Extreme points of the United States

This is a list of the extreme points of the United States, the points that are farther north, south, east, or west than any other location in the country. Also included are extreme points in elevation, extreme distances, and other points of peculiar geographic interest.

Northernmost points

• Point Barrow, Alaska 71°23′20″N 156°28′45″W â€" northernmost point in all U.S. territory
• Barrow, Alaska 71°17′44″N 156°45′59″W â€" northernmost incorporated place in all U.S. territory, population about 4,000
• Fairbanks, Alaska 64°50′22.94″N 147°43′14.63″W  â€" northernmost city of more than 20,000 residents, and northernmost city with public road access
• Anchorage, Alaska 61°13′4.17″N 149°53′33.17″W â€" northernmost city of more than 250,000 residents
• Northwest Angle Inlet in Lake of the Woods, Minnesota 49°23′04.1″N 95°9′12.2″W â€" northernmost point in the 48 contiguous states (because of incomplete information at the time of the Treaty of Paris (1783) settling the American Revolutionary War)
• Sumas, Washington 49°00′08.6″N 122°15′40″W â€" northernmost incorporated place in the 48 contiguous states (because of 19th century survey inaccuracy placing the international border slightly north of the 49th parallel here.)
• Bellingham, Washington 48°45′19.12″N 122°28′43.54″W  â€" northernmost city of more than 50,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
• Seattle, Washington 47°36′13.81″N 122°19′48.56″W  â€" northernmost city of more than 500,000 residents in the United States
• Alaska has the northernmost geographic center of all the states. North Dakota has the northernmost geographic center of the 48 contiguous states.

Note that maps of the 48 states that are displayed in a non-cylindrical projection (i.e. curved lines of latitude) can give the impression that the state of Maine extends farther north than it actually does. The northernmost point in Maine is at approximately 47.46 degrees North latitude. This line of latitude passes through the southern suburbs of Seattle. From there, it is approximately 100 miles (160 km) north to the 49th parallel. A wide swath of land within the 48 states (encompassing portions of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota) is therefore farther north than any place in Maine. Included in this area are such places as Spokane, Washington; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Great Falls, Montana; Minot and Grand Forks, North Dakota; and Bemidji, Minnesota. Even Isle Royale and parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (such as the Keweenaw Peninsula) are farther north than anywhere in Maine. By comparison, the southernmost land in Canada, Middle Island, Ontario, at a latitude of North 41°40'53", lies entirely south of 12 of the contiguous states - Washington, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Michigan, Maine, Wisconsin, Oregon, South Dakota, New Hampshire and Vermont - and south of the northernmost border of 14 more of the contiguous states.

Southernmost points

• Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica (90°0′0″S 0°0′0″E) â€" southernmost point under United States jurisdiction
• Rose Atoll, American Samoa (14°34′11″S 168°9′10″W) â€" southernmost point in all U.S.-controlled territory
• Palmyra Atoll - southernmost point in all U.S. incorporated territory
• Ka Lae, Hawaii (18°54′39″N 155°40′52″W) â€" southernmost point in the 50 states
• Nā'ālehu, Hawaii (19°3′57″N 155°35′15″W) â€" southernmost town in the 50 states
• City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii â€" southernmost incorporated place in the 50 states (Hawaii's only incorporated place)
• Western Dry Rocks, Florida (24°26.8′N 81°55.6′W) â€" In the Florida Keys - southernmost point in the 48 contiguous states occasionally above water at low tide
• Ballast Key, Florida (24°31′15″N 81°57′49″W) â€" southernmost point in the 48 contiguous states continuously above water
• Key West, Florida (24°32′38.724″N 81°48′17.658″W) â€" southernmost incorporated place in the contiguous 48 states
• Cape Sable, Florida (25°7′6″N 81°5′11″W) â€" southernmost point on the U.S. mainland
• Miami, Florida â€" the southernmost major metropolitan city in the 48 contiguous states
• Cameron County, Texas 25°50′14.5″N 97°23′39.9″W â€" Southernmost point on the Mexicoâ€"United States border.
• Hawaii has the southernmost geographic center of all the states. Florida has the southernmost geographic center of the 48 contiguous states.

Note that maps of the 48 states that are displayed in an equal-area projection can give the impression that the state of Texas extends farther south than it actually does. The southernmost point in Texas (just southeast of Brownsville) is at approximately 25.50 degrees North latitude. This line of latitude passes through Hialeah, Florida, which is slightly north of Miami.

Easternmost points

• Point Udall, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 17°45′19″N 64°33′54″W â€" easternmost point in all U.S. territory, by direction of travel
• Christiansted, United States Virgin Islands 17.7482°N 64.7168°W / 17.7482; -64.7168 (Christainsted) â€" easternmost town in all US territory, by direction of travel
• Sail Rock 44°48′45.2″N 66°56′49.3″W, just offshore of West Quoddy Head, Maine â€" easternmost point in the 50 states, by direction of travel
• West Quoddy Head, Maine 44°48′55.4″N 66°56′59.2″W â€" easternmost point on the U.S. mainland
• Lubec, Maine 44.817419°N 66.949895°W / 44.817419; -66.949895 (Lubec, ME) â€" easternmost incorporated place in the 50 states
• Eastport, Maine â€" easternmost incorporated city in the 50 states
• Calais, Maine â€" easternmost city of more than 2,500 residents in the 50 states
• Houlton, Maine â€" easternmost city of more than 5,000 residents in the 50 states
• Bangor, Maine â€" easternmost city of more than 20,000 residents in the 50 states
• Portland, Maine â€" easternmost city of more than 50,000 residents in the 50 states
• Boston, Massachusetts â€" easternmost major U.S. city (more than 500,000 residents)
• Pochnoi Point, Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska 51°57′42″N 179°46′23″E â€" easternmost point in all U.S. territory by longitudeâ€"ironically, in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands "west" of the westernmost point in the U.S. by longitude (Amatignak Island) due to interposition of 180° longitude, which conventionally divides "west" from "east" in geographic terms.
• Peacock Point, Wake Island 19°16′13.2″N 166°39′26.3″E â€" first sunrise (at equinox) in all U.S. territory
• Northern Islands Municipality, Northern Mariana Islands 16.0271°N 146.0645°E / 16.0271; 146.0645 (Farallon de Medinilla) â€" easternmost municipality in all U.S. territory, by longitude
• Maine has the easternmost geographic center out of the 50 states.

Note that maps of the 48 states that are displayed in an equal-area projection can give the impression that the state of Florida extends farther east than it actually does. The easternmost point in Florida (Palm Beach Shores) is at approximately 80.03 degrees West longitude. This line of longitude passes through (or near) such places as Charleston, South Carolina; High Point, North Carolina; Salem, Virginia; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh and Erie, Pennsylvania â€" farther west than all of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and all of the New England states.

Westernmost points

• Point Udall, Guam (13°26′51″N 144°37′5.5″E) â€" westernmost point in all U.S. territory, by direction of travel
• Peaked Island, offshore from Cape Wrangell, Attu Island, Alaska 52°55′14″N 172°26′16″E â€" westernmost point in the 50 states by direction of travel, and last sunset (at equinox) in all U.S. territory. West of it passes the International Date Line, after which comes Russian territorial islands
• Amatignak Island, Alaska 51°16′7″N 179°8′55″W â€" technically, westernmost point in all of U.S. territory by longitude, but not the westernmost of the U.S. Aleutian Islands. It possesses the highest longitude west figure (179°8'55"W) before 180° longitude, which passes west of it. After 180°, longitude is termed "east" and declines numerically.
• Adak, Alaska 51.8224°N 176.7147°W / 51.8224; -176.7147 (Adak, AK) â€" westernmost incorporated city in the 50 states
• Unalaska, Alaska 53.888984°N 166.527239°W / 53.888984; -166.527239 (Unalaska, AK) - westernmost city of more than 2,500 residents in the 50 states
• Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska 65°38′32″N 168°7′8″W â€" westernmost point on the North American continent
• Anchor Point, Alaska (59°46′20.8914″N 151°52′2.373″W) â€" Westernmost point on the continuous road system of North America
• Umatilla Reef, offshore from Cape Alava, Washington (48°11.1′N 124°47.1′W) â€" westernmost point in the 48 contiguous states occasionally above water at low tide
• Bodelteh Islands, offshore from Cape Alava, Washington 48°10′42.7″N 124°46′18.1″W â€" westernmost point in the 48 contiguous states continuously above water
• Cape Alava, Washington (48°9′51″N 124°43′59″W) â€" westernmost point on the U.S. mainland (contiguous)
• Ozette, Washington 48.154722°N 124.667222°W / 48.154722; -124.667222 (Ozette, WA) â€" westernmost town in the 48 contiguous states
• Port Orford, Oregon 42.754065°N 124.512605°W / 42.754065; -124.512605 (Port Orford, OR) â€" westernmost incorporated place in the 48 contiguous states
• Brookings, Oregon â€" westernmost city of more than 5,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
• Eureka, California â€" westernmost city of more than 25,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
• Corvallis, Oregon â€" westernmost city of more than 50,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
• Eugene, Oregon â€" westernmost city of more than 100,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
• Portland, Oregon â€" westernmost city of more than 500,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
• Hawaii has the westernmost geographic center of all the states. Oregon has the westernmost geographic center of the 48 contiguous states.

