The United States of America
The United States of America has an area of about 9.5 million km², third or fourth in the world, and a population of about 340 million, third after China and India. Its capital is Washington. Its territory has three parts: the 48 contiguous states in the middle of North America, Alaska in the north-west and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific. The USA has access to three oceans (Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic) and borders only Canada and Mexico on land; the US–Canada border is one of the longest in the world. It is a presidential republic and a federation: 50 states and the District of Columbia (Washington). In relief, plains lie in the east and centre and the Cordillera mountains in the west; Denali in Alaska (about 6,190 m) is North America’s highest point and Death Valley (–86 m) its lowest. It is rich in minerals: coal, oil, gas and many ores and salts; its water resources are large (the Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado, Columbia). The climate is mainly temperate and subtropical, subarctic in Alaska, tropical in Florida and Hawaii; tornadoes and hurricanes are common near the Gulf of Mexico. The indigenous people, American Indians, are now few; most people descend from settlers of different periods: Europeans, Africans, Latin Americans, Asians and others – the USA is a country of immigrants. A census is held every 10 years. Natural increase is low and the population also grows by migration. Urbanisation is over 80 %; big cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. Three megalopolises have formed: Boston–Washington (Bosnywash), Chicago–Pittsburgh (Chipitts) and San Francisco–San Diego (Sansan). English is the official language (set at federal level), and many speak Spanish, especially in the south-western states. Density averages about 36 people/km²: dense on the east and west coasts, sparse in the mountain states and Alaska.
Mark the 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, New York, Los Angeles, the Mississippi, the Cordillera and the three megalopolises on the map.