistics.html" class="external text" title="http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/nonpublic/statistics.html" rel="nofollow">Statistics About Non-Public Education in the United States</a>". U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Non-Public Education. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.</li>
<li id="cite_note-155"><b><a href="#cite_ref-155" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/p20-550.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/p20-550.pdf" rel="nofollow">Educational Attainment in the United States: 2003</a>" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.</li>
<li id="cite_note-156"><b><a href="#cite_ref-156" title="">^</a></b> For more detail on U.S. literacy, see <a href="http://nces.ed.gov/NAAL/PDF/2006470.PDF" class="external text" title="http://nces.ed.gov/NAAL/PDF/2006470.PDF" rel="nofollow">A First Look at the Literacy of America’s Adults in the 21st century</a>, U.S. Department of Education (2003).</li>
<li id="cite_note-157"><b><a href="#cite_ref-157" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20070620235428/http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_HDI.pdf" class="external text" title="http://web.archive.org/web/20070620235428/http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_HDI.pdf" rel="nofollow">Human Development Indicators</a>" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Reports (2005). Archived from <a href="http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_HDI.pdf" class="external text" title="http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_HDI.pdf" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 2007-06-20. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.</li>
<li id="cite_note-158"><b><a href="#cite_ref-158" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus06.pdf#027" class="external text" title="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus06.pdf#027" rel="nofollow">Health, United States, 2006</a>". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics (November 2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-15.</li>
<li id="cite_note-159"><b><a href="#cite_ref-159" title="">^</a></b> Eberstadt, Nicholas, and Hans Groth (2007-04-19). "<a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/19/opinion/edeber.php" class="external text" title="http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/19/opinion/edeber.php" rel="nofollow">Healthy Old Europe</a>". <i>International Herald Tribune</i>. Retrieved on 2007-06-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-160"><b><a href="#cite_ref-160" title="">^</a></b> MacAskill, Ewen (2007-08-13). "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/aug/13/usa.ewenmacaskill" class="external text" title="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/aug/13/usa.ewenmacaskill" rel="nofollow">US Tumbles Down the World Ratings List for Life Expectancy</a>". <i>Guardian</i>. Retrieved on 2007-08-15.</li>
<li id="cite_note-161"><b><a href="#cite_ref-161" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html" class="external text" title="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html" rel="nofollow">Rank Order—Infant Mortality Rate</a>". <i>The World Factbook</i>. CIA (2007-06-14). Retrieved on 2007-06-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-162"><b><a href="#cite_ref-162" title="">^</a></b> Martin, Nicole (2007-08-24). "<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1560849/UK-cancer-survival-rate-lowest-in-Europe.html" class="external text" title="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1560849/UK-cancer-survival-rate-lowest-in-Europe.html" rel="nofollow">UK Cancer Survival Rate Lowest in Europe</a>", <i>The Daily Telegraph</i>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.type=newspaperArticle&rft.subject=News&rft.aufirst=Nicole&rft.aulast=Martin&rft.title=UK+Cancer+Survival+Rate+Lowest+in+Europe&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuknews%2F1560849%2FUK-cancer-survival-rate-lowest-in-Europe.html&rft.source=The+Daily+Telegraph&rft.date=2007-08-24"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="Journal" id="CITEREFGatta2006">Gatta, Gemma (February 2006). "Survival from Rare Cancer in Adults: A Population-Based Study". <i>The Lancet Oncology</i> <b>7</b> (2): 132–140. <a href="/wiki/Digital_object_identifier" title="Digital object identifier">doi</a>:<span class="neverexpand"><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2FS1470-2045%2805%2970471-X" class="external text" title="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2FS1470-2045%2805%2970471-X" rel="nofollow">10.1016/S1470-2045(05)70471-X</a></span>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Survival+from+Rare+Cancer+in+Adults%3A+A+Population-Based+Study&rft.jtitle=The+Lancet+Oncology&rft.aulast=Gatta&rft.aufirst=Gemma&rft.au=Gatta%2C+Gemma&rft.date=February+2006&rft.volume=7&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=132%E2%80%93140&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016%2FS1470-2045%2805%2970471-X&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-163"><b><a href="#cite_ref-163" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overweight/overwght_adult_03.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overweight/overwght_adult_03.htm" rel="nofollow">Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Adults: United States, 2003–2004</a>". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.</li>
<li id="cite_note-164"><b><a href="#cite_ref-164" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFSchlosser.2C_Eric2002">Schlosser, Eric (2002). <i>Fast Food Nation</i>. New York: Perennial. p. 240. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0060938455" class="internal">ISBN 0060938455</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Fast+Food+Nation&rft.aulast=Schlosser%2C+Eric&rft.au=Schlosser%2C+Eric&rft.date=2002&rft.pages=p.%26nbsp%3B240&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Perennial&rft.isbn=0060938455&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-165"><b><a href="#cite_ref-165" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://atvb.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/12/2451#R3-101329" class="external text" title="http://atvb.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/12/2451#R3-101329" rel="nofollow">Fast Food, Central Nervous System Insulin Resistance, and Obesity</a>". <i>Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology</i>. American Heart Association (2005). Retrieved on 2007-06-17.</li>
<li id="cite_note-166"><b><a href="#cite_ref-166" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/PUBLICATIONS/factsheet/fsest.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/PUBLICATIONS/factsheet/fsest.htm" rel="nofollow">Adolescent Sexual Health in Europe and the U.S.—Why the Difference?</a>". Advocates for Youth (October 2001). Retrieved on 2007-06-17.</li>
<li id="cite_note-167"><b><a href="#cite_ref-167" title="">^</a></b> Strauss, Lilo T., et al. (2006-11-24). "<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5511a1.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5511a1.htm" rel="nofollow">Abortion Surveillance—United States, 2003</a>". <i>MMWR</i>. Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health. Retrieved on 2007-06-17.</li>
<li id="cite_note-168"><b><a href="#cite_ref-168" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.texmedctr.tmc.edu/root/en/GetToKnow/FactsandFigures/Facts+and+Figures.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.texmedctr.tmc.edu/root/en/GetToKnow/FactsandFigures/Facts+and+Figures.htm" rel="nofollow">2007 Facts & Figures</a>". Texas Medical Center. Retrieved on 2008-11-07.</li>
<li id="cite_note-169"><b><a href="#cite_ref-169" title="">^</a></b> <i>OECD Health Data 2000: A Comparative Analysis of 29 Countries</i> [CD-ROM] (OECD: Paris, 2000). See also "<a href="http://dll.umaine.edu/ble/U.S.%20HCweb.pdf" class="external text" title="http://dll.umaine.edu/ble/U.S.%20HCweb.pdf" rel="nofollow">The U.S. Healthcare System: The Best in the World or Just the Most Expensive?</a>" (PDF). University of Maine (2001). Retrieved on 2006-11-29.</li>
<li id="cite_note-170"><b><a href="#cite_ref-170" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="Journal" id="CITEREFGroves.2C_Trish2008">Groves, Trish (February 2008). "Stronger European Medical Research". <i>British Medical Journal</i> <b>336</b>: 341–342. <a href="/wiki/Digital_object_identifier" title="Digital object identifier">doi</a>:<span class="neverexpand"><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136%2Fbmj.39489.505208.80" class="external text" title="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136%2Fbmj.39489.505208.80" rel="nofollow">10.1136/bmj.39489.505208.80</a></span>. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18276671" class="external" title="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18276671">PMID 18276671</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Stronger+European+Medical+Research&rft.jtitle=British+Medical+Journal&rft.aulast=Groves%2C+Trish&rft.au=Groves%2C+Trish&rft.date=February+2008&rft.volume=336&rft.pages=341%E2%80%93342&rft_id=info:doi/10.1136%2Fbmj.39489.505208.80&rft_id=info:pmid/18276671&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-CDC_H-171"><b><a href="#cite_ref-CDC_H_171-0" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus06.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus06.pdf" rel="nofollow">Health, United States, 2006</a>" (PDF). Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved on 2006-11-24.</li>
<li id="cite_note-CBPP-172"><b><a href="#cite_ref-CBPP_172-0" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.cbpp.org/8-29-06pov.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.cbpp.org/8-29-06pov.htm" rel="nofollow">Poverty Remains Higher, and Median Income for Non-Elderly Is Lower, Than When Recession Hit Bottom: Poor Performance Unprecedented for Four-Year Recovery Period</a>". Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (2006-09-01). Retrieved on 2007-06-24.</li>
<li id="cite_note-173"><b><a href="#cite_ref-173" title="">^</a></b> Abelson, Reed (2008-06-10). "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/health/policy/10health.html" class="external text" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/health/policy/10health.html" rel="nofollow">Ranks of Underinsured Are Rising, Study Finds</a>". <i>New York Times</i>. Retrieved on 2008-10-25. <cite style="font-style:normal" class="Journal" id="CITEREFBlewett.2C_Lynn_A._et_al.2006">Blewett, Lynn A. et al. (2006). "How Much Health Insurance Is Enough? Revisiting the Concept of Underinsurance". <i>Medical Care Research and Review</i> <b>63</b> (6): 663–700. <a href="/wiki/Digital_object_identifier" title="Digital object identifier">doi</a>:<span class="neverexpand"><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1077558706293634" class="external text" title="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1077558706293634" rel="nofollow">10.1177/1077558706293634</a></span>. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17099121" class="external" title="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17099121">PMID 17099121</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=How+Much+Health+Insurance+Is+Enough%3F+Revisiting+the+Concept+of+Underinsurance&rft.jtitle=Medical+Care+Research+and+Review&rft.aulast=Blewett%2C+Lynn+A.+et+al.&rft.au=Blewett%2C+Lynn+A.+et+al.&rft.date=2006&rft.volume=63&rft.issue=6&rft.pages=663%E2%80%93700&rft_id=info:doi/10.1177%2F1077558706293634&rft_id=info:pmid/17099121&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-174"><b><a href="#cite_ref-174" title="">^</a></b> Fahrenthold, David A. (2006-04-05). "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040401937.html" class="external text" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040401937.html" rel="nofollow">Mass. Bill Requires Health Coverage</a>". <i>Washington Post</i>. Retrieved on 2007-06-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-175"><b><a href="#cite_ref-175" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.unodc.org/pdf/crime/eighthsurvey/8sv.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.unodc.org/pdf/crime/eighthsurvey/8sv.pdf" rel="nofollow">Eighth United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2001–2002)</a>" (PDF). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (2005-03-31). Retrieved on 2008-05-18. <cite style="font-style:normal" class="Journal" id="CITEREFKrug.2C_E.G.2C_K.E._Powell.2C_and_L.L._Dahlberg1998">Krug, E.G, K.E. Powell, and L.L. Dahlberg (1998). "<a href="http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/214" class="external text" title="http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/214" rel="nofollow">Firearm-Related Deaths in the United States and 35 Other High- and Upper-Middle Income Countries</a>". <i>International Journal of Epidemiology</i> <b>7</b> (2): 214–221. <a href="/wiki/Digital_object_identifier" title="Digital object identifier">doi</a>:<span class="neverexpand"><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093%2Fije%2F27.2.214" class="external text" title="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093%2Fije%2F27.2.214" rel="nofollow">10.1093/ije/27.2.214</a></span>. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9602401" class="external" title="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9602401">PMID 9602401</a><span class="printonly">. <a href="http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/214" class="external free" title="http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/214" rel="nofollow">http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/214</a></span>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Firearm-Related+Deaths+in+the+United+States+and+35+Other+High-+and+Upper-Middle+Income+Countries&rft.jtitle=International+Journal+of+Epidemiology&rft.aulast=Krug%2C+E.G%2C+K.E.+Powell%2C+and+L.L.+Dahlberg&rft.au=Krug%2C+E.G%2C+K.E.+Powell%2C+and+L.L.+Dahlberg&rft.date=1998&rft.volume=7&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=214%E2%80%93221&rft_id=info:doi/10.1093%2Fije%2F27.2.214&rft_id=info:pmid/9602401&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fije.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fabstract%2F27%2F2%2F214&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-Crime_2007-176">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Crime_2007_176-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Crime_2007_176-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2007/data/table_01.html" class="external text" title="http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2007/data/table_01.html" rel="nofollow">Crime in the United States by Volume and Rate per 100,000 Inhabitants, 1988–2007</a>". <i>Crime in the United States 2007</i>. FBI (September 2008). Retrieved on 2008-10-26.</li>
<li id="cite_note-177"><b><a href="#cite_ref-177" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/legal02.htm?sdi=crimes" class="external text" title="http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/legal02.htm?sdi=crimes" rel="nofollow">Crimes by Type of Offence</a>". Statistics Canada (2008-07-17). Retrieved on 2008-10-26.</li>
<li id="cite_note-SP-178">^ <a href="#cite_ref-SP_178-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-SP_178-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-SP_178-2" title=""><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> "<a href="http://www.sentencingproject.org/Admin/Documents/publications/inc_newfigures.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.sentencingproject.org/Admin/Documents/publications/inc_newfigures.pdf" rel="nofollow">New Incarceration Figures: Thirty-Three Consecutive Years of Growth</a>" (PDF). Sentencing Project (December 2006). Retrieved on 2007-06-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-179"><b><a href="#cite_ref-179" title="">^</a></b> Walmsley, Roy (2005). "<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20070628215935/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/world-prison-population-list-2005.pdf" class="external text" title="http://web.archive.org/web/20070628215935/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/world-prison-population-list-2005.pdf" rel="nofollow">World Prison Population List</a>" (PDF). King's College London, International Centre for Prison Studies. Archived from <a href="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/world-prison-population-list-2005.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/world-prison-population-list-2005.pdf" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 2007-06-28. Retrieved on 2007-10-19. For the latest data, see "<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20070804061423/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/north_america_records.php?code=190" class="external text" title="http://web.archive.org/web/20070804061423/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/north_america_records.php?code=190" rel="nofollow">Prison Brief for United States of America</a>". King's College London, International Centre for Prison Studies (2006-06-21). Archived from <a href="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/north_america_records.php?code=190" class="external text" title="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/north_america_records.php?code=190" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 2007-08-04. Retrieved on 2007-10-19. For other estimates of the incarceration rate in China and North Korea see Adams, Cecil (2004-02-06). "<a href="http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2494/does-the-united-states-lead-the-world-in-prison-population" class="external text" title="http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2494/does-the-united-states-lead-the-world-in-prison-population" rel="nofollow">Does the United States Lead the World in Prison Population?</a>". The Straight Dope. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.</li>
<li id="cite_note-180"><b><a href="#cite_ref-180" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=35912" class="external text" title="http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=35912" rel="nofollow">Pew Report Finds More than One in 100 Adults are Behind Bars</a>". Pew Center on the States (2008-02-28). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.</li>
<li id="cite_note-181"><b><a href="#cite_ref-181" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/tables/incrttab.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/tables/incrttab.htm" rel="nofollow">Incarceration Rate, 1980–2005</a>". U.S. Dept. of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (2006). Retrieved on 2007-06-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-182"><b><a href="#cite_ref-182" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20070824173340/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/highest_to_lowest_rates.php" class="external text" title="http://web.archive.org/web/20070824173340/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/highest_to_lowest_rates.php" rel="nofollow">Entire World—Prison Population Rates per 100,000 of the National Population</a>". King's College London, International Centre for Prison Studies (2007). Archived from <a href="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/highest_to_lowest_rates.php" class="external text" title="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/highest_to_lowest_rates.php" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 2007-08-24. Retrieved on 2007-10-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-HRW-183"><b><a href="#cite_ref-HRW_183-0" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.hrw.org/reports/2000/usa/Rcedrg00-05.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.hrw.org/reports/2000/usa/Rcedrg00-05.htm" rel="nofollow">The Impact of the War on Drugs on U.S. Incarceration</a>". Human Rights Watch (May 2000). Retrieved on 2007-06-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-184"><b><a href="#cite_ref-184" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions-united-states-2007" class="external text" title="http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions-united-states-2007" rel="nofollow">Executions in the United States in 2007</a>". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved on 2007-06-15.</li>
<li id="cite_note-185"><b><a href="#cite_ref-185" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-penalty-international-perspective" class="external text" title="http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-penalty-international-perspective" rel="nofollow">Executions Around the World</a>". Death Penalty Information Center (2007). Retrieved on 2007-06-15.</li>
