How many states are in the US?

Question

Now, I've always been taught that it was 50 states, but I previously just read something that said there are technically 46 states, and that 4 of them are commonwealths. So, I'm wondering if those commonwealths are considered states and is why people say we have 50 states, or if people saying that we have 50 states is politically incorrect.

Answer 1

Commonwealths are states. The word "commonwealth" is just a hold over from the early days of the USA when former colonies wanted to make sure there was a distinction between their new status and that as Royal colonies.

Commonwealths have exactly the same legal standing as "states" and the two words are interchangeable in those 4 "states"

And yep there still are 50 states

Answer 2

50

Answer 3

50 states

Answer 4

The conterminous, or contiguous, forty-eight states—all the states but Alaska and Hawaii—are also called the continental United States. Some include Alaska in the "continental" states, because, although it is separated from the "lower forty-eight" by Canada, it is part of the North American mainland. All of these terms commonly include the District of Columbia. Hawaii, the fiftieth state, occupies an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean.

The United States also holds several other territories, districts, and possessions, notably the federal district of the District of Columbia—which contains the nation's capital city, Washington—and several overseas insular areas, the most significant of which are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. Palmyra Atoll is the United States' only incorporated territory; but it is unorganized and uninhabited. The United States Minor Outlying Islands consist of uninhabited islands and atolls in the Pacific and Caribbean Sea. In addition, since 1898, the United States Navy has held an extensive naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In addition to the actual states and territories of the United States, there are also nations which are associated states of the U.S. The Federated States of Micronesia (since 1986), the Marshall Islands (since 1986), and Palau (since 1994) are associated with the United States under what is known as the Compact of Free Association, giving the states international sovereignty and ultimate control over their territory. However, the governments of those areas have agreed to allow the United States to provide defense and financial assistance.

Answer 5

its 50 states

Answer 6

Yes there are 50states, even the 4 commonwealth states are considered part of the USA.

Answer 7

There are total 50 states in USA. Hence there are 50 stars on their National flag.

Answer 8

you are right on the commonwealth states but we all just consider them states....so there is 50 states! And I bet most people living in the common wealth states don't even know it is one.

Answer 9

there are 50 states, 51 with the puerto rico commonwealth, whoever told u that there r 46 states is a dumbass

Answer 10

i always heard that there are 50 states in the US