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CAPITAL CITY: Olympia

BACKGROUND

Washington is famous for scenery of breathtaking beauty and sharp contrasts. High mountains rise above evergreen forests and sparkling coastal waters. The deep forests of the Olympic Peninsula are among the rainiest places in the world but the flat semi-desert land that lies east of the Cascade Mountains 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. In 1853, the Washington Territory was formed from part of the Oregon Territory. Its coastal location and Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim.

The state has two major mountain ranges--the 7,000-foot Olympic Mountains surrounded by temperate rain forest on the peninsula west of Puget Sound, and the more majestic Cascade Range, which boasts the 14,410-foot Mount Rainier and the volcanic Mount St. Helens, which erupted twice in the 1980s.

QUICK FACTS

The great seal of the state of Washington

Nickname: Evergreen State

Motto: Alki (By and By)

Statehood: November 11, 1889 (42nd)

Origin of State's Name: Named after George Washington

Largest Cities: Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Bellevue, Everett

Border States: Idaho, Oregon

Land Area: 66,582 sq. mi., 20th largest

State Bird: Willow Goldfinch

State Flower: Western Rhododendron (rhododendron macrophyllum)

State Tree: Western Hemlock (tsuga heterophylla)

State Song: Washington, My Home

USEFUL LINKS

Miscellaneous

Travel and tourism site for Washington - This state travel and territorial tourism site provides ideas for your vacations, meetings, and more.