USA

A valid passport is required by all French citizens and must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy.

The United States operates on 120 volt, 60 Hz cycle 4AC power. Most electrical outlets accept plugs with two thin rectangular flat prongs. If you plan on recharging video camera batteries etc. it is suggested that you bring an adaptor plug.

The United States is the world’s oldest surviving federation. It is a constitutional republic and representative democracy, “in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law”. The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the U.S. Constitution, which serves as the country’s supreme legal document. In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government, federal, state, and local; the local government’s duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by district.

The current population is estimated 311,651,000. Life expectancy is at birth 78.11 years. The age structure is as follows:

0-14 years: 20.2% (male 31,639,127/female 30,305,704)

15–64 years: 67% (male 102,665,043/female 103,129,321)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 16,901,232/female 22,571,696) (2010 est.)

It is estimated that the religious community comprises: Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, other Christian 3.3%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist .7%, non-religious.16.1%.

The official language is English with 82% of the population claiming English as their first language. It is estimated that 96% of the population is literate.

The economy of the United States is the world’s largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.7 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. Its GDP at purchasing power parity was also the largest in the world, approximately a fifth of global GDP at purchasing power parity. The U.S. economy also maintains a very high level of output per capita. In 2009, it was estimated to have a per capita GDP (PPP) of $46,381, the 6th highest in the world. The U.S is the largest trading nation in the world. Its three largest trading partners as of 2010 are Canada, China and Mexico.

The United States includes a wide variety of climate types due to its large size, range of geographic features, and non-contiguous arrangement. In the contiguous United States to the east of the 100th meridian, the climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south. The southern tip of Florida is tropical. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are semi-arid. Much of the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and the Cascade Range are alpine. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean in coastal California, and oceanic in coastal Oregon and Washington

It is not necessary to have any inoculations or vaccinations to enter the United States unless you are arriving within six days from any Yellow Fever infected areas. If you take any medication on a regular basis please ensure you carry a supply to last throughout the trip.

The choice of the correct photographic equipment will determine the quality of your photos on holiday. You are advised to bring plenty of film/memory sticks, your battery recharger and a spare camera battery.

Laundry service is normally available in the main hotels in the United Sates. Please ensure that you have enough time for the laundry to be done, before you leave the hotel. Please note laundry is for your own account.

It is safe to drink the tap water.

Denmark has an estimated population of 5,78 mio. (which does not include Greenland or the Faroe Islands). Around 86,9% of the population is of Danish descent, which is understood as having at least one parent who was born in the country and has Danish citizenship. 

The remaining 13,1% comprises the immigrants of various descent or their children, which include such ethnicities like: Albanian, Arab, Bangladeshi, Bosniaks, Chilean, Chinese, Ethiopian, Indian, Inuit, Iranian, Jewish, Kurd, Lebanese, Pakistani (who are among the largest ethnic group from a non-western country), Poles, Somali, Sudanese, Thai, Turk and Vietnamese.

Temperatures across the Western United States vary greatly. On that basis it is advisable to bring at least one sweater along with a rain proof jacket. Dress codes in the United States are quite relaxed to fit with the climate. Elegant casual is fine for dinners. In the main we recommend that you pack lightweight, cotton clothes. Comfortable walking shoes will be necessary and as will swimwear are recommended.

There are no restrictions on personal belongings brought into the United States for use during your stay. However, there are strict import controls concerning drugs of dependence, weapons, firearms, food, plants, and animal products. Visitors (over 18 years) may bring into the United States free of duty:

• Alcohol – 2 liters per person
• Tobacco – 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco
• Firearms, weapons and drugs of dependence must be declared to customs.

The USA has four major time zones. These time zones moving from west to east are; Pacific (Los Angeles), Mountain (Denver, Colorado), Central (Chicago, Illinois), and Eastern Standard Time (New York City. Based on USA Pacific standard time (Los Angeles) is – 9 hours behind Paris France.

Many travelers view tipping as a difficult subject, though this need not be the case. The first thing to remember is that tipping is not compulsory, nor are there any fixed amounts. The bottom line in determining whether and how much to tip is to ask yourself how much the individual did to make your travels more enjoyable. In the Unites States employed persons, especially in the restraint industry, depend on gratuities for their income. In addition, porters in hotels usually receive a gratuity of US$1.00 per bag. At a first-class restaurant, a gratuity of 20% is normal.