USA - Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες Αμερικής

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The United States of America is a great country in North America, often referred to as "the United States", "the United States", "the United States of America", "the States", or simply "America". It is home to the third largest population in the world, with over 318 million people, including both densely populated cities with extensive suburbs and vast, uninhabited natural areas.

Representing the world's largest national economy with a history of mass migration dating back to the 17th century, it is a "melting pot" of cultures from around the world and plays a dominant role in the global cultural landscape. It is famous for a wide range of popular tourist destinations, ranging from its skyscrapers. Manhattan and Chicago with its natural wonders Yellowstone and her Alaska, on its warm, sunny beaches Φλώρντας and her Hawaii and its deserts Arizona.

At a glance

Geography

The United States or the "Lower 48" (the 48 states except Alaska and Hawaii) is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, with much of the population living on both shores. Its land borders are shared with him Canada to the north and with Mexico to the south. The US also shares a maritime border with Russia, the Cuba and Bahamas. If we measure the island areas and the small remote islands, the United Kingdom, the Samoa and the Haiti they also share maritime borders.

The country has three large mountain ranges. The Appalachian Mountains extend from Canada to its state Alabama, a few hundred miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the oldest of the three mountain ranges and is covered by a variety of flora and fauna, a dense canopy of dense vegetation. They offer spectacular sights and great camping spots. The fortified areas of the rocks in the south west and the limestone rocks and mountains of the south give beauty to the area, with rich vegetation that covers the surfaces of the rocks that reach the borders of the rivers and the fog that surrounds the beautiful green mountains and gorges. The Rocky Mountains is, on average, the tallest in North America, extending from English Colombia of Canada until the New Mexico, with many areas being protected as national parks. They offer hiking, camping, skiing, sightseeing opportunities, as well as deserts and subtropical getaways in the southern lowlands of the area. The combined series Sierra Nevada and Cascade are the youngest. Sierras extends across its "backbone" California, with sites like Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park. the Sierras transition to their northern tip in the even newer Cascade volcanic series, with some of the highest points in the country.

The Large Lakes define a large part of the border between the eastern United States and Canada. Inland seas from the lakes were formed by the pressure of glaciers receding north at the end of the last Ice Age. The five lakes stretch for hundreds of miles, bordering its states Minnesota, του Wisconsin, του Illinois, της Indiana, του Michigan, του Ohio, της Pennsylvania and her New York and their coasts range from pristine wildlife to industrial cities. They are the second largest freshwater bodies in the world, after the polar ice caps.

The western parts of the United States are rugged and contain dry landscapes, filled with dune sandy dunes such as New Mexico's White Sands. In California, Death Valley is the lowest point on the mainland (85 meters below sea level) and is one of the hottest places on earth. Natural areas include vast desert areas untouched by humans. Camping and hiking through the enchanting landscapes of the Southwest is a great vacation draw for many Americans.

The US contains every ecosystem on earth. Such as tropical jungles, subtropical and temperate savannas, deserts, Mediterranean coasts, snow-capped mountains, coniferous forests, Attic subtropical rivers and much more.

Time Zones in the USA

The United States has a total of six time zones.

Eastern time zone

• EST UTC-5: 00
• EDT UTC-4: 00

States Eastern United States onlyConnecticutDelawareAgricultureMainMarylandMassachusettsNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioPennsylvania RhodesNorth CarolinaVermontVi

Eastern and Central States: FloridaTennesseeIndianaMichiganKentaki

Central time zone

• CST UTC-6: 00
• CDT UTC-5: 00

States Observing Only Central TimeAlabamaArkansasIllinoisLouisianaMin Minnesota MississippiMissouriWisconsin

Central and Mountain Time WatchKansasNepraskaNorth DakotaSouth DakotaOklahomaTexas

Mountain time zone

• MST UTC-7: 00
• MDT UTC - 6:00 p.m.

