Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is the of the. It is situated within and coterminous with the District of Columbia (abbreviated as "D.C."). The city and the district are located on the banks of the and bordered by the  of  (to the west) and  (to the north, east and south). The city was planned and developed in the late to serve as the permanent national capital; the  was formed to keep the national capital distinct from the states.

The city was named after, the first. The district's name,, is an early poetic name for the United States and a reference to , an early explorer of. The city is commonly referred to as Washington, The District, or simply D.C. In the, it was called the Federal City or Washington City.

The centers of all three branches of the are in the District. Also situated in the city are the headquarters for the, the , the , the , and other national and international institutions, including labor unions and professional associations. Washington is a frequent location for political and s, large and small, particularly on the. A center of American history and culture, Washington is a popular destination for tourists, the site of numerous s and monuments, the world's largest museum complex (the ), galleries, universities, cathedrals, performing arts centers and institutions, and native music scenes.

The District of Columbia and the city of Washington are governed by a single municipal government and for most practical purposes, are considered to be the same entity. This has not always been the case: until 1871, when ceased to be a separate city, there were multiple jurisdictions within the District. Although there is a municipal government and a, has the supreme authority over the city and district, which results in citizens having less self-governance than residents of the states. The District has a non-voting Congressional representative. In the financial year 2004, federal tax collections were $16.9 billion while federal spending in the District was $37.6 billion.

The population of the District of Columbia is about 581,530 persons. The is the eighth largest in the United States with more than five million residents, and the  has a population exceeding eight million. If Washington, D.C. were a, it would rank last in area (behind ), second to last in population (ahead of ), first in population density, and 35th in.

History
The District of Columbia, founded on, , is a federal district as specified by the. The land forming the original District came from the state of and Commonwealth of. However, the area south of the (39 square miles or about 100 km²) was returned, or "", to Virginia in 1847 and now is incorporated into  and the City of. The remaining land that constitutes the District of Columbia is the territory originally ceded by Maryland.

Planning
A site for the new country's capital was agreed upon at a dinner between  and, hosted by. The site was part of the deal that led to the new national government's assumption of debts from the. (The southern states had largely paid off their war debts; collectivizing debt was to northern advantage, so a southern capital was a compromise.) The city's plan was largely the work of, a French-born architect, engineer and city planner who first arrived in the American colonies as a military engineer with. L'Enfant drew up a basic plan for Washington, D.C. in 1791; the city layout owed much to the style, which was the dominant style in many North American and European  of the day. The plan incorporated broad avenues and major streets which radiate out from traffic circles, providing vistas towards important landmarks and monuments. While all of the original colonies had avenues named for them, the most prominent states received more prestigious locations under 's later plan for the city. Massachusetts Avenue was the northernmost of three principal east-west arteries, Virginia Avenue the southernmost, and Pennsylvania Avenue was given the honor of connecting the to the planned Capitol building. In the original plan, all three roads reached neighboring.

The initial plan for the "Federal District" was a diamond, measuring 10 miles (16 ) on each side, totaling 100 square miles (256 km²). The actual site on the Potomac River was chosen by President Washington. Washington may have chosen the site for its natural scenery, believing that the would transform the Potomac into a great navigable waterway leading to the Ohio and the American interior. The city was officially named "Washington" on,. Out of modesty, George Washington never referred to it as such, preferring to call it "the Federal City". Despite choosing the site and living nearby at, he rarely visited the city. The federal district was named the District of Columbia because was a poetic name for the United States used at the time, which was close to the 300th  of  first voyage to the  in 1492. Initially, the District of Columbia included four distinct sections, of which the city of Washington was only one. The others were, and the. Georgetown occupied its current boundaries. Alexandria County included parts of the present-day City of Alexandria, as well as the current Arlington County, Virginia. Washington City occupied much of its current area but ended at present-day on the west and  and Benning Road on the north. Florida Avenue was then called "Boundary Street". The remainder of the district was Washington County.

In 1791–92, Andrew Ellicott and surveyed the border of the District with both Maryland and Virginia, placing ; many of these still stand.

The of the White House, the first newly constructed building of the new capital, was laid on,. That was the day after the first celebrations of in the United States.

19th century
On, , British forces during the most notable raid of the  in retaliation for the  of  (modern-day ) during the winter months, which had left many Canadians homeless. President and U.S. forces fled before the British forces arrived and burned public buildings, including the  and the  building. The White House was burned and gutted. The was also burned &mdash; by American sailors &mdash; to keep ships and stores from falling into the hands of the British. The home of the, located at the , was one of the few government buildings not burned by the raiding British soldiers out of a sign of respect and is now the oldest public building in continuous use in the nation's capital. The Patent Office was also spared, as a result of the Superintendent of Patents pleading with British soldiers and contending that destroying the store of knowledge therein would be a disservice to mankind. Civilians were not directly targeted and, initially, the British had approached the city hoping to secure a truce. However, they were fired upon, triggering frustration and anger among the British, which ultimately led to the sacking of government buildings.

During the 1830s, the District was home to one of the largest trading operations in the country (see ).

In 1846, the population of Alexandria County, who resented the loss of business with the competing port of Georgetown and feared greater impact if slavery were outlawed in the capital, voted in a referendum to ask Congress to Alexandria back to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Congress agreed to do so on of that year. The slave trade, though not slavery, in the capital was outlawed as part of the.

