Basic U.S. Geography

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

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: 14
• Area (2014): total: 3,678,190 sq mi (9,526,468 sq km), land only: 3,537,444 sq mi (9,161,966 sq km), water: 256,646 sq mi (664,709 sq km). Share of world land area: 6.76%
• 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 (20,236 ft)
• Lowest point: Death Valley, Calif. (282 ft below sea level)

See also World Geography and Atlas of the World.