USA Geography Analysis

The most dynamic and attractive regions are located in the Sun Belt. The reconversion of the North-East
of the country allows it to play an important role.

The unprecedented development of human activities in this territory (urbanization, agriculture,

exploitation of energy resources, infrastructure) has had a strong impact on landscapes and the
environment. The United States has often been a forerunner in the development of an environmental
policy; they were the first to set up national parks since 1872; and part of the population is very active in
environmental protection. From the 1970s, ecological awareness grew in the United States: Earth Day
(Earth Day) celebrated since 1970. The Environmental Protection Agency is the main body for
environmental policies. The air, landscapes, water and soils have nevertheless been and remain subject
to strong exploitation and discharge constraints, with, for example, oil exploitation from the 19th
century and then more recently the growth of exploitation of shale gas46.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that each year 72 million birds are killed by pesticides in the
United States47

Drilling companies used 770% more water per well between 2011 and 2016, while toxic wastewater
released increased by 1,440%. Half of the gas and oil pipelines under development in the world in 2019
are in North America. For the United States, these new pipelines are expected to generate 559 million
tons of CO2 per year by 204048. The government is taking steps in 2018 to significantly expand offshore
drilling in US waters. The Ministry of the Interior is proposing to open almost the entire coastline of the
country to drilling49.

Due to its significant greenhouse gas emissions, the United States is a major player in global warming. In
2010, with more than 5,300 million tons per year (decreasing from year to year), they are the second
largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world behind China50. However, efforts are being made to
reduce these emissions at all levels, mainly at the local level. Thus, between 1990 and 2016, CO2
emissions per capita decreased by 21.9%51. With 15.5 tonnes per capita in 2016, the United States is
one of the leading emitters of CO2 behind Canada, Saudi Arabia and the Arab-Persian Gulf emirates51.

Much of the waste produced by the United States is sent abroad.[ref. needed] In 2018, 81% of U.S.
household waste exports were shipped to Asia. As China decides in 2018 to stop imports of plastic waste
in order to no longer be the "trash of the world", the recycling industry in the United States is upset. The
price of waste treatment is increasing considerably and many cities prefer to incinerate their waste,
affecting air quality, or open landfills, a major source of methane emissions52 In 2015, the United States
produced 262 .4 million tonnes of waste, ie 4.5% more than in 2010 and 60% more than in 1985
according to official data53: this is partly explained by the country's demographic and economic growth.
Many large cities apply the environmental recommendations of Agenda 21 and implement ambitious
recycling policies, like San Francisco.

For the year 2019, the day of the overshoot (date of the year, calculated by the NGO Global Footprint
Network, from which humanity is supposed to have consumed all the resources that the planet is able to
regenerate in one year) from the United StatesN 7 is March 15th. The United States is the 2nd country
(after Luxembourg) whose consumption exceeds the capacity of the planet the most54.

The number of beetles in the United States has dropped by 83% since the 1980s55.

Transport

Main article: Transportation in the United States.

By far dominated by cars and planes, transport in the United States is also carried out by train and, in
large cities, by public transport. The country is often seen as the “Car Country”56.

Truck transport

Main articles: List of highways of the United States and Interstate highway.

The American road network comprises 6,334,859 km of roads, including 80,000 km of highways57. The
Interstate highways, also called “federal highways”, are managed by the federal state and financed by a
trust fund (Highway Trust Fund)58, they are the most recent roads in the country.

Part of the road network is managed by the States themselves in the case of national roads (U.S.
Highways or U.S. Routes). These national roads are part of the original network of the United States,
built from the years 192059. Among them is route 66, one of the most legendary in the country, crossing
it from Chicago to Los Angeles60.

Finally, local roads are managed by counties or cities.

Air Transport

With 14,947 airports, the United States is the country with the most airports in the world61. Increasing
for more than 10 years, air traffic represented 229 million passengers in 201762.
The world's largest airport in terms of passenger numbers, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport is a central global hub for air exchange63.

Due to the size of the country, a large portion of interstate travel is by air. It takes about 6 hours to cross
the country from east to west by plane, compared to several days by car or train64.

Rail transport

Main article: Rail transport in the United States.

Rail transport is mainly used for freight transport. 40% of goods travel by train in the country65, due to
the low cost of this type of transport over long distances. The passenger network is very disparate. The
only high-speed lines are located in the Northeast Corridor corridor between Boston and Washington66.
The main operator is Amtrak.

Public transport

Most major US cities have a public transit system. But, with the notable exception of New York City,
public transportation is characterized by low usage. Only 10% of Americans regularly use public
transport (excluding New York)67.

New York City, the most populous in the United States, is an exception. Public transport is very well
developed and heavily used. In particular, the New York subway, comprising 24 lines and operating 24
hours a day, is an integral part of the way of life of New Yorkers68.

The city of Chicago, to a lesser extent, also has a relatively developed public transport network69. In
particular, it is characterized by its aerial metro, forming a loop in the center of the city.

Foreign politic

Main article: Foreign policy of the United States.