<li id="cite_note-Society_in_Focus-186"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Society_in_Focus_186-0" title="">^</a></b> Thompson, William, and Joseph Hickey (2005). <i>Society in Focus</i>. Boston: Pearson. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/020541365X" class="internal">ISBN 020541365X</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-187"><b><a href="#cite_ref-187" title="">^</a></b> Fiorina, Morris P., and Paul E. Peterson (2000). <i>The New American Democracy</i>. London: Longman, p. 97. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0321070585" class="internal">ISBN 0321070585</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-188"><b><a href="#cite_ref-188" title="">^</a></b> Holloway, Joseph E. (2005). <i>Africanisms in American Culture</i>, 2d ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, pp. 18–38. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0253344794" class="internal">ISBN 0253344794</a>. Johnson, Fern L. (1999). <i>Speaking Culturally: Language Diversity in the United States</i>. Thousand Oaks, Calif., London, and New Delhi: Sage, p. 116. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0803959125" class="internal">ISBN 0803959125</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-189"><b><a href="#cite_ref-189" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFGutfield2002">Gutfield, Amon (2002). <i>American Exceptionalism: The Effects of Plenty on the American Experience</i>. Brighton and Portland: Sussex Academic Press. p. 65. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1903900085" class="internal">ISBN 1903900085</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=American+Exceptionalism%3A+The+Effects+of+Plenty+on+the+American+Experience&rft.aulast=Gutfield&rft.aufirst=Amon&rft.au=Gutfield%2C+Amon&rft.date=2002&rft.pages=p.%26nbsp%3B65&rft.place=Brighton+and+Portland&rft.pub=Sussex+Academic+Press&rft.isbn=1903900085&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-190"><b><a href="#cite_ref-190" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFZweig2004">Zweig, Michael (2004). <i>What's Class Got To Do With It, American Society in the Twenty-First Century</i>. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0801488990" class="internal">ISBN 0801488990</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=What%27s+Class+Got+To+Do+With+It%2C+American+Society+in+the+Twenty-First+Century&rft.aulast=Zweig&rft.aufirst=Michael&rft.au=Zweig%2C+Michael&rft.date=2004&rft.place=Ithaca%2C+NY&rft.pub=Cornell+University+Press&rft.isbn=0801488990&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span> "<a href="http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED309843&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&objectId=0900000b800472a5" class="external text" title="http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED309843&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&objectId=0900000b800472a5" rel="nofollow">Effects of Social Class and Interactive Setting on Maternal Speech</a>". Education Resource Information Center. Retrieved on 2007-01-27.</li>
<li id="cite_note-191"><b><a href="#cite_ref-191" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFEhrenreich1989">Ehrenreich, Barbara (1989). <i>Fear of Falling, The Inner Life of the Middle Class</i>. New York: HarperCollins. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0060973331" class="internal">ISBN 0060973331</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Fear+of+Falling%2C+The+Inner+Life+of+the+Middle+Class&rft.aulast=Ehrenreich&rft.aufirst=Barbara&rft.au=Ehrenreich%2C+Barbara&rft.date=1989&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=HarperCollins&rft.isbn=0060973331&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-192"><b><a href="#cite_ref-192" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFEichar1989">Eichar, Douglas (1989). <i>Occupation and Class Consciousness in America</i>. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0313261113" class="internal">ISBN 0313261113</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Occupation+and+Class+Consciousness+in+America&rft.aulast=Eichar&rft.aufirst=Douglas&rft.au=Eichar%2C+Douglas&rft.date=1989&rft.place=Westport%2C+CT&rft.pub=Greenwood+Press&rft.isbn=0313261113&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-193"><b><a href="#cite_ref-193" title="">^</a></b> <cite style="font-style:normal" class="book" id="CITEREFO.27Keefe2005">O'Keefe, Kevin (2005). <i>The Average American</i>. New York: PublicAffairs. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/158648270X" class="internal">ISBN 158648270X</a>.</cite><span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Average+American&rft.aulast=O%27Keefe&rft.aufirst=Kevin&rft.au=O%27Keefe%2C+Kevin&rft.date=2005&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=PublicAffairs&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:United_States"><span style="display: none;"> </span></span></li>
<li id="cite_note-194"><b><a href="#cite_ref-194" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3518560" class="external text" title="http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3518560" rel="nofollow">Ever Higher Society, Ever Harder to Ascend: Whatever Happened to the Belief That Any American Could Get to the Top</a>". <i>Economist</i> (2004-12-29). Retrieved on 2006-08-21. Blanden, Jo, Paul Gregg, and Stephen Malchin (April 2005). "<a href="http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/IntergenerationalMobility.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/IntergenerationalMobility.pdf" rel="nofollow">Intergenerational Mobility in Europe and North America</a>" (PDF). Centre for Economic Performance. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.</li>
<li id="cite_note-195"><b><a href="#cite_ref-195" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.iserp.columbia.edu/news/articles/female_college.html" class="external text" title="http://www.iserp.columbia.edu/news/articles/female_college.html" rel="nofollow">Women's Advances in Education</a>". Columbia University, Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (2006). Retrieved on 2007-06-06.</li>
<li id="cite_note-196"><b><a href="#cite_ref-196" title="">^</a></b> Williams, Brian, Stacey C. Sawyer, and Carl M. Wahlstrom (2005). <i>Marriages, Families and Intimate Relationships</i>. Boston: Pearson. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0205366740" class="internal">ISBN 0205366740</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-197"><b><a href="#cite_ref-197" title="">^</a></b> <a href="http://www.filmsite.org/villvoice.html" class="external text" title="http://www.filmsite.org/villvoice.html" rel="nofollow"><i>Village Voice</i>: 100 Best Films of the 20th century (2001)</a>. Filmsite.org; <a href="http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/critics-long.html" class="external text" title="http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/critics-long.html" rel="nofollow"><i>Sight and Sound</i> Top Ten Poll 2002</a>. BFI. Retrieved on June 19, 2007.</li>
<li id="cite_note-198"><b><a href="#cite_ref-198" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.unesco.org/bpi/eng/unescopress/2000/00-120e.shtml" class="external text" title="http://www.unesco.org/bpi/eng/unescopress/2000/00-120e.shtml" rel="nofollow">World Culture Report 2000 Calls for Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage</a>". UNESCO (2000-11-17). Retrieved on 2007-09-14. "<a href="http://www1.worldbank.org/economicpolicy/globalization/thwart.html" class="external text" title="http://www1.worldbank.org/economicpolicy/globalization/thwart.html" rel="nofollow">Summary: Does Globalization Thwart Cultural Diversity?</a>". World Bank Group. Retrieved on 2007-09-14.</li>
<li id="cite_note-199"><b><a href="#cite_ref-199" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/med_tel_vie-media-television-viewing" class="external text" title="http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/med_tel_vie-media-television-viewing" rel="nofollow">Media Statistics > Television Viewing by Country</a>". NationMaster. Retrieved on 2007-06-03.</li>
<li id="cite_note-200"><b><a href="#cite_ref-200" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1005003" class="external text" title="http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1005003" rel="nofollow">Broadband and Media Consumption</a>". eMarketer (2007-06-07). Retrieved on 2007-06-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-201"><b><a href="#cite_ref-201" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1004830" class="external text" title="http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1004830" rel="nofollow">TV Fans Spill into Web Sites</a>". eMarketer (2007-06-07). Retrieved on 2007-06-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-202"><b><a href="#cite_ref-202" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_sites?cc=US&ts_mode=country&lang=none" class="external text" title="http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_sites?cc=US&ts_mode=country&lang=none" rel="nofollow">Top Sites in United States</a>". Alexa (2008). Retrieved on 2008-12-29.</li>
<li id="cite_note-203"><b><a href="#cite_ref-203" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://adage.com/images/random/digitalfactpack2007.pdf" class="external text" title="http://adage.com/images/random/digitalfactpack2007.pdf" rel="nofollow">Digital Fact Pack 2007 (pp. 21)</a>" (PDF). <i>Advertising Age</i> (2007-04-23). Retrieved on 2007-06-10.</li>
<li id="cite_note-204"><b><a href="#cite_ref-204" title="">^</a></b> Biddle, Julian (2001). <i>What Was Hot!: Five Decades of Pop Culture in America</i>. New York: Citadel, p. ix. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0806523115" class="internal">ISBN 0806523115</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-205"><b><a href="#cite_ref-205" title="">^</a></b> Meyers, Jeffrey (1999). <i>Hemingway: A Biography</i>. New York: Da Capo, p. 139. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0306808900" class="internal">ISBN 0306808900</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-206"><b><a href="#cite_ref-206" title="">^</a></b> Brown, Milton W. (1988 1963). <i>The Story of the Armory Show</i>. New York: Abbeville. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0896597954" class="internal">ISBN 0896597954</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-IFT-207">^ <a href="#cite_ref-IFT_207-0" title=""><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IFT_207-1" title=""><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> Klapthor, James N. (2003-08-23). "<a href="http://www.ift.org/cms/?pid=1000496" class="external text" title="http://www.ift.org/cms/?pid=1000496" rel="nofollow">What, When, and Where Americans Eat in 2003</a>". Institute of Food Technologists. Retrieved on 2007-06-19.</li>
<li id="cite_note-208"><b><a href="#cite_ref-208" title="">^</a></b> Smith, Andrew F. (2004). <i>The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America</i>. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 131–32. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0195154371" class="internal">ISBN 0195154371</a>. Levenstein, Harvey (2003). <i>Revolution at the Table: The Transformation of the American Diet</i>. Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, pp. 154–55. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0520234391" class="internal">ISBN 0520234391</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-209"><b><a href="#cite_ref-209" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://atvb.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/12/2451#R3-101329" class="external text" title="http://atvb.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/12/2451#R3-101329" rel="nofollow">Fast Food, Central Nervous System Insulin Resistance, and Obesity</a>". <i>Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology</i>. American Heart Association (2005). Retrieved on 2007-06-09. "<a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib19/eib19_reportsummary.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib19/eib19_reportsummary.pdf" rel="nofollow">Let's Eat Out: Americans Weigh Taste, Convenience, and Nutrition</a>" (PDF). U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Retrieved on 2007-06-09.</li>
<li id="cite_note-210"><b><a href="#cite_ref-210" title="">^</a></b> Krane, David K. (2002-10-30). "<a href="http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=337" class="external text" title="http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=337" rel="nofollow">Professional Football Widens Its Lead Over Baseball as Nation's Favorite Sport</a>". Harris Interactive. Retrieved on 2007-09-14. Maccambridge, Michael (2004). <i>America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation</i>. New York: Random House. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0375504540" class="internal">ISBN 0375504540</a>.</li>
<li id="cite_note-211"><b><a href="#cite_ref-211" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0115108.html" class="external text" title="http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0115108.html" rel="nofollow">All-Time Medal Standings, 1896–2004</a>". Information Please. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. "<a href="http://www.factmonster.com/sports/olympics/2008/distribution-medals-summer-games.html" class="external text" title="http://www.factmonster.com/sports/olympics/2008/distribution-medals-summer-games.html" rel="nofollow">Distribution of Medals—2008 Summer Games</a>". Fact Monster. Retrieved on 2008-09-02.</li>
<li id="cite_note-212"><b><a href="#cite_ref-212" title="">^</a></b> "<a href="http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0115207.html" class="external text" title="http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0115207.html" rel="nofollow">All-Time Medal Standings, 1924–2006</a>". Information Please. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. Norway is first; the Soviet Union is third, and would be second if its medal count was combined with Russia's.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p><a name="External_links" id="External_links"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">External links</span></h2>
<div class="infobox sisterproject" style="width: 18em; font-size: 90%; padding: 1em;">
<center>Find more about <b>United States</b> on Wikipedia's <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikimedia_sister_projects" title="Wikipedia:Wikimedia sister projects">sister projects</a>:</center>
<br />
<p><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" title="wikt:Special:Search/United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Wiktionary-logo-en.svg/25px-Wiktionary-logo-en.svg.png" width="25" height="27" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" class="extiw" title="wikt:Special:Search/United States">Definitions</a> from Wiktionary<br />
<a href="http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" title="b:Special:Search/United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikibooks-logo.svg/25px-Wikibooks-logo.svg.png" width="25" height="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" class="extiw" title="b:Special:Search/United States">Textbooks</a> from Wikibooks<br />
<a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" title="q:Special:Search/United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/25px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png" width="25" height="30" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" class="extiw" title="q:Special:Search/United States">Quotations</a> from Wikiquote<br />
<a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" title="s:Special:Search/United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/25px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" width="25" height="26" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" class="extiw" title="s:Special:Search/United States">Source texts</a> from Wikisource<br />
<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" title="commons:Special:Search/United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/25px-Commons-logo.svg.png" width="25" height="34" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" class="extiw" title="commons:Special:Search/United States">Images and media</a> from Commons<br />
<a href="http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" title="n:Special:Search/United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/25px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="25" height="14" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" class="extiw" title="n:Special:Search/United States">News stories</a> from Wikinews<br /></p>
<a href="http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" title="v:Special:Search/United States"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Wikiversity-logo-Snorky.svg/25px-Wikiversity-logo-Snorky.svg.png" width="25" height="23" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Special:Search/United_States" class="extiw" title="v:Special:Search/United States">Learning resources</a> from Wikiversity</div>
<dl>
<dt>Government</dt>
</dl>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.usa.gov/" class="external text" title="http://www.usa.gov/" rel="nofollow">Official U.S. Government Web Portal</a> Gateway to government sites</li>
<li><a href="http://www.house.gov/" class="external text" title="http://www.house.gov/" rel="nofollow">House</a> Official site of the United States House of Representatives</li>
<li><a href="http://www.senate.gov/" class="external text" title="http://www.senate.gov/" rel="nofollow">Senate</a> Official site of the United States Senate</li>
<li><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/" class="external text" title="http://www.whitehouse.gov/" rel="nofollow">White House</a> Official site of the President of the United States</li>
<li><a href="http://www.supremecourtus.gov/" class="external text" title="http://www.supremecourtus.gov/" rel="nofollow">Supreme Court</a> Official site of the Supreme Court of the United States</li>
</ul>
<dl>
<dt>Overviews and Data</dt>
</dl>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ua.html" class="external text" title="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ua.html" rel="nofollow">United States</a> entry at <i><a href="/wiki/The_World_Factbook" title="The World Factbook">The World Factbook</a></i></li>
<li><a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/United_States_of_America" class="extiw" title="wikitravel:United States of America">United States travel guide</a> from <a href="/wiki/Wikitravel" title="Wikitravel">Wikitravel</a></li>
<li><a href="http://usinfo.state.gov/infousa/index.html" class="external text" title="http://usinfo.state.gov/infousa/index.html" rel="nofollow">InfoUSA</a> Portal to U.S. Information Agency resources</li>
<li><a href="http://www.loc.gov/index.html" class="external text" title="http://www.loc.gov/index.html" rel="nofollow">Library of Congress</a> Official site of the U.S. <a href="/wiki/Library_of_Congress" title="Library of Congress">Library of Congress</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/" class="external text" title="http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/" rel="nofollow">U.S. Census Housing and Economic Statistics</a> Wide-ranging data from the <a href="/wiki/U.S._Census_Bureau" title="U.S. Census Bureau" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Census Bureau</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis" class="external text" title="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis" rel="nofollow">U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</a> Official government site</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/statefacts/" class="external text" title="http://www.ers.usda.gov/statefacts/" rel="nofollow">State Fact Sheets</a> Population, employment, income, and farm data from the U.S. <a href="/wiki/Economic_Research_Service" title="Economic Research Service">Economic Research Service</a></li>
<li><a href="http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/" class="external text" title="http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/" rel="nofollow">State Energy Profiles</a> Economic, environmental, and energy data for each state from the U.S. <a href="/wiki/Energy_Information_Administration" title="Energy Information Administration">Energy Information Administration</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.teacheroz.com/states.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.teacheroz.com/states.htm" rel="nofollow">The 50 States of the U.S.A.</a> Collected informational links for each state</li>
<li><a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/616563/United-States" class="external text" title="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/616563/United-States" rel="nofollow">United States</a> <i>Encyclopaedia Britannica</i> entry</li>
<li><a href="http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America/United_States/" class="external text" title="http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America/United_States/" rel="nofollow">United States</a> at the <a href="/wiki/Open_Directory_Project" title="Open Directory Project">Open Directory Project</a></li>
