• federal republic of 50 states• area: 9 400 000 sq. km

• population: 312 million •capital:Washington, D. C. (3,92 mil.)• biggest city: New York (18,09 mil.)• official language: English• currency : american dollar

• fourth largest country in the world (31 times size of Italy)

• 4 time zones in coterminous states (48 states)

• lies on the North American continent• borders Mexico in the south, the Atlantic ocean in

the east, Canada in the north and the Pacific ocean in the west

• variety of physical features and climate

Highest peak: Mount Mc Kinley (Alaska) – 6194 mLowest point: Death Valley (California) – 89 m below

sea level

• from Maine to Texas• very flat, often swampy• nowhere in Florida is more that 350 m above sea level

• in general soil is very poor, except in the fertile southern part

• chain of low mountains• from the northern part of Maine into Alabama• enormous quantities of coal and iron• concentration of heavy industry (Great lakes)

• the heart of USA

• from central Canada southwards to Mexico• from Appalachian Mountains westwards to Cordillera

• very good soil

• accounts for 1/3 of USA• region of tremendous varietyeast:• the Rocky Mountains (from Alaska to Mexico)• important metals: lead, uranium, goldwest:• the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades, the Coastal Ranges• high mountains among which there are fertile

valleys

Eastern part•Missouri (3942 km)•Mississippi (3760 km)•Ohio•Tennesse

Western part

•RioGrande•Colorado•Columbia

• almost every type of climate• from arctic in Alaska to subtropical in Florida

The American Constitution is based on thedoctrine of the separation of powers between:1. executive2. legislative3. judiciaryGovernment institutions: • The Presidency• Congress• The Courtshave specific and limited powers (cannot be abused)

Executive BranchPresident

May check the Judicial Branch by•Granting pardons to those who are convicted of federal crimes

May check Congress by•Vetoing bills passed by Congress•Sending messages to congress

Legislative BranchCongress

May check the President by•Impeaching the President

•Overridind a veto•Approving or failing to approve

treatiesMay check the Judicial Branch by

•Impeaching judges•Changing the number of justices

on the Supreme Court

The Judicial BranchSupreme Court

May check the President by•Interpreting laws and treaties•Ruling that laws and executive

acts are unconstitutional

May check Congress by•Interpreting laws and treaties

•Declaring laws unconstitutional

The American flag consists of two parts – onesmaller blue oblong with 50 white starssymbolising 50 American states and one largeroblong consisting of six white and seven redstripes symbolising the original 13 states whichused to be the British colonies. The flag issometimes called “Old Glory” or “Stars andstripes”.

Niagara falls

Alcatraz prison

Golden Gate Bridge

White House - front

White House - back

Capitol