Washington remained a small city &mdash; the put the population at just over 75,000 people &mdash; until the outbreak of the  in 1861. The significant expansion of the federal government to administer the war and its legacies such as veterans' pensions led to notable growth in the city's population, as did a large influx of freed slaves. By 1870, the District population had grown to nearly 132,000.

In July 1864, forces under  made a brief raid into Washington, culminating in the. The Confederates were repelled, and Early eventually returned to the. The is located near present day  in northwest Washington. This was the only battle where a U.S. president,, was present and under enemy fire while in office.

In the early 1870s, Washington was given a territorial government, but Governor 's reputation for extravagance resulted in Congress abolishing his office in favor of direct rule. Congressional governance of the District would continue for a century.



In 1878, Congress passed an that made the boundaries of the city of Washington coterminous with those of the District of Columbia. This effectively eliminated Washington County; Georgetown, technically made a part of the city, was allowed to remain nominally separate until 1895 when it was formally combined with Washington.

The, with construction stalled by other priorities, finally opened in 1888. Plans were laid to further develop the monumental aspects of the city, with work contributed by such noted figures as and. However, development of the, and other structures on the National Mall, and construction of  did not begin until the early 20th century.

20th century
The many Depression relief agencies created by Franklin Roosevelt's, followed by , brought a great increase to the city's population. Roommates doubled up in scarce apartments and competed for space on buses and trolleys, as reported in 's book. The District's population peaked in 1950, when the census for that year recorded a record population of 802,178 people. At the time, the city was the ninth-largest in the country, just ahead of and close behind. The population declined in the following decades, mirroring the suburban emigration from many of the nation's older urban centers following and the racial integration of public schools.

The was ratified on, , allowing residents of Washington, D.C. to vote for president and have their votes count in the  as long as Washington, D.C. does not have more electoral votes than the least populous state.

After the assassination of civil rights activist, in , on , , broke out in some sections of the city. The violence raged for four days, and buildings were burned. At one point, the rioters came within two blocks of the White House. President ordered over 13,000 federal troops to occupy the city &mdash; the largest occupation of an American city since the Civil War. It took years for the city to recover. One of the most important developments in bringing people back downtown was the building of the subway system. The first 4.6 miles (7.4 km) of the  system opened on,. Today the system knits together Washington and its suburbs with a network of 86 stations and 106.3 mi of track.

In 1973, Congress enacted the District of Columbia Self-Rule and Governmental Reorganization Act, providing for an elected mayor and council for the District. As a result, became the first elected mayor of the District in 1975. became mayor in 1979 and served three successive terms; however, after his arrest for in an   on, , and his sentence to a six-month jail term, he did not seek re-election. His successor,, became the first black woman to lead a U.S. city of Washington's size and importance. Barry, however, ran again in 1994, defeating her in the Democratic primary and once again becoming mayor. During his fourth term, the city nearly became and was forced to give up some home rule to a congressionally-appointed financial control board. In 1998, was elected the city's mayor and led the city into a fiscal recovery. In 2006, was elected mayor. Among Mayor Fenty's many promises are increased attention to every citizen of the city and a world class atmosphere in business and residence.

During the 1970s, many in the District referred to it as "Chocolate City" in reference to the city's majority and. Popularized by two local s, the nickname was also a reference to the 1975 album Chocolate City by. While the nickname never caught on permanently, it was a reminder of the contributions to the city over the years by such icons as, , and other African-American performers. During, referred to the city as "the Chocolate City with the marshmallow center".

21st century
On, a  was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the  at 9:37AM, just across the  in , causing a partial collapse of one side of the building. leader told American officials while under interrogation that the  was the intended target, while  and  have said that the  was the intended target of the hijacked.

On, , officially relocated the  to Washington for the 2005 season, despite opposition from  owner. The new team was christened the. Controversy between the city council and MLB threatened to scuttle the agreement until, when a plan for a  in  was finalized. The Nationals will play at until the new stadium is ready on the  waterfront in 2008.

Additionally, the city has experienced tremendous growth in the areas of Massachusetts Avenue, (North of Massachusetts), the, the / and , with tens of thousands of condos, apartments and retail shops opening. This growth has been dubbed by many, as the areas experiencing growth had been blighted for many years prior.

Topography


Washington, D.C. is located at 38.895°N, -77.03639°W (the coordinates of the, on the ). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 68.3 square miles (177.0 ). 61.4 square miles (159.0 km²) of it is land and 6.9 square miles (18.0 km²) of it (10.16%) is water.

Washington is surrounded by the s of Maryland (on its southeast, northeast and northwest sides) and Virginia (on its western side); it interrupts those states' common border, which is the 's southern shore both upstream and downstream from the District. The Potomac River as it passes Washington is virtually entirely within the District of Columbia border because of colonial between Maryland and Virginia.

The District has three major natural flowing streams: the Potomac River, the and. The Anacostia River and Rock Creek are tributaries of the Potomac River. There are also three man-made :, which crosses over the northwest border of the District from Maryland; near ; and  upstream of Georgetown.

The highest point in the District of Columbia is 410 (125 m) above sea level at. The lowest point is sea level, which occurs along all of the Anacostia shore and all of the Potomac shore except the uppermost portion (the Little Falls–Chain Bridge area). The sea level Tidal Basin rose eleven feet during on,.

The geographic center of the District of Columbia is located near 4th Street NW, L Street NW and New York Avenue NW (not under the Capitol Dome, as is sometimes said).

