The USA.

The United States of America – the richest and one of the biggest countries in the world – has several names. People say "the United States", "the States", "America" or just "the USA" or "the US". There are fifty states in the USA (including Alaska and Hawaii) and over 200 million people live in them. There is no "American climate" or "American countryside". Every part of the country is different from Alaska in the north, covered with snow and ice, to tropical Florida in the south.

The American Indians were the first people to live in that vast land. They had a fascinating ancient culture and a rich tradition of language and customs. Then the immigrants came. Most came from Europe but there were also many from the Middle East and the Far East, as well as millions of Africans caught in the terrible slave trade. We can hear Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Polish, Swedish, Japanese – in fact almost every language under the sun. In the States nearly a quarter of the population are Roman Catholics and about 6.000.000 are Jews. But nine out of ten churches in the States are Protestant. Religion is an important part of American life. In some ways, the United States is like fifty small countries and not one large one. Every state has its own governor, its own police and its own laws. The government of the whole country (the "federal" government) works from Washington, the capital city. This is where Congress is based. Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 100 members of the Senate (senators), two from each state. The President cannot act without the Senate's agreement. The House of Representatives has 435 members. Like the senators they can make new laws. Americans choose a new President every four years.

Exercise is in fashion in the USA. Everybody is doing it: old and young, men and women. They are running, dancing, jumping up and down, bending and stretching. Everybody wants to be fit, feel good, look slim and stay young. The United States is rich in natural resources. It is a leading producer of fuel (oil, natural gas and coil) and many other minerals, including cooper, gold, aluminium, iron and lead. The United States grows wheat corn and other crops and raises many cows, pigs and chicken.

International trade is important to the US. Major exports include machinery and high-technology equipment, chemicals, cars, aircraft and grains. Major imports include machinery and telecommunication equipment, oil, cars, metals and chemicals.

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