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UNITED STATES: FACTS AND FIGURES OFFICIAL NAME: The United States of America THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: a federal (or presidential) republic of North America including 50 states and the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Wake and other Pacific islands ABBREVIATIONS:

U.S.A.,

USA,

U.S.,

US

CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES: the District of Columbia and the 49 states on the continent of North America CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES ('the US proper'): the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia NATIONALITY: 'American' or 'United States' AREA: 3,615,123 sq. mi. (9,363,859 sq. km.): somewhat more than 100 times larger than Hungary; after Russia, Canada, and China, the fourth largest country in the world POPULATION: The population of the U.S. crossed the 300,000,000 barrier in 2006. The US Border Patrol says the total number of illegal immigrants in the US is between 12 million and 15 million, so it seems to be safe to state that about 315,000,000 people live in the US today, and this number grows by as much as 500,000 a year. POP. DENSITY PER SQUARE MILE: 84 (2006) [33 per square km] POP. DISTRIBUTION: 80% urban (2005) PER CAPITA INCOME (GDP per capita: $40,000 (2006) NATIONAL POVERTY RATE: 12% (2004). GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP; 2006): $11.7 trillion WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: avoirdupoir units of weight and linear measures. Metric system gradually introduced.

2 GEOGRAPHY TRIVIA: Largest state: Alaska (586,412 sq. mi.) Smallest state: Rhode Island (1,214 sq. mi.) Northernmost city: Barrow, Alaska Southernmost city: Hilo, Island of Hawaii Easternmost city: Eastport, Maine Westernmost city: Lihue, Island of Kauai, Hawaii Oldest national park: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho (1872) Longest river: Mississippi-Missouri (3,710 mi.) Highest mountain: Mount McKinley, Alaska (20,320 ft.) Lowest point: Death Valley, Calif. (- 282 ft.) Largest gorge: Grand Canyon, Colorado River, Arizona (277 miles long, 600 ft. to 18 miles wide, 1 mile deep) NUMBER OF STATES: 50. A hundred years ago there were only 32 states in the Union. In this century five new states were admitted: Oklahoma (1907), New Mexico and Arizona in 1912, and Alaska and Hawaii in1959. CAPITAL: Washington, D.C. Area: 67 sq. miles; Population: 633,425 (metropolitan area: 3,250,822); Location: between Virginia and Maryland, on Potomac River. NOT in any of the states. Officially, New York City became the first capital of the United States when, on April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the nation's first president at Federal Hall on the corner of Broad and Wall streets. At the end of 1790 Congress voted to move to Philadelphia, which would be the temporary capital until the new capital was completed. The federal city is named for George Washington and Christopher Columbus. The District of Columbia was established by Congress in 1790-91, and George Washington selected the exact site for the 'Federal City,' which was designed by Pierre L'Enfant, a French military engineer who had gone to America with Lafayette, and laid out by Major Andrew Ellicott and Benjamin Banneker, a freeborn black man, who was an astronomer and mathematician. Maryland and Virginia ceded land for the District, and the capital moved there from Philadelphia in 1800. Thomas Jefferson was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. In 1814, during the War of 1812, a British force fired the capital, and it was from the white paint applied to cover fire damage that the President's home was called the White House. FLAG: Popularly known as the "Stars and Stripes" or "Old Glory," the flag consists of 13 horizontal, alternate red and white stripes (7 red and 6 white); these represent the original 13 states (in the order of their admission to the Union: Del. /the first to ratify the Constitution; Dec 7, 1787/, Pa., N.J., Ga., Conn., Mass., Md., S.C., N.H., Va., N.Y., N.C., R.I. /May 29, 179O/). Fifty five-pointed white stars, representing the present number of states in the Union, are placed in 9 horizontal rows alternately of 6 and 5 against a blue field in the upper left corner of the flag.

