Government type:
Federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Administrative divisions:
50 states
Alabama, Alaska,
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, 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
1 district
District of Columbia
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)
Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Legal system: 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: 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.
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).
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for
life by the president with confirmation by the Senate); United States
Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party,
Green Party, Republican Party
