Understanding U.S. State and Country Abbreviations

Accurate use of abbreviations for states and countries is crucial for clear and professional communication. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of standard abbreviations for U.S. States, territories, and countries, based on official guidelines from sources like the U.S. Social Security Administration and the U.S. Census Bureau.

U.S. State and Territory Abbreviations

The U.S. Social Security Administration provides a standard list of two-letter abbreviations for states, and territories. Here’s a complete listing as of March 20, 2026:

• Alabama: AL
• Alaska: AK
• American Samoa: AS
• Arizona: AZ
• Arkansas: AR
• California: CA
• Colorado: CO
• Connecticut: CT
• Delaware: DE
• District of Columbia: DC

Note: Some style guides, like the one from Williams College [2], recommend avoiding abbreviations for states like Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, and Texas when they appear in text.

U.S. Geographic Regions and Divisions

The U.S. Census Bureau groups states and the District of Columbia into four geographic regions and nine divisions for statistical purposes. [3] Understanding these divisions can be helpful for regional analysis.

Geographic Divisions

• New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
• Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
• East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin
• West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
• South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
• East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee
• West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
• Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
• Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington

Geographic Regions

• Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
• Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
• South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
• West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Country Abbreviations

While there isn’t a single universally accepted standard for country abbreviations, it’s vital to use consistent and recognizable codes. The list below provides a selection of country abbreviations, but it is not exhaustive.

• United States of America
• US Virgin Islands
• United States Minor Outlying Islands
• Canada
• Mexico
• Bahamas
• Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• American Samoa
• Andorra
• Angola
• Anguilla
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Aruba
• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize
• Benin
• Bermuda
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cape Verde
• Colombia
• Congo, Democratic Republic of
• Congo, People’s Republic of
• Costa Rica
• Cote D’Ivoire
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Djibouti
• Dominica
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Estonia
• Ethiopia
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Georgia
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana
• Honduras
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Korea, Republic of
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyz Republic
• Lao People’s Democratic Republic
• Latvia
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macao
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mali
• Malta
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Palau
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar
• Romania
• Russian Federation
• Rwanda
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Syrian Arab Republic
• Taiwan
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Togo
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Disclaimer: This list is not exhaustive and may vary depending on the specific context and style guide. Always consult official sources for the most up-to-date information.