It may seem that Washington is the same state where the capital of the United States is located, but this would be a mistake. In fact, Washington is the state of the United States of America, which is located in the upper left corner of the US map or is located in the northeastern part of it. The informal nickname for this large state is evergreen. And we can say that this nickname is quite justified, because there are large areas of forests here. The most famous and at the same time the largest city in the state is Seattle. But the capital is not he at all, but the city of Olympia. Worth to visit .
Washington Cities
Washington is a very beautiful state that looks more like a non-standard US state that is located in the northern part of the country. . Nature generously endowed this state and today it can please tourists with its many parks in various cities of Washington State. But, at the same time, there are cities that specialize mainly not in resorts, but in doing business.
The capital city of the US state of Washington is the city of Olympia. However, despite this fact and the fact that the city is the largest among the rest of the cities in the state, Olympia is used not as some kind of industrial city or shopping center, but as an administrative city where people associated with politics and jurisprudence live and work.
The state's commercial center is Tacoma. It is not only a tourist center, but also one of the largest and most populous cities in the state of Washington. Today, many people who live both in America and in the countries of Asia and Europe flock to these cities.
The cultural center, as well as the flagship city of the state, is undoubtedly Seattle. The city is a symbol of delicious food. It is here that tourists, sitting in different restaurants and cafes, can tirelessly savor the unique culinary masterpieces from local chefs. Also here you can find many different museums, theaters and cinemas.
Washington is a state that is perfectly located in the northwest of the country, where in every city you can find a lot of the most interesting things that can only be in the United States of America. Head to the state's flagship city, Seattle, and there you'll be able to visit the many theaters and museums. Also, shopping is very well developed here, so you can buy a lot of different amazing things here.
In Washington, you can go to a very beautiful park, which is protected by the United States as a cultural heritage of the country. The name of the park is Seattle National Park, and it is rightfully one of the most beautiful parks in the country. Here, in addition to the amazing nature, you can find about one and a half thousand various monuments of culture and architecture.
Olympia, along with Seattle, is one of the cultural centers of the state of Washington. Here you can find a large number of cultural centers: theaters, museums and architectural exhibits. Fans of the film industry will find very comfortable cinemas for themselves.
Young children will also be happy to know that the state has a large number of entertainment centers, such as all kinds of zoos, amusement parks and aquariums.
For a gastronomic treat, head to the city of Spokane. Here you can find many shops of branded brands, as well as malls, amazing in their size, where you can find absolutely everything you need.
Washington state population
If you look at the growth dynamics of the population of Washington since 1960, you will notice that every ten years the population has steadily increased, and if at the beginning of the study it was two million nine hundred thousand people, today the population is already more than six million eight hundred ninety-seven thousand Human. That is, the population of the state has more than doubled in the last fifty years. And now the state ranks eighteenth in terms of population among the entire country, while ahead of most other US states.
The largest and most populous city in Washington, Seattle, is home to just over 600,000 people. Most of all, the German nation is represented in the state. There are about twenty-one percent of them in Washington. The second place in terms of population is shared by two European nations from Britain - the Irish and the British. There are twelve and a half percent of them in the state. Americans themselves in Washington, there are no more than five percent.
Washington State Hotels
In Washington, as well as in other US states with a sufficient number of tourists, there cannot be few hotels and hotels. Here you can find hotels of various number of stars, and each tourist, depending on his wishes and requirements, will be able to find the hotel that he likes.
Many hotels in Washington State, even two-star hotels, offer free Wi-Fi, satellite TVs and much more. Among these two-star hotels, you can stay at the Georgetown Inn.
Three-star hotels offer better and more versatile services when booking rooms. In the Hyatt Palace Seattle hotel, in addition to the usual Wi-Fi Internet, you can use a comfortable bathroom, as well as a comfortable hall for guests. A breakfast buffet is also served here every morning.
The four-bedroom Alexis Hotel provides, in addition to all the above services, the opportunity to relax in the sauna or get a spa massage.
There are two five-star hotels in Seattle that can provide unique luxury rooms in their apartments. The names of these hotels are Four Seasons Hotel Seattle and The Fairmont Olympic Seattle.
