In July 1776, there were an estimated 2.5 million people living in the newly independent nation, according to Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970. The country's population on this Fourth of July will be more than 304 million.

Last year, $107.2 billion of trade passed between the United States and the United Kingdom, according to the Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Statistics. That makes the British — our adversary in 1776 — our sixth-leading trading partner today. (Image, right, via Wikipedia)

Here are some other July 4th-related facts and figures you might find of interest.

TRAVEL
Due in no small part to gasoline prices — the national average for which hit a new record yesterday: $4.087 — for the first time this decade, AAA estimates a decline in the number of Americans traveling during the Fourth of July holiday travel period.

Nonetheless, AAA projects 40.45 million Americans will still travel during this holiday weekend. More than 34.2 million Americans (almost 85 percent of all holiday travelers) intend to travel by automobile. Approximately 4.54 million Americans (11 percent of holiday travelers) expect to travel by airplane. And nearly 1.7 million plan to travel by train, bus or other mode of transportation.

"Americans will continue to commemorate Independence Day this year, though higher gas prices will impact how they celebrate," National Retail Federation (NRF) President and CEO Tracy Mullin said while announcing the NRF's 2008 Independence Day Consumer Intentions and Action survey.

COOKOUTS
In the 2008 U.S. Statistical Abstract of the U.S. (Table 1213), more than 74 million Americans said they took part in a barbecue during the previous year; it's probably safe to assume a lot of these events took place on Independence Day.

The latest annual survey from the NRF found that 61.2 percent of American adults will celebrate July 4th this year with a cookout, barbecue or picnic.

150 million: The number of hot dogs Americans will enjoy on Independence Day alone, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. During "hot dog season" — Memorial Day to Labor Day — Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs, or 818 hot dogs consumed every second during that period.

75 kg. (165 lbs.): The body weight of competitive eater Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi, the six-time champion of Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest who was finally bested in 2007 by American Joey Chestnut, who consumed 66 of the New York favorites in 12 minutes. (Note: Kobayashi ate 63 hot dogs and buns in the same period of time, with a jaw injury.)

More Than 1 in 4: The chance that the hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on July 4th originated in Iowa, as the Hawkeye State was home to 17.6 million market hogs and pigs as of March 1, 2008. This represents more than one-fourth of the nation's total, according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. North Carolina (9 million) and Minnesota (6.7 million) were the runners-up.

6.8 billion lbs.: The total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2007, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. 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.

6: The number of states in which the revenue from broiler chickens was $1 billion or greater between December 2006 and November 2007. Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas very well might be the source of your barbecued chicken this weekend.

Georgia: The state that led the nation in watermelon production last year (1 billion lbs.), other leading producers being California, Florida and Texas, each with more than 400 million lbs.

4 out of every 5: Four out of every five American households have at least one grill, according to John Ward, of Applewood Plumbing, Heating & Electric, at YourHub.com last year; one out of five has more than one; and nearly half will use their grills at least one or two times a week during the summer.

FIREWORKS
Other festive ways to toast the Fourth: fireworks and parades. More than 40 percent of adults will attend a fireworks display or another type of community celebration, while 10.5 percent will take in a parade, the NRF survey found.

There really hasn't been much dispute that China leads when it comes to fireworks, or that they originated in China. . .

$207 million: The value of fireworks imported from China in 2007, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($217 million), according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Statistics. U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $14.9 million in 2007, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($3.8 million). (Image, right, via Wikipedia)

10 percent to 15 percent: The percentage of fireworks expected from China not reaching the U.S. ports in time for July 4th celebrations, due to current transportation difficulties caused in large part to a significant port closure in China following a series of warehouse explosions, according to the American Pyrotechnic Association (APA).

$17.3 million: The value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments of fireworks in 2002, according to the latest Economic Census numbers.

$620 million: Fireworks industry revenue soared to $930 million in 2007, with backyard-fireworks sales representing $620 million, according to the APA. Most of that money will be spent on bottle rockets, champagne poppers and sparklers for backyard Independence Day pyrotechnics. Since 2000, the use of backyard fireworks has more than doubled, from 102 million lbs. in 2000 to more than 238 million lbs. in 2007.

MERCHANDISE
When it comes to what patriotic merchandise consumers already own, 120 million Americans say they own an American flag, 85 million have patriotic apparel, and 56 million own decorations, according to the NRF. Sixteen percent of consumers stated they'd purchase additional patriotic merchandise this month, compared with 17.3 percent who said they would last year.

$4.7 million: The dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2007 — with the vast majority of this amount ($4.3 million) being for U.S. flags made in China. (Source: Foreign Trade Statistics)

$2.4 million: The dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2007, according to Foreign Trade Statistics. Mexico purchased $1.2 million worth, making it the leading customer.

$349.2 million: The annual dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation's manufacturers, according to the latest published economic census data.

We'll be back next week with our summer issue, which we're wrapping up this week. Until then, IMT wishes its readers a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend. Cheers.