UNITED STATES of AMERICA

Geography

Area 9,529,063 sq. km. The world's third largest nation in area and population.

Population

2000       278,357,141

2010       297,988,958 (est)

2025       325,572,586 (est)

Immigration rates are high with 42 million foreign-born and approximately 3,000 legal immigrants arriving daily.

Peoples

A nation of immigrants with the greatest ethnic-origin diversity of any nation in history. Euro-American 70.7% Afro-American 12.4% Latin Mestizo 7% (Mixed race...Hispanics of all racial types are 12.6%). Asian 4.5% Middle Eastern 4.3% Native American 0.9% Polynesian 0.2%. Literacy 96% (functional literacy 85%). Official language: English. The growing Spanish-speaking Hispanic population is 11.2% of the population and numbers 34 million.

Economy

The most powerful, diverse and technologically advanced economy in the history of the world. Rich in agriculture and natural resources, yet 35 million live below the poverty line. A free-market economy with great flexibility. Part of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. Strong importer from other lands and a large adverse trade balance -- so any US economic downturn has global repercussions. Public debt 66% of Gross National Product. Income/person $31,380.

Religion

Freedom of religion is written into the constitution. No state in the world has been so strongly influenced by biblical Christianity. The principle of the separation of Church and State has been misused by liberal and anti-Christian minorities to limit the public exercise of religion and to promote permissive legislation. The Religious Freedom Act of 1998 was passed to empower the President to act against nations reported as persecuting religious minorities.

Demographic information from "Operation World".