The United States – singular or plural
Im Deutschen ist es eindeutig: Die vereinigten Staaten sind einer der mächtigsten Staaten der Welt. Aber wie ist es im Englischen?
In English the United States of American (USA) can be singular or plural.
If we are looking at the country as a whole, we say “The United States is a very big country”, or “The USA is a great place for a holiday.”
If we are looking at it as a politicaln entity, we use the singular. “The United States is often criticised for its foreign policy.”