The USA
The United States of America is a large country in North America. It borders Canada to the North and Mexico to the South, the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West.
It is divided into 50 states, 48 are in the mainland, Alaska is to the North West of Canada and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Each has its own laws, traditions and capital city, although the capital of the United States is Washington DC.
Named after the first president of the USA, George Washington, the capital is situated in an independent territory, the District of Columbia, named after the great Italian explorer.
When the USA was founded in 1776, after the War of Independence, the country consisted of only 13 states, all located on the East coast, and little by little another 35 states were absorbed.
Alaska, the largest of the US states, was bought from Russia in 1867 for 7.000 dollars. In the beginning many Americans were against the acquisition, but later Alaska proved a great investment, as it is rich in mineral resources and is the biggest oil-producing state of the USA.
Hawaii, the birthplace of Barack Obama, is the newest of the US states. It became an American territory in 1900 and the 50th state of the USA in 1959. The Hawaiian islands formed from the magma of undersea volcanos millions of years ago. Today it is a favourite holiday destination for millions of tourists, thanks to its tropical climate, ravishing beaches and rich vegetation.
Besides Washington DC, there are lots of important cities in the US, each different and with its own characteristics; cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, and many others.