United States of America Hotels

The United States of America is a large country in central and north-western North America, often referred to as the "USA," the "U.S.," the "United States," "America," or simply "the States". It has a land area of about 9.6 million sq km (about half the size of Russia and about the same size as China). It also boasts the world's third largest population after China and India, with over 300 million people. It includes both densely-populated cities with sprawling suburbs, and vast, uninhabited and naturally beautiful areas. With its history of mass immigration dating from the 17th century, it is a "melting pot" of cultures from around the world. Regions:The United States is composed of 50 states, as well as the city of Washington D.C., a federal district and the nation's capital. Below is a rough grouping of these states into regions, from the Atlantic to the Pacific: The United States is not the America of television and movies. It is large, complex, and diverse. Due to the distances involved, traveling between regions can be time-consuming or expensive. Most tourists concentrate on one or perhaps two cities (or regions) per visit.Geography :The contiguous United States (the 48 states other than Alaska and Hawaii) are bound by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, with much of the population living on these two coasts. Its only borders are shared with Canada to the north, and Mexico to the south. The country has three major mountain ranges. The Appalachians extend from Canada to the state of Alabama, a few hundred miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. They are the oldest of the three mountain ranges, and offer spectacular sightseeing and excellent camping spots. The Rockies are the highest in North America, extending from Alaska to New Mexico, with many areas protected as national parks. They offer hiking, camping, and sightseeing opportunities. The combined Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges are the youngest. The Sierras extend across the "backbone" of California, with sites such as Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park, then give way to the even younger volcanic Cascade range, with some of the highest points in the country. The Great Lakes define much of the border between the United States and Canada. Formed by the pressure of glaciers retreating north at the end of the last Ice Age, the five lakes touch the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. The lakes span hundreds of miles, and their shores vary from pristine wilderness areas to industrial "rust belt" cities. They are the second-largest bodies of freshwater in the world, after the polar ice caps. Climate:The overall climate is temperate, with notable exceptions. Alaska has Arctic tundra, while Hawaii and South Florida are tropical. The Great Plains are dry, flat and grassy, turning into arid desert in the far West and Mediterranean along the California coast. In the northern and mid-western major cities as much as 2 feet (61 cm) of snow can fall in one day, with cold temperatures. Summers are humid, but mild. Temperatures over 100ºF (38ºC) sometimes invade the Midwest and Great Plains. Some areas in the northern plains can experience cold temperatures of -30ºF (-34ºC) during the winter. Temperatures below 0ºF (-18ºC) sometimes reach as far south as Oklahoma. The climate of the South also varies. In the summer, it is hot and humid, but from October through April the weather can range from 60ºF (15ºC) to short cold spells of 20ºF (-7ºC) or so. The Great Plains & Midwestern states also experience tornadoes from the late spring to early fall, earlier in the south and later in the north. States along the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico, may experience hurricanes between June and November. These intense and dangerous storms frequently miss the the U.S. mainland, but evacuations are often ordered and should be heeded. The Rockies are cold and snowy. Some regions see over 500 inches (1,200 cm) of snow in a season. Even during the summer, temperatures are cool in the mountains, and snow can fall nearly year-round. The Southwestern deserts are hot and dry during the summer, with temperatures often exceeding 100ºF (38ºC). Thunderstorms can be expected in the southwest frequently from July through September. Winters are mild, and snow is unusual. Average annual precipitation is less than 10 inches (25 cm). Cool and damp weather is common in the northwest. Rain is most frequent in winter, snow is rare, especially along the coast and extreme temperatures are uncommon. Rain falls almost exclusively from late fall through early spring along the coast. History:America was once populated by people who are believed to have migrated from northeast Asia. In the United States their descendants are known as Native Americans, or American Indians. Most were tribal hunter-gatherers. The Five Nations of the Northeast and the Pueblo peoples of the Southwest developed societies based on agriculture. During the 16th and 17th centuries, parts of the region were colonized by European nations including Spain, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Russia, and/or their religious missionaries. The British colonies in Virginia and Massachusetts were the kernel of what we now know as the United States of America. By the early 18th century, 13 colonies ranged along the Atlantic coast from Georgia to Maine. Their growth drove the Native American population westward. The southern areas, because of a longer growing season, had richer agricultural prospects, especially for cotton and tobacco. As in Central and South America, African slaves were forced to cultivate large plantations. The northern colonies developed as mercantile societies modeled after the "home" country, Britain. In the late 18th century, and Russian Jews joined Irish refugees to become a cheap labor force for the country's growing industrialization. Many Southern African-Americans fled rural poverty for industrial jobs in the North. Other immigrants, including many Scandinavians and Germans, moved to the now-opened territories in the West and Midwest, where land was available for free to anyone who would develop it. A network of railroads crisscrossed the country accelerating development. With its entrance into World War I near the end of the conflict, the United States established itself as a world power. Real wealth grew rapidly in this period. In the Roaring 20s stock speculation created an immense "bubble" which, when it burst in October of 1929, contributed to economic havoc, known as the Great Depression. Socialists and Communists seized the opportunity to win converts. At the end of 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, a military base in the Pacific, plunging the United States into World War II. In alliance with the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, the U.S. defeated the fascist regimes in Italy, Germany, and Japan. At the end of this war, the United States was the dominant economic power in the world, responsible for nearly half of the world's production. It was the only force capable of containing the Communist Soviet Union, giving rise to what is now known as the Cold War. After WWII, America experienced far greater affluence. A civil rights movement emerged that eliminated most discrimination against African-Americans during the 1960s; a revived women's movement also led to wide-ranging changes in American society. Post WWII saw a shift to an economy primarily based on technology rather than agriculture. Today, many of the leading technology companies are based in the United States (especially on the Pacific Coast). The U.S. also took the lead in military and space technology, especially beginning in the 1960s. The 1950s saw the beginnings of a major shift of population to the suburbs and largely contributed to the United States giving rise to the car culture and the convenience of fast food restaurants. The Interstate Highway System, constructed primarily from the 1960s - 1980s, became perhaps the most comprehensive freeway system in the world. Major chain stores began popping up in cities across the country, and some later spread to foreign countries. The American consumer culture, as well as Hollywood movies and many forms of popular music, has arguably established the United States as the cultural center of the world. Culture:Because of its size and because its citizens are descended from diverse immigrants, there is no single universal American culture. Visitors to the South will find a far different culture from those traveling to California or New York City. Worldwide trends often begin in the United States, and modern inventions are often either invented or first mass-produced in the United States. The United States has one of the highest per-capita car ownership rates in the world. Other common elements of United States culture include individualism, Hollywood films and popular music, including country music, blues, jazz, heavy metal, rock and roll, rap and hip-hop; sports like basketball, baseball, American football, soccer, and NASCAR racing, technology, tolerance, corn on the cob, and fast food. Holidays:The US has a number of holidays - official and/or cultural - of which the traveller should be aware. Note that holidays observed on Mondays are usually treated as weekend-long events. (A weekend consists of a Saturday and a Sunday.) Federal holidays, holidays observed by the US federal government-are indicated in bold italics.