U.S. state 48831 226166027 2008-07-17T03:12:04Z SilverOrion 6705553 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 226165856 by [[Special:Contributions/66.206.254.219|66.206.254.219]] ([[User talk:66.206.254.219|talk]]) {{redirect|States of the Union|Brothers and Sisters episode|List of Brothers & Sisters episodes}} A '''U.S. state''' is any one of the fifty [[state (country subdivision)|subnational entities]] of the [[United States]] that share [[sovereignty]] with the [[federal government of the United States|federal government]] (four states use the official title of ''[[Commonwealth (United States)|commonwealth]]'' rather than ''state''). Because of this shared sovereignty, an [[United States|American]] is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of [[Domicile (law)|domicile]].<ref>See the [[Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution]].</ref> However, [[state citizenship]] is very flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states (with the exception of convicts on [[parole]]). The [[United States Constitution]] allocates power between the two levels of government in general terms. By ratifying the Constitution, each state transfers certain sovereign powers to the federal government. Under the [[Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Tenth Amendment]], all powers not explicitly transferred are retained by the states and the people. Historically, the tasks of public education, public health, transportation and other infrastructure have been considered primarily state responsibilities, although all have significant federal funding and regulation as well. Once again, the Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization, with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did. There is a continuing debate over "[[states' rights]]", which concerns the extent and nature of the states' powers and sovereignty in relation to that of the federal government, and their power over individuals. ==List of states== {{USA imagemap with state names}} The following sortable table lists each of the 50 states of the [[United States]] with the following information: #The [[political divisions of the United States#States of the United States|common state name]] #The preferred pronunciation of the common state name as transcribed with the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] (see [[Help:Pronunciation]] for a key) #The [[United States Postal Service]] (USPS) two-character [[United States postal abbreviations|state abbreviation]]<ref name=USPSabbrev>{{cite web | url = http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/abbreviations.html | title = Official USPS Abbreviations | format = [[HTML]] | publisher = [[United States Postal Service]] | date = 1998 | accessdate = 2007-02-26 }}</ref><br/>(also used as the [[International Organization for Standardization]] (ISO) Standard [[ISO 3166-2|3166-2]] [[ISO 3166-2:US|country subdivision code]]) #The date the state [[List of U.S. states by date of statehood|ratified]] the [[United States Constitution]] or was admitted to the [[United States|Union]] #The [[United States Census Bureau]] estimate of state population as of [[2007-07-01]]<ref name=PopEstStates>{{cite web | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2007-01.csv | title = Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States and States, and for Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007 | format = [[comma-separated values|CSV]] | work = 2007 Population Estimates | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division | date = [[2007-12-27]] | accessdate = 2008-02-21 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=&-ds_name=PEP_2007_EST&-_lang=en&-redoLog=true&-mt_name=PEP_2007_EST_GCTT1R_US9S&-format=US-9|US-9S&-CONTEXT=gct | title = United States -- States; and Puerto Rico: GCT-T1-R. Population Estimates (geographies ranked by estimate) Data Set: 2007 Population Estimates | format = [[HTML]] | work = 2007 Population Estimates | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Estimates Program | date = [[2007-07-01]] | accessdate = 2008-05-03 }}</ref> #The [[List of capitals in the United States#State capitals|state capital]] #The most populous [[incorporated place]] or [[Census Designated Place]] within the state as of [[2006-07-01]], as estimated by the [[U.S. Census Bureau]]<ref name=PopEstCities>{{cite web | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/SUB-EST2006-4.html | title = Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 | format = [[HTML]] | work = 2006 Population Estimates | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division | date = [[2007-06-28]] | accessdate = 2007-07-01 }}</ref> #An image of the official [[flags of the U.S. states|state flag]] <!-- THE FOLLOWING TABLE CONTAINS DATA FROM THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU. DO NOT ALTER U.S. CENSUS DATA. --> {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ The 50 United States of America ! Official State Name ! Common ! class="unsortable" | IPA ! USPS ! Date ! Population ! Capital ! Most Populous City ! class="unsortable" | Flag |- | [[Alabama|State of Alabama]] | Alabama | {{IPA|/ˌæləˈbæmə/}} | align=center | AL | <span style="display:none">18191214</span>[[1819-12-14]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>4,627,851 | [[Montgomery, Alabama|Montgomery]] | [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Alabama.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Alaska|State of Alaska]] | Alaska | {{IPA|/əˈlæskə/}} | align=center | AK | <span style="display:none">19590103</span>[[1959-01-03]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">00,</span>683,478 | [[Juneau, Alaska|Juneau]] | [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Alaska.svg|border|45px]] |- | [[Arizona|State of Arizona]] | Arizona | {{IPA|/ˌærɪˈzoʊnə/}} | align=center | AZ | <span style="display:none">19120214</span>[[1912-02-14]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>6,338,755 | [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] | Phoenix | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Arizona.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Arkansas|State of Arkansas]] | Arkansas | {{IPA|/ˈɑrkənsɑː/}} | align=center | AR | <span style="display:none">18360615</span>[[1836-06-15]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>2,834,797 | [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] | Little Rock | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Arkansas.