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The Easternmost Point in North America Is Actually West of Alaska

All of these Pacific islands sit on the other side of the 180th meridian, which separates the eastern hemisphere from west, and are technically east of the mainland United States.
All of these Pacific islands sit on the other side of the 180th meridian, which separates the eastern hemisphere from west, and are technically east of the mainland United States.
  • Amatignak Island in Alaska with gps coordinates 51掳16鈥7鈥砃 179掳8鈥55鈥砏 is the westernmost point in all U.S. territories by longitude
  • Semisopochnoi Island in Alaska with gps coordinates 51掳57鈥42鈥砃 179掳46鈥23鈥矱 鈥 easternmost point in all U.S. territory by longitude

In the contiguous United States, the farthest east anyone can travel Sail Rock, Lubec, Maine (coordinates: 44掳48鈥45.2鈥砃 66掳56鈥49.3鈥砏).听 The furthest east you can travel is Point Udall, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (coordinates ). Both these spots are not actually the easternmost point of the United States. That designation belongs to the state of Alaska, which also happens to have the westernmost point of the United States with Amatignak Island (coordinates 51掳16鈥7鈥砃 179掳8鈥55鈥砏). 鈥淲ait. What?鈥 you may be asking. 鈥淗ow can Alaska have both听the easternmost听and听westernmost points in the United States?鈥 In short, it has to do with hemispheres and the 180thMeridian.

Divison Between Western and Eastern Hemispheres

The circle that the prime meridian and 180th Merdian make divide Earth into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere.听The U.S falls听almost completely in the Western Hemisphere. There are plenty of islands and territories on the eastern half of the planet: Saipan, Guam, and Wake Island, to name a few. All of these Pacific islands sit on the other side of the 180th meridian, which separates the eastern hemisphere from the west, and are technically east听of the mainland United States.

Most Eastern Point in the United States

Alaska鈥檚 Aleutian Islands arc right up to the edge of the Western Hemisphere at the 180th Meridian making Amatignak Island (51掳16鈥7鈥砃 179掳8鈥55鈥砏), Alaska the westernmost point in the U.S. Longitudinally, Alaska also has an easternmost point, Semisopochnoi Island (51掳57鈥42鈥砃 179掳46鈥23鈥矱), as the Aleutian Islands cross the 180潞 Meridian, into the Eastern Hemisphere. That makes Alaska the most northern, western, and eastern state, longitudinally, in the U.S.

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