75 Interesting Facts About USA

  1. United States of America (U.S.A) is the 3rd largest country by population and 4th largest country by area in the world.
  2. Washington D.C. became the U.S. capital in 1790. Before that, eight cities remained the U.S. capital. These include Philadelphia, Baltimore, Lancaster, York, Princeton, Annapolis, Trenton, and NYC (New York City). (Source)
  3. The longest tunnel in the world, the Delaware Aqueduct, is in the USA. This 137,000 m long tunnel supplies 1.3 billion US gallons of water daily to New York City.
  4. The world’s longest smuggling tunnel was discovered at the US-Mexico border. This tunnel is 1,313 m (4,309 ft.) long. Before its discovery in 2019, it was used for drug smuggling from Mexico to the USA. (Source)
  5. The USA has the highest number of airports in the world. There are more than 13,500 airports in the USA, more than thrice the airports in the second-highest country (Brazil with 4,093).
  6. A shallow lake in Oregon, known as the Lost Lake, disappears annually in summer and reappears in the wetter season. It is due to the presence of a lava tube. (Source)
  7. The land area of the USA expanded from just 13 eastern states in 1783 to its current level during the 19th Century. This huge landmass became part of the USA after land purchase (from France, Russia, and Denmark), annexation (of Texas and Hawaii), cessation (by Spain and Mexico), and treaties (with the UK).
  8. Denali in Alaska is the highest point in North America. Its peak is 20,310 feet above sea level.
    Denali and Wonder Lake in Alaska
    Highest and lowest points of North America are in the USA

  9. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America. It is 282 feet (855 m) below sea level and is also the most visited spot in Death Valley.
  10. The Library of the US Congress is the largest in the world. This library in Washington D.C. has more than 164 million items. Apart from that, New York Public Library is the world’s 3rd biggest library, with 55 million items. (Source)
  11. Atlantic City’s boardwalk is the longest and oldest boardwalk in the world. It has a length of 4 miles, while its construction completed in 1870.
  12. The five largest tech giants in the world have their headquarters in the USA. The country has 12 companies on the list of the world’s 20 largest internet giants. (Source)
  13. The USA has the highest number and percentage of prisoners in the world. The country has more than 2.1 million prison population, which is 737 prisoners per 100,000 people. (Source)
  14. Apex Regional in Las Vegas is the world’s largest waste site. It covers over 2,200 acres and receives around 9,000 tons of municipal waste daily. (Source)
  15. Around 10% of Americans do not believe in the moon landing of the Apollo 11 mission. Most of the moon-landing-deniers are aged between 18 to 34 years. (Source)
  16. In 1783, the USA became the first country to gain independence from a European colonial power (Great Britain) after signing the Treaty of Paris.
  17. Three of the five founding presidents of the USA died on July 4, Independence Day. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826, while James Monroe passed away on July 4, 1831. (Source)
  18. The US federal government owns 25% of the total land in all US states. The percentage of this federal land is different in different states. It includes just 0.3% of land in Connecticut and Iowa to 79.6% of land in Nevada. (Source)
  19. The United States also ranks best for freedom of speech. The Free Expression Index score in the USA is 5.73, the highest in the world.
  20. Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is the world’s longest-known cave system. Its length is more than 400 miles, which is still unexplored. (Source)
  21. unique eternal flame is burning inside a 35-foot tall fall, called the Eternal Flame Fall, in western New York. Unlike other eternal flames in the world, this thousands-year-old flame is not burning due to natural gas, and its source is currently not known. (Source)
  22. More than 50 years ago, a fire erupted in an abandoned coal mine in Centralia, a town in Pennsylvania. It resulted in the evacuation of almost the entire town population in the 1980s. This fire is still burning. (Source)
  23. Yuma and Phoenix (both in Arizona state of the USA) are the two sunniest cities in the world. The USA has five cities on the list of the world’s ten sunniest cities. (Source)
  24. The USA faces the highest number of tornadoes every year. Around 1,200 tornadoes hit different parts of the USA annually. (Source
    A tornado in USA
    Around 1,200 tornadoes hit the USA every year

  25. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, was a champion wrestler during his youth. He was honored in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He lost just a single fight during his 12-year wrestling career. (Source)
  26. Abraham Lincoln, who led the country during the American Civil War, authorized the formation of the secret service on the day of his assassination. (Source)
  27. The highest number of plastic surgeries in the world are performed in the USA. The number of annual plastic surgery procedures in the USA exceeds 4 million. (Source)
  28. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World (Florida, USA) is the most visited theme park in the world. The USA has six parks among the top 10 most visited theme parks. (Source)
  29. Subway, headquartered in Connecticut, is the world’s largest fast-food chain, having nearly 43,000 restaurants in 112 countries. The 17 largest fast-food chains in the world belong to the USA. (Source)
  30. Apple Inc., an American multinational technology company, became the first company in the world to reach $1 trillion in value in 2018. (Source)
  31. The United States has won the most Nobel Prizes in the world. The USA has 368 Nobel Prizes, while the second highest (the UK) has just 132. (Source) 
  32. The USA has the world’s highest GDP (nominal) and the 2nd highest GDP (purchasing power parity or PPP) after China.
  33. Taylor Demonbreun, an American citizen, holds the record for the fastest travel around the globe. She visited all the sovereign countries (195) in 1 year and 189 days from 1st June 2017 to 7th December 2018. (Source)
  34. The USA spends more money than any other country on overall (elementary, secondary, and higher) education. (Source)
  35. The USA is one of few countries in the world and the only developed country that does not provide paid maternity leaves. (Source)
  36. USA got its nickname of Uncle Sam on 7th September 1813 thanks to a meatpacker, Samuel Wilson, who supplied beef to the US Army during the War of 1812. (Source)
  37. The current US flag (which represents 50 states through 50 stars) was designed by a high school student in 1958. He initially got a B minus grade for this project. (Source)
  38. The world’s tallest war memorial is in San Jacinto, Texas. It is 570 feet high. (Source)
  39. The USA is the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas. The North American country has been the largest producer of these minerals for the past several years and will maintain this position for several decades. (Source)
  40. The USA has the largest reserves of coal in the world. It is more than 25% of global coal reserves. The country is also the world’s 2nd largest producer and consumer of coal. (Source
    A coal mine in USA
    USA has the largest coal reserves in the world

  41. The USA has the highest number of billionaires in the world. There are 705 billionaires in the USA, more than the combined billionaires of the following four countries (China, Germany, Russia, and the UK). (Source) 
  42. The USA has the highest number of millionaires in the world. There are 18.61 million millionaires in the USA. This number is more than the combined millionaires of the next nine countries. (Source)
  43. The USA has the strongest and most modern military in the world. It is due to the highest number of air units, armored vehicles, destroyers, aircraft carriers, and military budget. (Source)
  44. Pentagon, in Virginia, is the world’s largest office building. The total floor area of the headquarter of the USA Department of Defense is more than 600,000 m2. (Source)
  45. GPS (Global Positioning System) is owned by the US govt. There are three segments (Space, Control, and User) of the GPS. The U.S. Air Force develops, maintains, and operates two of these (Space and Control) segments. (Source)
  46. The USA has the world’s highest expenditure on the military. The US military budget reached $610 billion in 2017, more than 33% of total military spending worldwide. (Source)
  47. The USA has the highest number of aircraft carriers (24) in the world. No other country has more than five aircraft carriers in its fleet. Such a large number of aircraft carriers assist the USA in keeping its military presence in oceans around the world. (Source)
  48. The USA has a military presence in different countries all over the world. This military presence has been established through military bases and CSL (cooperative security location). (Source)
  49. The USA has the two most powerful supercomputers in the world. Summit (the fastest supercomputer) and Sierra (2nd fastest supercomputer) were built in 2018 by IBM. The USA has five supercomputers in the list of the top 10 fastest supercomputers in the world.
  50. In Monowi, a town in Nebraska, there is just one resident. Elsie Eiler became the sole resident of this town when her husband died in 2004.
  51. The USA is the world's 2nd biggest weed-smoking country. More than 16% of people smoke cannabis regularly. (Source)
  52. The USA is the world’s 3rd biggest consumer of cocaine. 2.3% population of the USA is addicted to cocaine. (Source)
  53. The USA is the biggest economy in the world by nominal GDP. It holds more than 24% share of the global economy. (Source)
  54. The USA is the world’s largest importer of overall international trade. The United States imports 13.4% of the total global imports. The country is facing an annual trade deficit of $860 billion. (Source)
  55. The USA is the world’s top producer of biotech crops. It is cultivating biotech crops on 75 million hectares, which constitutes 40% of the total biotech crop plantation in the world. (Source)
  56. The USA is the largest exporter and importer of food and agricultural products in the world. (Source)
  57. The USA is the world’s largest producer of nuclear energy (805 billion kWh) and has the highest number of nuclear reactors (99). The country fulfills around 20% of its energy requirement through atomic energy. (Source
    A nuclear power plant in USA
    USA is the world's largest producer of nuclear energy

