Expats Moving to USA

Before moving to USA, it is important that you gather as much information as you can about the country, its society, land, government, economic etc.'

Some rather read books about the country, others prefer to surf the net, or consult with friends.

Whatever you choose just keep in mind that the
more you know, the better you are prepared, and
the easier you adjust to expatriate life in the USA

Moving to USA - Important Information

Important facts to know about USA before Moving to USA

Location – The United States is the third largest country by size in the world. It is located in North America, and covers a large part of the North American continent. It shares land borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south and has coasts on the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The State of Alaska, in the northwest corner of the continent, is separated from the rest of the USA by Canada, and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific Ocean.

The U.S. is generally divided into six large regions:

New England -Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

The mid-Atlantic – Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.

The South - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The Midwest – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The Southwest - Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas

The West - Alaska, Colorado, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Capital - Washington, DC.

Political System - The United States is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district (Washington, DC), which lies between Maryland and Virginia.

Population - 305,730,000

The USA has six divided time zones:

Eastern Standard Time: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November).

Central Standard Time: GMT - 6 (GMT - 5 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November).

Mountain Standard Time: GMT - 7 (GMT - 6 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November. Arizona does not observe DST).

Pacific Standard Time: GMT - 8 (GMT - 7 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November).

Alaska: GMT - 9 (GMT - 8 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November).

Hawaii: GMT - 10.

Language – Mostly English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7%

Religion - Christian: (78.5%), Protestant (51.3%), Roman Catholic (23.9%), Mormon (1.7%), other Christian (1.6%), unaffiliated (12.1%), none (4%), other or unspecified (2.5%), Jewish (1.7%), Buddhist (0.7%), Muslim (0.6%)

Economy - The United States has a capitalist mixed economy, which is fueled by great natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity. The economy is postindustrial, with the service sector contributing 67.8% of GDP. The leading business field by gross business receipts is wholesale and retail trade; by net income it is finance and insurance. The U.S. has industrial power, with chemical products the leading manufacturing field. The U.S. is the third largest producer of oil in the world, as well as its largest importer. It is the world's number one producer of electrical and nuclear energy, as well as liquid natural gas, sulfur, phosphates, and salt. The U.S. is the world's top producer of corn and soybeans.

The U.S. is the largest importer of goods and third largest exporter. Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany are its top trading partners. The leading export commodity is electrical machinery, while vehicles constitute the leading import.

Currency - United States dollar ($)

Electricity - 110 volts AC, 60Hz. plugs are of the flat two-pin type. European electrical appliances not fitted with dual-voltage capabilities will require a plug adaptor, which is best purchased before moving to USA.

International Dialing Code: +1

Internet TLD (top level domain) - .us .gov .mil .edu

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Gain Knowledge about United States holidays before moving to USA. In general American holidays can be secular, religious, international or uniquely American.

New Year's Day is January 1st.

Martin Luther King Day is the third Monday in January. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was an African-American clergyman who is recognized for his tireless efforts to win civil rights for all people through nonviolent means.

Presidents' Day is observed the third Monday of February to honor the legacy of all past presidents of the United States.

Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th.

Easter falls on a spring Sunday that varies from year to year. Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Christians

Memorial Day is observed the last Monday of May. It originally honored the people killed in the American Civil War, but has become a day on which the dead of all wars.

Independence Day is July 4th. This holiday honors the nation's birthday – the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Labor Day is the first Monday of September. This holiday honors the nation's working people. It marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of the school year.

Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The day commemorates October 12, 1492, when Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World.

Halloween is celebrated on October 31.

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th. - This holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the U.S. has fought.

Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday dates back to 1621, when Puritans, who had just enjoyed a bountiful harvest, showed their gratitude to the Native Americans for their help by hosting a feast to give thanks

Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25

Other Celebrations Various ethnic and religious groups in America celebrate days with special meaning to them even though these are not national holidays

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The United States includes a wide variety of climate types due to its large size, and range of geographic features. Therefore make sure you know what type of climate to expect before moving to USA. It will help you to decide what to pack, what to leave behind, and what to buy in the USA

In the east of the U.S.A the climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south. The southern tip of Florida is tropical.

The Great Plains (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming) are semi-arid.

Much of the Rocky Mountains (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico) the Sierra Nevada (California, and Nevada), and the Cascade Range (Oregon, Washington, and California), are alpine.

In the Great Basin (most of Nevada, over half of Utah, and parts of California, Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming) the climate is arid .

In the Southwest of the U.S.A there is a desert climate.

The climate in Coastal California is Mediterranean, and Oceanic in coastal Oregon and Washington.

Alaska - is largely sub arctic, with an oceanic climate in its southern edge and a polar climate in the north.

Hawaii has a tropical climate.

The Weather varies widely across the continental United States, as well as in Alaska and Hawaii.

Summers are hot and humid in the plains and southern states, The southwest is very hot and quite dry, and Southern California and Florida are known for their endless summers. In the Pacific Northwest and New England states summers are warm with cool mornings and pleasant evening conditions.

Winters in the southern states are mild, while in the north, northeast, plains states, and in the western mountains, conditions are often quite cold with heavy snow and freezing temperatures.

Extreme weather is not uncommon in the USA – Severe weather in the form of thunderstorms is a normal spring and summer occurrence; tornadoes are also common in the spring and summer months, especially in the central part of the U. S. Hurricanes occasionally strike the eastern coastline and Gulf of Mexico states from June through October.

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