A country can be split into smaller parts. In the United States those parts are called states. You met them in The United States and Its States. Here is the whole picture.
Key idea
The United States has 50 states and the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.), the nation's capital. 48 states touch one another in one block of land. Alaska and Hawaii stand apart.
Why it works
Why is the capital not in a state? When the Constitution was written, its authors wanted the national government to sit on land that no single state controlled, so no state would have extra power over it. Maryland and Virginia gave land along the Potomac River, and the District of Columbia was made there. It belongs to the whole country.
Worked example: Counting the block of 48
How many states touch at least one other state?
- There are 50 states in all.
- Alaska touches only Canada. Hawaii is surrounded by ocean.
- 50 − 2 = 48.
Answer: 48 states.
Common mistake
Washington, D.C., is not in Washington State. They share a name (both honor George Washington) but sit on opposite sides of the country. Washington State is in the far northwest. Washington, D.C., is on the East Coast, between Maryland and Virginia. D.C. is also not a state: it is a federal district.