We are now several students from the United States that are attending CEU Valencia. With that being said, we share space with colleagues from hundreds of different countries but what do you really know about my country? America is a lot more than just Starbucks, Hollywood, or the Super Bowl. I asked a couple of my American friends to share their most interesting facts about their hometown. Here I present to you, 30 facts that I’m sure you didn’t know about United States.
- Did ya know the first ever open heart surgery & the first bone marrow transplant in the U.S. took place at the University of Minnesota?
- Firetrucks in Chapel Hill, North Carolina are blue. Not your typical bright red.
- Miami is an amazing agriculture region! So many tropical fruits such as: lychees, jackfruit, mamey, maracuya, sour sop and more are grown in Miami. Thanks to its fantastic climate!
- Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.
- Miami, Florida is the warmest location during winter (average temperature: 18ºC-23ºC).
- Milky Way candy bars and roller blades are two of Minnesota’s random inventions.
- In the U.S. water is free in restaurants and so are refills for most drinks.
- Arizona’s Sonoran Desert is the only place on earth where the iconic saguaro cactus grows.
- Oakland is the only city in the world to have a natural salt water lake within its city limits.
- The legal drinking age in America is 21 years old, not 18 like in Spain.
- Minnesota is home to over 50 different types of mosquito species!
- Key Largo, Florida is known as the Dive Capital of the world!!
- Arizona is home to the Grand Canyon Natural Park. Which is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world and the only one located within the United States.
- The horse at Denver airport (DIA) is 30ft tall and killed both of the individuals that sculpted and created it.
- Michael Jordan played basketball for the University of North Carolina.
- The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota is the size of 78 football fields! It also has the largest indoor theme park!
- Saint Augustine, Florida is the oldest European settlement in North America.
- Miami, Florida is the only city in the U.S. that is surround by 2 national parks; Biscayne National Park & Everglades National Park.
- Minnesota has 90,000 miles (144840.96 km) of shoreline. That’s more than Florida, California and Hawaii combined!
- The art deco nightclub district in Miami’s South Beach is one of the best in the world!
- Colorado’s welcome sign says “Welcome to Colorful Colorado”, but Colorado means colorful in English… so it’s effectively “Welcome to Colorful Colorful”.
- The Florida Everglades is the only place on the planet where crocodiles and alligators live together.
- Gatorade was named after the University of Florida Gators where the sports drink was first developed.
- Walt Disney designed Disneyland based on a park near Lake Merritt called Fairyland.
- Pepsi was created in New Bern, North Carolina.
- America’s launch pad for space flights is located in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
- Winston Salem, North Carolina is home to the famous, most delicious Krispy Kreme donuts!
- Star Island is one of the smallest neighborhoods in South Florida, yet it’s where all the celebrities reside (Shakira, Enrique Iglesias).
- It’s mandatory to leave tips at restaurants in the United States.
- The U.S. is one of the 3 countries that doesn’t offer paid maternity leave.
