Washington State
- Alternate meanings: George Washington, Washington, D.C., Other places called Washington
Washington is a state located in the northwestern United States. It should not be confused with Washington, D.C., the capital of the USA. 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".
The USS Washington was named in honor of this state.
History
In 1853, the Washington Territory was formed from part of the Oregon Territory.
Washington became the 42nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889.
Geography
See: List of Washington counties
Washington shares borders with the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, and British Columbia, Canada to the north. Washington 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 land that lies east of the Cascade Mountains 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.
Important cities and towns
See also Washington City Government
Education
Colleges and universities
Professional sports teams
Arts and culture
Major highways
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
Referenced By
9-11 Commission | 9/11 Commission | Bastyr University | Camano Island | Capture of Saddam Hussein | Cascadia | Chinook Jargon | Columbia Gorge | Columbia River Gorge | Dead Lake | December 2003 | Electric trolleybus | Fire balloon | Gary Snyder | Glacier Peak | Grand Coulee Dam | Greater Vancouver Regional District | Harry Truman (volcano victim) | Hillside Strangler | Isaac Ingalls Stevens | Isaac Stevens | Kenneth Bianchi | Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest | Muckleshoot | National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States | Northwestern Crow | Operation Red Dawn | Pinus albicaulis | Shield Volcano | Snoqualmie Pass | Stonehenge | Trolley bus | Trolleybus | Washington State Ferries | Wenatchee River | Whitebark pine | Wishkah River
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