Contiguous United States

The contiguous United States or officially the conterminous

United States[1] consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states (plus
Washington, D.C.) on the continent of North America.[2] The
terms exclude the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii,
and all off-shore insular areas,[3][4] These differ from the related
term continental United States which includes Alaska (also on
the North American continent but separated from the 48 states by
British Columbia, Canada) but excludes Hawaii and insular
territories.[1]

The greatest distance (on a great circle route) entirely within the
48 contiguous states is 2,802 miles (4,509 km, between Florida
This shows the contiguousUnited States and, in insets
and the State of Washington);[5] the greatest north-south line is at the lower left, the two states that are not contiguous
1,650 miles (2,660 km).[6]

19,884.69 square miles (8,080,464.3 km2). Of

Together, the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. occupy a combined area of 3,1
this area, 2,959,064.44 square miles (7,663,941.7 km2) is contiguous land, composing 83.65% of total U.S. land area, similar to the
area of Australia.[7] Officially, 160,820.25 square miles (416,522.5 km2) of the contiguous United States is water area, composing
62.66% of the nation's total water area.

The contiguous United States would be placed 5th in the list of sovereign states and dependencies by area; the total area of the
country, including Alaska and Hawaii, ranks fourth. Brazil is the only country that is larger in total area than the contiguous United
States, but smaller than the entire United States, while Russia, Canada and China are the only three countries larger than both. The
2010 census population of this area was 306,675,006, comprising 99.33% of the nation's population, and a density of 103.639
inhabitants/sq mi (40.015/km2), compared to 87.264/sq mi (33.692/km2) for the nation as a whole.[8]

Contents
Other terms
Continental United States
CONUS and OCONUS
The lower 48
Zone of the Interior
Terms used in the non-contiguous states
Alaska
Hawaii
Non-contiguous areas within the contiguous United States
List of contiguous U.S. states
See also
Notes
External links

Other terms
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 United States

Because Alaska is also on the North American continent, the term continental United Stateswould also include that state, so the term
is sometimes qualified with the explicit inclusion or exclusion of Alaska to resolve any ambiguity.[3][9][10][11] The term was in use
prior to the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as states of the United States and at that time usually excluded outlying territories of the
United States.[12][13] However, even before Alaska became a state, it was sometimes included within the "Continental .S."
U [14]

CONUS and OCONUS

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.[15][16] The District of
Columbia is not always specifically mentioned as being part ofCONUS.[16]

OCONUS is derived from CONUS with O for outside added, thus referring to Outside of Continental United States
(OCONUS).[15][17]

The lower 48
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.[18][19]

Zone of the Interior

During World War II, the first four numbered Air Forces of the 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 territories of the Union, were
respectively covered by theEleventh Air Force and Seventh Air Force during WW II.

Terms used in the non-contiguous states

Both Alaskans and Hawaiians have unique labels for the contiguous United States because of their own locations relative to them.

Alaska
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 Pacific coast by the Canadian province of British Columbia. In Alaska,
given the ambiguity surrounding the usage ofcontinental, the term "continental United States" is almost unheard of when referring to
the contiguous 48 states. Several other terms have been used over the years. The term Lower 48 has, for many years, been a common
Alaskan equivalent for "contiguous United States";[20][21] today, more Alaskans use the term "Outside",[22][23] though a few persons
may use "Outside" to refer toany location not within Alaska.[24]

Hawaii
Hawaii 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 (3,500 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 contiguous United States.[25]
Non-contiguous areas within the contiguous United States
Apart from off-shore US islands, a few continental portions of the contiguous US 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 withinermont
V and from New York.[26]

List of contiguous U.S. states

The 48 contiguous United States are:

Alabama Nebraska
Arizona Nevada
Arkansas New Hampshire
California New Jersey
Colorado New Mexico
Connecticut New York
Delaware North Carolina
Florida North Dakota
Georgia Ohio
Idaho Oklahoma
Illinois Oregon
Indiana Pennsylvania
Iowa Rhode Island
Kansas South Carolina
Kentucky South Dakota
Louisiana Tennessee
Maine Texas
Maryland Utah
Massachusetts Vermont
Michigan Virginia
Minnesota Washington
Mississippi West Virginia
Missouri Wisconsin
Montana Wyoming
Washington, D.C. (the U.S. capital, also referred to as the District of Columbia) is distinct from the
state of Washington.