  58. The USA is the world’s 2nd largest consumer of primary energy after China. Its energy consumption was around 96 exajoules in 2022. (Source)
  59. The United States has won the highest number of medals in the Summer Olympics. It has won more than 2,500 medals from 1896 to 2016. The USA is also in the 2nd spot for most medals in Winter Olympics. (Source)
  60. Michael Phelps, an American swimmer, is the most successful Olympian ever. He won 28 medals (including 23 gold medals) during his Olympics career. (Source)
  61. Eight of the ten largest sports stadiums in the world are present in the USA. Michigan Stadium is the largest American stadium and the world’s 3rd largest stadium. (Source)
  62. There is a corn palace in the USA. The Corn Palace in South Dakota was constructed in 1892, with its exterior made from corn and other grains. (Source)
  63. The USA has the highest number of casinos in the world. There are 2,155 casinos in the USA, which is more than the combined number of casinos in the ten following countries. (Source)
  64. The largest firework rocket was launched in Nevada on 27th September 2014. This rocket of 97 kg weight had a burst size of over 360 meters. (Source)
  65. The USA is behind numerous modern inventions since the 19th Century that have changed the world completely. A few of the most famous ones include modern suspension bridge, electric light bulb (and LED lighting), photographic film, disc record, phonograph, skyscraper, electric traffic light, airplane, sunglasses (and polarized sunglasses), microwave, credit card, laser, digital and personal computers, Arpanet, ISP, mobile phone, liquid-fuel rocket, space shuttle, GPS, machine gun, and the nuclear bomb.
  66. The US road network is the longest and biggest road network in the world. Its total length is 6.58 million km. (Source)
  67. Grand Central Terminal in New York City is the world’s largest railway station by the number of platforms. There are 44 platforms in this railway station. (Source)
  68. The USA is leading the world in female entrepreneurship. It scores 70.3 out of 100 in providing a better environment for female entrepreneurs and is just ahead of New Zealand, with a score of 70.2. (Source)
  69. The world’s first Ferris wheel was designed and erected in the USA in 1893. The wheel was demolished in 1906. (Source)
  70. Kingda Ka in New Jersey is the world’s tallest roller coaster. Four of the world’s five tallest roller coasters are in the USA. (Source)
  71. The world’s biggest dinosaur gift store is in California, USA. This gift store contains two huge dinosaurs.
  72. South Florida is the only place in the world where crocodiles and alligators live together. (Source)
  73. The Tonight Show on NBC is the longest-running TV chat show.  It ran continuously for 64 years, from 1954 to 2018. (Source)
  74. The USA has the largest filmed entertainment market. It earned nearly $21 billion in 2020, three times that of the second-largest market in China. (Source)
  75. The US Department of Defense is the world’s largest employer, with 3.2 million employees. Walmart (an American retail corporation) and McDonald’s (an American fast food chain) are the 2nd and 3rd biggest employers in the world. (Source)

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