The United States of America

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52

USA has had 50 states since 1959.

1. Alabama 2. Alaska 3. Arizona 4. Arkansas 5. California 6. Colorado 7. Connecticut 8. Delaware 9. Florida 10. Georgia

11. Idaho 12. Hawaii 13. Illinois 14. Indiana 15. Iowa 16. Kansas 17. Kentucky 18. Louisiana 19. Maine 20. Maryland

21. Massachusetts 22. Michigan 23. Minnesota 24. Mississippi 25. Missouri 26. Montana 27. Nebraska 28. Nevada 29. New Hampshire 30. New Jersey

31. New Mexico 32. New York 33. North Carolina 34. North Dakota 35. Ohio 36. Oklahoma 37. Oregon 38. Pennsylvania 39. Rhode Island 40. South Carolina

41. South Dakota 42. Tennessee 43. Texas 44. Utah 45. Vermont 46. Virginia 47. Washington 48. West Virginia 49. Wisconsin 50. Wyoming

The District of Columbia is a federal district, not a state. Many lists include DC and Puerto Rico, which makes for 52 "states and other jurisdictions". Maybe that's the root of the myth? Or do people think of a deck of cards, the weeks in a year, or the country code of Mexico? Does the number 50 appear to be too rounded to be accurate?

The flag has 50 stars, one for each state. It is updated as needed.

A common explanation is that the flag doesn't include Alaska and Hawaii, thus 50 + 2 = 52. But Alaska became the 49th state on the 3rd of January 1959, and the flag got its 49th star on the 4th of July the same year. Hawaii became the 50th state on the 21st of August the same year, and the flag got its 50th star on the 4th of July 1960. Here's some older glories:

1908-1912 46 states

1912-1959 48 states + Arizona, New Mexico

1959-1960 49 states + Alaska

Historical flags from FOTW - Rick Wyatt + 2 x Mark Sensen

Flag-spotting

Counting stars might sound like a pastime for really bored nerds, but since the stars are arranged in certain patterns, some of which are quite distinctive, a small piece is often enough to identify the version of the flag.

Joe Rosenthal: Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima

The straight column of stars tells us that this has to be the 48-star flag. (On a genuine photo.)

Mort Kunstler: The Great White Fleet Sails

In this flag there are six rows of stars, with the 3rd and 5th being longer than the 2nd and 4th - this doesn't match any of the flags above. That is what one would expect from a historically accurate painting, since Teddy's fleet sailed in 1907. See the links below for this version of the flag, and many more.

I presume, however, that anachronistic flags are very common indeed. The next time I see a World War movie, I'll keep an eye on the american flags - they should feature the same simple 6 x 8-pattern as the one on Iwo Jima. (Not that I would mind if they don't; I'm not that bored.)

Sources:
Wikipedia: Political divisions of the United States; Flag of the United States
Flags Of The World (FOTW): History of the Stars and Stripes (U.S.)
The Evolution of Old Glory - flags for sale
Related:
Can you pass the third grade? - nice game featuring the 48 continental states

Thanks to Christer who came up with this factoid
and Freya Buchanan for proof-reading