GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -Continental United States: The 49 States (including Alaska, excluding Hawaii) located on the continent of North America, and the District of Columbia.

Detailed explanation-2: -Alaska is unique among the US states as it is part of the North American continent, meaning it is attached via Canada, and so is part of the “Continental United States". However, Alaska is not part of the “Contiguous United States", because it is not attached directly to the lower 48 states.

Detailed explanation-3: -The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii (also the last ones admitted to the Union), and all other offshore insular areas, such as American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Detailed explanation-4: -In its strictest sense, “contiguous United States” refers to the lower 48 states in North America (including the District of Columbia), and “continental United States” refers to 49 states (including Alaska and the District of Columbia). However, the terms are often confused and used inconsistently.