_____ _____ United States of America

Global Sourcebook for International Data Management

                                         by Graham Rhind

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United States of America

Global Sourcebook | Index | Properties

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

For supplementary information, see links to post office home pages here External, to postal code pages here External and to other personal name and addressing issues pages here External.

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An explanation of how these states and territories relate to each other, and the meaning of (un)incorporated and (un)organized here External

Table of Contents

United States of America - Country Information

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Local short name form

Official name

Area

Population

333 287 557 (2022 estimate) [1]

Capital

Currency

International telephone access code

1

ISO 3166 country codes

Car nationality plate code

USA

Internet country code

US

GRC Country Code

USA

United States of America - Number format

   1,234.45

(where . indicates the decimal separator and , the thousands separator)

United States of America - Date and time formats

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   mm/dd/yyyy
   mm-dd-yyyy
   mm.dd.yyyy

The 12-hour clock notation is used almost exclusively.

United States of America - Languages

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A dialect and pronunciation map and resources for the USA External

The official language is English External (210 000 000 first-language speakers). There are 175 other indigenous languages (including Indian languages) and large numbers of imported languages. The state of New Mexico is officially bilingual English and Spanish External, and there are large Spanish-speaking minorities in certain areas of the United States. There are a total of 22 400 000 Spanish-speakers. Addresses may be found written in Spanish, especially in states along the Mexican border and in Florida. There are an estimated 1 000 000 speakers of Cajun French External and Louisiana Creole French External in Southern Louisiana. About half the population of the state of Hawaii speak Hawai’i Creole English External, about 150 000 of whom do not also speak standard English. There are some 650 000 Vlach Romani-speakers.

Different languages are spoken in the United States Territories which are included in the United States’ Postal Service coverage - please see the chapters on each of these for the relevant information.

United States of America - Personal names

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Americans usually use the terminology first name(s) to refer to a person’s given name(s) and last name to refer to family name. The middle name has more prominence than in other cultures and it often written (usually as an initial). Names (mainly of males) may be followed by a seniority indicator such as Senior, Junior, I, II, III.

   Tables of names can be acquired: given names External, surnames/family names External, family name prefixes External, forms of address External, job titles External

United States of America - Company legal forms

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   Note: This section last updated 12th January 2016

Common American company types include:

   Company (Co.)
   Co-operative (Co-op.)
   Corporation (Corp.)
   Incorporated (Inc.)
   Limited (Ltd)
   Limited Company (LC or Ltd Co.)
   LLC (Limited Liability Company)
   LLLP (Limited Liability Limited Partnership)
   LLP (Limited Liability Partnership)
   LP (Limited Partnership)
   NA (National Association)
   NL (No Liability)
   Partnership
   PC (Professional corporation)
   PLLC (Professional Limited Liability Company)
   PLLP (Professional Limited Liability Partnership)
   PSC (Personal Service Corporation)
   Sole Proprietorship
   Unlimited
   Comprehensive tables of these strings can be acquired – see http:www.grcdi.nl/addresses.htm External

United States of America - Address formats

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   Note: This section last updated 25th November 2014

The USPS (United States’ Postal Service) have strict guidelines on address format. Following these guidelines requires upper casing and abbreviation of address elements which will enable you to take advantage of mailing discounts but will result in highly unattractive address layouts.

The address should contain

The address is formatted as follows:

   NAME
   NUMBER[ ]THOROUGHFARE{[ ]SUB-BUILDING INDICATOR}
   CITY[ ]STATE ABBREVIATION[  ]POSTAL CODE

For example, the address:

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is written as preferred by the USPS:

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The use of the official abbreviations is dependent upon context. Thus:

   123 EAST STREET

may not be abbreviated to

   123 E ST

as ‘E STREET’ is also a common street name.

There should be two spaces between the state abbreviation and the postal code.

The abbreviation “RR” indicates “Rural Route” (ruta rural in Spanish) and is formatted in address lines as, for example:

   RR 5 BOX 12 A

The hash (#) symbol is used to indicate a floor or apartment number following the street name, and is used where the sub-building indicator is not used or is unknown. If the sub-building type is known and used (e.g. APT or UNIT) the hash symbol should not be used. The sub-building information may also be written on its own on a line above the thoroughfare information as follows:

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When both a street address and a post office box number are used in the same address block, the mail will be delivered to the point to which the postal code refers.

