US: Basic data

Content Type

Country Data and Maps

Institution

Economist Intelligence Unit

Abstract

No abstract is available.

Topic

Summary, Basic Data, Economy, Background

Political Geography

United States

Land area

9,161,923 sq km

Population

329.2m (2018 estimate)

Main urban centres (incl suburbs)

Population in millions (July 1st 2013 Census Bureau estimates)

New York: 19.9

Los Angeles: 13.1

Chicago: 9.5

Dallas-Fort Worth: 6.8

Houston: 6.3

Philadelphia: 6.0

Washington DC: 5.9

Miami: 5.8

Climate

Mainly temperate; subtropical in the South

Weather in Washington, DC (altitude 22 metres)

Hottest month, July, 21-31°C; coldest month, January, -3-6°C; driest month, February, 69 mm average rainfall; wettest month, August, 99 mm average rainfall

Language

English

Measures

Previous UK (imperial) system, except

US gallon = 0.833 UK gallon

US bushel = 0.969 UK bushel

US short ton = 2,000 lb

Currency

Dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Average exchange rate in 2018: US$1.18:EUR1

Time

Hours behind GMT

Eastern zone: 5

Central zone: 6

Mountain zone: 7

Pacific zone: 8

Hawaii: 10

Alaska Hyder: 8

Aleutian Islands west of 169.30°W: 10

St Lawrence Island: 10

Rest of Alaska: 9

Fiscal year

The federal government fiscal year, for example for 2016, runs from October 1st 2015 to September 30th 2016. State and local fiscal years can differ

Holidays in 2019

New Year's Day (January 1st); Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr (January 21st); President's Day (February 18th); Memorial Day (May 27th); Independence Day (July 4th); Labour Day (September 2nd); Columbus Day (October 14th); Veterans' Day (November 11th); Thanksgiving (November 28th); Christmas Day (December 25th)

Data provided by: