How Many States Are There In The United States - 50 or 52?
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| How Many States Are There in the United States? |
Located in North America, the United States of America (the US) is roughly the same size as Europe. The country is subdivided into states, territories, and minor islands. States are the major subdivisions and are bestowed several powers and responsibilities by the US Constitution. If you are considering the state of California for a living, then you will definitely need the help of professional cross country movers. So the move will not be so exciting and stressful .
Video - Many Americans are unaware of their country's official number of states:
What are the Official Definitions? How Many States in Total?
Geographically (and as a general reference), the United States of America includes all areas considered to be under the sovereignty of the United States but does not include leased areas.
On May 14, 1959, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names issued the following definitions based partially on 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.
• United States: The 50 States, plus the District of Columbia – or Washington D.C
• Continental United States: The 49 States (including Alaska, excluding Hawaii) are located on the continent of North America, and the District of Columbia.
• Conterminous United States: The 48 States and the District of Columbia; that is, the United States prior to January 3, 1959 (Alaska Statehood), wholly filling an unbroken block of territory and excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Although the official reference applies the term "conterminous," many use the word "contiguous," which is almost synonymous and better known.
Why is the United States Split into States?
Since the country's founding as an independent nation in 1776, the area it would eventually occupy has required an organizational structure to keep the population growth of its citizens under control.
The Original 13 States
The remaining 37 states were eventually admitted into the Union with Congress's approval after the first 13 states—the original 13 colonies—were admitted.
The First States
The 13 original colonies gained their independence from the British Crown on July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was ratified.
The Last Two States
Alaska and Hawaii, the final two states, were not admitted to the Union until 1959. Because of Alaska's enormous size, dispersed population, and challenging living conditions, it took a lot longer for this territory to attain the required number of residents to become a state.
Number of States In The USCurrently, the US has 50 states as well as a federal district, minor islands, and five main territories. Of these 50 states, 48 of them are contiguous, that is, they are connected directly. These 48 states all exist in the central region of North America between Mexico and Canada. Examples of these states include Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota, Wyoming, Oregon, New Jersey, and New Hampshire. The other two states are Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska lies on the northwestern portion of North America while Hawaii is located on an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. - Delaware is the oldest state in the country. It was established on December 7, 1787, and the youngest state is Hawaii which was founded on August 21, 1959. - The largest state by total area is Alaska with 665,384 square miles while the smallest is the state of Rhode Island with a total area of only 1,545 square miles. - By population, California is the most populous state with about 39,536,653 people while the least populous state is Wyoming with only 579,315 people. |
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| A map showing the United States. Photo: Worldatlas. |
What is the 50th State to Join the Union?
On March 18, 1959, Congress passed the Admission Act, and on August 21, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation designating Hawaii as the 50th state.
Since then, there have been few attempts to add a 51st state, with Puerto Rico considering a referendum to become a state.
Alaska played a significant role in Hawaii's path to statehood. Alaska took 13 years to become a state with Congress' approval after passing a referendum following World War II. That came only after Hawaii, regarded as a Republican-leaning state, was added to the deal.
Hawaii chose a different path because it has a history of independence and a Republican presence. There were also southern politicians who were concerned about bringing the territory's multiethnic population into the Union.
During the 1950s, Democrats favored Alaska as the 49th state, while Republicans wanted Hawaii admitted on its own. The reason for this political investment in the issue of statehood was the fact that each new state receives two U.S. senators and at least one new House member, and admitting a new state can swing congressional votes.
Two powerful Democratic politicians, Lyndon Johnson and Sam Rayburn, devised a strategy to get Alaska admitted first, prompting Republicans to advocate for Hawaii as the 50th state.
 How Many People Are There in the United States: Population Today |
The Constitution is vague about the entire process of transforming a territory into a state, delegating the task to Congress. In Article IV, Section 3, Congress is given the authority to determine what states and territories exist, but state legislatures must approve any act that would combine two existing states or create a new state from parts of other states. (Reuniting Pennsylvania and New Jersey, or Virginia and West Virginia, would be difficult.)
After Hawaii became the 50th state in August 1959, the debate over its admission persisted; there are still those in Hawaii who want the state to become an independent nation again.
Territories of the US
Aside from the fifty states, the United States owns fourteen territories. Only five of these territories are home to permanent civilian populations. The five territories are American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and Guam. Except for the United States Virgin Islands, Navassa Island, and Puerto Rico, which are located in the Caribbean, all of the territories are on the Pacific Ocean. Only Palmyra Atoll's territory is incorporated, which means that the US constitution is fully applied. Ten of the 14 territories are unorganized (do not have an Organic Act), with the remaining four organized.
| Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island. |
Washington, D.C.
