US States That Start With The Letter A
A total of 50 states make up the country of the United States of America, four of which have names which start with the letter A. These four states, which include Arizona, Alaska, Arkansas, and Alabama, are situated in different parts of the country. The location of the four states is not the only thing that differentiates them as they have different histories, demographics, and cultures.
Arizona
Arizona is nestled on the southeastern part of the country and occupies an area of about 0.114 million square miles. The state’s most populous city is also its capital, Phoenix, which is home to over 1.44 million people. Interestingly, Arizona was originally part of Mexico’s Alta California Territory. The state and much of Alta California would become part of the US in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War of the mid-19th century. To take up sovereignty over Arizona, the US in 1848 paid Mexico $15 million which is equivalent to over $0.42 billion in 2017. At the time Arizona was part of the Territory of New Mexico and only became a state in 1912.
Alaska
Covering an area of over 0.66 million square miles, Alaska is by far the largest state in the country. To put the state’s size in perspective, the second-largest state Texas is less than half the size of Alaska. However, with a population of fewer than 0.8 million people, the state is among the least populous in the country. Most of the state is remote, and the bulk of the population is found in its two largest cities, Anchorage and Fairbanks. The population density of the state is less than two persons per square mile. The US purchased the territory from the Russian Empire in 1867 at the cost of $0.02 per acre. The state is also notable for having the northernmost and westernmost part of the country.
Alabama
Alabama is situated southeast of the country and covers an area of 52,419 square miles. The state is home to an estimated 4.86 million people which translates to a population density of about 95 persons per square mile. With a population of over 0.212 million people, Birmingham is the largest city in the state. With inland waterways being more than 1,500 miles, the state has more waterways than any other in the country. The state is named after the Alabama River which in turn is named after the native inhabitants of the region, the Alabama people. The state was originally part of Mississippi and gained statehood in 1819.
Arkansas
One of the states situated in the southern US is Arkansas. The state gets its name from the Osage people who are indigenous residents of the state. The state is average-sized (relative to other US states) as it covers an area of 53,180 square miles. Arkansas is home to over three million inhabitants. Little Rock, the state capital, is home to an estimated 0.193 million people making it the state’s most populous city. The state was originally known as the Arkansas Territory and gained statehood in June 1826. Among the notable people from Arkansas is former President Bill Clinton.
Comparison of the Four States
Of the four states whose names start with the letter A, Alaska is the largest (covering an area of 0.66 million square miles) while the smallest in size is Alabama (covering an area of 52,419 square miles). The most populous of the four states is Arizona while the least populous of them is Alaska.
