USA Statistics

The United States is made up of many diverse ethnic groups and the culture varies greatly across the vast area of the country and even within cities – a city like New York will have dozens, if not hundreds, of different ethnicity represented within a neighborhood. Despite this difference, there exists a strong sense of national identity and certain predominant cultural traits. Generally, Americans tend to believe strongly in personal responsibility and that an individual determines his or her own success or failure, but it is important to note that there are many exceptions and that a nation as diverse as the United States has literally thousands of distinct cultural traditions. One will find Mississippi in the South to be very different culturally than Massachusetts in the North.

While many types of food are unchanged throughout the United States, there are a few distinct regional varieties of food. The most notable is in “the South” (actually the southeast), where traditional local fare includes grits (ground maize/corn porridge), collard greens (a boiled vegetable, often flavoured with ham and a dash of vinegar), sweet tea (tea mixed with sugar and served with plenty of ice), barbeque(not unique to this region, but best and most common here), catfish(served deep-fried with a breadcrumb coating), cornbread, okra, and gumbo(a stew of seafood or sausage, rice, okra, and sometimes tomatoes).

Barbeque, BBQ, or barbecue is a delicious American specialty. At its best, it’s beef brisket, ribs, or pork shoulder wood smoked slowly for hours. The brisket and ribs are usually sliced thin, and the pork shoulder can be shredded into a dish known as pulled pork. Sauce of varying spiciness may be served on the dish, or provided on the side. Various parts of the US have unique styles of barbeque. Generally, the best barbeque is found in the southeast, with the most distinct styles coming from Kansas City, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. However, barbeque of some variety is generally available throughout the country. Barbeque restaurants differ from many other restaurants in that the best food is often served at very casual establishments. A typical barbeque restaurant may have plastic dinnerware, picnic tables, and serve sandwiches on cheap white bread. Barbeque found on the menu at a fancy chain or non-specialty restaurant is likely to be less authentic.

With a rich tradition of immigration, America has a wide variety of ethnic foods; everything from Ethiopian cuisine to Laotian food is available in major cities with large immigrant populations.

Chinese food is widely available and adjusted to American tastes. Authentic Chinese food can be found in restaurants in Chinatowns in addition to communities with large Chinese populations. Japanese sushi, Vietnamese, and Thai food have also been adapted for the American market in recent years. Fusion cuisine combines Asian ingredients and techniques with more traditional American presentation. Indian food outlets are available in most major US cities and towns.

Mexican/Hispanic food is very popular, but again in a localized version. Combining in various ways beans, rice, cheese, and spiced beef or chicken with round flatbread loaves called tortillas, dishes are usually topped with spicy salsa, sour cream, and an avocado mix called guacamole. Small authentic Mexican taquerias can be found easily in the Southwest, and increasingly in cities throughout the country.

Middle Eastern and Greek foods are also becoming popular in the United States. The “gyro” (known as “Doner Kebab” or “Schwarma” in Europe) is a popular Greek sandwich of sliced, processed lamb on a pita bread topped with lettuce, tomatoes and a yogurt-cucumber sauce. “Hummus” (a ground chickpea dip/sauce) and “baklava” pastries are frequently found in supermarkets.

Vegetarian food is easy to come by in big urban areas. As vegetarianism is becoming more common in the US, so are the restaurants that cater to them. Most big cities and college towns will have vegetarian restaurants serving exclusively or primarily vegetarian dishes. In smaller towns you may need to check the menu at several restaurants before finding a vegetarian main course, or else make up a meal out of side dishes. Wait staff can be helpful answering questions about meat content, but be very clear about your personal definition of vegetarian, as dishes with fish, chicken or even small quantities of beef or pork flavouring may be considered vegetarian. This is especially common with vegetable side dishes in the southeast. Meat-free breakfast foods such as pancakes or eggs are readily available at diners.

People on low-fat or low-calorie diets should be fairly well-served in the U.S., as there has been a continuing trend in calorie consciousness since the 1970s. Even fast-food restaurants have “lite” specials, and can provide charts of calorie and fat counts on request.

For the cyclist or those on very restricted budgets, American supermarkets offer an almost infinite variety of pre-packaged/pre-processed foods that are either ready or almost ready for consumption, e.g. breakfast cereal, ramen noodles, canned soups, etc.

It is true that for an industrialized nation, the U.S. has a fairly high violent crime rate; however, most crime is concentrated in inner city neighborhoods. Few visitors to the U.S. experience any sort of crime. Much crime is gang- or drug-related or the result of family / personal disputes, and it usually occurs in areas that are of little interest to visitors. You can all but ensure that you won’t experience crime by taking common-sense precautions and staying alert to your surroundings.

