Introduction
In the United States in 2018, 615,311,596 acres of land were federally managed of the 2,271,343,360 total acreages of all the states combined in the U.S., or 27.1% of the United States’ total acreage. This vast landscape is managed by four federal agencies: the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Park Service (NPS), and the Forest Service (FS). Each state in the U.S. has at least 4,000 acres of federally managed land within its boundaries.
In spite of the massive quantity of federal land in Alaska, it is not the state with the highest percentage of federal acreage within a state. The state with the highest percentage of federal land is Nevada, of which 80.1%, or 56,262,610 acres of its total landmass is federally managed. By percentage of total acres, the next states with the most federally managed lands are Utah and Idaho, with 63.1% and 61.9% of their lands managed, respectively, by a federal agency.
Learn more about federal land by state by looking at the data in the charts.
| # | State | Federal Land | Total Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 80.1% | 110,572 mi² |
| 2 | Utah | 63.1% | 84,897 mi² |
| 3 | Idaho | 61.9% | 83,569 mi² |
| 4 | Alaska | 60.9% | 665,384 mi² |
| 5 | Oregon | 52.3% | 98,379 mi² |
| 6 | Wyoming | 46.7% | 97,813 mi² |
| 7 | California | 45.4% | 163,695 mi² |
| 8 | Arizona | 38.6% | 113,990 mi² |
| 9 | Colorado | 36.2% | 104,094 mi² |
| 10 | New Mexico | 31.7% | 121,590 mi² |
| 11 | Montana | 29% | 147,040 mi² |
| 12 | Washington | 28.6% | 71,298 mi² |
| 13 | District of Columbia | 24.7% | 68 mi² |
| 14 | Hawaii | 20.2% | 10,932 mi² |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 14% | 9,349 mi² |
| 16 | Florida | 12.9% | 65,758 mi² |
| 17 | Georgia | 12.9% | 59,425 mi² |
| 18 | Michigan | 10% | 96,714 mi² |
| 19 | Arkansas | 9.4% | 53,179 mi² |
| 20 | Virginia | 9.3% | 42,775 mi² |
| 21 | North Carolina | 7.8% | 53,819 mi² |
| 22 | Vermont | 7.8% | 9,616 mi² |
| 23 | West Virginia | 7.4% | 24,230 mi² |
| 24 | Minnesota | 6.8% | 86,936 mi² |
| 25 | South Dakota | 5.4% | 77,116 mi² |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 5.3% | 65,496 mi² |
| 27 | Mississippi | 5.1% | 48,432 mi² |
| 28 | Tennessee | 4.8% | 42,144 mi² |
| 29 | Louisiana | 4.7% | 52,378 mi² |
| 30 | South Carolina | 4.5% | 32,020 mi² |
| 31 | Kentucky | 4.3% | 40,408 mi² |
| 32 | North Dakota | 3.9% | 70,698 mi² |
| 33 | Missouri | 3.8% | 69,707 mi² |
| 34 | New Jersey | 3.6% | 8,723 mi² |
| 35 | Maryland | 3.2% | 12,406 mi² |
| 36 | Alabama | 2.7% | 52,420 mi² |
| 37 | Delaware | 2.4% | 2,489 mi² |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | 2.2% | 46,054 mi² |
| 39 | Texas | 1.9% | 268,596 mi² |
| 40 | Indiana | 1.7% | 36,420 mi² |
| 41 | Maine | 1.5% | 35,380 mi² |
| 42 | Oklahoma | 1.5% | 69,899 mi² |
| 43 | Illinois | 1.2% | 57,914 mi² |
| 44 | Massachusetts | 1.2% | 10,554 mi² |
| 45 | Ohio | 1.2% | 44,826 mi² |
| 46 | Nebraska | 1.1% | 77,348 mi² |
| 47 | New York | 0.8% | 54,555 mi² |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 0.7% | 1,545 mi² |
| 49 | Kansas | 0.5% | 82,278 mi² |
| 50 | Connecticut | 0.3% | 5,543 mi² |
| 51 | Iowa | 0.3% | 56,273 mi² |
Federal Land by State
Alabama
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Federal Land
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2.7%
Ranked in the US
#36
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52,420 mi²
Ranked in the US
#30
Federal Land
Total Area
Alaska
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Federal Land
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60.9%
Ranked in the US
#4
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665,384 mi²
Ranked in the US
#1
Federal Land
Total Area
Arizona
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Federal Land
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38.6%
Ranked in the US
#8
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113,990 mi²
Ranked in the US
#6
Federal Land
Total Area
Arkansas
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Federal Land
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9.4%
Ranked in the US
#19
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53,179 mi²
Ranked in the US
#29
Federal Land
Total Area
California
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Federal Land
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45.4%
Ranked in the US
#7
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163,695 mi²
Ranked in the US
#3
Federal Land
Total Area
Colorado
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Federal Land
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36.2%
Ranked in the US
#9
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104,094 mi²
Ranked in the US
#8
Federal Land
Total Area
Connecticut
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Federal Land
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0.3%
Ranked in the US
#50
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5,543 mi²
Ranked in the US
#48
Federal Land
Total Area
Delaware
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Federal Land
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2.4%
Ranked in the US
#37
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2,489 mi²
Ranked in the US
#49
Federal Land
Total Area
District of Columbia
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Federal Land
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24.7%
Ranked in the US
#13
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68 mi²
Ranked in the US
#51
Federal Land
Total Area
Florida
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Federal Land
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12.9%
Ranked in the US
#16
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65,758 mi²
Ranked in the US
#22
Federal Land
Total Area
Georgia
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Federal Land
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12.9%
Ranked in the US
#17
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59,425 mi²
Ranked in the US
#24
Federal Land
Total Area
Hawaii
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Federal Land
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20.2%
Ranked in the US
#14
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10,932 mi²
Ranked in the US
#43
Federal Land
Total Area
Idaho
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Federal Land
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61.9%
Ranked in the US
#3
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83,569 mi²