Geographical features of Washington, D.C. include, , the and.

Climate
Washington is in the northern periphery of the zone. Its climate is typical of areas removed from bodies of water, with four distinct seasons. Summer tends to be hot and humid with daily high temperatures in July and August averaging in the high 80s to low 90s (in °; about 30° to 33 °). The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area. The combination of heat and humidity can also be reminiscent of a true. Spring and fall are mild with high temperatures in April and October averaging in the high 60s to low 70s (about 20 °C). Winter brings sustained cool temperatures and occasional snowfall. Average highs tend to be in the low 40s (6 to 8 °C) and lows in the mid 20s (-5 to -2 °C) from mid-December to mid-February. While s (or their remnants) occasionally track through the area in late summer and early fall, they have often weakened by the time they reach Washington partly because of the city's inland location. Flooding of the Potomac River, however—caused by a combination of high, , and storm —has been known to cause extensive property damage in Georgetown and Old Town. Spring is generally the most favorable time of year, with low humidity, mild temperatures and blooming foliage. This period generally lasts from late March until mid May. Because the effect is not as pronounced, temperatures of the Dulles Airport area and suburbs to the west and north are on average 6 to 7 °F (3 °C) cooler than Washington year-round, so a weather forecast for the city may not be accurate.

The average annual snowfall is 15 es (381 ) and the average high temperature in January is 41 °F (5 °C); the average low for January is 27 °F (-3 °C). The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on, and ,  and the lowest recorded temperature was -15 °F (-26 °C) on ,.

Nature
Washington, D.C. has many natural areas and spots inside the city. D.C.'s parks and natural areas include, the , the very large , the , , the , the Potomac River and the Anacostia River. The ubiquitous federal presence and land management responsibilities in Washington, D.C. make the area a crucible for applied research and adaptive management for urban ecosystems such as the restoration of Kenilworth Marsh, a remnant of the original tidal marshes of Washington, D.C. on the Anacostia River. Despite its intensely urbanized landscape, the District of Columbia is a center for research on urban wildlife management, urban stream restoration, and the aquatic ecology of urban streams. The National Park Service's Center For Urban Ecology is a regional source of expertise and applied science on "land use change and urban development, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity and maintenance of ecosystem processes" for the region.

The Potomac River, flowing through Washington, D.C., has been called one of the wildest urban rivers in the nation. The Potomac Gorge once surveyed by George Washington for a that would allow barge traffic to bypass the  (at the boundary between the Piedmont and coastal plain) is considered one of the most significant natural areas in the entire National Park System. The river, once called a national disgrace by President Lyndon Johnson, is now home to a vibrant warm-water fishery. Professional bass tournaments have been held within view of the Jefferson Memorial, and naturally reproducing s have returned to its banks.

Tourism
Washington is home to numerous national landmarks and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. The is a large, open park area in the center of the city featuring many monuments to American leaders; it also serves to connect the White House and the United States Capitol buildings. Located prominently in the center of the Mall is the. Other notable points of interest near the Mall include the (see right),, , , , , , , and.



The world famous is located in the District. The Smithsonian today is a collection of free museums that includes the, , , , , , , , , , and.

There are many art museums in D.C., in addition to those that are part of the Smithsonian, including the free, , and.

The and the  house thousands of documents covering every period in American history. Some of the more notable documents in the National Archives include the, and.

The District of Columbia operates its own system with 27 branches throughout the city. The main branch &mdash; which occupies a multi-story glass and steel-framed building at the intersection of 9th and G Streets, N.W., designed by modernist architect &mdash; is known as the. It has a large mural in its main hall depicting the civil rights leader.

Other points of interest in the District include, , , the (across the street from the Basilica Shrine), , , , , , , , , , , , ,  and the.

Performing arts
Washington is a major national center for the arts, with many venues for the performing arts in the city. , one of the first non-profit regional theaters in the nation, is rich with history and produces an eight-show season ranging from classics to world premieres, dedicated to the American canon of theater. The is regarded as one of the world's great Shakespeare troupes. Numerous other professional theaters, such as and Woolly Mammoth, and venues such as the, make the city a major theater center. The hosts the, the , the , and a variety of other musical and stage performances.

The hosted the likes of  and  on  (known as "Washington's Black Broadway") prior to the 1968 riots. Notable local music clubs include in ; Blues Alley in Georgetown; the  in the  district; and the, the 9:30 Club, the  jazz club, the Twins jazz clubs, all in the  NW area. The U Street area actually contains more than two dozen bars, clubs, and restaurants that feature jazz either nightly or several times a week.

Notable Washingtonians in the entertainment industry include singer-songwriter, musician , film actress , comedian , musician , filmmaker and two members of the rock group : guitarist  and bass player.

Music
D.C. has its own native music genre, called, a post-funk, percussion-driven flavor of that blends live sets with relentless dance rhythms, so-called because they "go and go and go". The most accomplished practitioner of go-go was D.C. band leader, who brought go-go to the brink of national recognition with his 1979 LP . Go-Go band and Washington natives (E.U.) hit the American pop charts in 1988 with their memorable dance tune "" Other notable go-go bands include, , , , and the.

Washington was an important center in the genesis of in the United States. Punk bands of note from Washington include, the Slickee Boys, , , , , and. Washingtonians continue to support punk bands, long after the punk movement's popularity peaked. The region also has a significant history and was home to,  and , among other indie record labels.

