United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Political divisions
Main articles: Political divisions of the United States, U.S. state, Territories of the United States, List of states and territories of the United States and Indian reservation
Further information: Territorial evolution of the United States and United States territorial acquisitions

Map of U.S. Economic Exclusion Zone,^[280]
highlighting states, territories and possessions

U.S. population density in 2000, showing
mainland counties and county equivalents
The United States is a federal republic of 50 states, a federal district, five territories and eleven uninhabited island possessions.^[281] The states and territories are the principal administrative districts in the country. These are divided into subdivisions of counties and independent cities. The District of Columbia is a federal district which contains the capital of the United States, Washington DC.^[282] The states and the District of Columbia choose the President of the United States. Each state has presidential electors equal to the number of their Representatives and Senators in Congress, the District of Columbia has three.^[283]
Congressional Districts are reapportioned among the states following each decennial Census of Population. Each state then draws single member districts to conform with the census apportionment. The total number of Representatives is 435, and delegate Members of Congress represent the District of Columbia and the five major US territories.^[284]
The United States also observes tribal sovereignty of the American Indian nations to a limited degree, as it does with the states' sovereignty. American Indians are U.S. citizens and tribal lands are subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S Congress and the federal courts. Like the states they have a great deal of autonomy, but also like the states tribes are not allowed to make war, engage in their own foreign relations, or print and issue currency.^[285]