America was stumbled upon by
Columbus in 1492 and for more than 500 years people have traveled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from
Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and ingrained racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united,
democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.
The country is made up of 48 neighboring states of the continental
USA, plus the huge state of
Alaska, northwest of
Canada, and the volcanic islands of
Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include
Puerto Rico,
Guam,
American Samoa, the
Midway Islands and the
US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as
New York and
Washington, as well as sunshine states such as
California,
Florida and Hawaii where millions of tourists congregate each year to enjoy the fine beaches, natural wonders and man-made attractions such as
Disneyland,
Universal Studios and
Hollywood. Too many miss out on the mind-blowing landscapes of the interior which can found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like
Yosemite, Yellowstone and the
Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the
Grand Canyon and the
Rocky Mountains. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why most Americans have never bothered getting a passport.
