United States President Barack Obama will deliver the annual State of the Union address on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET, and it won't be just Americans who are watching.
The State of the Union is considered by many to be the most important speech given by the leader of the free world each year.
Below, we've answered some questions about the State of the Union posed by our United Kingdom editor.
How is it decided what material goes into the State of the Union?
The State of the Union address does two things: it gives an update on the current condition of the country, and provides an overview of the administration’s upcoming agenda.
The address is intended to bolster confidence in the administration; speechwriters take into account the current political climate.
Does it cover a particular time period?
The State of the Union address gives an overview of what worked and what didn’t in the past year, and rolls out new plans to be proposed to Congress.
How long does it last, where does it take place, and who attends?
State of the Unions have ranged from under half an hour to about an hour-and-a-half, according to data from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Obama's speeches tend to run just over an hour -- which is on the longer side, though not as long as the addresses given by the last Democrat in the White House, Bill Clinton.
The president addresses the nation from the House Chamber on Capitol Hill. In attendance is just about every official in Washington -- members of Congress, senators, the vice president, supreme court justices, and guests -- excepting the designated survivor.
Does the average American care about it?
The number of people who watch the State of the Union on television has fallen every year since Obama came into office, but that doesn't mean people aren't watching snippets of it online or catching a few quotes on their Twitter feeds.
In 2014, around 33 million watched Obama speak live -- but about 8.8 million people saw at least one of the 2.1 million State of the Union-related tweets that Twitter users sent, according to Nielsen data.
For reference, 33 million people is roughly 10.5% of the United States' population -- though of course there are viewers from outside the country too.
What happens after the address?
After Obama makes his speech, a member of the Republican Party will follow with a rebuttal. This year, the rebuttal will be made by Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.
Is it mostly ceremonial, or is it actually important?
Some form of the State of the Union address has been delivered by every president in the history of the United States, whether the address was written or spoken. It's only been called the State of the Union since 1947.
For many Americans, if they’re going to listen to a speech by the president, this is the one.
At this stage in Obama's presidency, does the State of the Union address matter more or less?
It’s a critical time for Obama, and there are three important factors to keep in mind.
First, this is the last quarter of Obama’s eight-year presidency. With his chances of affecting change slipping away, he has ramped up his proposed initiatives.
Second, this is the first time in Obama’s presidency that the new Congress has a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate. A GOP-controlled Congress likely means more roadblocks than ever for Obama’s initiatives.
Third, the address comes at something of a tumultuous time. Given the threat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and the recent attacks in Paris, the address will be an opportunity for Obama to address global security concerns.
Are there ever curveballs, or is all the major news leaked or flagged in advance?
The administration tends to preview major initiatives in advance, in order to drum up support -- such as one likely focus of this year's address, the free community college plan. The whole text of the address is provided to the media shortly before it begins.
How many people usually work on the speech?
It depends on each president's process, but usually all kinds of people work on the State of the Union.
The president and his staff consult advisers and senior officials to decide what policies the speech will address, and the text often goes through a series of drafts. The White House's head speechwriter will often get the ball rolling by writing large parts of the first draft, but the president always has the final say on what goes into the speech, and is free to completely rewrite the text.
Are there any cool traditions associated with it?
Like just about all major national events, the State of the Union has its quirks.
Members of Congress cannot reserve a seat in the House Chamber in advance; it's first-come, first-served. So some of them show up nearly half a day early to get a spot along the aisle that the president will walk as he enters, hoping to shake hands with Obama or give him a hug.
Republicans and Democrats used to sit on opposite sides of the chamber during the State of the Union. But since 2011, many have started pairing up with a buddy from the opposite party in an effort to calm partisan tension.
Then of course there's the designated survivor -- a member of the president's cabinet, who is never present at the address. In the event of a disaster that incapacitates the nation's top governmental leaders, the designated survivor would become president.
Are there any memorable State of the Union moments from past years that we might have heard of?
In 1975, months after former President Richard Nixon resigned from the White House amid scandal, then-President Gerald Ford declared that "the state of the union is not good," which has to be one of the more honest moments from the annual address.
In 2002, then-President George W. Bush coined the term "axis of evil" in reference to Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
And in 2010, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was caught mouthing "that's not true" in response to Obama's comments on the controversial case known as Citizens United. By tradition, the Justices do not speak or applaud at the event.
Bonus: What episodes of the West Wing will help me understand it better?
Two episodes you can watch for some dramatized State of the Union action are "He Shall, From Time to Time," which is episode 12 of the first season, and "Bartlet's Third State of the Union," which is episode 13 of season two -- and best captures some of the frantic nature of finalizing the actual text.