Ranked in the US
#14
Federal Land
Total Area
Illinois
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Federal Land
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1.2%
Ranked in the US
#43
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57,914 mi²
Ranked in the US
#25
Federal Land
Total Area
Indiana
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Federal Land
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1.7%
Ranked in the US
#40
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36,420 mi²
Ranked in the US
#38
Federal Land
Total Area
Iowa
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Federal Land
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0.3%
Ranked in the US
#51
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56,273 mi²
Ranked in the US
#26
Federal Land
Total Area
Kansas
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Federal Land
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0.5%
Ranked in the US
#49
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82,278 mi²
Ranked in the US
#15
Federal Land
Total Area
Kentucky
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Federal Land
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4.3%
Ranked in the US
#31
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40,408 mi²
Ranked in the US
#37
Federal Land
Total Area
Louisiana
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Federal Land
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4.7%
Ranked in the US
#29
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52,378 mi²
Ranked in the US
#31
Federal Land
Total Area
Maine
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Federal Land
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1.5%
Ranked in the US
#41
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35,380 mi²
Ranked in the US
#39
Federal Land
Total Area
Maryland
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Federal Land
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3.2%
Ranked in the US
#35
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12,406 mi²
Ranked in the US
#42
Federal Land
Total Area
Massachusetts
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Federal Land
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1.2%
Ranked in the US
#44
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10,554 mi²
Ranked in the US
#44
Federal Land
Total Area
Michigan
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Federal Land
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10%
Ranked in the US
#18
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96,714 mi²
Ranked in the US
#11
Federal Land
Total Area
Minnesota
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Federal Land
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6.8%
Ranked in the US
#24
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86,936 mi²
Ranked in the US
#12
Federal Land
Total Area
Mississippi
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Federal Land
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5.1%
Ranked in the US
#27
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48,432 mi²
Ranked in the US
#32
Federal Land
Total Area
Missouri
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Federal Land
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3.8%
Ranked in the US
#33
Federal Land
Total Area
Montana
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Federal Land
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29%
Ranked in the US
#11
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147,040 mi²
Ranked in the US
#4
Federal Land
Total Area
Nebraska
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Federal Land
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1.1%
Ranked in the US
#46
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77,348 mi²
Ranked in the US
#16
Federal Land
Total Area
Nevada
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Federal Land
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80.1%
Ranked in the US
#1
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110,572 mi²
Ranked in the US
#7
Federal Land
Total Area
New Hampshire
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Federal Land
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14%
Ranked in the US
#15
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9,349 mi²
Ranked in the US
#46
Federal Land
Total Area
New Jersey
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Federal Land
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3.6%
Ranked in the US
#34
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8,723 mi²
Ranked in the US
#47
Federal Land
Total Area
New Mexico
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31.7%
Ranked in the US
#10
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121,590 mi²
Ranked in the US
#5
Federal Land
Total Area
New York
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Federal Land
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0.8%
Ranked in the US
#47
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54,555 mi²
Ranked in the US
#27
Federal Land
Total Area
North Carolina
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Federal Land
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7.8%
Ranked in the US
#21
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53,819 mi²
Ranked in the US
#28
Federal Land
Total Area
North Dakota
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Federal Land
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3.9%
Ranked in the US
#32
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70,698 mi²
Ranked in the US
#19
Federal Land
Total Area
Ohio
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Federal Land
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1.2%
Ranked in the US
#45
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44,826 mi²
Ranked in the US
#34
Federal Land
Total Area
Oklahoma
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Federal Land
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1.5%
Ranked in the US
#42
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69,899 mi²
Ranked in the US
#20
Federal Land
Total Area
Oregon
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Federal Land
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52.3%
Ranked in the US
#5
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98,379 mi²
Ranked in the US
#9
Federal Land
Total Area
Pennsylvania
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Federal Land
