UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Conventional long form: United States of America

Conventional short form: United States

Abbreviation: US or USA

Population: 313,232,044 (2011 estimate)

Median age: 36.9 years

Age structure: (2011 estimates)
0–14 years: 20.1%
15–64 years: 66.8%
65 years and over: 13.1%

GDP per capita (PPP): $47,400 (2010 estimate)

Suffrage: 18 years old; universal

Legal drinking age: Varies by state, but the federal government mandates that 21 years of age is the minimum age to purchase or publicly possess alcohol

Cultural Note

The United States of America breaks records—from scientific and technological discoveries to bailouts of entire industries. It is a country of superlatives, and virtually every multinational corporation in the world does business there.