he United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. To the east of the 100th meridian, the climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south. The southern tip of Florida is tropical, as is Hawaii. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are semi-arid. Much of the Western mountains are alpine. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean in coastal California, andoceanic in coastal Oregon and Washington and southern Alaska. Most of Alaska is subarctic or polar. Extreme weather is not uncommon—the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico are prone to hurricanes, and most of the world's tornadoes occur within the country, mainly in the Midwest's Tornado Alley.

The U.S. ecology is considered "megadiverse": about 17,000 species of vascular plants occur in the contiguous United States and Alaska, and over 1,800 species of flowering plants are found in Hawaii, few of which occur on the mainland  The United States is home to more than 400 mammal, 750 bird, and 500 reptile and amphibian species.About 91,000 insect species have been described.

There are 58 national parks and hundreds of other federally managed parks, forests, and wilderness are Altogether, the government owns 28.8% of the country's land area] Most of this is protected, though some is leased for oil and gas drilling, mining, logging, or cattle ranching; 2.4% is used for military purposes

Environmental issues have been on the national agenda since 1970. Environmental controversies include debates on oil and nuclear energy, dealing with air and water pollution, the economic costs of protecting wildlife, logging and deforestation, and international responses to global warming.] Many federal and state agencies are involved. The most prominent is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), created by presidential order in 1970. The idea of wilderness has shaped the management of public lands since 1964, with the Wilderness Act.The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is intended to protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats, which are monitored by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Most important states

Leading population centers (see complete list)					view talk edit
Rank	Core city (cities)	Metro area population	Metropolitan Statistical Area	Region[181]	New York City Los Angeles Chicago
1	New York City	19,015,900	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA MSA	Northeast
2	Los Angeles	12,944,801	Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana, CA MSA	West
3	Chicago	9,504,753	Chicago–Joliet–Naperville, IL–IN–WI MSA	Midwest
4	Dallas–Fort Worth	6,526,548	Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX MSA	South
5	Houston	6,086,538	Houston–The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA	South
6	Philadelphia	5,992,414	Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA–NJ–DE–MD MSA	Northeast
7	Washington, D.C.	5,703,948	Washington, DC–VA–MD–WV MSA	Northeast
8	Miami	5,670,125	Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL MSA	South
9	Atlanta	5,359,205	Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta, GA MSA	South
10	Boston	4,591,112	Boston–Cambridge–Quincy, MA–NH MSA	Northeast
11	San Francisco	4,391,037	San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA MSA	West
12	San Bernardino-Riverside	4,304,997	San Bernandino–Riverside–Ontario, CA MSA	West
13	Detroit	4,285,832	Detroit–Warren–Livonia, MI MSA	Midwest
14	Phoenix	4,263,236	Phoenix–Mesa–Glendale, AZ MSA	West
15	Seattle	3,500,026	Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue, WA MSA	West
16	Minneapolis–St. Paul	3,318,486	Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN–WI MSA	Midwest
17	San Diego	3,140,069	San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos, CA MSA	West
18	Tampa–St. Petersburg	2,824,724	Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater, FL MSA	South
19	St. Louis	2,817,355	St. Louis–St. Charles–Farmington, MO–IL MSA	Midwest
20	Baltimore	2,729,110	Baltimore–Towson, MD MSA	Northeast
based upon 2011 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau[182]

Demographics

The land area of the contiguous United States is 2,959,064 square miles (7,663,941 km²). Alaska, separated from the contiguous United States by Canada, is the largest state at 663,268 square miles (1,717,856 km²). Hawaii, occupying an archipelago in the central Pacific, southwest of North America, is 10,931 square miles (28,311 km²) in area.
The United States is the world's third or fourth largest nation by total area (land and water), ranking behind Russia and Canada and just above or belowChina. The ranking varies depending on how two territories disputed by China and India are counted and how the total size of the United States is measured: calculations range from 3,676,486 square miles (9,522,055 km²) to 3,717,813 square miles (9,629,091 km²)

to 3,794,101 square miles (9,826,676 km²) Measured by only land area, the United States is third in size behind Russia and China, just ahead of Canada.

The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to deciduous forests and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. The Appalachian Mountainsdivide the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest. The Mississippi–Missouri River, the world's fourth longest river system, runs mainly north–south through the heart of the country. The flat, fertile prairie of the Great Plains stretches to the west, interrupted by a highland region in the southeast.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the country's population now to be 317,785,000,^] including an approximate 11.2 million illegal immigrants The U.S. population almost quadrupled during the 20th century, from about 76 million in 1900.^] The third most populous nation in the world, after China and India, the United States is the only major industrialized nation in which large population increases are projected.

With a birth rate of 13 per 1,000, 35% below the world average, its population growth rate is positive at 0.9%, significantly higher than those of many developed nations. In fiscal year 2012, over one million immigrants (most of whom entered through family reunification) were granted legal residence. Mexico has been the leading source of new residents since the 1965 Immigration Act. China, India, and the Philippines have been in the top four sending countries every year. Nine million Americans identify themselves as homosexual, bisexual, or transgender.^] A 2010 survey found that seven percent of men and eight percent of women identified themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

The United States has a very diverse population—31 ancestry groups have more than one million members. White Americans are the largest racial group; German Americans, Irish Americans, and English Americans constitute three of the country's four largest ancestry groups. Black Americans are the nation's largest racial minority and third largest ancestry group. Asian Americans are the country's second largest racial minority; the three largest Asian American ethnic groups are Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, and Indian Americans.

In 2010, the U.S. population included an estimated 5.2 million people with some American Indian or Alaska Nativeancestry (2.9 million exclusively of such ancestry) and 1.2 million with some native Hawaiian or Pacific island ancestry (0.5 million exclusively). The census counted more than 19 million people of "Some Other Race" who were "unable to identify with any" of its five official race categories in 2010. 

