Washington (state)

Washington is a  in the  region of the. The state is named after, the first. It is the only named after a president.

Washington was carved out of the western part of and admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. In 2006, the estimated the state's population at 6,395,798. Residents are called "Washingtonians" (emphasis on the third syllable, pronounced as tone). Washington is sometimes called Washington state or The state of Washington to distinguish it from, the U.S. capital.

Geography
Washington is the northwestern-most state of the. Its northern border lies mainly along the, with the  of  to the north. Washington borders to the south, with the  forming most of the boundary and the 46th parallel forming the eastern part of the southern boundary. To the east Washington borders, bounded mostly by the meridian running north from the confluence of the and  (about 116°57' west), except for the southernmost section where the border follows the Snake River. To the west of Washington lies the.

Washington is in the region known as the, a term which often includes part or all of in  and part of. Sometimes it refers only to lands within the, including.



The high mountains of the run north-south, bisecting the state. , west of the Cascades, has a mostly with relatively mild temperatures, wet winters, and dry summers. Western Washington also supports dense forests of conifers and areas of. In contrast,, east of the Cascades, has a relatively dry climate with large areas of semiarid and a few truly arid s lying in the  of the Cascades; the Hanford reservation receives an average annual precipitation of between six and seven inches. Farther east, the climate becomes less arid. The region of southeast Washington was grassland that has been mostly converted into farmland. Other parts of eastern Washington are forested and mountainous.

The Cascade Range contains several volcanoes, which reach altitudes significantly higher than the rest of the mountains. From the north to the south these volcanoes are, , , , and. is currently the only Washington volcano that is actively erupting; however, all of them are considered active volcanoes.

Washington's position on the Pacific Ocean and the harbors of give the state a leading role in maritime trade with, Canada, and the. Puget Sound's many islands are served by the largest in the United States.

Washington is a land of contrasts. The deep forests of the, such as the , are among the only temperate rainforests in the continental United States, but the semi-desert east of the Cascade Range has few trees. , the highest mountain in the state, is covered with more than any other peak in the lower 48 states.

Federal land and reservations
There are three in Washington,, , and.

in the state include, , , , , and , among others.

Other protected lands of note include National Scenic Area,, , , , , among others administered by the.

There are many designated areas in Washington, including, , , , , , , , and many others.

There are several large military-related reservations, including, , , the , and the Yakima Training Center.

There are many s in Washington. The largest include the, , , and the.

Climate
Washington's climate varies greatly from west to east. An (also called "marine west coast climate") predominates in western Washington, and a much drier climate prevails east of the Cascade Range.

Major factors determining Washington's climate include the large semi-permanent and  systems of the north Pacific Ocean, the continental air masses of North America, and the Olympic and Cascade mountains. In the spring and summer, a high pressure system dominates the north Pacific Ocean, causing air to spiral out in a clockwise fashion. For Washington this means from the northwest bringing relatively cool air and a predictably. In the autumn and winter, a low pressure system takes over in the north Pacific Ocean, with air spiraling inward in a counter-clockwise fashion. This causes Washington's prevailing winds to come from the southwest, bringing relatively warm and moist air masses and a predictably. The term is used to describe the extreme form of this wet season pattern.

The coastal mountains and Cascades compound this climatic pattern by causing of the air masses blown inland from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the windward side of the mountains receiving high levels of precipitation and the leeward side receiving low levels. This occurs most dramatically around the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range. In both cases the windward slopes facing southwest receive high precipitation and mild, cool temperatures. In contrast, the leeward slopes facing northeast experience a effect, with low precipitation and warmer temperatures. As a result, there are s on the southwest side of the Olympic Mountains while the northeast side has a drier climate sometimes called. The and the city of  are known for their dry climate compared to the rest of the coastal region. The Olympic rain shadow extends into Canada. Terms like "Mediterranean", "sub-Mediterranean", and "modified Mediterranean" are sometimes used to describe the Olympic rainshadow region even though it is quite different from the standard "Mediterranean" climate. The terms are mainly used to indicate a climate with wet winters and dry summers with regular drought conditions.

The Cascade Range forms a larger barrier than the Olympics and has a correspondingly stronger effect. While the Puget Sound lowlands are known for clouds and rain in the winter, the western slopes of the Cascades receive larger amounts of precipitation, often falling as snow at higher elevations. East of the Cascades, a large region experiences strong effects. conditions occur in much of eastern Washington with the strongest rain shadow effects at the relatively low elevations of the central &mdash; especially the region just east of the Columbia River from about the Snake River to the. Thus instead of rain forests much of eastern Washington is covered with and.

