Washington, the forty-second state in America, is located in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S.A. It became a state on November 11, 1889. Washington is the eighteenth largest and fifteenth most populous state in the U.S.A. The state capital is Olympia and the largest city is Seattle. Its bordering states are Idaho and Oregon, its bordering country is Canada and its bordering bodies of water are the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound. The state's major rivers are Columbia River, Snake River and Yakima River and its major lakes are Lake Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lake Washington. Washington was carved out of the western part of the Washington Territory, which had been ceded by Britain in 1846, by the Oregon Treaty as settlement for the Oregon Boundary Dispute. The majority of the state is made up of rain forests, mountain ranges and semi deserts that have turned over due to intensive agriculture.
Washington was named after the first President of the Untied States, George Washington. The state is often called Washington State to distinguish itself from the nation’s capital. The locals, called Washingtonians, normally refer to the capital as D.C. reserving Washington for their own state. The state was nicknamed 'The Evergreen State' due to its abundant evergreen forests. The state bird is the Goldfinch and the state bird, the Coast Rhododendron. The state flag, adopted in 1923, has a deep green background with the state seal in the center. The state seal features an illustration of George Washington surrounded by a yellow circular bound with the words, 'The seal of the state of Washington 1889'.
The state of Washington was inhabited by many Native Americans before its discovery by the Europeans. These people relied on gathering, fishing and hunting for sustenance. The Spanish Captain, Don Bruno de Heceta was the first European to explore the land, arriving in 1775. He claimed all the coastal lands up to Prince William Sound in the north for Spain as part of their claimed rights under the Treaty of Tordesillas. The Spanish claims to the land were soon ended and the land was opened to explorers and traders form other nations. In 1811, explorer David Thompson, erected a pole and a notice claiming the country for Great Britain.
Fort Nisqually was the first settlement in Puget Sound. It was a farm and trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company. Washington's erstwhile founder, the black pioneer George Washington Bush and his family settled in Washington to avoid the racism and discrimination in Oregon country. Following him, a large number of settlers began to inhabit the land that is now Washington.
In 1852, the Monticello Convention took place. This convention assembled in order to express their desire for statehood under the name 'Columbia'. The Congress agreed, however, rather than naming the state Columbia, it was named Washington in order that it not be confused with the already existing District of Columbia. In its early statehood, the Yakima River Valley, in eastern Washington became known for its apple orchards. These forests were produced by the heavy rainfall to the west of the Cascade Range. Seattle on the other hand, became known for being the primary port for trade with Alaska and the rest of the country. Tacoma was noted for its large smelters where gold, silver, copper and lead ores were treated. All of these different activities in the different cities of the state assisted the state of Washington into developing into the state that it is now.
The state's major industries are farming fruit, berries, nuts, cattle and wheat, lumber, tourism, hydroelectric power, computer software, aircraft and aluminum refining. In 2007 the total gross state product for Washington was $311.5 billion, placing it fourteenth in the nation.
Among its resident billionaires, Washington boasts Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, who, with a net worth of $40 billion, was ranked the wealthiest man in the world as of February 2009, according to Forbes magazine. Washington is also home to many other state billionaires including Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer, Jeff Bezos, Craig McCaw, James Jannard, Howard Schultz, and Charles Simonyi.
Washington's climate differs throughout the state. Western Washington is influenced by an Oceanic Climate, whereas the Cascade Range has a drier semi-arid climate. In the spring and summer, a high-pressure anticyclone system dominates the North Pacific Ocean, causing air to spiral out in a clockwise fashion. This causes Washington to have cool air and a predictably dry season. In the autumn-winter season however, the state experiences warm and moist air masses and a predictably wet season. Natural weather conditions in Washington include rain and snow. In fact, the largest city, Seattle experiences rain throughout the entire year with the exception of maybe two weeks in the year.
The state of Washington is home to some 6.5 million Americans with 60% of the state residents living in the Seattle metropolitan area. Seattle is center for transportation, industry, business and home to the renowned arts community. Washington is associated with many religious affiliations. The most observed religions are Protestant and Evangelical. The small minorities consist of Jews and Muslims.
Washington State boasts many tourist attractions. They include Space Needle, Woodland Park Zoo, Olympic National Park, Museum of Glass, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Pike Place Market. It also features many outdoor activities such as bicycling, windsurfing, hiking, camping and skiing.
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