3 ANTHEM: "The Star-Spangled Banner," written by Francis Scott Key, a Washington lawyer, inspired by his experiences during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md., September 13-14, 1814, when he was detained on a British vessel in the harbor. The poem was written to the tune of a famous English drinking song of the day, "To Anacreon in Heaven." Key's lyric was published a week after the battle -- on September 21, 1814 -- in the Baltimore American, and it quickly gained popularity throughout the country. "The StarSpangled Banner" became America's official national anthem following the SpanishAmerican War in 1898, but it was not designated as such by Congress until 1931. NATIONAL MOTTOES: (1) E pluribus unum ('one out of many'): this motto obviously refers to the historical fact that Americans spring from a multitude of stocks, yet share a common nationality. (2) In God We Trust: designated as the U.S. National Motto by Congress in 1956, originated during the Civil War as an inscription for U.S. coins. It first appeared on some U.S. coins in 1864, disappeared and reappeared on various coins until 1955, when Congress ordered it placed on all paper money and all coins. MONETARY UNIT: The dollar ($) of 100 cents is a nonconvertible paper currency (fully convertible into gold by foreign governments only) with one official rate. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents and $1, and notes of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000. * * *

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AND CHECKS AND BALANCES THE US CONSTITUTION: It is the oldest written constitution in the world that is still in effect. A constitution by nature is the supreme law of the land, and no legislation may contradict it. Note that each of the 50 states also has its own constitution. EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CONSTITUTION: March 4, 1789 THE THREE BRANCHES OF THE NATIONAL/FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (1) Executive (2) Legislative (3) Judicial The original idea was that the three branches act as a check on each other to prevent the national government from becoming too powerful at the expense of the people. This practice is often referred to as "checks and balances" or the "separation of powers." For instance, although the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, he may not declare war or appropriate money for military use without the approval of Congress. Presidential appointments (cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, justices of the Supreme Court, etc.) must be approved by the Senate. Although it is the President who makes treaties with foreign powers,

4 any treaty to be binding must win the approval of two-thirds of the Senate, which has the power to defeat a treaty. Similarly, the President's independence is limited by the House of Representatives, where all money bills originate.

HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT: the president, who is elected only indirectly by the people in a complicated procedure that involves the Electoral College. He must be "a natural born citizen," at least 35 years old and a resident of the U.S. for 14 years. Under the 22nd amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1951, a president may not be elected to more than two four-year term, if he/she has served more than half of someone else’s term.

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH: The President of the U.S.A. is the: head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, chief executive, chief spokesman in foreign affairs, chief of the administration, and leader of his political party. Both the President and the VP, as well as all civil officers, are removable from office after impeachment and conviction for light crimes, misdemeanors, treason, and bribery. Congress must submit all bills and resolutions to the President for his approval. If the President does not approve of them, he may veto them. Then they are returned to Congress and can only become law if they are approved by two-thirds of the members in both houses. The White House, Washington, D.C., is the official residence of the President. CABINET: Under the President there are various executive departments. The heads of these departments (together with the vice president) form a council known as the President's Cabinet. The heads of departments (known as secretaries and NOT “ministers”) are appointed by the President with the Senate's approval and remain in office only so long as it pleases the President to keep them. As a rule they belong to the same political party as the President. It is worth noticing that the Cabinet in the U.S. is NOT responsible to the House majority, but to the President alone. Hence the great power of the presidential office. The President's work is also assisted by several executive and/or independent federal agencies (e.g. the Central Intelligence Agency /CIA/, National Security Council, Council of Economic Advisers, Council on Environment Quality, Office of Management and Budget, etc.) and independent offices. THE LEGISLATURE/LEGISLATIVE BODY: Congress, bicameral, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate consists of 1OO members -- two from each state -- chosen by popular vote for a 6-year term; a third of its membership renewed every two years. The House of Representatives has 435 members elected by popular vote every two years; each state is entitled to at least one Representative, with the total number determined periodically according to population.

5 THE JUDICIARY/JUDICIAL BRANCH: The judicial branch of the government is headed by the Supreme Court, made up of the Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The Court decides on questions of the constitutionality of laws when such questions are raised in appeals from lower courts. It acts on disputes involving the national government, or two or more states, or citizens of different states. The Supreme Court is two courts in one: it is a constitutional court (cf. the judicial review) and the highest court of appeal at the same time. When a case goes to the Court, it always gets two yes-or-no questions: the first one is whether the Court is willing to take the case or not, the second one is a specific one (Can education be separate and equal at the same time? Cf. Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka County, Kansas, 1954). The lower federal courts are the circuit courts of appeal and district courts. The judges of all the federal courts are appointed for life. They can be removed from office only for misconduct and after trial by the Senate. WHO RULES? -- A President (usually elected), a two-house legislature and a 9-man Supreme Court, appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate. There are also state, county, and city governments, but most of their laws can be voided by the federal government. WHO REALLY RULES? -- There are many forces at work in American society, but the most powerful by far are the interlocking directorates of the major banks, corporations, and insurance companies, with the backing of the leaders of the military: in the words of former President Dwight Eisenhower, "the military-industrial complex."

