A new type of solar cell which could boost the efficiency of solar panels by over 25 percent

A new type of solar cell which could boost the efficiency of solar panels by over 25 percent compared to silicon-based cells has been developed by British scientists, but they need another two or three years to assess whether it is commercially viable.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a hybrid solar cell which is capable of converting 44 percent of sunlight into electrical power, 29 percent more than traditional cells' capability of 34 percent, they said in the journal NanoLetters on Wednesday.

Solar cells convert the sun's energy into electricity. They absorb energy through semi-conductor materials like silicon from light particles called photons, generating electrons to make electricity.

However, silicon solar cells cannot extract all the energy in a photon and much of the energy from the more energetic blue photons is lost. Usually a solar cell generates one electron from each photon captured.

"We present the first hybrid solar cell that utilizes a phenomenon called singlet exciton fission to generate two electrons for each absorbed photon in the organic material," Bruno Ehrler, lead author of the research, told Reuters.

Hybrid cells are not new and were first developed in 1996 but their efficiency needs to be increased and stabilized before they can be commercialized.

"These (hybrid cells) are the first of their kind so it is very difficult to estimate when they will go into commercialization," Ehrler said.

"The firm Eight19 works closely with the group and will put our cells in production if they turn out to be commercially viable. However, in order to assess that we need to investigate the devices further. This might take 2 to 3 years," he added.

The price of silicon-based panels and cells has fallen dramatically over the past year, cutting profit for manufacturers and putting them under more pressure to produce even cheaper products.

Fledgling technology such as concentrating photovoltaic solar, which multiplies the sun's powers up to hundreds of times, has gained the backing of some large industry players due to its promise of delivering cheaper electricity than traditional solar panels.

The university research team's new hybrid cells could help to reduce costs as well, Ehrler said.

"Since our materials can be dissolved and processed by roll-to-roll printing, we expect the actual cost of a solar panel be much lower than (with) conventional silicon solar cells."

"On an industrial scale, the cost of making the basic silicon solar cell would dominate over the cost of an organic layer printed on top of it. However, this discovery is in an early stage so it is difficult to predict the final cost and device structure," he added.

(Editing by William Hardy)

ENVIRONMENT

by Salma Idilbi


[Cartoons of the Syrian artist Ali Farzat]
 School "Peace House" amid the Star Plaza, the heart of the capital, Damascus, I spent all my time. Of age until the fourth and eighth centuries. It was one of the best private schools. Students belonging to families affordable. Merchants, officials, and what was then called the "middle class". In the same school, she studied the daughter of my aunt, which twenty years older than me. Many of the teachers at both the preparatory and secondary schools, was still practiced his profession. Most of its parameters who had come to the school short skirts, Srn veiled later.

Get to school when only a quarter of the eighth. Parameter "bully" or the article "military education", stands in front of the outer door. When a poor and are watching the girls from the colorful buses. Short stature. Is full. Straightening her hair is always black, soft, heavy, pouring on the small shoulders. Sodawan her eyes, coming from Atsallma overly aggressive. Stand firmly. Tight back. Kvaha Amadmoman as a result salute the flag. Do not miss any detail. Aware accommodate all the girls who troop single file drawer into the school bus. Girls who talk among them spin in the morning bus to the sound of Fairouz, narrowing the distance between their eyes and become what the Aabsat When a poor from the bus and walk towards the door of the small school. Miss N.. Do not miss any detail. Steal the smile from the mouths of students, Tantzaaha, Chdha and keep them in place Njhlh all. Laughter is forbidden. And smiling as well. Manbh its looks. Students guilty until proven otherwise. And the subject does not accept the joke. Humiliating slap in the face from here, pulling hair from there. Her husband, a martyr, a hero. Is it tough to be the wives of the martyrs to this extent? I was wondering. Allowed to take one of the students in her coat pocket, because that surely means to conceal her nails long or colored. Hair is always tied. The color of the strand must be black. "Braids" are prohibited.