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[California|State of California]] | California | {{IPA|/ˌkæl<s>ɪ</s>ˈfɔrnjə/}} | align=center | CA | <span style="display:none">18500909</span>[[1850-09-09]] | align=right | 36,553,215 | [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] | [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of California.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Colorado|State of Colorado]] | Colorado | {{IPA|/ˌkɒləˈrædoʊ/}} | align=center | CO | <span style="display:none">18760801</span>[[1876-08-01]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>4,861,515 | [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]] | Denver | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Colorado.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Connecticut|State of Connecticut]] | Connecticut | {{IPA|/kəˈnɛt<s>ɪ</s>kət/}} | align=center | CT | <span style="display:none">17880109</span>[[1788-01-09]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>3,502,309 | [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] | [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]]<ref name=Hartford>The [[Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic Combined Statistical Area]] is the most populous metropolitan area in [[Connecticut]].</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Connecticut.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Delaware|State of Delaware]] | Delaware | {{IPA|/ˈdɛləwɛər/}} | align=center | DE | <span style="display:none">17871207</span>[[1787-12-07]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">00,</span>864,764 | [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]] | [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Delaware.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Florida|State of Florida]] | Florida | {{IPA|/ˈflɔr<s>ɪ</s>də/}} | align=center | FL | <span style="display:none">18450303</span>[[1845-03-03]] | align=right | 18,251,243 | [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]] | [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]]<ref name=Miami>The [[Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area]] is the most populous metropolitan area in [[Florida]].</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Florida.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Georgia (U.S. state)|State of Georgia]] | Georgia | {{IPA|/ˈdʒɔrdʒə/}} | align=center | GA | <span style="display:none">17880102</span>[[1788-01-02]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>9,544,750 | [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] | Atlanta | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Hawaii|State of Hawai{{Unicode|ʻ}}i<br/>{{Unicode|Mokuʻāina o Hawaiʻi}}]] ([[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]]) | Hawaii | {{IPA|/həˈwaɪi/, [haʋaiʔi]}} | align=center | HI | <span style="display:none">19590821</span>[[1959-08-21]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>1,283,388 | [[Honolulu, Hawaii|Honolulu]] | Honolulu | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Hawaii.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Idaho|State of Idaho]] | Idaho | {{IPA|/ˈaɪdəhoʊ/}} | align=center | ID | <span style="display:none">18900703</span>[[1890-07-03]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>1,499,402 | [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]] | Boise | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Idaho.svg|border|39px]] |- | [[Illinois|State of Illinois]] | Illinois | {{IPA|/ɪl<s>ɪ</s>ˈnɔɪ/}} | align=center | IL | <span style="display:none">18181203</span>[[1818-12-03]] | align=right | 12,852,548 | [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]] | [[Chicago]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Illinois.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Indiana|State of Indiana]] | Indiana | {{IPA|/ˌɪndiˈænə/}} | align=center | IN | <span style="display:none">18161211</span>[[1816-12-11]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>6,345,289 | [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]] | Indianapolis | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Indiana.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Iowa|State of Iowa]] | Iowa | {{IPA|/ˈaɪəwə/}} | align=center | IA | <span style="display:none">18461228</span>[[1846-12-28]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>2,988,046 | [[Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines]] | Des Moines | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Iowa.svg|border|46px]] |- | [[Kansas|State of Kansas]] | Kansas | {{IPA|/ˈkænzəs/}} | align=center | KS | <span style="display:none">18610129</span>[[1861-01-29]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>2,775,997 | [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]] | [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Kansas.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Kentucky|Commonwealth of Kentucky]] | Kentucky | {{IPA|/kənˈtəki/}} | align=center | KY | <span style="display:none">17920601</span>[[1792-06-01]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>4,241,474 | [[Frankfort, Kentucky|Frankfort]] | [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Kentucky.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Louisiana|State of Louisiana<br/>État de Louisiane]] ([[French language|French]]) | Louisiana | {{IPA|/luˌiziˈænə/}} | align=center | LA | <span style="display:none">18120430</span>[[1812-04-30]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>4,293,204 | [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]] | [[New Orleans]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Louisiana.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Maine|State of Maine]] | Maine | {{IPA|/ˈmeɪn/}} | align=center | ME | <span style="display:none">18200315</span>[[1820-03-15]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>1,317,207 | [[Augusta, Maine|Augusta]] | [[Portland, Maine|Portland]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Maine.