</ul>
<dl>
<dt>History</dt>
</dl>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nationalcenter.org/HistoricalDocuments.html" class="external text" title="http://www.nationalcenter.org/HistoricalDocuments.html" rel="nofollow">Historical Documents</a> Collected by the National Center for Public Policy Research</li>
<li><a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/nat_mott.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.religioustolerance.org/nat_mott.htm" rel="nofollow">U.S. National Mottos: History and Constitutionality</a> Analysis by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance</li>
<li><a href="http://www.historicalstatistics.org/index2.html" class="external text" title="http://www.historicalstatistics.org/index2.html" rel="nofollow">USA</a> Collected links to historical data</li>
</ul>
<dl>
<dt>Maps</dt>
</dl>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://nationalatlas.gov/" class="external text" title="http://nationalatlas.gov/" rel="nofollow">National Atlas of the United States</a> Official maps from the U.S. Department of the Interior</li>
<li><a href="http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=41771312&x=-99492187&z=4&l=0&m=a" class="external text" title="http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=41771312&x=-99492187&z=4&l=0&m=a" rel="nofollow">United States</a> Satellite view at <a href="/wiki/WikiMapia" title="WikiMapia">WikiMapia</a> (not affiliated with Wikipedia/<a href="/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation" title="Wikimedia Foundation">Wikimedia Foundation</a>)</li>
<li><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_the_United_States" class="extiw" title="commons:Atlas of the United States">Wikimedia Atlas of the United States</a></li>
</ul>
<dl>
<dt>Other</dt>
</dl>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.prb.org/Datafinder/Geography/Summary.aspx?region=72&region_type=2" class="external text" title="http://www.prb.org/Datafinder/Geography/Summary.aspx?region=72&region_type=2" rel="nofollow">Statistics</a> from the <i>Population Reference Bureau</i></li>
</ul>
<p><br clear="all" /></p>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United States"><img alt="Flag of the United States" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" width="22" height="12" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a></span> <strong class="selflink">United States</strong> topics</span></th>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_States" title="History of the United States">History</a></td>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.75em;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history" title="Timeline of United States history">Timeline</a></div>
</td>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Pre-Columbian" title="Pre-Columbian">Pre-Columbian</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Colonial_history_of_the_United_States" title="Colonial history of the United States">Colonial era</a> (<a href="/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies" title="Thirteen Colonies">Thirteen Colonies</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence" title="United States Declaration of Independence">Declaration of Independence</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_Revolution" title="American Revolution">American Revolution</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Territorial_acquisitions_of_the_United_States" title="Territorial acquisitions of the United States">Territorial acquisitions</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_Civil_War" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Reconstruction_era_of_the_United_States" title="Reconstruction era of the United States">Reconstruction era</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1896%E2%80%931954)" title="African-American Civil Rights Movement (1896–1954)">African-American Civil Rights Movement (1896–1954)</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_(1865%E2%80%931918)#World_War_I" title="History of the United States (1865–1918)">World War I</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Great_Depression" title="Great Depression">Great Depression</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United States during World War II">World War II</a> (<a href="/wiki/United_States_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="United States home front during World War II">Home front</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1955%E2%80%931968)" title="African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)">African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second-wave_feminism" title="Second-wave feminism">Second-wave feminism</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_(1991%E2%80%93present)" title="History of the United States (1991–present)">Post-Cold War (1991-present)</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/War_on_Terrorism" title="War on Terrorism">War on Terrorism</a></span></div>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Demographic_history_of_the_United_States" title="Demographic history of the United States">Demographic</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_United_States" title="Economic history of the United States">Economic</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States" title="Military history of the United States">Military</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_United_States" title="Postage stamps and postal history of the United States">Postal</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Technological_and_industrial_history_of_the_United_States" title="Technological and industrial history of the United States">Technological and industrial</a></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States" title="Federal government of the United States">Federal<br />
government</a></td>
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<td style="padding:0px;padding:0.3em 0;;;;width:25%;">
<div>
<div style="line-height:1.4em;"><b><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_United_States" title="Law of the United States">Law</a></b><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Constitution" title="United States Constitution">U.S. Constitution</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights" title="United States Bill of Rights">Bill of Rights</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Civil_liberties_in_the_United_States" title="Civil liberties in the United States">Civil liberties</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Federalism_in_the_United_States" title="Federalism in the United States">Federalism</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Separation_of_powers_under_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Separation of powers under the United States Constitution">Separation of powers</a></div>
<div style="padding-top:0.4em; line-height:1.4em;"><b><a href="/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_States" title="Law enforcement in the United States">Law Enforcement</a></b><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Justice" title="United States Department of Justice">Department of Justice (DOJ)</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation" title="Federal Bureau of Investigation">Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)</a></div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;padding:0.3em 0;;;;width:25%;">
<div>
<div style="line-height:1.4em;"><b><a href="/wiki/Legislature" title="Legislature">Legislature</a> - <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">Congress</a></b><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives">House of Representatives</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">Senate</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Vice_President_of_the_United_States" title="Vice President of the United States">Vice President</a></div>
<div style="padding-top:0.4em; line-height:1.4em;"><b><a href="/wiki/Executive_(government)" title="Executive (government)">Executive</a> - <a href="/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States">President</a></b><br />
<a href="/wiki/Executive_Office_of_the_President_of_the_United_States" title="Executive Office of the President of the United States">Executive Office of the President</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Cabinet" title="United States Cabinet">Cabinet</a>/<a href="/wiki/United_States_federal_executive_departments" title="United States federal executive departments">Executive departments</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Independent_agencies_of_the_United_States_government" title="Independent agencies of the United States government">Independent agencies</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Policies_of_the_United_States" title="Policies of the United States">Policies</a></div>
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<td style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;padding:0.3em 0;;;;width:25%;">
<div>
<div style="line-height:1.4em;"><b><a href="/wiki/Judiciary" title="Judiciary">Judiciary</a> - <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States" title="Supreme Court of the United States">Supreme Court</a></b><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_federal_courts" title="United States federal courts">Federal courts</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_court_of_appeals" title="United States court of appeals">Courts of appeals</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_district_court" title="United States district court">District courts</a></div>
<div style="padding-top:0.4em; line-height:1.4em;"><b><a href="/wiki/Intelligence_(information_gathering)" title="Intelligence (information gathering)">Intelligence</a></b><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Intelligence_Community" title="United States Intelligence Community">U.S. Intelligence Community</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency" title="Central Intelligence Agency">Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/Defense_Intelligence_Agency" title="Defense Intelligence Agency">Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/National_Security_Agency" title="National Security Agency">National Security Agency (NSA)</a></div>
</div>
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<td style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;padding:0.3em 0;;;;width:25%;">
<div>
<div style="line-height:1.4em;"><b><a href="/wiki/Military_of_the_United_States" title="Military of the United States" class="mw-redirect">Military</a></b><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">Air Force</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">Army</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">Marine Corps</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">Navy</a><br />
<a href="/wiki/United_States_Coast_Guard" title="United States Coast Guard">Coast Guard</a></div>
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</div>
</td>
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</table>
</td>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_States" title="Politics of the United States">Politics</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;background:#f7f7f7;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/State_governments_of_the_United_States" title="State governments of the United States">State governments</a>  <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Local_government_in_the_United_States" title="Local government in the United States">Local governments</a>  <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_the_United_States" title="Elections in the United States">Elections</a> (<a href="/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)" title="Electoral College (United States)">Electoral College</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Political_divisions_of_the_United_States" title="Political divisions of the United States">Political divisions</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Political_ideologies_in_the_United_States" title="Political ideologies in the United States">Political ideologies</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Political_parties_in_the_United_States" title="Political parties in the United States">Political parties</a> (<a href="/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)">Democratic Party</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)" title="Republican Party (United States)">Republican Party</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Third_party_(United_States)" title="Third party (United States)">Third parties</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Political_scandals_of_the_United_States" title="Political scandals of the United States">Political scandals</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Political_status_of_Puerto_Rico" title="Political status of Puerto Rico">Political status of Puerto Rico</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states" title="Red states and blue states">Red states and blue states</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Uncle_Sam" title="Uncle Sam">Uncle Sam</a></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Geography_of_the_United_States" title="Geography of the United States">Geography</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;background:transparent;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_cities,_towns,_and_villages_in_the_United_States" title="List of cities, towns, and villages in the United States">Cities, towns and villages</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/County_(United_States)" title="County (United States)">Counties</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Extreme_points_of_the_United_States" title="Extreme points of the United States">Extreme points</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_islands_of_the_United_States" title="List of islands of the United States">Islands</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_mountains_of_the_United_States" title="List of mountains of the United States">Mountains</a> (<a href="/wiki/Appalachian_Mountains" title="Appalachian Mountains">Appalachian</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Rocky_Mountains" title="Rocky Mountains">Rocky</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System" title="List of areas in the United States National Park System">National Park System</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_regions_of_the_United_States" title="List of regions of the United States">Regions</a> (<a href="/wiki/New_England" title="New England">New England</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_States" title="Mid-Atlantic States">Mid-Atlantic</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Southern_United_States" title="Southern United States">Southern</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Midwestern_United_States" title="Midwestern United States">Midwestern</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Great_Plains" title="Great Plains">Great Plains</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Northwestern_United_States" title="Northwestern United States">Northwestern</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Southwestern_United_States" title="Southwestern United States">Southwestern</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_rivers_of_the_United_States" title="List of rivers of the United States">Rivers</a> (<a href="/wiki/Mississippi_River" title="Mississippi River">Mississippi</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Missouri_River" title="Missouri River">Missouri</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Colorado_River" title="Colorado River">Colorado</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/U.S._state" title="U.S. state">States</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_States_territory" title="United States territory">Territory</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Water_supply_and_sanitation_in_the_United_States" title="Water supply and sanitation in the United States">Water supply and sanitation</a></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States" title="Economy of the United States">Economy</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;background:#f7f7f7;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Banking_in_the_United_States" title="Banking in the United States">Banking</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Communications_in_the_United_States" title="Communications in the United States">Communications</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_companies_of_the_United_States" title="List of companies of the United States">Companies</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Federal_Reserve_System" title="Federal Reserve System">Federal Reserve System</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Insurance_in_the_United_States" title="Insurance in the United States">Insurance</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Standard_of_living_in_the_United_States" title="Standard of living in the United States">Standard of living</a> (<a href="/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_States" title="Personal income in the United States">Personal income</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States" title="Household income in the United States">Household income</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Homeownership_in_the_United_States" title="Homeownership in the United States">Homeownership</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Income_inequality_in_the_United_States" title="Income inequality in the United States">Income inequality</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Tourism_in_the_United_States" title="Tourism in the United States">Tourism</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Transportation_in_the_United_States" title="Transportation in the United States">Transportation</a> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_airports_in_the_United_States" title="List of airports in the United States">Airports</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Numbered_Highways" title="United States Numbered Highways">Highways</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System" title="Interstate Highway System">Interstate Highway System</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Passenger_vehicles_in_the_United_States" title="Passenger vehicles in the United States">Passenger vehicles</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_railroads" title="List of United States railroads">Railroads</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Trucking_industry_in_the_United_States" title="Trucking industry in the United States">Trucking industry</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_States_dollar" title="United States dollar">U.S. dollar</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Wall_Street" title="Wall Street">Wall Street</a></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Society_of_the_United_States" title="Society of the United States">Society</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;background:transparent;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Adolescent_sexuality_in_the_United_States" title="Adolescent sexuality in the United States">Adolescent sexuality</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States" title="Crime in the United States">Crime</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States" title="Demographics of the United States">Demographics</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States" title="Education in the United States">Education</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States" title="Health care in the United States">Health care</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Health_insurance_in_the_United_States" title="Health insurance in the United States">Health insurance</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States" title="Incarceration in the United States">Incarceration</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States" title="Languages of the United States">Languages</a> (<a href="/wiki/American_English" title="American English">American English</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Spanish_in_the_United_States" title="Spanish in the United States">Spanish</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Media_of_the_United_States" title="Media of the United States">Media</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/People_of_the_United_States_of_America" title="People of the United States of America">People</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Public_holidays_in_the_United_States" title="Public holidays in the