This is how John Kennedy described Washington. The capital of America, located in the Federal District of Columbia, is distinguished by the peculiarity of its architecture and is not easy to perceive. It has great cultural significance, attracts with its intellectual energy. The city is comparable to the whole country, where life is in full swing. Nevertheless, Washington is not the most remarkable city in the United States. Houston and New York are also considered unofficial capitals. Why? This will be discussed later in the article.
Washington or New York: which is more important?
The capital of the United States is definitely Washington DC. But many people confuse it with New York. What is this confusion about? The fact is that in history both cities were capitals. Sometime before the construction of Washington (in a very short period of time), New York proudly bore this title.
The city was proclaimed the capital in 1800 and founded ten years earlier. It was in Washington that George Washington accepted the status of the first president in the history of the country. The city was built as the political center of the country, independent and not tied to any of the states that existed at that time. Initially, the location of the city was the territory of the states of Maryland and Virginia, but later they decided to make the territory of the city a separate autonomous region - this is how the independent District of Columbia was created.
Today, both cities can be called the centers of social and cultural life of the country. New York is the largest, most developed and most famous city in America. Perhaps that is why the question sometimes arises: which US capital is more significant? Many believe that New York, since all the financial power of the state is concentrated there, the economies of the world's largest powers depend on the center of the stock exchange - the famous Wall Street. Manhattan is strewn with the largest shopping centers, global projects are being implemented by hundreds of thousands of people.
However, it is no coincidence that America has the status of the most free and liberal country. Washington today is not tied to any of the 50 states, thanks to which it is believed that its administration is as objective and fair as possible.
US Chemical Capital
Many people have heard this name. But not everyone knows which city is the chemical capital of the United States. So called Houston, named after Sam Houston. It has the fourth largest population in America and is the largest in the state of Texas. A large number of various enterprises are concentrated here, including those that produce oil-producing equipment.
The main sources of air pollution in Houston are vehicle exhaust and emissions from more than 400 chemical industries, including two large oil refineries, as well as a petrochemical complex along the Port of Houston and Houston Ship Channel.
The situation is complicated by meteorological factors: the period from April to October is characterized by a large number of sunny windless days with a predominance of high temperatures and humidity. All this causes emissions to settle over the city.
Washington - brief description
Having become the capital in 1800, Washington is still the capital of America. It should be remembered that in the USA there is the state of Washington, and there is a city with the same name. Geographically, they are far from each other. To avoid confusion, the full name of the capital of the United States is Washington DC, which means Washington District Columbia, translated as Washington DC.
Downtown Washington is the Capitol building, which has been the seat of the nation's Congress since 1800. Back in 1812, the building, symbolizing independence, was almost completely destroyed as a result of arson by English troops. The population today is about 600 thousand people, whose main occupation is management. The Library of Congress contains unique documents and books that capture the short history of the country.
Washington is located in the lower reaches of the Potomac River near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The city stretches on a plateau among the hills, at an altitude of 128 meters above sea level. It is noteworthy that it is Washington that divides the United States into northern and southern parts.
The weather conditions of the area are formed under the influence of a subtropical humid climate. The average annual rainfall here exceeds 1000 mm. In winter, frosts are infrequent, the average air temperature in January is + 1 ° C, in summer, in July - about + 25 ° C.
Washington occupies a leading position among world capitals in terms of the number of green spaces: the city has many parks with a total area of more than 2800 m². Natural vegetation is represented by broad-leaved (oak, sycamore, ash, birch) and coniferous (spruce, pine) tree species.
About 4 million people live in Washington (together with the suburbs). Among the ethnic groups, white Europeans predominate (more than 70%), who come from various countries of Western and Eastern Europe. Over 20% of the population are African Americans and Hispanics. Among the inhabitants of Washington, there are also Indians, Asians.
English is recognized as the state language. But due to the presence of emigrants and their descendants who settled in Washington, other European languages are also common.
Among the believing population, Protestants make up the vast majority (more than 50%), Christians professing Catholicism - about 30%. Among the believing residents of Washington, there are also Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and Orthodox Christians.
