Washington

Washington , officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington–the first U.S. president–the state was formed from the western part of the Washington Territory, which was ceded by the British Empire in 1846, by the Oregon Treaty in the settlement of the Oregon boundary dispute. The state is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, and the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north–was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. The state capital is Olympia. Seattle is the largest city in the state. Washington is often called Washington state in order to distinguish it from Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital.

Washington is the 18th largest state with an area of 71.362 square miles (184.830 km). It is also the 13th most populous state with more than 7.7 millions people. The remainder of the state consists of deep temperate rainforests in the west; mountain ranges in the west, central, northeast, and far southeast; and a semi-arid basin region in the east, central, and south, given over to intensive agriculture. Washington is second in population on the West Coast of the United States and Western United States after California. Mount Rainier is an active stratovolcano at 14,411 feet (4.392 meters) and is the highest mountain in the state.

Washington is a major lumber producer. Its rugged terrain is home to stands of Douglas Fir, hemlock and ponderosa pine. The state is the largest producer of apples, hops, pears, blueberries, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries in the U.S., and ranks high in the production of apricots, asparagus, dry edible peas, grapes, lentils, peppermint oil, and potatoes. Livestock, livestock products, and commercial fishing–particularly of salmon, halibut, and bottomfish–are also significant contributors to the state’s economy. Washington is second in wine production to California.