The United States is a large country in North America made up of fifty states, plus the District of Columbia (where the capital, Washington, D.C., is located). It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast to the Pacific Ocean on the west coast, with Alaska in the far north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.

The country was founded in 1776 when thirteen British colonies declared their independence and formed a new nation based on the idea that governments should protect people's natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution, written in 1787, established a system where power is shared between the federal government and state governments, and divided among three branches: legislative (Congress), executive (the President), and judicial (the courts).

The United States grew from those original thirteen states to fifty states through purchases, treaties, and wars over the next 150 years. Today it's home to more than 330 million people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

People sometimes use shortened forms: the U.S., the U.S.A., the States, or simply America.