Television shows
There have been several television series that have featured the District. Most of these have been related to government ( and ) or security organizations (', ', ', and, most famously, '). Other programs had the nation's capital as a secondary focus, using it merely as a city setting. For instance,  focused on the lives of the reporters of the (fictional) Washington-based television newsmagazine, FYI. The soap opera  allowed for stories about political intrigue alongside the traditional class struggle sagas. The sitcom  portrayed the life of the majority as seen through the eyes of residents in a Washington apartment building.  on uses Washington, D.C. as a backdrop. There are also many movies shot and filmed in the city yearly.

Sports
Other professional and semi-professional teams based in D.C. include the, the  , the  , the   team of the , as well as a host of others playing in the  and the. It was also home to the, from 1987 to 1989 home of the 's , and during the –  seasons, the  was based in the city. In, the play in the.

There were two teams named the Washington Senators in the early and mid-, which left to become respectively the  and the. In the, the town was home to teams called the Washington Nationals, Washington Statesmen, and Washington Senators on and off from the 1870s to the turn of the century.

Washington was home to several teams, including the, , , , and.

The in, home to the Capitals, Mystics, Wizards and the , is also a major venue for concerts,  (WWE) , and other events, having replaced the old. Since its opening in 1997, the arena has served as a catalyst of prosperity in Chinatown. Office buildings, high-end condominiums, restaurant chains, movie theatres, and other luxuries have sprung up around Chinatown.

The city's soccer team, DC United, is the most successful franchise in MLS history, with 4 league championships and 10 total tournament victories, both league highs. Washington will host the 2007 edition of MLS Cup at RFK Stadium. Washington hosts the annual  tournament that takes place at the  on 17th Street. The and the  are both held annually in Washington.

Newspapers
 is the oldest and most-read daily in Washington, and it has developed into one of the most reputable daily newspapers in the U.S. It is most notable for exposing the, among other achievements. The Washington Post also has a daily free newspaper called the , summarizing events, sports, and entertainment. The more conservative daily ' and the free weekly ' also have substantial readership in the District. On, the free daily   debuted, having been formed from a chain of suburban newspapers known as the Journal Newspapers.

The weekly ' and ' focus on issues, and the ' on African American issues as well as the '. Bi-weekly  focuses on issues of and poverty.

Many neighborhoods in the District have their own community newspapers. Some of these include The Current Newspapers, which has editions serving, , Georgetown, and Upper Northwest, and a  paper called The Capitol Hill Current/Voice of the Hill. Additional papers include In-Towner (Dupont Circle, and ),  (Capitol Hill), East of the River  and D.C. North (Northeast D.C.). In addition, several specialty newspapers serve the U.S. Congress; most notable are ' and '.

Television
The metro area is served by several local broadcast stations and is the ninth largest  in the U.S., with 2,308,290 homes (2.05% of the U.S. population). Major television network affiliates include 4,  5 ,  7 ,  9 ,  50 ,  20 , as well as  26 and  32  stations. Channels 4, 5, and 20 are network s. on cable television is provided by the  on two channels simulcast to both local cable TV systems. One channel is devoted to religious programming and the other channel provides a diversity of offerings. A regional news station,, is carried on Channel 8 on all cable systems in Washington, D.C. and surrounding communities. Additionally, most area television stations can be seen in the Washington region. Besides being viewed clearly in the District, they can especially be seen in the suburbs of the corridor between both cities. They are:

2 11  13  16 (Ind/MTV2) 22 / 67 (PBS/MPB) 24 45  54 (The )

The WTTG Television Tower, built in 1963, is a 214.8 metre high guyed TV mast; it is only 17.2 meters shorter than the.

Spanish-language television is also represented by  25 and  affiliate  47, but these are  limited to within the  area. Univision's 14, however, transmits as a full power station and can be received as far north as Baltimore.

On, ,  switched channel locations from 64 to 25, as the higher band of UHF channels is to be eliminated in the digital switchover of 2009. The channel switchover was also supposed to increase coverage over a larger portion of the metropolitan area. However, viewers still report an inability to see its broadcasts in upper Montgomery County (Burtonsville and Laurel) and Howard County (Columbia/Ellicott City).

Incidentally, D.C's and  stations (owned by Entravision) switched call letters on, ; meaning that now Univision is the only Spanish station which can be seen at full power over the whole Washington metropolitan area. The Univision network moved from low-powered Channel 47/ to full-powered Channel 14/; Univision's youth-oriented TeleFutura network moved from 14 to 47. The change caused Univision and TeleFutura to exchange channel locations on D.C. area cable TV systems, too.

announced they would start transmitting from a new full powered Spanish-language broadcast affiliate in the region, Channel 69/ on, , as well as its addition to local channel lineups for Cable. However it has not been seen on the air as of yet. Earliest reports from viewers do not indicate availability of its broadcasts inside the District, as far south as, or as far north as the Columbia/Baltimore area. According to the FCC, WQAW has filed a license application to move their transmitter to, thereby rendering better coverage to the area between Baltimore and Washington, and moving to Channel 8.

Several networks have their headquarters in the Washington area, including  on Capitol Hill,  (BET) in Northeast D.C.,  in Downtown D.C., and  in, as well as the  (PBS) in. Major national broadcasters and cable outlets, including, , , , and maintain a significant presence in Washington, as do those from around the world, including the , , and. is the only network primetime program produced in Washington.