The average annual temperature ranges from 51 °F (10.6 °C) on the Pacific coast to 40 °F (4.4 °C) in the northeast. The recorded temperature in the state has ranged from -48 °F (-44.4 °C) to 118 °F (47.8 °C) with both records set east of the Cascades. Western Washington is known for its mild climate, considerable fog, frequent cloud cover and long-lasting drizzles in the winter, and sunny and dry summers. The western region occasionally experiences extreme climate. Arctic cold fronts in the winter and heat waves in the summer are not uncommon. The western side of the Olympic Peninsula receives as much as 160 inches (4064 mm) of precipitation annually, making it the wettest area of the 48 conterminous states. Weeks or even months may pass without a clear day. The western slopes of the Cascade Range receive some of the heaviest annual snowfall (in some places more than 200 inches/5080 mm) in the country. In the rain shadow area east of the Cascades, the annual precipitation is only 6 inches (152 mm). Precipitation increases eastward toward the Rocky Mountains.

History


Prior to the arrival of explorers from, this region of the Pacific Coast had many established tribes of , each with its own unique culture. Today, they are most notable for their s and their ornately carved canoes and masks. Prominent among their industries were fishing and  hunting. In the east, nomadic tribes traveled the land and missionaries such as the settled there.

The first an record of a landing on the Washington coast was by Captain  in 1775, on board the Santiago, part of a two-ship  with the Sonora. They claimed all the coastal lands up to the n possessions in the north for.

In 1778, explorer Captain  sighted, at the entrance to the , but the straits would not be explored until 1789, by Captain Charles W. Barkley. Further explorations of the straits were performed by  in 1790 and Francisco de Eliza in 1791, then by British Captain  in 1792.

The Spanish of 1790 opened the northwest territory to explorers and trappers from other nations, most notably  and then the. Captain (for whom  is named) then discovered the mouth of the. He named the river after his ship, the. Beginning in 1792, Gray established trade in pelts. The entered the state on,.

In 1819, ceded their original claims to this territory to the United States. This began a period of by Britain and the U.S. that lasted until, , when Britain ceded their claims to this land with the.

What was to become Washington state's first family was that of Washington's founder, the black pioneer and his caucasian wife, Isabella James Bush, from  and, respectively. They led four white families into the territory and settled what is now. They settled in Washington to avoid Oregon's racist settlement laws.

Because of the overland migration along the, many settlers wandered north to what is now Washington and settled the area. The first settlement was New Market (now known as ) in 1846. In 1853, was formed from part of.

Washington became the state in the United States on,.

Early prominent industries in the state included agriculture and lumber. In eastern Washington, the became known for its  orchards, while the growth of wheat using  techniques became particularly productive. The heavy rainfall to the west of the produced dense forests, and the ports along Puget Sound prospered from the manufacturing and shipping of lumber products, particularly the. Other industries that developed in the state include fishing, salmon canning and mining.

For a long period, was noted for its large smelters where gold, silver, copper and lead ores were treated. was the primary port for trade with and the rest of the country, and for a time it possessed a large shipbuilding industry. The region around eastern Puget Sound developed heavy industry during the period including and, and the  company became an established icon in the area.

During the, a series of s were constructed along the Columbia river as part of a project to increase the production of. This culminated in 1941 with the completion of the, the largest concrete structure in the United States.

During World War II, the state became a focus for war industries, with the Company producing many of the nation's s and ports in, , , and  were available for the manufacture of warships. was the point of departure for many soldiers in the Pacific, a number of which were quartered at. In, the  plant was opened in 1943 and played a major role in the construction of the nation's s.

On, , following a period of heavy tremors and eruptions, the northeast face of exploded outward, destroying a large part of the top of the volcano. This eruption flattened the forests, killed 57 people, flooded the Columbia River and its tributaries with ash and mud, and blanketed large parts of Washington in ash, making day look like night.

Demographics
The six largest reported ancestries in Washington are: (18.7%),  (12%),  (11.4%),  (6.2%),  (5.6%) and  (3.7%).

There are many  farm workers living in the southeast-central part of the state, though the population is also increasing as laborers in Western Washington.

Washington has the fifth largest population of any state. The community is the largest Asian American subgroup in the state. was elected as the first governor at the end of the 20th century.

African Americans are less numerous than or  in many communities, but have been elected as mayor of Seattle, Spokane and Lakewood and as King County Executive. In Seattle, minorities are moving into the southern part of the city as well as many suburban areas such as South King County. also has a rising population.

Washington is the location of many reservations, with some placing prominent casinos next to major interstate highways. Residents have adopted many of the artwork themes of the northwest coast Indians who were noted for s, s, s and pictures of animals. Many cities have traditional names created by Native Americans such as, , , , and.