Many American users do not follow these strict format requirements, writing addresses in mixed case, with different (or no) abbreviatiations, and very often with a comma following the postal town name in this way:

   Minneapolis, MN 23976-4542

The United States mail system includes a number of Pacific and Caribbean Island dependencies. When mail is addressed to one of these, the island name may be included in the address. The format then becomes:

   SETTLEMENT
   ISLAND[ ]STATE CODE[  ]POSTAL CODE

for example

   SAIPAN
   MARIANA ISLANDS MP  96950

The abbreviations APO (Army Post Office) and FPO (Fleet Post Office) are used for armed forces mail. They have the state code AA, AE or AP according to their geographical location. DPO is used for diplomatic mail sent via the USPS. The street address line is replaced by a Postal Service Center (PSC) number, box number, unit numbers and so on. An example address last line might read:

   APO AE  09081

Foreign city of country names in armed forces mail should not be used.

For dependents residing with military personnel, a “c/o” must be used:

   MS G SMITH
   C/O MSG H SMITH
   REST OF ADDRESS

Though not included in official lists from the USPS, addresses may contain Spanish thoroughfare types (see chapter on Spain for a list of these). The USPS regards them as part of the thoroughfare name rather than a thoroughfare type. However, if addressing in mixed case, be sure to write the Spanish thoroughfare types commencing with a lower-case letter.

For Puerto Rico, where addresses are written in Spanish, the most important part of the address is the Urbanization District (Urb). These may be known as extensiones, jardines, mansiones, parques, repartos orvillas. If these names are present, the word Urb is then obsolete. For example:

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   A table containing information about the relevant position of elements within address blocks can be acquired External

Building indicators (unit designators)

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This is the United States Postal Service’s official list of building indicators and abbreviations. The USPS prefers that the abbreviation, in upper case, is used in addresses.

Full String Required Abbreviation
APARTMENT APT
BASEMENT BSMT
BUILDING BLDG
DEPARTMENT DEPT
FLOOR FL
FRONT FRNT
HANGAR HNGR
LOBBY LBBY
LOT LOT
LOWER LOWR
OFFICE OFC
PENTHOUSE PH
PIER PIER
REAR REAR
ROOM RM
SIDE SIDE
SLIP SLIP
SPACE SPC
STOP STOP
SUITE STE
TRAILER TRLR
UNIT UNIT
UPPER UPPR
   Comprehensive tables of these strings can be acquired – see http:www.grcdi.nl/addresses.htm External

Thoroughfare types

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This is the United States Postal Service’s official list of thoroughfare types and abbreviations. The USPS prefers that the abbreviation, in upper case, is used in addresses.

