When uploading contact lists to Swordfish, including a state can help improve match accuracy—especially when paired with a country. This is particularly useful when your data includes people from regions with similar or overlapping state codes.
Why Does Country Matter?
Some state codes exist in more than one country. For example, "AL" is used for Alabama in the U.S. and Alagoas in Brazil. Because of this, it’s important to always include the country in your file upload when using a state field. This ensures our system correctly matches the state to the right location.
We recommend always including a country, even if you think the region is obvious.
Tips for Using State Data Effectively
Use official two-letter state codes as listed below.
Always pair the state code with a country code using the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 format, such as
US,GB, orCA.Avoid using full state names like "California" or "Queensland." Use "CA" or "QLD" instead.
If you're not including a street or city, still add the country to improve results.
Supported Countries & State Codes
Below are the state codes supported by Swordfish for file uploads. Use these codes exactly as listed:
Australia (AU)
| Code | State Name |
|---|---|
| NSW | New South Wales |
| QLD | Queensland |
| SA | South Australia |
| TAS | Tasmania |
| VIC | Victoria |
| WA | Western Australia |
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory |
| NT | Northern Territory |
Canada (CA)
| Code | Province / Territory |
|---|---|
| AB | Alberta |
| BC | British Columbia |
| MB | Manitoba |
| NB | New Brunswick |
| NL | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| NS | Nova Scotia |
| ON | Ontario |
| PE | Prince Edward Island |
| QC | Quebec |
| SK | Saskatchewan |
| NT | Northwest Territories |
| NU | Nunavut |
| YT | Yukon |
United Kingdom / Great Britain (GB)
| Code | Region Name |
|---|---|
| ENG | England |
| NIR | Northern Ireland |
| SCT | Scotland |
| WLS | Wales |
Brazil (BR)
| Code | State Name |
|---|---|
| AC | Acre |
| AL | Alagoas |
| AM | Amazonas |
| AP | Amapá |
| BA | Bahia |
| CE | Ceará |
| DF | Distrito Federal |
| ES | Espírito Santo |
| GO | Goiás |
| MA | Maranhão |
| MG | Minas Gerais |
| MS | Mato Grosso do Sul |
| MT | Mato Grosso |
| PA | Pará |
| PB | Paraíba |
| PE | Pernambuco |
| PI | Piauí |
| PR | Paraná |
| RJ | Rio de Janeiro |
| RN | Rio Grande do Norte |
| RO | Rondônia |
| RR | Roraima |
| RS | Rio Grande do Sul |
| SC | Santa Catarina |
| SE | Sergipe |
| SP | São Paulo |
| TO | Tocantins |
United States (US)
| Code | State Name | Code | State Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | Alabama | MT | Montana |
| AK | Alaska | NC | North Carolina |
| AZ | Arizona | ND | North Dakota |
| AR | Arkansas | NE | Nebraska |
| CA | California | NH | New Hampshire |
| CO | Colorado | NJ | New Jersey |
| CT | Connecticut | NM | New Mexico |
| DE | Delaware | NV | Nevada |
| DC | District of Columbia | NY | New York |
| FL | Florida | OH | Ohio |
| GA | Georgia | OK | Oklahoma |
| HI | Hawaii | OR | Oregon |
| ID | Idaho | PA | Pennsylvania |
| IL | Illinois | RI | Rhode Island |
| IN | Indiana | SC | South Carolina |
| IA | Iowa | SD | South Dakota |
| KS | Kansas | TN | Tennessee |
| KY | Kentucky | TX | Texas |
| LA | Louisiana | UT | Utah |
| ME | Maine | VT | Vermont |
| MD | Maryland | VA | Virginia |
| MA | Massachusetts | WA | Washington |
| MI | Michigan | WV | West Virginia |
| MN | Minnesota | WI | Wisconsin |
| MO | Missouri | WY | Wyoming |
U.S. Outlying Areas (also use US for Country Code)
| Code | Territory Name |
|---|---|
| AS | American Samoa |
| GU | Guam |
| MP | Northern Mariana Islands |
| PR | Puerto Rico |
| UM | United States Minor Outlying Islands |
| VI | U.S. Virgin Islands |
If you're unsure how to structure your file, or want help reviewing your data before uploading, feel free to email us at [email protected]. We're happy to help.