United States

Regionalism rules in the U.S. Those who manage to travel beyond internationally known cities such as New York or Los Angeles will inevitably conclude that this is a country difficult to define or categorize.

The U.S. population of nearly 300 million is as diverse as its natural landscapes and attractions, and every visit is almost sure to generate a different impression of what U.S. life is all about. Each of the 50 states possesses its own distinctiveness, from accents to foods to beloved sports pastimes.

The world's third largest country has sights as broad and renowned as the man-made structures of the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge, to the natural wonders of Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.

Despite its refusal to fit within homogeneous confines, the U.S. is an economic and military powerhouse. Its sole superpower status often earns it worldwide hatred and fear, yet it draws a torrent of tourists through its borders every day. Though its own citizens regularly exercise their right to demonstrate against its government's policies, you'd be hard-pressed to find one of them who isn't a firm believer in the founding principles of the republic.

And even though for decades Hollywood has served as an international barometer of American values and life, don't believe what you see until you see the U.S. for yourself.