Independence Day 2012: Fun Facts on Flags, Fireworks, Food and More

Happy 236th America! You're looking pretty good for having more than two centuries under your belt.

The U.S. Census has been keeping track of your progress since the beginning and on this Fourth of July, we have some of those numbers to put this milestone in perspective.

2.5 million – The estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation in July 1776.

313.9 million – The nation's estimated population on this July 4.

Fireworks

$223.6 million – The value of fireworks imported from China in 2011, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($232.5 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $15.8 million in 2011, with Australia purchasing more than any other country ($4.5 million).

$231.8 million – The value of U.S. manufacturers’ shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007, according to the latest published economic census statistics.

Flags

$3.6 million – In 2011, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount ($3.3 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.

$663,071 – Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2011. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $80,349 worth.

$302.7 million – Dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation’s manufacturers in 2007, according to the latest published economic census statistics.

Patriotic-Sounding Place Names

• 31 – Places that have "liberty" in their names. The most populous one as of April 1, 2010, is Liberty, MO (29,149). Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.
• 35 – Places that have "eagle" in their names. The most populous one is Eagle Pass, TX (26,248).
• 11 – Places that have "independence" in their names. The most populous one is Independence, MO (116,830).
• 9 – Places that have "freedom" in their names. The most populous one is New Freedom, PA (4,464).
• 1 – Place that has "patriot" in the name. Patriot, IN (209).
• 5 – Places that have "America" in their names. The most populous is American Fork, Utah (26,263).

Tory Trade

$107.1 billion – Dollar value of trade last year between the United States and the United Kingdom, making the British, our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today.

Backyard BBQ

There is an almost 1 in 3 chance that the hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State was home to 19.7 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2012. This estimate represents almost one-third of the nation’s estimated total. North Carolina (8.6 million) and Minnesota (7.6 million) were also homes to large numbers of pigs. 

• 7.2 billion pounds – Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2011. Chances are good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for about one-sixth of the nation’s total production. And if the beef did not come from Texas, it very well may have come from Nebraska (4.6 billion pounds) or Kansas (4.0 billion pounds).
• 6  – Number of states in which the value of broiler chicken production was estimated at $1 billion or greater between December 2010 and November 2011. There is a good chance that one of these states — Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas — is the source of your barbecued chicken.
• Approximately half of the nation’s potatoes were produced in Idaho or Washington state in 2011.