See also
Extreme points of the United States
Mainland

Notes
1. "What constitutes the United States, what are the of ficial definitions?" (https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-constitutes-u
nited-states-what-are-official-definitions). www.usgs.gov.
2. "United Airlines website"(https://web.archive.org/web/20120402170349/http://www .unitedcargo.com/help/glossary.js
p?pageIndex=C). Archived from the original (http://www.unitedcargo.com/help/glossary.jsp?pageIndex=C) on April 2,
2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012. "Contiguous United States: The 48 adjoining states and the District of Columbia.
"
3. Random House (1991).Random House Webster's College Dictionary. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-679-
40110-5.
 4. These maps show the contiguous 48 states and D.C., but not Alaska and Hawaii.
"Military Bases in the Contiguous United States"(http://www.nps.gov/nagpra/documents/basesmilitarymap.htm).
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
"Soil Moisture Regimes of the Contiguous United States"
(http://soils.usda.gov/use/thematic/moist_regimes.html)
. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved November 28,
2012.
5. "The Longest Line in America!"(http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/pc/american-line.html)
. Retrieved October 15,
2013.
6. "HowStuffWorks "Geography of the United States - Geography " " (http://geography.howstuffworks.com/united-states/
geography-of-united-states1.htm). Geography.howstuffworks.com. March 30, 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
7. "The World Factbook" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2147.html#as). cia.gov.
8. "Resident Population Data - 2010 Census"(https://web.archive.org/web/20111028061117/http://2010.census.gov/20
10census/data/apportionment-dens-text.php). United States Census Bureau. Archived fromthe original (http://2010.c
ensus.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-dens-text.php)on October 28, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
9. *"National Geographic Style Manual"(http://stylemanual.ngs.org/home/C/conterminous-contiguous-continental) .
Retrieved April 4, 2012. "The continental United Statescomprises the 48 contiguous, or coterminous, states plus
Alaska."
"United Cargo website"(https://web.archive.org/web/20120402170349/http://www .unitedcargo.com/help/glossar
y.jsp?pageIndex=C). Archived from the original (http://www.unitedcargo.com/help/glossary.jsp?pageIndex=C) on
April 2, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012. "Continental United States: The 48 adjoining states, Alaska and District of
Columbia."
"Alaska Airlines website"(http://www.alaskaair.com/as/mileageplan/AwardsUSACanada.asp). Retrieved April 4,
2012. "The Continental U.S. includes the lower 48 states as well as the State of Alaska, unless otherwise
specified."
Rodda, William H (1949).Inland Marine and Transportation Insurance(https://books.google.com/?id=DUaXI1fmr
AEC&dq=alaska+%22continental+united+states%22&q=wording+including+excluding+absence+statement+prob
ably+would+regarded). Retrieved April 4, 2012. "In the absence of any such statement, Alaska probably would
be regarded as a part of the continental United States.
" (before statehood)
10. "U.S. Navy Style Guide"(http://www.navy.mil/tools/view_styleguide_all.asp). Retrieved April 4, 2012. "CONUS -
"Continental United States" CONUS refers to the 48 contiguous states."
11. Law, C.C.H. Tax (2007). Internal Revenue Code(https://web.archive.org/web/20151016134547/https://books.google.
com/books?id=MGqe5tryc3oC&pg=PA3835&dq=%22continental+United+States%22+Alaska+Hawaii&lr=&ei=zyWcR
8_xAZHcygTEpL2bCg&ie=ISO-8859-1&sig=LlwdKpKC1ayreX-bZ_3VErsGQRE) . ISBN 9780808015963. Archived
from the original (https://books.google.com/?id=MGqe5tryc3oC&pg=P A3835&dq=%22continental+United+States%2
2+Alaska+Hawaii) on October 16, 2015. "the term "United States mainland" means the continental United States
(not including Alaska)."
"... outside the continental United States (includes Alaska and Hawaii, as well as Canada and all foreign
countries)... "Equimax candidate listing"(https://web.archive.org/web/20110710200721/https://www .equimax.co
