COUNTRY PROFILE

Location 

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico.

  

Population and culture

The U.S is definitely a land of diversity.  The size of the country, its geographic and climatic differences contribute to its variety. There is also a variety of people coming from different ethnic groups and traditions. However, there are some commonalities among “typical” Americans.

Americans give a special value to their individuality. They think they are masters of their own future and destiny. They are extremely honest and direct because they know their right of freedom of speech that is guaranteed by the United States Constitution. They are direct in their communications, they ask questions if they need information and they say “no” when they mean no.

The vast majority of Americans do not make class distinction because most of them consider themselves as middle class. Americans do not usually feel that their success in life will be determined by the social class into they were born, so they do not show excessive superiority to each other in public situations.

They are very friendly people, but this means they are pleased to make your acquaintance. This may or may not lead to true friendship. They are very informal in general, they call people by their first names, but in formal situations it is better to use last names (Dr. Smith, Ms. Jones, etc.). They value their privacy and they do not visit friends without telephoning first.

Americans are extremely punctual. They start classes on time and finish on time too. On social occasions, especially when they are invited for a meal, they are expected to arrive no more than 15 minutes after the appointed hour.  They are also expected to phone if they are going to be delayed.

Landscape

The United States is an immense country that encompasses more than 3.5 million square miles (nine million square kilometers) and is home to more than 281 million people. Forty-eight of the country's 50 states are located in the central portion of North America. Canada forms the northern border of the United States, while Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico lie to the south. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west is the Pacific. The United States also includes the states of Alaska, located in the northwest corner of North America, and Hawaii, which is a series of islands in the Pacific Ocean. Washington, DC, is the capital city of the United States.

The country's climate and landscape are as varied as one would expect such a vast region to be. Mountain ranges run through both the eastern and western portions of the United States, with prairies and farmland composing much of the central part of the country. The climate is just as varied. The South has warm temperatures year-round, while tremendous seasonal changes-snowy winter months and hot, humid summer months-characterize the Northeast and Midwest. The coastal areas of the West have a moderate climate, while the mountainous areas see more seasonal variations. The deserts of Arizona and Nevada are extremely hot and dry.

Weather      

As diversity can be seen in its people, it can also be perceived in the weather conditions. Climate varies in different parts of the country and it plays a role in the lifestyles found in the various regions of the country. This has an impact in their choices in architecture, cuisine, leisure activities, etc.

The weather is mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.



Government

The framers of the Constitution created a federal government with three branches so that any two could prevent the third from gaining too much power:

The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

The legislative branch is the Congress, made up of the Senate (two senators per state) and the House of Representatives (numbers based on state population).

The executive branch is the president and the Cabinet.

Tourist attractions


The Statue of Liberty

France gave us the Statue of Liberty. But why?  In 1865, France felt that it needed to show some support over the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.  And so at a dinner party it was discussed that a monument would be a good example.  At this party was Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, a sculptor.  He made a small clay model of a women representing liberty in 1870.  Then in 1871 he traveled to the US and saw Bedloe Island in Upper New York Bay, where the star-shaped Fort Wood was.  He felt this was the spot for his statue!  So, in 1875 France began raising money for this statue.  And in 1876 Bartholdi began constructing it in a studio in sections.  His mother's face inspired the head, but the model and later his wife's body was the inspiration for the rest of it.  

Some places in Washington D.C. : 

-The Smithsonian Museums: http://www.si.edu/

This picture was taken in one of the Smithsonian Museums: American Indian Museum.
http://americanindian.si.edu/
Home to one of the largest and most diverse collections of Native art and historical and cultural objects; exhibitions are designed in collaboration with Native communities from across the hemisphere.

