The United States of America - the richest and one of the biggest countries in the world - has several names. People say "The United States” , "The States” , "America” or just "the USA” or "the US” .

            There are fifty states in the USA and over 200 million, people live in them. There is no "American climate” or "American countryside” . Every part of the country is different, from Alaska in the north, covered with snow and ice, to tropical Florida in the south.

            The American Indians were the first people to live in that vast land. They had a fascinating, ancient culture, and rich traditions of language and customs. But then, the immigrants came. Most came from Europe, but there were also many from the Middle East and Africa.

            You can find almost anything in America. There are mountains and deserts, old churches and moon rockets, homes with three cars and homes with no electric lights at all.

            The United States is a young country. Its written history is only a few hundred years old. It is sometimes, in fact, called the "New World” . Over the last four hundred years millions of people have come to start a new life in this "New World” . Americans are not afraid of new ideas. They built the first skyscrapers and they put the first man on the Moon. They like to be modern. They like exciting, modern cities, new houses, and new cars. At the same time, Americans love old things. They like to visit historic houses and museums. They build old pioneer houses and remember the days of "Wild West” . Americans are interested in old traditions, but they are good at making new traditions too.