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Maryland|State of Maryland]] | Maryland | {{IPA|/ˈmɛrələnd/}} | align=center | MD | <span style="display:none">17880428</span>[[1788-04-28]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>5,618,344 | [[Annapolis, Maryland|Annapolis]] | [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]]<ref name=Maryland>[[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore City]] and the 12 [[Maryland]] [[county (United States)|counties]] of the [[Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area]] form the most populous metropolitan region in Maryland.</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Maryland.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Massachusetts|Commonwealth of Massachusetts]] | Massachusetts | {{IPA|/ˌmæsəˈtʃuːs<s>ɪ</s>ts/}} | align=center | MA | <span style="display:none">17880206</span>[[1788-02-06]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>6,449,755 | [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] | Boston | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Massachusetts.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Michigan|State of Michigan]] | Michigan | {{IPA|/ˈmɪʃ<s>ɪ</s>gən/}} | align=center | MI | <span style="display:none">18370126</span>[[1837-01-26]] | align=right | 10,071,822 | [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]] | [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Michigan.svg|border|47px]] |- | [[Minnesota|State of Minnesota]] | Minnesota | {{IPA|/ˌmɪn<s>ɪ</s>ˈsoʊtə/}} | align=center | MN | <span style="display:none">18580511</span>[[1858-05-11]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>5,197,621 | [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]] | [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Minnesota.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Mississippi|State of Mississippi]] | Mississippi | {{IPA|/ˌmɪs<s>ɪ</s>ˈsɪpi/}} | align=center | MS | <span style="display:none">18171210</span>[[1817-12-10]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>2,918,785 | [[Jackson, Mississippi|Jackson]] | Jackson | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Mississippi.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Missouri|State of Missouri]] | Missouri | {{IPA|/m<s>ɪ</s>ˈzʊəri, m<s>ɪ</s>ˈzʊərə/}} | align=center | MO | <span style="display:none">18210810</span>[[1821-08-10]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>5,878,415 | [[Jefferson City, Missouri|Jefferson City]] | [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]<ref name=Saint_Louis>The [[St. Louis, Missouri|City of Saint Louis]] and the 8 [[Missouri]] [[county (United States)|counties]] of the [[St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington Combined Statistical Area]] form the most populous metropolitan region in Missouri.</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Missouri.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Montana|State of Montana]] | Montana | {{IPA|/mɑnˈtænə/}} | align=center | MT | <span style="display:none">18891108</span>[[1889-11-08]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">00,</span>957,861 | [[Helena, Montana|Helena]] | [[Billings, Montana|Billings]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Montana.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Nebraska|State of Nebraska]] | Nebraska | {{IPA|/nəˈbræskə/}} | align=center | NE | <span style="display:none">18670301</span>[[1867-03-01]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>1,774,571 | [[Lincoln, Nebraska|Lincoln]] | [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Nebraska.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Nevada|State of Nevada]] | Nevada | {{IPA|/nəˈvædə/}} | align=center | NV | <span style="display:none">18641031</span>[[1864-10-31]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>2,565,382 | [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]] | [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Nevada.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[New Hampshire|State of New Hampshire]] | New Hampshire | {{IPA|/nuˈhæmpʃər/}} | align=center | NH | <span style="display:none">17880621</span>[[1788-06-21]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>1,315,828 | [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]] | [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]]<ref name=Rockingham>The 5 southeastern [[New Hampshire]] [[county (United States)|counties]] of the [[Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area]] form the most populous metropolitan region in New Hampshire.</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of New Hampshire.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[New Jersey|State of New Jersey]] | New Jersey | {{IPA|/nuˈdʒɝzi/}} | align=center | NJ | <span style="display:none">17871218</span>[[1787-12-18]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>8,685,920 | [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]] | [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]]<ref name=New_Jersey>The 13 northern [[New Jersey]] [[county (United States)|counties]] of the [[New York-Newark-Bridgeport Combined Statistical Area]] form the most populous metropolitan region in New Jersey.</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of New Jersey.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[New Mexico|State of New Mexico<br/>Estado de Nuevo México]] ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]) | New Mexico | {{IPA|/nuˈmɛks<s>ɪ</s>koʊ/}} | align=center | NM | <span style="display:none">19120106</span>[[1912-01-06]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>2,499,481 | [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] | [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of New Mexico.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[New York|State of New York]] | New York | {{IPA|/nuːˈjɔrk/}} | align=center | NY | <span style="display:none">17880726</span>[[1788-07-26]] | align=right | 19,297,729 | [[Albany, New York|Albany]] | [[New York City|New York]]<ref>[[New York City]] is the [[List of United States cities by population|most populous city]] in the United States.</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of New York.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[North Carolina|State of North Carolina]] | North Carolina | {{IPA|/ˌnɔrθˌkɛrəˈlaɪnə/}} | align=center | NC | <span style="display:none">17891121</span>[[1789-11-21]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>9,061,032 | [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]] | [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of North Carolina.