| State of Washington | |
| Coordinates | 47°30’N, 120°30’WL |
| General | |
| Surface | 184,824 km² (6.6% water) |
| Inhabitants | 6,664,195 (2009 estimate) (34.20 inhabitant/km²) |
| Capital city | Olympia |
| Politics | |
| Governor | Jay Inslee (D) |
| Other | |
| Time zone | Pacific Standard Time (UTC−8) |
| Joined | Nov 11, 1889 |
| Nickname | Evergreen State |
| Website | wa.gov |
Washington is one of the states of the United States, located in the Pacific Northwest. The state is made up of the remaining western portion of the former Washington Territory. The area was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. The United States Census Bureau estimated its population in 2009 at 6,664,195. The standard abbreviation for the “Evergreen State,” as it is nicknamed, is WA. The capital is Olympia.
About 60 percent of Washington state residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area, which is the center of the region’s transportation, business and industry. The rest of the state consists of large rainforests in the west, mountain ranges in the central, northeast and far southeast, and semi-deserts in the east that are cultivated for agricultural purposes.
Washington is named after George Washington, the first president of the United States, and is the only state to be named after a president. Usually reference is made to “Washington State” or more formally to “state of Washington” to distinguish it with the federal capital Washington DC. Mainly residents of Washington state and surrounding states only use “Washington”. They in turn refer to the capital as “Washington, DC” or simply “DC”.
History
Today’s state of Washington was originally part of a much larger area, the Oregon Territory that was created after the Oregon Treaty (1846), the solution to Oregon’s border dispute with the British in northern American territory. In 1853, Washington Territory was formed by secession from Oregon Territory. After an expansion in 1859 and a partition in 1863, the definitive territory was created, which formally became a state of the United States on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd.
Geography
According to JIBIN123.COM, Washington state covers 184,824 km², of which 172,587 km² is land. The state is located in the Pacific time zone.
Washington is located on the Pacific Ocean and is bordered by Canada to the north, Idaho to the east and Oregon to the south.
Two mountain ranges run through the state from north to south: the Pacific Coast Range and the Cascade Range. The highest point is the top of the volcano Mount Rainier (4392 m). To the south is Mount Saint Helens, an active volcano. The bay of Puget Sound, on which Seattle is located, joins the Pacific Ocean via, among other things, the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The Columbia River, which originates in Canada and defines much of the border with Oregon, drains two other major rivers, the Spokane and the Snake River. In northwest Washington, the so-called Olympic Peninsula, Washington owns a rainforest.
Demographics
| Population growth | |||
| Count | Bev. | %± | |
| 1850 | 1.201 | – | |
| 1860 | 11,594 | 865.4% | |
| 1870 | 23,955 | 106.6% | |
| 1880 | 75.116 | 213.6% | |
| 1890 | 357.232 | 375.6% | |
| 1900 | 518.103 | 45.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,141,990 | 120.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,356,621 | 18.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,563,396 | 15.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,736,191 | 11.1% | |
| 1950 | 2,378,963 | 37.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,853,214 | 19.9% | |
| 1970 | 3,409,169 | 19.5% | |
| 1980 | 4.132.156 | 21.2% | |
| 1990 | 4,866.692 | 17.8% | |
| 2000 | 5.894.121 | 21.1% | |
| 2009 estimate | 6,664,195 | 13.1% | |
Population Density in Washington
- Seattle
- Spokane
- Tacoma
The population should be estimated at 6 549 224 in 2008. This is an increase of 655 081 (+11.1%) since the year 2000. This figure includes the natural increase of 287 958 (503 819 births minus 281 861 deaths) and an increase in net migration of 287 759 people to the state. Foreign immigration resulted in a net increase of 157 950 residents and domestic migration resulted in a net increase of 129 809. Washington ranks first in population in the Pacific Northwest, followed by Oregon and Idaho.
Washington ‘s population center in the year 2000 was in an unpopulated portion of rural eastern King County, southwestern North Bend, and northeastern Enumclaw.
Largest Cities
The largest cities in Washington in 2009 according to the estimates of state authorities.
| Rank | Place | Inhabitants |
| 1 | Seattle | 602 000 |
| 2 | Spokane | 205 500 |
| 3 | Tacoma | 203 400 |
| 4 | Vancouver | 164 500 |
| 5 | Bellevue | 120 600 |
| 6 | Everett | 103 500 |
| 7 | Spokane Valley | 89 440 |
| 8 | Federal Way | 88 580 |
| 9 | Knows | 88 380 |
| 10 | Yakima | 84 850 |
| 11 | Renton | 83 650 |
| 12 | Bellingham | 76 130 |
| 13 | auburn | 67 485 |
| 14 | Kennewick | 67 180 |
| 15 | Lakewood | 58 840 |
Ethnic composition
The seven largest (ancestral) populations in Washington are: German (18.7%), English (12%), Irish (11.4%), Norwegian (6.2%), Mexican (5.6%), African (4.2%) and Filipino (3.7%).
