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USA - The United States of America
Everyone has an opinion on the USA.
A main player on the world stage, the United States is constantly under the global media spotlight. Whatever your
stance, you cannot deny that this North American nation has a lot to offer in terms of diversity; from the creaking
depths of the Grand Canyon to the towering heights of Manhattan’s Empire State Building, the luscious tropical
forests of Hawaii to the chiselled faces of Mount Rushmore, all fifty states are scattered with gasp-worthy natural
wonders and impressive man-made marvels.
The unrivalled entertainment capital of the world, the USA is bursting with theme parks, sports venues, and theatres. The turquoise waves
of surf capital California and ski resorts of the snow-cloaked Rocky Mountains in Colorado provide ample excuses for adrenalin junkies to
explore, whilst the palm-lined beaches of laid-back Miami and sweeping pastures of the Oklahoma prairies offer true relaxation.
“Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain.” The beloved patriotic
song “America the Beautiful” hints at some of the country’s diverse, majestic landscape, which is certainly one of many reasons to visit the
US but there are so many others.
From its vast plains, snow-covered mountains, deep forests and strange rock formations, to soaring skyscrapers and a thunderous cultural
scene, the USA is a collage of extremes. Nothing can prepare you for your first glimpse of Manhattan’s unforgettable skyline, your first
ride in a yellow cab, the ubiquitous hamburger joints, yawning expanses of prairie, the sweet strains of New Orleans jazz, or the neon-lit
excesses of Las Vegas.
When it comes to the natural landscape, you’re hard pressed to find an area more diverse. Marvel at the thunderous spectacle of
12,000-year-old Niagara Falls in northern New York, or seek an antidote to urban chaos amidst the flat farmland of the Midwest. Then
there are the black hills of South Dakota, the dramatic mountain and ocean landscape of California’s Pacific Coast Highway and of course,
there’s the world-famous Grand Canyon, just one of the 397 parks in the National Parks systems.
There’s the manmade landscape, too, which is as impressive as the natural. Though New York City is the most densely populated with
soaring skyscrapers, including the iconic Chrysler Building and Empire State Building, other cities have admirable architecture as well,
including Chicago’s Sears Tower, and of course, the White House in Washington DC.
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The United States Geography
The land area of the contiguous United States is 2,959,064 square miles (7,663,941 km2). Alaska, separated from the contiguous United
States by Canada, is the largest state at 663,268 square miles (1,717,856 km2). Hawaii, occupying an archipelago in the central Pacific,
southwest of North America, is 10,931 square miles (28,311 km2) in area.
The United States is the world’s third or fourth largest nation by total area (land and water), ranking behind Russia and Canada and just
above or below China. The ranking varies depending on how two territories disputed by China and India are counted and how the total size
of the United States is measured: calculations range from 3,676,486 square miles (9,522,055 km2) to 3,717,813 square miles (9,629,091
km2) to 3,794,101 square miles (9,826,676 km2). measured by only land area, the United States is third in size behind Russia and China,
just ahead of Canada.
The United States Facts
USA Facts
Full country name:
United States of America
Area:
9,629,091sq. km
Population:
318,622,000
People:
77.7% White
13.2% African American
0.2% Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander
17.1% Hispanic/Latino (of any race)
Language:
English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, Korean and German
Religion:
Christian, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism
Government:
Federal presidential constitutional republic
President:
Barack Obama
Vice President:
Joe Biden
Major industries:
Transportation equipment, natural resources, agriculture and consumer products.
Major trading partners:
Canada, China, Mexico, Japan and Germany
Health risks:
None
Time:
(UTC−5 to −10) and (UTC−4 to −10[d]) summer DST
Electricity:
120 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs have two flat pins with or without a third round grounding pin.
County code:
+1
Mobile Phone network:
GSM
Weights & measures:
Metric with local variations
5.3% Asian
2.4% Multiracial (2 or more)
1.2% American Indian & Alaska Native
82.9%Non-Hispanic/Latino (of any race)
The United States is the world’s third or fourth largest nation by total area (land and water), ranking behind Russia and Canada and just
above or below China. The ranking varies depending on how two territories disputed by China and India are counted and how the total size
of the United States is measured: calculations range from 3,676,486 square miles (9,522,055 km2) to 3,717,813 square miles (9,629,091
km2) to 3,794,101 square miles (9,826,676 km2). Measured by only land area, the United States is third in size behind Russia and China,
just ahead of Canada.
