As the first decade of the 21st century closes, the USA is a dominating force in economics, politics, and culture. With an abundance of land, natural resources, and avenues for self fulfillment, perhaps the best adjective for the country is 'indescribable.' It is the diversity of the country that allows people to 'be themselves' that is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the country. If you want to live in isolation or if you want to live in a seething metropolis, either are available in multiple flavors.
The basis for this characteristic is that the country was formed around an idea rather than a location, race, or other factor that determines the origin of countries. The vast majority of Americans subscribe to the idea that all men are created equal and are endowed with certain unalienable rights, among them being life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Perhaps others have these same values, but the USA is unique in its purpose of being.
The last bit, the pursuit of happiness, may be an illusion, but it drives the economic engine and keeps the reinventing the economy. It also tends to welcome the best idea, no matter its origin, so long as it is sanitized through the economic machinery.
The diversity of the natural beauty of the country, and the dedication to the preservation of this natural beauty, is another important feature of the US that I love. The public owns and maintains these National Parks, and there is a sense a visitor has whether it is in front of a geyser at Yellowstone or a giant Sequoia in California, that the land and nature of the country will persist long after we're gone.
