The Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, is a federal system composed of a central governmental agency--the Board of Governors--and 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks.
The Board of Governors, located in Washington, D.C., consists of seven members appointed by the President of the United States and supported by a 2,100-person staff. Besides conducting research, analysis, and policymaking related to domestic and international financial and economic matters, the Board plays a major role in the supervision and regulation of the U.S. banking system and administers most of the nation's laws regarding consumer credit protection. It also has broad oversight responsibility for the nation's payments system and the operations and activities of the Federal Reserve Banks.
This report covers Board and System operations and activities during calendar-year 2009. The report includes six main sections:
For more information about the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve System, visit the Board's website at www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/default.htm.
The Federal Reserve System, which serves as the nation's central bank, was created by an act of Congress on December 23, 1913. The System consists of a seven-member Board of Governors with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the 12 Reserve Banks located in major cities throughout the United States.
The Federal Reserve Banks are the operating arms of the central banking system, carrying out a variety of System functions, including operating a nationwide payments system; distributing the nation's currency and coin; under authority delegated by the Board of Governors, supervising and regulating bank holding companies and state-chartered banks that are members of the System; serving as fiscal agents of the U.S. Treasury; and providing a variety of financial services for the Treasury, other government agencies, and other fiscal principals.
The maps below identify Federal Reserve Districts by their official number, city, and letter designation.
description of maps of the Federal Reserve SystemLegend
1. For more information on the FOMC, see the Board's website at www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomc.htm. Return to text