 |
|
|
|
| Overview » Overview » Comparisons | Almanac » Zip Codes » Climate/Weather | People » Population » Ancestry » Political Giving | Local » Hospitals » Starbucks | Schools » High Schools |
Introduction to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States. The city of Washington is part of the District of Columbia ("D.C."), the federal district encompassing the city. Washington is surrounded by the states of Virginia (to the west and southwest) and Maryland (on its other sides). Principal thoroughfares servicing the Washington area include Interstate I-495 (also known as the Capital Beltway); Interstates I-66, I-95, I-295, I-395; and U.S. Route 50. Public transportation in the city is provided by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which operates a regional subway (Metrorail) and bus (Metrobus) system. The Washington area is served by three major airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport located in Arlington, Virginia; Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia; and Baltimore-Washington International Airport located just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Educational institutions in the city include the Catholic University of America, Georgetown University, and Howard University.
Named after the nation's first president, Washington houses the core of all three branches of the U.S. federal government. The city also serves as the headquarters of several national and international institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Although the city has a mayor and a municipal government, Congress has the ultimate authority over the city and district, whose residents do not have elected representatives in either branch of the federal legislature.
The genesis of Washington's designation as the capital of the newly formed United States of America came about in 1790 when Congress directed a new capital site to be located along the Potomac at a site chosen by President Washington. In December of 1800 the seat of government was transferred from Philadelphia to Washington and President John Adams became the first inhabitant of the White House. The layout of the new city was originally formulated by Maj. Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer. The city came under attack during the War of 1812 when British forces set fire to several public buildings, including the Capitol, the White House, and the Treasury building in August, 1814. During the Civil War, in July of 1864, Confederate forces made a brief raid into Washington and were later repelled, culminating in the Battle of Fort Stevens.
Washington, DC Attractions
Washington is home to dozens of national landmarks and attractions. The National Mall, which connects the White House and the Capitol buildings, is an open area containing several structures including the Washington Monument. Located nearby are other significant points of interest including the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, National World War II Memorial, Korean War and Vietnam Veterans Memorials, District of Columbia War Memorial, Albert Einstein Memorial, and Franciscan Monastery. The National Archives and the Library of Congress serve as repositories for thousands of historic documents of importance to the nation, including the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. The city is also home to several museums, many of which are part of the world-famous Smithsonian Institution. Among these are the Hirshhorn Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of American History, and the National Museum of the American Indian. Washington is also a major center for the performing arts. Among its principal venues are the Lincoln Theatre and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, home to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Ballet, and the Washington National Opera.
Other points of interest in the District of Columbia include the following:
Washington is home to several sports franchises encompassing just about every major professional sport. Teams representing the city include the following:
Washington strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in District Of Columbia):
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Public Transportation Use (vs. Peers) | Top 2% |  |
| Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers) | Top 3% | |
| Well-Paid Single Women (vs. Peers) | Top 5% | |
| Well-Paid Single Men (vs. Peers) | Top 11% | |
| College Educated Adults (vs. Peers) | Top 11% | |
Comparing Washington to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in District Of Columbia (State):
Ratings range from 
(lowest) to 
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Well-Paid Single Women | | |
| Female Share of the Population | | |
| Well-Paid Single Men |  | |
| Age of the Population | | |
| Senior Citizens |  | |
| Racial Diversity |  | |
| Children Under 5 Years Old | | |
| Male Share of the Population | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | | |
| Portion of People Married | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| College Educated Adults | | |
| Median Family Income | | |
| People in Middle Class or Better |  | |
| People Above Poverty |  | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Public Transportation Use | | |
| Walking and Biking to Work | | |
| Working at Home | | |
| Short Commute Times |  | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| People Living Alone | | |
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | | |
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing | | |
| Affordability of Property Taxes | | |
| Affordability of Rents | | |
| Housing Recently Built | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Low Property Crime |  | |
| Low Violent Crime | | |
Detailed pages on related topics: Washington colleges • Washington travel • Washington mortgages and property.
 | Washington Careers Washington career and employment information. |
 | Washington Colleges Washington colleges and trade schools. |
 | Washington Hotels & Travel Washington hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
 | Washington Mortgage Washington property, mortgage, and real estate. |
We've crunched the numbers to create PlaceMatch™, which compares thousands of cities and towns to find the places most similar to each.
Select a photo to view (Source):
President's Office (White House) 1904 May.
The Red Room (White House) 1904 (est.)
Ebbitt House c1903.
Are you an official in the Washington government or quasi-government agency such as the chamber of commerce, visitors bureau or economic development council? If so, visit our information page for government officials to see how CityTownInfo can support you.
Webmasters & Bloggers: Please link to this page on Washington. Just copy the HTML below and paste it into your web page or blog.
Copyright © 2004-2008, Moving Traffic, Inc. All Rights Reserved.