



Main Industry
Petroleum, motor vehicles, aerospace, steel, telecommunications, electronics, food processing, chemicals, consumer goods, mining, lumbering.
Size
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population.
The land area of the contiguous United States is approximately 1,900 million acres (7,700,000 km2).
Population
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the country's population now to be 312,252,000,
Weather
America has mostly a temperate type of a climate, but it is tropical in Florida and Hawaii, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest. The low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Education System
Most of the students from different parts of the world who come to obtain a degree in USA believe that studying in a highly ranked school, college or university can prepare them the best to face their future. These universities offer various set of options to international students giving them an opportunity to gain more knowledge. The Education qualification and degree obtained from any of the American universities are highly recognized all around the world. Education in America can be an exciting and rewarding experience but it is hard to finance as it is very expensive compared to the other countries in the world.
The Federal, State and local governments control and provide funds for the education system in United States of America.
Education System in USA
It is very important for every student who wishes to study in USA to understand and be aware of the education system. The system begins with kindergarten followed by 12 years of primary and high school education which is compulsory to get admitted to any graduate college or university. The children enroll themselves into an education system when they are five or six years of age. A child can choose to study either in private schools, or home schools or public schools. In America, the school academic year begins in late August or early September of each year and ends in late May or early June.
Primary or Elementary Education in the US
In primary or elementary school education, a student will be completing five grades of education. These five grades of education focus on introducing children to the broad range of knowledge, basic academic learning, reading and socialization skills they will need to perform well in their future. This also includes learning basics of mathematics, English proficiency, science, social studies, physical development and fine arts.
Secondary Education in the US
Junior high school (or middle school) and Senior high school together provides secondary education to the children. Junior high school refers to grade six through eight and high school begins with ninth grade and progresses to twelfth grade. The mandatory subjects which are taught in US high schools include : Science - biology, chemistry and physics, Mathematics - statistics, algebra, geometry and calculus, English - oral languages, humanities, literature and composition, Social Sciences - history, geography and economics. Most of the states have made health courses mandatory so that the students learn about first-aid, nutrition, sexuality and drug awareness. Art, foreign language and physical education is also made compulsory by some schools in the curriculum.
Undergraduate Education in the US
Undergraduate Schools offer a two-year degree which is called associate's degree or four-year degree called bachelor's degree in a particular field of study. This particular course of study is called major. The most common bachelor's degrees are Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.), Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil.) and Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) which is awarded after completing five year architecture course.
Postgraduate Education in the US
After the completion of undergraduate courses, the students can continue their studies by pursuing a master's degree which is a two-year degree to specialize in a particular field. After completing the master's degree, the students can pursue their education even further in a particular field with a doctorate degree. Based on the course opted, capability of the student and the dissertation selected, the duration to complete a doctorate degree is between three to six years.
The USA recognizes dual citizenship and the act of naturalizing will not revoke prior citizenship unless expressly prohibited by the laws of the prior country.
One of the benefits of US citizenship is unrestricted travel and time outside the US. Unlike US citizens, permanent residents who travel outside the US for extensive periods of time without first obtaining a re-entry permit may be deemed to have abandoned their residence resulting in their green card being revoked by the US government. Another disadvantage of not being naturalized is that permanent residents, who commit certain crimes in the US (even if not serious in nature), may be placed in removal proceedings by the Department of Homeland Security.
Further, only US citizens are allowed to apply for federal jobs and run for political office. US citizens are also given priority in certain categories in terms of sponsoring for immediate relatives (spouses, children, parents, and siblings) to immigrate to the US on a permanent basis whereas permanent residents often have to wait for an extended period of time to be afforded this opportunity.