On May 28, 1987, the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication announced the Standard for Codes for the Indentification of the States, The District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of the United States, and Associated Areas. This standard (5-2) provides a set of two-digit numeric codes and a set of two-letter alphabetic codes for representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the outlying areas of the United States and associated areas.