Introducing USA!

The United States of America (USA)—commonly referred to as the United States (U.S.), America or simply the States—is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal district. The 48 contiguous states and the federal district of Washington, D.C., are in centralNorth America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is the northwestern part of North America and the state of Hawaii is an archipelagoin the mid-Pacific. The country also has five populated and nine unpopulated territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean. At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km) in total and with around 317 million people, the United States is the fourth-largest country by total area and third largest bypopulation. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries.The geography and climate of the United States is also extremely diverse, and it is home to a wide variety of wildlife.

Canada

Here we go Canada!

Is a country in North America consisting of 10 provinces and 3 territories. Lets start with interesting facts about Canada:
1.Canada is also home to the longest street in the world. Yonge Street in Ontario starts at Lake Ontario, and runs north through Ontario to the Minnesota border, a distance of almost 2000 kilometres.

2. A bear cub named Winnipeg was exported from Canada to the London Zoo in 1915. A little boy named Christopher Robin Milne loved to visit Winnipeg (or Winnie for short) and his love for the bear cub inspired the stories written by his father, A.A. Milne, about Winnie-the-Pooh. It’s thanks to a little bear from Canada called Winnipeg that A.A. Milne invented Winnie-the-Pooh for his son Christopher.
3. The Blackberry Smartphone was developed in Ontario, at Research In Motion’s Waterloo offices.

4. Canada holds the record for the most gold medals ever won at the Winter Olympics, since taking 14 Golds at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

5. Montreal is home to many beautiful churches and is often called The City of Saints or City of a hundred bell towers.

6. Canada has over 30000 lakes.

7. Ontario is believed to be home to the world’s smallest jail, which measures only 24.3 sq metres.

8. Canada is the second largest country in the world by total area (Russia is the largest).

9. The 2 main languages spoken in Canada are English and French.

10.The Hotel de Glace in Quebec is built every year
using 400 tons of ice and 12 000 tons of snow.

Every summer it melts away and every winter it is rebuilt. 

Facts and Statistics
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Capital: Ottawa
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Population: 33,212,696 (July 2008 est.) 
Ethnic Make-up: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census) 
Government: constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation 

Customs and Etiquette in Canada

Meeting and Greeting

• The most common greeting is the handshake.
• It should be firm and accompanied by direct eye contact and a sincere smile.
• Wait until invited before using someone's first name although Canadians tend to move to a first-name basis rapidly.
• French Canadian friends may greet each other by lightly kissing on the cheeks (once on the left cheek and once on the right).
• If using French in Quebec always use the formal pronoun "vous" (you) when speaking to someone and do not switch to the informal "tu" unless invited to do so.

Gift Giving

• In general, Canadians give gifts for birthdays and Christmas.
• If invited to someone's home for dinner, take a box of good chocolates, flowers or a bottle of wine.
• In Quebec, sending flowers in advance of the dinner party is proper protocol.
• In Quebec, if you give wine, make sure it is of the highest quality you can afford.
• Do not give white lilies as they are used at funerals.
• Do not give cash or money as a present.
• Gifts are usually opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

• Table manners are relatively relaxed and informal in Canada.
• Quebec does see a little more formality.
• Table manners are generally Continental, i.e. the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
• Wait to be shown to your seat.
• Do not begin eating until the hostess starts.
• Do not rest your elbows on the table.
• Feel free to refuse individual foods or drink without offering an explanation.
• Leaving a small amount at the end of the meal is generally acceptable.
• In formal situations, the host gives the first toast. An honoured guest should return the toast later in the meal. Women may give toasts.

Top 10 Canadian Foods!?

Ten foods from Canada that can’t be missed.

PoutineA list of the top 10 Canadian foods wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the most popular, and possibly the least nutritious, Canadian dish out there – poutine, a Quebec staple that’s a melange of greasy thick-cut fries, squeaky cheese curds and warm peppery gravy. 

Tim Horton’s iced capYou know summer has arrived when you see Canadians across the country clutching their frosty, creamy Tim Horton’s iced caps, a blend of Tim’s signature coffee, cream (or milk), and ice.

Beav TailserA whole wheat pastry is flattened to resemble a beaver tail (how patriotic!) and is cooked by “floating” on top of hot oil. Then they remove it, slather it with butter, and add your favourite toppings (the classic is sweet cinnamon sugar).

TourtiereTourtiere, which is a Christmas dinner staple on the tables’ of Quebeckers, is a meat pie often made with ground pork, veal or beef.

Labatt BlueIt may seem strange to have a beer on a top 10 Canadian foods’ list, but when suds are their own food group in a country, you can’t deny acknowledging Canada’s favourite local brew.

 Maple syrupSure, maple syrup may be in pantries across the globe, but this yummy concoction was first discovered and used by Native Americans in north-eastern North America, so Canadians will gladly take credit for making maple syrup a sweet staple.

May West

The Canadian version of the Twinkie, a May West consists of a round cake with a creamy center enrobed in chocolate. Can’t get much better than that!

 Dill pickle chips

Americans eat ranch.  In England, they snack on roasted chicken flavoured chips -- and Canadians love their tangy home-grown dill pickle chips.

Nanaimo barsNamed after the city in BC, Nanaimo bars have layers upon layers of sugary goodness – first, a thick crumb crust, then a layer of vanilla frosting or custard, and then it’s topped with melted chocolate.

 Smoked meatSmoked meat originated in Jewish delis in Montreal, and it became so popular that the city became known for its coveted smoked meat sandwiches (served warm, on rye bread, with a bit of mustard and a dill pickle on the side).