Radio
There are several major stations serving the metro area, with a wide variety of musical interests. The station is  99.5 FM (Hot 99.5) located in. stations include 94.7 FM (The Globe — Triple A) and  101.1 FM (DC 101 — active/alternative rock). stations include 95.5 FM (/urban contemporary),  96.3 FM (Howard University  station),  102.3 FM (urban adult contemporary),  93.9 FM (urban contemporary) and  97.5 FM (a popular  station broadcasting in the area around,  and ). Two major stations in the region are  91.9 FM (of ) and  89.9 (of ).

Stations that concentrate on talk and sports include 106.7 FM (FM talk),  630 AM ( talk),  1260 AM,  (urban talk),  980 AM (sports talk),  92.7 FM/94.3 FM/730 AM ( station controlled by  owner ),  and  (Christian ),  103.5 FM (news) and  1500 AM/107.7 FM (3WT-talk). Radio duos and  both had great success on WJFK, although the latter now broadcast on D.C.-based  via the network's New York studio.

WOL 1450 AM, WKYS 93.9 FM, and WMMJ 102.3 are owned by Washington's, the largest African American media conglomerate in the country. It was founded by Cathy Hughes, a prominent figure in Washington radio since her days at Howard University's WHUR.

There are two (NPR) affiliates:  88.5 FM (NPR and  programming, community programming, and  news), broadcast from the, and  90.9 FM (around-the-clock ). Other stations include 97.1 FM,  98.7 FM ,  El Zol 99.1 FM (Latin/Tropical),  100.3 FM ,  Praise 104.1 FM ,  1580 AM ,  89.3 FM ( and progressive talk),  105.9 FM , and  107.3 FM (hot adult contemporary). In some parts of the city and suburban Maryland, listeners can hear 88.1 FM  the only remaining FM college radio station in the area. Additionally, most major radio stations from Baltimore can be heard in the Washington metropolitan area.

XM Satellite Radio and NPR are based in Washington. The, the U.S. government's service, is headquartered in Washington.

Economy


Washington, D.C. has a growing economy that is also diversifying with a decreasing percentage of federal government jobs over the current and next decade and an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs over the same period. With five Fortune 1000 companies (two of which are also Fortune 500 companies), and a large support infrastructure of professional services, including, , and , Washington, D.C. is one of the Gamma World Cities. Washington, D.C. is also a leading city for global real estate investment, behind London, New York City, and Paris.

As of 2002, the federal government accounts for 27% of Washington, D.C.'s jobs. The presence of many major government agencies, including the, , and the , has led to business development both in the District itself as well as in the National Capital Region of Maryland and especially. These businesses include federal s (defense and civilian), numerous nonprofit organizations, law firms and lobbying firms, national associations of labor and professional groups, catering and administrative services companies, and several other industries that are sustained by the economic presence of the federal government. This arrangement makes the Washington economy virtually -proof relative to the rest of the country, because the federal government will still operate no matter the state of the general economy, and it often grows during recessions.

The gross state product of the District in 2006 was $87.664 billion, ranking it #35 when compared with the fifty states. In 2006, Expansion Magazine ranked DC among the top 10 metropolitan areas in the nation for climates favorable to business expansion. In terms of commercial office space, Washington, D.C. has the 3rd largest downtown in America, only behind and  respectively.

Of non-government employers, Washington, D.C.'s major universities and hospitals are among the top employers with the, and  as the top three. and round out the top five employers in Washington, D.C.

Washington is also a global media center. Most major news outlets have bureaus in the city and Washington is home to, , , the and. Washington's unique scenery makes it a popular location for film and television production.

Insurance and banking
Washington, D.C.'s financial regulatory environment is adapting and becoming more competitive as a jurisdiction for companies and financial institutions to locate and do business. This increasingly popular form of alternative insurance allows large corporations and industry associations to create independent insurance companies to insure their own risks. Since 2001, Washington, D.C.'s Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking has licensed over 70 companies, including captive insurance companies owned by the American Society of Association Executives, General Motors, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. As of 2006, Washington, D.C. is the world's fifteenth-largest and the USA's sixth-largest domicile for captive insurance companies, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Demographics
The 2005 Census Bureau estimate of the city's population was 582,049. After the city government questioned the original results – an estimate of 550,521 – the Census Bureau revised the estimate. The revised figure marked the first increase in the city's population since 1950.

As of the, there were 572,059 people, 248,338 households, and 114,235 families residing in the city. The was 9,316.4 per square mile (3,597.3/km²). There were 274,845 housing units at an average density of 1,728.3/km² (4,476.1/mi²). The largest Hispanic group is, accounting for an estimated 18,505 of Washington's 45,901 Hispanic population. D.C. has a steadily declining African American population, due to many middle-class and professional African Americans moving to the suburbs, mostly in Maryland (for example, the African American majority in ) and Northern Virginia,, , and area of  aggravated by the rising cost of living in the area.

There were 248,338 households, out of which 19.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.8% were living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.0% were non-families. 43.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 3.07. In the city, the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.6 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,127, and the median income for a family was $46,283. Males had a median income of $40,513 versus $36,361 for females. The for the city was $28,659. About 16.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those over age 65. According to  magazine it is also the 9th wealthiest city in the country based on a median household income, with over half of its residents having an income of $46,500 a year, and the average home price being at $429,900.