United States">Public holidays</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_States" title="Religion in the United States">Religion</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Social_class_in_the_United_States" title="Social class in the United States">Social class</a> (<a href="/wiki/Affluence_in_the_United_States" title="Affluence in the United States">Affluence</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_Dream" title="American Dream">American Dream</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_middle_class" title="American middle class">American middle class</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_United_States" title="Educational attainment in the United States">Educational attainment</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States" title="Poverty in the United States">Poverty</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Professional_and_working_class_conflict_in_the_United_States" title="Professional and working class conflict in the United States">Professional and working class conflict</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Sports_in_the_United_States" title="Sports in the United States">Sports</a></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Culture_of_the_United_States" title="Culture of the United States">Culture</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;background:#f7f7f7;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_literature" title="American literature">American literature</a> (<a href="/wiki/Beat_Generation" title="Beat Generation">Beat Generation</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Folklore_of_the_United_States" title="Folklore of the United States">Folklore</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Harlem_Renaissance" title="Harlem Renaissance">Harlem Renaissance</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Poetry_of_the_United_States" title="Poetry of the United States">Poetry</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Transcendentalism" title="Transcendentalism">Transcendentalism</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Architecture_of_the_United_States" title="Architecture of the United States">Architecture</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Cuisine_of_the_United_States" title="Cuisine of the United States">Cuisine</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Dance_in_the_United_States" title="Dance in the United States">Dance</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Fashion_in_the_United_States" title="Fashion in the United States">Fashion</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States" title="Flag of the United States">Flag</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Music_of_the_United_States" title="Music of the United States">Music</a> (<a href="/wiki/American_classical_music" title="American classical music">American classical music</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_folk_music" title="American folk music">American folk music</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_popular_music" title="American popular music">American popular music</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Jazz" title="Jazz">Jazz</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Radio_in_the_United_States" title="Radio in the United States">Radio</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Television_in_the_United_States" title="Television in the United States">Television</a> /</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Cinema_of_the_United_States" title="Cinema of the United States">Cinema</a> (<a href="/wiki/Hollywood,_Los_Angeles,_California" title="Hollywood, Los Angeles, California">Hollywood</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Visual_arts_of_the_United_States" title="Visual arts of the United States">Visual arts</a> (<a href="/wiki/Abstract_expressionism" title="Abstract expressionism">Abstract expressionism</a>)</span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Social_issues_in_the_United_States" title="Social issues in the United States">Issues</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;background:transparent;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States" title="Abortion in the United States">Abortion</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Affirmative_action_in_the_United_States" title="Affirmative action in the United States">Affirmative action</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_exceptionalism" title="American exceptionalism">American exceptionalism</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Anti-Americanism" title="Anti-Americanism">Anti-Americanism</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States" title="Capital punishment in the United States">Capital punishment</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Drug_policy_of_the_United_States" title="Drug policy of the United States">Drug policy</a> /</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States" title="Prohibition in the United States">Prohibition</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Energy_policy_of_the_United_States" title="Energy policy of the United States">Energy policy</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Environmental_movement_in_the_United_States" title="Environmental movement in the United States">Environmental movement</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Gun_politics_in_the_United_States" title="Gun politics in the United States">Gun politics</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States" title="Health care reform in the United States">Health care reform</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_United_States" title="Human rights in the United States">Human rights</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Immigration_to_the_United_States" title="Immigration to the United States">Immigration</a> (<a href="/wiki/United_States%E2%80%93Mexico_barrier" title="United States–Mexico barrier">United States–Mexico barrier</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Third_Border_Initiative" title="Third Border Initiative">Third Border Initiative</a>) <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Obesity_in_the_United_States" title="Obesity in the United States">Obesity</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_States" title="Racism in the United States">Racism</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States" title="Same-sex marriage in the United States">Same-sex marriage</a></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-abovebelow" style=";" colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Portal:United_States" title="Portal:United States">Portal</a></b></td>
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<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Countries_of_North_America" title="Template:Countries of North America"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Countries_of_North_America" title="Template talk:Countries of North America"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Countries_of_North_America&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Countries_of_North_America&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_North_American_countries" title="List of North American countries">Countries</a> and dependencies of <a href="/wiki/North_America" title="North America">North America</a></span></th>
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<td class="navbox-abovebelow" style=";" colspan="2"><i>Several nations listed here straddle both North and <a href="/wiki/South_America" title="South America">South America</a> or can also be considered <a href="/wiki/Caribbean" title="Caribbean">Caribbean</a>.</i></td>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states" title="List of sovereign states">Sovereign states</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Antigua_and_Barbuda" title="Antigua and Barbuda">Antigua and Barbuda</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/The_Bahamas" title="The Bahamas">Bahamas</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Barbados" title="Barbados">Barbados</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Belize" title="Belize">Belize</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Costa_Rica" title="Costa Rica">Costa Rica</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuba</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Dominica" title="Dominica">Dominica</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/El_Salvador" title="El Salvador">El Salvador</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Grenada" title="Grenada">Grenada</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Guatemala" title="Guatemala">Guatemala</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Haiti" title="Haiti">Haiti</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Honduras" title="Honduras">Honduras</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Jamaica" title="Jamaica">Jamaica</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nicaragua" title="Nicaragua">Nicaragua</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Panama" title="Panama">Panama</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Saint_Kitts_and_Nevis" title="Saint Kitts and Nevis">St. Kitts and Nevis</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Saint_Lucia" title="Saint Lucia">St. Lucia</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Saint_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines" title="Saint Vincent and the Grenadines">St. Vincent and the Grenadines</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago" title="Trinidad and Tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><strong class="selflink">United States</strong></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Dependent_territory" title="Dependent territory">Dependencies</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0.25em 0; line-height:1.4em;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
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<div style="padding:0em 0.75em;"><a href="/wiki/Denmark" title="Denmark">Denmark</a></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Greenland" title="Greenland">Greenland</a></div>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.75em;"><a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Guadeloupe" title="Guadeloupe">Guadeloupe</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Martinique" title="Martinique">Martinique</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Saint_Barth%C3%A9lemy" title="Saint Barthélemy">Saint Barthélemy</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Saint_Martin_(France)" title="Saint Martin (France)">Saint Martin</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Saint_Pierre_and_Miquelon" title="Saint Pierre and Miquelon">Saint Pierre and Miquelon</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Clipperton" title="Clipperton" class="mw-redirect">Clipperton</a></span></div>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.75em;"><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands" title="Kingdom of the Netherlands">Netherlands</a></div>
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<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Aruba" title="Aruba">Aruba</a> <b>·</b> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Netherlands_Antilles" title="Netherlands Antilles">Netherlands Antilles</a></span></div>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.75em;"><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Anguilla" title="Anguilla">Anguilla</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bermuda" title="Bermuda">Bermuda</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/British_Virgin_Islands" title="British Virgin Islands">British Virgin Islands</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Cayman_Islands" title="Cayman Islands">Cayman Islands</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Montserrat" title="Montserrat">Montserrat</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Turks_and_Caicos_Islands" title="Turks and Caicos Islands">Turks and Caicos Islands</a></span></div>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.75em;"><strong class="selflink">United States</strong></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Navassa_Island" title="Navassa Island">Navassa Island</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Petrel_Islands" title="Petrel Islands" class="mw-redirect">Petrel Islands</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Puerto_Rico" title="Puerto Rico">Puerto Rico</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Serranilla_Bank" title="Serranilla Bank">Serranilla Bank</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/United_States_Virgin_Islands" title="United States Virgin Islands">U.S. Virgin Islands</a></div>
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<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;"> </div>
<span style="font-size:100%;">International membership</span></th>
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<td colspan="2" style="width:100%;padding:0px;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
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<div>
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<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:NAFTA" title="Template:NAFTA"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:NAFTA&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template talk:NAFTA (page does not exist)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:NAFTA&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:NAFTA&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement" title="North American Free Trade Agreement">North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)</a></span></th>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<center><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Canada.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Canada.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Flag_of_Canada.svg/20px-Flag_of_Canada.svg.png" width="20" height="10" border="0" /></a> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Canada" title="Economy of Canada">Canada</a> • <a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Mexico.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Mexico.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Flag_of_Mexico.svg/20px-Flag_of_Mexico.svg.png" width="20" height="11" border="0" /></a> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico" title="Economy of Mexico">Mexico</a> • <a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United States.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/20px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" width="20" height="11" border="0" /></a> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States" title="Economy of the United States">United States</a></center>
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<td style="width:0%;padding:0px 0px 0px 2px;" rowspan="1"><a href="/wiki/File:NAFTA_logo.png" class="image" title="NAFTA logo.png"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/NAFTA_logo.png/75px-NAFTA_logo.png" width="75" height="61" border="0" /></a></td>
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<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:UN_Security_Council" title="Template:UN Security Council"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:UN_Security_Council" title="Template talk:UN Security Council"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:UN_Security_Council&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:UN_Security_Council&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;">Members of the <a href="/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a> <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council" title="United Nations Security Council">Security Council</a></span></th>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Permanent members</td>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China" title="People's Republic of China">China</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <strong class="selflink">United States</strong></div>
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<td style="width:0%;padding:0px 0px 0px 2px;" rowspan="5"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United Nations"><img alt="Flag of the United Nations" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg/75px-Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg.png" width="75" height="50" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Term ends December 31, 2009</td>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Burkina_Faso" title="Burkina Faso">Burkina Faso</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Costa_Rica" title="Costa Rica">Costa Rica</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Croatia" title="Croatia">Croatia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Libya" title="Libya">Libya</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Vietnam" title="Vietnam">Vietnam</a></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Term ends December 31, 2010</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Austria" title="Austria">Austria</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Uganda" title="Uganda">Uganda</a></div>
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<table cellspacing="0" class="nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse" style="width:100%;background:transparent;color:inherit;;">
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<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:G8_nations" title="Template:G8 nations"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:G8_nations" title="Template talk:G8 nations"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:G8_nations&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:G8_nations&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/G8" title="G8">Group of Eight (G8)</a></span></th>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Members</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><strong class="selflink">United States</strong></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Representative</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a></div>
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<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:G8%2B5" title="Template:G8+5"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:G8%2B5&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template talk:G8+5 (page does not exist)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:G8%2B5&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:G8%2B5&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/G8%2B5" title="G8+5">Group of Eight Plus Five (G8+5)</a></span></th>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/G8" title="G8">G8</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Canada.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Canada.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Flag_of_Canada.svg/22px-Flag_of_Canada.svg.png" width="22" height="11" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_France.svg" class="image" title="Flag of France.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Germany.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Germany.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/22px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png" width="22" height="13" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Italy.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Italy.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/22px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Japan.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Japan.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg/22px-Flag_of_Japan.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Russia.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Russia.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United Kingdom.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" width="22" height="11" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United States.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" width="22" height="12" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><strong class="selflink">United States</strong></span></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">+5</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Brazil.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Brazil.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Brazil.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China" title="People's Republic of China">China</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_India.svg" class="image" title="Flag of India.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/22px-Flag_of_India.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/India" title="India">India</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Mexico.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Mexico.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Flag_of_Mexico.svg/22px-Flag_of_Mexico.svg.png" width="22" height="13" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a> <b>·</b></span> <span style="white-space:nowrap"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_South_Africa.svg" class="image" title="Flag of South Africa.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/22px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a></span></div>