To escape from the hands of Miss N.., It was impressive achievement Sbahia esteem. Gather in the large courtyard. Stand in the form of columns of Organization carefully. We do "morning greeting" clothed military. Pants and jacket its color khaki. Belt wraps _khasorna we call "range". On our shoulders stretching bands show a yellow or red on the stage of study, but very similar to the rank of officers. Ms N holds. The microphone like a professional singer. Start screaming. The sound is still stuck look back. "Get ready," you say becomes open Bta: Astaad. Nbaeid our feet a little stand by the right of the "battle." And then "relax" Bta also open. Our feet back right and annexing it to the status of the left break. "Tandem." Raise the left hand and place them upright on the shoulder of a student who stands before us. Hand should be tight and firm. Here also the subject of a joke is not likely at all. "One Arab Nation," n scream. Shouting should we answer it amounts to satisfy: with an eternal message. "Our goals," screamed again. Our part, we cry: unity, freedom, socialism. "Our leader forever." Should we answer: Comrade Hafez al-Assad. Then we do salute the flag and woe to those who do not sing or those who claim to sing. Ring the bell. We run towards the grand staircase to our ranks, we enter the cold and gloomy

USA in FACTBOOK

North America :: United States

page last updated on November 17, 2011

Introduction ::United States Background: 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 the19th 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), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. 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. Since the end of World War II, the economy has achieved relatively steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology. Geography ::United States Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W Map references: North America Area: total: 9,826,675 sq km country comparison to the world: 3 land: 9,161,966 sq km water: 664,709 sq km note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia Area - comparative: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union Land boundaries: total: 12,034 km border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km  with Alaska),  Mexico 3,141 km note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by  the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km Coastline: 19,924 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii Elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,207 m above sea level)  on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain -  higher than Mount Everest, which is recognized as the  tallest mountain above sea level Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion  short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total Land use: arable land: 18.01% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 81.78% (2005) Irrigated land: 230,000 sq km (2008) Total renewable water resources: 3,069 cu km (1985) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 477 cu km/yr (13%/46%/41%) per capita: 1,600 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development volcanism: the United States experiences  volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska,  the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands;  both Mauna Loa (elev. 4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier  (elev. 4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes"  by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry  of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history  and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (elev. 2,519 m)  is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses  a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes  a major flight path between North America and East Asia;  St. Helens (elev. 2,549 m, famous for the devastating 1980 eruption,  remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist,  mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include:  in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked,  Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt,  Spurr, Wrangell; in Hawaii: Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars,  Veniaminof; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan;  nd in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood Environment - current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural freshwater resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes Geography - note: world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent People and Society ::United States Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American Ethnic groups: white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included  because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic  to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin  including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic Languages: English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii Religions: Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%,  other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.) Population: 313,232,044 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.1% (male 32,107,900/female 30,781,823) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 104,411,352/female 104,808,064) 65 years and over: 13.1% (male 17,745,363/female 23,377,542) Median age: total: 36.9 years male: 35.6 years female: 38.2 years (2011 est.) Population growth rate: 0.963% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 Birth rate: 13.83 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 Net migration rate: 4.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 Urbanization: urban population: 82% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) Major cities - population: New York-Newark 19.3 million; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana 12.675 million; Chicago 9.134 million; Miami 5.699 million; WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) 4.421 million (2009) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.047 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.) Maternal mortality rate: 24 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 121 Infant mortality rate: total: 6.06 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 175 male: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.37 years country comparison to the world: 50 male: 75.92 years female: 80.93 years (2011 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 Health expenditures: 16.2% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 2 Physicians density: 2.672 physicians/1,000 population (2004) country comparison to the world: 49 Hospital bed density: 3.1 beds/1,000 population (2008) country comparison to the world: 73 Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 94% of population total: 99% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 6% of population total: 1% of population (2008) Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 99% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 1% of population total: 0% of population (2008) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.2 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 HIV/AIDS - deaths: 17,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 33.9% (2006) country comparison to the world: 6 Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.3% (2002) country comparison to the world: 118 Education expenditures: 5.5% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 43 Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2008) Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 17.6% country comparison to the world: 66 male: 20.1% female: 14.9% (2009) Government ::United States Country name: conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA Government type: Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition Capital: name: Washington, DC geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March;  ends first Sunday in November note: the 50 United States cover six time zones Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered  the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana  Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US  (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands  signed a Compact of Free Association with the US  (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia  signed a Compact of Free Association with the US  (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of  Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994) Independence: 4 July 1776 (declared); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776) Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789 Legal system: common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law except Louisiana, which is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts International law organization participation: withdrew acceptance of compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in 2005; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002 Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009);  Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009);  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009);  Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket  by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state;  president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held on 6 November 2012) election results: Barack H. OBAMA elected president;  percent of popular vote - Barack H. OBAMA 52.4%, John MCCAIN 46.3%,  other 1.3%; Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 members elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 2 November 2010  (next to be held in November 2012);  House of Representatives - last held on 2 November 2010  (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Senate -  seats by party - Democratic Party 51, Republican Party 47, independent 2;  House of Representatives -  seats by party - Democratic Party 192, Republican Party 243 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Debbie Wasserman SCHULTZ]; Green Party; Libertarian Party [Mark HINKLE]; Republican Party [Reince PRIEBUS] Political pressure groups and leaders: environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PAC; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbies International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member),  ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Flag description: 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent t he 13 original colonies; the blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct; commonly referred to by its nickname of Old Glory note: the design and colors have been the basis for a number  of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico National symbol(s): bald eagle National anthem: name: "The Star-Spangled Banner" note: adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, after witnessing the lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH successful American defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore following  British naval bombardment, Francis Scott KEY wrote the lyrics to  what would become the national anthem; the lyrics were set to the  tune of "The Anacreontic Song;" only the first verse is sung Economy ::United States Economy - overview: The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy i n the world, with a per capita GDP of $47,200. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 threatened inflation and unemployment, as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about 60% of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of wages in lower-income families. The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $840 billion in 2008 before shrinking to $507 billion in 2009, and ramping back up to $647 billion in 2010. T he global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and other industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. Approximately two-thirds of these funds were injected into the economy by the end of 2010. In 2010, the US budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP; total government revenues from taxes and other sources remained lower, as a percentage of GDP, than that of any other developed country. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed a health insurance reform bill into law that will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a bill designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. GDP (purchasing power parity): $14.66 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $14.25 trillion (2009 est.) $14.64 trillion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars GDP (official exchange rate): $14.66 trillion (2010 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 -2.6% (2009 est.) 0% (2008 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $47,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $46,400 (2009 est.) $48,100 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2% industry: 22.2% services: 76.6% (2010 est.) Labor force: 153.9 million country comparison to the world: 4 note: includes unemployed (2010 est.) Labor force - by occupation: farming, forestry, and fishing: 0.7% manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts: 20.3% managerial, professional, and technical: 37.3% sales and office: 24.2% other services: 17.6% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2009) Unemployment rate: 9.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 9.3% (2009 est.) Population below poverty line: 15.1% (2010 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.) Distribution of family income - Gini index: 45 (2007) country comparison to the world: 40 40.8 (1997) Investment (gross fixed): 11.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 Budget: revenues: $2.162 trillion expenditures: $3.456 trillion (2010 est.) Taxes and other revenues: 14.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -8.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 Public debt: 62.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 54.1% of GDP (2009 est.) note: data cover only what the United States Treasury  denotes as "Debt Held by the Public," which includes all debt instruments  issued by the Treasury that are owned by non-US Government entities;  the data include Treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by individual US states, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of Treasury borrowings from surpluses in the trusts for Federal Social Security, Federal Employees, Hospital Insurance (Medicare and Medicaid), Disability and Unemployment, and several other smaller trusts; if data for intra-government debt were added, "Gross Debt" would increase by about one-third of GDP Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 -0.3% (2009 est.) Central bank discount rate: 0.5% (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 139 0.5% (31 December 2009) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 3.25% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 3.25% (31 December 2009 est.) Stock of narrow money: $1.866 trillion (30 June 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $1.724 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) Stock of broad money: $12.14 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $12.37 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) Stock of domestic credit: $32.61 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $31.53 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) Market value of publicly traded shares: $17.14 trillion (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 1 $15.08 trillion (31 December 2009) $11.74 trillion (31 December 2008) Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products Industries: highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second largest industrial output in world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining Industrial production growth rate: 5.