As the fourth largest country in the world, the United States has no shortage of weird, bizarre, and unusual geography. Like France, the United States has territories scattered throughout the world. Even without the territories, Alaska and Hawaii give you plenty of fodder for weird geography. From the hustle and bustle of New York and LA to the remotest outposts on America’s farthest frontiers, let’s look at some of the most unusual and downright bizarre facts about American geography.
1. Contrary to Popular Belief, Maine is not the Easternmost State in the United States
If you want to see the first sunlight in the United States, you have to head to Maine, right? Well, not quite. While Maine is certainly easy and convenient to get to, it’s doesn’t see the day’s first sunrise in the United States. For that, you paradoxically have to go west. So far west, in fact, that you actually go east.
So where is the United States’ first sunrise? Believe it or not, it’s actually in Alaska. And it’s not in the main part of Alaska, either. You have to venture to the westernmost parts of the Aleutian Islands. Because those islands stretch so far west, they actually stretch into the Eastern Hemisphere. Excluding territories, the Aleutian Islands are the only part of the United States located in the Eastern Hemisphere. That means you’ll see not just the first sunrise in the United States, but one of the first sunrises in the entire world.
And Alaska’s claims don’t stop there.
2. Alaska is the Easternmost, Westernmost, and Northernmost State in the United States
At the eastern end of Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians, you’ll find the easternmost point in the United States (179.777°E). Interestingly, Semisopochnoi Island is actually closer to Russia than the main part of Alaska. But it’s far from the closest point to Russia. That belongs to Little Diomede Island in the Bering Strait. Little Diomede sits just 2.5 miles (4 km) from Big Diomede, it’s Russian counterpart, despite a 21-hour time difference between the two islands.
Only 65 miles (105 km) to the southeast of Semisopochnoi Island, you’ll find the westernmost point in the United States in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (179.143°W). Consisting of several uninhabited islands, the refuge is one of the most remote outposts on America’s northern frontier. But you can go further. The furthest, westernmost, and remotest post in the Aleutian Islands is Attu Station. At 172°E, Attu Station sits just 475 miles (770 km) from Ust’-Kamchatsk (Усть-Камчатск) on the Russian mainland. That’s a stark difference from the 1,500 miles (2,400 km) you’d have to travel to return to Anchorage.
Thankfully, things are much less complicated if you look north and south. It’s pretty clear that Alaska is the northernmost state in the United States. The town of Utqiagvik, which was formerly called Barrow, is the northernmost town in the United States. At 71.18 °N, it’s also one of the northernmost towns in the world. Only Canada, Russia, Norway, and Greenland have population centers further north.
And for the southernmost state…
3. Key West is not the Southernmost Point in the United States
While it’s true that Key West is the southernmost point in the Lower 48, it’s not even close to being the southernmost point in the United States. For that, you’ll need to look six degrees of latitude further south and a long way west. At the southern tip of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you’ll find Ka Lae, the actual southernmost point in the United States.
Additionally, if you include territories, you can go a lot further south. The southernmost point in a US territory is located at the Rose Atoll in American Samoa. The tiny island covers just 0.21 square kilometers and reaches latitudes of 14.6°S.
| Southernmost Point | Latitude |
|---|---|
| Key West, Florida | 24.55°N |
| Ka Lae, Hawaii | 18.55°N |
| Rose Atoll, American Samoa | 14.6°S |
4. Los Angeles County Has a Larger Population than 41 States
It’s hard to believe, but Los Angeles County does actually have a larger population than 41 states. With a population of 10.04 million as of 2019, LA County is by far the most populous county in the United States.
And what are those 9 states that have a larger population? Here they are, ranked by population.
| State | 2020 Population |
|---|---|
| California | 39.613 million |
| Texas | 29.730 million |
| Florida | 21.944 million |
| New York | 19.299 million |
| Pennsylvania | 12.804 million |
| Illinois | 12.569 million |
| Ohio | 11.714 million |
| Georgia | 10.830 million |
| North Carolina | 10.701 million |
| Los Angeles County | 10.014 million |
5. You Can Get on a Plane in Anchorage, Alaska and Be Anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in Less Than 10 Hours
Amazingly, Anchorage is the only city in the world that can lay claim to this fact, even if you include the equivalent in the Southern Hemisphere. So what makes Anchorage so special? First, it has a major international airport that processes most cargo and many passengers bound for the United States from east Asia.
Not only does Anchorage have a major international airport, but it’s also the closest major international airport to either pole. Anchorage’s proximity to the North Pole makes it very quick and easy to fly over the pole to reach the other side of the world.
Consider an “over-the-pole” flight from New York City to Tokyo or Beijing. At the very minimum, you’re looking at 13 to 14 hours of total flight time. That’s because half of that time is spent getting from New York up to the pole.
When you start in Anchorage, you’re already most of the way to the pole. As a result, a direct flight from Anchorage to Frankfurt, Germany covers basically the same distance as a flight from Boston to Los Angeles.
| Flight Leg | Distance (mi) | Distance (km) |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage to Frankfurt | 2,895 | 4,659 |
| Boston to Los Angeles | 2,611 | 4,202 |
6. Maine is a Particular Geographic Oddity
The state of Maine is best-known for its rugged outdoors, diverse wildlife, and world-famous seafood. However, being wedged between New Hampshire, Québec, and New Brunswick means that it’s got its fair share of geographic oddities.
- Maine is the closest US State to Africa. Quoddy Head, Maine sits just 3,154 miles from El Beddouzza, Morocco. For comparison, Florida is more than 4,000 miles from its nearest point on the African continent.