A 2007 report found that approximately one third of the population in Washington, D.C. is, compared to a rate of about one fifth nationally. One of the primary reasons attributed to this is the high growing number of and n immigrants who number 170,000 people in the city. Many tend to not be proficient in English. This shows huge disparities in the city because over 45% of residents have a college degree or higher and it ranks 4th in the nation with that educational attainment. A 2000 study shows that 83.42% of Washington, D.C. residents age 5 and older speak only at home and 9.18% speak. is the third most spoken language at 1.67%.

According to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey, nearly three out of four District residents identified themselves as. This breaks down to 72% Christian (27%, 19% , and 26% other churches), 13% stating no religion, 4% , 2%  and 1%. According to the Census Bureau, the District's daytime population is estimated at 982,853. The influx of over 410,000 workers into Washington on a normal business day comprises a 72% increase of the capital's normal population. That is the largest increase percentage-wise of any city studied and the second-largest net increase, behind only.

The Greater Washington metropolitan area, including contiguous areas of Maryland and Virginia, had an estimated population of 5.8 million in 2003, according to the estimates of the Greater Washington Initiative.

As host to over 180 embassies and hundreds of international organizations, Washington, D.C. has a substantial population of foreign residents. There are also many students from abroad studying at the local universities and colleges. This adds a cosmopolitan flavor to the city.

Local government
The city is run by an elected mayor and a. The council is composed of 13 members: one elected from each of the s and five members, including the chairman, elected at large. The council conducts its work through standing committees and special committees established as needed. District schools are administered by a that has both elected and appointed members. There are 37 elected s that provide the most direct access for residents to their local government. The commissions serve as local councils, and their suggestions are required to be given "great weight" by the D.C. Council. However, the U.S. Congress has the ultimate plenary power over the district. It has the right to review and overrule laws created locally and has often done so. The, which grants to states all rights not belonging to the Federal government, does not apply to the District of Columbia.

D.C. residents pay federal, such as , as well as very high local taxes. The mayor and council adopt a budget of local money with Congress reserving the right to make any changes. Much of the valuable property in the District is federally owned and hence exempt from local property taxes; at the same time, the city is burdened with the extraordinary expenses related to its role as the capital, such as police overtime and street cleaning for D.C.'s frequent parades and festivals. These factors are often used to explain why the city's budget is frequently overstretched. However, the federal government also appropriates funds for the city. For instance, according to Public Law 108-7, the federal government provided, among other funds, an estimated 25% of the District's operating budget in 2003.

Despite its position as a target of terrorist attacks, the federal government decreased the budget for emergency planning and security cost in the District of Columbia from $14 million in 2006 to $3 million in 2008.

Historically, the city's local government has earned somewhat of a reputation for mismanagement and waste, particularly during the mayoralty of, who was re-elected despite serving jail time for smoking. A front-page story in the, Washington Post reported that Washington had some of the highest-cost lowest-quality services in the entire region, including a high-cost school system with excessive administrative staff but shabby schools and low learning standards. Prosperity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including an influx of young professional residents, lessened public pressure on Mayor Williams, but he still faced daunting, public health and public education challenges.

Representation in federal government
The U.S. Constitution gives Congress direct jurisdiction over Washington, D.C. While Congress has delegated various amounts of this authority to local government, including an elected mayor and city council, Congress still intervenes, from time to time, in local affairs relating to schools, policy, and other issues.

Citizens of the district have no voting representation in Congress. They are represented in the by a,  (D-) who sits on committees and participates in debate, but cannot vote. D.C. has no representation at all in the. Attempts to change this situation, including and the proposed, have been unsuccessful.

Citizens of this national capital district are not unique in the world in having diminished representation in their federal legislature, although they are unique in having no voting representation at all. Some nations that have built capital cities from scratch, including, have diminished representation for a federal district. Washington's situation can also be compared to the historical status of, which had only non-voting delegates to the House. However, unlike U.S. territories today (such as and ), citizens of the District of Columbia are fully taxed and subject to all U.S. laws, just as the citizens of the fifty states. In recent years, "" has been the motto featured on D.C. vehicle license plates. With the passage of the in 1961, residents of the district became eligible to vote for President of the United States. The district has three, the same number as states with the smallest populations, such as Montana, Wyoming, Delaware, Alaska, Vermont, and the two Dakotas.

Domestic partnerships
The District of Columbia has recognized s since 1992, but Congress withheld funding to implement recognition until 2002. Both same-sex and mixed-sex couples may register. Under the Domestic Partnership Equality Amendment Act of 2006, D.C. Law 16-79, which came into effect on, , in almost all cases a domestic partner will have the same rights as a spouse regarding inheritance, probate, guardianship, and other rights traditionally accorded to spouses. Employees of the District government and their domestic partners are eligible for the same healthcare coverage and family leave benefits as married couples.

Crime
During the wave of the early 1990s, Washington, D.C. was known as the "murder capital" of the United States, and often rivaled  in the high number of homicides. Homicides peaked in 1991 at 482, but the level of violence declined drastically in the 1990s. In 2006, the annual murder count in the city had declined to 169. Once plagued with violent crime, many D.C. neighborhoods, such as, are becoming safe and vibrant areas as a result of. While not as intensely violent, crime hotspots have since displaced farther into the eastern sections of Washington, D.C. and across the border into Maryland. Although the southeastern side of the city has developed a reputation for being unsafe, these crime hotspots are generally concentrated in very specific areas that are associated with and . Other areas east of the U.S. Capitol, as well as the city's wealthier  neighborhoods west of Rock Creek Park, experience low levels of crime. Despite the declining trends, Washington D.C. crime rates (2005) remain among the highest of U.S. cities, and it was most recently ranked as the 13th most dangerous city in the nation (2005). Washington, D.C.'s surpasses the rates of Los Angeles and New York.

