Structural components of ecological culture. Ecological culture

Full name United States of America Region North America Form of government Federal Republic Capital Washington Area, km 2 4 in the world 9 372 610 Population, people. 3 in the world 310,241,000

If the current rate of population growth continues, the US population will be:

Population growth, per year 116 in the world 0,98% 3,040,362 people Average duration
life, years 78.1 (men 75.2, women 81) 30 in the world
(34 - men, 30 - women) Population density, people/km 2,141 in the world 33.1 Official language English Currency US dollar International dialing code 1 Internet zone .us Time zones

00:21 (31.03) — 05:21 (31.03) the site does not track transitions to summer time, so the data provided may not be accurate

UTC-10 — UTC-5 International organizations, which includes the United States of America NATO (since 1949), APEC, G8 Borders by land Canada, Mexico Access to the seas and oceans Pacific, Atlantic oceans
Bering, Beaufort Sea
Gulf of Mexico

The USA is the fourth largest and third most populous country in the world. The country occupies the south North America and its northwest (Alaska), as well as some islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The USA is one of three countries that is washed by three oceans at once: the Pacific (and its Bering Sea in particular), the Arctic (with the Beaufort Sea), the Atlantic (and its Gulf of Mexico from South).

The term “America” comes from the Latin version of the name of the Italian traveler Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first to describe his travels to the New World in great detail for the general public. The term "United States" was first used in the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, not yet as the name of the country, but only to indicate that the individual States were united in their decision to become independent.

The USA, by European standards, is considered a young state that was formed in late XVIII century. Now this country influences the policies of most other countries in the world. Tourists there will see huge metropolises and amazingly beautiful natural attractions (for example, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and the Kilauea volcano). In addition, tourists in the United States will find ski resorts with developed infrastructure, as well as luxurious beach resorts.

USA is located in North America. The United States of America borders Canada to the north, Mexico to the south, and Russia to the east across the Bering Strait. In the north the country is washed by the Arctic Ocean, in the west by the Pacific Ocean, and in the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The United States also includes several islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean (American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.), as well as Alaska and the Hawaiian archipelago. Total area – 9,826,675 sq. km., and the total length state border– 12,034 km.

In the east of the country along the Atlantic coast there is mountain system Appalachia, beyond which stretches the Central Plain with big rivers. To the west is the Cordillera mountain system, in front of which lie the Great Plains. The highest local peak is Mount McKinley in Alaska, whose height reaches 6,194 meters.

A huge number of rivers flow through the United States, the largest of which are the Missouri (4,127 km), Mississippi (3,757 km), Yukon (3,700 km), Arkansas (2,364 km) and Columbia (2,250 km).

In the north, near the border with Canada, are the famous freshwater Great Lakes - Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario and Michigan.

Tornadoes and hurricanes often occur in the United States, causing a lot of destruction. Tornadoes are typical for the region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian mountain system (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri). As for hurricanes, they most often occur in the southern states, on the east coast and in Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.

Washington is the capital of the USA. More than 700 thousand people now live in the city. Washington was founded in 1791.

There is one in the USA official language- English.

More than 78% of the population are Christians (51% of them are Protestants, 23% are Catholics). There are also many Jews, Buddhists and Muslims.

According to the Constitution, the United States is a parliamentary constitutional federal Republic, the head of which is the President, elected by indirect elections for a period of 4 years.

The local bicameral parliament is called Congress, it consists of the Senate (100 senators, two from each state) and the House of Representatives (435 deputies).

Despite the fact that there are many different parties in the United States, politic system This country is virtually bipartisan. Main political parties – Democratic Party and the Republican Party. In practice, representatives of only these two parties can become President of the United States.

Administratively, the country is divided into 50 states, the Federal District of Columbia and Washington, as well as island territories under US administration (Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, etc.).

The climate is very diverse, varying depending on the region. In Hawaii, for example, and in Florida, the climate is tropical, and in Alaska it is subarctic. In the south-west of the country there are many deserts and semi-deserts, in the coastal regions of California the climate is Mediterranean, and in west coast maritime climate. In general, the climate in the continental part of the country is temperate.

The peak tourist season is in the summer (June, July and August). During the rest of the year, tourists come to the USA for the big holidays - Christmas and Easter week. In New York, for example, tourists come all year round, regardless of the time of year.

