This polygon shapefile portrays the state boundaries of the United States, and the boundaries of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The map layer was created by extracting the State boundary polygons from the individual 1:2,000,000-scale State boundary Digital Line Graph (DLG) files produced by the U.S. Geological Survey. These files were then merged into a single coverage. This is an updated version of the June 2002 map layer; the date when each State was admitted to the United States was added. This layer is part of the 1997-2014 edition of the National Atlas of the United States. These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at the national level, and for large regional areas. The data should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:2,000,000-scale data. No responsibility is assumed by the National Atlas of the United States in the use of these data. None. Acknowledgment of the National Atlas of the United States of America would be appreciated in products derived from these data. This layer is presented in the WGS84 coordinate system for web display purposes. Downloadable data are provided in native coordinate system or projection.