2. • federal republic of
50 states
• area: 9 400 000 sq.
km
• population: 312 million
•capital:Washington, D. C.
(3,92 mil.)
• biggest city: New York
(18,09 mil.)
• official language: English
• currency : american
dollar
3. • fourth largest country in the world (31 times size of
Italy)
• 4 time zones in coterminous states (48 states)
4. • lies on the North American continent
• borders Mexico in the south, the Atlantic ocean in
the east, Canada in the north and the Pacific ocean
in the west
• variety of physical features and climate
Highest peak: Mount Mc Kinley (Alaska) – 6194 m
Lowest point: Death Valley (California) – 89 m below
sea level
5. • from Maine to Texas
• very flat, often swampy
• nowhere in Florida is
more that 350 m above sea
level
• in general soil is very poor, except in the fertile
southern part
6. • chain of low mountains
• from the northern part of
Maine into Alabama
• enormous quantities of
coal and iron
• concentration of heavy
industry (Great lakes)
7. • the heart of USA
• from central Canada
southwards to Mexico
• from Appalachian
Mountains westwards to
Cordillera
• very good soil
8. • accounts for 1/3 of USA
• region of tremendous variety
east:
• the Rocky Mountains (from Alaska to Mexico)
• important metals: lead, uranium, gold
west:
• the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades, the Coastal Ranges
• high mountains among which there are fertile
valleys
11. • almost every type
of climate
• from arctic in
Alaska to
subtropical in
Florida
12. The American Constitution is based on the
doctrine of the separation of powers between:
1. executive
2. legislative
3. judiciary
Government institutions:
• The Presidency
• Congress
• The Courts
have specific and limited powers (cannot be abused)
13. Executive Branch
President
May check the Judicial Branch by
•Granting pardons to those who
are convicted of federal crimes
May check Congress by
•Vetoing bills passed by Congress
•Sending messages to congress
Legislative Branch
Congress
May check the President by
•Impeaching the President
•Overridind a veto
•Approving or failing to approve
treaties
May check the Judicial Branch by
•Impeaching judges
•Changing the number of justices
on the Supreme Court
The Judicial Branch
Supreme Court
May check the President by
•Interpreting laws and treaties
•Ruling that laws and executive
acts are unconstitutional
May check Congress by
•Interpreting laws and treaties
•Declaring laws unconstitutional
14.
15. The American flag consists of two parts – one
smaller blue oblong with 50 white stars
symbolising 50 American states and one larger
oblong consisting of six white and seven red
stripes symbolising the original 13 states which
used to be the British colonies. The flag is
sometimes called “Old Glory” or “Stars and
stripes”.
