Would a system of division into states, like in America, suit Russia? Administrative divisions of the United States.
The administrative division of the Republic of Belarus is Belarus, the official name is the Republic of Belarus (Belarus. Republic of Belarus) unitary ... Wikipedia
Administrative divisions of Bermuda. Bermuda is divided into nine districts and two municipalities. No. Administrative units Area km² ... Wikipedia
The administrative division of Martinique consists of 4 districts of the French department of Martinique: district of Fort de France (prefecture of the department of Martinique: Fort de F... Wikipedia
The administrative division of Saint Kitts and Nevis is divided into 14 districts. Nine of them are located on the island of St. Kitts and five on the island of Nevis ... Wikipedia
Barbados is divided into 11 parishes: No. Parish Administrative center Area, km² Population, (per 2000) people. Density, people/km² 1 Christ Church Oistins 57 49 498 868.39 2 ... Wikipedia
The territory of Belize is divided into 6 districts. No. District Administrative center Territory (km²) Population (as of 2009) Density (persons/km²) Two-letter abbreviation Three-letter abbreviation 1 ... Wikipedia
The Republic of Haiti is divided into 10 departments. The departments are divided into 41 districts and 133 communes. Administrative divisions of Haiti. No. Departments Fran. Gait. Area, km² ... Wikipedia
Grenada consists of 6 districts and two dependent territories. No. District Adm. center Area, km² Population, (as of 2001) people. Plo... Wikipedia
The Dominican Republic is divided into 31 provinces and the National District. No. Province Administrative center Area, km² Us... Wikipedia
Dominica is administratively divided into 10 parish districts. Each of them is named after a saint. All districts (parishes) have access to the sea. Parishes have elected self-government. St. Andrew St. David St. George St. John St. Joseph... ... Wikipedia
The United States of America is the largest country located in North America. The name of the country speaks for itself; its administrative units are states united into a state. The geography of the United States is unique due to its location between two oceans. Let's take a closer look at this country.
Location
The United States is located in the central mainland of North America. They include 48 states located directly on the continent, and two outside it.
These are Alaska, located in the very north of the mainland and not having a border with the main state, and Hawaii, islands located in the Pacific Ocean.
The United States also owns some individual territories located in the Caribbean, such as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. As well as islands located in the Pacific Ocean, in the Alaska region. Separately, it must be said that the central federal district of Columbia does not belong to any state.
Thanks to this vast location, the geography of the United States and its climate zones are very diverse.
Physiography
There are several, or rather 5, natural zones on the territory of the country, which are radically different from each other. The geography of the United States briefly shows how different the landscape of just one country can be. The main part of the state is divided into 4 regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.
Thus, the eastern part of the country, off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, is covered with the Appalachian Mountains. There are many bays convenient for ships to enter here; the coast with its lowlands attracted the attention of the first settlers from Europe. Later, the first large cities in America arose there.
The physical geography of the United States, especially in the central part of the country, attracts the attention of tourists with the beauty of the valleys that were formed due to lower relief. There are also many large rivers, lakes, swamps and incredibly beautiful waterfalls.
Further, to the west, the landscape of the area is replete with vast plains covered with steppe vegetation, called prairies. This area is perfectly suited for agriculture. Air humidity and plenty of precipitation contribute to the cultivation of corn and wheat here.
The Cordilleras are quite high mountains. This part of the country is home to many natural parks. It is replete with canyons, which are visited by many tourists every year. The mountains come almost close to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. A small stretch of coast attracts with its subtropical climate and magnificent beaches.
The northern part of the United States, the state of Alaska, is located above the Arctic Circle. A large part of the peninsula is occupied by the mountain ranges of the northern Cordillera. Due to the extreme cold, exploring Alaska is very difficult.
For a more detailed description of the United States by geography, see below.
Appalachian region
Let's take a closer look at the states located in the east of the country. These include those located in the northeastern region. The interesting thing is that they were the ones who accepted the first settlers. There are 10 states in total. The main ones are Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey - the most populous in America. It must be said that the largest number of emigrants, who make up the US population, live here. The geography and climatic conditions in this region are similar to those in Europe.
