Here is the United States map with states and their abbreviations for your reference. The US is divided into 50 states. Each state being abbreviated with two capital letters. Remember abbreviation of the states is not intuitive and having the state-abbreviation list hand is crucial and useful specially if you are a new to the US, a student, businessman or a letter-writer.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) standardizes state abbreviations. 

All two-letter state postal abbreviations are capitalized without periods.

Note: Some States names do not have standard abbreviations, These eight State’s are: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Lowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah.  

US States And Their Abbreviations

No	State	USPS Abbreviation	State Capital	Traditional Abbreviation
1	Alabama	AL	Montgomery	Ala.
2	Alaska	AK	Juneau	Alaska
3	Arizona	AZ	Phoenix	Ariz.
4	Arkansas	AR	Little Rock	Ark.
5	California	CA	Sacramento	Calif.
6	Colorado	CO	Denver	Colo.
7	Connecticut	CT	Hartford	Conn.
8	Delaware	DE	Dover	Del.
9	Florida	FL	Tallahassee	Fla.
10	Georgia	GA	Atlanta	Ga.
11	Hawaii	HI	Honolulu	Hawaii
12	Idaho	ID	Boise	Idaho
13	Illinois	IL	Springfield	III.
14	Indiana	IN	Indianapolis	Ind.
15	Iowa	IA	Des Moines	Iowa
16	Kansas	KS	Topeka	Kans.
17	Kentucky	KY	Frankfort	Ky.
18	Louisiana	LA	Baton Rouge	La.
19	Maine	ME	Augusta	Maine
20	Maryland	MD	Anapolis	Md.
21	Massachusetts	MA	Boston	Mass.
22	Michigan	MI	Lansing	Mich.
23	Minnesota	MN	Saint Paul	Minn.
24	Mississippi	MS	Jackson	Miss.
25	Missouri	MO	Jefferson City	Mo.
26	Montana	MT	Helena	Mont.
27	Nebraska	NE	Lincoln	Neb./Nebr.
28	Nevada	NV	Carson City	Nev.
29	New Hampshire	NH	Concord	N.H.
30	New Jersey	NJ	Trenton	N.J.
31	New Mexico	NM	Santa Fe	N.Mex.
32	New York	NY	Albany	N.Y.
33	North Carolina	NC	Raleigh	N.C.
34	North Dakota	ND	Bismarck	N.Dak
35	Ohio	OH	Columbus	Ohio
36	Oklahoma	OK	Oklahoma City	Okla.
37	Oregon	OR	Salem	Ore./Oreg.
38	Pennsylvania	PA	Harrisburg	Pa.
39	Rhode Island	RI	Providence	R.I.
40	South Carolina	SC	Columbia	S.C.
41	South Dakota	SD	Pierre	S.Dak.
42	Tennessee	TN	Nashville	tenn.
43	Texas	TX	Austin	Tex./Texas
44	Utah	UT	Salt Lake City	Utah
45	Vermont	VT	Montpelier	Vt.
46	Virginia	VA	Richmond	Va.
47	Washington	WA	Olympia	Wash.
48	West Virginia	WV	Charleston	W.Va.
49	Wisconsin	WI	Madison	Wis./Wisc.
50	Wyoming	WY	Cheyenne	Wyo.

How Many States Are There In The United States?

There are 50 states in the United States. Each state has its own government and constitution but operates under the larger framework of the U.S. federal government.

Additional Entities In The U.S.

In addition to the 50 states, the United States also includes:

• The District of Columbia (D.C.): This is the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. It is not a state but a federal district.
• U.S. Territories: These include five major territories, which are:
  • Puerto Rico
  • Guam
  • American Samoa
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Northern Mariana Islands

The 50 states are distributed across the continental U.S., Alaska in the northwest, and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The addition of Hawaii in 1959 marked the last expansion of U.S. states.

US Territories And Their Abbreviations

Outside of the union’s 50 states, the United States has several territories.

Although these territories are not official states, they use the same formula of two capital letters for their official abbreviations.

No	Territory Name	USPS Abbreviation	Traditional Abbreviation
1	American Samoa	AS	Amer. Samao
2	District of Columbia	DC	D.C.
3	Guam	GU	Guam
4	Northern Mariana Islands	MP	M.P.
5	Puerto Rico	PR	P.R.
6	Virgin Islands	VI	V.I.

NOTE: Keeping handy the United States map with states and their abbreviations is always helpful.

What Is The Abbreviation For All 50 States?

State abbreviations are two-letter standardized codes used to represent the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories in a consistent and compact way. They were primarily created by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to improve efficiency in mail sorting and delivery, but they are now widely used in various contexts such as forms, databases, maps, and legal documents.