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ETHNIC COMPOSITION: The nation's ethnic diversity is chiefly due to large-scale immigration. The greatest numbers went in the years between 1880 and1914 (cf. new immigration). Between 1820 and 1984, the U.S. admitted nearly 52 million immigrants. Whites (a mixture of over 40 ethnic groups) comprise 83.5 percent (1990 census) of the population; Blacks (or African Americans, or Afro-Americans, or Black Americans, or Blackamericans; formerly called 'Negroes') 12.4 percent (over 30 million); Asians 3.3%; American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut 0.8%. The fastest-growing minority group is the MexicanAmerican (now about 60 percent of all Hispanics), who make up the vast majority of the illegal immigrants. LANGUAGES: English is the official and predominant language. By far the most common foreign language is Spanish (fully 36 percent of Miami's population -- and 60 percent of San Antonio's -- speak Spanish at home. Other minority languages include Italian, German, Polish, Yiddish, Russian, American Indian tongues, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese.

6 RELIGION: Although there are more than 300 different religious sects in the U.S., the people as a whole identify themselves with one of the three major religious groups – Protestant (56%), Roman Catholic (28%), and Jewish (2%). The country, however, is essentially Protestant. About 10% of the population belongs to no religion. American Protestantism is divided into more than 200 different denominations, most of them with fewer than 50,000 members. Only about 22 Protestant sects claim a membership as large as 500,000. The major Protestant bodies, all having membership in the millions, are Baptists (a Protestant denomination holding that baptism, generally by immersion, should be given only to professed believers), Episcopalians, (episcopalism: that view of the constitution of the church that gives the supreme power to a body of bishops, and recognizes no single head), Lutherans (the chief doctrine of the Lutheran church is justification by faith alone), Methodists (they have their origin in a religious movement begun in England in the first half of the 18th century by John and Charles Wesley and their followers), Presbyterians (Calvinist by doctrine, they have church government by presbyters), and others that, taken together, considerably outnumber Roman Catholics and Jews. Two interesting Protestant sects founded in the U.S. are the Mormons and the Christian Scientists. Roman Catholicism is by far the largest unified religious body. About 48 million Americans are baptized members of Catholic congregations. Nearly 6 million Americans are members of Jewish congregations. There are three major denominations in Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism. American churches and synagogues are not only places where prayers are recited and ceremonies are conducted; they are also community centers where educational, cultural, social, philanthropic, and even political activities are held. The First Amendment to the Constitution forbids the establishment of an official national religion and prohibits governmental subsidies to religious groups. It also prohibits state or federal interference with religious institutions and practices. Constitutional provisions for separation of church and state were reinforced by a Supreme Court decision banning prayers in public schools: on June 17, 1963, the Court ruled, 8-1, that laws requiring recitation of the Lord's Prayer or Bible verses in public schools were unconstitutional. * * *

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HOLIDAYS Technically there are no national holidays in the U.S.; each state has jurisdiction over its holidays, which are designated by legislative enactment or executive proclamation. In practice, however, most states observe the federal legal public holidays even though the President or Congress can legally designate holidays only for the District of Columbia and for federal employees. When a holiday falls on a Sunday or Saturday it is usually observed on the following Monday or preceding Friday.

