The reason Alaska can be considered the farthest both east and west is that the Aleutian Islands cross the degree meridian of longitude. This places some of the islands in the Eastern Hemisphere and thus degrees east of Greenwich and the prime meridian. Also, by this definition, the point farthest to the east is right next to the point farthest to the west: literally, where east meets west. But to be practical and without taking into account the prime meridian, we understand that locations to the left of the map are considered to be west of any points to their right.
This makes the question of which state is the farthest east much more obvious:. If you're considering only the 48 contiguous states, then we eliminate Alaska and Hawaii from the equation. It may appear on the map that Maine is farther north than Minnesota.
However, the Angle Inlet of northern Minnesota at 49 degrees 23 minutes north is north of the degree boundary between the United States and Canada.
This is well north of any point in Maine, no matter how the map looks. To get there, you either have to cross a lake or the Canadian border. California makes a showing when intermediate compass points are brought into the equation:. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.
Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. The first is a partial map of the United States. Alaska and Hawaii are not shown. Click on the state that is farthest north. Colorado CO. South Dakota SD. North Carolina NC. Louisiana LA. Question 1 of Colorado is not farthest north. Try again. South Dakota is farther north than the other states listed.
North Carolina is considered to be in the south. It is not farthest north. Louisiana is at the bottom of the map in the south. The compass shows that north is toward the top of the map. Click on the state that is farthest south. Idaho ID. Pennsylvania PA. South Carolina SC. Question 2 of Idaho is closer to the top of the map, in the north.
It is not farthest south. South Dakota is closer to the top of the map, in the north. Pennsylvania is closer to the top of the map, in the north. South Carolina is farther south than the other states listed. The compass shows that south is toward the bottom of the map. Click on the state that is on the earstern border of Nebraska NE.
Kansas KS. Iowa IA. Question 3 of Idaho does not border Nebraska on any side. Kansas is on the southern border of Nebraska. South Dakota is on the northern border of Nebraska. Iowa is on the eastern border of Nebraska. East is to the right. How about farthest south? Or east? Or west? These probably seem like easy questions.
After all, finding the answers should be as simple as looking at a map, right? The world is a sphere or oblate spheroid if we want to get technical. Maps are flat and 2-dimensional. Thus, maps often skew our perception of sizes and distances. Are you looking at all 50 states, or just the lower 48?
Are you using a map, or measuring by precise degrees of latitude and longitude? Have you accounted for all the possible technicalities? When looking at the entire US, it becomes pretty obvious which state is the farthest north: Alaska for the win.
Point Barrow, Alaska , is the northernmost point, located at 71 degrees 23 minutes north. It becomes less obvious, however, when you are just considering the 48 contiguous states.
Look on a 2-D map, and you might be inclined to say Washington, or maybe even Maine. You have to pay attention to those lines of latitude though. Look closely at Minnesota, and you will notice that a small part of the state juts out northward.
Know as Angle Inlet, this region is at 49 degrees 23 minutes north, making it the northernmost point in the lower US maps usually place the state of Hawaii in small subsection, so it can be hard to get a sense for just how remote Hawaii actually is.
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