The United States of America, otherwise known as the US or the USA, is a country comprised of 50 states, a federal district, and several overseas territories. There are numerous synonyms for the term "the US" that are often used in journalistic and academic contexts. Some common examples include the United States, America, the States, the Land of the Free, the US of A, and Uncle Sam's Country. Other more colloquial terms used in everyday language include the red, white, and blue, the stars and stripes, and simply the US. Regardless of the term used, the US is a global economic and cultural powerhouse that continues to influence the rest of the world in countless ways.