Capital:
Washington, DC
Administrative divisions:
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,
Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Dependent areas:
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. It entered into a
political relationship with all four political units: the Northern
Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US
(effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free
Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated
States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the
US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands
signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21
October 1986)
Independence:
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution:
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Legal system:
federal court system based on English common law; each state has
its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana's) is
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of
popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY
(Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are
renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by
popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2006)