United States - Statistics & Facts
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic with fifty states, one federal district, and 16 overseas territories (five of which are permanently inhabited). It is almost entirely located on the North American continent, and is the third largest country in the world in terms of landmass. Washington D.C. is the national capital, although New York is the largest city, and California is the most populous state (Alaska is the largest by mass). Due to its global influence, be it political, economic, military, or cultural, the U.S. is often considered the world’s foremost superpower, however, China has gradually been exerting more international influence over the past two decades.
Following the 2008 financial crisis, and more recently the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, recessions and economic recovery have been a major challenge for U.S. policy makers in the past 15 years. While GDP fell by 2.8 percent in 2020, it then grew by six percent in 2021. Unemployment had reached its lowest point in decades in 2019, before it more than doubled to 8.1 percent in 2020. These fluctuations have led to economic instability and financial insecurity in the past year, and the government's borrowing to limit economic damage has seen the national debt rise above 30 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021; almost double what it was 10 years previously.
Demographics
With a total population of around 335 million people, the United States is the third most populous country in the world, behind India and China. Fertility rates have remained below replacement level in recent years, however the population has continued to grow due to migration and rising life expectancy (although life expectancy did fall in the late 2010s as a result of unhealthy lifestyle choices). Consistent immigration has also resulted in an ethnically-diverse population. As in other multi-ethnic societies, racial discrimination has been a consistent problem in the United States, with its roots tracing back to the colonization of the Americas and transatlantic slavery. Inequalities in income and criminal justice disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic communities, and the average Black household income has been roughly 60 percent of white household income since the 1960s.Economy
The U.S. economy is by far the largest economy in the world. In 2023, U.S. GDP amounted to about 27 trillion U.S. dollars. This is more than the combined GDPs of the second and third largest economies, China and Japan. However, it is widely expected that due to its sheer size and rapid growth, China is going to become the world’s largest economy within the next 10 to 20 years. The total volume of U.S. exports has vastly grown in the last two decades and exceeded two trillion dollars in 2022. The most important export partners of the U.S. are Canada, Mexico, and China who accounted for 40 percent of U.S. exports in 2021. The same three countries top the list of the U.S.’s most important import partners, with 19 percent of U.S. imports coming from China alone.Following the 2008 financial crisis, and more recently the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, recessions and economic recovery have been a major challenge for U.S. policy makers in the past 15 years. While GDP fell by 2.8 percent in 2020, it then grew by six percent in 2021. Unemployment had reached its lowest point in decades in 2019, before it more than doubled to 8.1 percent in 2020. These fluctuations have led to economic instability and financial insecurity in the past year, and the government's borrowing to limit economic damage has seen the national debt rise above 30 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021; almost double what it was 10 years previously.
