USA
On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was issued, establishing the United States of America.
The United States of America (USA), commonly referred to as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal district, 5 major territories and various possessions.
States are the primary subdivisions of the United States, and possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution.
Washington, D.C. is not a city or state. It is a unique "federal district", created specifically to be the seat of government.
The US is the 4th largest country in the world by land area and 3rd by population.
BASIC FACTS
Official Name: United States of America
Form of Government: Constitution-based federal republic
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Population: 322,021,000
Total Area: 3,794,083 square miles (9,826,630 square kilometers)
Languages: English, Spanish (no official national language)
Money: U.S. dollar
Major Mountain Ranges: Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains.
The lowest point in the country is in Death Valley which is at -282 feet (-86 meters) and the highest peak is Denali (Mt. McKinley) at 20,320 feet (6,198 meters).
Major Rivers: Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado
Largest Cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio
Industry: Petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics
Agriculture: Wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, beef, forest products, fish
Exports: Capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products
Out of the 50 states, California is the most populous and Wyoming is the least populous. The largest state by area is Alaska, encompassing 665,384 square miles (1,723,337 square kilometers), while the smallest is Rhode Island, encompassing 1,545 square miles (4,002 square kilometers). The newest state is Hawaii. The largest territory in terms of both population and size is Puerto Rico, with a total area of 5,325 square miles (13,792 square kilometers).
Flag: The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 states of the United States of America, and the 13 stripes represent the thirteen British colonies that declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Click here for free, printer-friendly, black/white USA states worksheets.
50 STATES
| St | Abbr. | Nickname | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | AL | Heart of Dixie | Montgomery |
| Alaska | AK | The Last Frontier | Juneau |
| Arizona | AZ | Grand Canyon State | Phoenix |
| Arkansas | AR | The Natural State | Little Rock |
| California | CA | The Golden State | Sacramento |
| Colorado | CO | Centennial State | Denver |
| Connecticut | CT | Constitution State | Hartford |
| Delaware | DE | The First State | Dover |
| Florida | FL | Sunshine State | Tallahassee |
| Georgia | GA | Peach State | Atlanta |
| Hawaii | HI | Aloha State | Honolulu |
| Idaho | ID | Gem State | Boise |
| Illinois | IL | Prairie State | Springfield |
| Indiana | IN | Hoosier State | Indianapolis |
| Iowa | IA | Hawkeye State | Des Moines |
| Kansas | KS | Sunflower State | Topeka |
| Kentucky | KY | Bluegrass State | Frankfort |
| Louisiana | LA | Pelican State | Baton Rouge |
| Maine | ME | Pine Tree State | Augusta |
| Maryland | MD | Old Line State | Annapolis |
| Massachusetts | MA | The Bay State | Boston |
| Michigan | MI | The Great Lakes State | Lansing |
| Minnesota | MN | North Star State | St. Paul |
| Mississippi | MS | Magnolia State | Jackson |
| Missouri | MO | Show-Me State | Jefferson City |
| Montana | MT | Treasure State | Helena |
| Nebraska | NE | Cornhusker State | Lincoln |
| Nevada | NV | Silver State | Carson City |
| New Hampshire | NH | Granite State | Concord |
| New Jersey | NJ | Garden State | Trenton |
| New Mexico | NM | Land of Enchantment | Santa Fe |
| New York | NY | The Empire State | Albany |
| North Carolina | NC | First in Flight State | Raleigh |
| North Dakota | ND | Peace Garden State | Bismarck |
| Ohio | OH | Buckeye State | Columbus |
| Oklahoma | OK | Sooner State | Oklahoma City |
| Oregon | OR | Beaver State | Salem |
| Pennsylvania | PA | Keystone State | Harrisburg |
| Rhode Island | RI | Ocean State | Providence |
| South Carolina | SC | Palmetto State | Columbia |
| South Dakota | SD | Mount Rushmore State | Pierre |
| Tennessee | TN | Volunteer State | Nashville |
| Texas | TX | Lone Star State | Austin |
| Utah | UT | Beehive State | Salt Lake City |
| Vermont | VT | Green Mountain State | Montpelier |
| Virginia | VA | The Old Dominion | Richmond |
| Washington | WA | Evergreen State | Olympia |
| West Virginia | WV | Mountain State | Charleston |
| Wisconsin | WI | Badger State | Madison |
| Wyoming | WY | Equality State | Cheyenne |
TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES
In addition to the 50 states and federal district, the United States has control over 14 territories. Five of them (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have a permanent, nonmilitary population, while nine of them (the United States Minor Outlying Islands) do not. With the exception of Navassa Island, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are located in the Caribbean, all territories are located in the Pacific Ocean.
| Inhabited Territories of the United States | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Territory | Abbr. | Capital | Acquired |
| American Samoa | AS | Pago Pago | 1900 |
| Guam | GU | Hagåtña | 1899 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | MP | Saipan | 1986 |
| Puerto Rico | PR | San Juan | 1899 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | VI | Charlotte Amalie | 1917 |