Landmarks of Washington
Washington's cultural and historical sites are located in a rather limited space, presented in the form of a rectangle stretching from the Union Station railway station (Union Station) and the Library of Congress (The Library of Congress) in the east to the Watergate quarter (Watergate) and the Lincoln Memorial (Lincoln Memorial ) near the Potomac River in the west. Georgetown is located in the northwestern part of this rectangle, and Arlington National Cemetery stretches along the west bank of the Potomac. Entrance to visit almost all monuments and museums is free.
The traditional set of entertainment is a visit to classics like the White House and the Washington Monument, the Museum of Natural History. The visit, scheduled for late March - early April, will give you an unforgettable experience of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, when everything around is strewn with rose petals. If you're already familiar with this must-see, you can get to know the city from a different perspective by strolling through it in the evening to admire the bright lights of the clubs, art galleries, or visiting the vibrant farmer's markets in the suburbs.
Washington State's motto is "Gradually," which can be understood as "everything will work out in time."
Geography
It is customary to distinguish three physical-geographical regions of the state of Washington. The first is the Olympic Peninsula in the very west. The second is a rainy forest region, where the largest cities of Washington - and Tacoma are located. The third is the Columbian Plateau with an arid climate in the east, located behind the high ridge of the Northern Cascades, cut by the canyons of the Columbia River and its tributaries. The two most famous peaks of the Cascades are the highest point of the state stratovolcano Rainier (4392 m) and Mount St. Helens (2550 m). St. Helens is an active volcano, whose catastrophic eruption in 1980 claimed the lives of 57 people and caused enormous damage to the nature and economy of the surrounding area. These volcanoes, as well as Baker, Glacier Peak, and Adams, are part of the volcanic Pacific Ring of Fire.
The natural eastern border of the state is the spurs of the majestic Rocky Mountains. There are many lakes with clear and transparent water in the river canyons of the state.
Story
Even in ancient times, the northwestern part of the United States was one of the most densely populated territories in North America. Before the advent of Europeans, 125 tribes lived here, speaking 50 dialects. The largest tribes were Chinook, Lammy, Kinault, Makah, Skokomish. They fished for salmon and halibut, hunted whales and made large houses and long canoes from cedar trunks.
The first Europeans who saw the local coast were the Spaniards: in 1775, Captain Bruno de Heceta on board the ship "Santiago" declared this entire region the property of Spain. In 1778, the ship of the English navigator Captain James Cook (1728-1779) passed at the mouth of the Juan de Fuca Strait. But for the first time, the straits that now separate the state of Washington and British Columbia were explored in 1789 by the expedition of Captain Charles Barclay.
In the early 1790s. research was continued by the Spanish captains Manuel Quimper and Francisco Elisa, as well as the Englishman George Vancouver. In 1792, Captain Robert Gray discovered the mouth of the Columbia River.
In 1810, Canadian fur traders managed to penetrate from the north, through impenetrable forests and mountains, and founded the city of Spokane. In 1811, the Americans came here from the south and founded a trading post on the banks of the Okanogan River. Later, under the American-Spanish Treaty of Adams-Onis of 1819, the Spaniards renounced their claims to these lands, which were too far to the north. Then this territory, which was called the Oregon lands and was jointly owned, became the subject of a dispute between the United States and Great Britain. The territorial dispute was resolved in favor of the United States on June 15, 1846, when the Oregon Treaty was concluded: Oregon lands were divided along the 49th parallel, which became the border of the state and Canada.
In those years, the state's economy lived off agriculture - in particular, large apple orchards and logging. The situation changed dramatically during the famous California Gold Rush of 1848-1855, when a gold deposit was discovered in the Cascade Mountains in the northeast of the state. Crowds of prospectors poured in here, and the population increased dramatically.
In 1889 Washington became the 42nd state of the USA.
The state's economy was largely developed through military supplies during the Second World War, when Seattle became one of the main US ports in the Pacific theater of operations.
Nature
Evergreen trees grow in the forests of Washington state, and thanks to abundant rains, grasses and shrubs remain green all year round. The relief is very diverse, for which it is also called the "land of contrasts": there are mountainous areas, river valleys and even semi-deserts. The Cascade Mountains stretch across the entire state from north to south, dividing it into maritime and sharply continental climate zones.
Majestic mountains and endless prairies are the wealth of the state of Washington, inherited from nature.
