United States Travel Resource

Geography

The United States is a nation in the Western Hemisphere. It consists of forty-eight contiguous states on the North American continent; Alaska, an enormous peninsula which forms the northwestern most part of North America, and Hawaii, an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It also holds several United States territories in the Pacific & Caribbean. The country shares land borders with Canada and Mexico and a water border with Russia.

Climate and Weather

The United States has a broad range of climates, varying from the tropical rain-forest of Hawaii and the tropical savanna of S Florida (where the Everglades are found) to the subarctic and tundra climates of Alaska. East of the 100th meridian (the general dividing line between the dry and humid climates) are the humid subtropical climate of SE United States and the humid continental climate of NE United States. Extensive forests are found in both these regions. West of the 100th meridian are the steppe climate and the grasslands of the Great Plains; trees are found along the water courses.
In the SW United States are the deserts of the basin and range province, with the hottest and driest spots in the United States. Along the Pacific coast are the Mediterranean-type climate of S California and, extending north into SE Alaska, the marine West Coast climate. The Pacific Northwest is one of the wettest parts of the United States and is densely forested. The Rocky Mts., Cascades, and Sierra Nevada have typical highland climates and are also heavily forested. In addition to the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Great Salt Lake in Utah, widely publicized geographic marvels of the United States include Niagara Falls, on the New York–Canada border; the pink cliffs of Bryce Canyon National Park, in Utah; and the geysers of Yellowstone National Park, primarily in Wyoming.

Population

Wiith 300 million preople, the United States has a very diverse population—thirty-one ancestry groups have more than a million members. Whites are the largest racial group, with German Americans, Irish Americans, and English Americans constituting three of the country's four largest ancestry groups. African Americans constitute the nation's largest racial minority and third largest ancestry group. Asian Americans are the country's second largest racial minority; the two largest Asian American ancestry groups are Chinese and Filipino.

Transportation

Transportation in the United States is facilitated by well-developed road, air, rail, and water networks. Passenger transportation is dominated by a network of over 3.9 million miles of highways (almost entirely constructed and maintained by state and local governments) which is pervasive and highly developed by global standards. Passenger transportation is dominated by passenger vehicles (including cars, trucks, vans, and motorcycles), which account for 85% of passenger-miles traveled. The remaining 15% was handled by planes, trains, and buses.

Top Attractions

1. Magical Mecca: Orlando, Florida.
2. Circus Atmosphere: Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Nevada.
3. Hawaii 6-0: Hana Highway, Maui, Hawaii.
4. Grand Plans: Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.
5. Park Place: Central Park, New York City, New York.
6. Rock Show: Alcatraz, San Francisco, California.
7. Perch Above the Peacock: Top of the Rock Observation Deck, New York, New York.
8. Seaing is Believing: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Bay, California.
9. Water-ful: Bellagio Fountains, Las Vegas, Nevada.
10. Animal Kingdom: San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California.

Best Travel Time

Summer is considered to be the best season for visiting the US. To avoid the crowds one must visit USA during September and October, when the holiday season is over, but the weather is still nice and comfortable..

Food and Drink

1. Donuts.
2. Fast Food.
3. Smoothies and Coffee-Blended Drinks.
4. Ice Cream.
5. Beer & Microbrews.
6. Oranges & Citrus.

Local Products/Shopping

Variety, late opening hours, competitive prices and an abundance of modern goods typify US shopping. Many small stores, specialist food shops and hypermarkets are open 24 hours a day. Clothes and electronic goods can be bought direct from factories. Retail outlets range from flea markets and bargain stores to large chain department stores. Malls are a popular way of shopping in the USA and consist of a cluster of different kinds of shops in one building, often a few storys high, connected by an indoor plaza. Note that a sales tax is levied on most or all items in most States and the addition is not included on the price label; sales tax can be anywhere from 3 to 15 per cent, depending on the State; some States have no sales tax at all.

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