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United States > U.S. Statistics > Profile of the United States

Basic U.S. Geography

Find facts about the United States, including number of states and territories, total area, highest and lowest points, its geographic center, and more.

  • Number of states: 50
  • Territories: 15
  • Area (2000): total: 3,794,083 sq mi (9,826,675 sq km), land only: 3,537,438 sq mi (9,161,964 sq km), water: 256,645 sq mi (664,711 sq km). Share of world land area (1990): 6.2%
  • Northernmost point: Point Barrow, Alaska
  • Easternmost point: West Quoddy Head, Maine
  • Southernmost point: Ka Lae (South Cape), Hawaii
  • Westernmost point: Cape Wrangell, Alaska1
  • Geographic center (50 states): in Butte County, S.D.
    (44' 58' N. lat., 103' 46' W. long.)
  • Highest point: Mt. McKinley, Alaska (20,320 ft)
  • Lowest point: Death Valley, Calif. (282 ft below sea level)
1. The extreme points are measured from the geographic center of the United States (incl. Alaska and Hawaii), west of Castle Rock, S.D., 44° 58' N. lat., 103° 46' W. long. If measured from the prime meridian in Greenwich, England, Cape Wrangell, Alaska, would be the easternmost point.

See also World Georgraphy and Atlas of the World.


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