Please note that some American states are prone to tornadoes and hurricanes. Thus, tornadoes are typical for the region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian mountain system (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri), and hurricanes - for the southern states, on the east coast and for Hawaii.

More than 250,000 rivers flow through the United States. The largest of them are Missouri (4,127 km), Mississippi (3,757 km), Yukon (3,700 km), Arkansas (2,364 km) and Columbia (2,250 km).

In the north, near the border with Canada, there are the famous freshwater Great Lakes - Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario and Michigan, in the vicinity of which many tribes once lived American Indians.

The US state was formed at the end of the 18th century from several English colonies that were able to achieve independence from Great Britain. At the very beginning, the United States consisted of 13 states, but as a result of active policies, Spanish and English colonies, as well as the lands of Indians and Mexicans, were seized. As a result, the United States of America now consists of 50 states.

After two world wars, the United States doubled its political and economic influence in the world, always being on the winning side.

Now the United States is one of the main founding sponsors of the UN, as well as the leader of the NATO military bloc.

Multicultural American society also determines the diversity of American culture. For most foreigners, American culture is known by Hollywood films. Of course, these films reflect something American culture, but traditions local residents in fact, they are deeper - they are rooted in the culture of the American Indians and European settlers.

Most Americans cannot imagine their lives without American football, hockey and basketball. At the end of every February, almost half of Americans simply do not go to work while watching the final matches of the American football league. Almost the same situation is repeated at the end of April, when the matches of the Stanley Cup hockey finals begin.

Every March on New Orleans Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to see the now legendary Mardi Gras festival. In New York and Chicago, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated every March - a holiday for all Irish people.

Every year on October 31, Americans celebrate Halloween, which Lately has already become a worldwide holiday.

On the last Thursday of every November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day, during which every American family there has to be roast turkey and pumpkin pie.

The largest American holidays are Christmas and Easter. During these holidays, Americans exchange gifts and show various theatrical performances, most often, of course, of a religious nature.

There is an opinion that American cuisine represents dishes that are offered in restaurants fast food. But in fact, American cuisine is not limited to fast food at all - it has a lot delicious dishes, characteristic of one or another American state, and which have nothing to do with fast food restaurants.

The main feature of American cuisine is its diversity. The USA as a state was formed by immigrants from different countries peace. Immigrants settled compactly in their new homeland, bringing with them new culinary traditions. In the southern states local cuisine big influence influenced by African, Mexican and Spanish culinary traditions.

Staple foods include potatoes, corn, wheat, meat, vegetables, fish and seafood, including shrimp, lobster, crab, oysters, mussels and scallops.

Typical American dishes - Apple pie, barbecue, steak, fried chicken, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, burritos, tacos, blueberry pie, sandwiches.

In New Orleans, for example, we recommend tourists try pancakes and spicy, fried shrimp in Creole style, in New England - clam chowder, in Texas - barbecue, in Boston - white beans baked with molasses, in New York - chicken wings with hot pepper sauce, in Louisiana - stew or rice with herbs and spices, in San Francisco - tomato stewed fish, in Hawaii - Haupia coconut pudding, and in the Midwest - chicken steak.

Very often, cranberry sauce is served with a variety of dishes, which is considered an integral part of American cuisine. Guacamole (Mexican avocado sauce) is popular in the southern states.

Traditional without alcoholic drinks– lemonade, orange juice, milk, sweet carbonated soft drinks.

Traditional alcoholic drinks are beer, wine and whiskey.

The United States boasts a wealth of tourist attractions, from the skyscrapers of New York and Chicago, the natural wonders of Yellowstone and Alaska, to the sunny beaches of California, Florida and Hawaii. True, there are quite a few historical attractions in this country compared to Europe. The top ten best attractions in the USA, in our opinion, include the following:

1. Grand Canyon in northern Arizona
2. Manhattan (one of the five boroughs of New York)
3. Yellowstone national park, founded in 1872
4. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
5. Niagara Falls, located between New York State and the Canadian province of Ontario
6. Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii
7. Florida Keys archipelago in the southeastern United States
8. Las Vegas
9. Denali National Park in Alaska
10. White House in Washington

The most big cities– New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco, Detroit and Seattle.

There are many great ones in the USA beach resorts. The most best beaches- These are Coopers Beach on the Atlantic coast of New York, Siesta Beach in Florida, Hanalei Bay in Hawaii, Coast Howard Beach in Massachusetts, and Coronado Beach in San Diego.

