Calling to USA
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Making Calls while in USA
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Information About the U.S.A.’s Telephone System
The U.S.A. has a large, technologically advanced telecommunications system. Land lines are available and active throughout the country, even in more isolated areas.
There are currently over 268 million land lines and 195 million cellular lines in use in the United States.
Important Phone Numbers To Know if Traveling to the U.S.A.
All embassies are located in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Some consulates are located in major U.S. cities, and many nations have a mission to the United Nations in New York City. You can call 202/555-1212 for directory information in Washington, D.C. or log on to www.embassy.org/embassies.
Here are just a few:
The embassy of Australia is located at 1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. 202/797-3000). Australia has consulates in New York, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
The embassy of Canada is at 501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (tel. 202/682-1740). Canada has consulates in Buffalo (N.Y.), Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle.
The embassy of Ireland is at 2234 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/462-3939). Ireland has consulates in Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco.
The embassy of Japan is at 2520 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/238-6700). Japan has consulates in many cities including Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The embassy of New Zealand is at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/328-4800). New Zealand has consulates in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The embassy of the United Kingdom is at 3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/462-1340). The UK has consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Other Important Information to Know About the U.S.A.
Time Zone:
Eastern Standard Time: GMT –5.00 hours. Current time in New York.
Central Standard Time: GMT –6.00 hours. Current time in Chicago.
Mountain Standard Time: GMT –7.00 hours. Current time in Denver.
Pacific Standard Time: GMT –8.00 hours. Current time in Los Angeles.
Alaska Standard Time: GMT –9.00 hours. Current time in Fairbanks.
Hawaii Standard Time: GMT –10.00 hours. Current time in Honolulu.
Currency:
The U.S. dollar is equivalent to 0.74 euros, 0.5 British pounds, 1.14 Canadian dollars, and 119 Japanese yen. Current exchange rates for the U.S. dollar.
Population:
301,511,000 (Racially, 75% White, 12% African American, 4.5% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 6% Other; Hispanics make up the largest ethnic minority)
Holidays:
Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores, restaurants, and museums are closed on the following legal national holidays: January 1st (New Year's Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents' Day, Washington's Birthday), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4th (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11th (Veterans Day/Armistice Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25th (Christmas).
Language:
The U.S.A. has no official language, but English is the national language. A majority (over 80%) of Americans speak only English at home. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language with 29.7 million speakers, many of whom also speak English. The U.S.A. has also granted administrative status to 3 additional languages in 3 states: Hawaiian in Hawaii, French in Louisiana, and Spanish in New Mexico.
Climate:
Due to its large size, the U.S. has dramatically different climates across regions. Climate differences are dramatic across the United States. Alaska is usually well below freezing until summer. Hawaii is warm year-round, but the winter season brings a good deal of rain.
The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states begin their summer beach season in June and end it on Labor Day. These states offer beautiful foliage and usually temperate weather in September and October. Weather can vary in these states; winters can vary from frigid to fairly mild, and summers can be pleasant or brutally hot. Avoid summer in the Southeast; it is usually hot and humid. However, spring and fall are long and lovely in these states, and winters are almost always mild.
The central states have freezing winters and scorching summers. Southwest weather varies from hot, humid summers and mild winters in the east (much of Texas) to desert-temperature summers and pleasant, dry winters (Arizona and New Mexico). The mountains of Colorado, Utah, and the Northwest have dry, moderately hot summers and cold, snowy winters. The Northwest coast is almost always wet with the exception of July. The California coast is generally gorgeous, though it does rain a bit in early spring.
Fun Facts About The U.S.A.
- Dining and nightlife hours vary across the country. Urbanites tend to eat and visit clubs and bars at later hours than other Americans.
- The U.S.A. is the largest importer of goods in the world.
- Most every major city in the U.S.A. has an art museum. Larger cities often have a number of excellent museums to visit.
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) can be found in most every American city and town.
- The U.S.A. has a Native American population of over 5 million. Around 2 million identify as exclusively Native American, while the rest identify as mixed-race.
- Skiing is a popular pastime in the mountain states and in the Northeast.
- If you enjoy driving, the U.S.A. offers a wonderful highway system. Remember to avoid driving in and around major cities during rush hour (early morning and late afternoon hours).
- Americans tend to be friendly and helpful, even in major cities like New York.
- Many American foods have Native American roots, including turkey, corn, pumpkin, and beans.
- While Hawaii has the most beautiful beaches in the country, Miami and Southern California also have lovely beaches. Beaches along the Atlantic coast tend to be crowded during the summer months, but it is possible to find some quieter sites.
- The best ways to travel between major cities are plane or train. Buses tend to be cheaper, but are often slower and less comfortable.
- The world’s first National Park was established in the U.S.A. in 1872. It was Yellowstone in the state of Wyoming.
- The U.S.A. is home to many prestigious public and private places of learning. Some of the country’s most famous institutions include Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.
- The U.S.A. offers a massive range of ethnic cuisines as well as national dishes like hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza.
- Remember that the legal drinking age in the U.S.A. is 21. It is illegal to carry open containers of alcohol on the street or in a car.
- Tip service people 15-20% in bars, nightclubs, and restaurants. Service charges (“gratuities”) are sometimes added automatically for larger groups.
- Tap water is almost always safe to drink in the U.S.A. If you’re not certain, ask a local!
- The U.S.A.’s film industry, based in Hollywood, is immensely powerful and has influenced cinema across the world.
- Sports are a national pastime in the U.S., and the most popular are baseball, football, and basketball.