From ancient pyramids to UFO conspiracies, America has its fair share of mysteries that continue to captivate imagination. But beyond the enigmas lies a world of wonder – of uncovered stories, statistics and fun facts about USA that most Americans are unaware of.
Let’s take a scenic route through quirky corners of America that highlight some captivating secrets behind its food, landmarks, natural wonders and people. Fasten your virtual seatbelts!
There are more public libraries than McDonald’s restaurants
It’s heartwarming to know that despite technological disruptions and budget cuts, more than 16,000 public libraries continue to operate in communities across the US – that’s nearly 2,000 more than the number of all McDonald’s outlets combined! Not what you’d expect from a nation oft associated with fast food and obesity crisis.
Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost and easternmost state
Thanks to the fact that Alaska stretches across longitudes, no other state covers such wide ground. Parts of Alaska are as far east as parts of Maine! So while it’s considered a western state, technically Alaska encompasses the extreme points of the North American continent.
Americans gobble down 3 billion pizzas every year!
Pizza – the undisputed American food staple accounting for a mouth-watering statistic. At about 350 slices per second, US pizza consumption adds up to 100 acres of pizza a day – now that’s a whole lot of dough, cheese and pepperoni!
Florida has more tornadoes than tornado alley states
While Midwest states like Kansas and Oklahoma are infamous for twisters thanks to “tornado alley”, few know Florida witnessed greater number of tornadoes – at 12 per 10,000 square miles between 2007-2018. So those beachfront properties also buy you a higher chance of getting hit by a cyclone!
Minnesota has one lake for every 12 residents
The northern state proudly boasts having over 11,000 lakes – the highest number of lakes of any state in the country. Nearly all Minnesotans reside within 10 miles of an inland water body. Seems like there’s enough lakes here to give one to every 12 Minnesotan to enjoy their own private lakefront property!
Want to learn some more unusual facts about USA? Let’s continue further.
America wasn’t the first country to give women voting rights
North Carolina has the most varying elevations from highest to lowest
Spanning everything from the Appalachian mountain peaks to the sandy barrier islands of the Atlantic, North Carolina shows off the most dramatic elevation differences. The state’s highest point Mount Mitchell rises a proud 6,684 feet while its lowest along the coast is a meager 2 feet above sea level!
Americans eat over 35,000 tons of popcorn every year
Popcorn is clearly America’s guilty pleasure when it comes to snacktime. American farms grow over 35,000 tons of popcorn annually – that’s around 270 million buckets filling giant movie theaters, baseball stadiums and household cabinets from sea to shining sea.
Americans eat over 35,000 tons of popcorn every year. Popcorn is clearly America’s guilty pleasure when it comes to snacktime. American farms grow over 35,000 tons of popcorn annually – that’s around 270 million buckets filling giant movie theaters, baseball stadiums and household cabinets from sea to shining sea. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, popcorn has been a popular American snack for centuries, with early colonists enjoying popcorn that originated from Native American cultures.
Kansas state law requires pedestrians crossing highways to wear taillights at night
Sure, everything’s bigger in Texas, but nothing beats Kansas when it comes to quirky laws. In this midwestern state, the law legally requires pedestrians crossing highways at night to strap taillights on themselves to avoid being hit by vehicles. Flashing red beacons on your back during a late-night stroll isn’t Kansas being weird—it’s the law!
There are more Irish Americans than Ireland’s entire population
Over 33 million Americans reported Irish ancestry in 2019, nearly 8 million more than the Republic of Ireland’s total population. With accents fading over new generations, it seems like Ireland’s biggest export is actually its people—more than beer and magic rainbows!
Wrapping Up
The article shows a fun side of America you never read in history books or hear during political debates. Beyond stats or stereotypes, each Unusual facts about USA opens a little window into understanding what makes America so diverse, distinct, and fascinating!