Washington State Guide

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. As of the 2000 census, the state population was approximately 5.9 million and the state work force numbered about 3.1 million. Residents are called "Washingtonians" (emphasis on the third syllable, pronounced as tone). It is also called Washington state when there is need to distinguish it from Washington, D.C., the nation's capital.

Washington State Guide - Geography

Washington is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west; Oregon to the south (the Columbia River forming most of this border); Idaho to the east and British Columbia, Canada to the north. It is famous for scenery of breathtaking beauty and sharp contrasts. High mountains rise above sparkling coastal waters and above both barren semi-desert and lush evergreen forests. Its coastal location and Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim. Puget Sound's many islands are served by the largest ferry fleet in the United States.

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 (such as the Hoh Rain Forest) 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. Snow-covered peaks tower above the foothills and lowlands around them. Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the state, appears to "float" on the horizon southeast of Seattle and Tacoma on clear days. The eastern side of the state can be divided into two regions: the Okanogan Highlands and the Columbia River Basin.

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:

* Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve near Coupeville
* Fort Vancouver National Historic Site at Vancouver
* Klondike Gold Rush Seattle Unit National Historical Park in Seattle
* Lake Chelan National Recreation Area near Stehekin
* Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area along the Columbia River
* Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
* Mount Rainier National Park
* Nez Perce National Historical Park
* North Cascades National Park near Marblemount
* Olympic National Park at Port Angeles
* Ross Lake National Recreation Area at Newhalem
* San Juan Island National Historical Park in Friday Harbor
* Whitman Mission National Historic Site at Walla Walla

Areas under the National Wilderness Preservation System include:

* Alpine Lakes Wilderness
* Buckhorn Wilderness
* Clearwater Wilderness
* Glacier Peak Wilderness
* Goat Rocks Wilderness
* Norse Peak Wilderness
* Olympic Wilderness
* Pasayten Wilderness

See also: Central Washington, Columbia River Plateau, Eastern Washington, Inland Empire (Pacific Northwest), Kitsap Peninsula, Palouse, and Western Washington

Geographical features

* Puget Sound
   o Bainbridge Island
   o Camano Island
   o Whidbey Island
   o Vashon Island
* San Juan Islands
* Columbia River
* Snake River
* Yakima River
* Cascade Range
   o Mount Adams
   o Mount Baker
   o Glacier Peak
   o Mount Rainier
   o Mount St. Helens
   o Mount Stuart
* Olympic Mountains
   o Mount Olympus

Adjacent states

* British Columbia, Canada - north
* Idaho - east
* Oregon - south
* Pacific Ocean - west

Washington State Guide - History

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 first European record of a landing on the Washington coast was by Spanish Captain Don Bruno de Heceta in 1775, on board the Santiago, part of a two-ship flotilla with the Sonora. They claimed all the coastal lands up to the Russian possessions in the north for Spain.

In 1778, British explorer Captain James Cook sighted Cape Flattery, at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but the straits would not be explored until 1789, by Captain Charles W. Barkley. Further explorations of the straits were performed by Spanish explorers Manuel Quimper in 1790 and Francisco de Eliza in 1791, then by British Captain George Vancouver in 1792.

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.

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

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

Washington became the 42nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889.

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

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

During the Great Depression, a series of hydroelectric dams were constructed along the Columbia river as part of a project to increase the production of electricity. This culminated in 1941 with the completion of the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest dam in the United States.

During World War II, the Puget Sound area became a focus for war industries, with the Boeing Company producing many of the nation's heavy bombers and ports in Seattle, Bremerton, and Tacoma were available for the manufacture of warships. Seattle was the point of departure for many soldiers in the Pacific, a number of which were quartered at Golden Gardens Park. In eastern Washington, the Hanford Works atomic energy plant was opened in 1943 and played a major role in the construction of the nation's atomic bombs.

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.

Washington State Guide - Demographics

The center of population of Washington in the year 2000 was located in King County, city of Enumclaw.

According to the U.S. Census as of 2005, Washington has an estimated population of 6,287,759, which is an increase of 80,713, or 1.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 393,619, or 6.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 180,160 people (that is 418,055 births minus 237,895 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 215,216 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 134,242 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 80,974 people.

As of 2004, Washington's population included 631,500 foreign-born (10.3% of the state population), and an estimated 100,000 illegal aliens (1.6% of state population).

Washington is currently the 12th fastest growing state.

The six largest reported ancestries in Washington are: German (18.7%), English (12%), Irish (11.4%), Norwegian (6.2%), Mexican (5.6%) and Filipino (3.7%).

There are many migrant Mexican farm workers living in the southeast-central part of the state, though the population is also increasing as laborers in Western Washington. Wahkiakum County, as well as most counties in the state, has many residents of Scandinavian origin.

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

African Americans are less numerous than Asians or Hispanics in many communities, but have been elected as mayor of both Seattle 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. Tacoma also has a rising African-American population.

Washington is the location of many Indian reservations, with some placing prominent casinos next to major interstate highways, and residents have adopted many of the artwork themes of the northwest coast Indians who were noted for totem poles, longhouses, dugout canoes and pictures of animals such as the design used for the Seattle Seahawks. Many cities have traditional names created by Native Americans such as Seattle, Puyallup and Walla Walla.

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.

Washington State Guide - 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 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. Significant amounts of trade with Asia pass through the ports of the Puget Sound. See list of United States companies by state.

