USA and Canada are the two states of North America. Canada ranks second in terms of area after Russia, the US is fourth after China. Despite the neighborhood, these countries are very different from each other. Although the United States is considered the leader of the world economy, in terms of aggregate indicators, the standard of living in America is lower than that of its northern neighbor. States in this ranking are 11th, while Canada is 6th. It will help to understand the reasons for this characteristic of the United States. After all, the overall rating takes into account not only the level of the economy, but also the percentage of employed residents, and other indicators.
Economic and geographical description of the USA
The rating of the largest countries in the world places the United States in 4th place (9.5 million sq. Km.) The geographical position is very favorable, the state occupies the main part of the continent. The coast of the United States is washed by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This facilitates the development of trade with other countries, while protecting against internationalconflicts. The US neighbors Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. Separated from the continental part of the country are Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. Through the Bering Strait, the state borders on Russia.
Government
The United States is a federal republic. At the head of the state is the president, who is elected for 4 years. The highest legislative body is the Congress, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The country consists of 50 states and a separate federal district of Columbia, where the capital is located - Washington.
US population
About 325 million people live on the territory of the state. The bulk of the population are immigrants from other countries. The indigenous people of the country - Indians and Eskimos (in Alaska) - are only 0.4% of the total population. In the US, you can meet representatives of all races. The national composition is very diverse, which is explained by the history of the state. After the discovery of the continent, immigrants from Europe poured here: the British, Irish, French, Dutch, etc. Then the colonialists brought black slaves from Africa to work on the plantations.
After World War II, there was a massive migration of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans from Latin America to the United States. The modern American nation is the result of an ethnic mixture of all settlers. The census divides the US population into the following groups:
- white - 79%;
- African Americans - 12%;
- Asian Mongoloids – 4.4%.
Hispanics are not singled out as a separate line,because they belong to different groups. The number of native Spanish speakers is 16% of the total population.
General characteristics of the United States as a leader in the world economy
The United States occupies a leading position in the world in terms of industrial production. Therefore, a general description of the United States as a state cannot do without economic indicators. The country occupies leading roles in many sectors. It accounts for 75% of the aviation, rocket and space industries, 65% of the electronic computing industry, and about 30% of the grain harvest. The economic characteristics of the United States gives an understanding that the state is a leader in labor productivity, in high technologies. The country's leadership has a significant influence on the development of a particular area of the economy, on the location of production, its structure. A variety of methods are used for this - from the introduction of tax incentives to subsidizing entire industries. However, this medal also has a downside. Increasingly, economic crises make themselves felt. Unjustified loans cause inflation to rise, which shakes the economy. The characteristics of the regions of the United States is to consider each of them. The differences between them are significant. The following districts are distinguished:
- North;
- South;
- US West.
The characteristics of the last district are the most interesting, because it is just developing.
US Economic Regions
Each of the macro-regions of the country has its own specifics. The regional characteristics of the United States depends on the geographic location.
1. Industrial North. This area- the main center of industry and agriculture in the country. 80% of the population lives in cities. On the coast is the largest city in the United States - New York. This is not only the largest port, the most important industrial center, but also the center of the financial and business life of the state. In addition, New York is a cultural center, the city has the largest number of libraries, theaters, educational institutions, cinemas and museums. Most of it is on the islands. On one of them - Manhattan - business districts located in skyscrapers are concentrated. The headquarters of the United Nations is also located here. Engineering enterprises, chemical plants, clothing and printing industries play a special role for the country's economy. The characterization of the United States as the leader of world trade also involves a description of the most important transportation hubs. Philadelphia is another port and center of industry. Here, the petrochemical and metallurgical industries, oil refining and engineering are even more developed than in New York.
The most powerful metallurgical complex in the US is located in the city of B altimore. It is also the largest port and a center for shipbuilding and oil refining. Another of the most important cities providing a transport function is Chicago. It not only serves ocean-going ships, but is also the starting point for 30 main railroads. In industry, ferrous metallurgy, the production of electrical equipment, and the food industry are of particular importance. Another American city - Detroit - is famous for its automotive industry. This is where Henry Fordbuilt the first factory. Now there are many of them. And they forgot to build other factories producing related equipment nearby. The agro-industrial characteristic of the United States makes it possible to give the palm to the North in agriculture as well. Half of the country's agricultural goods are produced in this economic region. Plant and livestock enterprises are concentrated here.
2. South of the USA. This economic region is called the former slave south. The economic characteristics of the United States as the most important producer of cotton refers precisely to this region of the country. For 150 years, slaves have been growing cotton on the plantations. The South of the USA was an agricultural appendage of the country, a supplier of raw materials.
He was considered the poorest region. But lately the situation has changed. Cotton plantation areas have shrunk significantly, and agriculture has become more developed and diversified. 90% of tobacco products and fabrics are produced here. In the south, most of the oil, natural gas, coal, and phosphates are extracted in the country. The South, without exaggeration, can be called many-sided. This is the place where the famous Marlboro cigarettes are still produced, and the center for growing broiler chickens, and the traditional cotton production is also located here. It is here that the sunny state of Florida is located, and the resorts of Miami are visited by millions of tourists. The main US spaceport - Canaveral - is also in the south. Thanks to the oil rush, super-modern cities such as Houston and Dallas have grown rapidly. Now it is the main center of aerospaceindustry.
