USA

History

The United States of America, officially referred to as the United States, or U.S.A., is a federal republic consisting of 50 states located in North America. In addition to the 48 conterminous states occupying the middle latitudes of the continent, the United States also includes the state of Alaska, situated at the northwestern extreme of North America, and the island state of Hawaii, located in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The conterminous states are bordered by Canada to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The United States is the fourth largest country in the world in terms of area, following Russia, Canada, and China. The national capital is Washington, which is coextensive with the District of Columbia, the federal capital region established in 1790.