FEDERAL LEGAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS NEW YEAR'S DAY (January 1): Following a long, hectic New Year's Eve, Americans spend a quiet, leisurely New Year's Day. Two picturesque New Day festivals receive widespread attention and coverage by the news media: the Mummer's Parade and the Tournament of Roses. Both these events have been American traditions for more than half a century. The Mummer's Parade, which takes place in Philadelphia, is a ten-hour spectacle that usually attracts more than a million spectators. In the colorful and high-spirited parade, the men are dressed in lavish costumes. Some impersonate women since no women are allowed to participate. There are clowns, musicians, dancers, and floats -- altogether about 17,OOO marchers led by King Momus dressed in gleaming satin. The Tournament of Roses takes place in Pasadena, California. Elaborate floats displaying roses and thousands of other California flowers depict a different theme each year. Prizes are awarded for the most unusual and attractive floral displays. After the parade, the Rose Bowl football game, a contest between two top-ranking college football teams, is played. These three events attract thousands of tourists and millions of TV viewers. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY (3rd Monday in January): Designated a federal holiday during the Reagan administration, MLK Day commemorates the many achievements of the Afro-Americans and their civil rights movements. It also marks the beginning of Black History Month, which is February in each year. PREDISENT'S DAY (3rd Monday in February): Originally Washington’s birthday, this is now a federal holiday commemorating all US presidents. MEMORIAL DAY (the last Monday in May, also known as Decoration Day): In 1868, the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic issued an order designating the day as one in which the graves of soldiers would be decorated. Originally established to honor the Civil War dead, Memorial Day now officially honors all American servicemen who gave their lives for their country. Unofficially, the holiday has been extended beyond its military connection to become a day of general tribute to the dead. Yet the military nature of Memorial Day is evident in the parades and customs which solemnly mark the occasion. Military exercises are held at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania and at the National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

8 INDEPENDENCE DAY (July 4): Observed in all the states. It commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It is THE national holiday for Americans, and they celebrate it with fireworks and festivities. Each year, The New York Times reprints the Declaration of Independence. LABOR DAY (1st Monday in September): It was first celebrated in New York in 1882 under the sponsorship of the Central Labor Union. The achievements which Americans honor on LD are primarily those of the labor unions. Pressure exerted by the unions forced the passage of much legislation to protect the working man. The typical American family use the threeday weekend -- occurring just before most of the nation's schools reopen -- as a final summer vacation. This is NOT the European Labor Day of May 1st. COLUMBUS DAY (2nd Monday In October): It grew out of an Italian-American holiday in California (1850s), and became a federal one in 1937. It commemorates the “discovery” of the Americas. It is a hotly debated holiday. ELECTION DAY (1st Tuesday after the first Monday in November): This is the day Americans go to vote. The day was set for the second business day of the month to give time to businessmen to draw the balance of October on the first business day. Note that there is no campaign silence in the US. VETERANS’ DAY (November 11): Formerly Armistice Day, to commemorate victory in the First World War. It is now a holiday for all veterans of foreign wars, and Americans honor the tomb of the unknown soldier. THANKSGIVING DAY (4th Thursday in November): Arguably the biggest holiday in the States, this one commemorates the survival of the Pilgrims in the New World. This is a long holiday (usually four days, although the Friday after is a workday), and families get together for company and meals. Typical Thanksgiving meals include turkey and cranberry sauce. The Christmas shopping season starts the Friday after Thanksgiving with huge one-day sales. CHRISTMAS DAY (December 25): Most of the Christmas customs which Americans enjoy today are variations of traditions taken there by European immigrants. As regards some of the most popular customs (eg. sending Christmas cards, singing Christmas carols, decorating trees) there is no substantial difference between how this holiday is celebrated in the U.S. or in Hungary. There are, however, some differences: • In the U.S., Christmas is a one-day holiday. There is no Boxing Day. Exchanging gifts in the US normally takes place not at Christmas Eve, like in Hungary, but on the following morning. • Santa Claus is the American name for St. Nicholas, whose feast day (December 6) is observed in Hungary, but not in the U.S.A. Dutch immigrants took the concept of St. Nicholas to America, where the name was mispronounced and finally changed to Santa Claus. 19th-century artists and authors altered St. Nick's appearance and created the roly-poly man in red that we see today. Santa's sleigh and reindeer were derived from an old Norse legend. • Many American children believe that on Christmas Eve Santa Claus slides down their chimney to bring them gifts. According to the story, Santa Claus travels in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. Children tell Santa Claus what toys they want by writing him

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a letter or visiting him in a local department store. As in Britain, children in the US hang stockings by the fireplace, hoping that Santa will fill them with candy and toys. Decorating the home with evergreens and other plants. The winter custom of decorating homes and churches with evergreens began in ancient times. Branches of fir or spruce were thought to bring good luck and guarantee the return of spring. Likewise, a branch of mistletoe was hung over doorways for good luck. Today the custom continues, but now it is for fun. A man may kiss any girl he catches standing under the mistletoe. The poinsettia plant is another familiar Christmas decoration. Its star-shaped red leaves are an ideal symbol of the holiday. It is a distinctly modern and American Christmas tradition.

