What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

Answers from the USCIS list

Give this answer. Words in light (parentheses) are optional.

• Atlantic optional: (Ocean)

Our explanation

A coast is land along an ocean. The 13 original states were all on the East Coast. The ocean there is the Atlantic Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is on the West Coast.

Remember it

Alphabet trick: A and E come early (Atlantic, East); P and W come late (Pacific, West).

Source

USCIS 2025 Study Guide (M-1175) p. 40: “The ocean on the East Coast of the United States is called the Atlantic Ocean.” p. 38: “All of the 13 original states are located on the East Coast.”

• Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test (2008 version), rev. 08/21 (PDF, USCIS)

Last checked on September 29, 2026.

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Easy to mix up with

• 89What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?