Economy of the United
States of America
CONTENT
1. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA2. CHATACTERISTICS OF THE ECONOMY OF THE USA
.1 The basis of the us economy
.2 United States Exports
.3 United States Imports3. THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY OF THE USA
.1 Productive sector
.2 The service sector
.3 Agriculture of USALIST OF LITERATURE
The USA is the economically power full country. A large share of minerals, financial and manpower resources belongs to it. That’s why studying this country, its language and history we shouldn’t avoid the main economic and industrial branches, their structure, and main tendencies of development.the end 20 century the United States of America are the largest state in the world. The country is located in all climatic belts that favours to agriculture and tourism, has more than hundred kinds of minerals. Having five percent of the world population the country extracts the fifth part of world production of copper, coal and oil. The agriculture of the United States delivers on the world market of 50 % of corn, 20 % of beef, pork, mutton, about one third of wheat. The USA - the largest world buyer (13 % of world import) and the seller (18 % of world import). And, that is characteristic for the American economy, the state enterprises can be counted on fingers (post service and the commission on nuclear researches), even airlines and telephone system in the USA are privatized. The American industry is characterized with a priority of the high technologies creating production on the basis of the high technologies.aim of the research is to study the main aspects of USA economy and industry, to understand its position in the World economy. And the main objectives of the studying are:
.to describe the economic situation in the USA in the last century,
.to describe the economic situation nowadays;
. to single-out main brunches of industry, paying attention to the service sector and transportation service,
.to describe agriculture of the USA. practical value of the
research is to help to study more about the country, the language of witch we
learn, with the aim of successful communication and social competence.
The United States is situated in the
central part of the North American continent (except for Alaska and Hawaii). It
is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the east and by the Pacific Ocean in the
west. In the north it borders Canada and in the south it borders Mexico. The
United States is the fourth largest country in the world after Russia, Canada,
and China. It has an area of about 10 million square kilometers and its
population is over 270 million people. The great majority of the population is
English-speaking Americans. There are many ethnic groups in the United States.
The largest group is Black Americans (about 12% of the population).US consists of
50 states and the District of Columbia. It is a special federal area where the
capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The largest state is Alaska.
Hawaii is one of the smallest states; it is a group of islands in the Pacific
Ocean. California, New-York, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio are
the most heavily populated states, and Wyoming, Vermont and Alaska are the
least populated states. The largest cities are New-York, Los-Angeles, Chicago,
San-Francisco and Philadelphia.continental part of the USA consists of 4
geographical parts: 2 highland and 2 lowland regions. The highland regions are
the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Cordillera in the west. The
Appalachian Mountains are ancient, strongly destroyed mountains of no great
height. The valleys between them are rich in coal. It is the oldest mountain
system in the US.the Appalachian Mountains of the east, the Cordillera is not a
continuous chain. It consists of several high ranges, which are the Rocky
Mountains on the east and the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range on the west.
The Rocky Mountains are considered to be young, high, rough, and irregular in
shape. Between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains there is the
vast Central Plain and the Plateau of Prairies or the Great Plains.main rivers
of the USA are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande, the Colorado, the
Columbia and the Hudson River. The five Great Lakes, between the USA and
Canada, include Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake
Ontario. They are all joined together by short rivers or canals, and the St.
Lawrence River joins them to the Atlantic Ocean. The region around the Great
Lakes is known for its changeable weather. In the west of the USA there is
another lake called the Great Salt Lake.USA has many natural resources, such as
coal, petroleum, and natural gas. The economy of the US is based upon free
enterprise.United States is one of the few countries in the world that has no
’official’ national language. The basic language spoken throughout the country
is American English. The second language is Spanish.
The American economy is described as a free enterprise
system, which allows private business the freedom to operate for profit with
minimum government regulation. The theoretical foundation of the American
economic system was provided by Adam Smith whose economic ideas of free
competition influenced the development of capitalism. From his standpoint the
more people manufacture and trade the greater the competition. Competition
benefits society by allowing the consumer to search for the best available
product at the lowest price. Thus market forces, which Smith termed the invisible
hands, control the allocation of goods while each participant in the market is
seeking for his own self-interest. the nineteen century market operated with a
minimum government regulations. Since the 1930-s American capitalism has
undergone a radical changes. Although a private enterprise flourishes,
government regulation now exists in many areas of business ranging from product
safety to labor conditions. Political conservatives complain of too much
government regulation while the liberals are out for the enhance of government
role in business and economy. country’s reliance on private initiative and
enterprise has produced impressive growth. economy of the United States today
is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be $14.3
trillion in 2009, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. Its GDP at
purchasing power parity was also the largest in the world, approximately a
fifth of global GDP at purchasing power parity. The U.S. economy also maintains
a very high level of output per capita. In 2009, it was estimated to have a per
capita GDP of $46,381, the 6th highest in the world. Historically, the U.S.