Note that maps of the 48 states that are displayed in an equal-area projection can give the impression that the state of California extends farther west than it actually does. The westernmost point in California (Cape Mendocino) is approximately seven miles east of the westernmost point in Oregon (Cape Blanco), and approximately 14 miles (23 km) east of the westernmost point in Washington (Cape Alava).

Interpretation of easternmost and westernmost

There are three methods for reckoning the eastern and western extremes of the United States.

One method is to use the Prime Meridian as the dividing line between east and west. This meridian running through Greenwich, London, is defined as zero degrees longitude and could be called the least eastern and least western place in the world. The 180th meridian, on the opposite side of the globe, is therefore the easternmost and westernmost place in the world.

Another method is to use the International Date Line as the easternmostâ€"westernmost extreme. On the equinox, the easternmost place would be where the day first begins, and the westernmost is where the day last ends.

Still another method is to first determine the geographic center of the country and from there measure the shortest distance to every other point. All U.S. territory is spread across less than 180° of longitude, so from any spot in the U.S. it is more direct to reach Point Udall, U.S. Virgin Islands, by traveling east than by traveling west. Likewise, there is not a single point in U.S. territory from which heading east is a shorter route to Point Udall, Guam, than heading west would be, even accounting for circumpolar routes. The two Udalls for whom the two Points are named were brothers, Mo Udall in Guam and Stewart Udall in the Virgin Islands.

Highest points

• Mount McKinley (Denali), Alaska, United States 63°4′9″N 151°0′23″W â€" highest summit in the United States, all US territories, and North America at 20,236 feet (6,168 m)
• Mount Whitney, California 36°34′43″N 118°17′31″W â€" highest point in the 48 contiguous states at 14,505 feet (4,421 m)
• Grays Peak, Colorado, United States 39°38′2″N 105°49′3″W â€" highest point on the Continental Divide of North America at 14,278 feet (4,352 m)
• Mauna Kea, HawaiÊ»i 19°49′14″N 155°28′5″W â€" highest island summit in all U.S. territory and the entire Pacific Ocean at 13,796 feet (4,205 m)
• Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico 36°35′52″N 105°26′42″W â€" highest village limits in all U.S. territory at 12,581 feet (3,835 m) (No residents of Taos Ski Valley live above 10,350 feet (3,150 m))
• Winter Park, Colorado 39°53′34″N 105°45′43″W â€" highest city limits in all U.S. territory at 12,060 feet (3,680 m) (No residents of Winter Park live above 9,550 feet (2,910 m))
• San Juan County, Colorado 37°49′N 107°40′W â€" highest U.S. county based on a mean elevation ( 11,240 feet (3,430 m))
• Alma, Colorado 39°17′2″N 106°3′46″W â€" highest town in all U.S. territory at 10,355 feet (3,156 m); contiguous residential areas extend to 11,680 feet (3,560 m).
• Leadville, Colorado 39°14′50″N 106°17′30″W â€" highest city in all U.S. territory at 10,152 feet (3,094 m). (No residents of Leadville live above 10,360 feet (3,160 m))
• Lake County Airport, Colorado 39°13′13″N 106°19′00″W â€" highest airfield in all U.S. territory and North America at 9,927 feet (3,026 m)
• New Mexico State Capitol, Santa Fe 35°40′56″N 105°56′23″W â€" highest state capitol in the United States at 7,005 feet (2,135 m)
• State of Colorado 39°00′N 105°30′W â€" highest U.S. state based on an average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,100 m)
• Mount Mitchell, North Carolina 35°45′53″N 82°15′54″W â€" highest point in eastern United States at 6,684 feet (2,037 m)
• Mount Washington, New Hampshire 44°16′13″N 71°18′12″W â€" highest point in northeastern United States at 6,288 feet (1,917 m)
• Arikaree River, Yuma County, Colorado at Kansas state line 39°58′42″N 102°3′6″W â€" highest U.S. state low point at 3,317 feet (1,011 m)