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The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to deciduous forests and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. The
Appalachian Mountains divide the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest. The Mississippi–Missouri
River, the world’s fourth longest river system, runs mainly north–south through the heart of the country. The flat, fertile prairie of the Great
Plains stretches to the west, interrupted by a highland region in the southeast.
The Rocky Mountains, at the western edge of the Great Plains, extend north to south across the country, reaching altitudes higher than
14,000 feet (4,300 m) in Colorado. Farther west are the rocky Great Basin and deserts such as the Chihuahua and Mojave. The Sierra
Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges run close to the Pacific coast, both ranges reaching altitudes higher than 14,000 feet (4,300 m).
The lowest and highest points in the continental United States are in the state of California, and only about 80 miles (130 km) apart. At
20,320 feet (6,194 m), Alaska’s Mount McKinley is the tallest peak in the country and in North America.
Active volcanoes are common throughout Alaska’s Alexander and Aleutian Islands, and Hawaii consists of volcanic islands. The super
volcano underlying Yellowstone National Park in the Rockies is the continent’s largest volcanic feature. The United States, with its large size
and geographic variety, includes most climate types. To the east of the 100th meridian, the climate ranges from humid continental in the
north to humid subtropical in the south. The southern tip of Florida is tropical, as is Hawaii. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian
are semi-arid. Much of the Western mountains are alpine. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean
in coastal California, and oceanic in coastal Oregon and Washington and southern Alaska. Most of Alaska is subarctic or polar. Extreme
weather is not uncommon—the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico are prone to hurricanes, and most of the world’s tornadoes occur
within the country, mainly in the Midwest’s Tornado Alley.
The U.S. ecology is considered “mega diverse”: about 17,000 species of vascular plants occur in the contiguous United States and Alaska,
and over 1,800 species of flowering plants are found in Hawaii, few of which occur on the mainland. The United States is home to more
than 400 mammal, 750 bird, and 500 reptile and amphibian species. About 91,000 insect species have been described. The bald eagle is
both the national bird and national animal of the United States, and is an enduring symbol of the country itself.
The United States Culture
The United States is home to many cultures and a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values. Aside from the relatively small
Native American and Native Hawaiian populations, nearly all Americans or their ancestors settled or immigrated within the past five
centuries. Mainstream American culture is a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of European immigrants with influences from
many other sources, such as traditions brought by slaves from Africa. More recent immigration from Asia and especially Latin America has
added to a cultural mix that has been described as both a homogenizing melting pot, and a heterogeneous salad bowl in which immigrants
and their descendants retain distinctive cultural characteristics.
Core American culture was established by Protestant British colonists and shaped by the frontier settlement process, with the traits derived
passed down to descendants and transmitted to immigrants through assimilation. Americans have traditionally been characterized by
a strong work ethic, competitiveness, and individualism, as well as a unifying belief in an “American creed” emphasizing liberty, equality,
private property, democracy, rule of law, and a preference for limited government. Americans are extremely charitable by global standards.
According to a 2006 British study, Americans gave 1.67% of GDP to charity, more than any other nation studied, more than twice the
second place British figure of 0.73%, and around twelve times the French figure of 0.14%.
The American Dream, or the perception that Americans enjoy high social mobility, plays a key role in attracting immigrants. Whether this
perception is realistic has been a topic of debate. While mainstream culture holds that the United States is a classless society, scholars
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identify significant differences between the country’s social classes, affecting socialization, language, and values. Americans’ self-images,
social viewpoints, and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an unusually close degree. While Americans tend
greatly to value socioeconomic achievement, being ordinary or average is generally seen as a positive attribute.
