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especially the Saint Lawrence River and the Mississippi, are used
for transport.
American agriculture produces more food products than any
other country. Much of it is exported. In the Middle West much
grain is grown. Fresh fruit and vegetables come all the year round
from the southern regions, especially Florida, from California and
south-western states.
The United States has the largest, most diverse, and
technologically advanced economy in the world. Real gross domestic
product per capita is $23,760, the highest in the world. This indicates the
average American has greater buying power than people in other
countries. However, while American society as a whole is prosperous,
there is a widening gap between the wealthy and the poor and even
between those earning a comfortable income and those struggling to
meet basic needs.
The country's economic strength is based on industrial and service
sectors, investments abroad, the dollar as a major world currency, a
demand-driven consumer society, and exports. The service sector
employs more people than manufacturing, but industry is still the most
vital part of the economy. The United States exports capital goods,
cars, consumer goods, food, and machinery. It also exports pop culture
(movies, music, television programming, fashion trends, sports, and
more), which can fuel demand for American goods. The United States
is a key world financial center; its economic fortunes affect global
markets and international economic growth. The currency is the U.S.
dollar ($).

3. Answer the following questions:

1. What mineral resources is the USA rich in?
2. Where are the heavy industries developed?
3. What are the centers of the machine-building industry?
4. What is the real gross domestic product per capita in the USA?
5. What is the country’s economic strength based on?
6. What does the USA export?
7. What can you say about the transport system of the USA?
8. What are the largest industrial centers of the USA?
9. What states do fresh fruit and vegetables come from?
10. Does American agriculture produce much grain?