About the USA
U.S. government, language and religion
The 50 states may be united by a common government and language, but you will find many cultural differences throughout the USA.
Government
The United States is a representative democracy with three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. In the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., you will find many important sites connected to these branches, including the U.S. Capitol Building, White House and U.S. Supreme Court.
There are federal laws that apply to the entire country. In addition, each state, county and municipality has its own government and laws governing things like smoking and liquor sales.
Language
The United States does not have an official language, but English is the most commonly spoken language and it is the official language in a number of states. Increasingly, information is also provided in Spanish because of the significant Latino population in the U.S. Besides English, the most commonly spoken languages in the U.S. are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, German, Korean, Arabic, Russian and Italian.
Religion
Religious freedom is one of the founding cornerstones of the United States. There is no official national religion, but the diverse population celebrates myriad religions and spiritual beliefs. Places of worship are available for travelers, whether they are visiting small towns or major urban centers.