Religion in the United States
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids Congress from passing laws respecting
its establishment. Christianity is by far the most common religion practiced in the U.S., but other religions are followed, too. In a 2013
survey, 56% of Americans said that religion played a “very important role in their lives”, a far higher figure than that of any other wealthy
nation. In a 2009 Gallup poll 42% of Americans said that they attended church weekly or almost weekly; the figures ranged from a low of
23% in Vermont to a high of 63% in Mississippi. As with other Western countries, the U.S. is becoming less religious. Irreligion is growing
rapidly among Americans under 30. Polls show that overall American confidence in organized religion is declining and that younger
Americans in particular are becoming increasingly irreligious.
According to a 2012 survey, 73% of adults identified themselves as Christian, down from 86.4% in 1990.Protestant denominations
accounted for 48%, while Roman Catholicism, at 22%, was the largest individual denomination. The total reporting non-Christian religions
in 2012 was 6%, up from 4% in 2007. Other religions include Judaism (1.7%), Buddhism (0.7%), Islam (0.6%), Hinduism (0.4%), and
Unitarian Universalism (0.3%). The survey also reported that 19.6% of Americans described themselves as agnostic, atheist or simply
having no religion, up from 8.2% in 1990. There are also Baha’i, Sikh, Jain, Shinto, Confucian, Taoist, Druid, Native American, Wiccan,
humanist and deist communities.
Language in the United States
English (American English) is the de facto national language. Although there is no official language at the federal level, some laws—such
as U.S. naturalization requirements—standardize English. In 2010, about 230 million, or 80% of the population aged five years and older,
spoke only English at home. Spanish, spoken by 12% of the population at home, is the second most common language and the most
widely taught second language. Some Americans advocate making English the country’s official language, as it is in at least 28 states.
Both Hawaiian and English are official languages in Hawaii, by state law. While neither has an official language, New Mexico has laws
providing for the use of both English and Spanish, as Louisiana does for English and French. Other states, such as California, mandate
the publication of Spanish versions of certain government documents including court forms. Many jurisdictions with large numbers of
non-English speakers produce government materials, especially voting information, in the most commonly spoken languages in those
jurisdictions.
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Events and Public Holidays
Public Holidays
Date
Holiday name
Holiday type
Jan 1
New Year's Day
National holiday
Jan 6
Epiphany
Christian
Jan 7
Orthodox Christmas Day
Orthodox
Jan 13
Stephen Foster Memorial Day
Observance
Jan 14
The Prophet's Birthday
Muslim
Jan 14
Orthodox New Year
Orthodox
Jan 16
Tu Bishvat/Tu B'Shevat
Jewish holiday
Jan 17
Lee Jackson Day
State holiday
Virginia
Jan 19
Robert E Lee's Birthday
State holiday
Florida
Jan 19
Confederate Memorial Day
State holiday
Texas
Jan 20
Martin Luther King Day
National holiday
Jan 20
Robert E Lee's Birthday
State holiday
AL, AR, MS
Jan 20
Idaho Human Rights Day
State holiday
Idaho
Jan 20
Civil Rights Day
State holiday
Arizona, New Hampshire
Jan 29
Kansas Day
Observance
Jan 31
Chinese New Year
Observance
Feb 1
National Freedom Day
Observance
Feb 2
Groundhog Day
Observance
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Feb 7
National Wear Red Day
Observance
Feb 12
Lincoln's Birthday
State holiday
CT, IL, MO, NJ, NY
Feb 12
Lincoln's Birthday
Local observance
Florida
Feb 14
Valentine's Day
Observance
Feb 15
Susan B Anthony's Birthday
Local observance
Feb 17
Presidents' Day (Washington's Birthday)
National holiday
Feb 17
Daisy Gatson Bates Day
State holiday
Mar 1
St. David's Day
Observance
Mar 2
Texas Independence Day
State holiday
Texas
Mar 3
Casimir Pulaski Day
State holiday
Illinois
Mar 3
Read Across America Day
Observance
Mar 4
Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
Observance
Mar 4
Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
Local observance
Florida
Mar 4
Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
State holiday
Alabama, Louisiana
Mar 4
Town Meeting Day Vermont
State holiday
Mar 5
Ash Wednesday
Christian
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Where it is observed
California, Ohio
CA, FL, NY, WI
Arkansas
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Mar 9
Daylight Saving Time starts
Clock change/Daylight Saving Time
Mar 16
Purim
Jewish holiday
Mar 17
St. Patrick's Day
Observance
Mar 17
Evacuation Day
State holiday
Mar 20
March equinox
Season
Mar 25
Maryland Day
Local observance
Maryland
Mar 26
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day
State holiday
Hawaii
Mar 31
Seward's Day
State holiday
Alaska
Mar 31
César Chávez Day
State holiday
CA, CO*, TX*
Apr 2
Pascua Florida Day
Local observance
Florida
Apr 6
National Tartan Day
Observance
Apr 13
Palm Sunday
Christian
Apr 13
Thomas Jefferson's Birthday
Observance
Apr 15
Passover (first day)
Jewish holiday
Apr 15
Tax Day
Observance
Apr 15
Father Damien Day
Local observance
Apr 15
National Library Workers' Day
Observance
Apr 16
Emancipation Day
State holiday
Apr 17
Maundy Thursday
Christian
Apr 18
Orthodox Good Friday
Orthodox
Apr 18
Good Friday
State holiday
Apr 19
Holy Saturday
Christian
Apr 19
Orthodox Holy Saturday
Orthodox
Apr 20
Orthodox Easter
Orthodox
Apr 20
Easter Sunday
Observance, Christian
Apr 21
Orthodox Easter Monday
Orthodox
Apr 21
Easter Monday
Christian
Apr 21
Patriot's Day
State holiday
Maine, Massachusetts
Apr 21
San Jacinto Day
State holiday
Texas
Apr 22
Last Day of Passover
Jewish holiday
Apr 22
Oklahoma Day
Local observance
Apr 23
Administrative Professionals Day
Observance
Apr 25
Arbor Day
State holiday
Nebraska
Apr 26
Confederate Memorial Day
Local observance
Florida
Apr 28
Yom HaShoah
Jewish holiday
Apr 28
Confederate Memorial Day
State holiday
AL, FL, GA
Apr 28
Confederate Memorial Day
State holiday
Mississippi
May 1
Law Day
Observance
May 1
Loyalty Day
Observance
May 1
National Day of Prayer
Observance
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Massachusetts
Hawaii
District of Columbia
13 states
Oklahoma
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May 3
National Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Day
Observance
May 4
Rhode Island Independence Day
State holiday
May 5
Cinco de Mayo
Observance
May 6
Yom Ha'atzmaut
Jewish holiday
May 6
National Nurses Day
Observance
May 6
Primary Election Day Indiana
State holiday
Indiana
May 8
Truman Day
State holiday
Missouri
May 9
Confederate Memorial Day observed
State holiday
South Carolina
May 10
Confederate Memorial Day
State holiday
North Carolina, South Carolina
May 11
Mothers' Day
Observance
May 13
Primary Election Day West Virginia
State holiday
May 15
Peace Officers Memorial Day
Observance
May 16
National Defense Transportation Day
Observance
May 17
Armed Forces Day
Observance
May 18
Lag BaOmer
Jewish holiday
May 21
Emergency Medical Services for Children Day
Observance
May 22
National Maritime Day
Observance
May 22
Harvey Milk Day
Local observance
May 25
National Missing Children's Day
Observance
May 26
Memorial Day
National holiday
May 26
Jefferson Davis Birthday
Local observance
May 27
Isra and Mi'raj
Muslim
May 29
Ascension Day
Christian
Jun 1
Statehood Day
Local observance
Kentucky, Tennessee
Jun 2
Jefferson Davis Birthday
State holiday
Alabama
Jun 3
Jefferson Davis Birthday
Local observance
Florida
Jun 4
Shavuot
Jewish holiday
Jun 6
D-Day
Observance
Jun 8
Pentecost
Christian
Jun 9
Whit Monday
Christian
Jun 11
Kamehameha Day
State holiday
Jun 14
Flag Day
Observance
Jun 14
Flag Day
Local observance
Jun 15
Trinity Sunday
Christian
Jun 15
Fathers' Day
Observance
Jun 17
Bunker Hill Day
State holiday
Jun 19
Corpus Christi
Christian
Jun 19
Juneteenth
Local observance
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Rhode Island
West Virginia
California
Mississippi
Hawaii
Florida
Massachusetts
All except Am. Samoa, AZ, HI, MD,
MP, MT, ND, NH, SD,UT, Virg. Is.,
Wake Is.
