Washington (state)
- For alternate meanings see Washington (disambiguation)
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State nickname: Evergreen State | |||||
Other U.S. States | |||||
Capital | Olympia | ||||
Largest City | Seattle | ||||
Governor | Gary Locke | ||||
Area - Total - Land - Water - % water |
Ranked 18th | ||||
Population
- Density |
Ranked 15th
32/km² | ||||
Admittance into Union
- Date | 42nd | ||||
Time zone | |||||
Latitude |
45°32' N to 49° N | ||||
Width |
385 km | ||||
ISO 3166-2: | US-WA |
Washington is a state located in the northwestern United States. It should not be confused with Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. To avoid confusion, the state is often called Washington State. While the state capital is Olympia, the largest city in Washington is Seattle. As of the 2000 census, the state population is approximately 5.9 million. Residents are called "Washingtonians".
Washington is the only state named after a president, George Washington.
The USS Washington was named in honor of this state.
History
In 1853, Washington Territory was formed from part of Oregon Territory. Washington became the 42nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889.
Geography
See: List of Washington counties
Washington is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, and British Columbia, Canada to the north. It is famous for scenery of breathtaking beauty and sharp contrasts. High mountains rise above evergreen forests and sparkling coastal waters. Its coastal location and Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim. Puget Sound's many islands are served by the largest state ferry fleet in the country.
Washington is a land of contrasts. The deep forests of the Olympic Peninsula are among the rainiest places in the world, but the flat semi-desert that lies east of the Cascade Range stretches for long distances without a single tree. Snow-covered peaks tower above the foothills and lowlands around them. Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the state, appears to "float" on the horizon southeast of Seattle and Tacoma on clear days. The eastern side of the state can be divided into two regions: the Okanogan Highlands, and the Columbia River Basin.
Geographical features
A fuller list of Washington state's islands appears here.
Important cities and towns
See also Washington city government
Education
Colleges and universities
Community colleges
Professional sports teams
Arts and culture
Elected officials and political activists
Elected officials
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Political activists
Major highways
- Interstate 5
- Interstate 82
- Interstate 90
- U.S. Highway 2
- U.S. Highway 12
- U.S. Highway 97
- U.S. Highway 101
External links
- State of Washington website: http://access.wa.gov/
- Revised Code of Washington (State Law): http://www.leg.wa.gov/rcw/index.cfm
- Washington Administrative Code (State Administrative Rules): http://www.leg.wa.gov/wac/
- State Code Search Tool: http://search.leg.wa.gov/pub/textsearch/default.asp
- Over 11,000 websites categorized and profiled on Zeal: http://zeal.com/category/preview.jhtml?cid=1154760