If We Give You a State, Can You Tell Us Its Neighbor?

WORLD

By: Jonnathan Chadwick

6 Min Quiz

Image: GeorgeManga / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images

About This Quiz

The great US of A is made of 50 states created by imaginary lines and a lot of debate, legislation, and in some cases, war. The smallest state is Rhode Island and the largest state is Alaska. Based on square mileage, Rhode Island can fit inside Alaska more than 500 times, but what Rhode Island lacks in size, it makes up for in neighbors. Alaska has zero American neighbors. Rhode Island borders at least two states, maybe three, depending on how you draw your borders.

The country is filled with some oddly shaped states. Tennessee and Missouri have the most opportunistic shapes and both border eight states, which is a tie for the most. Maine only borders one. Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado form America's popular "Four Corners" section of the country, which means each of them automatically borders another two states. Texas and Arkansas share a border and famously share a town. You can meet two people from Texarkana, but one might be from Arkansas and one might be from Texas.

Carolina split before the country was officially founded. Virginia split because of differences during the Civil War. Dakota was actually one state until nobody could agree on a single capital and two Dakotas were formed in 1889. You know at least one neighbor for those states, but what about the rest. If we give you a state, can you give us its neighbor?

Delaware was the first state to join the union. Which of these states borders Delaware?

Delaware is one of the more oddly-shaped states and is actually bordered by water on its entire east side. It's bordered by Pennsylvania to the north and Maryland to the west and south. Delaware is separated from New Jersey by the Delaware Bay.

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Florida features one of the most famous peninsulas in America. What state is neighbors with Florida?

Florida is surrounded by water on three sides and only borders Georgia and Alabama to the north. From Miami to Havana, Cuba is less than 230 miles and from Miami to Havana, Florida is more than double that.

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Virginia has birthed more U.S. presidents than any other state. Which state borders Virginia?

Virginia is bordered by Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland. West Virginia was formed during the Civil War. The entire state seceded from the Union, but the northwestern part of the state was loyal to the Union and eventually split away.

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Massachusetts sits in the heart of New England. Can you name one of its neighbors?

New England consists of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. All of them except Maine border Massachusetts. New York borders the state to the west, but it's not part of New England.

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Pennsylvania is one of the largest states on the Atlantic Coast. What state borders it?

Pennsylvania is bordered by six states plus Lake Erie and Canada. New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Ohio and West Virginia all border Pennsylvania. The state is known for everything from chocolate and cheesesteak to the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

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New York has been known as "The Empire State" since the 18th century. Can you name its neighbor?

New York was called "the Seat of the Empire" in 1785 and the Empire State Building opened in 1931. It borders half of New England to the east, Canada to the north, Lake Erie to the west and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south.

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Everything is bigger in Texas, but its neighbors don't mind. What state borders Texas?

Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico border Texas. Mexico borders the state to the southwest and the Gulf of Mexico borders the state to the southeast. Texarkana is a city on the border of Texas and Arkansas and exists in both states.

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California stretches across both halves of the country but only borders three states. Can you name one?

California is the most populous state in the country, with about 40 million residents. It's bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, Mexico to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

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Washington is the farthest northwestern state in the continental United States. Can you name a state that borders it?

Washington is trapped in the corner of the country and only bordered by two states. It's bordered by Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, Canada to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Idaho produces more potatoes than any other state.

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Maine is the only state in the country that only borders one state. What state is it?

Maine is bordered to the south by the Atlantic Ocean, and the coast of Maine offers some of the most scenic beach views on the East coast. Maine's coastline has been called the "Big Sur" of the east. The state is bordered by Canada to the north and east and New Hampshire to the west.

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Colorado became a state exactly 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Do you know a state it borders?

Colorado is known as "The Centennial State" based on the date it entered the union. The state is bordered by Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming. It also forms the country's "Four Corners" with Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

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Wyoming is the least populous state. What state borders it?

Wyoming is bordered by Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Utah. Less than 600,000 people call Wyoming home, which is about half as many people as live in Rhode Island. More than 60 Rhode Islands can fit inside Wyoming.

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The world's tallest person stood 8'11'' and was born in Illinois. What state borders Illinois?

The world's tallest person was born in 1918 in Alton, Illinois. Robert Wadlow was commonly known as the "Alton Giant" or the "Giant of Illinois." Illinois is bordered by Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and Lake Michigan.

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Oregon is home to the deepest lake in the country. What state borders Oregon?

Oregon's Crater Lake features crystal-clear blue water and is 1,949 feet deep. The country's largest lake by surface area is Lake Superior, which is about 1,300 feet deep. Oregon is bordered by Washington, Idaho, Nevada and California.

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Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous landmarks in the country. Can you name a state that borders South Dakota?

It took about 15 years to complete Mount Rushmore and it was never fully completed. The original plan was to depict the four presidents from head to waist, but funding dried up by the time the faces were finished.

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Louisiana is the only state shaped like a letter. Can you name a state that borders it?

Louisiana got its "Big Easy" nickname because it's a big city like "The Big Apple," but society moves at a much more comfortable pace. The L-shaped state is bordered by Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico.

