There are 14 U.S. territories in total, but only 5 of them are permanently inhabited.

Quick Scoop: The Basics

  • The United States has 14 territories altogether, including both inhabited and uninhabited areas.
  • Of these, 5 are permanently inhabited : Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
  • The remaining territories are mostly small islands or atolls with no permanent civilian population, often used for military, research, or wildlife purposes.

Inhabited vs. Uninhabited

  • Inhabited territories (5): These have local civilian populations and their own local governments, but they are not U.S. states and have limited representation at the federal level.
  • Uninhabited territories (9): Sometimes called minor outlying islands, these typically have no permanent residents, though they may host temporary staff, scientists, or military personnel.

Why You See Different Numbers

  • When people say “5 U.S. territories,” they usually mean the five major inhabited territories , because those are the ones most involved in politics, sports, and news (like debates about Puerto Rico becoming a state).
  • When you see “14 U.S. territories,” that count includes the five inhabited territories plus nine smaller, mostly uninhabited islands and atolls under U.S. jurisdiction.

In casual conversation:

  • “5 territories” = the big, inhabited ones.
  • “14 territories” = the full official list, including minor outlying islands.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.