How Many States are in the USA
The United States of America is a country located on the continent of North America. It is bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The USA was formed in 1776 after declaring independence from Britain. At this time there were 13 states, which were the former British colonies. The official joining dates of these states varies because they all ratified the Articles of Confederation on different dates from 1787. The last of the original 13 states, Rhode Island, was officially admitted to the United States in 1790. Many more states have been admitted over the years. Let’s take a look at how many states are in the USA today.
How many states are in the USA?
Today the United States is made up of 50 states and 1 Federal District (District of Columbia). 45 of the states were admitted before the 1900’s and Arizona was the last of the contiguous United States (states that share a border) admitted in 1912. The last two states of the USA are also the most unique. Alaska was a territory formerly owned by the Russians, which was sold to the United States in 1867, for $7.2 million. However, it didn’t become a state until January, 1959. Hawaii was the last territory to become a state in August 1959. It is unique because it is an archipelago (island group) located approximately 2,000 mi (3,200 km) southwest of the North American mainland.
Future Additions
The best candidates for inclusion as new states of the USA are Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States, and the District of Columbia.
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