48 states of the United States apart from Alaska and Hawaii
The
contiguous United States
(officially the
conterminous United States
) consists of the 48 adjoining
U.S. states
and the
District of Columbia
of the
United States of America
in central
North America
.
[1]
[2]
The term excludes the only two non-
contiguous
states, which are
Alaska
and
Hawaii
(they are also the last two states to be
admitted to the Union
), and all other offshore
insular areas
, such as the
U.S. territories
of
American Samoa
,
Guam
, the
Northern Mariana Islands
,
Puerto Rico
, and the
U.S. Virgin Islands
.
[3]
[4]
The colloquial term "
Lower
48
"
[5]
is also used, especially in relation to Alaska.
The related but distinct term
continental United States
includes Alaska, which is also on North America, but separated from the 48 states by
British Columbia
in Canada, but excludes Hawaii and all the insular areas in the
Caribbean
and the
Pacific
.
[1]
[6]
The greatest distance (on a
great-circle
route) entirely within the contiguous U.S. is 2,802 miles (4,509 km), between
Florida
and the
State of Washington
;
[7]
the greatest north?south line is 1,650 miles (2,660 km).
[8]
The contiguous United States occupies an area of 3,119,884.69 square miles (8,080,464.3 km
2
). Of this area, 2,959,064.44 square miles (7,663,941.7 km
2
) is actual land, composing 83.65 percent of the country's total land area, and is comparable in size to the area of Australia.
[9]
Officially, 160,820.25 square miles (416,522.5 km
2
) of the contiguous United States is water area, composing 62.66 percent of the nation's total water area.
The contiguous United States, if it were a country, would be fifth on the
list of countries and dependencies by area
. However, the total area of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, ranks third or fourth. In land area only, the country ranks fourth, behind
Russia
,
Canada
, and
China
, but ahead of
Brazil
and
Australia
.
[10]
Brazil
is 431,000 square kilometers (166,000 sq mi) larger than the contiguous United States, but smaller than the entire United States, while Russia, Canada, and China are the only countries larger than both. The
2020 U.S. census
population of the area was 328,571,074, comprising 99.13 percent of the nation's total population, and a density of 111.04 inhabitants/sq mi (42.872/km
2
), compared to 93.844/sq mi (36.233/km
2
) for the nation as a whole.
[11]
Other terms
[
edit
]
While
conterminous U.S.
has the precise meaning of
contiguous U.S.
(both adjectives meaning "sharing a common boundary"), other terms commonly used to describe the 48 contiguous states have a greater degree of ambiguity.
Continental and mainland United States
[
edit
]
Because
Alaska
is also a part of
North America
, the term
continental United States
also includes that state, so the term is qualified with the explicit inclusion of Alaska to resolve any ambiguity.
[3]
[12]
[13]
[14]
On May 14, 1959, the
United States Board on Geographic Names
issued the following definitions based partially on the reference in the Alaska Omnibus Bill, which defined the continental United States as "the 49 States on the North American Continent and the District of Columbia..." The Board reaffirmed these definitions on May 13, 1999.
[1]
However, even before Alaska became a state, it was properly included within the continental U.S. due to being an
incorporated territory
.
[15]
The term
mainland United States
is sometimes used synonymously with
continental United States
, but technically refers only to those parts of states connected to the landmass of North America, thereby excluding not only
Hawaii
and overseas
insular areas
, but also islands which are part of continental states but separated from the mainland, such as the
Aleutian Islands
(
Alaska
),
San Juan Islands
(
Washington
), the
Channel Islands
(
California
),
the Keys
(
Florida
), the
barrier islands
(
Gulf
and
East Coast
states), and
Long Island
(New York).
[16]
CONUS and OCONUS
[
edit
]
CONUS
, a technical term used by the
U.S. Department of Defense
,
General Services Administration
,
NOAA/National Weather Service
, and others, has been defined both as the continental United States, and as the 48 contiguous states.
[17]
[18]
The District of Columbia is not always specifically mentioned as being part of
CONUS
.
[18]
OCONUS
is derived from CONUS with
O
for outside added, thus referring to Outside of Continental United States.
[17]
[19]
The lower 48
[
edit
]
The term
lower 48
is also used to refer to the conterminous United States. The
National Geographic
style guide recommends the use of
contiguous
or
conterminous United States
instead of
lower 48
when the 48 states are meant, unless used in the context of Alaska.
[5]
[20]
Almost all of Hawaii is south of the southernmost point of the conterminous United States in Florida.
