Country Trading Profiles United States

Political outline

Executive Power: President is both the chief of state and the head of the government. President is elected by an electoral college (who are elected directly from each state) to serve a four-year term. President is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
These powers are checked by parliament. The Cabinet is appointed by the President subject to approval by the senat.
Legislative Power: The legislature is bicameral in the United States. The Congress consists of Senate (the upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower house). The Senate has the power to confirm or reject presidential appointments and to ratify treaties; the House of Representatives has the sole right to initiate revenue bills, although they may be amended or rejected by the Senate. President has the power to veto the legislation passed by the Congress. The Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote.
Main political parties: The United States has a two-party system :
- Democratic Party : the oldest political party in the world (established in 1820s) with a liberal, pro-working class Philosophy;
- Republican Party : established in 1854, socially conservative but economically more liberal, favors free-market economy and capitalism.
Current political leaders: President: Barack Obama (since January 2009): Democrat Party
Next election dates: Presidential: November 2012
ongress: November 2012

Health precautions: No specific vaccinations are needed in the USA.
International hospitals: For a list of hospitals that will accept your US international insurance plan, visit Expat Medical Insurance.
For further information on sanitary conditions: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
For further information on safety conditions: Department of Homeland Security - Travel Security and Procedures
Transport Security Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Emergency Management Agency - Disaster Information
Contact your Embassy: Embassy of Greece in The United States
2217 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20008
Phone: +1 (202) 939 1300
Fax: +1 (202) 939 1324, (202) 939 1562
Greece@greekembassy.org http://www.greekembassy.org/Embassy/content/en/Root.aspx?office=1

Police, Medical, Fire	911 (112 from a cell phone)
Municipal Government	311

Time and time difference: It is %T:%M %A in New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia (GMT-5 in winter, GMT-4 in summer)
It is %T:%M %A in Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas (GMT-6 in winter, GMT-5 in summer)
It is %T:%M %A in Los Angeles, San Diego (GMT-8 in winter, GMT-7 in summer)
Summer time period: From April to October.

Type of climate: Average Temperatures in Chicago: from -7°C in January to 20°C in June, in San Francisco from 12°C in January to 18°C in June and in New York from 0°C in January to 22°C in June.

For further information: US Department of Commerce: Climate Analysis Branch
National Weather Service
Federal Emergency Management Agency - Disaster Information

To find an accommodation: LuxuryTravel All Hotels

USA Bed and breakfast

Budget Hotels Hostels Traveling in USA
Lonely Planet - USA
To find an apartment: Apartment Rental Agencies

Craigslist
Sublet
Apartment Guide
To find a job: American Staffing Association
Monster
Career Builder
The Ladders

Telephone codes: To make a call from the United States to Greece: dial 011 (or +) 30
To make a call to in the United States from Greece: dial 00 (or +) +1 (except Canada and the Caribbean).
Mobile telephone standards: The US mainly uses Analog, TDMA, CDMA, GSM 1900. Also note that each standard may have multiple frequencies. Some phones can work in the US since the phone can support multiple GSM frequencies.
Another way to use a cell phone in the USA without subscription is to buy pre-paid cards.
Internet suffix: .us