Interesting Geography question: Which US state is closest to Africa?

[AviatorTom]

My news feed this morning posted an interesting geography question so I thought I would share it with you.

Which US state is closest to Africa?

Correct answer will be given in a few days (Wednesday).

[question courtesy of Morning Brew]

Updates

1 y

Hint: The distance between the answer state and Africa is 3154 miles (5976 km).

Updates

1 y

The US state that is closest to Africa is...

drum roll

MAINE

Only 3154 miles (5976 km) to the Northwest African coast

Hawaii gets the participation award for the most interesting wrong answer 🏆

[BCA6010]

I assume it's either Florida or Maine.

I say Maine because the northern part of CONUS is actually further south on the globe than most people realize (NYC is closer to the equator than Rome), so straight line distance from the cape to somewhere on the northwestern coast is probably closer than people think, even though most US direct flights to the African continent go out of Atlanta or New York.

[ProbablyClueless]

Just based on the shape of the Earth, I'm going to guess Maine...

[CrazyGirl2]

If I had to guess I’d say Maine, because it’s so much further to the east than Florida. (which I would assume is most people’s pick.)

I hope THIS one is right as i’ve been wrong on a couple lately.
Laura 🤗 🥰

[purplepoppy]

Do you mean closest as in distance or closest as in developed?

[AviatorTom]

@purplepoppy Looking for Closest in Distance.

[goaded]

LMAO.

[RavVid]

Is that physically closest? And is that any part of Africa?

Visually it seem to be Maine that would be closest on a great circle. Western Sahara would seem to be closest but it is disputed territory and most of it s controlled by Morocco. Some scope for ambiguity.

About 3,369 miles flying but coastline to coastline would be shorter I guess.

[ArrowheadSW]

I actually went over and looked at my globe. The State of Maine is a lot further to the east than it appears on a flat 2 dimensional map. So I would say that Maine is closest to the African continent.

[exitseven]

Maine has the easternmost point of the US so I will go with that.

[RebelinSteel]

It’s Maine and a specific point called Quoddy Head, which to El Beddouza is 3154 miles.

Florida is 8,083 miles

Hawaii is 11,404 miles

[MrOracle]

Hawaii. That's obvious. Most people jump to the US East Coast because that's how flat maps depict it, but if you think of the globe, the answer is right there.

[Goahead76]

Eastern Maine to Western Sahara looks the shortest.

[msc545]

I think it is probably Maine since the travel distance from there to Africa is the shortest.

[CalmUntilAbused]

To be honest, my bet would be Florida. How much further is it?

[BetaBucks]

If I had to guess, based on Google Maps, I'd say Maine.

[noohair]

Maine sticks out the most.

[NathanDavis]

Texas...

[SweetJoyGirl]

😂😂😂😂

[NathanDavis]

[SweetJoyGirl]

It is really big fr 😂😂😂😂

[NathanDavis]

@SweetJoyGirl it sure is...

from the West Texas end, you can get to the end of the USA in California faster than you would make it to the other extreme of Texas, at the East coast

[SweetJoyGirl]

Hahahaha 😂😂😂😂
Trueeee 😂

[OlderAndWiser]

My guess is Hawaii.

[OlderAndWiser]

The suspense was killing me so I googled the question. Who knew?

[Amy10223]

I say Florida is.

[strateguy632]

I guess florida. Closer than hawaii by far!

[DJB72]

As the crow flies, Maine I think.

[OhLongJohnsoning]

Probably florida, i would imagine

[MisterWack]

Florida.

[StudyingAuthor]

Is it hawaii?

[StudyingAuthor]

NOOOOO!

[Shopaholic7426]

Maine.

[Dongie]

Florida

[Anonymous]

Puerto Rico

[AviatorTom]

Puerto Rico is not a US state... yet, it's a territory. Maybe someday...

[Opinion Owner]

Okay, thinking outside the box