The United States is famous not only for its beach resorts, but also for its ski resorts. Among them, Killington, 250 km from Boston, Lake Placid in national park Adirondack and Whiteface near New York. American ski season ski resorts lasts from November to May.

There are also some excellent golf resorts in the US - Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, Westin La Cantera and Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Texas.

From the USA, tourists bring jeans, chewing gum, cowboy hats, figurines of the Statue of Liberty as souvenirs, peanut butter, corn syrup, chocolate, beer.

Banks:
Mon-Fri: 08:00/09:00 - 16:00/17:00
Some banks are open on Saturdays.

The shops:
Mon-Fri: 09:00 - 17:00/21:00
Some shops are open on Saturdays and Sundays.

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 climatic zones very diverse.

Physiography

On the territory of the country there are several, or rather, 5 natural areas, 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 extraordinary beauty waterfalls

Further, to the west, the landscape of the area is replete with vast plains covered with steppe vegetation, called prairies. This territory is perfectly suited for conducting 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 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.

More detailed description US 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 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 this is where he lives greatest number immigrants who make up the US population. 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. This is where it was discovered coal and its extraction is organized. Throughout the country, mineral developments have led to economic growth. On this moment The economic geography of the United States is vast and includes four developing countries different directions region.

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. Exactly this part The plains include 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 for the most part is part of 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. West Side The plain is similar in structure to the eastern one, 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 common surface slope of east direction and are related to the Mississippi and Missouri River basin. 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 natural features states. These include the Southern Rockies, located in Colorado. They consist of several significant ridges and large basins. One of the most high 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 western edge The Middle Rocky Mountains are a seismically active zone. There are earthquakes there from time to time. It is in this area that the world is located famous park Yellowstone.

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 most high peak The Cascade Mountains, Rainier, is distinguished by the regularity of its cone-shaped 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. It leads to a huge number 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 highest point USA - Mount McKinley with a height of 6193 meters.

Alaska is the most large staff The United States is the largest in terms of area and the smallest in terms of 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.

America is one of the parts of the world that consists of two continents: South and North America. These two continents are connected to each other by the Isthmus of Panama. The peculiarity of America is that it is washed by oceans and seas on all sides. So, what ocean washes America?
Pacific Ocean
If we start listing the oceans that wash America, then, first of all, we should pay attention to the Pacific Ocean. After all, it has the largest area and rich history. The ocean area is approximately 178 million square kilometers. This area is almost equal to the area of ​​all the continents on the planet. Such an ocean was first discovered by the famous traveler Fernand Magellan. It was he who called this ocean the Pacific. But, in fact, it is not as quiet as its name suggests. The waters of the Pacific Ocean were first studied in the 19th century.

Considering that this ocean washes quite a large part of the continent, many states are engaged in fishing. For some, this activity is the only way survive in such difficult conditions. Not only fish is used for fishing, but also various algae, which are used to prepare various dishes and treat diseases.
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on Earth after the Pacific Ocean

As already mentioned, America is washed by several oceans. Atlantic material can be placed in second place. What ocean separates Africa and America, you ask. Precisely Atlantic. The ocean area is about 92 million square kilometers. The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 3736 meters. Near the coast of America is located itself deep depression ocean - Puerto Rico. The depth of this depression is more than 8742 meters.
The waters of the Atlantic Ocean contain quite a lot of fish and algae that can be used in fishing. Anchovies, tuna, sardines and much more are widely used for fishing. Now, knowing this information, when you are asked which ocean washes America and Africa, you will definitely say the Atlantic.
The Arctic Ocean

In addition, the shores of America are washed by the Arctic Ocean. IN in this case we're talking about not about all of America, but only about countries such as Canada and the USA. The area of ​​this ocean is almost 15 million square meters. The average depth is 1225 meters, but the deepest point is in the Greenland Sea. Its depth is more than 5527 meters.
The Arctic Ocean is distinguished by its poor fauna and flora. This is due to the harsh climatic conditions. Of course, in some places, such as the Barents Sea, there is quite a variety of fish and algae that can be used in industrial purposes. In such an ocean you can find the largest mussels, jellyfish and corals. Recently it has been noted rapid growth number of cod fish. This phenomenon is explained by rising temperatures in some regions. This will have a positive impact on the economies of many countries that border this ocean.