Washington is known for:
- Beautiful Scenery
- Agriculture
- Birthplace of Starbucks
- Aerospace industry and home of Boeing
- Home of high tech giants Microsoft and Amazon
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
WA |
| State Capital |
Olympia |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 71,300 sq miles; Land Only: 66,544 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
39 |
| Time Zone |
Pacific Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Idaho, Oregon |
| Highest Point | Mount Rainier, 14,417 feet |
| National Parks | Mount Rainier National Park
North Cascades National Park
Olympic National Park
|
| State Population (2020) | 7,705,281 |
| State Population Density | 115.8 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
206, 253, 360, 425, 509, 564 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Seattle (769,714)
Spokane (222,050)
Tacoma (219,945)
Vancouver (186,192)
Bellevue (148,073)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Amphibian | Pacific chorus frog |
| State Bird |
Willow goldfinch |
| State Dance | Square dance |
| State Endemic Mammal | Olympic marmot |
| State Fish | Steelhead trout |
| State Flower |
Coast rhododendron |
| State Folk Song | "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On" |
| State Fossil | Columbian mammoth |
| State Fruit | Apple |
| State Gem | Petrified wood |
| State Grass | Bluebunch wheatgrass |
| State Insect | Green darner dragonfly |
| State Marine Mammal | Orca |
| State Motto |
Al-ki (By and by) |
| State Nickname |
Evergreen State |
| State Oyster | Ostrea lurida |
| State Ship | Lady Washington |
| State Song | "Washington, My Home" |
| State Tree |
Western hemlock |
| State Vegetable | Walla Walla sweet onion |
| State Waterfall | Palouse Falls |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Chihuly Garden and Glass: Art museum in Seattle, Washington.
- Gum Wall: Brick wall covered in used chewing gum, in Seattle, Washington.
- Lake Chelan: Lake in Chelan County, Washington.
- Mount Baker: Active volcano in northwestern Washington.
- Mount Rainier National Park: National park near Seattle, Washington.
- Mount St. Helens: Active volcano located in Skamania County, Washington.
- Museum of Flight: Air and space museum in Seattle, Washington.
- North Cascades National Park: National park in northern Washington.
- Northwest Trek: Wildlife park in Eatonville, Washington.
- Olympic National Park: National park in Port Angeles, Washington.
- Pacific Science Center: Science museum in Seattle, Washington.
- Pike Place Market: Marketplace in Seattle, Washington.
- San Juan Islands: Archipelago in northwestern Washington.
- Seattle Aquarium: Aquarium in Seattle, Washington.
- Seattle Art Museum: Art museum in Seattle, Washington.
- Snoqualmie Falls: Waterfall on the Snoqualmie River in Snoqualmie, Washington.
- Space Needle: Tower in Seattle, Washington.
- Woodland Park Zoo: Zoo in Seattle, Washington.
Popular Iconic Washington Foods
Washington is famous for the following foods:
- Geoduck
- Rainier Cherries
- Dungeness Crab
- Artisanal Chocolate
- Fish & Chips
- Apples
- Dick's Deluxe Burgers
- Fair Scones
- Oysters
- Beecher's Handmade Cheese
- Salmon
Famous People Born In Washington
Nobel Prize Winners
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Albert Glen "Turk" Edwards (Tackle. Inducted in 1969)
- Ray Flaherty (Offensive End, Coach. Inducted in 1976)
- Red Badgro (End. Inducted in 1981)
- John Elway (Quarterback. Inducted in 2004)
- Len Ford (Defensive End. Inducted in 1976)
- Willie Wood (Safety. Inducted in 1989)
- Jonathan Ogden (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 2013)
- Brian Urlacher (Linebacker. Inducted in 2018)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Earl Averill (Center Fielder. Inducted in 1975)
- Ryne Sandberg (Second Baseman. Inducted in 2005)
- Ron Santo (Third Baseman. Inducted in 2012)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- John Stockton (Guard. Inducted in 2009)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Erika Christensen
- Bing Crosby
- Rainn Wilson
Famous Singers
- Kurt Cobain
- Chris Cornell
- Kenny G
- Jimi Hendrix
- Kenny Loggins
- Layne Staley
- Jennifer Warnes
Washington Fun Facts
- The state of Washington was named after the first president of the United States, George Washington. It is the only state to be named after a president.
- Washington state is the largest producer of apples in the United States.
- Boeing's Everett factory is the world's largest building by volume, covering 4.3 million square feet and encompassing 472 million cubic feet of space.
- Harbor Island, located in the mouth of Seattle's Duwamish Waterway, is the largest man-made island in the United States.
- The world's largest coffeehouse chain, Starbucks, was founded in Seattle, Washington, in 1971.
- 57 people perished in the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption, the deadliest volcano eruption in the recorded history of the United States.
- Washington state flag is the only U.S. state flag with a field of green as well as the only state flag with the image of an American president.
- Seattle is home to the first revolving restaurant in the 48 contiguous United States, the SkyCity Restaurant on top of the Space Needle.
- Washington has more glaciers than any of the other 47 contiguous states.
- Washington is the only state with an official State Oyster: Ostrea lurida.
- In 2012, Washington (along with Colorado) became the first to legalize marijuana (weed) for recreational use.
- In 2007, Washington became the first state to ban texting while driving.
This page was last updated on January 30, 2023.
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