United States: Flag and Facts
The United States flag has 13 red and white horizontal stripes and a blue field in the top left corner holding 50 white five-pointed stars set in nine staggered rows.
- Official name
- United States of America
- Capital
- Washington D.C.
- Region
- North America
- Population
- 338 million (2025)
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- United States dollar
- Area
- 9,372,610 km² (3,618,783 sq mi)
- People
- American
- Calling code
- +1
- Highest point
- Mount McKinley 6,190 m (highest point in North America)
- Independence
- 4 July 1776 (declared independence from Great Britain)
- National symbols
- bald eagle
About United States
Thirteen British colonies declared independence on 4 July 1776, and Britain recognized the new country in 1783 after the Treaty of Paris. Over the next two centuries, 37 more states joined as the nation spread across the continent. The Civil War from 1861 pitted a northern Union against a Confederacy of 11 southern states, and in the 1930s the Great Depression left about a quarter of workers jobless.
The country covers a central plain, western mountains and lower hills in the east, along with rugged Alaska and volcanic Hawaii. Climates range from tropical in Florida to arctic in Alaska. About 338 million people live here. New York-Newark is the biggest urban area at around 18.9 million, and Washington, D.C. is the capital.
Did you know?
- Mount McKinley, at 6,190 meters, is the highest point in North America.
- Death Valley sinks to 86 meters below sea level, the lowest in North America.
- The bald eagle is the national symbol of the United States.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about United States
What do the stars and stripes on the US flag mean?
The 50 stars stand for the states, and the 13 stripes stand for the original colonies.
What is the national anthem of the United States?
The Star-Spangled Banner.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.