Washington State Info

 N i c k n a m e : The Evergreen State
 S t a t e h o o d : 1889; 42nd state

 P o p u l a t i o n ( a s o f J u l y 2 0 1 5 ) : 7,170,351
 C a p i t a l : Olympia
 B i g g e s t C i t y : Seattle
 A b b r e v i a t i o n : WA
 S t a t e b i r d : goldfinch
 S t a t e f l o w e r : coast rhododendron
 People began living in what’s now Washington at least 10,000
years ago. They could have come by way of a land bridge that
became exposed when water levels fell during the last Ice Age,
connecting North America to Asia. Thousands of years later,
many Native American tribes including the Yakima, Chinook, Nez
Perce, and Puget Sound Salish lived on the land.
 European explorers reached the area by sea in the 1700s, but
they spent only a little time ashore before returning to their
ships. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the first Americans
sent on an expedition to explore the West, arrived here in 1805—
but they soon returned back east. For part of the early 19th
century, the British and Americans shared ownership of the
region. The two nations signed a treaty that divided the land in
1846. America’s Oregon Territory—which included the land that
would become Washington—was established. The British took
control over what’s now Canada to the north. The state of
Washington was created in 1889.
 Washington is named in honor of President George Washington.
 It’s nicknamed the Evergreen State because of its many forests,
which cover over half the state.
 GEOGRAPHY AND LANDFORMS

 Washington is in the northwest corner of the contiguous United

States (which excludes Alaska and Hawaii). It’s bordered by British
Columbia, Canada, in the north; Idaho in the east; Oregon in the
south (the Columbia River forms most of the border with this
state); and the Pacific Ocean in the west.
 The land can be divided into six geographic regions. The Olympic
Mountains stand in Washington’s northwest corner, which is
bordered by the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the north and the Pacific
Ocean in the west. This wild, wet area contains dense rain
forests. Most of this region is within Olympic National Park—and
experts think parts of the park still haven’t been explored.
 The Coast Range area is in Washington’s southwest corner, and it
includes forested hills and beaches along the coastline.
 East of the Coast Range is the Puget Sound Lowlands with river
valleys, harbors, and the state’s major cities. The area has
millions of low, flattened hills here called mima mounds—
scientists still aren’t sure how these mysterious mounds were
formed but theories range from gophers to earthquakes.
 Further east you’ll find the towering Cascade Mountains, which
include Mt. Rainier. At 14,410 feet, this is fifth highest point in the
contiguous United States. Mount St. Helens is also located here.
This volcano had a massive eruption in 1980—the biggest the
lower 48 states had seen since 1917.
 The Columbia Plateau spreads across the south-central portion of
the state. It’s part of the world’s biggest lava plateau and includes
steep, dry canyons called coulees and, patches of dry lava called
scablands. The Blue Mountains rise in the state’s southeast
corner. Also in the southeast are the Palouse Hills, which are
covered in loess—windblown sediment made of silt and clay.
 A portion of the Rocky Mountains sits the northeast portion of the
state. The Columbia Mountains are also part of this region.
NATURAL RESOURCES
With half the state covered in forests, it’s no surprise that Washington is
one of the country’s biggest lumber and plywood producers. This state
is also known for mining valuable metals such as gold, lead, and
aluminum.
WILDLIFE
Look for mammals such as bighorn sheep, gray wolves, and Olympic
marmots. Birdwatchers may see osprey, bald eagles, goldfinches (the
state bird), plus water birds like albatrosses and puffins. Pacific giant
salamanders and Pacific chorus frogs are among
Washington’s amphibians. The state’s reptiles include sharp-tailed
snakes and pygmy short-horned lizards.
Washington’s state tree is the western hemlock, but you’re also likely to
see Douglas firs, Rocky Mountain maples, and Ponderosa pines here.
Common flowers include wooly sunflowers, tiger lilies, and coast
rhododendrons (the state flower).
Primary Agriculture: Washington

state is a leading lumber producer. The types of lumber include stands of
Douglas fir, hemlock, ponderosa and white pine, spruce, larch, and
cedar. The state currently ranks first in the nation for apples, pears,
edible dry peas, red raspberries, hops, lentils, spearmint oil and sweet
cherries. Washington also ranks high in the production of grapes,
apricots, asparagus, peppermint oil and potatoes. Livestock and livestock products
make important contributions to total farm revenue and the commercial fishing catch of
salmon, halibut, and bottomfish makes a significant contribution to the economy of the
state.
Primary Industry: The top Washington manufacturing industries include lumber,

aircraft/missiles, food processing, shipbuilding, transportation equipment, metals/metal
products, chemicals and machinery.
Washington became the 42nd state to join the Union on November 11, 1889.
The state boasts vast tracts of forested land, and timber production is naturally one of
the state's economic assets. Nicknamed "the Evergreen State", Washington values its
forests for their contribution to both the economy and to the region's ecosystems. The
official state tree, the western hemlock, can attain towering size and beauty.
Powerful rivers run through the state, providing natural habitat for one of America's best
game fish, the steelhead trout. The mighty Columbia River is home to one of the world's
most massive masonry structures, the Grand Coulee Dam, which provides 30% of the
nation's hydroelectric power.
From the unique temperate rainforests of the west to the apple-producing orchards of
the east, Washington is a state of fantastic natural beauty.
The Washington Territory established in 1853 was named to honor the first President
of the United States, George Washington.
WASHINGTON STATE SEAL WASHINGTON STATE QUARTER

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 N i c k n a m e : The Evergreen State

 S t a t e h o o d : 1889; 42nd state

 Washington is in the northwest corner of the contiguous United

Primary Agriculture: Washington

Primary Industry: The top Washington manufacturing industries include lumber,

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