Due to the not very mild climate, although the Atlantic Ocean partially softens it, the mountains have quite long and cold winters. Therefore, in this part of the country industry is more developed than agriculture. In addition, there are many mineral resources in the mountainous area. It was here that coal was discovered and its mining was organized. Throughout the country, mineral developments have led to economic growth. At the moment, the economic geography of the United States is vast and includes four regions developing in different directions.
The Appalachian Mountains stretch for 1,900 km along the entire Atlantic coast from Maine to the south of the country. The highest in the system, Mount Mitchell, is just over 2000 meters. Several rivers originate in the mountains: the Hudson, which divided the Appalachians into northern and southern ones, and the Roanoke, which divided the southern Blue Ridge Range in half. Despite the presence of rivers and forests, the soil in this area is very acidic, which requires constant alkalization and fertilization.
Atlantic lowland
This is a lowland that borders the Atlantic coast from New York State to the southern state of Florida. The area has a mild subtropical climate. The geography of the United States makes an unforgettable impression on travelers, and the Atlantic lowland is one of the main reasons for this. It is divided into several parts.
The northern portion from New York State to Virginia is characterized by a rugged coastline with large peninsulas separated by Long Island Sound and New York, Delaware, Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. All these waters are favorable for navigation. It is this part of the plain that includes wetlands with beaches. New York State is home to the most beautiful waterfall in the world - Niagara Falls.
Center and south
The central part of the lowland is located in the states of North and South Carolina and Georgia. Its landscape is very hilly. There are fewer bays in this place, and their dimensions are insignificant. The ocean-facing islands have stunning sandy beaches.
The southern part is located in the state of Florida, located on the peninsula of the same name. There are low hills and large swamps. In the south of Florida there is a swampy area of the Everglades, where cypress trees from the distant past and steppes with tall grass remain. This rare area of subtropics is mostly located within the national park of the same name.
It is not for nothing that in reference books the description of the country of the United States - geography, climate, economy, tourism - begins with the state of Florida.
Mexican lowland
The Mexican Lowland is located in the south from Alabama to New Mexico. Its border is the Ri Grande River. It also extends deep into the continent almost to the southern part of Illinois and is divided into three parts: eastern, Mississippi and western. There are large port cities on the coast: Houston and Veracruz.
The eastern part of the lowland alternates between low hills and lowlands, elongated parallel to the southern tip of the Appalachians. Interestingly, the area of the Fall Line Hills furthest from the coastline has no waterfalls. This characteristic of the United States is unique in geography, since the main part of the mountain ranges is replete with many cascades of water. The western part of the plain is similar in structure to the eastern, so we will not dwell on its description. But the part adjacent to the Mississippi is very interesting.
The plain is from 80 to 160 km wide, framed by ledges whose height reaches 60 meters. A powerful water artery slowly flows through a vast valley with a slight slope. Numerous sections indicate how the position of the river bed has changed. In the floodplain area there are fertile alluvial soils. In addition, it contains significant gas and oil deposits. In this area, U.S. geography, farming, and industrial activities are of considerable interest.
Great Plains
This is a plateau east of the well-known Rocky Mountains. The height of the plateau is 700-1800 meters above sea level. The states are New Mexico, Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana.
All rivers flow along a general surface slope in an easterly direction and are related to the Mississippi and Missouri river basins. The Missouri Highlands are flat on one side and hilly on the other, cut by countless deep river valleys. Interestingly, the valley bottoms are much wider than the rivers themselves, and are limited by steep cliffs rising up to 30 meters.
The plateau is highly divided, in some places the network of valleys is too dense to be used for farming. In the north there are badlands, or, as they are also called, “bad lands,” with virtually no soil cover. To the south - in the state of Nebraska - are the Sand Hills Mountains. In the state of Kansas there are relatively low mountains of the Smoky Hills and Flint Hills, as well as the Red Hills. The high valleys are practically unsuitable for agriculture, but wheat grows excellently here and there is an abundance of pasture for livestock.