6.7% of Washington's population was reported as under 5, 25.7% under 18, and 11.2% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.2% of the population.

Religion
The religious affiliations of Washington's population are:


 * – 63%
 * – 29%
 * – 6%
 * – 6%
 * – 4%
 * – 3%
 * Other Protestant or general Protestant – 10%
 * – 20%
 * Other Christian – 11%
 * ; 3%
 * Other Religions – 5%
 * Refused – 6%
 * No religion – 25%

As with many other states, the percentage of Washington's population identifying themselves as "" is higher than the national average. The percentage of non-religious people in Washington is the highest of any state, and its Christian population is the lowest of any state.

Economy


The 2005 total gross state product for Washington was $268.5 billion, placing it 14th in the nation. The per capita income was $42,702, 17th in the nation. Significant business within the state include the design and manufacture of jet, computer  development , , ,  production, lumber and wood products , , and tourism. The state has significant amounts of hydroelectric power generation. Significant amounts of trade with pass through the ports of the Puget Sound. See. magazine survey of the top 20 Most Admired Companies in the US has 4 Washington based companies in it,, , and.

The state of Washington has the most structure in the U.S. It is one of only seven states that does not levy a personal. The wealthiest one percent of Washington taxpayers pay 3.2% of their income in taxes. The poorest fifth of Washington taxpayers pay 17.6% of their income in taxes. The state also does not collect a corporate income tax. However, Washington businesses are responsible for various other state levies. Washington's state is 6.5 percent, and it applies to services as well as products. Most foods are exempt from sales tax; however, prepared foods, and s remain taxable. The combined state and local retail sales tax rates increase the taxes paid by consumers, depending on the variable local sales tax rates, generally between 8 and 9 percent. An applies to certain select products such as, , and. was the first tax levied in the state of Washington and its collection accounts for about 30 percent of Washington's total state and local revenue. It continues to be the most important revenue source for, fire protection, , s and recreation, and other special purpose districts.

All and  is subject to tax unless specifically exempted by law. Personal property also is taxed, although most personal property owned by individuals is exempt. applies to personal property used when conducting business or to other personal property not exempt by law. All property taxes are paid to the county treasurer's office where the property is located. Washington does not impose a tax on intangible assets such as s, s or. Neither does the state assess any tax on retirement income earned and received from another state. Washington does not collect es; however, the is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws, and therefore the state imposes its own estate tax.

Washington is one of eighteen states which has a on sales of alcoholic beverages, although  and  with less than 20 percent alcohol by volume can be purchased in s and s. s (even if under 20 percent alcohol by volume) and spirits can only be purchased in state-run or privately-owned-state-contracted s.

(worth $59.2 billion), the second wealthiest man in the world, is the best known from the state. Other Washington state billionaires include,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , and.

Agriculture


Washington is a leading state. (The following figures are from the Washington State Office of Financial Management and the Washington Agricultural Statistics Service.)

For 2003, the total value of Washington's agricultural products was $5.79 billion, the 11th highest in the country. The total value of its crops was $3.8 billion, the 7th highest. The total value of its livestock and specialty products was $1.5 billion, the 26th highest.

In 2004, Washington ranked first in the nation in production of red (90.0% of total  production), wrinkled seed s (80.6%), s (75.0%),  oil (73.6%), s (58.1%), sweet  (47.3%), s (42.6%),  oil (40.3%), s (39.3%), s for processing (36.8%), and s (31.6%). Washington also ranked second in the nation in production of s, fall es, dry edible peas, s, s (all varieties taken together), (over a third of the nation's production),  for processing, and green peas for processing; third in tart,  and s, and dry summer s; fourth in  and ; and fifth in , , and.

Transportation
Washington has a system of s, called, as well as an extensive system which is the largest in the nation as well as the third largest in the world. There are 140, including 16 owned by the. in Seattle is one of the busiest primary non-hub airports in the US. The unique geography of Washington presents exceptional transportation needs.

There are extensive waterways in the midst of Washington's largest cites, including, Bellevue, Tacoma and Olympia. The state highways incorporate an extensive network of bridges and the largest ferry system in the United States to serve transportation needs in the Puget Sound area. Washington's marine highway constitutes a fleet of twenty-eight ferries that navigate Puget Sound and its inland waterways to 20 different ports of call. Washington is home of four of the five longest s in the world: the, and  over , and the  which connects the  and.

The Cascade Mountain Range also provides unique transportation challenges. Washington operates and maintains roads over 7 major es and 8 minor passes. During winter months some of these passes are plowed, sanded, and kept safe with avalanche control. Not all are able to stay open through the winter. The on  closes every year. This is because of the extraordinary amount of snowfall and frequency of avalanches, leading to it not being safe in the winter months.

