Estados Unidos

código del país: US
continente: América del Norte
capital, la: Washington, DF
idiomas: inglés

membresía a la UE: no
membresía a la OTAN: sí

GSM: 850/1900
GPS: 38 00 N, 97 00 W
electricidad: 120V/60Hz

moneda:
dólar estadounidense: USD
1USD = 0.789 EUR

prefijo telefónico: +1-202

Consejos y advertencias de viaje Estados Unidos

Arriving in the United States	Before arrival, you will receive either a white I-94 (if entering with a visa) or green I-94W (if entering on a visa waiver) form to complete. Most persons arriving in the United States under the Visa Waiver Program are no longer issued with I-94W cards, however, as the qualifying paperwork was filled out with the ESTA application.
Visa-free entry	Citizens of the 36 countries within the Visa Waiver Program, as well as Canadians, Mexicans living on the border (holding a Border Crossing Card), and Bermudians (with British Overseas Territories passports) do not require advance visas for entry into the United States. Check: http://travel. state. gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990. html
Car rental in United States	Renting a car in the U. S. usually runs anywhere from $20 and $100 per day for a basic sedan, depending on the type of car and location, with some discounts for week-long rentals.
Fuel	Gasoline ("gas") is sold by the gallon. The American gallon is smaller than the UK gallon, and equals 3. 785 liters. The U. S. octane scale is different from that used in Europe; a regular gallon of U. S. gasoline is rated at 87 octane, the equivalent of about 92 in Europe. Diesel is not as common, but still widely used and available at most stations, especially those catering to truckers. Untaxed "offroad diesel", sold in rural areas for agricultural use, is dyed red and should not be used in cars, as there are heavy fines if you're caught.
Talk	Almost all Americans speak English. They generally use a standard accent (native to the Midwest), popularized in the 20th century by radio, TV and movies. In many areas, especially the South and Texas, in New England, in New York City, and in the upper Midwest, you'll find distinctive regional accents and dialects. Nowhere should this pose any problem to a visitor, as Americans often admire foreign accents and most will approximate the standard accent to help you understand them, or try to speak your language if they can. Even so, visitors are generally expected to speak and understand English. Many Americans are familiar with Spanish, or French, but few are fluent in languages other than English, unless they are from immigrant communities. Even popular tourist sites may have signs only in English, or perhaps one or two other languages.
Currency exchange	Currency exchange centers are rare outside the downtowns of major coastal and border cities, and international airports, however many banks can also provide currency exchange services. Most automated teller machines (ATMs) can handle foreign bank cards or credit cards bearing Visa/Plus or MasterCard/Cirrus logo; note, however, that many ATMs charge fees of about $2. 50 for use with cards issued by other banks (often waived for cards issued outside of the U. S. , but banks in one's home country may charge their own fees). Smaller ATMs found in restaurants etc. often charge higher fees (up to $5). Some ATMs (such as those at Sheetz gas stations and government buildings such as courthouses) have no fee. Another option is withdrawing cash (usually up to $40 over the cost of your goods) when making a debit-card purchase at a large discount store such as Walmart or Target, or at many supermarkets. Stores almost never charge a fee for this service, though the bank that issued your card may
Places for shopping	Shopping malls. Outlet centers. Major retailers. Garage sales. Flea markets. Auctions.
Costs	Unless you live in Australia, Canada, Europe or Japan, the United States is generally expensive, but there are ways to limit the damage. Many Europeans come to the United States for shopping (especially electronics). While prices in the United States are lower than in many European countries, keep in mind that you will be charged taxes/tariffs on goods purchased abroad. Additionally, electronics may not be compatible with standards when you return (electrical, DVD region, etc. ). As such, the savings you may find shopping in the United States may easily be negated upon your return. A barebones budget for camping, hostels, and cooking your food could be $30-50/day, and you can double that if you stay at motels and eat at cheap cafes. Add on a rental car and hotel accommodation and you'll be looking at $150/day and up. There are regional variations too: large cities like New York and Los Angeles are expensive, while prices go down in the countryside. Most U. S. cities have suburbs with good hotels that are often much more affordable than those in the city center and enjoy lower crime rates. Thus, if you plan to rent a car and drive between several major cities on a single visit to the U. S. , it is usually a better idea to stay at safe suburban hotels with free parking, as opposed to downtown hotels that charge exorbitant parking fees.
Tipping	- Hairdressers, other personal services: 10-15% - Bartenders: $1 per drink if inexpensive or 15% of total - Bellhops: $1-2 per bag ($3-5 minimum regardless) - Hotel doorman: $1 per bag (if they assist), $1 for calling a cab - Shuttle bus drivers: $2-5 (optional) - Private car & limousine drivers: 15-20% - Housekeeping in hotels: $1-2 per day for long stays or $5 minimum for very short stays (optional) - Food delivery (pizza, etc. ): $2-5, 15-20% for larger orders - Bicycle messengers: $3-5 - Tour guides / activity guides $5-$10 if he or she was particularly funny or informative. - Taxis: Tips of 10-20% are expected in both yellow cabs as well as livery cabs. A simple way of computing the tip is to add 10% of the fare and round up from there. - Thus, if the meter reads $6. 20, you pay $7 and if the meter reads $6. 50, you pay $8. Always tip more for better service (for example, if the cabbie helps you with your bags or stroller). Leave a small tip if the service is lousy (for example, if the cabbie refuses to turn on the AC on a hot day). For livery cabs, tip 10-20% depending on the quality of the service but you don't need to tip at all if you hail the cab on the street and negotiate the fare in advance (leave an extra dollar or two anyway!). - Full-service restaurants: 15-20%. Many restaurants include a mandatory service charge for larger groups, in which case you do not need to tip an additional amount - check the bill.
911/Emergency Services	During any emergency, dialing 911 (pronounced "nine-one-one") at any telephone will connect you to the emergency services in the area (police, fire, ambulance, etc). Calls to 911 are free from payphones and any mobile phone capable of connecting with local carriers. Give the facts. The dispatchers will send help. Unless you are calling from a mobile phone, the 911 operator can almost certainly trace your line instantly and locate you.
Mobile phones	American mobile phone service (known as cell phones regardless of the technology used) is not very compatible with that offered elsewhere. While GSM has been gaining popularity, the U. S. uses the unusual 1900 and 850 MHz frequencies; check with your operator or mobile phone dealer to see if your phone is a tri-band or quad-band model that will work here.