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<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:World_Trade_Organization_(WTO)" title="Template:World Trade Organization (WTO)"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:World_Trade_Organization_(WTO)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template talk:World Trade Organization (WTO) (page does not exist)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:World_Trade_Organization_(WTO)&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:World_Trade_Organization_(WTO)&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;">Members of the <a href="/wiki/World_Trade_Organization" title="World Trade Organization">World Trade Organization (WTO)</a></span></th>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em">
<div class="floatright"><span style="position:relative; top:4px;"><a href="/wiki/File:WTOmap_currentmemberYN.png" class="image" title="WTOmap currentmemberYN.png"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/WTOmap_currentmemberYN.png/150px-WTOmap_currentmemberYN.png" width="150" height="69" border="0" /></a></span></div>
<p><a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Albania" title="Economy of Albania">Albania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Angola" title="Economy of Angola">Angola</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Antigua_and_Barbuda" title="Economy of Antigua and Barbuda">Antigua and Barbuda</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Argentina" title="Economy of Argentina">Argentina</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Armenia" title="Economy of Armenia">Armenia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Australia" title="Economy of Australia">Australia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Bahrain" title="Economy of Bahrain">Bahrain</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Bangladesh" title="Economy of Bangladesh">Bangladesh</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Barbados" title="Economy of Barbados">Barbados</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Belize" title="Economy of Belize">Belize</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Benin" title="Economy of Benin">Benin</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Bolivia" title="Economy of Bolivia">Bolivia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Botswana" title="Economy of Botswana">Botswana</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Brazil" title="Economy of Brazil">Brazil</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Brunei" title="Economy of Brunei">Brunei</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Burkina_Faso" title="Economy of Burkina Faso">Burkina Faso</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Burma" title="Economy of Burma">Burma</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Burundi" title="Economy of Burundi">Burundi</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Cambodia" title="Economy of Cambodia">Cambodia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Cameroon" title="Economy of Cameroon">Cameroon</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Canada" title="Economy of Canada">Canada</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Cape_Verde" title="Economy of Cape Verde">Cape Verde</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Central_African_Republic" title="Economy of the Central African Republic">Central African Republic</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Chad" title="Economy of Chad">Chad</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Chile" title="Economy of Chile">Chile</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China" title="Economy of the People's Republic of China">PR China</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Colombia" title="Economy of Colombia">Colombia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo" title="Economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo">Democratic Republic of the Congo</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Republic_of_the_Congo" title="Economy of the Republic of the Congo">Republic of the Congo</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Costa_Rica" title="Economy of Costa Rica">Costa Rica</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_C%C3%B4te_d%27Ivoire" title="Economy of Côte d'Ivoire">Côte d'Ivoire</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Croatia" title="Economy of Croatia">Croatia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Cuba" title="Economy of Cuba">Cuba</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Djibouti" title="Economy of Djibouti">Djibouti</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Dominica" title="Economy of Dominica">Dominica</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Dominican_Republic" title="Economy of the Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Ecuador" title="Economy of Ecuador">Ecuador</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Egypt" title="Economy of Egypt">Egypt</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_El_Salvador" title="Economy of El Salvador">El Salvador</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_European_Union" title="Economy of the European Union">European Union</a>¹<span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Republic_of_Macedonia" title="Economy of the Republic of Macedonia">Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Fiji" title="Economy of Fiji">Fiji</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Gabon" title="Economy of Gabon">Gabon</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_The_Gambia" title="Economy of The Gambia" class="mw-redirect">The Gambia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Georgia" title="Economy of Georgia" class="mw-redirect">Georgia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Ghana" title="Economy of Ghana">Ghana</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Grenada" title="Economy of Grenada">Grenada</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Guatemala" title="Economy of Guatemala">Guatemala</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Guinea" title="Economy of Guinea">Guinea</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Guinea-Bissau" title="Economy of Guinea-Bissau">Guinea-Bissau</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Guyana" title="Economy of Guyana">Guyana</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Haiti" title="Economy of Haiti">Haiti</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Honduras" title="Economy of Honduras">Honduras</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Hong_Kong" title="Economy of Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a>²<span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Iceland" title="Economy of Iceland">Iceland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_India" title="Economy of India">India</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Indonesia" title="Economy of Indonesia">Indonesia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Israel" title="Economy of Israel">Israel</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Jamaica" title="Economy of Jamaica">Jamaica</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Japan" title="Economy of Japan">Japan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Jordan" title="Economy of Jordan">Jordan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Kenya" title="Economy of Kenya">Kenya</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_South_Korea" title="Economy of South Korea">South Korea</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Kuwait" title="Economy of Kuwait">Kuwait</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Kyrgyzstan" title="Economy of Kyrgyzstan">Kyrgyzstan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Lesotho" title="Economy of Lesotho">Lesotho</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Liechtenstein" title="Economy of Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Macau" title="Economy of Macau">Macau</a>²<span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Madagascar" title="Economy of Madagascar">Madagascar</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Malawi" title="Economy of Malawi">Malawi</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Malaysia" title="Economy of Malaysia">Malaysia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Maldives" title="Economy of Maldives" class="mw-redirect">Maldives</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mali" title="Economy of Mali">Mali</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mauritania" title="Economy of Mauritania">Mauritania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mauritius" title="Economy of Mauritius">Mauritius</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico" title="Economy of Mexico">Mexico</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Moldova" title="Economy of Moldova">Moldova</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mongolia" title="Economy of Mongolia">Mongolia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Morocco" title="Economy of Morocco">Morocco</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mozambique" title="Economy of Mozambique">Mozambique</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Namibia" title="Economy of Namibia">Namibia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Nepal" title="Economy of Nepal">Nepal</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_New_Zealand" title="Economy of New Zealand">New Zealand</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Nicaragua" title="Economy of Nicaragua">Nicaragua</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Niger" title="Economy of Niger">Niger</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Nigeria" title="Economy of Nigeria">Nigeria</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Norway" title="Economy of Norway">Norway</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Oman" title="Economy of Oman">Oman</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Pakistan" title="Economy of Pakistan">Pakistan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Panama" title="Economy of Panama">Panama</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Papua_New_Guinea" title="Economy of Papua New Guinea">Papua New Guinea</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Paraguay" title="Economy of Paraguay">Paraguay</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Peru" title="Economy of Peru">Peru</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Philippines" title="Economy of the Philippines">Philippines</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Qatar" title="Economy of Qatar">Qatar</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Rwanda" title="Economy of Rwanda">Rwanda</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Saint_Kitts_and_Nevis" title="Economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis">St. Kitts and Nevis</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Saint_Lucia" title="Economy of Saint Lucia">St. Lucia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Saint_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines" title="Economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines">St. Vincent and the Grenadines</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Saudi_Arabia" title="Economy of Saudi Arabia">Saudi Arabia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Senegal" title="Economy of Senegal">Senegal</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Sierra_Leone" title="Economy of Sierra Leone">Sierra Leone</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Singapore" title="Economy of Singapore">Singapore</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Solomon_Islands" title="Economy of the Solomon Islands">Solomon Islands</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_South_Africa" title="Economy of South Africa">South Africa</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Sri_Lanka" title="Economy of Sri Lanka">Sri Lanka</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Suriname" title="Economy of Suriname">Suriname</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Swaziland" title="Economy of Swaziland">Swaziland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Switzerland" title="Economy of Switzerland">Switzerland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Taiwan" title="Economy of Taiwan">Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu</a>³<span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Tanzania" title="Economy of Tanzania">Tanzania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand" title="Economy of Thailand">Thailand</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Togo" title="Economy of Togo">Togo</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Tonga" title="Economy of Tonga">Tonga</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago" title="Economy of Trinidad and Tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Tunisia" title="Economy of Tunisia">Tunisia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Turkey" title="Economy of Turkey">Turkey</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Uganda" title="Economy of Uganda">Uganda</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Ukraine" title="Economy of Ukraine">Ukraine</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates" title="Economy of the United Arab Emirates">United Arab Emirates</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States" title="Economy of the United States">United States</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Uruguay" title="Economy of Uruguay">Uruguay</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Venezuela" title="Economy of Venezuela">Venezuela</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Vietnam" title="Economy of Vietnam">Vietnam</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Zambia" title="Economy of Zambia">Zambia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Zimbabwe" title="Economy of Zimbabwe">Zimbabwe</a></p>
<hr />
<ol style="text-align:left; font-size:85%">
<li>All twenty-seven member states of the <a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> are also members of the WTO in their own right: <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Austria" title="Economy of Austria">Austria</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Belgium" title="Economy of Belgium">Belgium</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Bulgaria" title="Economy of Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Cyprus" title="Economy of Cyprus">Cyprus</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Czech_Republic" title="Economy of the Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Denmark" title="Economy of Denmark">Denmark</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Estonia" title="Economy of Estonia">Estonia</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Finland" title="Economy of Finland">Finland</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_France" title="Economy of France">France</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Germany" title="Economy of Germany">Germany</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Greece" title="Economy of Greece">Greece</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Hungary" title="Economy of Hungary">Hungary</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="Economy of the Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Italy" title="Economy of Italy">Italy</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Latvia" title="Economy of Latvia">Latvia</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Lithuania" title="Economy of Lithuania">Lithuania</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Luxembourg" title="Economy of Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Malta" title="Economy of Malta">Malta</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Netherlands" title="Economy of the Netherlands">Netherlands</a> and <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Netherlands_Antilles" title="Economy of the Netherlands Antilles">Netherlands Antilles</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Poland" title="Economy of Poland">Poland</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Portugal" title="Economy of Portugal">Portugal</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Romania" title="Economy of Romania">Romania</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Slovakia" title="Economy of Slovakia">Slovakia</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Slovenia" title="Economy of Slovenia">Slovenia</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Spain" title="Economy of Spain">Spain</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Sweden" title="Economy of Sweden">Sweden</a> • <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Economy of the United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>.</li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Special_Administrative_Region_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China" title="Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China">Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China</a>.</li>
<li>Designated name for the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_China" title="Republic of China">Republic of China</a> (Commonly Known as <a href="/wiki/Taiwan" title="Taiwan">Taiwan</a>)</li>
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<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Development_(OECD)" title="Template:Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Development_(OECD)" title="Template talk:Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Development_(OECD)&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Development_(OECD)&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Development" title="Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development">Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)</a></span></th>
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<p><a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Australia" title="Economy of Australia">Australia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Austria" title="Economy of Austria">Austria</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Belgium" title="Economy of Belgium">Belgium</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Canada" title="Economy of Canada">Canada</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Czech_Republic" title="Economy of the Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Denmark" title="Economy of Denmark">Denmark</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Finland" title="Economy of Finland">Finland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_France" title="Economy of France">France</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Germany" title="Economy of Germany">Germany</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Greece" title="Economy of Greece">Greece</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Hungary" title="Economy of Hungary">Hungary</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Iceland" title="Economy of Iceland">Iceland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="Economy of the Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Italy" title="Economy of Italy">Italy</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Japan" title="Economy of Japan">Japan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_South_Korea" title="Economy of South Korea">South Korea</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Luxembourg" title="Economy of Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico" title="Economy of Mexico">Mexico</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Netherlands" title="Economy of the Netherlands">Netherlands</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_New_Zealand" title="Economy of New Zealand">New Zealand</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Norway" title="Economy of Norway">Norway</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Poland" title="Economy of Poland">Poland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Portugal" title="Economy of Portugal">Portugal</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Slovakia" title="Economy of Slovakia">Slovakia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Spain" title="Economy of Spain">Spain</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Sweden" title="Economy of Sweden">Sweden</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Switzerland" title="Economy of Switzerland">Switzerland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Turkey" title="Economy of Turkey">Turkey</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Economy of the United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States" title="Economy of the United States">United States</a></p>