Zone of the Interior
[
edit
]
During
World War II
, the first four
numbered Air Forces
of the
United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) were said to be assigned to the
Zone of the Interior
by the American military organizations of the time?the future states of
Alaska
and
Hawaii
, then each only
organized incorporated territories
of the Union, were respectively covered by the
Eleventh Air Force
and
Seventh Air Force
during the war.
[
citation needed
]
Terms used in the non-contiguous U.S. jurisdictions
[
edit
]
Residents of Alaska, Hawaii and off-shore
U.S. territories
have unique labels for the contiguous United States because of their own locations relative to them.
Alaska
[
edit
]
Alaska became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959. Alaska is on the northwest end of the North American continent, but separated from the rest of the
United States West Coast
by the
Canadian province
of
British Columbia
. The term
Lower 48
has, for many years, been a common Alaskan equivalent for "contiguous United States";
[21]
[22]
today, many Alaskans use the term
"Outside"
, though a few persons may use "Outside" to refer to
any
location not within Alaska.
[23]
Hawaii
[
edit
]
Hawaii
(consisting of nearly all the
Hawaiian Islands
) became the 50th state of the United States on August 21, 1959. It is the southernmost and so far, the latest state to join the Union. Not part of any continent, Hawaii is located in the
Pacific Ocean
, about 2,200 miles (3,541 km) from North America and almost halfway to
Asia
. In Hawaii and
overseas American territories
, for instance, the terms
the Mainland
or
U.S. Mainland
are often used to refer to the 49 states in North America.
[24]
[25]
Puerto Rico
[
edit
]
Puerto Rico is an
unincorporated territory
of the United States located in the northeast
Caribbean Sea
, approximately 1,000 miles (1,609 km) southeast of
Miami
,
Florida
. Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens and are free to move to the mainland United States. The term
Stateside Puerto Rican
refers to residents of a U.S. state or the District of Columbia, who were born in or trace family ancestry to Puerto Rico.
[26]
U.S. Virgin Islands
[
edit
]
The
U.S. Virgin Islands
is a
U.S. territory
located directly to the east of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea.
[27]
The term "stateside" is used to refer to the mainland, in relation to the U.S. Virgin Islands
[28]
(see
Stateside Virgin Islands Americans
).
American Samoa
[
edit
]
American Samoa
is a
U.S. territory
located in the
South Pacific Ocean
in
Polynesia
, south of the equator ? it is 2,200 miles (3,500 km) southwest of
Hawaii
.
[29]
In American Samoa, the contiguous United States is called the "mainland United States" or "the states"; those not from American Samoa are called
palagi
(outsiders).
[30]
Non-contiguous areas within the contiguous United States
[
edit
]
Apart from off-shore
U.S. islands
, a few continental portions of the contiguous United States are accessible by road only by traveling through Canada.
Point Roberts, Washington
;
Elm Point, Minnesota
; and the
Northwest Angle
in
Minnesota
are three such places.
Alburgh, Vermont
, is not directly connected by land, but is accessible by road via bridges from within Vermont and from New York.
[31]
By contrast,
Hyder, Alaska
, is physically part of contiguous Alaska and its easternmost town, but the only practical access is by road through Canada or by seaplane.
List of contiguous U.S. states
[
edit
]
The 48 contiguous states are:
In addition, the
District of Columbia
is within the contiguous United States.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
"What constitutes the United States, what are the official definitions?"
.
U.S. Geological Survey
.
Archived
from the original on November 16, 2017
. Retrieved
January 30,
2019
.
- ^
"United Airlines website"
. Archived from
the original
on April 2, 2012
. Retrieved
April 4,
2012
.
Contiguous United States
: The 48 adjoining states and the District of Columbia.
- ^
a
b
Random House (1991).
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
. New York: Random House.
ISBN
0-679-40110-5
.
- ^
These maps show the contiguous 48 states and D.C., but not Alaska and Hawaii.
- ^
a
b
"National Geographic Style Manual: Alaska"
. Archived from
the original
on October 28, 2011
. Retrieved
December 6,
2013
.
The continental United States includes Alaska. [...] In Alaska context,
lower forty-eight
or
lower 48
may be used. Do not hyphenate
lower 48
as an adjective. The term
outside
may be put in quotes on first reference if ambiguous. To distinguish the 48 states from the 49 or 50, use
contiguous
or
conterminous
.
- ^
Hyslop, Stephen G. (April 5, 1996).
Political Geography of the United States
.
Guilford Press
. p. 90.
- ^
Pickover, Cliff.
"The Longest Line in America!"
. University of Wisconsin.
Archived
from the original on June 9, 2014
. Retrieved
October 15,
2013
.