Since its inception, the State of Washington has benefited from the advantageous location of its largest city, economic center and major seaport of Seattle (founded in 1853), as well as the natural harbor of Puget Sound for trade with all countries of the Pacific Ocean. Gone are the days when the state traded only timber and apples. The current state of Washington is one of the most economically developed in the Western United States, where high-tech products are preferred. Here are the residences of the largest IT company Microsoft, the world's largest online store Amazon, the American branch of the video game manufacturer Nintendo, as well as the factories of Boeing, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer.
Washington State is also one of the leaders in the production of electricity in the United States: the cascade of dams on the Columbia River includes the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest in the United States and one of the largest in the world, and in total there are more than a thousand hydraulic structures designed for power generation and irrigation in the state. .
Washington is the second largest state in the west of the country after California and ranks 13th in terms of population in the United States. At the same time, 60% of residents live in the Seattle area and in the Puget Sound area on the Pacific coast, indented by many fjord bays. This uneven distribution of the population across the state is due to the difficult terrain and hot climate of the hinterland. Due to the features of the relief, the climate of the state changes dramatically from wet to dry from west to east, which gives the state a vivid identity and creates landscapes of amazing beauty and diversity. A small population and the absence of large cities made it possible to keep virgin sections of mountains and prairies intact.
To protect nature in the state of Washington, reserves have been created: Olympic, Mount Rainier, North Cascades National Parks, as well as Colville, Olympic, Gifford Pinchot National Forests.
Mount Rainier National Park is one of the oldest in the United States: it was founded in 1899 and became the fifth National Park in the United States. It is known for glaciers and waterfalls.
Olympic National Park, founded in 1938 thanks to the efforts of President Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945), is located on the peninsula of the same name in the Pacific Ocean. The Olympic mountain range divides it into two parts. In the western part, in the Ho Valley, a tropical rainforest, rare for the continental United States, grows. This park with endemic flora and fauna preserved on this stretch of land, separated from the mainland by a strait in the pre-glacial period, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the most famous natural features of the state of Washington is the 82 m high Snoqualmie Falls (30 m higher than Niagara Falls) on the river of the same name. According to Indian legend, the Creator Moon created the first man and woman here.
Most of the state's man-made attractions are located in and around Seattle. The symbols of Seattle are the 160 m high Space Needle Tower, the vast University of Washington, Pike Place Market - one of the oldest fish markets in the United States, the Indian village of Tillicum. 
general information
Location: Pacific Northwest USA.Official name: Washington state in the United States of America, official nickname: "Evergreen State".
US region: Far West.
Capital: city of Olympia - 46,478 people (2010).
Large settlements (persons, 2011): Seattle - 620 778, Spokane - 210 103, Tacoma - 203 397, Vancouver - 161 791, Bellevue - 124 798.
Administrative division: 39 districts (counties).
English language.
Ethnic composition: White 77.3%, Hispanic 9%, Asian 7.2%, African American 3.6%, Amerindian 1.5%, Polynesian 0.6%, Other 0.8% (2010 est.) ).
Religions: Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, Islam.
Currency unit: U.S. dollar.
Major rivers: Columbia, Snake, Okanogan.
Largest lake: Chelon.
Outer border: in the north - the state border of Canada (province of British Columbia); in the south is Oregon (USA), in the east is Idaho (USA).
Major port: Seattle.
International airports: Seattle/Tacoma, Bellingham.
Numbers
Area: 184,827 km2. 13th most populous, 18th largest US state.Dimensions: from north to south - 400 km, from east to west - 580 km.
Population: 6,830,038 (2011).
Population density: 36.9 people / km 2.
Average height above sea level: 520 m
highest point: mountain (volcano) Rainier (4392 m).
Climate and weather
Marine temperate - in the west, dry continental - in the east.January average temperature:+6°С (Seattle, Pacific coast), -3°С (Spokane, east of the state).
July average temperature:+ 18°С (Seattle, Pacific coast), +20°С (Spokane, east of the state).
Average annual rainfall: 1000 mm - Seattle, 500 mm - Spokane.
Average annual air humidity: 85% - Seattle, 45% - Spokane.