The state of Washington is one of only seven states that does not levy a personal income tax. Neither does the state collect a corporate income tax. However, Washington businesses are responsible for various other state levies. Washington's state sales tax is 6.5 percent, and it applies to services as well as products. Most foods are exempt from sales tax; however, prepared foods, dietary supplements and soft drinks 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 excise tax applies to certain select products such as gasoline, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages. Property tax 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 public schools, fire protection, libraries, parks and recreation, and other special purpose districts.

All real property and personal property is subject to tax unless specifically exempted by law. Personal property also is taxed, although most personal property owned by individuals is exempt. Personal property tax 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 bank accounts, stocks or bonds. Neither does the state assess any tax on retirement income earned and received from another state. Washington does not collect inheritance taxes; however, the estate tax 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 government monopoly on sales of alcoholic beverages, although beer and wine with less than 20 percent alcohol by volume can be purchased in convenience stores and supermarkets. Liqueurs (even if under 20 percent alcohol by volume) and spirits can only be purchased in state-run or privately-owned-state-contracted liquor stores.

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 State Guide - Agriculture

Washington is a leading agricultural 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 raspberries (90.0% of total U.S. production), wrinkled seed peas (80.6%), hops (75.0%), spearmint oil (73.6%), apples (58.1%), sweet cherries (47.3%), pears (42.6%), peppermint oil (40.3%), Concord grapes (39.3%), carrots for processing (36.8%), and Niagara grapes (31.6%). Washington also ranked second in the nation in production of lentils, fall potatoes, dry edible peas, apricots, grapes (all varieties taken together), asparagus (over a third of the nation's production), sweet corn for processing, and green peas for processing; third in tart cherries, prunes and plums, and dry summer onions; fourth in barley and trout; and fifth in wheat, cranberries, and strawberries.

Washington State Guide - Law and Government

The bicameral Washington State Legislature is the state's legislative branch. The state legislature is composed of a lower House of Representatives and an upper State Senate, with 49 legislative districts apiece. Districts for the House are multimember constituencies, electing two members per district, while a single member represents the district in the Senate. Currently for both houses of the legislature, the Democratic Party holds a majority in government. Both State Senators and House Representatives are elected for four year and two year terms, respectively. There are no term limits.

Washington's executive branch is headed by a governor elected for a four-year term. The current governor of Washington is Christine Gregoire, a Democrat. She has been governor since 2005.

The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the state of Washington. Nine justices serve on the bench, and are elected at large.

Washington State Guide - Politics

The state has been thought of as politically divided by the Cascade Mountains, with Western Washington being liberal (particularly the I-5 Corridor) and Eastern Washington being conservative. Since the population is larger in the west, the Democrats usually fare better statewide. 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 and 2000. In 1968, it was the only Western state to give its electoral votes to Hubert Humphrey.

While the Democratic Party has long dominated Washington, the 2004 Washington gubernatorial election was among the closest races in United States election history. The initial count gave Republican candidate Dino Rossi 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 200 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 Christine Gregoire, 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 12 January 2005. The subsequent court battles raged for months after the election, but ultimately ended with Gregoire retaining her office. The final official count left Gregoire ahead by 133 votes.

Washington holds the distinction of becoming the first, and so far only, state to elect women to all three major statewide offices (state governor Chris Gregoire and U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell) at the same time.

On January 30, 2006, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law legislation making Washington the 17th state in the nation to protect gay and lesbian people from discrimination in housing, lending, and employment, and the 7th state in the nation to offer these protections to transgendered people. Initiative activist Tim Eyman filed a referendum that same day, seeking to put the issue before the state's voters. Despite a push from conservative churches across the state to gather signatures on what were dubbed "Referendum Sundays," Eyman was only able to gather 105,103 signatures, more than 7,000 signatures short of the minimum. As a result, the law went into effect on June 7, 2006.

Washington State Guide - Colleges and Universities

State universities

* Central Washington University
* Eastern Washington University
* The Evergreen State College
* University of Washington
* Washington State University
* Western Washington University

Private universities

* Antioch University Seattle
* Argosy University/Seattle
* Art Institute of Seattle
* Bastyr University
* City University
* Cornish College of the Arts
* DeVry University
* DigiPen Institute of Technology
* Gonzaga University
* Henry Cogswell College
* Heritage College
* Northwest University
* Pacific Lutheran University
* St. Martin's University
* School of Visual Concepts
* Seattle Bible College
* Seattle Pacific University
* Seattle University
* Trinity Lutheran College
* University of Puget Sound
* Walla Walla College
* Whitman College
* Whitworth College

Washington State Guide - Miscellaneous

Three ships of the United States Navy, including two battleships, have been named USS Washington in honor of the state. Previous ships had held that name in honor of George Washington.

The State song is "Washington, My Home", the State bird is the American Goldfinch and the State fruit is the Apple. The State dance, adopted in 1979, is the Square Dance. The State Tree is the Western Hemlock. The State Flower is the Coast Rhododendron. The State Fish is the Steelhead Trout. The State Folk Song is "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On" by Woody Guthrie. The State Grass is Bluebunch Wheatgrass. The State Insect is the Green Darner Dragonfly. The State Fossil is the Columbian Mammoth. The State Marine Mammal is the Orca Whale. The State Muffin is the blueberry muffin.

Article Source: Wikipedia