Culture of United States

General Informations

Location: North America, bordering both the North AtlanticOcean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico.

Area: 9,826,675 km2 (3rd largest country in the world after Russia and Canada).

Climate: Mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest.

General Informations

Independence Day: 4th July 1776

Capital: Washington, DC

President: Barack Obama

Currency: US Dolar

Government: Constitution based federal republic

Crowded Cities: California, Washington, Texas, New York

General Informations

Population: 320,760,000 (2015)

Religions: Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other 4.5%, none 16% (2015).

Ethnic Make up: white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2015).

50 states of United States

The 50 Stars on the flag represent the 50 States of the United States of America.

Some Statistics

• Travel & Tourism directly supported 5,434,500 jobs (3.8% of total employment).

• Travel & Tourism indirectly supported 14,120,500 jobs (9.8% of total employment).

• Travel & Tourism industry accounted for 2.7% of gross domestic product (GDP).

• The total contribution accounted for 8.4% of GDP.

• International Tourist Arrivals counted for 84.7 million.

• International Tourist Receipt accounted for $139.6 billion.

Meeting and Greeting Etiquettes

• Greetings are casual.

• A smile and a “hello” are needed.

• Prefering handshake as a first greeting. Hugging is suitable for family and friends.

• Kissing in greeting is warm, and it is usually done only in the context of relatives, lovers, and friends.

• Prefering to be called by their first name, and by their title (Mr, Mrs and Miss).

Gift Giving Etiquettes

• Americans give gift for anniversaries, birthdays, and at Christmas. While gifts are given, they are not to be expected by recipient.

• Simple card with handwriting, and personal note that should prepare as elaborated.

• When invited to someone’s home for dinner, guests can bring a small box of chocolate,

a bottle of wine, a potted plant or flowers for hostess.

• A gift must be open when its receiving.

Dining Etiquettes

• Americans meet in their home and yard, or in restaurant and in public places.

• Table manners are relaxed.

• The folks are important.

• They have does and don’ts.

Business Etiquettes

• Dress are formal.

• Casual attire is common on Friday in many companies.

• The handshake is common greeting.

• Eye contacts and appels are important.

Communication Styles

• Americans have direct, logic and linear thinking.

• Honesty and trueness are important.

• ‘’Short-hand’’ talking is typical.

• Compliments are sought and disered.

Business Meetings

• Arrrive on time is important. • Meetings appear relaxed, they are taken seriously.

• If there is an agenda, it will be followed.

• Americans affect by datas and evidences.

Life Styles

• Quality of life in America is higher

• Average households’ income is 42.148.

• %89 of households have motor vehicle, %99 have refrigerator, %76 have washing machine, %43 have air-conditioner, %98 have television, %34.5 have cooler and %28.5 have barbeque.

• In 2001, %68.1 of total American population has their own apartments, flats or houses.

Life Styles

• %80 of American people lives in city centers.

• Most of people live in buildings building in a large area near the big city suburbs.

• In America, everything is bigger than Europe.

• The most important problem of the city is high rate of using drugs.

Life Styles

• American people are friendly, cheerful, and sympathetic.

• It is really important to obey public rules.

• Private life is important for Americans.

• It is so important to wear suitable.

• Smoking is a dying habit.

• Americans are the society of ‘do your own job’.

• Respect is at the forefront everywhere.

Eating Habits

• American eating habits are really different than other societies.

• They always prefer fat, fried, canned foods.

• The breakfast can include everything but especially fried eggs and omelets.

• General American breakfast menu includes.

Eating Habits

• Lunches changes person to person.

• Generally teenagers use hamburgers, French fries, fried onions and donuts, desserts.

• Adults and young adults have lunch with lighter, fresher foods. They generally eat sandwiches, salads, tortilla bread, and sometimes fruits.

Eating Habits

• Prayer ‘blessing’ at a meal is important.

• Guests not start to eat until your hosts start

• Table manners are typical.

Eating Habits

• Americans love to eat snacks and pizza while watching movies, football matches and their free times.

• They generally drink soda- it is not mineral water, coke and beer.

• Their meals generally are fast foods.

Time

• Be on time!

• Classes, appointments, work, group meetings

Being late = sign of disrespect Arrive early

• Social Settings

More flexible “fashionably late”

Recreational

• Holidays

Independence Day (4th of July), Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, Labor Day, Memorial Day

• Sports

Football, Soccer, Hockey, Lacrosse, Baseball

Basketball, NBA! Nascars

Recreational

• Films

“Hollywood” Oscar Nights and Western

Gunslingers

• Musics

Ragtime, blues, jazz, big band “Swing”, country western, rhythm & blues, rock & roll, hip-hop & rap.

Dos and Don’ts of the Country