Can You Identify the State Abbreviation From a State's Outline?

By: Jonnathan Chadwick
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify the State Abbreviation From a State's Outline?
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About This Quiz

Almost everybody who completes elementary or middle school in America is taught about the 50 states. Some people know every state in alphabetical order. Some people can name the capital of every state. Others can fill out a blank map of the U.S. with ease, and some can only fill in the states they've been to. Some people can name every senator and member of Congress from every state in reverse alphabetical order if they want to. Luckily for you, you don't have to do that. All you have to do is look at a state outline and choose the correct abbreviation.

You probably never realized how weirdly-shaped some of the U.S. states are, but once you see them on their own, you'll never forget them. There's a very good chance you know precisely what Oklahoma, Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii look like. Once you see them once, it's hard to forget them. You can probably draw Texas, Florida and California with your eyes closed, but do you know their abbreviations?

All postal abbreviations are two letters long, and they're always displayed as upper case letters. They usually make sense, but sometimes not as much sense as we'd like. Take a look at these outlines of these 50 states and try to identify the correct abbreviation.

Massachusetts
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What's the abbreviation for this original colony that's home to the country's oldest university?
ME
MA
NJ
DE
Hawaii
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Do you know this tropical state that was the most recent state to become a state?
HI
HW
FL
ME
Alaska
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Can you choose the abbreviation for this state that claims to have more than 3 million lakes?
FL
AK
TX
AL

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California
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Do you know the abbreviation for the most populous U.S. state?
CL
CF
CO
CA
Florida
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What's the abbreviation for this state known for its sunshine and oranges?
TX
FD
FL
FR
Texas
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This state is home to cowboys, music and BBQ. Do you know it?
TX
AK
TE
TS

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South Carolina
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Myrtle Beach is a golf and beach lover's paradise. In what state is it located?
NC
WV
SD
SC
North Carolina
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Can you identify this east coast state, known as one of the homes of the Great Smoky Mountains?
SC
NC
SD
ND
Montana
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This is the fourth largest state but one of the least populous. What is it?
MT
MN
MS
MO

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New Jersey
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Can you abbreviate this east coast state named after a British island in the English Channel?
RI
DE
NY
NJ
Kentucky
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Can you abbreviate this southern state, responsible for producing 95% of the world's bourbon?
AL
KY
MS
KT
Vermont
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Do you know this state known for its maple trees?
MA
VT
NH
ME

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Nevada
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This state is home to Sin City. What is it?
NV
NM
AZ
CA
Arkansas
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Do you know this state that borders Texas and is home to America's only diamond mine?
AS
AR
LA
OK
Nebraska
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Can you abbreviate the "Cornhusker State"?
OK
NB
NE
KS

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South Dakota
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Do you know this state that is home to Mount Rushmore?
SD
ND
SC
NC
Oregon
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What's the abbreviation for this west coast state that is home to Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the country?
AZ
ID
OR
WA
Mississippi
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Can you abbreviate this catfish and magnolia state that shares a name with a famous river?
MS
MO
ME
MI

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Washington
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This is the only U.S. state named in honor of a president. What is it?
MO
AZ
DC
WA
Louisiana
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What is the abbreviation for this state known for its French Quarter and jambalaya?
LA
LO
LS
MS
Utah
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Do you know this state that held the Winter Olympics in 2002?
MI
WY
UT
CO

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Maine
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Can you abbreviate the easternmost state that was once part of Massachusetts?
CT
ME
NH
VT
Wyoming
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Do you know this state that is home to Devil's Tower, the first national monument in the country?
WG
WM
WO
WY
New Hampshire
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What's the name of this New England state where residents vow to live free or die?
CT
NH
VT
ME

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North Dakota
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Do you know this sparsely populated, rarely visited Midwest state that is the country's leading producer of honey?
MO
ND
SD
NM
Tennessee
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What's the abbreviation for this state known for country music and whiskey?
CA
TX
KY
TN
Colorado
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This is the only state name comprised of three words. What state is this?
WY
NM
MO
CO

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Rhode Island
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Do you know the abbreviation for the smallest U.S. state?
RI
CT
DE
MD
Oklahoma
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What's the abbreviation for this Wild West state home to cowboys and Indians?
MO
OK
KS
TN
Kansas
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Can you abbreviate this state that sits in the geographic center of America?
UT
KS
KY
WI

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Minnesota
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Do you know the abbreviation for this state of 10,000 lakes?
MN
MI
WI
IL
Connecticut
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What's the abbreviation for this East Coast state that is home to one of the most famous Ivy League universities in the country?
MD
DE
CT
RI
Pennsylvania
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Do you know this state where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were passed?
NY
PA
DC
MA

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Alabama
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You might hear chants of "Roll Tide" in this southern state. What's the abbreviation?
GA
MS
KY
AL
Maryland State Outline
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Can you pick the abbreviation for this state known for crab cakes and orioles?
MD
DE
RI
CT
Wisconsin
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This is the cheese capital of America. What state is this?
MO
WI
KS
MI

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Iowa
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Do you know the country's corn capital? What's the abbreviation for this state?
MI
IA
ID
IL
Illinois
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What's the abbreviation for this state that was once home to the tallest building in the world?
LA
WI
IL
MI
Michigan
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Can you abbreviate this state that borders the Great Lakes?
MI
WI
MO
KS

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Idaho
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Do you know the abbreviation for this state that leads the country in potato production?
IL
MI
IA
ID
New Mexico
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Can you abbreviate this desert state that joined the union in 1912?
OR
NM
CA
AZ
West Virginia
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Do you know this East Coast state that has a West Coast name?
WA
CA
WV
VA

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Missouri
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What's this state that is home to the Ozark Mountains?
AR
LA
MS
MO
Indiana
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Can you abbreviate this Midwest state that holds one of the largest single sporting events in the world?
WI
IN
IA
ID
Ohio
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Do you know the abbreviation for this four-letter state?
OH
UT
RI
MD

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Arizona
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What's the abbreviation for the sunny state that is home to the saguaro cactus?
NV
AZ
NM
TX
Delaware
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Do you know America's first state?
DE
MD
CT
ME
Georgia
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Can you identify this state that is known for its peaches but doesn't lead the country in peach production?
LA
KS
KY
GA

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Virginia
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Do you know the abbreviation for this state that birthed eight U.S. presidents?
NY
DC
PA
VA
New York
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What's the abbreviation for this populous state home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame?
DC
NY
CA
LA