United States

Destination overview

About this destination

The United States occupies a large part of North America, including Alaska, with Hawaii in the Pacific. Washington, D.C. is its capital. The country includes Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coastlines.

Landscapes range from mountain systems and deserts to forests, plains and major river basins. Its history reflects Indigenous peoples, European settlement and successive migrations. New York, the West Coast and the southern states offer very different urban and regional settings.

National parks preserve important natural environments. Music, local food, industry and cultural institutions illustrate considerable diversity across a country whose scale makes any single visit only a partial view.