Washington at a Glance

A Little Trip to the Extraordinary

Seattle ranks 149th in annual rainfall of U.S. cities. Here are more facts you may not know about Washington.

With three national parks and a bustling city, a “trip to the extraordinary” is a drive away in Washington. Watch out for Roosevelt elk in Olympic National Park. Parasail above Elliott Bay. Buy apples at Pike’s Place Market. Or see Twilight scenery in Forks!

Find out more about Washington at DiscoverAmerica.com.

Capital: Olympia

Population: More than 6.8 million people live in Washington.

Geography: Part of the U.S. Pacific Northwest region, Washington shares a border with Canadian province British Columbia to the north, Idaho to the east, Oregon to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Higher Education: Founded in 1861, the University of Washington (UW) is one of the oldest public institutions of higher learning on the U.S. West Coast. Located in Seattle, Washington, UW serves an undergraduate population of more than 30,000 students. This research university offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs through its 18 schools and colleges. Nationally recognized as a Public Ivy, UW consistently ranks in the top 20 of the Shanghai-based Academic Rankings of World Universities. Another popular public option is Washington State University (WSU). Founded in 1890, WSU maintains an undergraduate population of nearly 20,000 students. The research university awards bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees through its 10 schools and colleges, though it is best known for its agriculture, chemical engineering and veterinary medicine programs.

Major Industries: Since Washington is home to one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers (Boeing) and software developers (Microsoft), it’s not surprising that manufacturing plays a vital role in its economy. The Evergreen State’s most valuable manufactured products include transportation equipment, computer equipment and medical equipment. Fishing is another major industry for Washington. The state’s catches include Chinook salmon, clams, cod, halibut and oysters. Washington’s top agricultural products are apples, dairy, cattle, wheat and potatoes, while its major services are private health care, computer programming and engineering.

Sports Teams: There are four professional sports teams in Washington: the National Football League’s Seattle Seahawks, Major League Baseball’s Seattle Mariners, the Women's National Basketball Association's Seattle Storm and Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders.

Famous Washingtonians: Co-founder of Microsoft Paul Allen, former American football player Drew Bledsoe, basketball player Avery Bradley, science-fiction novelist Octavia E. Butler, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, guitarist Jimi Hendrix, astronomer Carl Sagan and Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright August Wilson were all born in the Evergreen State.

Pop Culture: The 1993 romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle, starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks; the 1999 teen romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger; the 2011 drama 50/50, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen; and the ongoing vampire saga Twilight, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, are all set in Washington.

Culinary Specialties: Washington produces more apples than any other state. It also has more coffee bean roasters per capita than any other state. And it’s the home to one of the premier farmers’ markets in the United States, Pike’s Place. With all that food culture, it’s hard to choose just one culinary specialty. Sample a freshly picked Honeycrisp apple, dive into a Dungeness crab cake or experience geoduck, a giant saltwater clam native to the region.

International Connection: Olympia, Washington, is sister cities with Katō, Japan.

Fun Facts:

• Seattle received less rainfall annually than Atlanta; Boston; New York; Houston; Miami; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; and Miami, with 37 inches.

• Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Starbucks’ Howard Schultz and the Boeing family all live in Washington state.

• Washington is home to a petrified forest that is considered the most unusual fossil forest in the world.

Adventure Idea: For an uplifting experience, try parasailing. You can float above Elliott Bay and take in the Cascade Range, the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound and Seattle skyline all in one view. If you’re really ready to take the plunge, try hang gliding near the Cascade Range at Lake Chelan, dubbed “the recreational hang gliding capital of the world.”