List of extreme points of the United States

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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.

Extreme points in the 50 states: Point Barrow, Ka Lae, Sail Rock, Peaked Island
Extreme points of the U.S. on the North American continent: Point Barrow, Cape Sable, West Quoddy Head, Cape Prince of Wales
Extreme points in all U.S. territory: Point Barrow, Rose Atoll, Wake Island, Peaked Island (red dots); Point Udall, Guam, and Point Udall, USVI are shown as green dots. The International Date Line is shown in yellow.

Northernmost points

  • Point Barrow, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – northernmost point in all U.S. territory
  • Barrow, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – northernmost incorporated place in all U.S. territory, population about 4,000
  • Fairbanks, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.  – northernmost city of more than 20,000 residents, and northernmost city with public road access
  • Anchorage, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – northernmost city of more than 250,000 residents
  • Northwest Angle Inlet in Lake of the Woods, Minnesota Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – 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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – 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.[1])
  • Bellingham, Washington Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.  – northernmost city of more than 50,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
  • Seattle, Washington Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.  – 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 (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – southernmost point under United States jurisdiction
  • Rose Atoll, American Samoa (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – southernmost point in all U.S.-controlled territory
  • Palmyra Atoll - southernmost point in all U.S. incorporated territory
  • Ka Lae, Hawaii (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – southernmost point in the 50 states
  • Nā'ālehu, Hawaii (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – southernmost town in the 50 states
  • Hilo, Hawaii (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) - southernmost place with a population over 25,000 in the 50 states
  • City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii – southernmost incorporated place in the 50 states (Hawaii's only incorporated place)
  • Western Dry Rocks, Florida (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – In the Florida Keys - southernmost point in the 48 contiguous states occasionally above water at low tide
  • Ballast Key, Florida (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – southernmost point in the 48 contiguous states continuously above water
  • Key West, Florida (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – southernmost incorporated place in the contiguous 48 states
  • Cape Sable, Florida (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – southernmost point on the U.S. mainland
  • Miami, Florida – the southernmost major metropolitan city in the 48 contiguous states
  • Cameron County, Texas Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Southernmost point on the Mexico–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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – easternmost point in all U.S. territory, by direction of travel
  • Christiansted, United States Virgin Islands Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – easternmost town in all US territory, by direction of travel
  • Sail Rock Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., just offshore of West Quoddy Head, Maine – easternmost point in the 50 states, by direction of travel
  • West Quoddy Head, Maine Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – easternmost point on the U.S. mainland
  • Lubec, Maine Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – easternmost incorporated place in the 50 states
  • Eastport, Maine – easternmost incorporated city in the 50 states[2]
  • Calais, Maine – easternmost city of more than 2,500 residents in the 50 states
  • Houlton, Maine – easternmost city of more than 5,000 residents in the 50 states
  • Bangor, Maine – easternmost city of more than 20,000 residents in the 50 states
  • Portland, Maine – easternmost city of more than 50,000 residents in the 50 states
  • Boston, Massachusetts – easternmost major U.S. city (more than 500,000 residents)
  • Pochnoi Point, Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – easternmost point in all U.S. territory by longitude—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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – first sunrise (at equinox) in all U.S. territory
  • Northern Islands Municipality, Northern Mariana Islands Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – 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 – farther west than all of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and all of the New England states.

Westernmost points

  • Point Udall, Guam (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – westernmost point in all U.S. territory, by direction of travel
  • Peaked Island, offshore from Cape Wrangell, Attu Island, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – 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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – 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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – westernmost incorporated city in the 50 states
  • Unalaska, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. - westernmost city of more than 2,500 residents in the 50 states
  • Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – westernmost point on the North American continent
  • Anchor Point, Alaska (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – Westernmost point on the continuous road system of North America[3]
  • Umatilla Reef, offshore from Cape Alava, Washington (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – westernmost point in the 48 contiguous states occasionally above water at low tide
  • Bodelteh Islands, offshore from Cape Alava, Washington Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – westernmost point in the 48 contiguous states continuously above water
  • Cape Alava, Washington (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) – westernmost point on the U.S. mainland (contiguous)
  • Ozette, Washington Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – westernmost town in the 48 contiguous states
  • Port Orford, Oregon Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – westernmost incorporated place in the 48 contiguous states
  • Brookings, Oregon – westernmost city of more than 5,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
  • Eureka, California – westernmost city of more than 25,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
  • Corvallis, Oregon – westernmost city of more than 50,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
  • Eugene, Oregon – westernmost city of more than 100,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states
  • Portland, Oregon – 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.[citation needed]