Economy
GDP: $311.5 billion, 14th in the country (2007)
Minerals: zinc, lead, coal, gold, silver, uranium.
Industry: aircraft building, rocket building, shipbuilding, aluminum, copper smelting, machinery and equipment, biotechnology, pulp and paper, timber, fish canning; port industry (ocean port of Seattle); hydroelectric power.
Agriculture: cereals (wheat), horticulture, animal husbandry.
coastal fishing(salmon, halibut).
Service sector: information technology, financial services, tourism, transport.
sights
■ Cascade Mountains.■ Rainier and St. Helens volcanoes.
■ Olympic Peninsula.
■ Columbia River.
■ Lakes Chelon and Reflection.
■ City of Seattle: Space Needle Tower (1962), University of Washington, Pike Place Market, Tillicum Indian Village.
■ Puget Sound Fjords.
■ Grand Coulee Dam.
■ Olympic, Mount Rainier, North Cascades National Parks.
■ Colville, Olympic, Gifford Pinchot National Forests.
■ Snoqualmie Falls.
Curious facts
■ Rainier Volcano - a dormant volcano, the last eruption of which occurred about 150 years ago, but it is potentially very dangerous, because it is located in close proximity to large settlements - Seattle and other cities. But the most dangerous on the continental United States, of course, is not Mount Rainier, but the Yellowstone supervolcano in Wyoming.■ Western Washington is one of the rainiest regions in the US. In this place, the effect of a "rain shadow" is created: sea air masses leave all the moisture on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains, which contributes to the rapid growth of vegetation, more characteristic of a tropical climate.
■ Snoqualmie Falls opens at the beginning of every episode of the cult television series Twin Peaks.
■ The people of Seattle are big fans of coffee, for which Seattle was nicknamed the "coffee capital of the United States." In 1971, the first Starbucks coffee shop opened in Seattle, which soon became the most popular coffee shop chain in the world.
■ Washington state has a higher percentage of non-believers than the nation as a whole. According to this indicator, Washington ranks second in the United States after Colorado.
■ The Kennewick Man is a prehistoric human skeleton found by teenagers by accident on the banks of the Columbia River in 1996. The remains are estimated to be 9,300 years old. He attracted attention primarily by the dissimilarity of the structure of the skull and skeleton to the Americanoid type, which refutes the theory of complete racial homogeneity of the ancient settlement of the continent. Representatives of Indian tribes demanded that the remains be buried according to the custom of their ancestors under the Law for the Protection and Repatriation of Native American Graves, but scientists were able to question the relationship of Kennewick Man and the Indians.
■ Grunge is a musical genre, a kind of alternative rock that appeared in the mid-1980s. in Washington State, in Seattle. The brightest representative of grunge is the group of Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) "Nirvana".
■ There are currently 20 Indian reservations in Washington state.
■ Washington State is home to four of the five longest floating bridges in the world: Governor Albert D. Rossellini (Evergreen Point) (2,310 m long), Lacey W. Murrow Bridge (2,020 m long), Homer M. Hadley Bridge (length 1771 m) across Lake Washington and the Hood Canal bridge (length 2002 m) connecting the Olympia and Kitsap peninsulas.
■ Washington state symbols include the Olympic marmot, the American goldfinch, the American watchman dragonfly, and the square dance.
Washington is a state located in the northwestern United States. The capital is the city of Seattle. Major cities: Spokane, Olympia, Tacoma, Everett, Bellevue. For 2011, the population is 6,830,038 people. More than half of the state's residents live in the capital. Area 184,827 km². On November 11, 1889, Washington became the 42nd state of the United States.
State Attractions
In 2004, the Central Library was opened in Seattle. This place immediately became very popular among tourists. Here, 1.5 million books are placed in 34 thousand m². The library building is recognized as one of the most beautiful buildings. People come here not only to read, but also to admire the unique building.
Thirty miles from Seattle is the city of Puget Sound. There is a large port, many museums, theaters, ancient buildings. Mount Rainier is located southeast of the city.
The beautiful city of Olympia has many nature reserves and parks. It is a large cultural center, with six famous theaters, its own live jazz community and a symphony orchestra.
In addition, Mount Rainier National Park, the village of Tillicum, the Space Needle, Olympic National Park, and Snoqualmie Falls are located here.