Lowest points

• Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California 36°14′23″N 116°50′5″W â€" lowest surface point in all U.S. territory and North America at âˆ'282 feet (âˆ'86 m)
• Salton Sea, California 33°19′59″N 115°50′3″W â€" lowest lake in all U.S. territory and North America at âˆ'226 feet (âˆ'69 m)
• Furnace Creek Airport, California 36°27′50″N 116°52′53″W â€" lowest airfield in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere at âˆ'210 feet (âˆ'64 m)
• Furnace Creek, California 36°27′29″N 116°52′15″W â€" lowest settlement in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere at âˆ'190 feet (âˆ'58 m)
• Calipatria, California 33°07′32″N 115°30′51″W â€" lowest city in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere at âˆ'184 feet (âˆ'56 m)
• Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana 30°02′40″N 89°56′47″W â€" lowest surface point in eastern United States at âˆ'7 feet (âˆ'2.1 m)
• New Orleans, Louisiana 29°58′N 90°03′W â€" lowest city over 250,000 population in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere with an average elevation of âˆ'1.5 feet (âˆ'0.46 m)
• State of Delaware 39°0′17″N 75°32′46″W â€" lowest U.S. state with an average elevation of 60 feet (18 m)
• Britton Hill, Florida 30°59′18″N 86°16′55″W â€" lowest U.S. state high point at 345 feet (105 m)
• Lake Superior bottom, Michigan 46°54′31″N 86°35′52″W â€" lowest fresh water point in all U.S. territory at âˆ'732 feet (âˆ'223 m)
• Puget Sound bottom, Washington 47°44.9′N 122°25.7′W â€" lowest sea water point in the interior of the United States at âˆ'956 feet (âˆ'291 m)

Other points

• International Falls, Minnesota Geographic center of North America, near the 49th parallel. Distance from ocean about 1,600 miles (2,600 km). 48°35′N 93°24′W
• Most remote point in the 50 states: Ipnavik River, National Petroleum Reserveâ€"Alaska, 68°45′N 156°41′W; 120 miles (190 km) from nearest habitation
• Geographic center of the 50 states: approximately 20 miles (32 km) north of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, 44°58′N 103°46′W
• Geographic center of the 48 contiguous states: approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Lebanon, Kansas, 39°50′N 98°35′W
• Closest to the equator: Baker Island is located at 0°11′41″N 176°28′46″W.
• The geographic center of the North American continent is located at 48°10′N 100°10′W, about 6 miles (10 km) west of Balta in Pierce County, North Dakota.
• The North American pole of inaccessibility is located at 43°22′N 101°58′W, about eleven miles (18 km) south-east of the town of Kyle on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Bennett County, South Dakota, 1,025 miles (1,650 km) from the nearest coastlines.

Islands

• Island of HawaiÊ»i, HawaiÊ»i 19°49′15″N 155°28′5″W â€" most extensive island in all U.S. territory at 4,028 square miles (10,430 km²) and tallest island in all U.S. territory and the entire Pacific Ocean at 13,796 feet (4,205 m)
• Kodiak Island, Alaska 57°28′N 153°26′W â€" most extensive Gulf of Alaska island at 3,595.09 square miles (9,311.2 km²)
• Island of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico 18°15′N 66°30′W â€" most extensive island of U.S. Caribbean territory at 3,515.1 square miles (9,104 km²)
• Prince of Wales Island, Alaska 55°37′55″N 132°54′27″W â€" most extensive island of the Alexander Archipelago at 2,577 square miles (6,670 km²)
• Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska 63°24′54″N 170°23′58″W â€" most extensive Bering Sea island at 1,791.56 square miles (4,640.1 km²)
• Unimak Island, Alaska 54°46′6″N 164°11′12″W â€" most extensive Aleutian island at 1,571.41 square miles (4,069.9 km²)
• Long Island, New York 26°50′40″N 97°22′04″W â€" most extensive island of the U.S. Atlantic coast at 1,401 square miles (3,630 km²)
• Padre Island, Texas 26°50′40″N 97°22′04″W â€" most extensive Gulf of Mexico island at 209 square miles (540 km²) and longest barrier island on Earth at 113 miles (182 km)
• Isle Royale in Lake Superior, Michigan 48°0′N 88°55′W â€" most extensive island in a lake in all U.S. territory at 206.73 square miles (535.4 km²)
• Whidbey Island, Washington 48°8′11″N 122°34′57″W â€" most extensive island of Puget Sound at 168.67 square miles (436.9 km²)
• Santa Cruz Island, California 34°0′13″N 119°43′35″W â€" most extensive of the Channel Islands of California at 97 square miles (250 km²)

