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Facts and Figures   Official Name United States of America. Capital City Washington, DC. Languages English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority). Official Currency US dollar (USD). Ethnic Groups White 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4% (2000). Note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (especially of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.). Religions Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989). Population 280,562,489 (July 2002 est.). Land Area 9,158,918 sq km (3,536,278 sq miles).History Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology. |
UNAIDS Epidemiological  [English] [French]Global Surveillance of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a joint effort of WHO and UNAIDS. The UNAIDS/WHO Working Group on Global HIV/AIDS and STI Surveillance, initiated in November 1996, guides respective activities. The primary objective of the working group is to strengthen national, regional and global structures and networks for improved monitoring and surveillance of HIV/AIDS and STIs. For this purpose, the working group collaborates closely with national AIDS programmes and a number of national and international experts and institutions. The goal of this collaboration is to compile the best information available and to improve the quality of data needed for
informed decision-making and planning at national, regional and global levels. The Epidemiological Fact Sheets are one of the products of this close and fruitful collaboration across the globe. |
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Non-government Organizations - International/National
The Task Forces are a network of AIDS Health Fraud Task Forces throughout the United States of America has developed a proactive approach to combat these fraudulent product/treatment promotions affecting people with HIV/AIDS and their partners, family, and friends. The network, sponsored by the US Food & Drug Administration, strives to promote awareness, and prevent fraud through education that empowers individuals. The Task Forces have developed hotlines, workshops, conferences, and advocacy sharing as an alert mechanism to new fraudulent product promotion. Media has been utilized to broaden awareness in the diverse communities served. Members of the Task Force Network include persons living with HIV/AIDS, community based organizations, treatment advocates, health care practitioners, educators, federal and state government officials, and local health care departments. (Rosario Quintanilla Vior and Betty Dodson 1998)
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