Editing Contiguous United States (section)

== Terms used in the non-contiguous U.S. jurisdictions ==

Residents of Alaska, Hawaii and off-shore [[Territories of the United States|U.S. territories]] have unique labels for the contiguous United States because of their own locations relative to them.

=== Alaska ===
The vast territory of [[Alaska]] became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959. Alaska is the northwest extremity of the North American continent, separated from  the [[West Coast of the United States|U.S. West Coast]] by the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[British Columbia]]. The term ''Lower 48'' has, for many years, been a common Alaskan equivalent for "contiguous United States";<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.princesslodges.com/tips-language.htm|title=Learn to Speak Alaskan - Alaskan Language Tips - Princess Lodges|work=princesslodges.com|access-date=March 2, 2009|archive-date=September 14, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090914131733/http://www.princesslodges.com/tips-language.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126095610/http://election.nationaljournal.com/states/ak.htm | url=http://election.nationaljournal.com/states/ak.htm | title=ALASKA: State Profile | archive-date=January 26, 2010 | access-date=December 6, 2013}}</ref> some Alaskans may use the term ''[[Outside (Alaska)|Outside]]'' for those states, though some may use ''Outside'' to refer to any location not within Alaska.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findingmyalaska.blogspot.com/2017/06/speaking-alaskan-words-alaskans-say.html|title=Speaking Alaskan: Words Alaskans Say|first=Copper River Country|last=Journal|access-date=August 20, 2018|archive-date=August 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820105843/http://findingmyalaska.blogspot.com/2017/06/speaking-alaskan-words-alaskans-say.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Hawaii ===

The territory of [[Hawaii]], consisting of the entire [[Hawaiian Islands]] archipelago except for [[Midway Atoll]],{{efn|Midway is an unorganized and unincorporated territory of the United States.}} became the 50th state of the United States on August 21, 1959. It is the southernmost U.S. state, and the latest one to join the Union. Not part of any continent, Hawaii is located in the [[Pacific Ocean]], about {{convert|2200.|mi|km}} from North America and almost halfway between North America and [[Asia]]. In Hawaii and [[Insular area|overseas American territories]], for instance, the terms ''the Mainland''  or ''U.S. Mainland'' are often used to refer to the 49 states in North America.<ref>Edles, Laura Desfor (2003). [https://books.google.com/books?id=aAdzAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA241 {{"'}}Race,' 'Ethnicity,' and 'Culture' in Hawai'i: The Myth of the 'Model Minority' State"]. In Loretta I. Winters and Herman L. DeBose (ed.) ''New Faces in a Changing America: Multiracial Identity in the 21st Century''. SAGE Publications. p. 241. {{ISBN|9780761923008}}.</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Hyslop|first=Stephen G.|title=Political Geography of the United States|publisher=[[Guilford Press]]|date= April 5, 1996|page=65}}</ref>

=== Puerto Rico ===

Puerto Rico is an [[unincorporated territories of the United States|unincorporated territory]] of the United States located in the northeast [[Caribbean Sea]], approximately {{convert|1,000.|mi}} southeast of [[Miami]], [[Florida]]. Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens and are free to move to the mainland United States. The term ''[[Stateside Puerto Rican]]'' refers to residents of any U.S. state or the District of Columbia who were born in, or can trace their family ancestry to, Puerto Rico.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131218092749/http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/prnt_ed/five-million-puerto-ricans-now-living-in-the-mainland-u.s.-8675.html ''Five million Puerto Ricans now living in the mainland U.S.'']}} Caribbean Business. 27 June 2013. Vol 41. Issue 24. Retrieved 13 December 2013.</ref>

=== U.S. Virgin Islands ===

The [[U.S. Virgin Islands]] is a [[Territories of the United States|U.S. territory]] located directly to the east of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States-Virgin-Islands |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Britannica |title=United States Virgin Islands |access-date=July 2, 2020 |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731181154/https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States-Virgin-Islands |url-status=live }}</ref> The term ''stateside'' is used to refer to the mainland, in relation to the U.S. Virgin Islands<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.frommers.com/destinations/virgin-islands/planning-a-trip/health--safety |website=Frommers.com |title=U.S. Virgin Islands - Health and Safety |access-date=July 2, 2020 |archive-date=July 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703060138/https://www.frommers.com/destinations/virgin-islands/planning-a-trip/health--safety |url-status=live }}</ref> (see [[Stateside Virgin Islands Americans]]).

=== American Samoa ===
{{further|Samoan Americans}}

[[American Samoa]] is a [[Territories of the United States|U.S. territory]] located in the [[South Pacific Ocean]] in [[Polynesia]], south of the equator — it is {{convert|2,200|miles}} southwest of [[Hawaii]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/American-Samoa |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Britannica |title=American Samoa |access-date=July 2, 2020 |archive-date=August 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831145326/https://www.britannica.com/place/American-Samoa |url-status=live }}</ref> In American Samoa, the contiguous United States is called the "mainland United States" or "the states"; those not from American Samoa are called ''palagi'' (outsiders).<ref>{{cite book |first=Doug |last=Mack |title=The Not-Quite States Of America |pages=67, 88, 91}}</ref>