United States

More than two-fifths of the total land area of the United States is devoted to farming (including pasture and range). Tobacco is produced in the Southeast and in Kentucky and cotton in the South and Southwest; California is noted for its vineyards, citrus groves, and truck gardens; the Midwest is the centre of corn and wheat farming, while dairy herds are concentrated in the Northern states. The Southwestern and Rocky Mountain states support large herds of livestock.

Most of the U.S. forestland is located in the West (including Alaska), but significant forests also grow elsewhere. Almost half of the country’s hardwood forests are located in Appalachia. Of total commercial forestland, more than two-thirds is privately owned. About one-fifth is owned or controlled by the federal government, the remainder being controlled by state and local governments.

Power

Hydroelectric resources are heavily concentrated in the Pacific and Mountain regions. Hydroelectricity, however, contributes less than one-tenth of the country’s electricity supply. Coal-burning plants provide more than one-fourth of the country’s power, nuclear generators contribute about one-fifth, and renewable sources of energy constitute between one-tenth and one-fifth.

United States: 17.1% renewable energy breakdown (2017)Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Manufacturing

Since the mid-20th century, services (such as health care, entertainment, and finance) have grown faster than any other sector of the economy. Nevertheless, while manufacturing jobs have declined since the 1960s, advances in productivity have caused manufacturing output, including construction, to remain relatively constant at about one-sixth of GDP.

Significant economic productivity occurs in a wide range of industries. The manufacture of transportation equipment (including motor vehicles, aircraft, and space equipment) represents a leading sector. Computer and telecommunications firms (including software and hardware) remain strong, despite a downturn in the early 21st century. Other important sectors include drug manufacturing and biotechnology, health services, food products, chemicals, electrical and nonelectrical machinery, energy, and insurance.

Finance

Under the Federal Reserve System, which regulates bank credit and influences the money supply, central banking functions are exercised by 12 regional Federal Reserve banks. The Board of Governors, appointed by the U.S. president, supervises these banks. Based in Washington, D.C., the board does not necessarily act in accord with the administration’s views on economic policy. The U.S. Treasury also influences the working of the monetary system through its management of the national debt (which can affect interest rates) and by changing its own deposits with the Federal Reserve banks (which can affect the volume of credit). While only about two-fifths of all commercial banks belong to the Federal Reserve System, these banks hold almost three-fourths of all commercial bank deposits. Banks incorporated under national charter must be members of the system, while banks incorporated under state charters may become members. Member banks must maintain minimum legal reserves and must deposit a percentage of their savings and checking accounts with a Federal Reserve bank. There are also thousands of nonbank credit agencies such as personal credit institutions and savings and loan associations (S&Ls).

Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board BuildingMarriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building, Washington, D.C.©Adam Parent/Shutterstock.com

Although banks supply less than half of the funds used for corporate finance, bank loans represent the country’s largest source of capital for business borrowing. A liberalizing trend in state banking laws in the 1970s and ’80s encouraged both intra- and interstate expansion of bank facilities and bank holding companies. Succeeding mergers among the country’s largest banks led to the formation of large regional and national banking and financial services corporations. In serving both individual and commercial customers, these institutions accept deposits, provide checking accounts, underwrite securities, originate loans, offer mortgages, manage investments, and sponsor credit cards.