States that observe only mountain time

Colorado MontanaNew Mexico UtahWyoming

States that observe the time of the mountains and the time of the Pacific

Arizona * Arizona is in the mountain time zone, however, during the summer, this situation observes ocean time. All other times will observe Mount IdahoNevadaOregon Time

Pacific Time Zone

• PST UTC-8: 00
• PDT UTC-7: 00

States of the Time of the PacificCaliforniaWash of Washington

Alaska time zone

• AKST UTC-9: 00
• AKDT UTC-8: 00

Alaska - Part of Alaska observes Pacific time

Hawaii time zone

• HST UTC-10: 00
• HDT UTC-9: 00

Hawaii

Climate

The climate of the continental United States varies considerably across the country due to differences in latitude and different geographical features.

The southern and south-central parts of the country contain a variety of humid subtropical climates, for which the northernmost tip lies around the Ohio River and its environs. This part of the United States has long, hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters on average. The entire eastern half of the United States often shrinks in very hot weather during the summer with high humidity. In the southern regions of the southern states, there are various tropical-transitional climates, with Florida and southern Texas hosting a variety of tropical climates. The Midwest region hosts a variety of climates, from humid subtropical in the southern regions to a warm temperate regime in the central parts and a humid continental regime in the northernmost regions of the region. The whole area is sensitive to extensive amounts of very hot and humid weather and in most northern Midwest areas often subside to bitterly low winter temperatures.

The plains range from subtropical liquid in the Kansas and Oklahoma mines, to temperate temperatures in most of Nebraska and parts of South Dakota, to a fairly harsh wet continental climate in parts of South Dakota and much of North Dakota. All borders semi-arid and near desert deserts that often get very hot and alternate between dry and wet for much of the year

The west is largely very warm, especially with mild winters, until you reach the northern highlands, where, mainly due to the elevation, there are various colder plateaus. Most of the area consists of extremely hot or warm and dry climates, with very mild to cool winters. This is an extremely rugged mountainous area. The west coast includes a variety of warm Mediterranean climates, as well as cooler subtypes of this climate, as well as an oceanic marine climate in the northwestern regions. The west coast also contains a variety of subtropical and tropical transitional climates. Parts of it Arizona and New Mexico have a muse season that runs from June to September. Frequent training storms often occur in this area during the summer, which can lead to floods. Dust storms can also occur, caused by damage from a catastrophic storm.

Florida contains a variety of tropical climates, with frequent thunderstorms and very high humidity. The climate approaches the humid subtropical regime of the rest of the United States, the northern part of the state you are traveling to. The humid subtropical climate regime is the dominant climate regime in the United States.

The Great Plains are famous for the season of the tornado, which lasts from March to June. These harsh weather conditions can also cause a lot of hail, catastrophic winds and floods. The intense weather in the Great Plains is often predicted by days before meteorologists and is reported by local news stations through television and social media.

Hawaii has a varied tropical climate.

Central and northern Alaska is characterized by sub-arctic and arctic climates with short mild summers and very cold winters.

Minimal climate change in the continental United States occurs during the summer, when much of the nation is warm to hot, with an average altitude of 80/90 F (27-32 ° C), often reaching 37 ° C for many days at a time in many parts of the country. The desert valleys in the western United States often see the highest temperatures in the nation, along with many days and sometimes weeks of very dry weather. San Francisco and Coastal Washington have the hottest summers in the western United States except in the alpine areas of eastern California and Colorado. The greatest difference in climate from region to region occurs during the winter season, which is mainly December to February, when temperatures range from below 0 degrees (-18 ° C) in the Northern Great Plains, to a very milder 75 C) in the southern regions of the country. Large sections below freezing temperatures are common throughout the winter throughout the northern Midwest and north northeast, becoming milder as you travel south, so travelers should be prepared to dress appropriately: American weather can be violent. and unpredictable.

Culture

The United States is made up of many different ethnic groups, and its culture varies greatly across the country and even in cities - a city like New York will have dozens, if not hundreds, of different ethnicities represented in a neighborhood. Despite this difference, there is a strong sense of national identity and some dominant cultural characteristics. In general, Americans tend to strongly believe in personal responsibility and that an individual determines their success or failure, but it is important to note that there are many exceptions and that a nation so different from the United States has literally thousands of different cultural traditions. One would find South Carolina in the South to be culturally different from New Hampshire in New England.