The United States is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

The United States wields economic and political influence around the world. They are a permanent
member of the United Nations Security Council and New York City hosts the United Nations
headquarters. Almost every country has an embassy in Washington, D.C. and several consuls across the
country. Similarly, almost every country hosts a US diplomatic mission. In contrast, Iran, North Korea,
Bhutan, Sudan, and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations with the United States.
The United States enjoys a special relationship with the United Kingdom and close ties with Australia,
New Zealand (as part of ANZUS), South Korea, Japan, Israel, and the NATO members. They also work
closely with their neighbors through the Organization of American States and free trade agreements,
such as the trilateral North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. In 2005, the
United States spent $27 billion in official development assistance, most of it worldwide. However, as a
share of gross national income (GNI), the American contribution represents 0.22% and ranks twentieth
among twenty-two donor countries. Non-governmental sources such as private foundations,
corporations, and educational and religious institutions donate a total of $96 billion. The combined total
is $123 billion, the largest in the world and seventh as a percentage of GNI70.

Armed forces

Main article: United States Armed Forces.

The F-22, the world's only operational fifth-generation stealth fighter.

The Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense.

The president holds the title of commander-in-chief of the nation and can as such, according to his sole
opinion, use the atomic bomb. He directs the armed forces and appoints its leaders, the Secretary of
Defense and those of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The United States Department of Defense administers the
armed forces, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. The Coast Guard is run by the
Department of Homeland Security in peacetime and by the Department of the Navy in wartime. In 2005,
the armed forces had 1.38 million personnel on active duty71, in addition to several hundred thousand
in the reserve and the National Guard, for a total of 2.3 million soldiers. The Ministry of Defense also
employs about 700,000 civilians, not counting those in contracted services. Military service is voluntary,
although conscription may occur in wartime through the Selective Service System. American forces can
be deployed quickly by the Air Force thanks to its large fleet of aerial transport and refueling aircraft, the
United States Navy made up of eleven aircraft carriers, and the Marine Expeditionary Units at sea on all
the oceans of the globe. Outside the United States, the armed forces are deployed at 770 bases and
installations on every continent except Antarctica72,73.

Total US military spending in 2013, over $640 billion, accounted for 36% of official global military
spending and was equal to the sum of the other nine largest military budgets combined. Per capita
spending in 2006 was $1,756, about ten times the world average74. At 4.06% of GDP, however, US
military spending is ranked 27th out of 172 nations75. The estimated cost of the Iraq war for the United
States until 2016 is 2,267 billion dollars76. As of October 17, 2008, engaged in two major military
operations, the United States suffered during the Iraq war losses of 4,500 soldiers killed and more than
30,000 wounded77 and 615 killed during the war in Afghanistan since 200178 .

Relations with the United Kingdom since the American Revolution

Main article: Special relationship.

Queen Elizabeth II meets United States President Barack Obama and his wife (2009).
When the United Kingdom recognized the independence of the United States in 1783, formal diplomatic
relations were quickly established as early as 1785. From this period until today, the United States has
no ally closer than the United Kingdom and British foreign policy emphasizes close coordination with the
United States. Reflected by the common language, democratic ideals and practices of the two nations,
bilateral cooperation is established between the two states. The United States and the United Kingdom
consult continuously on foreign policy and global issues. Finally, the two states share the main
objectives of foreign and security policy79.

Economy

Main articles: Economy of the United States and List of companies of the United States.

General situation

The United States became the world's leading economic power in the 1870s. In 2014, the GDP was
17,416 billion dollars, or about a fifth of the world's GDP.

The United States is the world's leading economic power, according to nominal GDP, ahead of China81,
but the second after China since 2014, according to the latest World Bank estimates, for GDP at
purchasing power parity (PPP )82. In 2017, the American GDP was also higher than that of the European
Union83. The country ranks eighth in the world for GDP per capita and fourth in purchasing power
parity10. The United States has a mixed economy in which the public sector in 2007 represented 12.4%
of GDP84. The unemployment rate is relatively low, usually between 3 and 5% of the labor force.
However, the 2008 economic crisis led to a rise in unemployment so that this rate reached 6.5% in
November 2008 (according to the ILO)85, and reached 9.9% in April 201086. The American GDP has
increased by 32% between 2000 and 2008, while the federal state budget rose during the same period
from 1,798 to 2,931 billion dollars, an increase of almost 40%87.

Graphic representation of US exports in 28 color categories

The most dynamic sectors are chemicals, IT, aerospace, health, biotechnologies and the armament
industries, even if the lead has diminished since the end of the Second World War. The main strong
point of this post-industrial economy remains the tertiary sector (supermarkets, financial and banking
services, insurance, film production, tourism, etc.), which contributes 75% of GDP.

The United States is the largest importer of goods and the third largest exporter behind China and
Germany. Canada, China, Mexico, Japan and Germany are the main trading partners88. The US trade
balance is in deficit, especially with China. Electrical equipment is the main export; the country imports
many motor vehicles89. The New York stock exchanges (New York Stock Exchange) are the first in the
world.

Wall Street, in New York, symbolic place of the American economy.

In 2016, the American public debt was the highest in the world with more than 19,000 billion dollars,
ahead of the European Union90. In 2015, the United States ranked 38th out of 179 countries for debt to
GDP91.