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<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organisation_(NATO)" title="Template:North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organisation_(NATO)" title="Template talk:North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organisation_(NATO)&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organisation_(NATO)&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/NATO" title="NATO">North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)</a></span></th>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Military_of_Belgium" title="Military of Belgium">Belgium</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Bulgaria" title="Military of Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Canadian_Forces" title="Canadian Forces">Canada</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_the_Czech_Republic" title="Military of the Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Denmark" title="Military of Denmark">Denmark</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Estonia" title="Military of Estonia">Estonia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_France" title="Military of France">France</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Bundeswehr" title="Bundeswehr">Germany</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Greece" title="Military of Greece">Greece</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Hungary" title="Military of Hungary">Hungary</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Iceland" title="Military of Iceland">Iceland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Italy" title="Military of Italy">Italy</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Latvia" title="Military of Latvia">Latvia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Lithuania" title="Military of Lithuania">Lithuania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Luxembourg" title="Military of Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_the_Netherlands" title="Military of the Netherlands">Netherlands</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Norwegian_Defence_Force" title="Norwegian Defence Force" class="mw-redirect">Norway</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Polish_Armed_Forces" title="Polish Armed Forces">Poland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Portuguese_Armed_Forces" title="Portuguese Armed Forces">Portugal</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Romanian_Army" title="Romanian Army" class="mw-redirect">Romania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Slovakia" title="Military of Slovakia">Slovakia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_Slovenia" title="Military of Slovenia">Slovenia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Spanish_Armed_Forces" title="Spanish Armed Forces">Spain</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Turkish_Armed_Forces" title="Turkish Armed Forces">Turkey</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/British_Armed_Forces" title="British Armed Forces">United Kingdom</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Military_of_the_United_States" title="Military of the United States" class="mw-redirect">United States</a></div>
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<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:OSCE" title="Template:OSCE"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:OSCE&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template talk:OSCE (page does not exist)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:OSCE&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:OSCE&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/Organization_for_Security_and_Co-operation_in_Europe" title="Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe">Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)</a></span></th>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Members</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;text-align:justify;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Andorra" title="Andorra">Andorra</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Armenia" title="Armenia">Armenia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Austria" title="Austria">Austria</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Azerbaijan" title="Azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Belarus" title="Belarus">Belarus</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina" title="Bosnia and Herzegovina">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Bulgaria" title="Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Croatia" title="Croatia">Croatia</a></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Cyprus" title="Cyprus">Cyprus</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Czech_Republic" title="Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Denmark" title="Denmark">Denmark</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Estonia" title="Estonia">Estonia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Georgia_(country)" title="Georgia (country)">Georgia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Holy_See" title="Holy See">Holy See</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Hungary" title="Hungary">Hungary</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Iceland" title="Iceland">Iceland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Kazakhstan" title="Kazakhstan">Kazakhstan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Kyrgyzstan" title="Kyrgyzstan">Kyrgyzstan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Latvia" title="Latvia">Latvia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Liechtenstein" title="Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Lithuania" title="Lithuania">Lithuania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Luxembourg" title="Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/The_former_Yugoslav_Republic_of_Macedonia" title="The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" class="mw-redirect">the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Malta" title="Malta">Malta</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Moldova" title="Moldova">Moldova</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Monaco" title="Monaco">Monaco</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Montenegro" title="Montenegro">Montenegro</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Norway" title="Norway">Norway</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/San_Marino" title="San Marino">San Marino</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Serbia" title="Serbia">Serbia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Slovakia" title="Slovakia">Slovakia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Slovenia" title="Slovenia">Slovenia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Spain" title="Spain">Spain</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Sweden" title="Sweden">Sweden</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Tajikistan" title="Tajikistan">Tajikistan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Turkmenistan" title="Turkmenistan">Turkmenistan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Ukraine" title="Ukraine">Ukraine</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <strong class="selflink">United States</strong><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Uzbekistan" title="Uzbekistan">Uzbekistan</a></div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Partners for<br />
Cooperation</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;text-align:justify;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Afghanistan" title="Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Algeria" title="Algeria">Algeria</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israel</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Jordan" title="Jordan">Jordan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Mongolia" title="Mongolia">Mongolia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Morocco" title="Morocco">Morocco</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/South_Korea" title="South Korea">South Korea</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Thailand" title="Thailand">Thailand</a></div>
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</table>
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<td style="padding:2px;">
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<th style=";" colspan="2" class="navbox-title">
<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Asia-Pacific_Economic_Cooperation_(APEC)" title="Template:Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Asia-Pacific_Economic_Cooperation_(APEC)" title="Template talk:Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Asia-Pacific_Economic_Cooperation_(APEC)&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Asia-Pacific_Economic_Cooperation_(APEC)&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/Asia-Pacific_Economic_Cooperation" title="Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation">Member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)</a></span></th>
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<td colspan="2" style="width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em">
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<p><a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Australia" title="Economy of Australia">Australia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Brunei" title="Economy of Brunei">Brunei Darussalam</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Canada" title="Economy of Canada">Canada</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Chile" title="Economy of Chile">Chile</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China" title="Economy of the People's Republic of China">People's Republic of China</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Hong_Kong" title="Economy of Hong Kong">Hong Kong, China</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Indonesia" title="Economy of Indonesia">Indonesia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Japan" title="Economy of Japan">Japan</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_South_Korea" title="Economy of South Korea">Republic of Korea</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Malaysia" title="Economy of Malaysia">Malaysia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico" title="Economy of Mexico">Mexico</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_New_Zealand" title="Economy of New Zealand">New Zealand</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Papua_New_Guinea" title="Economy of Papua New Guinea">Papua New Guinea</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Peru" title="Economy of Peru">Peru</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_Philippines" title="Economy of the Philippines">Philippines</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Russia" title="Economy of Russia">Russian Federation</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Singapore" title="Economy of Singapore">Singapore</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Taiwan" title="Economy of Taiwan">Chinese Taipei</a> *<span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand" title="Economy of Thailand">Thailand</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States" title="Economy of the United States">United States</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Vietnam" title="Economy of Vietnam">Vietnam</a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:80%">*Designation of the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_China" title="Republic of China">Republic of China</a> (<a href="/wiki/Taiwan" title="Taiwan">Taiwan</a>)</span></p>
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</td>
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<table class="navbox" cellspacing="0" style=";">
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<table cellspacing="0" class="nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse" style="width:100%;background:transparent;color:inherit;;">
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<th style=";" colspan="3" class="navbox-title">
<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Organization_of_American_States_(OAS)" title="Template:Organization of American States (OAS)"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:Organization_of_American_States_(OAS)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template talk:Organization of American States (OAS) (page does not exist)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Organization_of_American_States_(OAS)&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Organization_of_American_States_(OAS)&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/Organization_of_American_States" title="Organization of American States">Organization of American States (OAS)</a></span></th>
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<td></td>
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<td colspan="2" style="width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Antigua_and_Barbuda" title="Antigua and Barbuda">Antigua and Barbuda</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Argentina" title="Argentina">Argentina</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Barbados" title="Barbados">Barbados</a> • <a href="/wiki/Belize" title="Belize">Belize</a> • <a href="/wiki/Bahamas" title="Bahamas" class="mw-redirect">Bahamas</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Bolivia" title="Bolivia">Bolivia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Costa_Rica" title="Costa Rica">Costa Rica</a></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuba</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a> • <a href="/wiki/Dominica" title="Dominica">Dominica</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Ecuador" title="Ecuador">Ecuador</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/El_Salvador" title="El Salvador">El Salvador</a></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Grenada" title="Grenada">Grenada</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Guatemala" title="Guatemala">Guatemala</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Guyana" title="Guyana">Guyana</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Haiti" title="Haiti">Haiti</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Honduras" title="Honduras">Honduras</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Jamaica" title="Jamaica">Jamaica</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Nicaragua" title="Nicaragua">Nicaragua</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Panama" title="Panama">Panama</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Paraguay" title="Paraguay">Paraguay</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Peru" title="Peru">Peru</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Saint_Lucia" title="Saint Lucia">St. Lucia</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Saint_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines" title="Saint Vincent and the Grenadines">St. Vincent and the Grenadines</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Saint_Kitts_and_Nevis" title="Saint Kitts and Nevis">St. Kitts and Nevis</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Suriname" title="Suriname">Suriname</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago" title="Trinidad and Tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;"><strong class="selflink">United States</strong></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Uruguay" title="Uruguay">Uruguay</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <a href="/wiki/Venezuela" title="Venezuela">Venezuela</a></div>
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<td style="width:0%;padding:0px 0px 0px 2px;" rowspan="1">
<div class="floatright"><a href="/wiki/File:Seal_of_the_Organization_of_American_States_(English_title).svg" class="image" title="OAS logo"><img alt="OAS logo" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Seal_of_the_Organization_of_American_States_%28English_title%29.svg/70px-Seal_of_the_Organization_of_American_States_%28English_title%29.svg.png" width="70" height="70" border="0" /></a></div>
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</table>
</td>
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</table>
<table class="navbox" cellspacing="0" style=";">
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<table cellspacing="0" class="nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse" style="width:100%;background:transparent;color:inherit;;">
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<th style=";" colspan="3" class="navbox-title">
<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Quartet_on_the_Middle_East" title="Template:Quartet on the Middle East"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:Quartet_on_the_Middle_East&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template talk:Quartet on the Middle East (page does not exist)"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Quartet_on_the_Middle_East&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Quartet_on_the_Middle_East&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;"><a href="/wiki/Quartet_on_the_Middle_East" title="Quartet on the Middle East">Quartet on the Middle East</a></span></th>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Negotiating parties</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Israel.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Israel.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Flag_of_Israel.svg/22px-Flag_of_Israel.svg.png" width="22" height="16" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israel</a><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Palestine.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Palestine.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Flag_of_Palestine.svg/22px-Flag_of_Palestine.svg.png" width="22" height="11" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Palestinian_National_Authority" title="Palestinian National Authority">Palestinian Authority</a></div>
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<td style="width:0%;padding:0px 0px 0px 2px;" rowspan="5"><a href="/wiki/File:Middle_East_geographic.jpg" class="image" title="Middle East geographic.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Middle_East_geographic.jpg/70px-Middle_East_geographic.jpg" width="70" height="63" border="0" /></a></td>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Diplomatic quartet</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-even">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Europe.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Europe.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Flag_of_Europe.svg/22px-Flag_of_Europe.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> (<a href="/wiki/Javier_Solana" title="Javier Solana">Solana</a>)<span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Russia.svg" class="image" title="Flag of Russia.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a> (<a href="/wiki/Sergey_Lavrov" title="Sergey Lavrov">Lavrov</a>) <span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United Nations.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg.png" width="22" height="15" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><a href="/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a> (<a href="/wiki/Ban_Ki-moon" title="Ban Ki-moon">Ban</a>)<span style="font-weight:bold;"> ·</span> <span class="flagicon"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg" class="image" title="Flag of the United States.svg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" width="22" height="12" border="0" class="thumbborder" /></a> </span><strong class="selflink">United States</strong> (<a href="/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice" title="Condoleezza Rice">Rice</a>)</div>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;">Special Envoy</td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Tony_Blair" title="Tony Blair">Tony Blair</a></div>
</td>
</tr>
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</td>
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</table>
</div>
</div>
</td>