-The National Mall and other monuments: http://dc.about.com/cs/sightseeing/a/Monuments.htm

-The White House (unfortunately tours are difficult to arrange, but you can check out the exterior): http://www.whitehouse.gov/

-The Capitol (again, tours are difficult to arrange, but you can check out the exterior): http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/

Other activities to consider:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/

http://washington.dc.eventguide.com/

My favorite places: 
The following map shows the places I have already visited in the US: As you can see I was mostly in the eastern part of the country and in California. I had the opportunity to visit New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana and Florida. As you can see it was an unforgettable year! 

Food

Fast, junk, processed -- when it comes to food, the United States is best known for the stuff that's described by words better suited to greasy, grinding industrial output. But Americans have an impressive appetite for good stuff, too. Some of the much-loved regional specialties are: 

American style pancakes

Barbecue chicken with potatoe salad

Chicken caesar salad

Fried chicken with waffles and maple syrup

American cherry pie

Music

The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. Among the country's most internationally-renowned genres are hip hop, blues, country, rhythm and blues, jazz, barbershop, pop, techno, and rock and roll.

Blues and gospel

Jazz

Country music

Rock, metal and punk

Rock, metal and punk

Many American cities and towns have vibrant music scenes which, in turn, support a number of regional musical styles. Along with musical centers such as Philadelphia, Seattle, New York City, San Francisco, New Orleans, Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, and Los Angeles, many smaller cities such as Asbury Park, New Jersey have produced distinctive styles of music. The Cajun and Creole traditions in Louisiana music, the folk and popular styles of Hawaiian music, and the bluegrass and old time music of the Southeastern states are a few examples of diversity in American music.

Sports

http://wallwisher.com/wall/47dypqvnx5

Festivals 

Date	Official Name	Remarks
January 1	New Year's Day	Celebrates beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. Festivities include counting down to midnight (12:00 AM) on the preceding night, New Year's Eve, often with fireworks display and party. Traditional end of Christmas and holiday season.
Third Monday in January	Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.	Honors Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights leader, who was actually born on January 15, 1929; combined with other holidays in several states.
Last Monday in May	Memorial Day	Honors the nation's war dead from the Civil War onwards; marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season. (traditionally May 30, shifted by the Uniform Holidays Act 1968)
July 4	Independence Day	Celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence from British rule, also called the Fourth of July. Firework celebrations are held in many cities throughout the nation.
First Monday in September	Labor Day	Celebrates the achievements of workers and the labor movement; marks the unofficial end of the summer season.
Second Monday in October	Columbus Day	Honors Christopher Columbus, traditional discoverer of the Americas. In some areas it is also a celebration of Italian culture and heritage. (traditionally October 12) In some states and municipalities, it is celebrated as Indigenous People's Day as a celebration of the Native Americans, not Columbus.
November 11	Veterans Day	Honors all veterans of the United States armed forces. It is observed on November 11 to recall the end of World War I on that date in 1918 (major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice).
Fourth Thursday in November	Thanksgiving Day	Traditionally celebrates the giving of thanks for the autumn harvest. Traditionally includes the sharing of a turkey dinner. Traditional start of the Christmas and holiday season.
December 25	Christmas	The most widely celebrated holiday of the Christian year, Christmas is observed as a commemoration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Many Christmas customs are millennia old. The mistletoe, for example, comes from the Druids, who, in hanging the mistletoe, hoped for peace and good fortune. Comparatively recent is the Christmas tree, first set up in Germany in the 17th century. Colonial Manhattan Islanders introduced the name Santa Claus, a corruption of the Dutch name for St. Nicholas, who lived in fourth-century Asia Minor.

Art 

Jackson Pollock

Paul Jackson Pollock, known as Jackson Pollock, was an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. He was well known for his uniquely defined style of drip painting.

Georgia O'Keeffe

O'Keeffe first came to the attention of the New York art community in 1916, several decades before women had gained access to art training in America’s colleges and universities.She made large-format paintings of enlarged blossoms, presenting them close up as if seen through a magnifying lens, and New York buildings, most of which date from the same decade.

Andy Warhol 

Andy Warhol was an American artist who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture and advertisement that flourished by the 1960s.

Religion 

History