Environment
In 2007, Washington became the first state in the nation to target all forms of highly toxic known as s for elimination from the many common household products in which they are used. A 2004 study of 40 mothers from, Washington, , and found PBDEs in the breast milk of every woman tested.

Three recent studies by the showed that toxic chemicals banned decades ago continue to linger in the environment and concentrate in the food chain. In one of the studies, state government scientists found unacceptable levels of toxic substances in 93 samples of freshwater fish collected from 45 sites. The toxic substances included s; s, two chlorinated pesticides, and, and PBDEs. As a result of the study, the department will investigate the sources of PCBs in the Wenatchee River, where unhealthy levels of PCBs were found in mountain whitefish. Based on the 2007 information and a previous 2004 Ecology study, the is advising the public not to eat  from the  from  downstream to where the river joins the, due to unhealthy levels of PCBs. Study results also indicated high levels of contaminants in fish tissue that scientists collected from Lake Washington and the Spokane River, where fish consumption advisories are already in effect.

Law and government
The  is the state's. The is composed of a   and an. The state is divided into 49 legislative districts of equal population, each of which elects two representatives and one senator. Representatives serve two-year terms, whilst senators serve for four years. There are no. Currently, the holds majorities in both chambers.

Washington's is headed by a governor elected for a four-year term. The current governor is, a who has been in office since 2005.

The is the highest court in the state. Nine justices serve on the bench and are elected statewide.

U.S. Congress

 * See also: 

The two from Washington are  (D) and  (D).

Washington representatives in the United States House of Representatives are (D-1),  (D-2),  (D-3),  (R-4),  (R-5),  (D-6),  (D-7),  (R-8), and  (D-9).



Executive

 * , (D)
 * , (D)
 * , (R)
 * , (R)
 * , (D)
 * , (D)
 * , Superintendent of Public Instruction (non partisan office)
 * , Commissioner of Public Lands (R)
 * , Commissioner (D)

Politics
The state has been thought of as politically divided by the, with being liberal (particularly the I-5 Corridor) and  being conservative. Lately however,, the state's second largest city located in Eastern Washington, has been leaning more liberal, with one example being Democrat winning by a wide margin in the 2006 senate race against Republican. Since the population is larger in the west, the Democrats usually fare better statewide. More specifically, the Seattle metro area (especially King County) generally delivers strong Democratic margins, while the outlying areas of Western Washington were nearly tied in both 2000 and 2004. Washington has voted for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections recently in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. It was considered a key swing state in 1968. In 1968, it was the only Western state to give its electoral votes to. However, this state did participate in the 1994, and had the biggest pickup in the house for Republicans at six, making seven of the nine house members Republicans for the state of Washington. However, this dominance held for only four years as the Democrats picked up one seat in the 1996 election and two more in 1998, giving the Democrats a 5-4 majority.

While the has long dominated Washington, the  was among the closest races in United States election history. The initial count gave Republican candidate a lead of 261 votes out of a total vote count of 2,805,913, or 0.0093%. Washington law calls for a mandatory machine recount if the difference between the candidates is less than 0.5% and 2,000 votes. The mandatory recount again had Rossi in the lead, but it was now by 42 votes, or 0.0015% of the total 2,808,341 votes included in the first recount. A second recount was done by hand, at the request of the Democratic party as allowed by law. This final recount overturned the initial results and resulted in a lead for, the Democratic candidate, of 129 votes, or 0.0045% of the 2,810,058 votes cast. As this second recount was the last allowed for by Washington election law, Gregoire was inaugurated on. The subsequent court battles raged for months after the election. A judge identified 1,678 illegal votes: 745 felons from a Republican list, 647 felons from a Democratic list, 175 mishandled provisional ballots in King County and 77 in Pierce County, six double votes and 19 ballots cast in the name of dead people. These votes were subtracted from the total number of votes, but only five were deducted from individual totals: four from Rossi and one from. The final official count left Gregoire holding her office by 133 votes.

Washington holds the distinction of being the first and only state in the country to have elected women to all three major statewide offices (Governor Chris Gregoire and U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell) at the same time.

Colleges and universities




Educational Cooperatives

 * Washington School Information Processing Cooperative

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Miscellaneous topics
Three ships of the, including two battleships, have been named in honor of the state. Previous ships had held that name in honor of George Washington.

State symbols
The is "Washington My Home", the  is the, the State fruit is the , and the State vegetable is the  The State dance, adopted in 1979, is the. The is the. The is the. The is the. The is "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On" by. The State Grass is. The is the Green Darner. The is. The is the. The is the Orca Whale. The (featured in the state flag as well) was inspired by the unfinished portrait by.