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List of U.S. states by traditional abbreviation facts for kids

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U.S. states

This is a list of traditional abbreviations for U.S. states and territories. These abbreviations (short names) were used in mailing addresses before the introduction of two-letter U.S. postal abbreviations. The traditional abbreviations are still commonly used in other ways besides mailing addresses. For example, they can be used in writing after a city (like in "Miami, Fla."). In 1987, the Secretary of Commerce switched to the two-letter State Alpha Code for state abbreviations.

States

State Traditional
abbreviation
Other
abbreviations
Alabama Ala.
Alaska Alaska
Arizona Ariz.
Arkansas Ark.
California Calif. Cal.
Colorado Colo. Col.
Connecticut Conn.
Delaware Del.
District of Columbia D.C.
Florida Fla. Flor.
Georgia Ga.
Hawaii Hawaii H.I.
Idaho Idaho Id. or Ida.
Illinois Ill.
Indiana Ind.
Iowa Iowa Ia.
Kansas Kans. Kan.
Kentucky Ky. Ken. or Kent.
Louisiana La.
Maine Maine Me.
Maryland Md.
Massachusetts Mass.
Michigan Mich.
Minnesota Minn. M.N. or MN
Mississippi Miss.
Missouri Mo.
Montana Mont.
Nebraska Nebr. Neb.
Nevada Nev.
New Hampshire N.H.
New Jersey N.J.
New Mexico N. Mex. N.M. or New M.
New York N.Y.
North Carolina N.C.
North Dakota N. Dak. N.D.
Ohio Ohio O.
Oklahoma Okla.
Oregon Oreg. Ore.
Pennsylvania Pa. Penn. or Penna.
Rhode Island R.I.
South Carolina S.C.
South Dakota S. Dak. S.D.
Tennessee Tenn.
Texas Tex.
Utah Utah
Vermont Vt.
Virginia Va.
Washington Wash.
West Virginia W. Va. W.V.
Wisconsin Wis. Wisc.
Wyoming Wyo.

Territories

Territory Traditional
abbreviation
Other
abbreviations
American Samoa A.S.
Guam Guam
Northern Mariana Islands M.P.
Panama Canal Zone C.Z.
Puerto Rico P.R. PUR
Virgin Islands V.I.
  • The Riverside Publishing Company. (1984). Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary. ISBN: 0-395-33957-X
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