Geography and climate
Washington State borders Idaho to the east, British Columbia to the north, and Oregon to the south. In the west, the territory has access to the Pacific Ocean. More than 90% of the territory is on land. In the central, southeastern and northeastern parts of the state there are mountain ranges, in the west - forests, in the east - semi-deserts. The mountains that divide the state stretch from north to south. The western part has a maritime climate, with wet winters and dry summers. There are coniferous forests here. In the eastern part there are vast steppes, arid deserts. The climate is dry. About 178 mm of precipitation falls annually. There are several active volcanoes in the Cascades.
Economy
GDP in 2005 amounted to $268.5 billion. The headquarters of such companies as Microsoft, Amazon, Valve, Starbucks, PACCAR are located here. Until 2007, the well-known company Icos (biotechnology) functioned here. The aerospace industry, led by Boeing, occupies a key position. More than 80 thousand people work at the company's factories. There are about 3,000 enterprises supplying parts for Boeing. The state ranks first in electricity production. Here is one of the largest dams in the world - Grand Coulee, as well as many hydroelectric power plants, thousands of dams. Farming is developed, fruits, hops, wheat, barley, potatoes, grapes and much more are grown. The state ranks third in wine production. Much attention is paid to animal husbandry, poultry farming, dairy production, and seafood production. Medical marijuana is officially legal in Washington, but since 2010, the sale of energy drinks containing alcohol or caffeine has been banned.
Population and religion
The population density of the state is 34.20 people per km² (25th place). The racial makeup was 69.5% White, 13.8% Asian, 7.9% African American, 5.1% Mixed Race, 0.8% Native American, and 6.6% Hispanic of any race. By ethnic origin, the inhabitants of the state can be distributed as follows: Germans - 20.9%, British - 12.6%, Irish - 12.6%, Norwegians - 6.2%, Americans - 4.1%, French - 4%, Swedes - 3.9%, Italians - 3.6%, Scots - 3.4%, Scots of Irish origin - 2.6%, Dutch - 2.5%, Poles - 1.9%, Russians - 1.4% , Danes - 1.2%.
Most of the indigenous population lived on reservations and only in the post-war years began to move to large cities. By religion, 77% of the population identify themselves as Christians.
Do you know...
Washington is the only state that was named after a president (George Washington).
The state of Washington is located in the northwestern United States on the Pacific coast, bordered by the states of Oregon to the south and Idaho to the east, as well as Canada. This is a fairly large state, its area is 185 square meters. km, population - more than 6 million people. The capital of Washington is the city of Olympia, the largest cities are Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma.
As a rule, the state is simply called "Washington", in contrast to the capital of the United States, the city of Washington, which is also located in a completely different state (the abbreviation DC is usually added to the name of the capital of the state - District of Columbia, that is, the District of Columbia in which it is located ). Another unofficial name for Washington is the "evergreen state": there are many trees in the local forests, and thanks to heavy rains, grasses and shrubs remain green throughout the year. Another nickname is the "state of contrasts". The fact is that on its territory you can see a variety of landscapes: mountain ranges and plains, semi-deserts and unique rainforests, plateaus and the ocean coast.
The state of Washington is the birthplace of the grunge musical style and a distinct culture of coffee consumption: many American coffee chains were founded in Seattle. The names of Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Bruce Lee, Bill Gates are associated with Washington.
How to get there
- by plane
The largest airports in Washington state are located 6 km from Olympia, in Seattle and in Seatak, between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. There are no direct flights from Moscow, but you can fly daily with connecting flights from Los Angeles or New York. The most popular carriers are American Airlines, Delta, United, and Northwest.
- on the ship
In addition, a lot of ships arrive in Puget Sound - including cruise passenger ships, mainly from Asian countries. And Washington's major cities of Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma and Olympia are served by the largest U.S. ferry system of 28 high-speed ferries that ply the Puget Sound and inland waterways to 20 ports. It is the largest ferry system in the United States and the third largest in the world.
The United States has a well-developed railroad system, but in Washington this mode of transport is not particularly popular: a train ticket costs about the same as an air ticket.
- by car
Washington also has a large network of state highways, so you can come here from neighboring states and Canada by car.