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The saguaro cactus is iconic in Arizona, but you probably won't find one in any bordering states. Which of these states borders Arizona?

Arizona makes up America's famous "Four Corners" along with Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. It's also bordered by Nevada, California and Mexico. It's illegal to damage a saguaro cactus in any way, even if it's on your property. You might find a saguaro in southern California near the Arizona border.

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Only two states in the country border more states than Kentucky. Can you name a state that borders Kentucky?

About 95% of the world's bourbon is produced in Kentucky, and there are more barrels of bourbon in the state than there are people. The state is bordered by seven states: Virginia, West VA, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee.

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Wisconsin makes about 3 billion pounds of cheese per year. Do you know a state that borders Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is bordered by Lakes Michigan and Superior, as well as states Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois. It's known as the cheese state and Wisconsin residents are known as cheeseheads. Green Bay Packer fans are also known as cheeseheads. The Packers play in Green Bay, WI.

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New Hampshire residents are known to live free or die. Can you name a state that borders New Hampshire?

New Hampshire's official nickname is the "Granite State," but most residents agree it's the "Live Free or Die State." The slogan is present on license plates throughout the state. There's no statewide sales tax and residents aren't required to have auto insurance.

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Idaho is one of the most uniquely shaped states in the country. What state borders it?

Idaho is bordered by Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Utah. Idaho is mostly known for its potatoes, but it's home to dozens of precious gems and several parks. Hells Canyon is America's deepest canyon and is about 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon.

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Georgia is known for its peaches. Which state is known for bordering Georgia?

Georgia is bordered by Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. The state is known for its peaches, but California and South Carolina produce more peaches than Georgia. Nevertheless, Georgia is known as "The Peach State."

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The largest diamond in America was found in Arkansas. Name a state that borders Arkansas.

The Uncle Sam diamond was found in Arkansas in 1924 in an area of the state that was eventually named the Crater of Diamonds State Park. The uncut gem weighed more than 40 carats but was cut down to about 12 carats.

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Nebraska is one of the country's most important farming states. What other state is nearby?

Nebraska is said to have the highest percentage of farmland of any state in the country, with more than 90% of land dedicated to farming. The first Arbor Day celebration in America took place in Nebraska. Arbor Day is a day when celebrants plant trees.

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Michigan is in the middle of the water but still touches some U.S. states. What state borders it?

Michigan is bordered by every Great Lake except for Lake Ontario. The state's also bordered by Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Canada. The University of Michigan football stadium is the largest stadium in the country and the second largest in the world.

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Tennessee and Missouri border more states than any other state. What state borders Tennessee?

Tennessee and Missouri are both bordered by eight states. Tennessee is bordered by North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia. Tennessee is known for its Tennessee whiskey, which is different from the bourbon from bordering Kentucky.

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Maryland is known for its crab cakes. Do you know a state that borders Maryland?

Baltimore was founded and settled in the early 17th century when King Charles I instructed officials to establish a colony near the Potomac River. It's bordered by both Virginias, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

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Missouri is bordered by eight states. Can you name one of them?

Missouri and Tennessee are both bordered by eight states, which is tied for the most in the country. Missouri is bordered by Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois.

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Nevada is home to two of the most famous cities in the country, but can you name a state it borders?

Las Vegas is known around the world as "Sin City," and Reno is known as "The Biggest Little City in the World." Those two cities are more than 400 miles apart and there's a lot of desert between them. Nevada is bordered by California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Arizona.

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New Mexico is home to America's oldest buildings. Do you know what state borders New Mexico?

New Mexico and Arizona both joined the union in 1912, but New Mexico was settled hundreds of years earlier. The ancient neighborhood of Taos Pueblo dates back to about the 1100s, but explorers didn't settle the area until the 16th century.

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West Virginia split from Virginia in the middle of the Civil War. What state borders it?

Virginia's territory was a lot larger until the state decided to secede from the union during the Civil War. The northwest quadrant of the state didn't agree with the move and decided to split and join the union instead.

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Montana is bordered by four states. Can you name one of them?

Montana is known as "Big Sky Country," and visitors enjoy endless nature and wildlife. National Glacier Park offers hundreds and hundreds of miles of hiking trails, and winter sports lovers can't get enough of Big Sky Resort. Montana's bordered by the Dakotas, Wyoming, Idaho and Canada.

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Vermont is home to the least populous capital city in America. What state borders Vermont?

Vermont is bordered by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Canada. Less than 7,500 people live in Vermont's capital, Montpelier, making it the country's least populous capital. Vermont has the highest percentage of farmland in New England.

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South Carolina is known for having some of the most consistent weather year-round. What state borders it?

South Carolina is known for its delicious peaches, beautiful beaches and great golf. The state is only bordered by two states (North Carolina and Georgia) plus the Atlantic Ocean. It's also known for its palmetto trees that can be seen across the state.

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Hawaii was the last state to join the union. What state borders Hawaii?

Hawaii is 2,500 miles away from California and isn't surrounded by any states. Alaska is the only other state not bordered by another state, and Maine is the only state that borders just one state. Hawaii's nickname is "The Aloha State."

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