CB00-FF.08 June 22, 2000 The Fourth of July, 2000 Fireworks -- U.S. imports of fireworks totaled $131.1 million in 1999, mostly from China ($122.4 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, on the other hand, amounted to $15.5 million, with Taiwan the leading purchaser ($7.3 million). http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ -- The value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments of fireworks was $20.8 million in 1997, down from $22.9 million in 1992. The number of companies with shipments of $100,000 or more declined from 20 to 10 during this period. http://www.census.gov/prod/ec97/97m3259e.pdf Flags -- U.S. imports of American flags totaled $1.1 million in 1999; much of this ($487,109) from China. Exports of U.S. flags, on the other hand, totaled $396,713, with the United Kingdom being the leading customer ($169,611). http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ Summer -- The typical American adult consumed 34 gallons of beer and three gallons of wine in 1997, a good portion during holidays such as July Fourth. By comparison, Americans (of all ages) consume 53 gallons of carbonated soft drinks, 24 gallons of milk and 24 gallons of coffee annually. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html -- Many summer vacations will consist of a trip to one of our nation's national parks, which, all told, received about 65 million visitors in 1997. State parks and recreation areas are a popular choice for summer weekend getaways. Nationwide, they welcomed 783 million visitors in FY 1997. State parks in California led the way (116 million), followed by New York (67 million), Ohio (58 million), Washington (49 million) and Illinois (40 million). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html -- Boating, softball games, riding rollercoasters and waterskiing are among the many activities we associate with summer. In 1997, Americans owned 16 million recreational boats. About 42 million of us played on an amateur softball team. Nearly 6 in 10 (57 percent) adults visited an amusement park in 1997. And, as of 1997, more than 6 million people age 7 or older had water-skied in the previous year. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html -- A few major places in the United States where one likely won't need air conditioning this July 4th include Juneau, Alaska (where the daily maximum temperature in July is 63.9 degrees Fahrenheit); San Francisco, Calif. (71.6 F); and Seattle-Tacoma, Wash. (75.2 F). Meanwhile, prepare to really sizzle in Phoenix, Ariz. (105.9 F); Dallas-Fort Worth (96.5 F) and El Paso, Texas (96.1 F). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html Patriotic-sounding Places -- Going to a parade or viewing fireworks on the Fourth? The most fitting locale for doing so may be a place with a patriotic-sounding name. Number of U.S. State with most Most heavily places using places having populated place with Name this name name name (1998 pop.) Liberty 27 Iowa (4) Liberty, Mo.(25,592) Independence 10 * Independence,Mo.(116,832) Freedom 4 Pa. (2) New Freedom, Pa.(3,466) Patriot 1 Ind. (1) Patriot, Ind. (223) *No state has more than one place with this name. http://mapping.usgs.gov/www/gnis/gnisform.html http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-128.html Britain and France -- Trade and Tourism -- The British, our adversaries in 1776, now are our sixth leading trading partners. During 1999, there was $77.5 billion worth of trade between the United States and the United Kingdom. Trade in tea between the two countries did not stop with the Boston Tea Party. The United States imported $7.0 million worth of tea from the United Kingdom in 1999, making that country the ninth leading source of tea brought into the United States. Meanwhile, U.S. exports of tea to the United Kingdom totaled $152,885, making the United Kingdom the 10th-leading destination of tea exported by the United States. http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ -- France, our key ally during the American Revolution, currently is our nation's ninth-leading trading partner. Combined imports from and exports to France in 1999 totaled $44.7 billion. http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ -- "The British are coming! The British are coming!" These days, this cry applies to tourists rather than "redcoats." During FY 1996, 2.5 million tourists from the United Kingdom visited the United States, more than from any country except Japan. That same year, more than 765,000 tourists came from France, our nation's fifth leading source of foreign tourists. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html The preceding facts come from the U.S. Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System Database (which contains information from the Census Bureau), population estimates, the Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1997 Economic Census and U.S. import and export trade reports. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Previous 2000 Census Bureau Facts for Features: African American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (February 14), Women's History Month (March), Census Day, 2000 (April 1), Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May), Mother's Day (May 14) and Father's Day (June 18). Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (Tel: 301-457-3030; fax: 301-457-3670; e-mail: pio@census.gov).