Fourth of July gives us all a chance to revel in summer, whether that means beating the heat with a cold one at a campground or battling crowds to see fireworks. We can also celebrate the 236th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a few fun facts for the Fourth from the folks at the federal Census Bureau:

Population then and now
2.5 million: Estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation in July 1776.
313.9 million: The nation's estimated population this July 4.

Flags
$3.6 million: Value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2011. The vast majority ($3.3 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.
$663,071: Value of U.S. flags exported in 2011. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $80,349 worth.

Food
Almost 1 in 3: Chance that any hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State was home to an estimated 19.7 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2012, nearly one-third of the nation's total. Other hog havens: North Carolina (8.6 million) and Minnesota (7.6 million).

Fireworks
$231.8 million: Value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007.

$232.3 million: Value of fireworks imported from China in 2011, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported. 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).

Patriotic-Sounding Place Names
31 places have "liberty" in their names. The most populous one as of April 1, 2010, was Liberty, Mo. (29,149). The state of Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

35 places have "eagle" in their names. The most populous one is Eagle Pass, Texas, with a population of 26,248.

11 places have "independence" in their names. The most populous one is Independence, Mo., with a population of 116,830.

9 places have "freedom" in their names. The most populous one is New Freedom, Pa., with a population of 4,464.

5 places have "America" in their names. The most populous is American Fork, Utah, with a population of 26,263. American Canyon, Calif., has a population of 19,454.