United States Map With Abbreviations, Capitals & Time Zones
Here is the complete table with all U.S. states, their abbreviations, capitals, and predominant time zones (as seen in the map above):
| State | Abbreviation | Capital | Time Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | AL | Montgomery | Central |
| Alaska | AK | Juneau | Alaska |
| Arizona | AZ | Phoenix | Mountain |
| Arkansas | AR | Little Rock | Central |
| California | CA | Sacramento | Pacific |
| Colorado | CO | Denver | Mountain |
| Connecticut | CT | Hartford | Eastern |
| Delaware | DE | Dover | Eastern |
| Florida | FL | Tallahassee | Eastern |
| Georgia | GA | Atlanta | Eastern |
| Hawaii | HI | Honolulu | Hawaii-Aleutian |
| Idaho | ID | Boise | Mountain |
| Illinois | IL | Springfield | Central |
| Indiana | IN | Indianapolis | Eastern |
| Iowa | IA | Des Moines | Central |
| Kansas | KS | Topeka | Central |
| Kentucky | KY | Frankfort | Eastern |
| Louisiana | LA | Baton Rouge | Central |
| Maine | ME | Augusta | Eastern |
| Maryland | MD | Annapolis | Eastern |
| Massachusetts | MA | Boston | Eastern |
| Michigan | MI | Lansing | Eastern |
| Minnesota | MN | Saint Paul | Central |
| Mississippi | MS | Jackson | Central |
| Missouri | MO | Jefferson City | Central |
| Montana | MT | Helena | Mountain |
| Nebraska | NE | Lincoln | Central |
| Nevada | NV | Carson City | Pacific |
| New Hampshire | NH | Concord | Eastern |
| New Jersey | NJ | Trenton | Eastern |
| New Mexico | NM | Santa Fe | Mountain |
| New York | NY | Albany | Eastern |
| North Carolina | NC | Raleigh | Eastern |
| North Dakota | ND | Bismarck | Central |
| Ohio | OH | Columbus | Eastern |
| Oklahoma | OK | Oklahoma City | Central |
| Oregon | OR | Salem | Pacific |
| Pennsylvania | PA | Harrisburg | Eastern |
| Rhode Island | RI | Providence | Eastern |
| South Carolina | SC | Columbia | Eastern |
| South Dakota | SD | Pierre | Central |
| Tennessee | TN | Nashville | Central/Eastern |
| Texas | TX | Austin | Central/Mountain |
| Utah | UT | Salt Lake City | Mountain |
| Vermont | VT | Montpelier | Eastern |
| Virginia | VA | Richmond | Eastern |
| Washington | WA | Olympia | Pacific |
| West Virginia | WV | Charleston | Eastern |
| Wisconsin | WI | Madison | Central |
| Wyoming | WY | Cheyenne | Mountain |
Please note that some states span multiple time zones. In this table, only the predominant time zone is listed for each state.
Understanding Time Zone Differences in the United States
- Pacific Time Zone (PT): This zone includes states such as California, Washington, and Oregon. It is the westernmost time zone in the contiguous United States.
- Mountain Time Zone (MT): Encompassing states like Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, the Mountain Time Zone is one hour ahead of Pacific Time.
- Central Time Zone (CT): Central Time covers states such as Texas, Iowa, and Indiana. It is one hour ahead of Mountain Time and two hours ahead of Pacific Time.
- Eastern Time Zone (ET): Inhabiting the eastern portion of the U.S., this zone includes states like New York, Florida, and Massachusetts. Eastern Time is one hour ahead of Central Time, two hours ahead of Mountain Time, and three hours ahead of Pacific Time.
As an illustration of these time differences: When it is 9:00 A.M. in Los Angeles (Pacific Time), it would be 10:00 A.M. in Denver (Mountain Time), 11:00 A.M. in Chicago (Central Time), and 12:00 Noon in New York City (Eastern Time).
How does Daylight Saving Time work in USA?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) typically begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November in areas where it is observed. Here’s a breakdown:
- Start of DST: On the second Sunday in March, clocks are set forward by one hour at 2:00 AM local standard time, which becomes 3:00 AM local daylight time. This shift effectively moves an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.
- End of DST: On the first Sunday in November, clocks are set back by one hour at 2:00 AM local daylight time, which becomes 1:00 AM local standard time. This returns the schedule to standard time.
The exact dates change each year. For instance, in 2024:
- DST will begin on March 10, 2024.
- DST will end on November 3, 2024.
It’s important to note that not all regions observe Daylight Saving Time. In the United States, Hawaii and most of Arizona do not participate in DST.
- Arizona: Most of Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time. The state remains on Mountain Standard Time (MST) all year round, which effectively puts it in sync with Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) during the summer months.
- Hawaii: Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST) operates 2 hours behind Pacific Standard Time (PST) when it’s standard time. During the daylight saving period, HST is 3 hours behind Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