Washington has the fourth largest Asian-American population of any state. The Filipino-American community is the largest subgroup in the state. Gary Locke was elected as the first Asian-American governor (and so far the only Chinese-American governor of all states) at the end of the twentieth century.
Many Mexican-American farm workers live in the central southeast of the state, and this population is also increasing in western Washington.
African Americans are less prevalent than Asian Americans or Hispanics (Latin American descent) in many communities in Washington, but African American mayors have already been elected in Seattle, Spokane and Lakewood. In Seattle, many African Americans move to the south of the city, as well as many residential areas such as South King County. Seattle’s black population is largely concentrated in the Rainier Valley and Central District which is also one of the few black neighborhoods in the Pacific Northwest.
Washington has many Indian reservations. Many residents adopt many of the art traditions of Northwestern Native Americans. This mainly concerns totem poles, long houses, dugout canoes and images of animals. Many cities have traditional Native American names such as Yakima, Seattle, Spokane, Puyallup, and Walla Walla.
Religion
The largest religions in Washington are:
- Protestantism: 49%
- mainline Protestantism: 23%
- evangelical protestantism: 49%
- other Protestant: 1%
- None: 25%
- Roman Catholicism: 16%
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon): 4%
- Islam: 1%
- Judaism: 1%
- other: 3%
Economy
The gross product of the state in 2001 was $223 billion. Especially in the east of the state, large areas are Indian reservations or in use by the American defense.
Major companies based in Washington state include:
- Boeing
- Microsoft
- Starbucks
- Costco (started in Kirkland, Washington)
- UPS (started in Washington)
- Amazon (started in Bellevue, Washington)
Administrative division
According to COUNTRYAAH, Washington is divided into 39 counties.
| County | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
County Seat | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
| Adams | 16.982 | Ritzville | 1722 |
| Asotin | 21.111 | Asotin | 1115 |
| Benton | 159.414 | Prosser | 5077 |
| Chelan | 70.993 | Wenatchee | 29.810 |
| Clallam | 70.474 | Port Angeles | 18.789 |
| Clark | 418.070 | Vancouver | 161.436 |
| Columbia | 3986 | Dayton | 2613 |
| Cowlitz | 100.467 | Kelso | 12.041 |
| Douglas | 36.177 | Waterville | 1141 |
| Ferry | 7373 | Republic | 952 |
| Franklin | 69.578 | Pasco | 52.647 |
| Garfield | 2050 | Pomeroy | 1277 |
| Grant | 83.047 | Ephrata | 7248 |
| Grays Harbor | 71.335 | Montesano | 3578 |
| Island | 81.326 | Coupeville | 1845 |
| Jefferson | 29.199 | Port Townsend | 9069 |
| King | 1.859.284 | Seattle | 594.210 |
| Kitsap | 236.732 | Port Orchard | 7940 |
| Kittitas | 38.542 | Ellensburg | 17.304 |
| Klickitat | 20.097 | Goldendale | 3731 |
| Lewis | 73.645 | Chehalis | 7221 |
| Lincoln | 10.255 | Davenport | 1689 |
| Mason | 56.384 | Shelton | 9222 |
| Okanogan | 39.653 | Okanogan | 2352 |
| Pacific | 21.490 | South Bend | 1806 |
| Pend Oreille | 12.760 | Newport | 2121 |
| Pierce | 773.165 | Tacoma | 196.520 |
| San Juan | 15.214 | Friday Harbor | 2082 |
| Skagit | 116.397 | Mount Vernon | 30.700 |
| Skamania | 10.723 | Stevenson | 1359 |
| Snohomish | 676.898 | Everett | 98.295 |
| Spokane | 456.175 | Spokane | 200.975 |
| Stevens | 41.835 | Colville | 4949 |
| Thurston | 238.555 | Olympia | 44.925 |
| Wahkiakum | 4039 | Cathlamet | 576 |
| Walla Walla | 57.709 | Walla Walla | 30.794 |
| Whatcom | 192.999 | Bellingham | 77.503 |
| Whitman | 41.229 | Colfax | 2751 |
| Yakima | 233.062 | Yakima | 82.974 |
Politics
The executive branch of the state is headed by a governor, who is directly elected by the voters in the state. The current governor of Washington is Jay Inslee of the Democratic Party. He was elected in 2012 and inaugurated in January 2013. He was re-elected in 2016.
The legislature is made up of the Washington House of Representatives (Washington House of Representatives) with 98 members and the Washington State Senate (Washington State Senate) with 49 members.