West. The characteristics of the United States according to the plan for describing the economy makes it possible to attribute the west of the country to the youngest and most rapidly developing region. In addition, it is also the largest of the districts. Therefore, the contrasts are most noticeable here. Here are the highest mountains in the country, the deepest canyons, the vast desert areas in Arizona, the richest soils in the valleys. Prior to the Second World War, the specialization of the economy was in the mining industry and animal husbandry. After that, other areas of the economy also began to develop rapidly. Now the US West occupies a special place in the life of the state. The characteristics of its branches of the economy give an understanding that the potential of the region is still being revealed. Here are Sunny California, the famous Silicon Valley, Alaska and Hawaii.
Economic and geographical location of Canada
Canada is located in the northern part of North America and occupies a huge territory - almost 10 million square meters. km. This is 1/12 of all land. It is washed by the waters of three oceans - the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic. Canada's coastline is recognized as the longest in the world. And the land border with the United States is the longest unguarded border in the world. In the north, Canada is adjacent to Russia. And the boundary is a material point - the North Pole. The vast territory of Canada is located beyond the Arctic Circle, but the main population lives in the southern regions, next to its neighbor - the United States. In addition to the mainland, the maple leaf country has many large and small islands in the oceans - Newfoundland, Victoria,Devon, Baffin Island, etc.
The political structure of Canada
It consists of 10 provinces and 2 federal territories. The government of Canada is a constitutional monarchy. Legislative power is represented by a bicameral parliament - the Senate and the House of Commons. The country's government is formed by the Prime Minister, who is elected by a majority in the House of Commons.
Canadian population
Aborigines living in this country make up a tiny percentage of the total population, and they were pushed to the north of the territory. The vast majority of the population are descendants of either immigrants from Europe or colonists. Canada continues its traditions: the country has the most favorable conditions for emigrants. In total, 30 million people live in the state. Canada is a country of mystery. Despite the crisis and the difficult economic situation in the world, she manages to achieve the highest employment rates and continue to accept people from other countries. The majority of the country's inhabitants are Christians. The population is very unevenly distributed. The north of the country is practically uninhabited, while 90% of the inhabitants live in the south. There are 2 official languages in Canada - English and French.
Climate, flora and fauna of Canada
Due to the great length of the country, the climate varies from polar in the north to tropical in the south. Temperatures beyond the Arctic Circle rarely rise above 0 degrees. Canadian winters are long and cold. This is facilitated by the movement of cold air masses from the North Pole, they reach far into the interior of the continent. The cold Hudson Bay juts out deep into the mainland, which is covered with ice almost throughout the year. In the east, this northern country is washed by the cold Labrador Current. Canada has more rivers and lakes than anywhere else. They provide a huge amount of water energy. There are huge reserves of timber, more only in Russia and Brazil. The most valuable species are white and black spruce, red cedar, yellow birch, oak and, of course, cedar. In the south, vast areas of fertile land. There are many fish in coastal waters, salmon are of particular importance.
Industry Canada
- Mining. Almost all minerals of the world are mined and exported here - iron ore, zinc, copper, lead, nickel, cob alt, titanium, gold, silver, platinum, oil, gas, etc.
- Energy. The country is ranked 5th in the world in terms of electricity production and 3rd in natural gas production.
- Metallurgy. Non-ferrous metallurgy is aimed at export. Produce cob alt, zinc, nickel. The share of ferrous metallurgy is much lower.
- Engineering. The production of transport, equipment for agriculture, for the mining and paper industries is developed.
- Chemical. They mainly produce potash fertilizers (2nd place in the world). They also produce polymer materials, pharmaceutical products, explosives.
- Paper. Canada ranks 1 in the world in newspaper production and 2 in terms of output.
Canadian agriculture
Focusedit is in the continental part of the state and specializes in the production and export of cereals - wheat, corn, and potatoes. Fishing is widely developed in the coastal zone. Canada is the main exporter of agricultural products. She fully satisfies her needs and supplies more than half of her products to other countries.
Transport Canada
The country's large areas have contributed to the development of all modes of transport.
- Railway. The length of railways is greater only in Russia and the USA.
- Automobile. For internal communication in the country, highways function well, of the length Canada is second only to the United States.
- Air transport. Huge distances within the country, a sharp change in climate, and terrain features have led to the development of air travel not only in the international format, but also within the country.
- Water. It is the internal communication and the delivery of goods by water - forests and grains that are very developed.
USA and Canada. Feature
Two neighboring countries are interesting to compare on the main indicators. Comparative characteristics of the USA and its northern neighbor are presented in the table.
| Indicators | USA | Canada |
| Area, mln sq. km | 9, 5 | 10 |
| Capital | Washington | Ottawa |
| Form of government | federal republic | constitutional monarchy |
| Population, million people | 323 | 31 |
| Life expectancy | 78, 1 | 80, 5 |
| Population density | 33, 1 | 3, 43 |
| State language | English | English, French |
| Currency | American dollar | Canadian dollar |
| Land border | Canada, Mexico | USA |
| Out to the oceans | Quiet, Atlantic | Quiet, Atlantic, Arctic |
| Access to the sea | Bering, Beaufort, Gulf of Mexico | Labrador, Baffin, Beaufort, St. Lawrence, Hudson Bay |
We have proposed a complete description of the United States. The table above gives an idea of the differences and similarities between the States and Canada. Hundreds of thousands of people come to the US in pursuit of the "American dream", someone finds happiness in Canada. After all, any characteristics of countries give only a general idea of them.
