United States Travel Guide

Full Name

United States of America

Former Name

Capital City

Washington, DC

Government Type

Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Area Size

9,630,000 sq km 3,718,143 sq miles

Time Zone

GMT/UTC -5 (Eastern) GMT/UTC -6 (Central) GMT/UTC -7 (Mountain) GMT/UTC -8 (Pacific Standard)

Climate

Mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Geography

World's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

Languages

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Culture

The culture of the United States began as the culture of its first English colonists. The culture quickly evolved as an independent frontier culture supplemented by indigenous and Spanish–Mexican cowboy culture and by the cultures of subsequent waves of immigrants, first from Europe and Africa and later from Asia. Overall, significant cultural influences came from Europe, especially from the German, English and Irish cultures and later from Italian, Greek and Ashkenazi cultures. Descendants of enslaved West Africans preserved some cultural traditions from West Africa in the early United States. Geographical place names largely reflect the combined English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Native American components of U.S. American history. Some have described the United States as a melting pot in which immigrants eventually assimilate into a unified American culture that incorporates contributions from immigrant cultures. A more recently proposed model is that of the salad bowl, in which immigrant cultures retain some of the unique characteristics of their culture without merging into a completely unified American culture. Modern American sociologists tend to view pluralism, rather than assimilation, as the way for American society to achieve ethnic and racial harmony and state that the workings of pluralism are visible within modern American society, disregarding the idea of the melting pot. An important component of American culture is the American Dream: the idea that, through hard work, courage, and self-determination, regardless of social class, a person can gain a better life.

History

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Travel Information

The principal US airlines operating international services are: American Airlines (AA), Continental Airlines, Delta Air, Northwest Airlines and United Airlines. The busiest airports in the USA include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Chicago O'Hare International (ORD), Los Angeles International (LAX), Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), and Las Vegas McCarran International (LAS). Main ports: Port of Anchorage, Honolulu, Port of New Orleans, New York, and Tampa Port Authority. Numerous cruise lines sail from ports worldwide to both the east and west coasts. The US and Mexican rail networks connect at Yuma, El Paso and Del Rio, with limited scheduled passenger services. There are several connections with the Canadian network, including New York–Montréal, Chicago–Toronto and Seattle–Vancouver services. There are many crossing points from Canada to the USA. The major road routes are: New York to Montréal/ Ottawa, Detroit to Toronto/Hamilton, Minneapolis to Winnipeg and Seattle to Vancouver/Edmonton/Calgary. There are road links to Mexican destinations from El Paso, San Diego, Tucson and San Antonio. Greyhound offers services to many destinations in Canada and some destinations in Mexico.

Accommodation

There are many good traditional hotels. However, the majority are modern and part of national and international chains, often with standard prices. Motels are hotels situated along main roads, away from the city centre and towns. In general, the quality of accommodation is high, with facilities such as televisions and telephones in each room. Hotels expect payment in advance and reservations are held until around 1800, unless a late arrival is requested.

Visa Requirements

Visas not required by nationals of the EU, Australia and Canada except the following: nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa. Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. Nationals of countries not referred to above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time. Apply to Embassy or consulate. Valid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to above; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy. For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program, passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry. All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa. Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced as early as 1 January 2008.

Getting Around

Strong competition between airlines has resulted in a wide difference between fares. There are extensive water communications both along the coastline and along the great rivers and lakes. Nearly all the long-distance trains are operated by Amtrak, which serves more than 500 communities in 45 states over a 35,000km route system. Even so, rail is not considered the best way to travel within the USA, as trains can be slow and infrequent, as well as expensive. Driving is a marvellous way to see the USA, although the distances between cities can be enormous. Driving conditions are excellent and the road system reaches every town. Traffic drives on the right. Greyhound is the main national coach carrier and covers the whole of the USA. There are express bus services between major cities. Unlimited stopovers are allowed for unrestricted fares. Major international car hire companies have offices at all gateway airports and in most cities. The hire of self-drive campers or motorhomes, which are called ‘recreational vehicles’ or RVs in the USA, is easy and provides a good means of getting around. There are numerous underground train systems in operation in major cities including New York (subway), Washington, DC (metro), Boston (‘T’), Chicago (train) and San Francisco (BART – Bay Area Rapid Transit). There are also several tramway and trolleybus systems, including the much-loved antique trams found in San Francisco.

Health & Safety

There are no specific health risks associated with travel within the USA. Medical facilities are excellent, but expensive. Only emergencies are treated without prior payment and treatment can be refused without evidence of insurance or proof of funds. Good medical insurance is essential. Travel within the United States is generally trouble-free, however travellers should be aware that the US shares with the rest of the world an increased threat from terrorist incidents. Restrictions on hand luggage apply and travellers are advised to check on the latest situation with airlines in advance. Travellers should also be alert to the dangers of car and street crime in cities and should use common sense and take basic precautions. Forecasting teams in the USA have predicted an increase in hurricane activity in the Atlantic for 2007, between June and November, putting the southern USA, including the Gulf Coast and the eastern US, at higher risk than usual.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 15 Jan - Martin Luther King Day. 19 Feb - Presidents’ Day. 28 May - Memorial Day. 4 Jul - Independence Day. 3 Sep - Labor Day. 8 Oct - Columbus Day. 12 Nov - Veterans' Day. 22 Nov - Thanksgiving Day. 25 Dec - Christmas Day.

Currency

U.S. Dollar (USD)

Electricity

110V 60HzHz

Working Hours

General business hours are usually 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Most stores are open between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with department stores at malls open until 9:00 p.m. Restaurants are generally open until midnight, but call ahead to confirm their hours. Bars and pubs are open until 2:00 a.m.

Emergency Numbers

Ambulance: 911, Fire: 911, Police: 911