economy has kept a stable overall GDP growth rate, a low unemployment rate, and
high levels of research and capital investment funded by both national and,
because of decreasing saving rates, increasingly by foreign investors. It has
been the world's largest national economy since 1870 and remains the world's
largest manufacturer, representing 19% of the world's manufacturing output. In
2009, consumer spending coupled with government health care spending
constituted 70% of the American economy. About 30% of the entire world's
millionaire population reside in the United States (in 2009).[14] Furthermore,
40% of the world's billionaires are American. The US is also home to the
world's largest stock exchange, the New York Stock Exchange. It also boasts the
world's largest gold reserves and the world's largest gold depository, the New
York Federal Reserve Bank. The United States is also home to 139 of the world's
500 largest companies, which is almost twice that of any other country. A large
contributor to the country's success has also been a very strong and stable
currency. The US dollar holds about 60% of world reserves, as compared to its
top competitor, the euro, which controls only about 24%.the 1960s, the United
States economy absorbed savings from the rest of the world. The phenomenon is
subject to discussion among economists. The US is by far the most heavily
invested-into country in the world, with foreign investments made in the US
measuring almost $2.4 trillion, which is more than twice that of any other
country. The US is also by far the largest investor in the world, with US
investments in foreign countries totaling over $3.3 trillion, which is almost
twice that of any other country. Like other developed countries, the United
States faces retiring baby boomers that have already begun withdrawing from
their Social Security accounts; however, the American population is young and
growing when compared to Europe or Japan. The United States public debt is in
excess of $13 trillion and continues to grow at a rate of about $3.83 billion
each day. Total public and private debt was $50.2 trillion at the end of the
first quarter of 2010, or 3.5 times GDP. Domestic financial assets totaled $131
trillion and domestic financial liabilities totaled $106 trillionAmerican labor
market has attracted immigrants from all over the world and has one of the
world's highest migration rates. The United States is ranked second, down from
first in 2008-2009 due to the economic crisis, in the Global Competitiveness
Report. The country is one of the world’s largest and most influential
financial markets, home to major stock and commodities exchanges like NASDAQ,
NYSE, and AMEX.
Exports in the United States
increased to 193910 USD Million in March of 2014 from 189963 USD Million in
February of 2014. Exports in the United States averaged 45133.26 USD Million
from 1950 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 194644 USD Million in November
of 2013 and a record low of 772 USD Million in March of 1950. Exports in the
United States is reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
, 1 - United States Exports
United States is the world's third largest exporter. Main
exports are: Industrial Supplies (34 percent of total exports) and Capital
Goods (33 percent). Foods, feeds, and beverages account for 9 percent;
Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines for another 9 percent and Consumer
goods for 12 percent. Main exports partners are: Canada (19 percent of total
exports), European Union (17 percent), Mexico (14 percent), China (7 percent)
and Japan (5 percent). This page provides - United States Exports - actual
values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and
news. 2013 exports from America amounted to US$1.579 trillion, up 49.4% since
2009. United States top 10 exports accounted for 68.4% of the overall value of
its global shipments.on statistics from the International Monetary Fund’s World
Economic Outlook Database, America’s total Gross Domestic Product amounted to
$16.724 trillion in 2013., exports accounted for about 9.4% of total US
economic output.
Given America’s population of 316.4 million people, the total $1.579 trillion
in 2013 US exports translates to roughly $4,989 for every person in the
country. This compares with a benchmark $2,545 in exports per person for the
world’s total exports (assuming an estimated global population of 7,095,217,980
per the CIA World Factbook).
United States Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in American global shipments during 2013. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of US overall exports.
1. Machinery: $213,108,199,000 (13.5% of total exports)
2. Electronic equipment: $165,604,449,000 (10.5%)
. Mineral fuels including oil: $148,426,743,000 (9.4%)
4. Vehicles excluding trains and streetcars: $133,640,479,000 (8.5%)
5. Aircraft and spacecraft: $115,380,944,000 (7.3%)
6. Optical, technical and medical apparatus: $84,281,276,000 (5.3%)
. Pearls, precious stones, precious metals and coins: $72,830,232,000 (4.6%)
8. Plastics: $60,836,970,000 (3.9%)
. Organic chemicals: $46,510,903,000 (2.9%)
10. Pharmaceutical products: $39,742,717,000 (2.5%)
Many of the industries supporting
these exports, such as manufacturing aircraft and medical apparatus, involve
highly sophisticated and advance processes. America’s unemployment rate
improved to an estimated 7.3% as of July 2013 compared to an unemployment rate
of 8.1% in the rest of world for 2012. It seems logical that scientists,
skilled tradespersons and international trade professionals supporting the
above exports will be in demand.note that the results listed above are at the
2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Among the top 10 U.S. exports
above, mineral fuels including oil represent the fastest-growing export product
posting a 170.2% gain over the five-year period ending in 2013. Pearls, precious
stones, precious metals and coins were up 89.6% while vehicles other than
trains and streetcars improved 81.6% over the same period.