The abbreviation for all 50 states are:

No	STATE	ABBREVIATION
1	Alabama Abbreviation	AL
2	Alaska Abbreviation	AK
3	Arizona Abbreviation	AZ
4	Arkansas Abbreviation	AR
5	California Abbreviation	CA
6	Colorado Abbreviation	CO
7	Connecticut Abbreviation	CT
8	Delaware Abbreviation	DE
9	Florida Abbreviation	FL
10	Georgia Abbreviation	GA
11	Hawaii Abbreviation	HI
12	Idaho Abbreviation	ID
13	Illinois Abbreviation	IL
14	Indiana Abbreviation	IN
15	Iowa Abbreviation	IA
16	Kansas Abbreviation	KS
17	Kentucky Abbreviation	KY
18	Louisiana Abbreviation	LA
19	Maine Abbreviation	ME
20	Maryland Abbreviation	MD
21	Massachusetts Abbreviation	MA
22	Michigan Abbreviation	MI
23	Minnesota Abbreviation	MN
24	Mississippi Abbreviation	MS
25	Missouri Abbreviation	MO
26	Montana Abbreviation	MT
27	Nebraska Abbreviation	NE
28	Nevada Abbreviation	NV
29	New Hampshire Abbreviation	NH
30	New Jersey Abbreviation	NJ
31	New Mexico Abbreviation	NM
32	New York Abbreviation	NY
33	North Carolina Abbreviation	NC
34	North Dakota Abbreviation	ND
35	Ohio Abbreviation	OH
36	Oklahoma Abbreviation	OK
37	Oregon Abbreviation	OR
38	Pennsylvania Abbreviation	PA
39	Rhode Island Abbreviation	RI
40	South Carolina Abbreviation	SC
41	South Dakota Abbreviation	SD
42	Tennessee Abbreviation	TN
43	Texas Abbreviation	TX
44	Utah Abbreviation	UT
45	Vermont Abbreviation	VT
46	Virginia Abbreviation	VA
47	Washington Abbreviation	WA
48	West Virginia Abbreviation	WV
49	Wisconsin Abbreviation	WI
50	Wyoming Abbreviation	WY

Key Features Of State Abbreviations

1. Two Letters Only:
   • Every state and territory is represented by exactly two uppercase letters (e.g., California is CA, Texas is TX).
2. No Punctuation:
   • The abbreviations do not include periods or spaces, making them compact and easy to type or print (e.g., not “N.Y.” but “NY”).
3. Uniqueness:
   • Each abbreviation is unique to prevent confusion, even for states with similar names (e.g., North Dakota is ND, South Dakota is SD).
4. Alphabetical Relation:
   • Most abbreviations relate closely to the spelling of the state’s name, typically using the first and another significant letter.

Examples Of State Abbreviations

• Single-word states:
  • Alabama (AL), Colorado (CO), Florida (FL).
• Multi-word states:
  • New York (NY), South Carolina (SC), Rhode Island (RI).

Why State Abbreviations Matter

• Efficiency: They save space and allow quick recognition, especially in automated systems.
• Standardization: Provides uniformity in documents and communication across states and territories.
• Clarity: Reduces ambiguity that might arise from different traditional or unofficial abbreviations.

Beyond States: U.S. Territories

The same system applies to U.S. territories:

• Puerto Rico (PR)
• Guam (GU)
• American Samoa (AS)
• U.S. Virgin Islands (VI)

This system simplifies addressing and communication, playing a vital role in logistics, commerce, and government operations.

US State Abbreviations Frequently Asked Questions

What is the abbreviation for Alabama?

Alabama Abbreviation: AL

What is the abbreviation for Alaska?

Abbreviation for Alaska: AK

What is the abbreviation for Arizona?

Arizona Abbreviation: AZ

What is the abbreviation for Arkansas?

Arkansas Abbreviation: AR

What is the abbreviation for California?

California Abbreviation: CA

What is the abbreviation for Colorado?

Colorado Abbreviation: CO

What is the abbreviation for Connecticut?

Abbreviation for Connecticut: CT

What is the abbreviation for Delaware?

Abbreviation for Delaware: DE

What is the abbreviation for Florida?

Abbreviation for Florida: FL

What is the abbreviation for Georgia?

Georgia Abbreviation: GA

What is the abbreviation for Hawaii?

Hawaii Abbreviation: HI

What is the abbreviation for Idaho?

Idaho Abbreviation: ID

What is the abbreviation for Illinois?

Abbreviation for Illinois: IL

What is the abbreviation for Indiana?

Indiana Abbreviation: IN

What is the abbreviation for Lowa?

Lowa Abbreviation: IA

What is the abbreviation for Kansas?

Abbreviation for Kansas: KS

What is the abbreviation for Kentucky?

Abbreviation for Kentucky: KY

What is the abbreviation for Louisiana?

Abbreviation for Louisiana: LA

What is the abbreviation for Maine?

Abbreviation for Maine: ME

What is the abbreviation for Maryland?

Abbreviation for Maryland: MD

What is the abbreviation for Massachusetts?

Abbreviation for Massachusetts: MA

What is the abbreviation for Michigan?

