The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA, commonly known as the United States, U.S. or US or America) is a country covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and colonies like Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and the capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.