Key facts about United States
5 to 10 facts that help explain what makes the country distinctive.
A capital that is not the largest city
Washington, D.C., seat of the federal government, is only the country's 21st most populous city (about 694,000 inhabitants), far behind New York (8.6 million) or Los Angeles (3.9 million).
The world's largest economy
With a nominal GDP of about $29.3 trillion in 2024, the United States remains the world's largest economy, and the dollar the main international reserve currency (nearly 57% of global foreign exchange reserves).
The world's largest fleet of nuclear reactors
The United States operates more civilian nuclear reactors than any other country, but they supply only about 19% of the electricity generated, compared with more than two-thirds in France.
A territory spread across many time zones
Between Alaska, the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii and the island territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean, the country spans eleven time zones including its territories, a world record shared with France.
The birthplace of the national park system
Yellowstone, created in 1872, is the world's first national park; the country now has 63, managed together with all federal natural and historic heritage by the National Park Service.
No federal official language for more than two centuries
Although English has been the de facto language of government since the country's founding, it was only designated the official language of the United States at federal level in 2025, by executive order.