Rocky Mountains
The Cordillera mountain system stretches across the western part of the United States, which stretches from north to southeast with parallel ridges and plateaus, depressions and valleys separating them. The longest mountain range that I would like to mention is the Rocky Mountains. They are smaller in area than the Appalachians, but feature higher elevations, more rugged topography, colorful scenery, and complex geologic structures.
Colorado
The plan-description of the US country in geography in all textbooks includes the natural features of the state. These include the Southern Rockies, located in Colorado. They consist of several significant ridges and large basins. One of the highest mountains, Elbert, reaches 4399 meters. Beautiful, often snow-capped peaks, elevated 900 meters above the forest's upper limit, form a vibrant panorama of the highlands. Large ones—Colorado, Arkansas, and Rio Grande—originate on lush forest slopes.
Along the western edge of the Middle Rocky Mountains is a seismically active zone. There are earthquakes there from time to time. It is in this area that the world famous Yellowstone Park is located.
Cascade Mountains
Located mainly in and Washington, they are to some extent of volcanic origin. The lava creates a wavy surface dotted with volcanic craters. The largest of them rise above the forest line, which is located at an altitude of up to 2700 meters.
The highest peak of the Cascade Mountains, Rainier, stands out for its regular cone shape and is covered with glaciers. This is where Mount Rainier National Park is located.
The geography of the United States briefly shows what differences in altitude - from small in the east of the country to more than 4000 meters in the west - can be on one continent. This leads to a huge number of natural disasters on both sides of the continent.
California
Near the Cascade Mountains there are another ones - the Sierra Nevada. They are found primarily in California. Interestingly, this colossal ridge, stretching for 640 km, is composed mainly of granite. Its eastern edge drops sharply toward the Great Basin, while its western slope slopes relatively gently toward the Central California Valley. Moreover, the southern part is the highest and is known as the High Sierras. In this place, seven snow-capped peaks exceed 4250 meters. And Mount Whitney with a height of 4418 meters - the highest point in the United States - is located only 160 km from Death Valley.
The steep eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is an arid zone and the flora there is very poor. There are only a few rivers on this slope. But the gentle western slope is cut by countless deep valleys. Some of them are beautiful canyons, such as the famous Yosemite Valley on the Merced River in Yosemite National Park and the large canyons of the Kings River in Kings Canyon National Park. A significant part of the slope is shrouded in forests, and this is where giant sequoias grow.
Alaska
A significant part of the state's territory is penetrated by mountains stretching from west to east. The northern part is a flat Arctic lowland. It is bordered in the south by the Brooks Range, which includes the DeLong, Endicott, Philip-Smith and British mountains. In the center of the state is the Yukon Plateau with the flowing river of the same name. The Aleutian Ridge arches in a semicircle near the Susitna River valley and passes into the Alaska Range, thus creating the Alaska Peninsula and the adjacent Aleutian Islands. It is on the Alaska Range that the highest point in the United States is located - Mount McKinley with a height of 6193 meters.
Alaska is the largest US state by area and the smallest by population. According to the latest data, it is inhabited by 736,732 people. There are active volcanoes in Alaska. The Valley of Ten Thousand Houses arose precisely because of the volcanic eruption in 1912. Most of the population of the peninsula are natives of America, as well as Eskimos, Aleuts and Indians.
In the United States, the geography of the states, which are so dramatically different from each other, attracts the attention of many tourists. Having traveled throughout the entire country, you can get great pleasure from the views of majestic mountains, superb canyons and mighty rivers.
The United States of America is one of the largest countries around the world. The territory of the state is divided into entities, including one federal district - Columbia and 49 administrative units. Each of them has a capital, but it is not always the largest city. In addition, the United States includes 14 islands. Let's take a closer look at how many states there are in the USA.
In contact with
Division of the country
A reasonable question arises: how many states are there in the USA? The very concept of state is part of the country divided administratively and territorially . Thus, in total we have 50 US states, each of which has its own constitution, can establish its own laws and has all the levels of government that the country as a whole provides. These include the judicial, executive and legislative systems.
Important! There is a big misconception among uninitiated people that countries are part of America.
This is not so, the sonorous names, Florida and Texas, are not separate states at all, but only the territory of a large country, but with the ability to make most independent decisions, while submitting to the general Congress.