Full String Required Abbreviation
ALLEY ALY
ANNEX ANX
ARCADE ARC
AVENUE AVE
BAYOO BYU
BEACH BCH
BEND BND
BLUFF BLF
BLUFFS BLFS
BOTTOM BTM
BOULEVARD BLVD
BRANCH BR
BRIDGE BRG
BROOK BRK
BROOKS BRKS
BURG BG
BURGS BGS
BYPASS BYP
CAMP CP
CANYON CYN
CAPE CPE
CAUSEWAY CSWY
CENTER CTR
CENTERS CTRS
CIRCLE CIR
CIRCLES CIRS
CLIFF CLF
CLIFFS CLFS
CLUB CLB
COMMON CMN
CORNER COR
CORNERS CORS
COURSE CRSE
COURT CT
COURTS CTS
COVE CV
COVES CVS
CREEK CRK
CRESCENT CRES
CREST CRST
CROSSING XING
CROSSROAD XRD
CURVE CURV
DALE DL
DAM DM
DIVIDE DV
DRIVE DR
DRIVES DRS
ESTATE EST
ESTATES ESTS
EXPRESSWAY EXPY
EXTENSION EXT
EXTENSIONS EXTS
FALLS FLS
FERRY FRY
FIELD FLD
FIELDS FLDS
FLATS FLTS
FORD FRD
FORDS FRDS
FOREST FRST
FORGE FRG
FORGES FRGS
FORK RK
FORKS FRKS
FORT FT
FREEWAY FWY
GARDEN GDN
GARDENS GDNS
GATEWAY GTWY
GLEN GLN
GLENS GLNS
GREEN GRN
GREENS GRNS
GROVE GRV
GROVES GRVS
HARBOR HBR
HARBORS HBRS
HAVEN HVN
HEIGHTS HTS
HIGHWAY HWY
HILL HL
HILLS HLS
HOLLOW HOLW
HOUSE HSE
INLET INLT
ISLAND IS
ISLANDS ISS
ISLE ISLE
JUNCTION JCT
JUNCTIONS JCTS
KEY KY
KEYS KYS
KNOLL KNL
KNOLLS KNLS
LAKE LK
LAKES LKS
LANDING LNDG
LANE LN
LIGHT LGT
LIGHTS LGTS
LOAF LF
LOCK LCK
LOCKS LCKS
LODGE LDG
LOOP LOOP
MANOR MNR
MANORS MNRS
MARKET MKT
MEADOW MDW
MEADOWS MDWS
MILL ML
MILLS MLS
MISSION MSN
MOTORWAY MTWY
MOUNT MT
MOUNTAIN MTN
MOUNTAINS MTNS
NECK NCK
ORCHARD ORCH
OVAL OVAL
OVERPASS OPAS
PARK PARK
PARKS PARK
PARKWAY PKWY
PARKWAYS PKWY
PASS PASS
PASSAGE PSGE
ATH PATH
PIKE PIKE
PINE PNE
PINES PNES
PLACE PL
PLAIN PLN
PLAINS PLNS
PLAZA PLZ
POINT PT
POINTS PTS
PORT PRT
PORTS PRTS
PRAIRIE PR
RADIAL RADL
RAMP RAMP
RANCH RNCH
RAPID RPD
RAPIDS RPDS
REST RST
RIDGE RDG
RIDGES RDGS
RIVER RIV
ROAD RD
ROADS RDS
ROUTE RTE
ROW ROW
RUE RUE
RUN RUN
SHOAL SHL
SHOALS SHLS
SHORE SHR
SHORES SHRS
SKYWAY SKWY
SPRING SPG
SPRINGS SPGS
SPUR SPUR
SPURS SPUR
SQUARE SQ
SQUARES SQS
STATION STA
STRAVENUE [Note: runs diagonally between, and intersects, a street and an avenue. Used in Tucson, Texas. External ] STRA
STREAM STRM
STREET ST
STREETS STS
SUMMIT SMT
TERRACE TER
THROUGHWAY TRWY
TRACE TRCE
TRACK TRAK
TRAFFICWAY TRFY
TRAIL TRL
TUNNEL TUNL
TURNPIKE TPKE
UNDERPASS UPAS
UNION UN
UNIONS UNS
VALLEY VLY
VALLEYS VLYS
VIADUCT VIA
VIEW VW
VIEWS VWS
VILLAGE VLG
VILLAGES VLGS
VILLE VL
VISTA VIS
WALK WALK
WALKS WALK
WALL WALL
WAY WAY
WAYS WAYS
WELL WL
WELLS WLS
   Comprehensive tables of these strings can be acquired – see http:www.grcdi.nl/addresses.htm External

United States of America - Post office box

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This is known as PO Box or Apartado in Spanish. The initials PMB are used to indicate a private mail box.

image Post office boxes in the United States. Source: Wikipedia

United States of America - Postal codes

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Known as the ZIP Code (Zone Improvement Program code), this can contain a block of 5 digits or, for more accurate delivery, 9 digits in this format:

   99999[-]9999

This is known as ZIP + 4. Though many companies use the ZIP code as a locational indicator (for example, when assigning local state taxes for mail-ordered items), there are a small number of communities on state borders which have the same ZIP code as a neighbouring community in another state. There is currently legislation in the American senate to give these communities their own ZIP codes.

The first three digits of the postal code indicate the routing zone or processing and delivery centre. The next two indicate the post office or delivery section. The first two digits of the code after the hyphen indicate a sector, the final two a segment.

"Swingin’ Six" ZIP Code Campaign Public Service Announcement Video produced by the Post Office Department, mid-1960s. External

   Metadata containing postal code formatting rules, exceptions and regular expressions can be acquired External

United States of America - Postal code format graphic

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United States of America - Postal code format

United States of America - Postal code specifics

United States of America - Postal code regular expression

\A([0-8]\d{4,4}|[0-8]\d{4,4}(-)\d{4,4}|(90|91|92|93|94|95|97|98|99)\d{3,3}|(90|91|92|93|94|95|97|98|99)\d{3,3}(-)\d{4,4}|(960|961|962|963|964|965|966|967|968)\d{2,2}|(960|961|962|963|964|965|966|967|968)\d{2,2}(-)\d{4,4}|(9690|9691|9692|9693|9695|9698|9699)\d{1,1}|(9690|9691|9692|9693|9695|9698|9699)\d{1,1}(-)\d{4,4}|(96945|96946|96947|96948|96949)|(96945|96946|96947|96948|96949)(-)\d{4,4})\Z

United States of America - Postal code level of coverage

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United States of America - Postal code map

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Place names in the United States of America

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   Note: This section last updated 21st December 2015

Refer to Exonyms in United States of America for full lists of place names in the United States of America in other languages.

