Our Series on Federations closes this year 2022 with the most powerful federation in the World: the United States of America.
The USA is a Federation of 50 states, plus one capital district under direct control of the US Congress: Washington, District of Columbia. While the 48 contiguous states located on the North of Mexico and the South of Canada have been American since the mid 19th Century, the current topography of the country was only achieved in the 20th Century. Alaska in the North was purchased from Russia in 1867, while the independent Republic of Hawaii became a US territory in 1898. Both of these territories achieved statehood in the Year 1959, giving the USA its current configuration.
Most states are subdivided in counties, except Louisiana, which is subdivided in parishes, and Alaska, which does not have formal subdivisions.
The United States in 2022