Imports in the United States
increased to 234288 USD Million in March of 2014 from 231837 USD Million in
February of 2014. Imports in the United States averaged 57551 USD Million from
1950 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 234295 USD Million in March of
2012 and a record low of 577 USD Million in March of 1950. Imports in the
United States is reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
. 2 - United States Imports
United States is the world's largest importer. U.S. main imports are Industrial Supplies (32 percent of total imports) with crude oil alone accounting for half of this category. Others include: Capital Goods (24 percent); Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines (13 percent); Consumer Goods (12 percent) and Foods, Feeds, and Beverages (5 percent). Main imports partners are: China (18 percent of total imports), European Union (16 percent), Canada (14 percent), Mexico (12 percent) and Japan (6 percent). This page provides - United States Imports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
The United States of America is nicknamed the Land of the Free. But when it comes to America’s top import partners at least in North America, perhaps that should be the “Land of Free Trade” given a third of American exports are delivered to Canada and Mexico. The 3 countries are free trade partners under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).world’s second-largest exporter, the USA shipped US$1.579 trillion worth of products around the globe in 2013. That figure represents 8.7% of worldwide exports estimated at $18.06 trillion for 2012.
America’s Top Import Partnersis a list of the USA’s top 15 trade partners that imported the most American shipments by dollar value during 2013. Also shown is each import country’s percentage share of total USA exports.
1. Canada: $300,244,595,000 (19% of total American exports)
2. Mexico: $226,152,927,000 (14.3%)
3. China: $122,016,318,000 (7.7%)
. Japan: $65,144,805,000 (4.1%)
. Germany: $47,442,249,000 (3%)
. United Kingdom: $47,355,408,000 (3%)
. Brazil: $44,115,969,000 (2.8%)
. Netherlands: $42,654,340,000 (2.7%)
. Hong Kong: $42,450,374,000 (2.7%)
. South Korea: $41,555,044,000 (2.6%)
11. France: $34,091,295,000 (2.2%)
12. Belgium: $31,727,047,000 (2%)
. Singapore: $30,723,872,000 (1.9%)
. Switzerland: $27,002,011,000 (1.7%)
. Australia: $26,047,870,000 (1.6%)
Over two-thirds (71.5%) of American exports in 2013 were delivered to the above 15 trade partners.
Among these import nations, the
United Kingdom and Germany decreased imports from America by the smallest
percentages from 2009 to 2013 - 3.6% for the UK and 9.8% for Germany. The other
countries showed a minimum gain of 26.1% for France up to the 101.1% increase
for Hong Kong importers.
Hong Kong has been aggressively moving up the list of America’s top import
partners since 2010.
The industry of the USA takes a special place in the international division of labour. The variety of industries, a wealth wih various raw materials and qualified personnel, advanced research base has allowed the American industry to provide mass production of a various batch production and release of unique devices and the equipment both for internal, and for the world market.greatest growth is characteristic for the branches defining and closely connected with a military production. For last decades in new branches were allocated:
The rocket industry,
Manufacture of space technics,
The semi-conductor industry,
Manufacture of the computer,
Scientific instrument making,
Manufacture of machine tools with programmed control,
The laser, vacuum, oxygen industry,
Manufacture of the equipment for prevention of pollution and clearing of environment,
The industry of fuel elements and others.the average in a manufacturing industry each 4 years it is updated not less than 20 % of let out production.USA take a visible place on extraction of some the major minerals - coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, phosphorites. there was not enough own resources, and after 2 world wars of the USA from the exporter have turned to the largest importer of oil, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxites, manganous ore, antimony, diamonds, cobalt etc.location of the mining industry on areas USA there are the appreciable shifts connected with change of structure of branch, mainly growth of a share of extracted power resources. The South share- the basic area of an oil recovery, coal and gas increases in cost of production of the mining industry. The North and West share where basically ores colour and ferrous metals ores are extracted accordingly decreases. The mining industry of the USA is closely connected with fuel and energy a complex. In the USA it is developed about 3 bln. in kw-h. the electric power. The power balance structure in comparison with the pre-war period has undergone changes. Oil and gas now prevails. There was a difference between structure of stocks (oil and gas of 7 %, coal of 93 %) and consumption structure (oil and gas approximately 75 %, coal - 25 %) fuel resources of the USA.
The greatest value for a power economy of the country has oil industry . The leading role in an oil recovery is played by southwest states - Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexicos delivering about 70 % of oil extracted in the country. Within this area oil is extracted and in a shelf zone of Gulf of Mexico. Large oil fields are available at Pacific coast in the State of California, in mountain state of Wyoming. Last yearsthere begun wide development of deposits on Alaska.
The USA possesses a powerful petroleum-refining industry. The largest oil refining factories of firms: «Exon corporation» Louisiana and Texas, «Texaco incorporaid» in Texas, «Amoco oil» also in Texas are located in states. Placing of oil refining of the USA considerably differs from an oil recovery. The considerable part of capacities takes places not only in extraction areas, but also in consumption areas, that is in the major industrial knots of the Northeast, in the port centers, on the lines of the main oil pipelines.central areas of concentration of oil refining factories are:
Coast of Gulf of Mexico (a strip in width of 200-300 km on the territory of states Texas, Louisiana, Mississipi),
Southern and the Central California,
A strip of the Atlantic coast from New York to Baltimore (mainly a mouth of the rivers Hudsons and Delaware).
Areas of deposits of natural gas basically coincide with petroliferous pools. On a share of 5 states - Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Kansas is necessary over 90 % of extraction.
On a coal mining of the USA occupies 1 place in the world (1 billion t. per year). As a result of an energy crisis and sharp increase of the prices for oil, both on external, and internal market in the USA big attention began to be given to working out of profitable ways of production of liquid fuel from coal. It is typical, that the active role in these researches is played by leading oil monopolies of the country.
The electric power industry is among most quickly developing branches of economy of the USA. The largest state electricity supply system of the USA is the system hydraulic and thermal power plants in the pool of the rivers Tennessee and Cumberland, operated river Tennessee Administration. But about 80 % of all electric power are developed in the USA in the private power plants, including 4 % -power plants of the industrial enterprises.hydroelectric power station’s share in the electric power manufacture steadily decreases, though hydropower constructions use less than 35 % of potential resources of all rivers. About 60 % of all electric power developed on hydroelectric power stations in the West states including 48 % - on Pacific states. Large hydroelectric power plants are constructed in the USA also on Niagara, Tennessee and in the river Missouri headwaters. Unlike thermal power plant all largest hydroelectric power plants of the USA belong to the state or local authorities. Their number concern: Grand Coulee on the river Colombia, John-Day on the same river, Robert-Mozes on the river Niagara and others. Projects of expansion of capacities of the largest hydroelectric power plants of the Pacific Northwest are developed.
Over 80 % of the electric power in the USA it is made at thermal plants. The share of the thermal power plant, using as a fuel coal, gives 54 % of capacities, natural gas - 27 %, black oil - 19 %. In connection with crisis in the markets of liquid fuel a number of plants using black oil are changed last years for coal.In the location of electric power industry of the USA the tendency of gradual strengthening of value of southern states, in particular South Atlantic, and the Southwest centre is distinctly observed.
From the middle of 60th years of 20 centuries in the USA development of nuclear power was sharply accelerated. The basic areas of concentration of the atomic power plants - the Northeast centre and the South Atlantic states. But now the atomic power plants locate on country territory already in regular more intervals and basically tend to large industrially-city agglomerations.
