ABOUT USA:

America, the world's first democracy, was discovered by Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492. At the time there were more than 300 First Nation (Native American Indian) tribes in North America with their own distinct languages and customs.

In 1776, three years after it became a democracy, America's first constitution was adopted. More states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent. During that time it also acquired a number of overseas territories.

Land dispossession, disease and war drastically reduced the Native American population. Legislation also hastened the tribes' displacement. In 1830, the Indian Removal Act was passed. This provided for the general resettlement of Native Americans to lands west of the Mississippi River. From 1830 to 1840 approximately 60,000 Native Americans were forced to migrate. Of some 11,500 Cherokees moved in 1838, about 4,000 died along the way.

The two major 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. North America is situated on the borders of the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico.

Archaeology suggests there was pre-European American Indian influence in eastern Polynesia particularly Easter Island, with the introduction of manioc/cassava, bananas (via Asia) and sweet potato. In 1993, American gene scientist Douglas C. Wallace's research into the DNA of American Indians also suggested some may have originated from Polynesia and Melanesia.

During the period of Western colonisation in the Pacific, American had interests in Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, the Cook Islands and other areas. Hawaii eventually became its 50th and only Pacific Island state while American Samoa became an unincorporated territory in 1899. In the 20th century it had disputes with other nations over 25 Pacific islands and atolls. It currently has political relationships with Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Palau and the Northern Mariana Islands.

In July 2000 the US had an estimated population of about 275,500,000 people. Of this, Asians and Pacific Islanders made up 3% of the population or 8.8 million (as at 1994. The US Census Bureau groups Asians and Pacific Islanders together). Most live in metropolitan areas and have larger families than non-Hispanic Whites.

Many Pacific Island people have settled along the Pacific coast of North America. In Northern California there is a high concentration of Pacific communities living there. In 1995, the Pacific Island Cultural Association was set up in Northern California in 1995 to meet the needs of the Pacific Island communities in that area. Events organised include the Aloha and Ukulele Festivals and outrigger canoe racing.

Pacific Island churches are also thriving in these areas. Denominations include Mormon, Catholic & Samoan Congregation Christian churches.