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</table>
<table class="navbox" cellspacing="0" style=";">
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<table cellspacing="0" class="nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse" style="width:100%;background:transparent;color:inherit;;">
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<th style=";" colspan="2" class="navbox-title">
<div style="float:left; width:6em;text-align:left;">
<div class="noprint plainlinksneverexpand navbar" style="background-color:transparent; padding:0; white-space:nowrap; font-weight:normal; font-size:xx-small; ;;border:none;;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Anglophone_states" title="Template:Anglophone states"><span title="View this template" style=";;border:none;;">v</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Anglophone_states" title="Template talk:Anglophone states"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="Discussion about this template">d</span></a> <span style="font-size:80%;">•</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Anglophone_states&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Anglophone_states&action=edit" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#002bb8;;;border:none;;" title="You can edit this template. Please use the preview button before saving.">e</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;">States with an <a href="/wiki/Anglophone" title="Anglophone">Anglophone</a> majority – the <a href="/wiki/English-speaking_world" title="English-speaking world">English-speaking world</a></span></th>
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<td class="navbox-group" style=";;"><a href="/wiki/Europe" title="Europe">Europe</a></td>
<td style="text-align:left;border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;width:100%;padding:0px;;;" class="navbox-list navbox-odd">
<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Guernsey" title="Guernsey">Guernsey</a> • <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a> • <a href="/wiki/Isle_of_Man" title="Isle of Man">Isle of Man</a> • <a href="/wiki/Jersey" title="Jersey">Jersey</a> • <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></div>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Antigua_and_Barbuda" title="Antigua and Barbuda">Antigua and Barbuda</a> • <a href="/wiki/The_Bahamas" title="The Bahamas">the Bahamas</a> • <a href="/wiki/Barbados" title="Barbados">Barbados</a> • <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a> • <a href="/wiki/Dominica" title="Dominica">Dominica</a> • <a href="/wiki/Guyana" title="Guyana">Guyana</a> • <a href="/wiki/Saint_Kitts_and_Nevis" title="Saint Kitts and Nevis">Saint Kitts and Nevis</a> • <a href="/wiki/Saint_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines" title="Saint Vincent and the Grenadines">Saint Vincent and the Grenadines</a> • <a href="/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago" title="Trinidad and Tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a> • <strong class="selflink">United States</strong></div>
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<div style="padding:0em 0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a> • <a href="/wiki/Marshall_Islands" title="Marshall Islands">Marshall Islands</a> • <a href="/wiki/Federated_States_of_Micronesia" title="Federated States of Micronesia">Federated States of Micronesia</a> • <a href="/wiki/Nauru" title="Nauru">Nauru</a> • <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand">New Zealand</a> • <a href="/wiki/Palau" title="Palau">Palau</a></div>
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<span style="font-size:110%;">The <a href="/wiki/English-speaking_world" title="English-speaking world">English-speaking world</a></span></th>
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<p><b>Dark blue:</b> Countries and <a href="/wiki/British_overseas_territories" title="British overseas territories">territories</a> where English is spoken natively by a significant population.<br /></p>
<p><b>Light blue</b>: countries where English is an official language but not native. English is also one of the <a href="/wiki/Languages_of_the_European_Union" title="Languages of the European Union">official languages of the European Union</a>. <i>Click on the coloured regions to get to the related article:</i></p>
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<area href="/wiki/Sierra_Leone" shape="poly" coords="299,202,311,192,306,187,293,190" alt="Sierra Leone" title="Sierra Leone" />
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<area href="/wiki/Zimbabwe" shape="poly" coords="406,258,401,264,404,274,411,274,415,266,415,259" alt="Zimbabwe" title="Zimbabwe" />
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<li class="interwiki-as"><a href="http://as.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8_%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A7%B0">অসমীয়া</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ast"><a href="http://ast.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estaos_Xun%C3%ADos_d%27Am%C3%A9rica">Asturianu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-gn"><a href="http://gn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet%C3%A3_pete%C4%A9_reko_Am%C3%A9rikagua">Avañe'ẽ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ay"><a href="http://ay.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Aymar aru</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-az"><a href="http://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika_Birl%C9%99%C5%9Fmi%C5%9F_%C5%9Etatlar%C4%B1">Azərbaycan</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bn"><a href="http://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8_%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0">বাংলা</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-zh-min-nan"><a href="http://zh-min-nan.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%AD-kok">Bân-lâm-gú</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ba"><a href="http://ba.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D2%A0%D1%83%D1%88%D0%BC%D0%B0_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8B">Башҡорт</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-be"><a href="http://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%97%D0%BB%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%8B%D1%8F_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8B_%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%8B%D0%BA%D1%96">Беларуская</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-be-x-old"><a href="http://be-x-old.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%97%D0%BB%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%8B%D1%8F_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8B_%D0%90%D0%BC%D1%8D%D1%80%D1%8B%D0%BA%D1%96">Беларуская (тарашкевіца)</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bi"><a href="http://bi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunaeted_Stet_blong_Amerika">Bislama</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bar"><a href="http://bar.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaeinigte_Staatn">Boarisch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bo"><a href="http://bo.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%BD%A8%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%98%E0%BD%BA%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%A2%E0%BD%B2%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%81%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%A2%E0%BE%92%E0%BE%B1%E0%BD%A3%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%95%E0%BE%B2%E0%BD%93%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%98%E0%BD%89%E0%BD%98%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%A0%E0%BD%96%E0%BE%B2%E0%BD%BA%E0%BD%A3%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%A2%E0%BE%92%E0%BE%B1%E0%BD%A3%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%81%E0%BD%96%E0%BC%8D">བོད་ཡིག</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bs"><a href="http://bs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sjedinjene_Ameri%C4%8Dke_Dr%C5%BEave">Bosanski</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-br"><a href="http://br.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stado%C3%B9-Unanet_Amerika">Brezhoneg</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bg"><a href="http://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%8A%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D1%89%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8">Български</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ca"><a href="http://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estats_Units_d%27Am%C3%A8rica">Català</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-cv"><a href="http://cv.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%C4%83%D1%80%D0%B8_%D0%9F%C4%95%D1%80%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%88%D3%B3%D0%BB%D0%BB%C4%95_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BC">Чăвашла</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ceb"><a href="http://ceb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_Unidos">Cebuano</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-cs"><a href="http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spojen%C3%A9_st%C3%A1ty_americk%C3%A9">Česky</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-co"><a href="http://co.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stati_Uniti_d%27America">Corsu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-za"><a href="http://za.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meijgoz">(Cuengh)</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-cy"><a href="http://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unol_Daleithiau_America">Cymraeg</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-da"><a href="http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Dansk</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pdc"><a href="http://pdc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerikaa">Deitsch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-de"><a href="http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vereinigte_Staaten">Deutsch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-dv"><a href="http://dv.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DE%87%DE%AC%DE%89%DE%AC%DE%83%DE%A8%DE%86%DE%A7">ދިވެހިބަސް</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nv"><a href="http://nv.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%A1%C3%A1shindoon_bik%C3%A9yah_a%C5%82hidadiidzoo%C3%ADg%C3%AD%C3%AD">Diné bizaad</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-dsb"><a href="http://dsb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zjadno%C5%9Bone_staty_Ameriki">Dolnoserbski</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-dz"><a href="http://dz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%BD%A1%E0%BD%B4%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%93%E0%BD%A0%E0%BD%B2%E0%BD%8A%E0%BD%BA%E0%BD%8A%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%A6%E0%BD%B2%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%8A%E0%BD%BA%E0%BD%A6%E0%BD%B2%E0%BC%8B">ཇོང་ཁ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-et"><a href="http://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ameerika_%C3%9Chendriigid">Eesti</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-el"><a href="http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%97%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BC%CE%AD%CE%BD%CE%B5%CF%82_%CE%A0%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%B5%CF%82_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%91%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE%CF%82">Ελληνικά</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-myv"><a href="http://myv.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%8C_%D0%92%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%82%D1%8C%D1%81%D1%8D%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%8F%D0%B2%D0%BA%D1%81_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8D">Эрзянь</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-es"><a href="http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_Unidos">Español</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-eo"><a href="http://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usono">Esperanto</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ext"><a href="http://ext.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estaus_Unius">Estremeñu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-eu"><a href="http://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ameriketako_Estatu_Batuak">Euskara</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ee"><a href="http://ee.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">Eʋegbe</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-fa"><a href="http://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%87_%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7">فارسی</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-fo"><a href="http://fo.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Føroyskt</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-hif"><a href="http://hif.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">Fiji Hindi</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-fr"><a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tats-Unis">Français</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-fy"><a href="http://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feriene_Steaten">Frysk</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-fur"><a href="http://fur.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%A2ts_Un%C3%AEts_di_Americhe">Furlan</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ga"><a href="http://ga.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%A1it_Aontaithe_Mheirice%C3%A1">Gaeilge</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-gv"><a href="http://gv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steatyn_Unnaneysit_America">Gaelg</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-gd"><a href="http://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na_St%C3%A0itean_Aonaichte">Gàidhlig</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-gl"><a href="http://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_Unidos_de_Am%C3%A9rica_-_United_States_of_America">Galego</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-gan"><a href="http://gan.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B">贛語</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-glk"><a href="http://glk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%DA%A9%D8%A7">گیلکی</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-gu"><a href="http://gu.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AA%B8%E0%AA%82%E0%AA%AF%E0%AB%81%E0%AA%95%E0%AB%8D%E0%AA%A4_%E0%AA%B0%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%9C%E0%AB%8D%E0%AA%AF_%E0%AA%85%E0%AA%AE%E0%AB%87%E0%AA%B0%E0%AA%BF%E0%AA%95%E0%AA%BE">ગુજરાતી</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-zh-classical"><a href="http://zh-classical.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B">文言</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-hak"><a href="http://hak.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%AE-koet">Hak-kâ-fa</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ko"><a href="http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%AF%B8%EA%B5%AD">한국어</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ha"><a href="http://ha.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amurika">هَوُسَ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-haw"><a href="http://haw.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E2%80%98Amelika_Hui_P%C5%AB_%E2%80%98ia">Hawai`i</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-hy"><a href="http://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D4%B1%D5%B4%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%AB%D5%AF%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%AB_%D5%84%D5%AB%D5%A1%D6%81%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%AC_%D5%86%D5%A1%D5%B0%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%A3%D5%B6%D5%A5%D6%80">Հայերեն</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-hi"><a href="http://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4_%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE">हिन्दी</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-hsb"><a href="http://hsb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zjedno%C4%87ene_staty_Ameriki">Hornjoserbsce</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-hr"><a href="http://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sjedinjene_Ameri%C4%8Dke_Dr%C5%BEave">Hrvatski</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-io"><a href="http://io.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usa">Ido</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ig"><a href="http://ig.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Amerika">Igbo</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ilo"><a href="http://ilo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_Unidos_iti_America">Ilokano</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bpy"><a href="http://bpy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0">ইমার ঠার/বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-id"><a href="http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika_Serikat">Bahasa Indonesia</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ia"><a href="http://ia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statos_Unite_de_America">Interlingua</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ie"><a href="http://ie.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_States_de_America">Interlingue</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-iu"><a href="http://iu.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%90%8A%E1%92%A5%E1%90%8A%E1%93%95%E1%91%B2/amialika">ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ/inuktitut</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ik"><a href="http://ik.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_o%C5%8B_America">Iñupiak</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-os"><a href="http://os.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%C3%A6%D0%B9%D1%8B_%D0%98%D1%83%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B4_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%82%C3%A6">Иронау</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-xh"><a href="http://xh.wikipedia.org/wiki/IYunayithedi_Steyitsi">isiXhosa</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-zu"><a href="http://zu.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMelika">isiZulu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-is"><a href="http://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandar%C3%ADkin">Íslenska</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-it"><a href="http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stati_Uniti_d%27America">Italiano</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-he"><a href="http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%AA">עברית</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-jv"><a href="http://jv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am%C3%A9rika_Sar%C3%A9kat">Basa Jawa</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-kl"><a href="http://kl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naalagaaffeqatigiit">Kalaallisut</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pam"><a href="http://pam.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">Kapampangan</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-kn"><a href="http://kn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B2%85%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%87%E0%B2%B0%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%95_%E0%B2%B8%E0%B2%82%E0%B2%AF%E0%B3%81%E0%B2%95%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%A4_%E0%B2%B8%E0%B2%82%E0%B2%B8%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%A5%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%A8">ಕನ್ನಡ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ka"><a href="http://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1_%E1%83%A8%E1%83%94%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%97%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98_%E1%83%A8%E1%83%A2%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98">ქართული</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ks"><a href="http://ks.