Last year more than a million and a half foreign tourists visited the United States. In order to understand intercultural problems better, and perhaps to find ways to improve the American image abroad, a reporter recently interviewed some of these visitors as they were leaving to return home. He especially wanted to find out their first impressions of the United States, what places they most enjoyed visiting, and some of their likes and dislikes.
As far as first impressions are concerned, almost all of the foreigners were impressed by the tremendous size of the country. The United States, of course, is a large country. The distance between San Francisco and New York is about the same as that between Gibraltar and Baghdad. Indeed, the entire Mediterranean Sea could easily fit within the country's borders. Even expecting this, foreigners who visit the United States for the first time are overwhelmed by the vast distances. Apparently to be believed, such distances have to be traveled.
The foreign visitors were also impressed by the range of climate and the variety of scenery in the country. Many were amazed to discover that, in the same day, they could travel from the snowy cold of New England winter to the sunny warmth of Florida sunshine. Even in the single state of California, they could find sandy beaches, rocky shores, tropical vegetation, hot dry deserts, redwood forests, and towering snow-capped mountains.
They were also impressed by the informal friendliness of Americans. Whether on buses, trains, planes, or at vacation or scenic resorts, there visitors generally agreed that they had been greeted warmly. On the other hand, some reported that hotel clerks, waiters, and taxi drivers were often unsympathetic, impatient, and rude. The most common complaint of all was that so few Americans can speak any language but English, and some foreign visitors claimed that they had difficulty understanding the American accent.
What does "this" in "Even expecting this" (para. 2) refer to？

A. The distance between San Francisco and New York.
B. The vastness of the country.
C. The size of the Mediterranean Sea.
D. The country's borders.