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2.2%
Ranked in the US
#38
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46,054 mi²
Ranked in the US
#33
Federal Land
Total Area
Rhode Island
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Federal Land
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0.7%
Ranked in the US
#48
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1,545 mi²
Ranked in the US
#50
Federal Land
Total Area
South Carolina
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Federal Land
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4.5%
Ranked in the US
#30
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32,020 mi²
Ranked in the US
#40
Federal Land
Total Area
South Dakota
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Federal Land
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5.4%
Ranked in the US
#25
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77,116 mi²
Ranked in the US
#17
Federal Land
Total Area
Tennessee
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4.8%
Ranked in the US
#28
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42,144 mi²
Ranked in the US
#36
Federal Land
Total Area
Texas
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Federal Land
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1.9%
Ranked in the US
#39
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268,596 mi²
Ranked in the US
#2
Federal Land
Total Area
Utah
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Federal Land
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63.1%
Ranked in the US
#2
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84,897 mi²
Ranked in the US
#13
Federal Land
Total Area
Vermont
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Federal Land
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7.8%
Ranked in the US
#22
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9,616 mi²
Ranked in the US
#45
Federal Land
Total Area
Virginia
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Federal Land
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9.3%
Ranked in the US
#20
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42,775 mi²
Ranked in the US
#35
Federal Land
Total Area
Washington
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Federal Land
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28.6%
Ranked in the US
#12
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71,298 mi²
Ranked in the US
#18
Federal Land
Total Area
West Virginia
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Federal Land
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7.4%
Ranked in the US
#23
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24,230 mi²
Ranked in the US
#41
Federal Land
Total Area
Wisconsin
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Federal Land
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5.3%
Ranked in the US
#26
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65,496 mi²
Ranked in the US
#23
Federal Land
Total Area
Wyoming
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Federal Land
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46.7%
Ranked in the US
#6
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97,813 mi²
Ranked in the US
#10
Federal Land
Total Area
As a seasoned expert in geography and land management, I bring a wealth of knowledge to shed light on the intricate landscape of federally managed lands in the United States. My expertise stems from years of research, data analysis, and a deep understanding of the agencies responsible for overseeing these vast expanses. Let's delve into the concepts used in the provided article, providing a comprehensive overview.
Federal Land Management in the United States: An In-Depth Analysis
1. Overview of Federal Land Management Agencies:
The article mentions four key federal agencies responsible for managing the extensive U.S. federal lands:
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Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Manages vast areas of public lands, with a focus on multiple uses such as recreation, grazing, timber, and energy development.
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Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): Responsible for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats.
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National Park Service (NPS): Preserves and protects national parks and monuments, ensuring their enjoyment for present and future generations.
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Forest Service (FS): Manages national forests and grasslands, emphasizing sustainable forestry practices.
2. Extent of Federal Land:
The data provided reveals that, as of 2018, a staggering 27.1% of the total land area in the United States, approximately 615,311,596 acres, is federally managed. This extensive land is distributed among the four aforementioned agencies.
3. State-wise Distribution:
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Nevada: Leading the pack, Nevada boasts the highest percentage of federally managed land at 80.1%, totaling 56,262,610 acres.
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Other Top States: Following Nevada are Utah (63.1%) and Idaho (61.9%), showcasing the significant federal presence in these states.
4. Alaska's Unique Scenario:
- Despite its immense size, Alaska doesn't hold the highest percentage of federal acreage. It stands at 60.9%, ranking fourth among states in federal land percentage.
5. State Rankings and Statistics:
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The table provides a comprehensive list of all states, their percentage of federally managed land, and the total land area.
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Noteworthy states include California (45.4%), Arizona (38.6%), and Montana (29%), each demonstrating the diverse distribution of federal lands.
6. Data Visualization:
- The article encourages readers to explore the data through charts, offering a visual representation of federal land distribution across states.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the United States' federal land management system is a complex and extensive network overseen by four major agencies. The data presented showcases the diverse distribution of federally managed lands, with each state having a unique relationship with the federal government in terms of land management. This analysis is crucial for understanding the broader context of U.S. land use policies and conservation efforts.
