As one of the biggest countries on the planet, both in size and in influence, there are endless things to know about the rich history and culture of the United States. But you could spend your entire life researching and still never come close to knowing every fun fact out there.
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From impressive landscapes to scorching temperatures, we’ve pulled together the perfect collection of facts every American should know. We bet you haven't heard these interesting facts about the U.S.A. before!
On the Coast
We all dream of living by the beach, but did you know that many Americans actually do live pretty close to the coast? While driving an hour to the beach might seem like a far drive, in the grand scheme of the entire area of the United States, 50 miles from the coast is not very far at all.
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With over half the country’s population living near the coast, and almost all of the most densely populated cities being in coastal areas, it's clear Americans love sandy beaches and clear skies.
Lots of Talking
It’s no secret that New York City is one of the most diverse places on the planet, and the same holds true for its variety of languages spoken. Not only are there over 700 languages spoken, but some dialects and languages on the brink of extinction around the rest of the globe are preserved in this wild city.
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However, as a country, the United States—and every other country on the planet—comes nowhere close to Papua New Guinea, which boasts over 840 languages spoken across the islands among its nine million inhabitants. Talk about diversity!
Fighting Fires
Though we look at our firefighters with awe and appreciation, we don’t often think about the fact that firefighting departments lack employees. To our surprise, it turns out many of the brave people putting their lives at risk to fight fires are volunteers.
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While this isn’t necessarily uncommon across the world, the U.S.’s significant population and area make it all the more concerning. The sad fact is, there just aren't enough people willing to make the sacrifices it takes to be a full-time firefighter—so get out there and start volunteering!
Immigration Culture
People have been leaving their home countries and moving elsewhere for as long as mankind has existed. Immigration is nothing new—and the United States boasts quite a rich immigration culture.
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Currently, there are about 50 million immigrants living in the U.S., which is about four times as much as the next country with the most immigrants, Germany. In the world, the U.S. holds one-fifth of all immigrants total! Talk about a melting pot.
AZ Daylight Savings
Since the ‘60s, Arizona was granted special permission to be the only one—besides Hawaii—of the 50 states exempt from following daylight savings. However, not everyone in the state decided to adhere to the exemption.
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Because the Navajo reservation spans three states, the Navajo people living in Arizona also have their clocks set to follow the norm, making it awfully difficult to know what time it really is as they move between their territory and the rest of Arizona between the months of March and October.
Directed at You
Pharmaceutical companies can do a lot of good, offering many different kinds of medicines to folks with different kinds of illnesses. But the U.S. and New Zealand have one concerning similarity when it comes to pharmaceuticals, and that’s the allowance to directly advertise to customers.
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Consumers have been bombarded by prescription ads, and it's no coincidence. Sometimes, the advertisements reach the public before they’ve been reviewed fully. Though it might seem in your best interest to buy a new medicine, double-check with your doctor before taking anything.