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 Electricity - production: 3.953 trillion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 Electricity - consumption: 3.741 trillion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 Electricity - exports: 18.11 billion kWh (2009 est.) Electricity - imports: 34.32 billion kWh (2009 est.) Oil - production: 9.688 million bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 Oil - consumption: 19.15 million bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 Oil - exports: 1.92 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 Oil - imports: 10.27 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 Oil - proved reserves: 20.68 billion bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 Natural gas - production: 611 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 Natural gas - consumption: 683.3 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 Natural gas - exports: 32.2 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 Natural gas - imports: 105.8 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 Natural gas - proved reserves: 7.716 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 Current account balance: -$470.2 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 -$376.6 billion (2009 est.) Exports: $1.289 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $1.069 trillion (2009 est.) Exports - commodities: agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% Exports - partners: Canada 19.4%, Mexico 12.8%, China 7.2%, Japan 4.7% (2010) Imports: $1.935 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $1.575 trillion (2009 est.) Imports - commodities: agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) Imports - partners: China 19.5%, Canada 14.2%, Mexico 11.8%, Japan 6.3%,   Germany 4.3% (2010) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $132.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $130.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.) Debt - external: $14.71 trillion (30 June 2011) country comparison to the world: 2 $13.98 trillion (30 June 2010) note: approximately 4/5ths of US external debt is  denominated in US dollars; foreign lenders have been willing  to hold US dollar denominated debt instruments  because they view the dollar as the world's reserve currency Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $2.674 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $2.437 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $3.817 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $3.466 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) Exchange rates: British pounds per US dollar: 0.6388 (2010), 0.6494 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006) Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1.0346 (2010), 1.1431 (2009), 1.0364 (2008), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006) Chinese yuan per US dollar: 6.7852 (2010), 6.8314 (2009), 6.9385 (2008), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006) euros per US dollar: 0.755 (2010), 0.7198 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006) Japanese yen per US dollar: 87.78 (2010), 93.57 (2009), 103.58 (2008), 117.99 (2007), 1.1334 (2006) Communications ::United States Telephones - main lines in use: 151 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 2 Telephones - mobile cellular: 279 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 3 Telephone system: general assessment: a large, technologically advanced,  multipurpose communications system domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay,  coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form  of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system  carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems  provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61  Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean),  5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region),  and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000) Broadcast media: 4 major terrestrial television networks with affiliate stations throughout the country, plus cable and satellite networks, independent stations, and a limited public broadcasting sector that is largely supported by private grants; overall, thousands of TV stations broadcasting; multiple national radio networks with large numbers of affiliate stations; while most stations are commercial, National Public Radio (NPR) has a network of some 600 member stations; satellite radio available; overall, nearly 15,000 radio stations operating (2008) Internet country code: .us Internet hosts: 439 million (2010); note - the US Internet total host count includes the following top level domain host addresses:  .us, .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, and .org country comparison to the world: 1 Internet users: 245 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 2 Transportation ::United States Airports: 15,079 (2010) country comparison to the world: 1 Airports - with paved runways: total: 5,194 over 3,047 m: 189 2,438 to 3,047 m: 235 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,479 914 to 1,523 m: 2,316 under 914 m: 975 (2010) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 9,885 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 155 914 to 1,523 m: 1,752 under 914 m: 7,971 (2010) Heliports: 126 (2010) Pipelines: petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2010) Railways: total: 224,792 km country comparison to the world: 1 standard gauge: 224,792 km 1.435-m gauge (2010) Roadways: total: 6,506,204 km country comparison to the world: 1 paved: 4,374,784 km (includes 75,238 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,131,420 km (2008) Waterways: 41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce; St Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada)  country comparison to the world: 4 Merchant marine: total: 418 country comparison to the world: 26 by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 58, cargo 58, carrier 3,  chemical tanker 30, container 87, passenger 18, passenger/cargo 56,  petroleum tanker 45, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 27,  vehicle carrier 27 foreign-owned: 86 (Australia 1, Bermuda 5, Canada 1, Denmark 34,  France 4, Germany 3, Malaysia 2, Norway 10, Singapore 17,  Sweden 5, UK 4) registered in other countries: 734 (Antigua and Barbuda 6,  Australia 2, Bahamas 100, Belgium 2, Bermuda 25, Cambodia 4,  Canada 9, Cayman Islands 54, Comoros 2, Cyprus 7, Georgia 1,  Greece 7, Hong Kong 31, Indonesia 2, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 2,  Italy 21, Liberia 39, Luxembourg 3, Malta 35, Marshall Islands 168,  Netherlands 15, Norway 9, Panama 102, Portugal 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 19, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 33,  South Korea 8, UK 11, unknown 8) (2010) Ports and terminals: cargo ports (tonnage): Baton Rouge, Corpus Christi, Houston,  Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Plaquemines,  Tampa, Texas City container ports (TEUs): Los Angeles (7,849,985), Long Beach (6,350,125),  New York/New Jersey (5,265,058), Savannah (2,616,126),  Oakland (2,236,244), Hampton Roads (2,083,278) (2008) cruise departure ports (passengers): Miami (2,032,000),  Port Everglades (1,277,000), Port Canaveral (1,189,000),  Seattle (430,000), Long Beach (415,000) (2009) oil terminals: LOOP terminal, Haymark terminal Military ::United States Military branches: United States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security,  but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2011) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); service obligation 8 years, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines) (2010) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 73,270,043 females age 16-49: 71,941,969 (2010 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 60,620,143 females age 16-49: 59,401,941 (2010 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 2,161,727 female: 2,055,685 (2010 est.) Military expenditures: 4.06% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 Transnational Issues ::United States Disputes - international: the US has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 62,643 refugees during FY04/05 including;  10,586 (Somalia); 8,549 (Laos); 6,666 (Russia); 6,479 (Cuba);  3,100 (Haiti); 2,136 (Iran) (2006) Illicit drugs: world's largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and Mexican heroin and marijuana; major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center