countries started
using the euro on 1 January 1999 with the euro replacing the local
currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications United States

Telephones - main lines in use: 194 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 69.209 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: a very 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: (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)

Radios: 575 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000
stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX,
and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Televisions: 219 million (1997)

Internet country code: .us

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7,800 (2000 est.)

Internet users: 166 million (2001)

Transportation United States

Railways: total: 212,433 km mainline routes standard gauge: 212,433 km
1.435-m gauge note: represents the aggregate length of roadway of all
line-haul railroads including an estimate for Class II and III railroads
(1998)

Highways: total: 6,370,031 km paved: 5,733,028 km (including 74,091 km
of expressways) unpaved: 637,003 km (1997)

Waterways: 41,009 km note: navigable inland channels, exclusive of the
Great Lakes

Pipelines: petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)

Ports and harbors: Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago,
Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles,
New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon),
Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Merchant marine: total: 264 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,911,641
GRT/9,985,660 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 11, cargo 14,
chemical tanker 16, collier 1, combination bulk 4, combination tanker 11,
container 86, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger/cargo 2,
petroleum tanker 81, roll on/roll off 28, spe