Holidays

• 'New Year' (January 1) - Most non-retail businesses are closed.
• 'Martin Luther King Day' (third Monday in January) - many government offices and banks are closed. speeches, especially on African-American history and culture.
• 'Chinese New Year' (January / February - varies according to the Chinese lunar calendar) - Chinese cultural festival. Airline flights within the US may be reasonable at this time of year, but if you plan to fly from the US to China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and anywhere in this part of the world, places can be limited and fares higher,.
• 'The Super Bowl' is the annual championship of the NFL and the most sporting event of the year. supermarkets, bars, restaurants and online stores are very busy. big football parties watching everywhere. Those with the extra money to burn DO travel to the host city where the Super Bowl takes place to watch the game live. This makes city travel even more intense, with limited availability of airline seats, hotel rooms, rental cars and car parks at much higher than usual prices. The host city varies annually, so plan accordingly if you plan to be in the host city at Super Bowl Sunday.
• 'Valentine's Day' (February 14) - a private celebration of romance and love. Most restaurants are full. The best restaurants may require bookings well in advance.
• 'Presidents' Day' (Tuesday, February 2, officially "Washington Birthday") - many government offices and banks are closed. Many stores have sales.
• 'St. Patrick's Day' (March 17) - Parades and parties on the theme of Ireland. The bars should be full. They will often have characteristic thematic properties of drinks. The use of green or green accessories is common.
• 'Easter' (a Sunday in March or April) - Christian religious tradition. Depending on the location, many restaurants, including the franchised stores of major national chains, may close. Large retailers generally open. Smaller stores may or may not close.
• 'Cinco de Mayo' (May 5) - Holidays in much of Mexico are often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which is actually September 16, but nonetheless a major cultural holiday for Mexican-Americans. As with St. Patrick's Day, the bars should be full, often with special drink events.
• 'Memorial Day' (last Monday in May) - most non-retail businesses are closed. They make some patriotic traditions, trips to the beaches and parks.It is the beginning of the summer tourist season which means that the summer prices of the rooms and the air ticket in some areas are increasing.
• 'Independence Day / Wednesday July' (July 4) - Most non-retail businesses are closed, airports and highways are crowded. They do patriotic parades and concerts, excursions to beaches and parks and fireworks at dusk.
• 'Working day' (first Monday in September) - most non-retail businesses are closed. They also make excursions to beaches and parks. many stores have sales. It's the last day of the traditional summer tourist season which means it's the best time to plan trips to or within the US to many places.
• 'Rosh Hashanah' and 'Yom Kippur' (varies according to the Jewish calendar, September or early October) - Jewish religious traditions.
• 'Columbus Day' (second Monday in October) - many government offices and banks are closed. Some stores have sales. Columbus Day can be controversial, especially among Native Americans, and is not as widely observed as it once was.
• 'Halloween' (October 31) - trick-or-treating, parades, and costume parties.
• 'Veterans Day' (November 11) - Government offices and banks are closed. They make some patriotic deliveries.
• 'Thanksgiving' (fourth Thursday in November, date varies annually) - almost all businesses are closed, including grocery stores and many restaurants make family dinners. Airports and highways are very crowded in the days before and after Thanksgiving, but they are often "empty" on Thanksgiving. The next day, known as "Black Friday", the traditional Christmas shopping begins. If you plan to fly in the US during Thanksgiving holiday week and weekend, airfare is higher than normal.
• 'Hanukkah / Chanukah' (varies according to the Jewish calendar, usually eight days in December) - Jewish religious observance, often culturally associated with Christmas.
• 'Christmas Eve' (December 24) the night or the day before Christmas Day, the mythical character Santa Claus comes that night to deliver gifts.
• Christmas (December 25) Almost all businesses, grocery stores and many restaurants are closed the night before and all day. Airports and highways are full. Families and close friends exchange gifts. They make Christian religious traditions. If you are planning to fly within the US and internationally around the Christmas holidays and the week between Christmas and the New Year plan, depending on what airline tickets are higher than normal. flying on Christmas day can be cheap compared to other days.

