Guides / U.S. Geography for the Citizenship Test

U.S. Geography for the Citizenship Test

Updated: October 30, 2026

How much geography you need depends on which civics test you take. The 2008 test (for N-400s filed before October 20, 2025) has a dedicated geography section with rivers, oceans, territories, and border states. The 2025 test dropped that section; its geography is limited to a few place-based questions like the capital of the United States, the Statue of Liberty, your state capital, and the 13 original states.

First, check which test you take

• Filed your N-400 on or after October 20, 2025: 2025 test, up to 20 questions from 128, 12 correct to pass.
• Filed before October 20, 2025: 2008 test, 10 questions from 100, 6 correct to pass.

Your filing date is on your receipt notice. For the full comparison, read 2008 vs 2025 civics test.

Geography on the 2025 test

The 2025 list (USCIS form M-1778) does not have a separate geography category, but these questions require you to know places:

• What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.
• Where is the Statue of Liberty? New York (Harbor) or Liberty Island. Also acceptable: New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).
• What is the capital of your state? Answers vary.
• There were 13 original states. Name five.
• What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? Louisiana Territory or Louisiana.
• Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. Examples include Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Apache, Seminole, and many others on the official list.

Some history answers also include places, such as Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the World Trade Center in New York City. Knowing roughly where these are makes the answers easier to remember. See 20th-century U.S. history.

The 13 original states on a map

The 13 colonies sat along the Atlantic coast. From north to south:

1. New Hampshire
2. Massachusetts
3. Rhode Island
4. Connecticut
5. New York
6. New Jersey
7. Pennsylvania
8. Delaware
9. Maryland
10. Virginia
11. North Carolina
12. South Carolina
13. Georgia

Five easy ones to say: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia. Note that Maine, Vermont, and Florida were not among the original 13.

Geography on the 2008 test

If you take the 2008 test, there is a full geography section (questions 88 to 95 on the 100-question list):

• Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. Missouri (River) or Mississippi (River).
• What ocean is on the West Coast? Pacific (Ocean).
• What ocean is on the East Coast? Atlantic (Ocean).
• Name one U.S. territory. Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, or Guam.
• Name one state that borders Canada. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, or Alaska.
• Name one state that borders Mexico. California, Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas.
• What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.
• Where is the Statue of Liberty? New York (Harbor) or Liberty Island.

Tricks for the 2008 geography questions

• Oceans: "Pacific = West, Atlantic = East." Picture California on the Pacific and New York on the Atlantic.
• Mexico border states: just four, west to east: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas.
• Canada border states: you only need one. New York, Washington, or Alaska are easy to say. Pennsylvania and Ohio count because of their shoreline on Lake Erie, which surprises many people.
• Territories: Puerto Rico is the safest answer.
• Rivers: the Mississippi flows south through the middle of the country to the Gulf; the Missouri joins it near St. Louis.

Your state capital - the question everyone must answer

Both versions of the test ask for your state's capital (on the 2008 test, as a question about your state). This is where many people slip, because the capital is often not the biggest or most famous city. Common traps:

• New York: Albany (not New York City)
• California: Sacramento (not Los Angeles)
• Texas: Austin (not Houston or Dallas)
• Florida: Tallahassee (not Miami or Orlando)
• Illinois: Springfield (not Chicago)
• Pennsylvania: Harrisburg (not Philadelphia)
• Washington: Olympia (not Seattle)
• Nevada: Carson City (not Las Vegas)
• Michigan: Lansing (not Detroit)

D.C. residents should say D.C. is not a state and has no capital. Residents of a territory name the territory's capital. More on state answers in federal vs. state powers and civics questions with changing answers.

How to learn the map quickly

• Use a printed or digital map for 10 minutes and point to each place as you say its answer out loud.
• Connect places to stories: Louisiana with Jefferson, the Statue of Liberty with immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, the 13 colonies with the 13 stripes on the flag (see American symbols).
• Practice only your version. If you take the 2025 test, do not spend time on border states and rivers. In Civio, the question bank matches the 2025 test, so you are not studying questions you will not be asked.

You can review every official question on the civics questions page.

Frequently asked questions

Is there geography on the 2025 civics test?

Only a few place-based questions: the capital of the United States, the location of the Statue of Liberty, your state capital, five of the 13 original states, and the Louisiana Territory. The rivers, oceans, and border states questions are only on the 2008 test.

What are the two longest rivers in the United States?

On the 2008 test, the accepted answers are the Missouri River and the Mississippi River.

Which states border Mexico?

California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This question is on the 2008 test.

What is the capital of the United States?

Washington, D.C. It appears on both the 2008 and 2025 tests.

What should I answer if I do not live in a state?

D.C. residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of their territory.

Prepare for the civics test with Civio: every official question from the 2025 USCIS civics test, Exam Mode with your state's questions, and spaced repetition.

Informational article, not legal advice. Civio is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency; always check current requirements at uscis.gov.

Keep reading: The USCIS Biometrics Appointment for Naturalization · 2008 vs. 2025 Civics Test: Which One Is Yours? · The 2025 Civics Test, Explained · Example civics test questions