Guide to USA

Name: United States of America / U.S. / America
Location: Primarily in North America. Bordered by Canada in the north and Mexico in the South.
Made up of: 50 states, 1 federal district and several affiliated territories.
Population: 295 million (US Census Bureau estimate, 2005)
Capital: Washington D.C.
Area: 9.8m sq km (3.8m sq miles)
Major Language: English
Major Religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN)Monetary unit: 1 US dollar = 100 cents
Main exports: Computers and electrical machinery, vehicles, chemical products, food and live animals, military equipment and aircraft
GNI per capita: US $35,400 (World Bank, 2002)
Internet domain: .us
International dialling code: +1
Flight time New York: From London: 7 hours
Time difference: New York, Washington, Florida, Boston, Rhode Island, South Carolina =GMT -5
Time difference: Austin Dallas Texas, Madison Wisconsin = GMT -6
Time difference: Las Vegas Nevada, Paso Texas, Utah, Arizona = GMT -7
Time difference: Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco California = GMT -8
Time difference: Alaska = GMT -9
Main Airports: Boston, New York, Washington State*, Miami, Chicago, Dallas-Forth Worth, Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Best Time to Go: Autumn or Early Spring to avoid the crush

Tipping: Tipping is big in the USA to supplement minimum wages in restaurants (even self service restaurants), hotels and bars. The size of the tip should be a minimum of 15% and 20% is customery. Bartenders expect $1 per drink. Taxi drivers expect around 15%. 

In the USA leaving a tip is so much part of the cultural tapestry that not leaving a tip reflects very badly on you. If you are not satisfied with the service leaving a 25 cent tip would make your point far more effecitvely.

Highlights
Boston - 'Athens of America'
Highway 395
Los Angeles - Getty Centre
Miami
New Orleans
New York - The Big Apple
Philadelphia - City of Brotherly Love
San Francisco
Black Hills National Forest
Central Park in Manhattan
Death Valley National Park
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland
Statue of Liberty, New York
Grand Canyon

11 October 2007