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[North Dakota|State of North Dakota]] | North Dakota | {{IPA|/ˌnɔrθdəˈkoʊtə/}} | align=center | ND | <span style="display:none">18891102</span>[[1889-11-02]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">00,</span>639,715 | [[Bismarck, North Dakota|Bismarck]] | [[Fargo, North Dakota|Fargo]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of North Dakota.svg|border|40px]] |- | [[Ohio|State of Ohio]] | Ohio | {{IPA|/oʊˈhaɪoʊ/}} | align=center | OH | <span style="display:none">18030301</span>[[1803-03-01]] | align=right | 11,466,917 | [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] | Columbus<ref name=Cleveland>The [[Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area]] is the most populous metropolitan area in [[Ohio]].</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Ohio.svg|48px]] |- | [[Oklahoma|State of Oklahoma]] | Oklahoma | {{IPA|/ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/}} | align=center | OK | <span style="display:none">19071116</span>[[1907-11-16]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>3,617,316 | [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma|Oklahoma City]] | Oklahoma City | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Oklahoma.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Oregon|State of Oregon]] | Oregon | {{IPA|/ˈɔr<s>ɪ</s>gən/}} | align=center | OR | <span style="display:none">18590214</span>[[1859-02-14]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>3,747,455 | [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] | [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Oregon.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Pennsylvania|Commonwealth of Pennsylvania]] | Pennsylvania | {{IPA|/ˌpɛns<s>ɪ</s>lˈveɪnjə/}} | align=center | PA | <span style="display:none">17871212</span>[[1787-12-12]] | align=right | 12,432,792 | [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] | [[Philadelphia]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Rhode Island|State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]] | Rhode Island | {{IPA|/roʊdˈaɪlənd/}} | align=center | RI | <span style="display:none">17900529</span>[[1790-05-29]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>1,057,832 | [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] | Providence | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Rhode Island.svg|border|32px]] |- | [[South Carolina|State of South Carolina]] | South Carolina | {{IPA|/ˌsɑʊθkɛrəˈlaɪnə/}} | align=center | SC | <span style="display:none">17880523</span>[[1788-05-23]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>4,407,709 | [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]] | Columbia<ref name=Greenville>The [[Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area]] is the most populous metropolitan area in [[South Carolina]].</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of South Carolina.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[South Dakota|State of South Dakota]] | South Dakota | {{IPA|/ˌsɑʊθdəˈkoʊtə/}} | align=center | SD | <span style="display:none">18891102</span>[[1889-11-02]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">00,</span>796,214 | [[Pierre, South Dakota|Pierre]] | [[Sioux Falls, South Dakota|Sioux Falls]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of South Dakota.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Tennessee|State of Tennessee]] | Tennessee | {{IPA|/ˌtɛn<s>ɪ</s>ˈsiː/}} | align=center | TN | <span style="display:none">17960601</span>[[1796-06-01]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>6,156,719 | [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] | [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]]<ref name=Nashville>The [[Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Columbia Combined Statistical Area]] is the most populous metropolitan area in [[Tennessee]].</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Tennessee.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Texas|State of Texas]] | Texas | {{IPA|/ˈtɛksəs/}} | align=center | TX | <span style="display:none">18451229</span>[[1845-12-29]] | align=right | 23,904,380 | [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] | [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]<ref name=Dallas>The [[Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area]] is the most populous metropolitan area in [[Texas]].</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Texas.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Utah|State of Utah]] | Utah | {{IPA|/ˈjuːtɑː/}} | align=center | UT | <span style="display:none">18960104</span>[[1896-01-04]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>2,645,330 | [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]] | Salt Lake City | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Utah.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Vermont|State of Vermont]] | Vermont | {{IPA|/vɚˈmɑnt/}} | align=center | VT | <span style="display:none">17910304</span>[[1791-03-04]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">00,</span>621,254 | [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]] | [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Vermont.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Virginia|Commonwealth of Virginia]] | Virginia | {{IPA|/vɚˈdʒɪnjə/}} | align=center | VA | <span style="display:none">17880625</span>[[1788-06-25]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>7,712,091 | [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] | [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]]<ref name=Virginia>The 10 [[Virginia]] [[county (United States)|counties]] and 6 [[independent cities#Virginia|Virginia cities]] of the [[Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area]] form the most populous metropolitan region in Virginia.</ref> | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Virginia.svg|border|46px]] |- | [[Washington|State of Washington]] | Washington | {{IPA|/ˈwɑʃɪŋtən/}} | align=center | WA | <span style="display:none">18891111</span>[[1889-11-11]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>6,468,424 | [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]] | [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Washington.