United States (US) Demographics

What is the population of United States (US)?

Population	332,639,102
Population Growth Rate	0.9%
Urban Population	82.4%
Population in Major Urban Areas	New York-Newark 20.352 million; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana 13.395 million; Chicago 9.676 million; Miami 6.061 million; Philadelphia 5.927 million; WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) 4.705 million
Nationality Noun	American(s)
Nationality Adjective	American
Ethnic Groups	White 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% Note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic
Languages Spoken	English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific islands 2.7%, other 0.7% Note: the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 28 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii

What is school like in United States (US)?

Classroom

Because schools are funded at the state and local levels, the quality of the structures and classroom resources can vary significantly. Most schools try to hold their class size to 20 students or less, but occasionally resources require larger class enrollments.

Because students are at school for an average of seven to eight hours per day (depending on local guidelines), they will usually eat lunch during school hours. They may bring a lunch from home, or buy lunch at school for a very reasonable cost (about US $2.00). Dietary guidelines for lunches available at the school are established by the national government (administered by the Department of Agriculture), but local schools decide what foods to serve to meet those guidelines. A typical lunch might consist of a hamburger or slice of pizza, a drink, fruit, and a cookie. For lower-income families, the lunches are free or reduced in price. In the 2004-2005 school year, six out of every ten students in the United States received a free or reduced-price lunch.

Education Culture

The United States does not have a national school system; however, there are federal support programs and educational guidelines, in addition to state and local guidelines. Between 85 to 90% of children under the age of 18 attend public schools. Although the age limit varies by state, all children in the United States have the right to receive at least 11 years of public-funded education. These public schools are funded by local and state taxes and are under those jurisdictions. A fairly small segment of public schooling consists of charter schools, which are public schools that are turned over to a local community or group of parents to operate. Of those children who do not attend public schools, most enroll in private schools, which must be paid for by the families of the students. 80% of private schools in the United States are operated by religious groups. A third educational option taken advantage of by only a small percentage is a home school, which means that the parents teach the children themselves at home. The number of home-schooled children exceeded one million for the first time in 2003.

Kindergarten is usually available for one year prior to entrance into elementary school, which begins at age six. School systems usually include grades one through six in elementary school, seven through eight or nine in junior high (sometimes called middle school), and grades nine or ten through twelve in high school. In smaller, rural communities, it is not uncommon for elementary school to include grades one through eight, with high school covering the remaining grades through twelve. 

With the influx of non-English-speaking people over the past 20 years, traditional educational models have been expanded to include content and methods from many of the major subcultures of the United States.

Like most industrialized nations, approximately one-third of young adults entering the workforce are college educated. Increasingly, a college education is required to obtain a job supporting the standard of living to which many families have become accustomed.

Learning

Children are in school for an average of seven to eight hours per day (depending on state and local regulations), Monday through Friday, for approximately 180 days per year. Most schools have a long break of about two and a half months during the summer season, which is much longer than in many other nations.

School uniforms are not required for most public schools in the United States (3% had uniforms in 1997, whereas some studies claimed up to 21% in 2000). However, there is usually some sort of dress code that prohibits clothes that expose too much skin or undergarments, are gang-related, or are otherwise just not safe. In private schools, uniforms are quite common, consisting of collared shirts of specific colors with pants or skirts also of specific colors. Some private schools prefer a more formal uniform of blazer and tie for boys and culottes or skirts for girls.

Although the school curriculum changes from state to state, nearly all elementary schools will teach mathematics, language arts (such as reading and writing), science, social studies (including history and geography), and physical education. Most schools today will also teach basic computer skills, which is becoming a critical part of education in all fields of study and general life skills. Secondary schools will teach increasingly focused aspects of these general subject areas and often include additional elective courses such as drama, choral and instrumental music, life skills (such as cooking or personal finances), foreign languages, athletics, publishing, and technical skills (such as auto mechanics, welding, or carpentry).

Most states assign performance grades using a series of letters: traditionally A meant exceptional; B, above average; C, average; D, below average; and F was a failing grade that required repetition of the course until mastery was obtained. However, grade inflation has become such a common practice that today a B is more typical of average performance, and a C is passing but substandard work.

To School

Some children ride bikes to school or walk, some ride buses provided by the school, others will take advantage of the public transportation systems available in many metropolitan areas, and yet others will ride in a carpool or with a parent. The method of transportation often depends on whether the school is in an urban or rural setting, the time of year, and the economic status of the parents.

What are the health conditions in United States (US)?

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 15-49	76.4%
Contraceptive Prevalence - note	Note: percent of women aged 15-44
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population	8.39
Drinking Water Source - percent of rural population improved	98%
Drinking Water Source - percent of total population unimproved	0.8%
Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved	99.4%
Health Expenditures - percent of GDP	17.9%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate	0.6%
HIV/Aids Deaths	17,000
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population	3
Infant Mortality Rate - female deaths/1,000 live births	5.2
Infant Mortality Rate - male deaths/1,000 live births	6.2
Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births	5.7
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births	21
Mean Age for Mother's First Birth	25
Obesity - adult prevalence rate	33%
People Living with HIV/AIDS	1,200,000
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population	2.42
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved	100%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of rural population improved	100%
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman	2.06
Underweight - percent of children under five years	1.3%

How long do people live in United States (US)?

Life Expectancy at Birth	80 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - female	82 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - male	78 Years
Median Age	37 Years
Median Age - female	38 Years
Median Age - male	35 Years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population	14
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population	8.39
Median Age	37 Years
Median Age - female	38 Years
Median Age - male	35 Years
Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population	3.64
Population Growth Rate	0.9%
Sex Ratio 0-14 Years - male/female	1.05
Sex Ratio 15-24 Years - male/female	1.05
Sex Ratio 25-54 Years - male/female	1
Sex Ratio 55-64 Years - male/female	.97
Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female	1.05
Sex Ratio of Total Population - male/female	.97
Sex Ratio Over 64 Years - male/female	.77

What is school like in United States (US)?

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP	5.4%
Literacy - female	99%
Literacy - male	99%
Literacy - total population	99%
Literacy Definition	Age 15 and over can read and write
School Life Expectancy - female	17 Years
School Life Expectancy - male	16 Years
Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)	17 Years

Can people in United States (US) read?

Literacy - female	99%
Literacy - male	99%
Literacy - total population	99%
Literacy Definition	Age 15 and over can read and write
Predominant Language	English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific islands 2.7%, other 0.7% Note: the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 28 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii