Whether you are planning to move to a new country or looking for new business or employment opportunities, the USA can be the perfect choice. It is one of the world's strongest and most competitive economies, has a favourable business atmosphere, an open society and a diverse culture. So if you are planning to invest in the USA, you are on the right track, however, to be able to assess the potential of your investment property, it is useful to find out as much about the USA as possible. We have compiled this USA country guide as an overview of the USA, so that you can familiarise yourself with the investment atmosphere in the USA as easily as possible.
The USA has a capitalist mixed economy, and has the world's largest national GDP of $14.870 trillion. Although affected by the recent economic recession, the American economy is generally strong and stable, can boast high productivity, and very strong business, technological and financial sectors.
The USA has a market-oriented economy, with the private sector constituting over 50% of it. US private businesses employ over 90% of the American workforce, and enjoy grater flexibility than many Western European firms regarding taxation, and a variety of regulations, such as hiring or laying off workers, and the level of government involvement is generally very low. The combination of a strong and growing economy and a favourable business atmosphere that supports entrepreneurism makes the USA an ideal place for many investors.
The USA was originally inhabited by Native Americans, a population that was greatly reduced through contact and warfare with European settlers. The country was founded by thirteen British colonies along the Atlantic Seaboard, and the new nation declared its right to self-determination in the Declaration of Independence in the late 18th century. The US acquired further lands from France, Russia and Spain in the 19th century, and by the end of the American Civil War in the 1860s, the US was one of the world's largest national economies. The two world wars and the Cold War in the 20th century further strengthened the USA's position as a major military, political and economic power in the world.
The United States is a constitutional republic and representative democracy, comprising 50 federated states. The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances set out in the US Constitution. For most of its history, the USA has had a two-party system, with the major parties being the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is centre-left, or liberal, while the Republican Party generally represents centre-right, and conservative values and policies. The winner of the 2008 presidential election was Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, who has taken over after George W Bush. Obama's current policies aim at helping the economy recover after the worldwide recession.