Washington, D.C.'s Mayor Fenty is a member of the, an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by mayor  and  mayor.

On ,, then-Metropolitan Police Chief declared a "crime emergency" in the city in response to a rising homicide rate (the city had logged 13 murders since July 1, most notably the killing of a prominent British political activist in Georgetown. While the declaration allowed for more flexible and increased policing in high-crime neighborhoods, it was temporary and scheduled to be revisited following a 30-day trial period.

Education
The public school system in the city is operated by and consists of 167 schools and learning centers, which consist of 101 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, nine junior high schools, 20 senior high schools, six education centers, and 20 special schools. In 2005-2006, 54,800 students were enrolled in the public school system, with enrollment decreasing. Per-pupil expenditure is very high, but many school buildings are in disrepair, slow to be fixed, and learning performances very low. Turnover of school superintendents is frequent, with many resigning in frustration. At the same time, enrollment in independently run and publicly funded charter schools has increased 13 percent each year since 2001. The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board monitors 37 charter schools in Washington, D.C. In 2005-2006, 19,300 students were enrolled in s.

Colleges and universities
The city is home to several, s, and other institutions of , both public and private. The is the city's public university; it is the nation's only urban  and is counted among the. The 's Graduate School offers continuing education and graduate-level classes in many disciplines. Among private institutions, is older than the District itself, having been founded in 1789 by. It is the nation's oldest affiliated body of higher education. The nation's was at Georgetown. The university is especially well-known for the and the. It also is home to a and the.

, founded by an act of Congress in 1821, is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's capital with its main campus in Foggy Bottom and its Mount Vernon campus in the neighborhood of. GW, as it is called locally, is known for the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences,, as well as the , George Washington Medical Center and the School of Business. GW has the distinction of having established the first School of Medicine (1825) as well as the first Law School (1865) in Washington, D.C. The University is the second-largest landholder and employer in the District, second only to the Federal government.

, a private institution chartered by an act of Congress in 1893, is situated on an 84 acre (34 ha) campus in upper Northwest Washington and is well known for the, the , the , the School of Public Affairs, and the School of Communication.

(CUA), in the Northeast quadrant of the District is unique as the national university of the Roman Catholic Church and as the only higher education institution founded by s. Established in 1887 following approval by as a graduate and research center, the university began offering undergraduate education in 1904. In April of 2004, CUA purchased 49 acres (20 ha) of land from the. The parcel is the largest plot of open space in the District and makes CUA the largest university in D.C. by land area.

The, located near CUA, was founded in 1897 by the Sisters of Notre Dame as a Catholic liberal arts college for women. Trinity educates women in its College of Arts and Sciences, and both women and men in the School of Education and School of Professional Studies.

Other notable private colleges in the District include, the first liberal arts college for the and , , a historically black university dating to the nineteenth century which among other achievements trained many early black physicians, and , a smaller institution with a concentration in business studies.

Furthermore, 's (SAIS), dedicated to the graduate study of  and international, is located near , on Massachusetts Avenue's.

The Department of Defense maintains the at. The is also located in D.C. The  has an arts program attached to the Corcoran Museum of Art, adjacent to the White House Complex. The and the Washington Theological Union have graduate programs in theology. , a for-profit career school, has a campus in Washington, D.C.

The city is also home to some of the nation's finest high schools. Many children of political dignitaries have attended. Other fine private institutions include, , , , , , and.

Health systems
A prominent hospital in Washington, D.C. is, the 's premier medical center on the east coast. The 5,500-bed Walter Reed provides care for dependents, active-duty and retired personnel from all branches of the armed forces, as well as the, , and. The hospital, however, is scheduled to move to a newer and larger facility in nearby, forcing its closure in 2011.

Armed Forces veterans also receive care at the Veterans' Affairs Medical Center in the grounds of the Old Soldier's Home.

is the largest hospital campus in the District, and both the largest private and largest non-profit hospital in the Metropolitan Area. It is consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the United States, notably by HCIA and .

Immediately adjacent to the Washington Hospital Center campus in central Washington are the National Rehabilitation Hospital, and Children's National Medical Center (although Children's has satellite centers scattered across the city). Both, like WHC, are among the highest-ranked hospitals in the nation. The Specialty Hospital of Washington is a long-term acute care facility, established in 1995 in Northeast D.C.

Three of the universities in Washington have associated medical schools &mdash; and, subsequently, hospitals: George Washington, Georgetown and Howard University. All three are teaching hospitals and are highly regarded institutions. In particular, George Washington University Medical Center is noteworthy as the medical center whose doctors saved the life of President when he was. The GWU Emergency Room facility, in fact, is named for Reagan. Georgetown University Medical Center is home to the Lombardi Cancer Center, which is the sole comprehensive cancer center in the Washington, D.C. region.

The oldest continuously operating hospital in the city is Providence Hospital in Northeast D.C., chartered by in 1861. There are three additional private, non-profit community hospitals in Washington: Sibley Memorial Hospital in upper Northwest, Hadley Memorial, a long-term acute care facility in lower Southwest, and Greater Southeast Community Hospital in Southeast, which generally serves the population east of the Anacostia River.