In addition, you yourself states have territorial divisions. They include districts. If you can immediately tell how many states there are in the USA, then the average person cannot immediately name the number of districts. Sometimes counties are much larger than the average city, rarely smaller.
For example, in New York, the districts are part of the metropolis. According to the latest data, there are 3,140 such districts. The state of Texas has the largest number of counties, with 254, and the smallest is in Denver, here only three districts.
The local population is governed by representatives of the local municipality; there is another name, township.
State Features
The states are named after the Indian tribes that lived in this territory. They also contain Latin, French, and English words. Each of the names has state abbreviations. For example:
- AL - Alabama;
- NE – Nebraska;
- TX – Texas;
- Columbia also has an abbreviation: DC - District of Columbia.
The capital of the United States, Washington, is not located in the district, but in Colombia, which has a different federal status. The number of US states has not yet been changed, the list of which consists of 50 names.
Islands within the country
Land located in coastal areas belongs to the state to which they are closer and who managed to capture them. So, the Aleutian Islands are part of the United States. They are located on the coast of Alaska and have more than 110 islands. In addition to the Aleutians, there are other islands in North America, for example, four virgin islands, the entire Alexander Archipelago, Alcatraz, the Samoan Archipelago and others.
Attention! In total, the United States has 66 islands of varying sizes.
22 of them have an area of more than a thousand square kilometers, while the rest reach sizes of less than a thousand, but more than two hundred square kilometers.
Before Washington, the capitals were and other cities. Among them:
- Lancaster;
- Trenton;
- NY;
- Baltimore;
- Philadelphia.
Age of America
The official name that worn since the 18th century by the country America – United States of America. The abbreviation USA is most often used. This is a multinational state; many peoples have not yet lost the traditions and customs of their ancestors.
Currently, American Indians make up only one percent of the country's total population. This is when dividing along racial lines. Most of all are whites – 84%, Africans make up only 13%.
The USA as a country was formed in 1776, so the age of America is significantly young.
Important! The United States was formed as a result of the fact that 13 British colonies located on the territory of one country declared their independence.
There is still a visual reminder of the original composition of the country in the form of stripes on official flag of the USA. In addition to the stripes, the canvas depicts stars on a blue background; by counting them, you can find out how many states there are in the country.
States were formed by expanding territory and increasing population. The last one to join is the state of Hawaii in 1959.
Many territories want to become part of a powerful power, which the United States has been for many years. There are several contenders for the title of “51st state,” including the District of Columbia and New York. They want to separate the Big Apple administratively, but for now these are just plans. Procedure for joining the USA very complex and lengthy. First, the territory develops its constitution, and then Congress must adopt it. None of the states can withdraw unilaterally.
Columbia region
Residents of this district, in the center of which the US capital is located, have repeatedly petitioned Congress to grant their territory statehood. The last and unsuccessful attempt was made in 1993. Then the Congress participants application was rejected.
You can understand the residents of the district. The population of the territory is more than 600 thousand people, but they cannot choose among the deputies from local residents. Only one person from a district can be in the representative House, but he still has will not have the right to vote A.
Such measures have been in effect since the adoption of the country's Constitution. The number of states will not change from the decision made, because Colombia is already part of them, since it is a territorial unit of a large country.
New York and Puerto Rico
The city is very large in area and is the largest financial center in the world. It consists of five boroughs: Staten Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. One politician proposed making the city a state, largely for economic reasons.
Puerto Rico is an independent entity within the unincorporated territories of the United States. Located Commonwealth of the Caribbean in the Antilles. The dependence of residents on the American Constitution is not complete; Puerto Rico has its own government, but territorially it depends on the United States. Residents of the Commonwealth have American citizenship and are dependent on American currency and defense.
Puerto Rico can only have one delegate in Congress and, like the representative from Colombia, has no voting rights. The status of the island, whose population is more than 3.5 million people, is not determined by law. Since 2000, by order of the current president, a commission was created that should look into this issue and, if possible, Add Puerto Rico to the 51st US state.
Attention! The population of the island itself voted to change the status of the island; now it remains to obtain a decision from the US Congress.
