President Barack Obama shakes hands as he meets with Republican President-elect Donald Trump on transition planning in the Oval Office at the White House on November 10, 2016 in Washington DC. (Jim Watson/Getty)

Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States in the biggest shock in the country's electoral history. Here's what you need to know:

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Donald Trump has been named the shock victor of the US presidential election, pledging to be a "President for all Americans".

In a victory speech in New York on Wednesday, the President-elect vowed to unite the country following a divisive campaign littered with controversies.

“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division… I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,” he said, as supporters chanted “USA! USA! USA!”.

Demonstrators marched in cities across the United States on Wednesday to protest against Republican Donald Trump's surprise presidential election win, blasting his campaign rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims and other groups.

In New York, thousands filled streets in midtown Manhattan as they made their way to Trump Tower, Trump's gilded home on Fifth Avenue. Hundreds of others gathered at a Manhattan park and shouted "Not my president."

In Los Angeles, protesters sat on the 110 and 101 highway interchange, blocking traffic on one of the city's main arteries as police in riot gear tried to clear them. Some 13 protesters were arrested, a local CBS affiliate reported.

An earlier rally and march in Los Angeles drew more than 5,000 people, many of them high school and college students, local media reported.