Place names are fixed by the United States Board on Geographic Names. The board does not acknowledge the use of diacritic marks in place names and in almost all cases drops the possessive apostrophe from place names such as Lions Den and Elmers Brook. There are four exceptions:

   Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
   Ike’s Point, New Jersey
   John E’s Pond, New Jersey (note that this does not take a full stop)
   Carlos Elmer’s Joshua View, Arizona
   Alternate place name forms/postal code tables can be acquired at http://www.grcdi.nl/settlements.htm External
   Other language place name data can be acquired at http://www.grcdi.nl/otherlanguageplace.htm External

United States of America - Administrative districts

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The United States consists of 50 states External and 1 district (shown in the list below with an asterisk). The state code must be used in addresses between the settlement name and the postal code. State codes for mailing purposes have also been assigned to dependent and other overseas territories and ex-territories. The full list of codes is:

State Abbreviation Zip code range*
Alabama External AL 35000-36999
Alaska External AK 99500-99999
American Samoa AS (an unincorporated territory) 96799
Arizona External AZ 85000-86999
Arkansas External AR 71600-72999
California External CA 90000-96699
Colorado External CO 80000-81999
Connecticut External CT 06000-06999
Delaware External DE 19700-19999
District of Columbia External * DC 20000-20599
Federated States of Micronesia FM (became independent of the USA in 1979 - see below) 96941-96944
Florida External FL 32000-34999
Georgia External GA 30000-31999
Guam GU (an unincorporated territory) 96910-96931
Hawaii External HI 96700-96999
Idaho External ID 83200-83999
Illinois External IL 60000-62999
Indiana External IN 46000-47999
Iowa External IA 50000-52999
Kansas External KS 66000-67999
Kentucky External KY 40000-42999
Louisiana External LA 70000-71599
Maine External ME 03900-04999
Marshall Islands MH (became independent of the USA in 1986 - see below) 96960, 96970
Maryland External MD 20600-21999
Massachusetts External MA 01000-02799
Michigan External MI 48000-49999
Minnesota External MN 55000-56999
Mississippi External MS 38600-39999
Missouri External MO 63000-65999
Montana External MT 59000-59999
Nebraska External NE 68000-69999
Nevada External NV 88900-89999
New Hampshire External NH 03000-03899
New Jersey External NJ 07000-08999
New Mexico External NM 87000-88899
New York External NY 10000-14999
North Carolina External NC 27000-28999
North Dakota External ND 58000-58999
Northern Mariana Islands MP (commonwealth territory) 96950-96952
Ohio External OH 43000-45999
Oklahoma External OK 73000-74999
Oregon External OR 97000-97999
Palau PW (became independent of the USA in 1994 - see below) 96940
Pennsylvania External PA 15000-19699
Puerto Rico PR (commonwealth territory) 00600-00799; 00901-00999
Rhode Island External (more correctly: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations) RI 02800-02999
South Carolina External SC 29000-29999
South Dakota External SD 57000-57999
Tennessee External TN 37000-38599
Texas External TX 75000-79999
Utah External UT 84000-84999
Vermont External VT 05000-05999
Virgin Islands VI (an unincorporated territory) 00801-00851
Virginia External VA 22000-24699
Washington External WA 98000-99499
West Virginia External WV 24700-26999
Wisconsin External WI 53000-54999
Wyoming External WY 82000-83199

* NB: some border settlements share Zip codes with the neighbouring state.

   This regions/postal code data can be acquired as a data file External
Military “State” Abbreviation
Armed Forces Africa AE
Armed Forces Americas (not Canada) AA
Armed Forces Canada AE
Armed Forces Europe AE
Armed Forces Middle East AE
Armed Forces Pacific AP

The Pacific island states of Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau are all independent of the USA but are part of its postal system. They can be identified by their postal codes:

   Federated States of Micronesia (FM)    96941-4
   Marshall Islands (MH)                  96960 and 96970
   Palau(PW)                              96940

Please see the relevant chapters on these countries.

Administrative districts graphic

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Telephone numbers in the United States of America

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All area codes (from abroad) have a length of 3 digits. Numbers are written in the format:

   [1-]999[-]999[-]9999

Numbers 2, 3 and 4 are the “area code”, numbers 5, 6 and 7 are the exchange number the final four numbers are the “body”. The final 7 digits together make up the subscriber’s number.

Mobile number area codes are 500 and 533.

   Tables of telephone number information/formats can be acquired – see http://www.grcdi.nl/telephone.htm External 

Properties with value United States of America

References

  1. ^ citypopulation.de/en/usa/states/admin/ External 20230113

Every effort is made to keep this resource updated. If you find any errors, or have any questions or requests, please don't hesitate to contact the author.

All information copyright Graham Rhind 2024. Any information used should be acknowledged and referenced.