m/cgi-bin/dbmacro.cgi/candidate/candform.m) . Archived from the original (https://www.equimax.com/cgi-bin/dbm
acro.cgi/candidate/candform.m)on July 10, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
12. "Abstract of the 1900 Census (1904), p.xiii"(http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00319143.pdf)
(PDF). "The area ... is continental United States, by which is meant that part of the United States lying on the
continent of North America south of the Canadian boundary . It thus excludes Alaska and the recent insular
accessions of Hawaii, Porto Rico (sic), the Philippine Islands, Guam, Samoa... "
13. "... merchandise to foreign countries from continental United states, Puerto Rico, and the territories of Alaska and
Hawaii." United States Foreign Trade (1950-1953) (https://books.google.com/books?id=bWs2jS1Aj0EC&q=%22conti
nental+United+States%22+Alaska+Hawaii&dq=%22continental+United+States%22+Alaska+Hawaii&lr=&ei=zyWcR8
_xAZHcygTEpL2bCg&ie=ISO-8859-1&pgis=1)
14. "In the absence of any such statement, Alaska probably would be regarded as a part of the continental United
States." Inland Marine and Transportation Insurance (1949) (https://books.google.com/books?id=DUaXI1fmrAEC&q
=alaska+%22continental+united+states%22&dq=alaska+%22continental+united+states%22&lr=)
15. "Per Diem Rates (CONUS and OCONUS)"(http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287). United States General
Services Administration.
16. "U.S. Navy Style Guide"(http://www.navy.mil/tools/view_styleguide_all.asp). "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.
17. "Glossary of Army Terms" (http://www.army.mil/aps/2003/extras/glossary/). Retrieved April 4, 2012. ""OCONUS:
Outside Continental United States"
18. "National Geographic Style Manual: conterminous, or contiguous, continental, continental United States"(http://style
manual.ngs.org/home/C/conterminous-contiguous-continental) . Retrieved April 4, 2012. "Use contiguous, or
conterminous, for the 48 states. The continental United States comprises the 48 contiguous, or conterminous, states
plus Alaska."
19. "National Geographic Style Manual: Alaska"(http://stylemanual.ngs.org/home/A/Alaska). 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 termoutside may be put in quotes on first reference if ambiguous.
To distinguish the 48 states from the 49 or 50, use contiguous or conterminous."
20. "Learn to Speak Alaskan - Alaskan Language T
ips - Princess Lodges" (http://www.princesslodges.com/tips-languag
e.htm). princesslodges.com.
21. "ALASKA: State Profile"(https://web.archive.org/web/20100126095610/http://election.nationaljournal.com/states/ak.
htm). Archived from the original (http://election.nationaljournal.com/states/ak.htm)on January 26, 2010. Retrieved
December 6, 2013.
22. "Ski" (https://books.google.com/books?id=FqfisP3nwX8C&pg=PA76&lpg=PA76&dq=Do+more+alaskans+say+%22lo
wer+48%22+or+%22outside%22?&source=bl&ots=XJ-po7tQlZ&sig=Zu_MRMPxx-JQk3y1TVUIWDuYN-A&hl=en&sa
=X&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAzgKahUKEwjWi_j3udfHAhWT i5IKHTL8Cq8#v=onepage&q=Do%20more%20alaskans%20s
ay%20%22lower%2048%22%20or%20%22outside%22%3F&f=false) . google.com.
23. "What are some things Alaska does differently from the contiguous states? - Quora"(https://www.quora.com/What-ar
e-some-things-Alaska-does-differently-from-the-contiguous-states). quora.com.
24. Speaking Alaskan: Words Alaskans Say(http://findingmyalaska.blogspot.com/2017/06/speaking-alaskan-words-alas
kans-say.html)
25. Edles, Laura Desfor (2003)."'Race,' 'Ethnicity,' and 'Culture' in Hawai'i: The Myth of the 'Model Minority' State"(http
s://books.google.com/books?id=aAdzAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA241&pg=PA241#v=onepage&q&f=false). 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.
26. Ross, Oakland (June 3, 2011)."Orphans of the atlas" (https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1002539--orphan
s-of-the-atlas). Toronto Star. Retrieved June 5, 2011.

External links
Definition of continental
Definition of contiguous
Definition of coterminous and conterminous

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