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[West Virginia|State of West Virginia]] | West Virginia | {{IPA|/ˌwɛstvɚˈdʒɪnjə/}} | align=center | WV | <span style="display:none">18630620</span>[[1863-06-20]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>1,812,035 | [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]] | Charleston | align=center | [[Image:Flag of West Virginia.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Wisconsin|State of Wisconsin]] | Wisconsin | {{IPA|/wɪsˈkɑns<s>ɪ</s>n/}} | align=center | WI | <span style="display:none">18480529</span>[[1848-05-29]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">0</span>5,601,640 | [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] | [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]] | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Wisconsin.svg|border|48px]] |- | [[Wyoming|State of Wyoming]] | Wyoming | {{IPA|/waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/}} | align=center | WY | <span style="display:none">18900710</span>[[1890-07-10]] | align=right | <span style="display:none">00,</span>522,830 | [[Cheyenne, Wyoming|Cheyenne]] | Cheyenne | align=center | [[Image:Flag of Wyoming.svg|border|48px]] |- |} <!-- THE PRECEDING TABLE CONTAINS DATA FROM THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU. DO NOT ALTER U.S. CENSUS DATA. --> == Legal relationship == === Union as a single nation === Upon the adoption of the [[Articles of Confederation|Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union]], the states became a [[confederation]], a single sovereign political entity for the purpose of [[international law]] – empowered to levy war and to conduct [[international relations]]. In part due to the failings of the Confederation, the [[Thirteen Colonies|thirteen states]] instead formed a Union via the process of ratifying the [[United States Constitution]], which took effect in 1789. === Relationship among the states === Under [[Article Four of the United States Constitution|Article IV of the Constitution]], which outlines the relationship between the states, the [[United States Congress]] has the power to admit new states to the union. The states are required to give "[[Full Faith and Credit Clause|full faith and credit]]" to the acts of each other's legislatures and courts, which is generally held to include the recognition of legal contracts, marriages, criminal judgments, and – at the time – slave status. States are prohibited from discriminating against citizens of other states with respect to their [[Human rights|basic rights]], under the [[Privileges and Immunities Clause]]. The states are guaranteed military and [[civil defense]] by the federal government, which is also required to ensure that the government of each state remains a republic. [[Image:US states by date of statehood RWB dates.svg|thumb|220px|U.S. states by [[List of U.S. states by date of statehood|date of statehood]] {{legend|#FF0000|1776–1790}}{{legend|#FF6666|1791–1799}}{{legend|#FF9999|1800–1819}}{{legend|#FFCCCC|1820–1839}}{{legend|#CCCCCC|1840–1859}}{{legend|#CCCCFF|1860–1879}}{{legend|#9999FF|1880–1899}}{{legend|#6666FF|1900–1950}}{{legend|#0000FF|1950-}}]] ===Commerce clause=== The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] has interpreted the [[Constitution of the United States]] such that the [[commerce clause]] allows for a wide scope of [[federal power]]. For example, Congress can regulate railway traffic across state lines, but it may also regulate rail traffic solely within a state, based on the theory that wholly intrastate traffic can still have an impact on interstate commerce. Another source of Congressional power is its "spending power" – the ability of Congress to allocate funds, for example to the [[Interstate Highway System|Eisenhower Interstate Highway System]]. The system is mandated and partially funded by the federal government but also serves the interests of the states. By threatening to withhold [[United States Numbered Highways|federal highway]] funds, Congress has been able to persuade state legislatures to pass a variety of laws. Although some object on the ground that this infringes on states' rights, [[Supreme court|the Supreme Court]] has upheld the practice as a permissible use of the Constitution's Spending Clause. ===Admission of states into the union=== {{main|List of U.S. states by date of statehood}} [[Image:US states by date of statehood3.gif|thumb|The order in which the original 13 states ratified the constitution, then the order in which the others were admitted to the union]] Since the establishment of the United States, the number of states has expanded from 13 to 50. [[Constitution|The Constitution]] is rather laconic on the process by which new states can be added, noting only that "New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union", and forbidding a new state to be created out of the territory of an existing state or the merging of two or more states as one without the consent of both Congress and all the state legislatures involved. In practice, nearly all states admitted to the union after the original thirteen have been formed from [[United States territories|U.S. territories]] (that is, land under the sovereignty of the United States federal government but not part of any state) that were [[Organized territory|organized]] (given a measure of [[Self-governance|self-rule]] by Congress). Generally speaking, the organized government of a territory would make known the sentiment of its population in favor of statehood; Congress would then direct that government to organize a [[Constitutional convention (political meeting)|constitutional convention]] to write a state constitution. Upon acceptance of that Constitution, Congress would then admit that territory as a state. The broad outlines in this process were established by the [[Northwest Ordinance]], which actually predated the ratification of the Constitution. However, Congress has ultimate authority over the admission of new states, and is not bound to follow this procedure. A few U.S. states outside of the original 13 have been admitted that were never organized territories of the federal government: *'''Vermont''', an unrecognized but de facto [[Vermont Republic|independent republic]] until its admission in 1791 *'''Kentucky''', a part of Virginia until its admission in 1792 *'''Maine''', a part of Massachusetts until its admission in 1820 following the [[Missouri Compromise]] *'''Texas''', a recognized independent republic until its admission in 1845 *'''California''', created as a state (as part of the [[Compromise of 1850]]) out of the [[unorganized territory]] of the [[Mexican Cession]] in 1850 without ever having been a separate organized territory itself *'''West Virginia''', created from areas of Virginia that rejoined the union in 1863, after the 1861 secession of Virginia to the [[Confederate States of America]] Congress is also under no obligation to admit states even in those areas whose population expresses a desire for statehood. For instance, the Republic of Texas requested annexation to the United States in 1836, but fears about the conflict with Mexico that would result delayed admission for nine years. [[Utah Territory]] was denied admission to the union as a state for decades because of discomfort with [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]' dominance in the territory, and particularly with the [[Mormon]] elite's then practice of [[polygamy]]. Once established, state borders have been largely stable; the only major exceptions are cessions by Maryland and Virginia to create the [[District of Columbia]] (Virginia's portion was later [[Retrocession (District of Columbia)|returned]]); a cession by Georgia; expansions by Missouri and Nevada; and Kentucky, Maine, and Tennessee being split from Virginia, Massachusetts, and North Carolina, respectively. === Secession === The Constitution is silent on the issue of the [[secession]] of a state from the union. The Articles of Confederation had stated that the earlier union of the colonies "shall be perpetual", and the [[Preamble to the United States Constitution|preamble to the Constitution]] states that Constitution was intended to "form a more perfect union". In 1860 and 1861 eleven southern states seceded, but were brought back into the Union by force of arms during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. Subsequently, the federal [[Judiciary|judicial system]], in the case of ''[[Texas v. White]],'' established that states do not have the right to secede without the consent of the other states. ===States called Commonwealths=== {{main|Commonwealth (United States)}} Four of the states bear the formal title of [[Commonwealth (United States)|Commonwealth]]: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In these cases, this is merely a historically based name and has no legal effect. Somewhat confusingly, two U.S. territories – [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[Northern Marianas]] – are also referred to as commonwealths, and do have a [[legal status]] different from the states (both are [[unincorporated territories]]). See also [[List of official names of the states of the USA]]. === State governments=== States are free to organize their [[state government]]s any way they like, as long as they conform to the sole requirement of the U.S. Constitution that they have "a Republican Form of Government". In practice, each state has adopted a three branch [[Form of government|system of government]] generally along the same lines as that of the federal government – though this is not a requirement. There is nothing that could stop a state from adopting a [[parliamentary system]] – with a fusion of powers, as opposed to a separation of powers – if it so chooses. Despite the fact that each state has chosen to use the federal model to follow, there are some significant differences in some states. One of the most notable is that of the [[unicameral]] [[Nebraska Legislature]], which unlike the legislatures of the other 49 states, has only one house. While there is only one federal President who then selects a Cabinet responsible to him, most states have a plural executive, with members of the [[Executive (government)|executive branch]] elected directly by the people and serving as equal members of the state cabinet alongside the governor. And only a few states choose to have their judicial branch leaders – their judges on the state's courts – serve for life terms. A key difference between states is that many rural states have [[Part time|part-time]] legislatures, while the states with the highest populations tend to have [[Full time|full-time]] legislatures. Texas, the second largest state in population, is a notable exception to this: excepting special sessions, the [[Texas Legislature]] is limited by law to 140 calendar days out of every two years. In ''[[Baker v. Carr]]'', the U.S. Supreme Court held that all states are required to have legislative districts which are proportional in terms of population. States can also organize their judicial systems differently from the [[United States federal courts|federal judiciary]], as long as [[due process]] is protected. See [[state court]] and [[state supreme court]] for more information. Most have a trial level court, generally called a [[District court|District Court]] or [[Superior court|Superior Court]], a first-level [[Court of Appeals|appellate court]], generally called a Court of Appeal (or Appeals), and a Supreme Court. However, Texas has a separate highest court for criminal appeals. New York state is notorious for its unusual terminology, in that the trial court is called the Supreme Court. Appeals are then taken to the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, and from there to the Court of Appeals. Most states base their legal system on English [[common law]] (with substantial indigenous changes and incorporation of certain civil law innovations), with the notable exception of Louisiana, which draws large parts of its legal system from French [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]]. === Possible new states=== {{See also|51st state |Politics of Puerto Rico |Political status of Puerto Rico}} Today, there are very few U.S. territories left that might potentially become new states. In light of recent events, the most likely candidate may be [[Puerto Rico]]. Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917. Puerto Rico currently has limited representation in the [[U.S. Congress]] in the form of a [[Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico|Resident Commissioner]], a nonvoting delegate.