The important feature of location of a manufacturing industry of the USA - practically universal strengthening of rates of its suburbanization, that is the shift of industrial production from the central parts of agglomerations in their residential suburbs. Here the factories demanding the big floor spaces and the developed infrastructure (automobile, aviation, cement, chemical, oil refining, heavy mechanical engineering etc.), as a rule, take places.. To the factors which are "pushing out" the industry in suburbs, concern: higher price for the ground areas in the central parts of city agglomerations, necessity of creation of extensive platforms for parking of cars (the area of such parking near new factories come nearer in the sizes to the area of the enterprise), action of laws on preservation of the environment in cities, «crisis of the big cities» where the central parts are overpopulated by rather poor population.machine engineering industry enterprises locates on country territory extremely non-uniformly - more than 60 % of them are located in the industrial centers of the North and at Pacific coast, and the share of these areas in cost of the production makes 80 %. The major centers of mechanical engineering and metal working of the USA: Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Boston, Saint Louis, Milwaukee, Dallas - Fort Worth on which share it is necessary over 40 % conditionally-net production mechanical engineering and metal working.largest branchtransport mechanical engineering of the USA - motor industry. Cars - the basic vehicle for one million Americans, and cargo automobile transportations take the important place in transport to country system. In manufacture of cars, their sale and commercial operation it is occupied about 20 million persons, that is every sixth working American direct or indirect is connected with motor industry. Release of cars is in the USA at high level; however this branch is extremely subjected to tactical fluctuations and recessions which directly affect both motor industry, and allied industries: metallurgical, chemical and a rubber industry, machine-tool construction etc., causing lack of capacities and unemployment. In the American market the competition from foreign cars delivered mainly by Japan and Germany grows. The successful competition of these cars was promoted by an energy crisis and sharp increase of the prices for fuel.industry - one of the most monopolised branches of mechanical engineering of the USA. The share of "the big three» -of the concerns «General motors», "Ford", and "Crysler" - is about 97 % of national manufacture of automobile and 85 % of lorries. Outside of the USA these monopolies supervise almost 25 % of world production of cars.motor industry placing considerable concentration of manufacture in Lake-districts - 60 % of conditionally-net production branch is typical. Only to one State of Michigan belong over 30 % of production of the motor industry which basic part is developed in Detroit and its vicinities, and also in nearby cities Flint, Lansing and Ann Arbor. So considerable concentration of motor industry in the south of Michigan is explained by the wealth of area with qualified personnel, the metallurgical, metal cutting and machine-tool constructing enterprises, a favourable geographical position in centre Lake-districts, a capacious commodity market, and also historical traditions. However the tendency which has outlined still to 2 world war to expanding car assembly factories and to their approach to peripheral commodity markets amplifies.aviation industry of the country - which has grown in days of 2 world wars, with development of military rocket production and expansion of space programs to the USA has turned in essence to new branch of the industry. Aviarocket monopolies "Makdonnel-Duglas", "Boeing", «Rockwell», «Hughes aircraft», for many years take the first places in the sizes of the governmental military orders and represent a basis of a military-industrial complex of the USA. The appreciable place in the country aircraft industries occupies release of the civil aviation vehicles, including liners, easy planes, the helicopters which considerable part is exported.area this industry - is the Pacific coast with the main centres Los Angeles, Seattle, San Diego, San Jose. Over 60 % of all manufacture of aviation engines, the devices, completing knots and details it is concentrated to the Industrial East of the USA (the basic centres - Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Hartford, New York, Boston, Buffalow). In the West Phoenix, Los Angeles concern number of the large centres engine-building in the aerospace industry Sacramento.ship-building industry of the country undergoes the period of long stagnation. Building of the military ships both on private shipyards, and on shipyards of Naval Forces of the country has the considerable sizes only. The basic types of the floated military ships - aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, patrol ships. The largest shipyards of the private companies at the Atlantic coast the countries are located in Newport-Njuse (state of Virginia, firm «Newport-news ship-building and dry dock») and Gronte (the State of Connecticut, the firm «General dynamics») - the leading centre of designing and building of nuclear submarines; large shipyards are available also in Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York. At coast of Gulf of Mexico (Mississipi), New Orleans and Mobile (Alabama); at the Pacific coast large shipyards are in San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles.of the basic branches of a machine engineering industry of the USA - the general mechanical engineering - represents in essence the whole conglomerate of various branches. The American statistics includes the machine-tool constructing and tool industry, agricultural mechanical engineering, manufacture in the general mechanical engineering and hoisting-and-transport mechanisms, the process equipment for polygraphic, food, light and other industries, manufacture of turbines and internal combustion engines, the trading and municipal equipment, office equipment, the various common industrial equipment (including bearings, pumps and compressors, power transmissions, industrial furnaces etc.) . The general mechanical engineering - the most traditional branch of a machine engineering industry of the country; the general drawing of its placing throughout many decades is conservative also. On a share of industrial states of the North it is necessary about 80 % of all occupied in branch; including over 40 % Ohio and Michigan concentrates in Lake - districts, mainly in Illinois.quickly growing branch of mechanical engineering of the USA - manufacture of radio-electronic equipment and a communication facility. According to the shipments of the electronic equipment the USA 3-4 times advance the basic competitors - Japan and Germany. share of the American firms is 40 % of all manufacture of the computers in the developed countries. Prevalence of the USA in release of the computers industrial and military-oriented is especially sufficient; at the same time in manufacture of household electronics the American companies do not maintain a competition to Japanese and other South Asian countries, in some cases even in home market.