Another method is to use the International Date Line as the easternmost–westernmost extreme. On the equinox, the easternmost place would be where the day first begins, and the westernmost is where the day last ends.[citation needed]

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.[4]

Highest points

Lowest points

  • Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest surface point in all U.S. territory and North America at −279 feet (−85 m)[14]
  • Salton Sea, California Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest lake in all U.S. territory and North America at −226 feet (−69 m)
  • Furnace Creek Airport, California Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest airfield in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere at −210 feet (−64 m)
  • Furnace Creek, California[15] Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest settlement in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere at −190 feet (−58 m)
  • Calipatria, California Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest city in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere at −184 feet (−56 m)
  • Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest surface point in eastern United States at −7 feet (−2.1 m)
  • New Orleans, Louisiana Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest city over 250,000 population in all U.S. territory and Western Hemisphere with an average elevation of −1.5 feet (−0.46 m)
  • State of Delaware Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest U.S. state with an average elevation of 60 feet (18 m)
  • Britton Hill, Florida Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest U.S. state high point at 345 feet (105 m)
  • Lake Superior bottom, Michigan Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest fresh water point in all U.S. territory at −732 feet (−223 m)[16]
  • Puget Sound bottom, Washington Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – lowest sea water point in the interior of the United States at −956 feet (−291 m)[17]

Other points

Islands

Lakes

  • Lake Superior Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – 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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – most extensive endorheic lake at 1,700 square miles (4,400 km2)
  • Crater Lake, Oregon Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – deepest lake at 1,943 feet (592 m)[22]

Rivers

Extremes in distance

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

Notes

  1. The summit of Mount Whitney is the highest point of the Sierra Nevada, the State of California, and the contiguous United States.
  2. The summit of Grays Peak is the highest point of the Front Range and the Continental Divide of North America.
  3. The summit of Mauna Kea is the highest point of the Island of Hawaiʻi, the State of Hawaiʻi, and the entire Pacific Ocean. Mauna Kea is also the tallest mountain on Earth as measured from base to summit. The shield volcano sits on the ocean floor at a depth of 19,678 feet (5,998 m) for a total height of 33,474 feet (10,203 m).

References

  1. International Boundary Commission
  2. http://www.quoddyloop.com/ep.shtml
  3. The Milepost 61st edition pg. 626 ISBN 978-1892-15426-2
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  8. The summit elevation of Mount Whitney includes an adjustment of +1.869 m (+6.1 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
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  11. The summit elevation of Grays Peak includes an adjustment of +1.881 m (+6.2 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
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  15. Furnace Creek, in Death Valley, California, set the world record for the highest reliably reported ambient air temperature of 134 °F (57 °C) on July 10, 1913. This record has been eclipsed only once by a questionable reading of 136 °F (58 °C) recorded in 'Aziziya, Libya, on September 13, 1922.
  16. Sounding at 46° 54' 31"N, 86° 35' 52"W on NOAA chart 14963, Grand Marais to Big Bay Point, scale 1:120,000, 2006. Chart datum (as shown on the chart) is 601.1 feet above mean sea level at Rimouski, Quebec
  17. Two identical soundings at 47° 45.2'N, 122° 26.0'W and 47° 44.6'N, 122° 25.4'W on NOAA chart 18446, Puget Sound: Apple Cove Point to Keyport, scale 1:25,000, 2005. Chart datum (as shown on the chart) is lower low water.
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  21. http://www.jaunted.com/story/2014/4/2/102926/6498/travel/Kinda-Sorta+Stand+at+the+Center+of+North+America+in+This+North+Dakota+Town+
  22. 2009 Crater Lake National Park map
  23. http://geography.howstuffworks.com/united-states/geography-of-united-states1.htm
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Extreme

External links