The United States of America (also known as America or The United States) is a big country with a lot of fun facts for kids that you can use at school or at home. This article tells you facts such as the size, culture and history of this massive country.
Want to know some fun facts about other places? Make sure you take a look here.
Here are some top things you need to know about the USA:
- More than 300 million people live in America.
- The national flag is red, blue and white and has stars and stripes on it.
- The United States of America is the third largest country in the world!
Where is the USA?
The United States is situated on the North American continent, which has the North Pacific Ocean to the west and the North Atlantic Ocean to the east.
Most of the United States of America is sandwiched between the countries Canada and Mexico on the continent of North America, however the state of Alaska is separate and is located to the very north west of Canada. The state of Hawaii is also separate from the rest of mainland America and is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, off the west coast of America.
How big is the USA?
The United States is big! It is the third largest country in the world after Russia (number 1) and Canada (number 2). The land size of America is more than 9,800,000 km2 and is broken up into 50 states.
The biggest state is Alaska which is approximately the size of the countries Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France all put together! The smallest state is Rhode Island.
The United State of America also has the longest international border with Canada to the north.
How many people live in the USA?
The United States of America is the third largest country in the world, by size and population! There are more than 330,000,000 people living in America and the capital is Washington DC with 7,500,000. However the largest city in the United States is New York with more than 8,000,000 people.
Fun fact – There is a city AND a state called Washington in the United States. Make sure you check which one you are really looking for!
California is the most populated state with 40,000,000 people and least populated is Wyoming.
What language do they speak in the USA?
The main languages are English and Spanish.
What currency do they use?
The currency of the United States of America is the US dollar.
Geography of USA
With a country as big as the United States, you can expect mountains, valleys, lakes and coastlines.
The highest peak in the United States is Mt Denali located in Alaska (formerly Mt. McKinley) at approximately 6,198 metres whereas the lowest point is actually below sea level! Death Valley (the lowest point) is located in the desert in California is 86m below the level of the sea and surrounded by steep mountain ranges making it very very hot.
Fun fact – Death Valley holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded at 56 degrees celsius!
The Grand Canyon located in Arizona is another example of stunning landscape in America. The canyon is 28 km wide and 1.6 km deep and the entire area is bigger than Rhode Island, the smallest state in America.
America has many rivers, with the two longest rivers being the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, both more than 3,700 km long!
Learn more fun facts about USA Geography with these books here.
History
Native Americans lived in America for many centuries before British and French explorers arrived in the 1500s. More than 200 years later the colonists were tired of foreign rule and wanted more say in their own government, so in 1776 America declared independence from the United Kingdom.
After this, America created a constitution, a set of principles by which the United States would be governed.
Fun fact – The American flag is made up of stars and stripes. The 13 stars represent the colonies that declared independence from the United Kingdom and the 50 stripes represent the 50 states.
Check out these awesome history books about USA here.
Which foods are popular in the USA?
The food you eat in America may very well depend on what part of the country you are in, but we have found some famous staples that you can find almost anywhere.
Apple Pie
This dessert is filled with delicious apples, surrounded by pastry and then baked to perfection. Serve with cream or ice cream. Yum!
Burgers
Popular in a restaurant or at a barbeque, burgers are always a hit. Add lettuce, tomato, cheese and onions and you will have a classic American burger.
Pizza
We know pizza is loved worldwide but the Americans take it to the next level. Classic American pizza includes cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza and ‘New York’ style pizza – a super thin crusted pizza.
What animals are found in the USA?
Forests, oceans, deserts and mountains mean that you can find so many animals in America.
The bald eagle is the bird symbol of America and is known for its white head and brown body. This bird of prey has a wingspan of up to 2.3 m.
The bison is the national animal and is the largest mammal in North America. This animal can weigh up to 900 kg and stand 1.8 m tall!
Depending on where you are in the United State of America, you can see bears. In Alaska in the far north you can see polar bears. These white bears actually have black skin and can swim at sea for days at a time. In other parts of America you can see black bears and brown bears (including grizzly bears).
Hollywood
If you are a movie fan, you will have heard of Hollywood. Hollywood is an area in the state of California that is thought to be the centre of the movie industry in America. Every year hundreds of movies are made in Hollywood. Hollywood is also home to many movie stars and entertainers.
Which sports are played in the USA?
Sport is a popular pastime in America, with many national teams across many different sports. American football or the NFL (National Football League), consists of 32 teams from across the country. The final game of the season to determine the winner is called the Super Bowl.
Basketball is common and played in many places. The national league is called the National Basketball Association (NBA) and has 30 teams.
Major League Baseball is the American baseball league that has 30 teams, including 1 from Canada. The World Series is an annual playoff between the two major professional baseball leagues in America (the American League and the National League).
Last minute fun facts
- The American anthem is the ‘Star Spangled Banner’.
- Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is the largest theme park and takes up the space of more than 30 football fields!
- The Statue of Liberty can be found in New York and is 93 m high.
There is so much to learn about America, but we hope these fun facts about the United States of America whet your appetite to know more.
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