Washington

Information and Tourism

Hugging the Pacific coast, Washington is the most northwesterly of America's states. It has a reputation for being under a permanent layer of cloud, although Washingtonians might deny this. Actually, there is much more diversity here than you'd expect, both in terms of the weather and the surrounding landscape.

The islands and fjords of the Puget Sound lend Washington a distinctly marine feel. A little further west, in the wettest part of the state, there are rainforests and mountains. As you head further east, the landscape changes to become more agricultural and the rain eases up somewhat.

One of Washington's most distinctive landmarks is Mount Rainier, a huge volcano that lies just southeast of the city of Seattle. It might look benign and harmless, but it appears on the Decade Volcano list, one of 16 volcanoes in the world which are considered worthy of close study because of their potential to erupt and devastate the surrounding area.

Olympia has a certain charm as the state capital, but it is Seattle that really shines as the coolest place to hang out, especially if that means sipping a latte at one of its many cosmopolitan cafes or sharing lunch with a friend at one of the city's organic restaurants. 'Sleepless in Seattle' is the one film that is most often associated with Seattle, although interestingly, few scenes were actually shot here.

Washington is home to a fair number of US billionaires, the most famous being Bill Gates of Microsoft fame. This business magnate-cum-philanthropist has a vast mansion overlooking Lake Washington.

Washington Information and Fast Facts

• Country: USA
• Population: approximately 6.9 million
• Capital city: Olympia
• Biggest city: Seattle
• Biggest urban area: Seattle Metropolitan Area
• Language: American English
• Area: 71,300 square miles / 184,670 square kilometers
• Highest point (Mount Rainier): 14,420 feet / 4,395 meters

	WORLD GUIDES TO WASHINGTON
	World Guide to Olympia, WA, USA The small and powerful city of Olympia serves as the capital of Washington state. Much of Olympia's appeal revolves around its waterside setting next to the Budd Inlet of the Puget Sound, as well as its proximity to Seattle.
	World Guide to Seattle, WA, USA Seattle, Washington (WA) is an appealing tourist destination, with the skyline easily recognisable by the Space Needle. Home to the famous Starbucks coffee shops, Seattle lies between Lake Washington and the Puget Sound waters.

Map of Washington