A user of the Pikabu portal with the nickname Chemicalbody has been living in Denver, Colorado for three years. During this time, he noticed several features of the American mentality that seem to us, let’s say, peculiar.
Americans always and everywhere start a casual conversation. It is impossible to buy flowers in a store without the seller asking you why you are doing this. He will definitely ask questions and give his advice. Then, walking with these flowers to the car, with a 95% probability someone else will tell you something about this. It is impossible to ride in an elevator with an American and have him remain silent (with the exception of Mexica and Afro). It is impossible to pay at the checkout and leave without hearing something from the cashier. Once I bought several decks of cards and pickled cucumbers cut into slices. Americans call these cucumbers (chips) from English this translates in the same way as poker chips. So the cashier couldn’t resist and made a humorous comment, saying that you have a big poker game coming up (hinting at my pickled “chips”). There are a lot more examples, but it’s impossible to fit everything in. The fact is that they find it difficult to remain silent.
Americans are terribly afraid of snow. This is despite the fact that I live on a mountain (the city is a mile above sea level) and snow here is nothing out of the ordinary. If the weather forecasters report snow for tomorrow (which, by the way, will melt in a day, such is the climate here), then they rush to the supermarket and stock up on food, as if they had delivered news of an impending nuclear war. And the fact that they don’t know how to drive on a snowy road is a topic for a separate post. You can just watch videos on YouTube.
Everyone violates traffic rules. EVERYONE, completely. Double solid? Two doubles? And what is it? They need to turn here - they will turn. The limit is 65 miles... no one goes 65, everyone goes 75-85. The only exception is “paid traffic lights” (with cameras). Everyone there is obedient, as one.
But there is also a spoonful of honey in this barrel: give way to special vehicles. It's in their blood. Everyone pulls to the right to the side of the road and stops. They are ready to damage their car to let an ambulance or fire department pass. They climb onto curbs and into barriers, just to let people through. This always makes me feel proud of them for their understanding of the situation. Well done.
Speaking of special vehicles. For example, you got into a minor accident. The bumpers were dented. The second participant does not want to just exchange insurance and calls 911. And you know what, everyone arrives, in droves. Firefighters, ambulance, police. In any situation, if you call 911, everyone will come. Moreover, the firefighters will even block the entire street with their car.
And yes, if you are in the USA, be sure to ask someone for the local emergency department number. If you suddenly feel bad and call 911, the guys will all come together, and then they will all come together and send you the bill. Each one separately. And if you are also hospitalized, then it is better to immediately ask to go home from the hospital. Prices for medicine are also a separate issue. A broken leg, without insurance, costs about $40k.
A little more about the special services. The police here are traffic participants just like everyone else. They honk when necessary, and in the flow they behave without showing off. And the headlights will blink to let you through. And they will wave their hand to greet you.
Also Most Americans are obsessed with running. They run, run, and run some more. Everywhere and everything. Especially in parks. Fortunately, there are many parks here and they are well equipped. Also a topic for a separate post.
Americans are very patient with foreigners(comrades from the neighboring country don’t count) and are always ready to help. They will go out of their way to explain it to you using pictures and drawings, just so that you understand and are not left in trouble. Upon arrival here, we went to connect the SIM cards. So the worker actually drew diagrams and pictures for us on paper, explaining with his fingers what he wanted to convey to us. It's nice.
Americans are all different. I'm not talking about gays now. They really don't look alike. This is not a gray mass. Probably there is a factor that America is a multinational country.
Also Americans are liberated. If he wants to walk down the street with headphones on and sing, he will do so. He feels good - he will dance. And these are not drunk or drunk, these are ordinary people. They just know that no one will stare at them or point a finger at them.
Americans are obsessed with Christmas, give gifts to everyone and everything. Right down to the postman who delivers letters. This is also a separate topic and very extensive. The only thing that bothers me about Christmas is that their stores are closed on December 25th. No one! Sadness.
I really like it here attitude towards customers. There was a case when I wanted to buy a screen for GoPro. Found it in a store - price $35. This was incommensurate with the $100 price on GoPro's website. I took it and went to the checkout. The cashier punches and tells me the amount of about $90. I say I’m not me, the price is 35. He says show me. I showed it and he hit me for 35. Nice.