• 'Kwanzaa' (December 26-January 1) - African American cultural observation.
• 'New Years Eve' (December 31) - Many restaurants and bars open late, with lots of parties especially in the big cities.

Areas

Politically, the US is a federation states, each with its own rights and powers (hence the name). The US also manages a rich collection non-state territories around the world, the largest of which is Puerto Rico (which has the special status of "community") and Virgin Islands of the USA in Caribbean plus American Samoa, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands (also has a special "community" status) in Oceania, along with many more.

Important cities

The United States has over 10,000 cities, towns and villages. The following is a list of just ten of the most remarkable.

• Atlanta - The house in the busiest airport in the world, hosted the 1996 Olympic Games
• Boston - known for his colonial history, his passion for sports and his university students
• Chicago - the third largest city in the country (although still known as the "second city"), the heart of the Midwest and the nation's transport hub, with massive skyscrapers and other architectural gems
• Las Vegas - a gambling city in the Nevada desert, home to more than half of the world's 20 largest hotels. Popular for casinos, events and extravagant nightlife
• Los Angeles The second largest city in the country, the home of the film industry, musicians, artists and surfers, with beautiful mild weather, wonderful natural beauty from the mountains to the beaches and endless hiking trails, and mountain chaparral
• Miami - attracts sun-looking north and home to a rich, vibrant, Latin influenced, Caribbean culture
• New Orleans - "The Big Easy" is the birthplace of Jazz, and is known for its picturesque French Quarter and the annual Mardi Gras celebration
• New York - the largest city in the country, home to the financial services and media industries, with world-class cuisine, art, architecture and shopping
• San Francisco City by the Bay, owned by Golden Gate Bridge, vibrant urban neighborhoods and dramatic fog
• Washington, D.C. - the current national capital, full of important museums and monuments, together with multicultural communities

Additional tourist destinations

Here are some of the biggest and most famous destinations outside of the big cities:

• Denali National Park - a remote national park with the highest peak in North America
• Grand Canyon - the longest and most visited gorge in the world
• Mesa Verde National Park - well maintained Pueblo cliff homes
• Rasmore Mountain - the iconic monument to four former presidents carved into a rock
• The Niagara Falls - massive waterfalls crossing the border with Canada
• Great Park of the Great Smoky Mountains - National Park in southern Appalachia
• Walt Disney World - the most popular holiday resort destination in the world
• Yellowstone National Park - the first national park in the USA and the home of the old faithful geyser

How to get there

By air

Most visitors from outside Canada and Mexico arrive in the United States by plane. While many medium-sized land cities have an international airport, there are limited flights to most of them. Most travelers enter the US at one of the most important coastal entry points:

• From the east: The capital of New York, Newark NJ, Philadelphia, της Atlanta, της Boston, της Washington, Orlando and Miami points from Europe and other transatlantic departure points. All major East Coast airports are served by some major European cities. Other cities, such as Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, while not in the east, also have several flights from major European cities flying over northern Greenland and Hudson Bay or the Arctic Ocean. US Immigration and Customs Services can be completed before boarding at airports Shannon and Dublin in Ireland.

• From the west: the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Honolulu are the main entry points from Asia and other transparency points. with the Chicago, the Houston, the Dallas, the Detroit, the Atlanta, τη Boston and Washington, having some international flight options. Of course, if you arrive in Honolulu, you must take another flight to reach the mainland. Foreign airlines are not allowed to carry passengers to / from Hawaii or Alaska and the other 48 states (excluding refueling and transit). They can allow a stopover in Hawaii for free or at an additional cost for passengers traveling from the United States. If you fly to the West Coast to get to another destination, San Francisco International Airport has free regular SkyTrain terminals and relatively small safety lines, compared to Los Angeles where you will be exposed to the grip of a bus or on foot. between terminals and should be placed with huge safety lines. Qantas serves Dallas / Fort Worth non-stop from Sydney, in addition to their daily service in Los Angeles from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and San Francisco from Sydney Air New Zealand also serves A Houston from and Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

