Continental United States

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The term continental United States sometimes refers to the 48 contiguous states located on the North American continent south of the border with Canada, plus the District of Columbia, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.[1][2][3][4] However, there are exceptions which include Alaska, but not Hawaii.[5][6] Because Alaska is also on the North American continent, the term, if interpreted literally, should also include that state, so the term is sometimes qualified with the explicit inclusion or exclusion of Alaska to resolve any ambiguity.[2][7] 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 U.S.[8][9] However, even before Alaska became a state, it was sometimes included within the "Continental US".[10]

Some other terms in common usage with less ambiguity in their meaning, include:

The U.S. military also has a technical term which is specifically defined as the 48 contiguous states, but is silent on the District of Columbia:

The 48 states and D.C. together have an area of 3,119,884.69 square miles (8,080,464.25 km²). Of this, 2,959,064.44 sq mi (7,663,941.71 km²) is land, comprising 83.65% of U.S. land area. Officially, 160,820.25 sq mi (416,522.38 km²) is water area, comprising 62.66% of the nation's water area. Its 2000 census population was 279,583,437, comprising 99.35% of the nation's population. Its population density was 94.484 inhabitants/sq mi (36.48/km²), compared to 79.555/sq mi (30.716/km²) for the nation as a whole.[12]

Some places, because of their own location relative to the contiguous United States, have their own unique labels for it.

In Hawaii and overseas American territories, for instance, the terms "the Mainland" or "U.S. Mainland" are used to refer to the continental United States.

In Alaska, given the ambiguity surrounding the usage of continental, 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. Most Americans are familiar with the term "Lower 48", which for many years was the most common Alaskan equivalent for "continental United States". However, since the 1980s Alaskans have increasingly adopted the term "Outside" to refer to the rest of the United States. Alaskans will speak of going Outside to vacation or will refer to being born Outside."[13][14][15]

  1. ^ continental, adj., "being the part of the United States on the North American continent; also : being the part of the United States comprising the lower 48 states"
    Merriam-Webster, Inc. (2003). Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed.. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.. ISBN 0877798095. [dubious – discuss]
  2. ^ a b Random House (1991). Random House Webster's College Dictionary. New York: Random House. ISBN 0679401105. 
  3. ^ These maps show the contiguous 48 states and D.C., but not Alaska and Hawaii.
  4. ^ a b "CONUS" seems to be used primarily by the American military and the Federal government and those doing business with them.
  5. ^
  6. ^ "Alaska Airlines website".
  7. ^
  8. ^ "Abstract of the 1900 Census (1904), p.xiii" (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, the Phillippine Islands, Guam, Samoa..."
  9. ^ "… merchandise to foreign countries from continental United states, Puerto Rico, and the territories of Alaska and Hawaii." United States Foreign Trade (1950-1953)
  10. ^ "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)
  11. ^ "Use contiguous or conterminous for the 48 states. The continental United States comprises the 48 plus Alaska. In Alaskan context, lower forty-eight may be used." National Geographic Style Manual.
  12. ^ Population and land area from Census of 2000 United States Census Bureau
  13. ^ Alaska Answers weblog
  14. ^ Speak Alaskan
  15. ^ About Alaska

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_United_States"
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