The USA

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). It occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometers. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a sea – boarder with Russia. The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia, a special federal area where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is more than 270 million. If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley which is located in Alaska.

America’s largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia. The great Lakes on the border with Canada are largest and deepest in the USA.

The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part is continental. The south has a subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.

The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It’s the world’s leading producer of copper and oil and the world’s second producer of iron ore and coal. Among the most important manufacturing industries are aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, armaments, furniture and paper.

Though mainly European and African in origin, Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations including Chinese and native Americans.

The largest cities are: New York, Las Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San – Francisco, Washington and others.The United States is a federal union of 50 states; each of which has its own government. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, DC. According to the US Constitution the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive, headed by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress, and the judicial. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic, though there’s hardly any difference between their political lines.

To occupy	Занимать	Орын алу
To stretch	Тянуться	Созылу
To border	Граничить с…	Шекараласу
Lowlands	Долина	Дала
Typhoon	Тайфун	қүйын
Coast	Побережье	Жаға-жай
Copper	Медь	Шойын
Oil	Нефть	Мұнай
Iron ore	Железная руда	Темір руда
Coal	Каменный уголь	Көмір
Manufacturing	Промышленный	өндірістік
Armament	Вооружение	қару
Origin	Происхождение	тек
Branch	Ветвь	бұтақ
The legislative	Законодательная власть	Заң үкіметі
The judicial	Судебная власть	Сот үкіметі

Questions:

1. Where is the USA situated?

2. What’s the total area of the country?

3. What countries does the USA border on?

4. How many states does the USA consist of?

5. What is the capital of the country?

6. Can you name any other cities in the USA?

7. What is the population if the United States?
8. What mountains in the USA do you know?

9. What are the largest rivers?

10. What can you say about the climate of the country?

11. What does the USA produce?

12.According to the US Constitution the powers of the government are divided

Into 3 branches. What are they?

13.How many chambers does the Congress of the USA consist?

14.What are the main political parties in the USA?

15.Who is the US President now?