If you have stayed up with current events pertaining to geopolitics, you have probably heard about Puerto Rico’s pursuit towards statehood. In this spirit, this week’s fun facts will be dedicated to the American States, provided to you by About.com!

1) The United States is divided into 50 states. However state each varies in size considerably. The smallest state is Rhode Island with an area of just 1,545 square miles (4,002 sq km). By contrast the largest state by area is Alaska with 663,268 square miles (1,717,854 sq km).

2) Alaska has the longest coastline in the United States at 6,640 miles (10,686 km).

3) Bristlecone pine trees, believed to be some of the world’s oldest living things, are found in the western United States in California, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The oldest of these trees is in California.

4) The only royal palace used by a monarch in the U.S. is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is the Iolani Palace and belonged to the monarchs King Kalakaua and Queen Lili’uokalani until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893. The building then served as the capitol building until Hawaii became a state in 1959. Today the Iolani Palace is a museum.

5) Because the major mountain ranges in the United States run in a north-south direction, they have a large impact on the climate of the country’s various regions. The west coast for example has a milder climate than the interior because is moderated by its proximity to the ocean, whereas places like Arizona and Nevada are very hot and dry because they are on the leeward side of mountain ranges.

6) Although English is the most commonly spoken language used in the U.S. and is the language used in government, the country has no official language.

7) The tallest mountain in the world is located in the United States Mauna Kea, located in Hawaii, is only 13,796 feet (4,205 m) in altitude above sea level, however, when measured from the seafloor it is over 32,000 feet (10,000 meters) high, making it taller than Mount Everest (Earth’s tallest mountain above sea level at 29,028 feet or 8,848 meters).

8) The lowest temperature ever recorded in the United States was at Prospect Creek, Alaska on January 23, 1971. The temperature was -80°F (-62°C). The coldest temperature in the contiguous 48 states was at Rogers Pass, Montana on January 20, 1954. The temperature there was -70°F (-56°C).

9) The hottest temperature recorded in the United States (and in North America) was in Death Valley, California on July 10, 1913. The temperature measured 134°F (56°C).

10) The deepest lake in the U.S. is Crater Lake located in Oregon. At 1,932 feet (589 m) it is the world’s seventh deepest lake. Crater Lake was formed via snowmelt and precipitation that gathered in a crater created when an ancient volcano, Mount Mazama, erupted about 8,000 years ago.