	Washington, DF, Estados Unidos Jueves 18, Abril
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De wikipedia sobre Estados Unidos

Estados Unidos de América (en inglés: United States of America o USA), de manera abreviada Estados Unidos, EUA o EE. UU., es una república federal constitucional compuesta por cincuenta estados y un distrito federal. La mayor parte del país se ubica en el centro de América del Norte, donde se encuentran sus cuarenta y ocho estados contiguos y Washington D. C., el distrito de la capital, entre los océanos Pacífico y el Atlántico, limita con Canadá al norte y con México al sur. El estado de Alaska está en el noroeste del continente, limitando con Canadá al este y separado de Rusia al oeste por el estrecho de Bering. El estado de Hawái es un archipiélago polinesio en medio del océano Pacífico, y es el único estado estadounidense que no se encuentra en América. El país también posee varios territorios en el mar Caribe y en el Pacífico.

Con 9, 83 millones de km² y con más de 308 millones de habitantes, es el tercer o cuarto país más grande por área total y el tercero más grande tanto por la como por. Es una de las naciones del mundo étnicamente más diversas y multiculturales, producto de la inmigración a gran escala. Es, por otro lado, la economía nacional más grande del mundo, con un PIB estimado en 14, 3 billones de dólares (una cuarta parte del) y una quinta parte del PIB global en. La Unión Europea tiene una economía más grande, pero no es una única nación. Además, se considera el país más desarrollado del mundo, y un ejemplo económico a nivel mundial.

Los pueblos indígenas de origen asiático han habitado lo que hoy es el territorio continental de los Estados Unidos por miles de años. Esta población amerindia fue reducida por las enfermedades y la guerra después del primer contacto con los europeos. Estados Unidos fue fundado por trece colonias británicas, situadas a lo largo de la costa atlántica. El 4 de julio de 1776, emitieron la Declaración de Independencia, que proclamó su derecho a la libre autodeterminación y el establecimiento de una unión cooperativa. Los estados rebeldes derrotaron al Imperio británico en la guerra de independencia, la primera guerra colonial de independencia exitosa. La actual Constitución de los Estados Unidos fue adoptada el 17 de septiembre de 1787; su ratificación al año siguiente hizo a los estados parte de una sola república con un gobierno central fuerte. La Carta de Derechos, que comprende diez enmiendas constitucionales que garantizan muchos derechos civiles fundamentales y las libertades, fue ratificada en 1791.

En el siglo XIX, los Estados Unidos adquirieron territorios de Francia, España, Reino Unido, México y Rusia, además de anexarse la República de Texas y la República de Hawái. En la década de 1860, las disputas entre el sur agrario y el norte industrial sobre los derechos de los estados y la abolición de la esclavitud provocaron la Guerra de Secesión. La victoria del norte evitó una división permanente del país y condujo al final de la esclavitud legal. Para la década de 1870, la economía nacional era la más grande del mundo y la guerra hispano-estadounidense y la Primera Guerra Mundial confirmaron el estatus del país como una potencia militar. Después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, surgió como el primer país con armas nucleares y un miembro permanente del Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas. El final de la Guerra Fría y la disolución de la Unión Soviética dejaron a los Estados Unidos como la única superpotencia. El país representa dos quintas partes del gasto militar mundial y es una fuerza económica, política y cultural, líder en el mundo.

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