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Jun 20
West Virginia Day
State holiday
Jun 21
June Solstice
Season
Jun 29
Ramadan starts
Muslim
Jul 4
Independence Day
National holiday
Jul 24
Lailat al-Qadr
Muslim
Jul 24
Pioneer Day
State holiday
Jul 27
Parents' Day
Observance
Jul 29
Eid al-Fitr
Muslim
Aug 1
Colorado Day
Local observance
Aug 5
Tisha B'Av
Jewish holiday
Aug 11
Victory Day
State holiday
Aug 15
Assumption of Mary
Christian
Aug 15
Statehood Day in Hawaii
State holiday
Hawaii
Aug 15
Bennington Battle Day observed
State holiday
Vermont
Aug 16
Bennington Battle Day
State holiday
Vermont
Aug 19
National Aviation Day
Observance
Aug 21
Senior Citizens Day
Observance
Aug 27
Lyndon Baines Johnson Day
State holiday
Sep 1
Labor Day
National holiday
Sep 6
Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day
Observance
Sep 7
National Grandparents Day
Observance
Sep 9
California Admission Day
Local observance
Sep 11
Patriot Day
Observance
Sep 17
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Observance
Sep 19
National POW/MIA Recognition Day
Observance
Sep 22
Emancipation Day
Local observance
Sep 23
September equinox
Season
Sep 25
Rosh Hashana
Jewish holiday
Sep 26
Native Americans' Day
Local observance
Sep 28
Gold Star Mother's Day
Observance
Oct 4
Feast of St Francis of Assisi
Christian
Oct 4
Yom Kippur
Jewish holiday
Oct 5
Eid al-Adha
Muslim
Oct 6
Child Health Day
Observance
Oct 9
First Day of Sukkot
Jewish holiday
Oct 9
Leif Erikson Day
Observance
Oct 13
Columbus Day
National holiday
All except AK, AR, CA, DE, FL, HI, NV,
OR, SD, TX, WA
Oct 13
Columbus Day
Local observance
Florida
Oct 13
Native Americans' Day
Local observance
South Dakota
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West Virginia
Utah
Colorado
Rhode Island
Texas
California
Ohio
California, Washington
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Oct 13
Indigenous People's Day
Local observance
Oct 15
Last Day of Sukkot
Jewish holiday
Oct 15
White Cane Safety Day
Observance
Oct 16
Shmini Atzeret
Jewish holiday
Oct 16
Boss's Day
Observance
Oct 17
Simchat Torah
Jewish holiday
Oct 17
Alaska Day observed
State holiday
Alaska
Oct 18
Alaska Day
State holiday
Alaska
Oct 23
Diwali/Deepavali
Observance
Oct 25
Muharram
Muslim
Oct 31
Halloween
Observance
Oct 31
Nevada Day
State holiday
Nov 1
All Saints' Day
Christian
Nov 2
All Souls' Day
Christian
Nov 2
Daylight Saving Time ends
Clock change/Daylight Saving Time
Nov 4
Election Day
State holiday
12 states
Nov 5
Election Day
State holiday
New York
Nov 6
Return Day Delaware
State holiday
Delaware
Nov 11
Veterans Day
National holiday
Nov 27
Thanksgiving Day
National holiday
Nov 28
Robert E Lee's Birthday
State holiday
Georgia
Nov 28
Presidents' Day
State holiday
New Mexico
Nov 28
Lincoln's Birthday/Lincoln's Day
State holiday
Indiana, West Virginia
Nov 28
Black Friday
State holiday
21 states
Nov 28
American Indian Heritage Day
State holiday
Maryland
Nov 30
First Sunday of Advent
Christian
Dec 1
Cyber Monday
Observance
Dec 6
St Nicholas' Day
Observance
Dec 7
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Observance
Dec 8
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Christian
Dec 12
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Observance
Dec 17
Chanukah/Hanukkah (first day)
Jewish holiday
Dec 17
Pan American Aviation Day
Observance
Dec 17
Wright Brothers Day
Observance
Dec 21
December Solstice
Season
Dec 24
Last Day of Chanukah
Jewish holiday
Dec 24
Christmas Eve
State holiday
Dec 24
Christmas Eve
Observance, Christian
Dec 25
Christmas Day
National holiday, Christian
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California
Nevada
KS*, LA, MI, NC, ND, OK, SC, TX,
VA*, WI
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Dec 26
Kwanzaa (until Jan 1)
Observance
Dec 26
Day After Christmas Day
State holiday
KS, KY, NC, NH, SC, TX, VA
Dec 26
Washington's Birthday
State holiday
Indiana
Dec 31
New Year's Eve
State holiday
LA, MI, WI
Dec 31
New Year's Eve
Observance
General Information
Office hours
Business hours are officially Mon-Fri 0900-1730, although an extended working day is very common in certain sectors and it is not unusual
for people to be working well into the night or over the weekend.