Until 2001, D.C. General Hospital operated near Capitol Hill as the city's only public health-care facility. Mayor had the hospital (which lost several million dollars a year) shut down in an attempt to manage the city's recovery from bankruptcy. The majority of its patient base has since been picked up by Greater Southeast and Prince George's Hospital in Maryland. Mayor Williams in 2005 proposed a new state-of-the-art facility, the National Capital Medical Center, be built on the D.C. General campus as a joint project of the city and Howard University. However, higher-than-expected cost analyses and questions about the proposed hospital's public-health-care capacity caused support for the project to dwindle rapidly. In 2006, the Mayor instead announced support for a $72 million "healthplex" on the D.C. General grounds.

In addition, there are three hospitals in Washington, D.C.: Riverside Hospital,  and the Psychiatric Institute of Washington.

Utilities
Water is supplied to Washington D.C. from the at the  and s, and is treated by the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority. Though, the safety and quality of tap water is marginal, with unsafe levels of and  in water provided to many parts of the city.

Transportation
Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the city provided for a grid of streets and a diagonal array of avenues, all centered on the Capitol building. The north-south streets are primarily named with numbers and the east-west streets with letters. From the Capitol as the center, one set of numbered streets sweeps eastward (1st Street, 2nd Street, etc.) and another set sweeps westward (1st Street, 2nd Street, etc.) Similarly, sets of lettered streets sweep northward from the Capitol (A Street, C Street, etc.) and southward. The diagonal avenues in L'Enfant's plan are chiefly named after states (e.g. Pennsylvania Avenue). Street addresses are identified by their location in one of the four of the city, centered on the Capitol building:, ,  and. Addresses end with a quadrant suffix to indicate whether the location is, for example, on 4th Street NE, 4th Street NW, 4th Street SE or 4th Street SW. Outside the original city boundaries, street layout and naming practices are less regular. However, the alphabetic order of east-west streets, ending with W Street, is in some areas succeeded by an alphabetic progression of two-syllable names (e.g. Adams, Bryant, Channing), followed by a three-syllable progression (e.g. Allison, Buchanan, Crittenden), and then a progression of botanical names (e.g. Aspen, Butternut, Cedar).

Major interstates running through the area include the (I-495),, ,  also called the Southwest-Southeast Freeway,  also called the Anacostia Freeway or Kenilworth Avenue, and  (which does not reach D.C., terminating at I-495). Other major highways include the and  in D.C., the  in D.C. and Virginia, the  in D.C. and Maryland, the, the  the  and the  in Maryland, and the  in Virginia.

The Washington area is served by the, which operates the region's subway system, the nation's second-busiest after New York's subway. , as well as which serves D.C. and the immediate closest counties. A operates the  buses downtown. Many of the jurisdictions around the region run public buses that interconnect with the Metrobus/Metrorail system; the state of Maryland as well as private bus lines provide rush-hour commuter busses from more distant counties. is the second busiest train station in the United States after New York's. It is the southern terminus of 's Northeast Corridor service, and served by and  commuter trains. Intercity bus service is available from the Terminal in Northeast D.C., located near the  Metro station, and from es leaving from Chinatown. The for several years has ranked the Washington metro area has having the nation's second worst traffic congestion, surpassed only by. Among other factors, no new Potomac vehicular bridge spans have been added since 1965.

Washington, D.C. is served by three major, one in Maryland and two in Virginia. is the closest &mdash; located in Arlington County, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from, and accessible via Washington Metro. The airport is conveniently located to the downtown area; however it has somewhat restricted flights to airports within the United States because of noise and security concerns. Most major international flights arrive and depart from, located 26.3 miles (42.3 km) west of the city in  and  counties in Virginia. Dulles is the second busiest international gateway on the. Dulles is a hub for and offers service from several low-cost carriers, including  and, although the low-cost selection decreased greatly when  (which was headquartered at Dulles) folded in January 2006. , is located 31.7 miles (51.0 km) northeast of the city in, near Baltimore. BWI has had the highest passenger volume of the three major airports in the Baltimore-Washington Metroplex for several months.

General aviation is additionally available at several smaller airfields, including,  ,  ( CDP of ) and. Since 2003, the general aviation airports closest to Washington, D.C. have had their access strictly limited by the implementation of the (ADIZ).

Emancipation Day
Washington, D.C. celebrates as. On that day in 1862, President signed the  Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia. The Act freed about 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia nine months before President Lincoln issued his famous which presaged the eventual end of  to the rest of the nation. The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act represents the only example of compensation by the federal government to free enslaved persons.

The Emancipation Day celebration was held yearly from 1866 to 1901, and was resumed as a tradition and historic celebration in 2002. On, , Mayor Anthony Williams signed legislation making Emancipation Day an official in the District. Each year, a series of activities will be held during the public holiday, including the traditional Emancipation Day celebrating the freedom of enslaved persons in the District of Columbia.

In 2007, the observance of this holiday had the effect of nationally extending the 2006 income tax filing deadline from the 16th to the 17th of April, a delay that will recur in April of 2011. This 2007 date change was not discovered until after many forms went to print.

Sister cities
Washington, D.C.'s are:
 * Paris is a "Partner City" due to the one Sister City policy of that municipality.

Ten of these cities are designated by.

In June 2006, the city signed an Agreement of Friendship with the city of, signalling the start of increased economic and cultural cooperation between the two cities. , on the outskirts of Sunderland, is the ancestral home of George Washington. Both these cities participate in instead of.