Michigan Abbreviation: MI

What is the abbreviation for Minnesota?

Minnesota Abbreviation: MN

What is the abbreviation for Mississippi?

Mississippi Abbreviation: MS

What is the abbreviation for Missouri?

Missouri Abbreviation: MO

What is the abbreviation for Montana?

Montana Abbreviation: MT

What is the abbreviation for Nebraska?

Abbreviation for Nebraska: NE

What is the abbreviation for Nevada?

Nevada Abbreviation: NV

What is the abbreviation for New Hampshire?

New Hampshire Abbreviation: NH

What is the abbreviation for New Jersey?

New Jersey Abbreviation: NJ

What is the abbreviation for New Mexico?

New Mexico Abbreviation: NM

What is the abbreviation for New York?

New York Abbreviation: NY

What is the abbreviation for New Carolina?

New Carolina Abbreviation: NC

What is the abbreviation for North Dakota?

North Dakota Abbreviation: ND

What is the abbreviation for Ohio?

Ohio Abbreviation: OH

What is the abbreviation for Oklahoma?

Oklahoma Abbreviation: OK

What is the abbreviation for Oregon?

Abbreviation for Oregon: OR

What is the abbreviation for Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania Abbreviation: PA

What is the abbreviation for Rhode Island?

Rhode Island Abbreviation: RI

What is the abbreviation for South Carolina?

South Carolina Abbreviation: SC

What is the abbreviation for South Dakota?

Abbreviation for South Dakota: SD

What is the abbreviation for Tennessee?

Tennessee Abbreviation: TN

What is the abbreviation for Texas?

Texas State Abbreviation: TX

What is the abbreviation for Utah?

Utah Abbreviation: UT

What is the abbreviation for Vermont?

Vermont Abbreviation: VT

What is the abbreviation for Virginia?

Virginia Abbreviation: VA

What is the abbreviation for Washington?

Washington State Abbreviation: WA

What is the abbreviation for West Virginia?

Abbreviation for west Virginia: WV

What is the abbreviation for Wisconsin?

Wisconsin State Abbreviation: WI

What is the abbreviation for Wyoming?

Wyoming State Abbreviation: WY

What is the abbreviation for American Samoa?

Abbreviation for American Samoa: AS

What is the abbreviation for District of Columbia?

District of Columbia Abbreviation: DC

What is the abbreviation for Guam?

Abbreviation for Guam: GU

What is the abbreviation for Northern Mariana Islands?

Northern Mariana Islands Abbreviation: MP

What is the abbreviation for Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico Abbreviation 2 Letter: PR

What is the abbreviation for Virgin Islands?

Virgin Island Abbreviation: VI

“ME” is what state?

Abbreviation for Maine state is ME

TN state abbreviation

Tennessee state abbreviation is “TN”

HI state abbreviation

Hawaii abbreviation 2 letter is “HI”

History Of U.S. State Abbreviations

The history of U.S. state abbreviations is tied to the development of postal services and the need for standardized and efficient communication. Here’s a brief overview:

Pre-1963: Early State Abbreviations

• Before the 1960s, state abbreviations were informal and inconsistent. They often varied between government departments, businesses, and everyday use.
• Abbreviations were typically created by shortening the state names, such as “Calif.” for California or “Penna.” for Pennsylvania.
• These abbreviations were not standardized, which occasionally caused confusion in written correspondence.

1963: Introduction Of Two-Letter Postal Abbreviations

• The modern two-letter state abbreviations were introduced in 1963 by the United States Postal Service (USPS).
• This change was part of the broader implementation of ZIP codes (Zoning Improvement Plan codes), which aimed to streamline and speed up mail sorting and delivery.
• The USPS required all states to have standardized two-letter codes to save space on mailing labels and allow for easy and automated recognition by sorting machines.

Guidelines For The State Abbreviations

• Each state abbreviation had to be exactly two letters.
• Abbreviations had to be in uppercase letters with no periods.
• States with similar names (e.g., Minnesota and Missouri) were carefully differentiated to avoid confusion (MN for Minnesota, MO for Missouri).

Challenges And Adjustments

• Some abbreviations sparked initial resistance because they broke from traditional abbreviations. For example, “Mass.” was changed to “MA,” and “Calif.” became “CA.”
• States with short names, such as Iowa (IA) and Ohio (OH), retained similar abbreviations to their full names.

District Of Columbia And Territories

• Alongside state abbreviations, codes were assigned for the District of Columbia (DC) and U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico (PR) and Guam (GU).

Today

• The two-letter state abbreviations are now a widely recognized standard and are used not just for mail but also in legal documents, data systems, vehicle license plates, and more.
• They are maintained by the USPS and remain unchanged to ensure consistency and reliability in communication.

This shift to standardized abbreviations was a pivotal moment in modernizing the U.S. postal system and remains an essential aspect of addressing and data systems today.