federal republic with two legislative houses (Senate [100]; House of Representatives [435(1)])
Head of state
President
Head of government
President
Capital
Washington, D.C.
Official language
none
Official religion
none
Monetary unit
dollar (U.S.$)
Population estimate
(2006) 299,330,000
Total area (sq mi)
3,676,487(2)
Total area (sq km)
9,522,057(2)
(1)Excludes 4 nonvoting delegates from the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam; a nonvoting resident commissioner from Puerto Rico; and a nonvoting resident representative from the Northern Mariana Islands.
(2)Includes inland water area of 78,797 sq mi (204,083 sq km and Great Lakes water of 60,251 sq mi (156,049 sq km); excludes coastal water area of 42,241 sq mi (109,404 sq km) and territorial water area of 75,372 sq mi (195,213 sq km).