10 Interesting Facts About the USA

By Joseph Kiprop on August 1 2017 in World Facts







The American flag is a common way to show American pride.

10. 80% of the land in the state of Nevada is owned by the government.

The US government owns a significant portion of the land area in the US state of Nevada - 80% of it, to be exact. These lands are reserved for wildlife refuges, forests, wilderness areas, monuments, national parks, and lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The state's public lands range from vast deserts, deserted mining towns to isolated ranches, mountain ranges and more.

9. 100 acres of pizza are served in the United States every day!

In the US, pizza surpasses burgers as the nation's favorite fast food. According to the pizza industry trade organization in the US, about 100 acres of pizza is served every day. According to a survey done by the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Americans tend to be more satisfied by pizza than by burgers.

8. Its flag was designed by a high school student.

The current US flag features 50 stars and was designed by Robert G. Heft. Heft initially created the American flag in 1958 as the school project during his junior year in high school. Heft scored a B- in his project but was promised by Stanley Pratt, his teacher, that his grade would be reconsidered if the United States Congress was to accept the design for the flag. Heft's design was not only chosen but also adopted by the 1959 presidential proclamation.

7. Its capital was originally New York City.

Unusual as it sounds, New York was the first capital city of the US. New York City served as the nation's capital city for five years between 1785 and 1790. The city played a significant role in the establishment of a new government following the defeat of the British and the Treaty of Paris which ended the war.

6. The United States uses 18% of the world's energy.

According to the 2014 energy consumption statistics, the world total energy consumption was 539 quadrillion British Thermal Units (Btu) and the US consumed approximatelyy 98 quadrillion Btu. The amount is equivalent to about 18% of the world total energy consumption. The country's energy consumption is considered extraordinary.

5. There is no official language.

In practice, the national language of the United States is English. However, at the federal level, there is no official language, although some laws such as the US naturalization requirements institutionalize English as the language. While English is mainly spoken throughout the US, Spanish is the second most common language in the country which also happens to be the most widely taught second language.

4. At some point, 1 out of every 8 Americans will work for McDonald's.

McDonald's is among the largest employers in the country. It is believed that 1 out of every 8 Americans have been employed or will be employed at McDonald's at some point, according to the Fast Food Nation. Unsurprisingly, due to these odds, McDonald's has employed a good number of celebrities as well before they were famous.

3. Alaska has, by far, the longest coastline of any state.

The US state of Alaska has the longest coastline compared to any other state in the country. The Alaskan coastline stretches for 6,640 miles. Alaska has a shoreline of approximately 33,904 miles including islands. Together with bays, inlets, islands and sounds, the Alaskan tidal shoreline stretches for 47, 300 miles.

2. The United States invented the internet.

The history of the internet dates back to the 1950s when electronic computers were being developed. During the early 1960s, the US Department of Defense granted contracts for packet network systems. ARPANET was the first switching network to be developed.

1. It has the biggest economy in the world.

The United States has the largest economy in the world. The nation's economy accounts for about 25% of the world's nominal GDP. The economy in the US is attributed to the country's large population, high average incomes, a relatively young population, moderate unemployment, technological innovation, and a high consumer spending.