Washington, a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Named after George Washington, the first President of the United States, the state is sometimes referred to as Washington State or the State of Washington to distinguish it from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States.
Washington is the 18th largest and the 13th most populous state. Approximately 60 percent of Washington's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area – the center of transportation, business, and industry along the Puget Sound region of the Salish Sea – an inlet of the Pacific Ocean consisting of numerous islands, deep fjords, and bays carved out by glaciers. The remainder of the state consists of deep temperate rainforests in the west, mountain ranges in the west, central, northeast and far southeast, and a semi-arid basin region in the east, central, and south, given over to intensive agriculture. Whether you’re looking for hip cities, hikes, or laid-back beaches, the diversity of Washington state means there's something here for every type of traveller!