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4_%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%8D%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE">कश्मीरी - (كشميري)</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-kk"><a href="http://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D2%9A%D2%B1%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B0_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8B">Қазақша</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-kw"><a href="http://kw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statys_Unys">Kernewek</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ky"><a href="http://ky.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%9A%D0%BE%D1%88%D0%BC%D0%BE_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8B">Кыргызча</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-rn"><a href="http://rn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leta_Zunze_Ubumwe_za_Amerika">Kirundi</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sw"><a href="http://sw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marekani">Kiswahili</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-kv"><a href="http://kv.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D3%A6%D1%82%D1%83%D0%B2%D1%82%D3%A7%D0%BC_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8A%D1%8F%D1%81">Коми</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ht"><a href="http://ht.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etazini">Kreyòl ayisyen</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ku"><a href="http://ku.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewlet%C3%AAn_Yekb%C3%BBy%C3%AE_y%C3%AAn_Amer%C3%AEkay%C3%AA">Kurdî / كوردی</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-lad"><a href="http://lad.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estatos_Unitos_d%27Amerika">Ladino</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-la"><a href="http://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civitates_Foederatae_Americae">Latina</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-lv"><a href="http://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerikas_Savienot%C4%81s_Valstis">Latviešu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-lb"><a href="http://lb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vereenegt_Staate_vun_Amerika">Lëtzebuergesch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-lt"><a href="http://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungtin%C4%97s_Amerikos_Valstijos">Lietuvių</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-lij"><a href="http://lij.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stati_Un%C3%AFi_d%27America">Líguru</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-li"><a href="http://li.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vereinegde_State_van_Amerika">Limburgs</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ln"><a href="http://ln.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisang%C3%A1_lya_Amer%C3%ADka">Lingála</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-jbo"><a href="http://jbo.wikipedia.org/wiki/mergu%27e">Lojban</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-lg"><a href="http://lg.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amereka">Luganda</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-lmo"><a href="http://lmo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stat_%C3%9Cn%C3%AC_d%27America">Lumbaart</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-hu"><a href="http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerikai_Egyes%C3%BClt_%C3%81llamok">Magyar</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-mk"><a href="http://mk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B8_%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%94%D1%80%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8">Македонски</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-mg"><a href="http://mg.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etazonia">Malagasy</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ml"><a href="http://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%85%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%A8%E0%B5%8D%E2%80%8D_%E0%B4%90%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%AF%E0%B4%A8%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%B3%E0%B5%8D%E2%80%8D">മലയാളം</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-mt"><a href="http://mt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stati_Uniti">Malti</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-mr"><a href="http://mr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87">मराठी</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-mzn"><a href="http://mzn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%87_%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA">مَزِروني</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ms"><a href="http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika_Syarikat">Bahasa Melayu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-cdo"><a href="http://cdo.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%AB-gu%C3%B3k">Mìng-dĕ̤ng-ngṳ̄</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-mdf"><a href="http://mdf.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%8C_%D0%90%D0%B9%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C_%D0%A1%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%B0">Мокшень</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-mn"><a href="http://mn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%D0%BD_%D0%9D%D1%8D%D0%B3%D0%B4%D1%81%D1%8D%D0%BD_%D0%A3%D0%BB%D1%81">Монгол</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-my"><a href="http://my.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%80%A1%E1%80%99%E1%80%B1%E1%80%9B%E1%80%AD%E1%80%80%E1%80%94%E1%80%BA%E1%80%95%E1%80%BC%E1%80%8A%E1%80%BA%E1%80%91%E1%80%B1%E1%80%AC%E1%80%84%E1%80%BA%E1%80%85%E1%80%AF">Myanmasa</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nah"><a href="http://nah.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tlacetil%C4%ABlli_Tlahtohc%C4%81y%C5%8Dtl_Ixachitl%C4%81n">Nāhuatl</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-na"><a href="http://na.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Dorerin Naoero</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nl"><a href="http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verenigde_Staten">Nederlands</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nds-nl"><a href="http://nds-nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verienigde_Staoten_van_Amerika">Nedersaksisch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ne"><a href="http://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4_%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE">नेपाली</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-new"><a href="http://new.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE">नेपाल भाषा</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ja"><a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%83%A1%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AB%E5%90%88%E8%A1%86%E5%9B%BD">日本語</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nap"><a href="http://nap.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Aunite_d%27Amereca">Nnapulitano</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ce"><a href="http://ce.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%87%D1%85%D1%8C%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BA">Нохчийн</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pih"><a href="http://pih.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunitid_Staits">Norfuk / Pitkern</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-no"><a href="http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerikas_forente_stater">‪Norsk (bokmål)‬</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nn"><a href="http://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">‪Norsk (nynorsk)‬</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nrm"><a href="http://nrm.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Atats_Unnis_d%27Am%C3%A9thique">Nouormand</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nov"><a href="http://nov.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionati_States_de_Amerika">Novial</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-oc"><a href="http://oc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estats_Units_d%27America">Occitan</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-om"><a href="http://om.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Oromoo</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-uz"><a href="http://uz.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika_Qo%CA%BBshma_Shtatlari">O'zbek</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pa"><a href="http://pa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A8%B8%E0%A9%B0%E0%A8%AF%E0%A9%81%E0%A8%95%E0%A8%A4_%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%9C_%E0%A8%85%E0%A8%AE%E0%A8%B0%E0%A9%80%E0%A8%95%E0%A8%BE">ਪੰਜਾਬੀ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pag"><a href="http://pag.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">Pangasinan</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ps"><a href="http://ps.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%DA%A9%D8%A7_%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA">پښتو</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-km"><a href="http://km.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%9E%9F%E1%9E%A0%E1%9E%9A%E1%9E%8A%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%8B%E1%9E%A2%E1%9E%B6%E1%9E%98%E1%9F%81%E1%9E%9A%E1%9E%B7%E1%9E%80">ភាសាខ្មែរ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pms"><a href="http://pms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stat_Un%C3%AC_d%27Am%C3%A9rica">Piemontèis</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-nds"><a href="http://nds.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Plattdüütsch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pl"><a href="http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stany_Zjednoczone">Polski</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-pt"><a href="http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_Unidos_da_Am%C3%A9rica">Português</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-crh"><a href="http://crh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika_Qo%C5%9Fma_%C5%9Etatlar%C4%B1">Qırımtatarca</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ty"><a href="http://ty.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenua_Marite">Reo Mā`ohi</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ksh"><a href="http://ksh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammilandt">Ripoarisch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ro"><a href="http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statele_Unite_ale_Americii">Română</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-rm"><a href="http://rm.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadis_Unids_da_l%27America">Rumantsch</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-qu"><a href="http://qu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hukllachasqa_Amirika_Suyukuna">Runa Simi</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ru"><a href="http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%91%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8B_%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8">Русский</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sah"><a href="http://sah.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%A5%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B1%D0%BE%D2%BB%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B0%D1%85_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0">Саха тыла</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-se"><a href="http://se.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerihk%C3%A1_ovttastuvvan_st%C3%A1htat">Sámegiella</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sm"><a href="http://sm.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iunaite_Sitete_o_Amerika">Gagana Samoa</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sg"><a href="http://sg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tats-Unis_ti_Am%C3%A9rika">Sängö</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sc"><a href="http://sc.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Sardu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sco"><a href="http://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitit_States">Scots</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sq"><a href="http://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shtetet_e_Bashkuara">Shqip</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-scn"><a href="http://scn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stati_Uniti">Sicilianu</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-si"><a href="http://si.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B6%85%E0%B6%B8%E0%B7%99%E0%B6%BB%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8F%E2%80%8D%E0%B7%80%E0%B7%9A_%E0%B6%91%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8A%E0%B7%83%E0%B6%AD%E0%B7%8A_%E0%B6%BB%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%A2%E0%B7%8A%E2%80%8D%E0%B6%BA%E0%B6%BA%E0%B6%B1%E0%B7%8A">සිංහල</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-simple"><a href="http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">Simple English</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sk"><a href="http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spojen%C3%A9_%C5%A1t%C3%A1ty">Slovenčina</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-cu"><a href="http://cu.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BC%D1%94%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0%CC%81%D0%BD%D1%8C%D1%81%D0%BA%EA%99%91_%D1%A4%D0%B4%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%A5%D0%BD%EA%99%91%CC%81_%D0%94%D1%80%D1%8C%D0%B6%D0%B0%CC%81%D0%B2%EA%99%91">Словѣ́ньскъ / ⰔⰎⰑⰂⰡⰐⰠⰔⰍⰟ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sl"><a href="http://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zdru%C5%BEene_dr%C5%BEave_Amerike">Slovenščina</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-szl"><a href="http://szl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stany_Zjydnocz%C5%AFne">Ślůnski</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sr"><a href="http://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%98%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%9A%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B5_%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B5_%D0%94%D1%80%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5">Српски / Srpski</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sh"><a href="http://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sjedinjene_Ameri%C4%8Dke_Dr%C5%BEave">Srpskohrvatski / Српскохрватски</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-su"><a href="http://su.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am%C3%A9rika_Sarikat">Basa Sunda</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-fi"><a href="http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yhdysvallat">Suomi</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-sv"><a href="http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">Svenska</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-tl"><a href="http://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_Unidos">Tagalog</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ta"><a href="http://ta.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AE%90%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF_%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D">தமிழ்</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-tt"><a href="http://tt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika_Qu%C5%9Fma_%C5%9Etatlar%C4%B1">Tatarça/Татарча</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-te"><a href="http://te.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B0%85%E0%B0%AE%E0%B1%86%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%95%E0%B0%BE_%E0%B0%B8%E0%B0%82%E0%B0%AF%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%95%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%A4_%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%B7%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%9F%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%B2%E0%B1%81">తెలుగు</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-tet"><a href="http://tet.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadu_Naklibur_Sira_Am%C3%A9rika_Nian">Tetun</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-th"><a href="http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%90%E0%B8%AD%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2">ไทย</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-vi"><a href="http://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoa_K%E1%BB%B3">Tiếng Việt</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-tg"><a href="http://tg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%98%D1%91%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B8_%D0%9C%D1%83%D1%82%D1%82%D0%B0%D2%B3%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%B8_%D0%90%D0%BC%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE">Тоҷикӣ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-tpi"><a href="http://tpi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ol_Yunaitet_Stet">Tok Pisin</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-to"><a href="http://to.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pule%CA%BBanga_Fakataha_%CA%BBo_%CA%BBAmelika">faka-Tonga</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-chr"><a href="http://chr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%8E%A0%E1%8E%BA%E1%8E%A2">ᏣᎳᎩ</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-tr"><a href="http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerika_Birle%C5%9Fik_Devletleri">Türkçe</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-uk"><a href="http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%96_%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8_%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8">Українська</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ur"><a href="http://ur.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%81%D8%A7%D8%A6%DB%92_%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%DB%81_%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%81">اردو</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-vec"><a href="http://vec.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stati_Un%C3%ACi_de_la_M%C3%A8rica">Vèneto</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-vo"><a href="http://vo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamerik%C3%A4n">Volapük</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-wa"><a href="http://wa.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estats_Unis">Walon</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-vls"><a href="http://vls.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ver%C3%AAnigde_Stoaten_van_Amerika">West-Vlams</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-wo"><a href="http://wo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diiwaan_yu_Bennoo">Wolof</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-wuu"><a href="http://wuu.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%8E%E5%88%A9%E5%9D%9A%E5%90%88%E4%BC%97%E5%9B%BD">吴语</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-ts"><a href="http://ts.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">Xitsonga</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-yi"><a href="http://yi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A4%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%A2_%D7%A9%D7%98%D7%90%D7%98%D7%9F_%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%9F_%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%A2">ייִדיש</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-yo"><a href="http://yo.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Cp%C3%ADnl%E1%BA%B9%CC%80_%C3%8Cs%E1%BB%8D%CC%80kan_Il%E1%BA%B9%CC%80_Amerika">Yorùbá</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-zh-yue"><a href="http://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B">粵語</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-cbk-zam"><a href="http://cbk-zam.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_Unidos_de_America">Chavacano de Zamboanga</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-diq"><a href="http://diq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewlet%C3%AA_Amerikay%C3%AA_Yewbiyayey">Zazaki</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-zea"><a href="http://zea.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vere%C3%AAnigde_Staeten">Zeêuws</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-bat-smg"><a href="http://bat-smg.wikipedia.org/wiki/JAV">Žemaitėška</a></li>
<li class="interwiki-zh"><a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B">中文</a></li>
</ul>
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