The United States of America, commonly referred to as the United States, America, and sometimes the States, is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal district. The 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., are in central North America between Canada and Mexico. Wikipedia

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is the most populous U.S. state, home to one out of eight Americans, and is the third largest state by area. Wikipedia