Notes on the United States of America

Geography

Location: North America
- Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (East) and Pacific Ocean (West)
- South: Mexico and Gulf of Mexico
- North: Canada
- Includes Alaska (between Canada and Russia) and Hawaiian archipelago (in the Pacific)
Area: 9.5 million square kilometers
- Fourth largest country on Earth (after Russia, Canada, and China)
Population: Approximately 333 million
- Third most populous country (after China and India)
Capital: Washington D.C.
- Federal district, not part of any state
48 contiguous states (lower 48) alongside Alaska and Hawaii

No official language, but English is the de facto language due to size and diversity

Eastern USA:
- Appalachian Mountains (North-South direction)
- Florida Peninsula (South)
- Great Lakes (Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior) forming the border with Canada
Central USA:
- Central Lowlands around the Mississippi River (includes Ohio and Missouri Rivers)
Western USA:
- Rocky Mountains (North-South)
- Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada (California foothills)
- Rio Grande (border with Mexico, known as Rio Bravo)
Great Basin:
- Located between mountain ranges in the West
Pacific Region:
- Seismically active zone, risk of earthquakes
- Hawaiian Islands (137 islands and atolls, mostly uninhabited)

Hawaii:
- Largest island: Hawaii
- Most populated: Oahu (Honolulu is the capital)
Alaska:
- Major mountain ranges: Brooks Range and Alaska Range
- Denali (Mount McKinley): Highest mountain in the USA (6,190 meters)
- Yukon River flows west into Bering Sea
- Aleutian Islands stretch towards Kamchatka, mostly part of the USA

Northernmost State (Alaska):
- Polar tundra climate
Rest of Alaska:
- Cold boreal climate moderated by the sea
Northeast USA:
- Continental climate with cold winters and warm summers
Midwest:
- Heavily farmed plains
Southeast USA:
- Subtropical climate; humid summers, swamps in coastal areas
- Vulnerability to tropical storms
Mississippi River Basin:
- Prone to tornadoes
South Florida:
- Humid tropics with high temperatures; Everglades habitat for alligators
Western USA:
- Generally low precipitation; semi-arid steppe climate
- Great Plains
Southwest:
- Desert climate; hot and dry; includes Mojave Desert and Death Valley
Great Basin:
- Salt plains, including Great Salt Lake
North USA:
- Oceanic climate; temperate rainforests with redwoods
California:
- Mediterranean climate in many areas
Hawaii:
- Tropical climate; warm year-round with moderated temperatures due to winds