Washington is one of the wealthiest US states. Many important companies have their headquarters here and allow the economy to flourish. Interesting facts about elections, population and history.
- Washington is one of the richest US states in the United States.
- Seattle is the largest city in the US state and at the same time the most important industrial location.
- Major companies such as Microsoft and Boeing are based in Washington.
Olympia – Washington State is extremely forested. Because of the many conifers, it has the official nickname “The Evergreen State”. The state owes its real name to George Washington, the first President of the United States of America.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG: Overview of state Washington, including major cities and most commonly used abbreviations of Washington.
Washington: The History of Its Settlement
Washington joined the Union late in 1889. Until then the foundation of the 42nd US state came, the area had to take some hurdles. The history of the country in brief:
- Before the European colonization, Washington was inhabited by Indians.
- In 1579 Sir Francis Drake discovered what is now Washington State.
- In 1775, with the expedition of Bruno de Heceta, Spaniards explored the area for the first time.
- In 1810 the first settlement was built by Canadian fur traders.
- During this time, many trading companies emerged, of which the British Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC)prevailed against its competitors and dominated the terrain for several decades.
- In 1846 the US took over the area from HBC and Washington became American.
- In 1853 the Washington Territory was founded.
- In 1855, gold discoveries led to tension with the Indians and several major Indian wars broke out.
- Washington finally joined the United States in 1889.
Washington geography facts
The US state Washington is located in the extreme northwest of the USA. It borders Canada to the north, Idaho to the east, and Oregon to the south. To the west is the Pacific.
In order to distinguish the state of Washington from Washington DC, the seat of government of the USA on the east coast, the US state often has the addition “Washington State” (= Washington State).
The highest mountain in Washington is Mount Rainier volcano at 4, 392 meters. It is a dormant volcano that, according to experts, can erupt again at some point.
Washington – the largest cities in the US state
According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, the capital of Washington State is Olympia. It has only 46, 478 inhabitants, making it one of the medium-sized cities in the US state. The most important metropolises in the Evergreen State are:
- Seattle with 608, 660 residents
- Spokane with 208, 916 residents
- Tacoma with 198, 397 residents
Washington: Population and Composition of the Population
With around 6, 724, 540 inhabitants, Washington state ranks 13th in the USA. The population is made up of different groups:
- 5 percent white
- 2 percent African American
- 9 percent Indians
- 9 percent Asians
- 8 percent Americans with roots in Hawaii and other Pacific islands
- 7 percent other groups
Washington – interesting facts about the economy
The economy of Washington benefiting particularly from aerospace and computer industries. The aircraft manufacturer Boeing manufactures its civil aircraft at its locations in Seattle, Renton and Everett. Then there is the software manufacturer Microsoft, which has its headquarters in Redmond.
In addition, the economy thrives through:
- Agriculture
- Chemical industry
- Mechanical engineering and shipbuilding
- Wood and paper industry
- Aluminum and copper extraction
Washington and the elections
Washington is one of the safe “blue states”. That means that the Democrats have a majority in the elections.
Except for a brief period from 1972 to 1984, Republicans had little success in this US state. This is because the Democratic Party has its strongholds mainly in the metropolitan areas and suburbs, while the Republicans have supporters mainly in the rural east.