- If you take a road trip through the Lower 48, passing through each state only once, you always end in Maine. That’s because Maine is the only state in the continental United States that borders only one other state.
- More French is spoken in Maine than any state in the United States. When French explorers landed in eastern Canada back in the 1600’s, many of them settled in what is present-day Maine. Their descendants are still there today. It doesn’t hurt bordering two French-speaking Canadian provinces, either.
- Maine is the single largest producer of blueberries in the United States.
- Nobody knows how Maine got its name. All they know is that the name first appeared in writing in 1622.
- Despite the mystery behind its name, Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1819.
- Maine is larger than the other 5 New England States combined.
- If you visited one island per day, it would take you more than 9 years to visit every island in Maine
- At 3,478 miles, Maine’s coastline is longer than California’s (3,427 miles)
- Maine is home to the only desert in New England (40 acres outside Freeport). It formed 11,000 years ago, when a glacier deposited large amounts of sand on the site.
- Portland, Oregon is named after Portland, Maine. The Oregon city’s name was decided on a coin toss between Portland and Boston.
7. The United States is Home to the Shortest River in the World
The Roe River in Montana is only 200 feet long. That’s a stark contrast to the Missouri (2,341 miles) and Mississippi (2,202 miles), the United States’ two longest rivers.
8. Nebraska is the Only Triply Landlocked State in the United States
A triply landlocked state means that you have to pass through at least three other states (and/or Canadian Provinces) to reach the ocean. Nebraska is the only state in the United States that can make the claim of being triply landlocked. Don’t believe me? Have a look at some of its neighbors. Do note that in the table below, there may be more than one way to reach the ocean. The table lists the fewest states you need to pass through to reach the ocean.
| State | States to Pass Through to Reach the Ocean |
|---|---|
| Nebraska | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas |
| South Dakota | North Dakota, Manitoba |
| Wyoming | Idaho, Oregon |
| Colorado | Oklahoma, Texas |
| Kansas | Oklahoma, Texas |
| Iowa | Minnesota, Ontario |
| Missouri | Arkansas, Louisiana |
9. Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is Taller Than Mt. Everest
The summit of Mauna Kea is only 13,796 feet above sea level, less than half the elevation of Everest’s summit (29,032 feet). However, Mauna Kea extends deep into the depths of the Pacific Ocean, while Everest is completely landlocked. The Pacific Ocean has a mean depth of over 14,000 feet, and the Hawaiian Trough reaches an average depth of over 18,000 feet.
As a result, when you account for the underwater part of Mauna Kea, it’s much taller than what you see on the Big Island in Hawaii. Mauna Kea is actually 32,808 feet tall, surpassing the height of Mt. Everest, despite the stark difference in elevation at each respective summits.
10. The Statue of Liberty Should Be in New Jersey, not New York
When you think of New York City, the Statue of Liberty is probably one of the first things that comes to mind. Lady Liberty is so quintessentially New York. But did you know that she should actually be in New Jersey, not New York?
When France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1885, the US Geological Survey placed Liberty Island in New York’s 8th Congressional District. However, when you look at a map, you’ll see the Statue of Liberty is actually in New Jersey Waters. Regardless of what the state line says, the statue remains part of both the State and the City of New York.
Bonus: America’s Four Most Sprawling Cities Are All in Alaska
Alaska’s large size and small population means that its cities and towns have plenty of room to spread out. Indeed, Alaska has one of the lowest population densities in the United States. What surprises most people is that Alaska is home to the country’s four most sprawling cities.
From a strictly surface area to population ratio, the Alaskan Cities sprawl far more than Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, and every other major city in the Lower 48. For example, the City of Juneau is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. And the winner, Yakutat, is larger than eight other states.
| City | Surface Area (sq mi) | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | 1,704 | 294,356 |
| Wrangell, AK | 2,541 | 2,521 |
| Juneau, AK | 2,717 | 32,094 |
| Sitka, AK | 2,874 | 8,689 |
| Yakutat, AK | 9,459 | 605 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 503 | 3,967,000 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 517 | 1,633,000 |
Bonus #2: You Can Get a Taste for Driving on the Left Side of the Road Without Leaving the United States. Just Head to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It’s incredibly rare for a state or territory to drive on the opposite side of the road from its parent country. But the United States has one. The other country that boasts a few of them is the United Kingdom.
The US Virgin Islands is the only jurisdiction in the United States where you drive on the left. But unlike other locations that drive on the left, most cars in the USVI are imported from the mainland US, and still have the steering wheel on the left side of the car.
The United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917. At the time, traffic in Denmark drove on the left. To keep the islands’ residents happy and prevent animosity towards the US, the federal government kept traffic in the Virgin Islands on the left side of the road.
While Denmark switched to driving on the right in 1967, along with much of the rest of Europe, the Virgin Islands never did. To this day, the US Virgin Islands continues to drive on the left. For what it’s worth, so do the British Virgin Islands.
Conclusion
Whether you’re trying to figure out how to drive on the left in the Virgin Islands or trying to catch the day’s first sunrise at its easternmost point in Alaska, the United States has plenty of geographic quirks and oddities to explore. But we’re just scratching the surface here. The US is a big country, and I could easily write another whole post or two about its weird geography. Have you been experienced any of the United States’ weird geography in your travels? Let us know in the comments below.
Top Photo: Afternoon Sun Illuminates a Beautiful Canyon Landscape
Canyonlands National Park, Utah – December, 2021