DAYS USUALLY OBSERVED GROUNDHOG DAY (February 2): a popular belief is that if the groundhog (or woodchuck, a marmot of eastern North America) sees his shadow after he emerges from hibernation on this day, he returns to his burrow and winter continues six weeks longer. MARDI GRAS (the last day before Ash Wednesday: sometime between February 3 and March 9): celebrated as a carnival in various cities in the South. The most famous American Mardi Gras festival is held in New Orleans each year. It is based on a French Catholic tradition. ST. VALENTINE'S DAY (February 14): festival of a martyr beheaded at Rome under Emperor Claudius. Association of this day with lovers has no connection with the saint and probably had its origin in an old belief that on this day birds begin to choose their mates. Today it is a festival of romance and affection. Shortly before February 14, card shops, book stores, department stores, and drug stores display a wide assortment of greeting cards called valentines. Most valentines are illustrated with the symbolic red heart; many show a picture of Cupid with his bow and arrow; some contain tender verses. The plainer ones simply say, "Be my Valentine". For specific family members, sweethearts and friends, there are valentines in every imaginable style -- sentimental, restrained, sophisticated, humorous, or insulting.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY (March 17): traditionally celebrated by Irish societies, esp. with parades, church services, banquets, and "the wearing of the green," the color which symbolizes the south of Ireland. Green cloth shamrocks (three-leaf clovers which St. Patrick used to explain the Trinity and which have now come to symbolize the Irish nation) are sold in the streets and worn by millions on this day. Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary, patron saint of Ireland, called the "Apostle of Ireland", who in the latter part of the 4th century introduced Christianity to a pagan nation. MAY DAY: the first day of May, traditionally celebrated as a spring festival by crowning May Queen, dancing around a maypole, etc., and in recent times celebrated as Labor Day in most of the world by demonstrations commemorating labor. This is NOT the American Labor Day.

10 MOTHER'S DAY (2nd Sunday in May): In Hungary, it is the 1st Sunday in May. FATHER'S DAY (3rd Sunday in June) HALLOWEEN (Oct. 31): the evening before All Saints' Day. Informally observed in the US with masquerading and pumpkin decorations. Traditionally an occasion for children to play pranks, for example "trick-or-treating": if an adult refuses to supply a treat -- candy, cookies, fruit, or money -- the children may play a trick. Typical Halloween pranks are soaping windows, writing on doors with crayons, overturning ash cans, and sticking pins into doorbells to keep them ringing. The "spooky" part of Halloween (a short way of saying 'All Hallow's Eve') comes from the Celts. Every year on October 31, the last day of the year on the old pagan calendar, the Druids (Celtic priests and teachers) built huge bonfires to scare away the demons of evil and death. They dressed in ugly and frightening costumes so that the demons would think that they were one of them and do them no harm. Supposedly, on this evening, ghosts rose from their graves and witches drove through the air on broomsticks or black cats. Also, the souls of dead relatives and friends were expected to return to earth for a visit. The Druid bonfires were built on hilltops to help guide these spirits back home. From the Druid religion, then, come the custom of masquerading and the symbols of Halloween: ghosts, skeletons, devils, witches, black cats, and owls. The jack-o'-lantern is also of Celtic origin. It was an Irish custom to hollow out turnips and place lighted candles inside them to scare evil spirits away from the house. In the U.S., the native pumpkin is used to make a jacko'-lantern. First the pumpkin is hollowed out; then holes are cut in the shell to make the eyes, nose, and mouth. A candle is put inside, and the jack-o'-lantern is placed by the window. The Irish also introduced the "trick-or-treat" custom hundreds of years ago. Groups of farmers would travel from house to house requesting food for the village's Halloween festivities. They would promise good luck to generous contributors and threaten those who were stingy.

For further information and trivia you may check the homepage of the US Embassy in Budapest and the various internet encyclopedias: Encarta, Wikipedia, etc. Another website (worldfactsandfigurs.com) offers information on various countries for comparison.