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Washington, the "Evergreen State"
Abbreviation:
WA

Washington Flag
State Flag
Washington Seal
State Seal

Washington is famous for scenery of breathtaking beauty and sharp contrasts.  High mountains rise above evergreen forests and sparkling coastal waters.  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. In 1853, the Washington Territory was formed from part of the Oregon Territory. Its coastal location and Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim. The state has two major mountain ranges--the 7,000-foot Olympic Mountains surrounded by temperate rain forest on the peninsula west of Puget Sound, and the more majestic Cascade Range, which boasts the 14,410-foot Mount Rainier and the volcanic Mount St. Helens, which erupted twice in the 1980s.

Washington ist berühmt für seine atemberaubende landschaftliche Schönheit und scharfen Kontraste. Hohe Berge erheben sich über Nadelwälder und glitzernde Küstengewässer. Die dschungelartigen Wälder der Olympic Peninsula gehören zu den regenreichsten Orten der Welt, während sich in dem flachen, wüstenartigen Land östlich der Cascade Mountains über lange Strecken kein einziger Baum findet. Schneebedeckte Gipfel thronen über den Gebirgsausläufern und Ebenen.. Mount Rainier, der höchste Berg des Bundesstaates, scheint südöstlich von Seattle und Tacoma fast am Horizont zu schweben.

GOVERNMENT
Capital:
Olympia
Governor: Christine Gregoire, D (to Jan. 2009)
Senators: Patty Murray, D (to Jan. 2011); Maria Cantwell, D (to Jan. 2013)
House of Representatives: 9 districts | Search by zip code

STATISTICS
Population (July 2004):
6,204,000; National Rank: 15; Percent change since April 2000: 4.0%
Land Area: 66,582 sq mi. (172,447 sq km); National Rank:
18
10 largest cities (2003 est.): Seattle, 569,101; Tacoma, 196,790; Spokane, 196,624; Vancouver, 151,654; Bellevue, 112,344; Everett, 96,643; Federal Way, 81,711; Kent, 81,567; Yakima, 80,223; Bellingham, 71,289

ECONOMY
Total Gross State Product 2003 est. (millions of dollars): 244,915 (% of U.S. total: 2.2)
Per Capita Personal Income 2001:
$31,976; National Rank: 14 (105% of the national average)
State Exports 2001:
34,627; National Rank: 4
Agriculture: Seafood, dairy products, apples, cattle, wheat, potatoes, nursery stock.
Industry: Aerospace, software development, food processing, paper products, lumber and wood products, chemical products, tourism.

Government
·
State of Washington Official Homepage
· Project VoteSmart
· State and Local Government on the Internet

Statistics
· Washington Profile - Fedstats
· U.S. Census Bureau: 2000 Data for the State of Washington
· U.S. Census Bureau: State Data Centers: Washington

Economy
· Washington - Regional Accounts Data

Background
· 50States.com
·
InfoPlease
· State Profiles (Factmonster.com)
·
Symbols of Washington State
·
Wikipedia: Washington
·
Wissen.de: Washington

 
 

Travel
·
State of Washington Tourist Office
· Map (MapQuest)
· Washington State Parks

For High School Students
· ClassBrain.com: State Report
·
Explore the States
· Stately Knowledge

Teacher Resources
·
ProTeacher: Lessons by State: Washington

Link Lists
· GovEngine.com: Federal, State & Local Government Site
· Washington (Google)
·
Washington (Yahoo)

 
Texts are abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials.
 
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Updated: December 2006