- ^
"HowStuffWorks "Geography of the United States - Geography"
"
. Geography.howstuffworks.com. March 30, 2008. Archived from
the original
on January 19, 2016
. Retrieved
October 29,
2013
.
- ^
"Field Listing: Area"
.
The World Factbook
. cia.gov. Archived from
the original
on July 7, 2020
. Retrieved
June 13,
2019
.
- ^
"Is China Bigger than the United States?"
.
www.worldatlas.com
. May 13, 2019.
Archived
from the original on October 31, 2020
. Retrieved
October 27,
2020
.
- ^
"Resident Population Data - 2010 Census"
. United States Census Bureau. Archived from
the original
on October 28, 2011
. Retrieved
January 30,
2011
.
- ^
"National Geographic Style Manual"
.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2016
. Retrieved
April 4,
2012
.
The
continental United States
comprises the 48 contiguous, or conterminous, states plus Alaska.
- ^
"United Cargo website"
. Archived from
the original
on April 2, 2012
. Retrieved
April 4,
2012
.
Continental United States
: The 48 adjoining states, Alaska and District of Columbia.
- ^
"Alaska Airlines website"
.
Archived
from the original on February 21, 2011
. Retrieved
April 4,
2012
.
The Continental U.S. includes the lower 48 states as well as the State of Alaska, unless otherwise specified.
- ^
"In the absence of any such statement, Alaska would be regarded as a part of the continental United States."
Inland Marine and Transportation Insurance (1949)
- ^
Hyslop, Stephen G. (April 5, 1996).
Political Geography of the United States
.
Guilford Press
. pp. 105?110.
- ^
a
b
"Per Diem Rates (CONUS and OCONUS)"
. United States General Services Administration.
Archived
from the original on September 21, 2010
. Retrieved
September 21,
2010
.
- ^
a
b
"U.S. Navy Style Guide"
. Archived from
the original
on March 11, 2015
. Retrieved
November 24,
2008
.
CONUS - "Continental United States." CONUS refers to the 48 contiguous states. It is not synonymous with United States. CONUS is acceptable on first reference.
"CONUS" seems to be used primarily by the American military and the Federal government and those doing business with them.
- ^
"Glossary of Army Terms"
.
Archived
from the original on June 25, 2012
. Retrieved
April 4,
2012
.
"OCONUS: Outside Continental United States
- ^
"National Geographic Style Manual: conterminous, or contiguous, continental, continental United States"
.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2016
. Retrieved
September 22,
2011
.
Use contiguous, or conterminous, for the 48 states. The continental United States comprises the 48 contiguous, or conterminous, states plus Alaska.
- ^
"Learn to Speak Alaskan - Alaskan Language Tips - Princess Lodges"
.
princesslodges.com
.
Archived
from the original on September 14, 2009
. Retrieved
March 2,
2009
.
- ^
"ALASKA: State Profile"
. Archived from
the original
on January 26, 2010
. Retrieved
December 6,
2013
.
- ^
Journal, Copper River Country.
"Speaking Alaskan: Words Alaskans Say"
.
Archived
from the original on August 20, 2018
. Retrieved
August 20,
2018
.
- ^
Edles, Laura Desfor (2003).
"
'Race,' 'Ethnicity,' and 'Culture' in Hawai'i: The Myth of the 'Model Minority' State"
. In Loretta I. Winters and Herman L. DeBose (ed.)
New Faces in a Changing America: Multiracial Identity in the 21st Century
. SAGE Publications. p. 241.
ISBN
9780761923008
.
- ^
Hyslop, Stephen G. (April 5, 1996).
Political Geography of the United States
.
Guilford Press
. p. 65.
- ^
Five million Puerto Ricans now living in the mainland U.S.
Archived
2013-12-18 at the
Wayback Machine
Caribbean Business. 27 June 2013. Vol 41. Issue 24. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ^
"United States Virgin Islands"
.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
.
Archived
from the original on July 31, 2022
. Retrieved
July 2,
2020
.
- ^
"U.S. Virgin Islands - Health and Safety"
.
Frommers.com
.
Archived
from the original on July 3, 2020
. Retrieved
July 2,
2020
.
- ^
"American Samoa"
.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
.
Archived
from the original on August 31, 2022
. Retrieved
July 2,
2020
.
- ^
Mack, Doug.
The Not-Quite States Of America
. pp. 67, 88, 91.
- ^
Ross, Oakland (June 3, 2011).
"Orphans of the atlas"
.
Toronto Star
.
Archived
from the original on June 8, 2011
. Retrieved
June 5,
2011
.
External links
[
edit
]