The United States celebrates its semiquincentennial in 2026. That means the nation has been around for 250 years. Since its inception, the country has grown to include 50 states. As Americans in all 50 of those states celebrate the country in 2026, it can be both educational and fun to learn some interesting facts about the United States.

Largest state: Alaska spans more than 665,000 square miles, making it the largest state by land mass in the entire country. In fact, Alaska is so big that it’s larger in terms of square miles than the next three largest states (Texas, California and Montana) combined.

Smallest state: Checking in at 1,545 square miles, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States. To put that in perspective, it’s possible to squeeze 430 Rhode Islands into one Alaska.

Most densely populated state: According to July 2023 data from the United States Census Bureau, New Jersey is home to more than 9.2 million people across 7,354 square miles, making the Garden State the most densely populated in the U.S.

Least densely populated state: Given its aforementioned size and vast amount of undeveloped land, Alaska’s status as the least densely populated state should come as no surprise. According to the World Atlas, Alaska is home to 1.3 persons per square mile, which is considerably less than New Jersey’s 1,298 people per square mile.

California’s economy is massive. Even though it’s part of the larger United States, California’s economy is massive on its own. According to data from the International Monetary Fund and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released in 2025, California boasts the fourth largest economy in the world. Only the United States, China and Germany boast a larger economy than the state of California. And California is gaining ground, as it experienced a growth rate of 6 percent in 2024, which was better than the U.S. (5.3 percent), China (2.6 percent) and Germany (2.9 percent).

St. Augustine, Florida, has been around awhile. Florida is home to the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States. In fact, St. Augustine, Florida, predates the U.S. by more than 200 years, having been founded by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain in 1565.