The United States has all of its 48 states bordering each other. These are referred to as the 48 contiguous states. The other two states are separated from the main geographical territory. Alaska is towards the North Pole region and Hawaii is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.
Most of the states have a temperate climate with four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Hawaii and Florida, due to their latitudinal locations, enjoy tropical climates. Alaska, on the other hand, endures a cold arctic climate. The whole country, which is the third largest one in the world, has six time zones. Knowing these time zones can be useful in planning a trip to the United States.
Aside from the time zones, the country's 48 contiguous states can be divided into four regions. These are the West, the Midwest, the Northeast, and the South. The states within one region have more similarities with each other than with the states of other regions.
The West includes the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The Midwest, which is also referred to as the country's heartland, includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.
Except for Pennsylvania, New York, and Maine, the Northeastern region includes geographically smaller states, which are Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.
And finally, the Southern states include Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