Find flights to Washington (nearest airport to Washington State)
Weather
The state's climate varies greatly from west to east, with the Cascade Ranges dividing Washington into eastern and western parts. Air masses from the Pacific Ocean create a humid climate in the western part, thanks to which these places have unique rainforests (usually found in areas with a hot climate, but here they grow at very moderate temperatures). On the Pacific coast, the average annual temperature is +11 °C. In the east, beyond the Cascades, the climate is arid, with an average temperature of +4 °C. In winter, frequent fogs, cloudiness and prolonged drizzling rains; summers are generally sunny and dry. However, climatic extremes are not uncommon in the western region: Arctic cold fronts in winter (down to -30 ° C) and intense heat in summer (up to + 45 ° C).
Popular hotels
The best photos of Washington State
Things to Do in Washington State
About 60% of Washington state residents live in Seattle, a transportation, business and industrial center in the western part of the state near the Salish Sea. Trade routes with Asian countries pass through the ports of Puget Sound, and Seattle itself is considered the largest business center on the coast. Most of Washington State's attractions are concentrated in and around Seattle.
Boeing, Starbucks, Velve (manufacturer of computer games Dota 2? Counter-Strike, Half-Life), Amazon are based in Seattle.
The hallmark of Seattle is the Space Needle (“Space Needle”), erected in the early 60s of the 20th century. on the territory of the exhibition complex Seattle Center (this is the center of many city and cultural events). The Space Needle has been immortalized by many American photographers and filmmakers. In addition, Seattle is famous for its skyscrapers: Smith Tower, Columbia Center, Washington Michual Tower, as well as the Museum of Music History and Science Fiction in Seattle Center and the fantastic-looking building of the central library. Another interesting place is Pike Place Market, one of the oldest public markets in the US, a center for folk festivals and a place for performances by street actors, clowns and singers.
Another tourist center of the state is Spokane, more interesting for history buffs. 18 districts of the city are included in the US National Register of Historic Places - that is, more than 50% of the central part of Spokane is recognized as a historical heritage. Three Victorian districts are of particular interest: South Hill, Browne's Addition and Davenport Arts District.
There is an opinion that the wines from this state are even among the top five in the world - and tourists are offered to verify this for themselves. The most famous winery is Chateau Ste Michelle in Woodinville, opened in 1954.
In the state of Washington, the state has a monopoly on the sale of alcohol. The monopoly applies to all alcoholic beverages stronger than 20%, as well as liqueurs (even if the alcohol content in them is less than 20%) - they can only be bought in state-owned stores or private wineries with a state license. Beer and wine that contains less than 20% alcohol can be bought in regular shops and supermarkets.
Nature and National Parks in Washington State
cascade mountains stretch from north to south, dividing the state into zones of maritime and sharply continental climate. There are several active volcanoes in the Cascade Range, which are significantly higher than the rest of the mountain range: Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, St. Helens and Mount Adams. However, in fact, only St. Helens (or Mount St. Helena) periodically erupts.
Just 80 km from Seattle is located Mount Rainier volcano 4392 m high - due to its proximity to the metropolis, it is considered the most dangerous volcano in the continental United States and is included in the list of the ten most dangerous volcanoes in the world. There is also a national park of the same name, one of the oldest in the United States - it was founded in 1899, the fourth of the country's national parks. It is known not only for its glaciers (there are more than two dozen of them on its territory, and the largest glacier in the continental United States is located on top of Rainier itself), but also for picturesque valleys, waterfalls, meadows and forests.
Olympic National Park located on the peninsula of the same name in the Pacific Ocean. The Olympic mountain range divides the park and the peninsula itself into two parts. Western is famous for the Ho Rainforest - one of the few tropical rainforests in the continental United States, beaches on the Pacific coast and three Indian reservations open to tourists. In the west, the climate is more arid. On the territory of the national park there are clean lakes, dense forests, meadows, and on the peaks of Olympic there are about six dozen glaciers.
The Olympic National Park has the status of an international biosphere reserve and is included in the World Heritage List due to its unique flora and fauna: it has been isolated from the mainland for a long time, and its lands have preserved 15 endemic animal species and 8 plant species.