<ref name="rhg">[http://www.rules.house.gov/ruleprec/110th.pdf Rules of the House of Representatives]</ref> President [[George H. W. Bush]] issued a memorandum on [[November 30]], [[1992]], to heads of executive departments and agencies establishing the current administrative relationship between the Federal Government and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. This memorandum directs all Federal departments, agencies, and officials to treat Puerto Rico administratively as if it were a State insofar as doing so would not disrupt Federal programs or operations. The commonwealth's government has organized several [[referendum]]s on the question of status over the past several decades, though Congress has not recognized these as binding; all shown resulted in narrow victories for the [[status quo]] over statehood, with independence supported by only a small number of voters. On [[December 23]], [[2000]], President [[Bill Clinton]] signed executive Order 13183, which established the President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status and the rules for its membership. Section 4 of executive Order 13183 (as amended by executive Order 13319) directs the Task Force to "report on its actions to the President ... on progress made in the determination of Puerto Rico’s ultimate status." President [[George W. Bush]] signed an additional amendment to Executive Order 13183 on [[December 3]], [[2003]], which established the current co-chairs and instructed the Task Force to issue reports as needed, but no less than once every two years. In December 2005, the presidential task force proposed a new set of referendums on the issue; if Congress votes in line with the task force's recommendation, it would pave the way for the first congressionally mandated votes on status in the island, and, potentially, statehood, by 2010. The President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status report of December 2007 reiterated and confirmed the proposals of the U.S. government administration made on December 2005 by the President's Task Force.<ref>[http://www.house.gov/fortuno/pdf/PuertoRicoBooklet.pdf'' Report By the President's Task Force On Puerto Rico's Status (December 2005)'']</ref><ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/documents/2007-report-by-the-president-task-force-on-puerto-rico-status.pdf''Report By the President's Task Force On Puerto Rico's Status (December 2007)'']</ref><ref>[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.00900:] -[[Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2007]] H.R. 900</ref> The intention of the [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Fathers]] was that the United States capital should be at a neutral site, not giving favor to any existing state; as a result, the [[District of Columbia]] was created in 1800 to serve as the [[seat of government]]. The inhabitants of the District do not have [[Proportional representation|full representation]] in Congress or a sovereign elected government (they were allotted presidential electors by the [[Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution|23rd amendment]], and have a [[Delegate (United States Congress)|non-voting delegate]] in [[U.S. Congress|Congress]]). Some residents of the District support statehood of some form for that jurisdiction—either statehood for the whole district or for the inhabited part, with the remainder remaining under [[federal jurisdiction]]. While statehood is always a live [[political question]] in the District, the prospects for any movement in that direction in the immediate future seem dim. Instead, an emphasis on continuing [[Devolution|Home Rule]] in the District while also giving the District a vote in Congress is gaining support. ''See also: [[District of Columbia voting rights]]'' For the remaining permanently inhabited U.S. non-state jurisdictions – the [[United States Virgin Islands]], [[Guam]], the [[Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands]], and [[American Samoa]] – the prospects of statehood are remote. All have relatively small populations – Guam, with the most inhabitants, has a population less than 35 percent that of Wyoming, the least populous state – and have governments that are heavily reliant on federal funding. If these territories ever sought statehood, they would probably have to combine to maximize their population and territory – possibly with the addition of the former [[Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands|United States Trust Territories]]: [[Palau]], the [[Federated States of Micronesia]], and the [[Marshall Islands]]. Constitutionally, a state may only be divided into more states with the approval both of Congress and of the state's legislature, as was the case when Maine was split off from Massachusetts. When [[Texas]] was admitted to the union in 1845, it was much larger than any other state and was specifically granted the right to divide into as many as five separate states, although no serious attempt in this regard has ever been made. ==Origin of states' names== State names speak to the circumstances of their creation. See the lists of [[list of U.S. state name etymologies|U.S. state name etymologies]] and [[lists of U.S. county name etymologies|U.S. county name etymologies]]. ==Grouping of the states in regions== [[Image:Map of USA showing regions.png|thumb|250px|right|U.S. Census Bureau regions:<br />[[U.S. West|The West]], [[Midwest|The Midwest]], [[U.S. Southern States|The South]] and [[U.S. Northeast|The Northeast]]. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the [[Aleutian Islands]] and the [[uninhabited island|uninhabited]] [[Northwestern Hawaiian Islands]] are omitted from this map.]] States may be grouped in regions; there are endless variations and possible groupings, as most states are not defined by obvious geographic or cultural borders. For further discussion of regions of the U.S., see the [[list of regions of the United States]]. ==Unrecognized States== *The [[State of Franklin]] existed for four years not long after the end of the American Revolution, but was never recognized by the union, which ultimately recognized [[North Carolina]]'s claim of sovereignty over the area. A majority of the states were willing to recognize Franklin, but the number of states in favor fell short of the two-thirds majority required to admit a territory to statehood under the [[Articles of Confederation]]. The territory comprising Franklin later became part of the state of Tennessee. *On [[July 24]], [[1859]], the formation of the proposed [[Jefferson Territory|State of Jefferson]] in the Southern Rocky Mountains was defeated by voters. On [[October 24]], [[1859]], voters instead approved the formation of the [[Territory of Jefferson]], which was superseded