Washington, DC
The District of Columbia—identical with the city of Washington—is the capital of the United States. It is located between Virginia and Maryland on the Potomac River. The district is named after Columbus. History
DC history began in 1790 when Congress directed selection of a new capital site, 100 sq mi, along the Potomac. When the site was determined, it included 30.75 sq mi on the Virginia side of the river. In 1846, however, Congress returned that area to Virginia, leaving the 68.25 sq mi ceded by Maryland in 1788. The seat of government was transferred from Philadelphia to Washington on Dec. 1, 1800, and President John Adams became the first resident in the White House. The city was planned and partly laid out by Maj. Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer. This work was perfected and completed by Maj. Andrew Ellicott and Benjamin Banneker, a freeborn black man who was an astronomer and mathematician. In 1814, during the War of 1812, a British force burned the capital including the White House.
Local Government
The District of Columbia was administered by three commissioners appointed by the president, until Nov. 3, 1967 when a mayor-commissioner and a 9-member council, appointed by the president, took office. On May 7, 1974, a Home Rule Charter was approved, giving DC its first elected municipal government in over a century. The district has one nonvoting member in the House of Representatives and an elected Board of Education. A proposed constitutional amendment, which would give Washington a voting representation in Congress, failed to be ratified by the requisite 38 states. Petition and bills for DC's statehood were introduced in 1983 and 1993 and the district continues its push for statehood.
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 law, public relations, and architecture, 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 Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration, has led to business development both in the District itself as well as in the National Capital Region of Maryland and northern Virginia. These businesses include federal contractors (defense and civilian), numerous nonprofit organizations, law firms and lobbying firms, 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 recession-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 New York City and Chicago respectively. Of non-government employers, Washington, D.C.'s major universities and hospitals are among the top employers with the George Washington University, Georgetown University and Washington Hospital Center as the top three. Howard University and Fannie Mae 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 Black Entertainment Television, C-SPAN, National Public Radio, the Washington Post Company and XM Satellite Radio. Washington's unique scenery makes it a popular location for film and television production.
Education
The public school system in the city is operated by District of Columbia Public Schools 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. 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 charter schools. There are numerous private schools and academies, including international schools, in Washington and suburban Maryland and Virginia. Many popular suburban communities in Maryland and Virginia boast excellent public school systems. Among the city's many institutions of higher education are Georgetown University, George Washington University, American University, The Catholic University, Howard University, and Gallaudet University.
Culture
Washington is home to numerous national landmarks and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. The National Mall is a large, open 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 Washington Monument. Other notable points of interest near the Mall include the Jefferson Memorial (see right), Lincoln Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, District of Columbia War Memorial, Albert Einstein Memorial, and United States Navy Memorial. The world famous Smithsonian Institution is located in the District. The Smithsonian today is a collection of museums that includes the Anacostia Museum, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Hirshhorn Museum, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Indian, National Museum of Natural History, National Portrait Gallery, National Postal Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery and National Zoo. There are many art museums in D.C., in addition to those that are part of the Smithsonian, including the National Gallery of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Corcoran Gallery of Art and Phillips Collection.
Population
The population of the District of Columbia proper is about 581,530 persons. The Washington Metropolitan Area is the eighth largest in the United States with more than five million residents, and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area has a population exceeding eight million. If Washington, D.C., were a state, it would rank last in area behind Rhode Island, 50th in population ahead of Wyoming, first in population density, and 35th in gross state product.
Climate
Washington is in the northern periphery of the humid subtropical climate zone. Its climate is typical of the Mid-Atlantic U.S., 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 °F; about 30° to 33 °C). The combination of heat and humidity makes thunderstorms very frequent in the summer, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area. The combination of heat and humidity can also be reminiscent of a true tropical climate. 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 heavy snowfall, however, light snowfall is common. 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.
Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Norm High °F | 41.4 | 45.5 | 55 | 65.9 | 74.6 | 82.8 | 87.4 | 85.9 | 78.9 | 67.7 | 56.5 | 45.9 |
| Norm Low °F | 21.9 | 24.1 | 31.8 | 40.2 | 49.9 | 59 | 64 | 62.8 | 55.6 | 42.3 | 33.8 | 26 |
| Precip (in) | 3.05 | 2.77 | 3.55 | 3.22 | 4.22 | 4.07 | 3.57 | 3.78 | 3.82 | 3.37 | 3.31 | 3.07 |
| Source: USTravelWeather.com Historical Washington Weather Data | ||||||||||||
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