| usa |
| general information |
| currency |
US dollar
1 US dollar = 100 cents.
Notes: $1,000, $500, $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, $2 and $1
Coins: $1 and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cents |
| time difference |
The US stretches across 6 time zones:
Eastern Standard Time: GMT - 5
Central Standard Time: GMT - 6
Mountain Standard Time: GMT - 7
Pacific Standard Time: GMT - 8
Alaska: GMT - 9
Hawaii: GMT - 10 |
| bank opening times |
| Variable but generally open mon-fri 0900-1500 |
| public holidays 2008 |
These are federal holidays. Each state may have additional holidays:
1 Jan New Year's Day.
21 Jan Martin Luther King Day.
18 Feb Presidents' Day.
26 May Memorial Day.
4 Jul Independence Day.
1 Sep Labor Day.
13 Oct Columbus Day.
11 Nov Veterans' Day.
27 Nov Thanksgiving Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day. |
|
 |
| driving rules |
| speed limits |
There are 50 states in the U.S. with their own laws and varying speed limits. Interstate speed limits range between 55 and 75 mph and in Montana there are none. Limited-access rural interstates - 55 to 75 mph (Montana - none).
Limited-access urban interstates - 55 to 70 mph.
Other limited-access roads and other roads - 45 to 70 mph (d.c. - 25). |
| drink and driving |
| All states except Massachusetts, South Carolina and the district of Columbia prohibit drinking and driving. In some states, blood alcohol concentration can be as low as 0.08% for conviction. |
| general driving |
Drive on the right, overtake on the left.
Forty-nine states (all except New Hampshire) and the district of Columbia have mandatory safety belt laws. In most states, these laws cover front-seat occupants only, although belt laws in 12 jurisdictions (Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) cover all rear seat occupants, too.
While a school bus is loading or unloading, traffic in both directions must stop.
Beware of the strange custom in Georgia where if you 'carve up' a driver, you should raise two fingers (v sign) to them to indicate your regret.
There are no roundabouts in the USA but lots of crossroads. Therefore, everyone sits and waits - there seems to be an unwritten courtesy about who goes first.
When leaving an interstate, slow down only when you are totally in the deceleration lane. |
|
 |
| tourist office |
| For a list of web addresses for visitor bureaus and tourism offices in each state click here |
| travel tips |
The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the world and covers most of the North American Continent. It has coasts on the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
It shares borders with Mexico in the South and Canada in the North and covers a diversity of geographical features and climate ranges. English is the language spoken in the United States, however there are a significant number of Spanish-speaking minorities.
|
|