Economy
The US economy is the world’s largest, most technologically powerful and diverse. Distinct benefits arise from a unique combination of
mass immigration, technological and marketing innovations, vast natural resources, expansion of international trade, historical fortune and
an economic system designed to reinforce professional and personal enterprise.
The enormous influence of US-based multinational companies within the world economy affords unparalleled global influence and allows its
currency unique international status.
Large areas of the USA, particularly in the Midwest, are under cultivation and produce a wide range of commodities: important are cotton,
grain and tobacco, all exported on a large scale. Principal mining operations produce oil, gas, coal, copper, iron, uranium and silver.
US industry leads in steel production, automotive manufacturing, aerospace technology, telecommunications, chemical engineering,
electronics, computer-based commerce and manufactured goods.
The largest employment is in the service sector, finance, leisure and tourism. The unemployment rate in 2011 was 9.1%, with growth at
2.5% and inflation at 3%.
If for no other reason than its role in the world economy, the USA is an important conference destination; there are state, city and regional
travel and convention organisations in every part of the country, each actively promoting its own assets. There are several magazines aimed
at helping the conference organiser; they include Meeting & Conventions Magazine (www.mcmag.com),Successful Meetings Magazine
(www.successfulmeetings.com) and Association Meetings Magazine(www.meetingsnet.com).
Three of the largest convention and trade show venues in the USA are Las Vegas, New York and Chicago, with Las Vegas holding the top
position for a number of years.
Organisers interested in US venues should contact the US Travel Association (www.ustravel.org) or the travel organisations listed in the
individual state sections. In addition to the state organisations, addresses of travel and convention organisations for cities and counties are
also included.
Telephone
For emergency police, fire or medical services in major cities, dial 911. The following codes denote toll-free (free phone) numbers: 800, 855,
866, 877 and 888.
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Mobile phone
Foreign mobile telephones only work if they are tri-band or quad-band; charges are high. Visitors can also hire a mobile telephone. Pre-pay
cell phones can be purchased from a variety of retail outlets, including drug stores.
Internet
There are internet cafés in most urban areas, and an increasing number of Wi-Fi hotspots. Many coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi. Many of the
international airports offer internet access too.
Post
There are numerous post offices throughout the states. Stamps can also be bought at stamp machines in hotels and shops. Airmail to
Europe takes up to one week.
Post office hours
Mon-Fri 0830-1630.
Media
Freedom of expression in the US is guaranteed by the constitution. The USA has the most highly developed mass media in the world.
Public broadcasting is partly government-funded, but also supported by private grants.
Press
Freedom of expression in the US is guaranteed by the constitution. The USA has the most highly developed mass media in the world,
publishing more newspapers than any other country. Public broadcasting is partly government-funded, but also supported by private
grants. High readership papers include Los Angeles Times and The New York Times. The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the
Washington Post are also popular. The high degree of self-government of each state means newspapers tend to be region specific.
Top TV networks include ABC (American Broadcasting Corporation), CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System), CNN (Cable News Network),
FOX (Fox Television Network) and NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation). National radio networks include ABC Radio Networks,
National Public Radio, Fox News Radio and CBS operates Westwood One and American Radio Network.
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