Lakes

• Lake Superior 47°45′N 87°30′W â€" largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, at 31,700 square miles (82,000 km²), most voluminous freshwater lake in the United States at 2,900 cubic miles (12,000 km³).
• Great Salt Lake, Utah 41°10′N 112°35′W â€" most extensive endorheic lake at 1,700 square miles (4,400 km²)
• Crater Lake, Oregon 42°57′N 122°5′W â€" deepest lake at 1,943 feet (592 m)

Rivers

• Mississippi River 29°9′4″N 89°15′12″W â€" most extensive river basin at 1,151,000 square miles (2,980,000 km²)
• Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson Rivers 29°9′4″N 89°15′12″W â€" longest river system at 3,902 miles (6,280 km)
• Missouri River 38°48′49″N 90°7′11″W â€" longest main stem river at 2,341 miles (3,767 km)
• Mississippi River 29°9′4″N 89°15′12″W â€" longest Gulf of Mexico main stem river at 2,202 miles (3,544 km)
• Yukon River 62°35′55″N 164°47′40″W â€" longest Bering Sea main stem river at 1,979 miles (3,185 km)
• Colorado River 31°48′57″N 114°48′22″W â€" longest Gulf of California main stem river at 1,450 miles (2,330 km)
• Columbia River 46°14′39″N 124°3′29″W â€" longest Pacific Ocean main stem river at 1,243 miles (2,000 km)
• Saint Lawrence River 49°40′N 64°30′W â€" longest Atlantic Ocean main stem river at 600 miles (970 km)

Extremes in distance

• Greatest east-west distance in the 48 contiguous states: 2,800 miles (4,500 km)
• Greatest north-south distance in the 48 contiguous states: 1,650 miles (2,660 km).
• Greatest distance between any two points within U.S. Territory: 9,514 miles (15,311 km) from Point Udall, Guam to Point Udall, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (formerly known as Orote Point and East Point, respectively).
• Greatest distance between any two points within the 50 states: 5,859 miles (9,429 km) from Kure Atoll, Hawaii to Log Point, Elliott Key, Florida.
• Greatest distance between any two points within the contiguous 48 states: 2,901 miles (4,669 km) miles from North Farallon Island, California to Sail Rock, east of West Quoddy Head, Maine.
• Greatest distance between any two mainland points within the contiguous 48 states: 2,892 miles (4,654 km) from Point Arena, California to West Quoddy Head, Maine.
• Greatest distance between two points on the same latitude: 5,823 miles (9,371 km) from Kure Atoll, Hawaii to Riviera Beach, Florida.

Note that some map projections make diagonal lines appear longer than they actually are. However, the diagonal line from Kure Atoll, Hawaii to West Quoddy Head, Maine is only 5,797 miles (9,329 km) and the diagonal from Cape Wrangell, Attu Island, Alaska to Log Point on Elliott Key, Florida is only 5,505 miles (8,859 km).

See also

• Geography of the United States
• Extreme points of the Earth
  • Extreme points of the Americas
    • Extreme points of North America
      • Extreme points of Canada
        • Extreme points of Canadian provinces
        • Extreme communities of Canada
      • Extreme points of Greenland
      • Extreme points of Mexico
      • Extreme points of the United States
        • Extreme points of U.S. states
        • Extreme points of New England
      • Extreme points of Central America
      • Extreme points of the Caribbean
        • Extreme points of Cuba
    • Extreme points of South America

Notes

References

External links

• Text of congressional resolution designating Udall Point, Guam
• Maps of Orote Point, Guam:
  • http://guampedia.com/maps-of-guam/ Maps of Guam, Guampedia, Guam's Online Encyclopedia
  • http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/australia/guam_pol_1991.pdf
  • http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/australia/guam_rel_1991.pdf
  • http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/pacific_islands/txu-oclc-10552559-apra_harbor.jpg
• Map of Ballast Key, FL
• Detailed US coastline maps

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