The United States has one federal district, which is neither a state nor a territory, as was previously mentioned. Despite having representatives in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College, the District of Columbia is not represented in the Senate. According to the constitution, the US Congress is the only body with authority over the district. Nonetheless, under the 1973 District of Columbia Home Rule Act, it has a mayor and council who have some decision-making authority, though Congress has the power to step in and overturn decisions.
How Were States Admitted?
There needed to be a mechanism in place to decide how new territories would be added to the Union after the first 13 states were admitted.
The American people started expressing interest in forming new states as they migrated westward, occupying more land and resources.
The framers of the Constitution anticipated this trend and incorporated a provision granting Congress the power to create new sovereign states.
READ MORE: How Many People Are There in the United States: Population Today
States in USA: Key Facts
• Washington
Washington is called the State of Washington to keep it separate from Washington, D.C., which is the capital of the United States.
• New York
Old and new things are very important to the people of New York. The Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and Central Park are just a few of the most famous places in the US that are in this state. New York is also a major place for finance, business, and the media.
• Texas
It has the second most people and the second most land area of any state in the USA. It is in the central south of the United States and is also called the Lone Star State. This is because Texas flew a flag with only one star when it became independent in 1836.
• Alabama
Alabama has the 30th most land area and the 24th most people of all 50 US states. It's known as the "Heart of Dixie" and for its Civil War history and culture.
• Alaska
Alaska is the largest and third-least populous of the 50 states. Alaska became the 49th state in 1959.
Juneau is the capital city of Alaska, which is the largest state in the US. You can't get to it from anywhere else in the United States.
• Arizona
Arizona State is the home to the Grand Canyons, it is the 48th state to be included in the list of states of the USA.
• Arkansas
Arkansas has more than 3 million people, making it the 27th largest state in the country. Folks from the state are known for their southern ways.
• California
The third biggest state is California. Gold was found in California in 1848. This caused a huge number of people to move to the state. This was called the Gold Rush.
One of the most well-known states in the US. It also has the most people of any state in the USA. It is home to Hollywood and some of the world's largest tech companies, such as Alphabet, Apple, Adobe, HP, Intel, Meta, and more.
• Colorado
On August 1, 1876, Colorado became the 38th state. In the 1800s, individuals seeking gold and silver made the state a popular place to visit. This is because gold was found there in 1858, which started the Pikes Peak Gold Rush and brought a lot of people to the area.
The state of Colorado played a big role in the American Civil War. There were both Union and Confederate supporters in the state. In 1862, the Battle of Glorieta Pass took place in Colorado.
The Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, and the Colorado Plateau are all in Colorado.
• Connecticut
Connecticut was one of the 13 original colonies that became the United States. On January 9, 1788, it was the fifth state to ratify the Bill of Rights.
People call the state the "Constitution State" because it was the first to have a written constitution.
• Delaware
With only 1.02 million people living there in 2022, Delaware is the sixth least populous and second smallest of the 50 states. It was the first of the 13 original states to sign the U.S. Constitution, which is why it is called the "first state."
• Rhode Island
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the US. Even though it's only 1,545 square miles, it's home to just over 1 million people.
Full List of States of USA
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| How Many States in the United States - A Complete List |
The following is a list of the states of USA in alphabetical order:
1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. Utah
45. Vermont
46. Virginia
47. Washington
48. West Virginia
49. Wisconsin
50. Wyoming
FAQs
How many states are there in the United States of America?
The United States of America consists of 50 states.
What is the smallest state in USA by area?
Rhode Island is the smallest state in USA by area. It has a total area of 3144 square kilometres.
Which is the largest state in the US by population?
California is the largest state in the US by population.
Which Three US States Are the Largest?
As stated by land area square miles The three biggest states in United States of America are Alaska, Texas, and California.
How Many Provinces Are in the United States?
“Provinces” do not exist in the US. Hence, zero is the proper answer to the inquiry.
Is the United States Bigger than Canada?
Canada boasts more territory than the US. With 3,855,103 square miles compared to 3,494,083 square miles in the United States, Canada boasts 1.6% greater land area than the other country.
Which Country Has the Most States?
Comprising fifty states run under a constitution, the United States of America is a federal republic. Regarding GDP, the United States boasts the highest among all countries and leads in technical development as well.
Which Country is Larger, China or the USA?
United States falls behind China in the race to rank third among all countries. The United States is 9.8 million square kilometers bigger than China when one considers the combined land and sea surface areas of the two countries.