Newborns are everywhere. It's very strange, but it's true. The feeling is that women give birth here and immediately after giving birth they take the baby in their arms and rush to shops, shopping centers, cafes. The child was still red and did not have time to open his eyes, but they had already rushed into the store. Strange.
Naked children in winter are also the norm. Well, not completely naked, poorly dressed. Mom in a warm jacket and dad in a down jacket plus children in T-shirts at minus 5-10 is the norm. They probably make money from state insurance for children.
Also meeting people in bathrobes or towels on the street is within normal limits. Why change clothes in and out of the pool?
They also have a strange thing: if someone in a store has blocked a passage, they wait until he is released in silence. They stand and wait.
Everything by mail. Yes, the post office is very developed here. Everything except the passport is sent by mail. All documents, all purchases, bank cards, whatever – they send them by mail. Fortunately, it’s not very expensive here and very fast. At no additional cost it is usually 3-4 days to any part of the USA. For an additional fee, you can send it in the evening at one end of the United States and receive it the next day at the other end.
We can say that it has already arrived.
Many features of the “state division system” were borrowed, within reasonable limits, about 20-25 years ago, and they generally “fit” and took root.
(1) In the task of “dividing into states, as in America,” there is an internal contradiction that is not clear how to cope. The United States is not “divided” into states, but consists of states (states), thirteen of which created a federal union, and the rest, in order to enter the federation, had to organize as a state (state). If you take and divide Russia into some new units, it is guaranteed that the results will not be states at all in the American sense.
When in Russia in the 1990s they decided to take already existing administrative units and say: let them have their own constitutional act (charter), their own legislation, their own taxes and their own coat of arms and flag, which symbolize all this, what happened, in fact, was typical for US history, the transformation of a federal territory (an administrative unit without self-government) into a state, that is, one might say, the closest possible approximation to the American model.
The idea of turning the northern autonomous okrugs, vast and sparsely populated, into federal territories of the American or Canadian type was also discussed, but in practice the option in which they became, like others, subjects of the federation won (this was the beginning of a problem that has not yet been fully resolved: one full-fledged and equal subject of the federation, an autonomous district, is part of another equal subject, edge or region - how to understand who is subordinate to whom and who is responsible for what).
At the same time, the principle of division of powers between the federation and its subjects was taken from the American model (and from the general theory of federalism) and the word “federal” was borrowed, which did not exist in the Soviet political language.
(2) If by “division into states” we mean the division of the country’s territory into rectangles, then the first question, of course, is “why” and “why”, what logic can be behind this. In the case of the USA, Canada and Australia, this was the logic of colonizing settlers in what they thought was a deserted place. For Russia, this principle does not seem to be suitable; we need to look for another one.
In Soviet times, especially in the early pre-war decades, the principle justifying territorial redrawing was the idea that administrative division should be adjusted to the economy, each region should be a “combine”, a territorial production complex with its own specialization. For the early 1990s, when the project of new Russian federalism was discussed, “doing it like in the USA” meant, paradoxically, not redrawing borders, but the exact opposite: stop redrawing territorial units, abandoning the Soviet principle “administrative division is determined by the economy.” “Like in the USA” in this case meant that now, unlike the Soviet period, politics and economics (new, market) are “unstuck” from each other and become two autonomous areas. This is roughly how it remains to this day.
(3) From the American experience at the same time, in the early 1990s, the idea was borrowed that administrative-territorial divisions for different types of activities (school districts, judicial, police, etc.) should not coincide with each other: let their boundaries and areas intersect in any way - all this, on the one hand, protects against too strict control “from above”, on the other, stimulates competition and cooperation. In the 1990s, this was the case, each federal department divided the country, for its own purposes, somehow in its own way. In the early 2000s, the situation changed and all sectoral administrative divisions began to be adjusted to the then created federal districts. In this part, the principle “like in America” did not hold up, but in the future it will probably still be useful: for self-organization “from below”, for cooperation “horizontally” it can really be useful.
