# Why is the USA abbrieviated to EE.UU.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 5, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501 "2001-11-05T00:36:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mancunian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mancunian/32/12244_2.png) [@mancunian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mancunian)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501/1 "2001-11-05T00:36:21Z")

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I know that the Spanish word for USA is Estados Unidos, why EE.UU??

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**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501/2 "2001-11-05T00:41:03Z")

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It’s to show that it’s plural. United State **s** as opposed ot United State. In spanish it’s Estados (States) Unidos (United) both of them are plural. Knock the s off the end of them and it would just be E.U. or United State.

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501/3 "2001-11-05T00:57:19Z")

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[EE-UU??](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=84572)

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**Author:** ![Ell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@Ell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ell)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501/4 "2001-11-05T01:02:31Z")

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And it would be quite confusing with the European Union around (I spose).

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**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501/5 "2001-11-05T13:35:20Z")

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Anyone know how they abbreviate “Estados Unidos Mexicanos” in Mexico? Do they use E.U.M. because it is unambiguous, or EE.UU.MM. because it is plural?

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**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-abbrieviated-to-ee-uu/91501/6 "2001-11-05T13:47:21Z")

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E.U.M. but it is rarely used.