by the [[Territory of Colorado]] on [[February 28]] [[1861]]. In 1941, a second [[State of Jefferson]] was proposed for the mostly rural area of Southern [[Oregon]] and Northern [[California]]. This proposal has been raised several times since. *[[State of Lincoln]] **State of Lincoln is another state that has been proposed multiple times over the years. It consists generally of the eastern portion of [[Washington|Washington State]] and the panhandle or northern portion of [[Idaho]]. Originally proposed by Idaho in 1864 to include just the panhandle of Idaho and again in 1901 to include Eastern Washington. Recent proposals have come up in 1996, 1999 and 2005. **Lincoln is also the name of a failed state proposal after the [[American Civil War|U.S. Civil War]] in 1869. The southwestern section of Texas was proposed to Congress during the Reconstruction period of the federal government after the Civil War. ==State lists== {{United States Labelled Map|float=right}} *[[List of U.S. state capitals]] *[[List of current and former capital cities within U.S. states]] *[[List of U.S. states' largest cities]] *[[List of U.S. states by date of statehood]] *[[List of U.S. states that were never territories]] *[[List of U.S. state name etymologies]] *[[List of state legislatures in the United States]] *[[List of U.S. states by area]] *[[List of U.S. states by elevation]] *[[List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal)]] *[[List of U.S. states by GDP per capita (nominal)]] *[[List of U.S. states by population]] *[[List of U.S. states by population density]] *[[State tax levels in the United States|List of U.S. state tax levels]] *[[List of U.S. states by time zone]] *[[List of U.S. states by unemployment rate]] *[[List of U.S. state residents names]] *[[List of U.S. states by traditional abbreviation]] *[[U.S. postal abbreviations]] *[[U.S. state temperature extremes]] *Codes: [[FIPS state code]], [[ISO 3166-2:US]] *[[Lists of U.S. state insignia]] **[[List of U.S. state amphibians]] **[[List of U.S. state beverages]] **[[List of U.S. state birds]] **[[List of U.S. state butterflies]] **[[List of U.S. state colors]] **[[List of U.S. state dances]] **[[List of U.S. state dinosaurs]] **[[List of U.S. state fish]] **[[List of U.S. state flags]] **[[List of U.S. state flowers]] **[[List of U.S. state foods]] **[[List of U.S. state fossils]] **[[List of U.S. state grasses]] **[[List of U.S. state insects]] **[[List of U.S. state license plates]] **[[List of U.S. state mammals]] **[[List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones]] **[[List of U.S. state mottos]] **[[List of U.S. state nicknames]] **[[List of U.S. state reptiles]] **[[List of U.S. state seals]] **[[List of U.S. state slogans]] **[[List of U.S. state soils]] **[[List of U.S. state songs]] **[[List of U.S. state sports]] **[[List of U.S. state tartans]] **[[List of U.S. state trees]] *[[List of fictional U.S. states]] ==See also== {{US Census Labelled Map|float=right}} *[[Extreme points of the United States]] *[[51st state]] *[[Geography of the United States]] *[[List of regions of the United States]] *[[List of U.S. counties that share names with U.S. states]] *[[Organized incorporated territories of the United States]] *[[Political divisions of the United States]] *[[State Quarters]] *[[States' rights]] *[[United States Constitution]] *[[United States Declaration of Independence]] **[[wikisource:United States Declaration of Independence|United States Declaration of Independence (text)]] *[[United States territorial acquisitions]] *[[United States territory]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== * [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (in order of population)] * [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_US9_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (alphabetical)] * [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0854966.html Origin of State Names] * [http://search.godonthe.net Rick's Search Assistant] – Web links & addresses for many state agencies, e.g., [[Motor vehicle|Motor Vehicles]], Corporate Records, Attorneys General * [http://www.usps.com/ United States Postal Service] * [http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml State and Territorial Governments on USA.gov] * [http://www.statemaster.com/index.php StateMaster - statistical database for US States.] * [http://www.top50states.com/ U.S. States: Comparisons, rankings, demographics] {{-}} {{USPoliticalDivisions}} {{United States topics}} {{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of North American countries}} [[Category:Lists of country subdivisions|United States, States of the]] [[Category:Subdivisions of the United States]] [[Category:States of the United States| ]] [[ar:ولاية أمريكية]] [[frp:Ètats des Ètats-Unis d’Amèrica]] [[ast:Estaos d'Estaos Xuníos]] [[az:ABŞ ştatları]] [[zh-min-nan:Bí-kok ê hêng-chèng-khu]] [[be:Штаты ЗША]] [[be-x-old:Штаты ЗША]] [[br:Stadoù ar Stadoù-Unanet]] [[cs:Státy USA]] [[da:Amerikansk stat]] [[de:Bundesstaat der Vereinigten Staaten]] [[el:Πολιτείες των ΗΠΑ]] [[es:Estado de los Estados Unidos de América]] [[eo:Usona ŝtato]] [[fr:États des États-Unis]] [[fy:List mei alle Amerikaanske steaten]] [[ga:Stáit Mheiriceá]] [[gl:Estados dos Estados Unidos de América]] [[ko:미국의 주]] [[io:Stati di USA]] [[id:Daftar negara bagian di Amerika Serikat]] [[is:Fylki Bandaríkjanna]] [[it:Stati federati d'America]] [[he:מדינות ארצות הברית]] [[ku:Eyaletên DYE'yê]] [[la:Civitatum Foederatarum civitas]] [[lb:Bundesstaate vun den USA]] [[lt:JAV valstijos]] [[jbo:mergu'e vipygu'e liste]] [[hu:Az Amerikai Egyesült Államok államai]] [[mk:Сојузни држави во САД]] [[ms:Negeri Amerika Syarikat]] [[nl:Staten van de Verenigde Staten]] [[ja:アメリカ合衆国の地方行政区画]] [[no:Amerikas forente staters delstater]] [[oc:Estats dels Estats Units]] [[pl:Podział terytorialny Stanów Zjednoczonych]] [[pt:Anexo:Lista de estados dos Estados Unidos da América]] [[ro:Stat al Statelor Unite ale Americii]] [[ru:Административное деление США]] [[se:Amerihká ovttastuvvan stáhtaid oassestáhtat]] [[sq:Shtetet Federale të Amerikës]] [[simple:List of U.S. states]] [[sk:Štát USA]] [[fi:Yhdysvaltain osavaltiot]] [[sv:Lista över USA:s delstater]] [[tl:Estado ng Estados Unidos]] [[th:มลรัฐ]] [[vi:Tiểu bang Hoa Kỳ]] [[tr:ABD'nin eyaletleri]] [[uk:Список штатів США]] [[ur:امریکہ کی ریاستیں]] [[yi:יו. עס. שטאט]] [[yo:Awon Ipinle Amerika]] [[bat-smg:JAV valstėjės]] [[zh:美国州份]]