Most American urban areas have homeless people. In some areas aggressive panhandling is a concern. If you feel you are being harassed, say NO firmly and walk away.

Security has increased along the United States–Mexico border due to increased illegal immigration and drug crime. Only cross the country’s borders at official crossings.

One traveling with laptops or portable devices should have no problem connecting to many wireless networks available in coffeeshops. Cellular companies operate nationwide and allow access to the internet for an extra fee.

Charging your components is the same as in the Canada, operating at 110volts using the same plug as Canada and Japan.

The overall climate is temperate, with notable exceptions. Alaska has Arctic tundra, while Hawaii and South Florida are tropical. The Great Plains are dry, flat and grassy, turning into arid desert in the far West and Mediterranean along the California coast.

In the winter, the northern and mid-western major cities can see as much as 2 feet (61 cm) of snowfall in one day, with cold temperatures. Summers are humid, but mild. Temperatures over 100°F (38°C) sometimes invade the Midwest and Great Plains. Some areas in the northern plains can experience cold temperatures of -30°F (-34°C) during the winter. Temperatures below 0°F (-18°C) sometimes reach as far south as Oklahoma.

The climate of the South also varies. In the summer, it is hot and humid, but from October through April the weather can range from 60°F (15°C) to short cold spells of 20°F (-7°C) or so.

The Great Plains & Midwestern states also experience tornadoes from the late spring to early fall, earlier in the south and later in the north. States along the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico, may experience hurricanes between June and November. These intense and dangerous storms frequently miss the the U.S. mainland, but evacuations are often ordered and should be heeded.

The Rockies are cold and snowy. Some parts of the Rockies see over 500 inches (1,200 cm) of snow in a season. Even during the summer, temperatures are cool in the mountains, and snow can fall nearly year-round. It is dangerous to go up in the mountains unprepared in the winter and the roads through them can get very icy.

The deserts of the Southwest are hot and dry during the summer, with temperatures often exceeding 100°F (38°C). Thunderstorms can be expected in the southwest frequently from July through September. Winters are mild, and snow is unusual. Average annual precipitation is low, usually less than 10 inches (25 cm).

Cool and damp weather is common in the northwest (the states of Oregon, Washington and the northern part of California). Rain is most frequent in winter, snow is rare, especially along the coast and extreme temperatures are uncommon. Rain falls almost exclusively from late fall through early spring along the coast.

Northeastern and cities of the Upper South are known for summers with temperatures reaching into the 90′s (32 C) or more, with extremely high humidity, usually over 80%. This can be a drastic change from the Southwest. High humidity means that the temperature can feel hotter than actual readings. The Northeast also experiences snow, and at least once every few years there will be a dumping of the white stuff in enormous numbers.

Citizens of the 36 countries within the Visa Waiver Program, as well as Canadians, Mexicans living on the border (holding a Border Crossing Card), and Bermudians (with British Overseas Territories passports) do not require advance visas for entry into the United States. In the case of Canadians and Bermudians, the entry period is normally for a maximum of six months. However, since 2009, travelers entering the U.S. through the Visa Waiver program must now apply for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval online [4] before their flight, preferably 72 hours before travel. An ESTA approval is valid for two years (or until your passport expires) and costs US$ 14 . Approvals issued before September 8, 2010 (i.e. those which were free at the time) remain valid until their expiry date.

Travel under the Visa Waiver Program is limited to 90 days for tourism or business purposes only; neither employment nor journalism is permitted with a Visa Waiver. The 90-day limit may not be extended nor will travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean reset the 90-day limit. A criminal record (excluding traffic violations, offenses committed as a minor, and some relatively minor charges such as disorderly conduct) will generally make a potential traveler ineligible for visa-free travel. Contact your nearest U.S. embassy to find out if you need to apply for a visa or not.

As of 5 April 2010, the countries under the Visa Waiver Program are Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau may enter, reside, study, and work in the US indefinitely with only a valid passport.

Citizens of the Bahamas may apply for visa-free entry only at the US Customs preclearance facilities in the Bahamas, but a valid police certificate may be required for those over the age of 14. Attempting to enter through any other port of entry requires a valid visa.

Persons holding a passport from the Cayman Islands, if they intend to travel directly to the US from the Cayman Islands, may obtain a single-entry visa waiver for about $25 prior to departure.