• From the north: Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis have many flights from major Asian and Canadian cities. Most major U.S. airports receive non-scheduled flights from most major Canadian cities, while others closer to the Canadian border also have direct services from various companies to / from the nearest Canadian city north of the border (such as Vancouver-Seattle, Toronto-Buffalo, Detroit -Windsor, etc.). At most major Canadian airports, immigration and / or formalities in the UK are completed and approved by PRIOR to board an American flight to the United States, where they arrive in the United States as a "domestic" flight.

• From the south: Miami, Atlanta, Houston and Dallas are the main entry points from Latin America, mainly South and Central America and the Caribbean. Also the Los Angeles, the Chicago, the New York, the Washington, and Charlotte are important international destinations. Most major US airports receive non-scheduled flights from most major cities in Mexico. There is a very limited number of direct flights between it western (China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) and 'South' (Central and South America) requiring transportation or stopping in the United States. Most travelers traveling between Asia-Pacific and Central and South America typically fly to Los Angeles. Others may arrive in Los Angeles and continue to Dallas, Houston or Miami and continue south from there (vice versa) depending on the destinations and airlines they use. From the "east" and "other part of the world" they can reach Chicago, Houston, New York or Miami to make connections for southern flights).

• From Cuba: Miami is the main entry / exit points from / to Cuba. Scheduled flights are now available on a limited basis from major east coast hubs of US airlines (NYC, DC, Charlotte, Atlanta and Miami). U.S. citizens require special permission from OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) to use these flights and spend money in Cuba. Citizens of other countries do not have special requirements that require them to make these scheduled flights. As of December 17, 2014, Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro have announced moves to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries as well as to ease trade and travel restrictions. Implementation plans are underway to streamline trade and travel in the coming months or years, and this section is subject to change as airlines schedule scheduled flights between the US and Cuba and apply for flight approval from authorities and two sides of the Florida Strait.

• On the other side of the world: the New Delhi, India has non-stop service in New York (via JFK and Newark airports), Chicago and San Francisco. The Mumbai has free flights to New York (JFK and Newark). From Pakistan, τη Saudi Arabia, the Uzbekistan and United Arab Emirates you can also fly to New York (JFK). The Qatar and Saudi Arabia travel to Washington, DC, and South African Airways travels to New York (JFK) and Washington, DC (Dulles). Los Angeles, the Dallas and Houston offer non-stop services in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Baggage allowance for flights to or from the US usually operates in a square system, in addition to the weight system, even for foreign carriers. This means that a limited number of check-in bags are allowed where each bag must not exceed certain linear dimensions (calculated by adding the length, width and height of the bags). Exact indemnities and restrictions on the weight, linear dimension and number of luggage allowed are determined by the airline you are flying with, your origin (if you are coming to the US) or your destination (if you are leaving the US)

By road

Greyhound offers many low-cost cross-border services from both Canada and Mexico throughout their network. Some routes, such as Toronto to Buffalo, have hourly service. Megabus US also runs multiple day trips from Toronto (also a hub for Megabus Canada) to New York via the Buffalo for just $ 1.

Bus passengers often face greater control of U.S. customs officials than car or train passengers.

Go to:

• The Mexico provided by Grupo Estrella Blanca.
• THE Canada is provided by Greyhound Canada, which has a network throughout Canada.

By boat

Entry to the USA by sea, other than a registered cruise ship, can be difficult. The most common entry points for private boats are Los Angeles and the surrounding area, the Florida and the eastern coastal states.

Some passenger ferries exist between Canada and the United States, mainly between British Columbia and Washington (from Victoria & Sidney, BC) or Alaska (by Prince Rupert).

Cunard offers transatlantic ferry voyage between the United Kingdom and New York.

How to move

What to see

Entertainment

Transactions and purchases

Cost

Local cuisine

Local drinks

Tourist infrastructure

Studies

Job opportunities

Stay safe

Health and precautions

Respect local customs

Communications

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