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Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest of the
United States. The state is named after George Washington, the first President
of the United States. It is also called Washington State when there is need to
distinguish it from Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. The state of
Washington is one of only seven states that do not levy a personal income tax.
Neither does the state collect a corporate income tax.
Bill Gates (worth $53 billion) is the best known
billionaire from the state, and wealthiest man in the world. Other Washington
state billionaires Paul Allen (Microsoft), Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Jeffrey
Bezos (Amazon), Craig McCaw (McCaw Cellular), James Jannard (Oakley), John Edson
(leisure craft), Howard Schultz (Starbucks), and Charles Simonyi (Microsoft).
Washington is a land of contrasts. The deep forests of the
Olympic Peninsula are among the rainiest places in the world and the only
rainforests in the continental United States, but the flat semi-desert that lies
east of the Cascade Range stretches for long distances without a single tree.
Washington's climate varies greatly from west to east. A mild, semi-humid
climate predominates in the western coastal part of the state, and a much colder
dry climate prevails east of the Cascade Range. The region has frequent cloud
cover, considerable fog, and long-lasting drizzles; summer is the sunniest
season.
Prior to the arrival of explorers from Europe, this region
of the Pacific Coast had many established tribes of Native Americans, each with
its own unique culture. Today, they are most notable for their totem poles and
their ornately carved canoes and masks. Prominent among their industries were
salmon fishing and whale hunting. In the east, nomadic tribes traveled the land
and missionaries such as the Whitmans settled there.
The Spanish Nootka Convention of 1790 opened the Northwest
Territory to explorers and trappers from other nations, most notably Britain and
then the United States. Captain Robert Gray (for whom Grays Harbor County is
named) then discovered the mouth of the Columbia River. He named the river after
his ship, the Columbia. Beginning in 1792, Gray established trade in sea otter
pelts. The Lewis and Clark Expedition entered the state on October 10, 1805. In
1819, Spain ceded their original claims to this territory to the United States.
This began a period of disputed joint-occupancy by Britain and the U.S. that
lasted until June 15, 1846, when Britain ceded their claims to this land with
the Treaty of Oregon.
Significant businesses within the state include the design
and manufacture of jet aircraft (Boeing), computer software development
(Microsoft, Amazon.com, drugstore.com, Nintendo of America), electronics,
biotechnology, aluminum production, lumber and wood products, mining, and
tourism. The state has significant amounts of hydroelectric power generation.
Washington is also a leading agricultural state.
Visitors are attracted to Mount Rainier National Park,
Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, Fort Vancouver and Whitman
Mission national historic sites, and Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.
On May 18, 1980, following a period of heavy tremors and eruptions, the
northeast face of Mount St. Helens 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. Mt. Saint Helens
is now a national monument. Miles of apple and cherry orchards in the irrigated
area just east of the Cascades create the spring landscape for which the state
is famous. The rugged mountain slopes and grandeur of the Cascades draw climbers
during the summer months, and in winter excellent snowfields near Seattle and
Tacoma attract skiers.
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Fast Facts
Population 2005 est. - 6,287,759
Capital - Olympia
Largest cities - Seattle
Spokane
Tacoma
Area - 71,342 sq mi (18th)
Bounded by Pacific Ocean
Oregon
Idaho
British Columbia, Canada
Elevation
Highest point - Mount Rainier 14,410 ft
Lowest point - Pacific Ocean 0 ft
State Sales Tax - 6.5%
Median income - $48,688
Time zone - Pacific: UTC-8
Daylight Savings - Yes
Web site - www.access.wa.gov
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