The continental United States is the area of the United States of America that is located in the continent of North America. It includes 49 of the 50 states (48 of which are located south of Canada and north of Mexico, known as the "lower 48 states", the other being Alaska) and the District of Columbia, which contains the federal capital, Washington, D.C. The only state which is not part of this is Hawaii (as they are islands in the Pacific Ocean and not part of North America).