Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C.
Flag Seal
Nickname: DC", "The District
Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All)
Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia
Coordinates: 38°53′42.4″N, 77°02′12.0″W
Country	United States
Federal District	District of Columbia
Government
- Mayor	Adrian M. Fenty (D)
- City Council	Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack Evans (D) Ward 3: Mary Cheh (D) Ward 4: vacant Ward 5: Harry Thomas, Jr. (D) Ward 6: Tommy Wells (D) Ward 7: vacant Ward 8: Marion Barry (D) At-Large: Carol Schwartz (R) At-Large: David Catania (I) At-Large: Phil Mendelson (D) At-Large: Kwame R. Brown (D)
Area
- City	68.3 sq mi (177.0 km²)
- Land	61.4 sq mi (159.0 km²)
- Water	6.9 sq mi (18.0 km²)
Elevation	0–410 ft (0–125 m)
Population (2005)[1]
- City	582,049
- Density	9,015/sq mi (3,481/km²)
- Urban	5.8 million
- Metro	8,026,807
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Website: http://www.dc.gov/

Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. "D.C." is an abbreviation for the District of Columbia, the federal district coextensive with the city of Washington. The city is named after George Washington, military leader of the American Revolution and the first President of the United States.

The District of Columbia and the city of Washington are coextensive and are governed by a single municipal government. For most practical purposes, they are considered to be the same entity, though this was not always the case. As late as 1871, when Georgetown ceased to be a separate city, there were multiple jurisdictions within the District. Although there is a municipal government and a mayor, Congress has the supreme authority over the city and district, which results in citizens having less self-governance than residents of the states. In addition to lacking full self-governance, the residents of the District also lack full congressional representation.

The centers of all three branches of the U.S. federal government are in the District. It also serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and other national and international institutions. Washington is the frequent location of large political demonstrations and protests, particularly on the National Mall. Furthermore, Washington is the site of numerous national landmarks, monuments and museums, and it is a popular destination for tourists.

It is commonly known as D.C., The District, or simply Washington. Historically, it was called the Federal City or Washington City. To avoid confusion with the state of Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest, the city is often called simply D.C.. The population of the District of Columbia, as of 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, is 582,049 persons. The great in-migration of professionals from all over the U.S. to the Washington, DC area over the past century makes meeting a native-born Washingtonian a rare occasion in some settings.

The Washington Metropolitan Area surpasses 5 million persons in population, and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area surpasses 8 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 ahead of New Jersey, and 35th in Gross State Product.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Planning 1.2 19th century 1.3 20th century 1.4 21st century 2 Geography 2.1 Topography 2.2 Climate 2.3 Nature 3 Culture 3.1 Tourism 3.2 Performing arts 3.3 Music 3.4 Television shows 3.5 Sports 3.6 Media 3.6.1 Newspapers 3.6.2 Television 3.6.3 Radio 4 Economy 5 Demographics 6 Law and government 6.1 Local government 6.2 Representation in federal government 6.3 Domestic partnerships 6.4 Crime 7 Education 7.1 Public schools 7.2 Private schools 7.2.1 Parochial Schools 7.2.2 Other Private Schools 7.3 Colleges and universities 8 Infrastructure 8.1 Health systems 8.2 Transportation 9 Sister cities 10 See also 11 References 12 External links 12.1 Webcams 12.2 Maps

[edit] History

Main article: History of Washington, D.C.

The District of Columbia, founded on July 16, 1790, is a federal district as specified by the United States Constitution. The U.S. Congress has ultimate authority over the District of Columbia, though it has delegated considerable authority to the municipal government. The land forming the original District came from the states of Maryland and Virginia. However, the area south of the Potomac River (39 square miles or about 100 km²) was returned, or "retroceded," to Virginia in 1847 and now is incorporated into Arlington County and the City of Alexandria. After 1847, the remaining land that formed the area now known as the District of Columbia was formed exclusively from land that once belonged to Maryland.

[edit] Planning

A Southern site for the new country's capital was agreed upon at a dinner between James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, hosted by Thomas Jefferson. The site was part of the deal that led to the new national government's assumption of debts from the Revolutionary War.^[2] The city's plan was first laid out in 1791 by Peter (Pierre) Charles L'Enfant, a French-born architect, engineer and city planner who first arrived in the American colonies as a military engineer with Major General Lafayette. L'Enfant's basic plan for Washington, D.C. was first laid out in 1791 and followed the Baroque style, which was the dominant style in many North American and European planned cities of the day. The plan incorporated broad avenues and major streets which radiate out from traffic circles, providing vistas towards important landmarks and monuments. While all of the original colonies had avenues named for them, the most prominent states received more prestigious locations under Andrew Ellicott's later plan for the city. Massachusetts Avenue was the the northernmost of three principal east-west arteries, Virginia Avenue the southernmost, and Pennsylvania Avenue was given the honor of connecting the White House to the planned Capitol building. In the original plan, all three roads reached neighboring Georgetown.

The initial plan for the "Federal District" was a diamond, measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side, totaling 100 square miles (256 km²). The actual site on the Potomac River was chosen by President Washington. Washington may have chosen the site for its natural scenery, believing the Potomac would become a great navigable waterway. The city was officially named "Washington" on September 9, 1791. Out of modesty, George Washington never referred to it as such, preferring to call it "the Federal City." Despite choosing the site and living nearby at Mount Vernon, he rarely visited the city. The federal district was named the District of Columbia because Columbia was a poetic name for the United States used at the time, which was close to the 300th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Americas in 1492.

Initially, the District of Columbia included four distinct sections, of which the city of Washington was only one. The others were Alexandria County, Georgetown and the County of Washington. Georgetown occupied its current boundaries. Alexandria County included parts of the present-day City of Alexandria, as well as the current Arlington County, Virginia. Washington City occupied much of its current area but ended at present-day Rock Creek Park on the west and Florida Avenue and Benning Road on the north. Florida Avenue was then called "Boundary Street." The remainder of the district was Washington County.

In 1791–92, Andrew Ellicott and Benjamin Banneker surveyed the border of the District with both Maryland and Virginia, placing boundary stones at every mile point; many of these still stand.

The cornerstone of the White House, the first newly constructed building of the new capital, was laid on October 13, 1792. That was the day after the first celebrations of Columbus Day in the United States.

[edit] 19th century

On August 24, 1814, British forces burned the capital during the most notable raid of the War of 1812 in retaliation for the sacking and burning of York (modern-day Toronto) during the winter months, which had left many Canadians homeless. President James Madison and U.S. forces fled before the British forces arrived and burned public buildings, including the Capitol and the Treasury building. The White House was burned and gutted. The Navy Yard was also burned—by American sailors to keep ships and stores from falling into the hands of the British. The home of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, located at the Marine Barracks, was one of the few government buildings not burned by the raiding British soldiers out of a sign of respect and is now the oldest public building in continuous use in the nation's capital. The Patent Office was also spared, as a result of the Superintendent of Patents pleading with British soldiers and contending that destroying the store of knowledge therein would be a disservice to mankind. Civilians were not directly targeted and, initially, the British had approached the city hoping to secure a truce. However, they were fired upon, triggering frustration and anger among the British, which ultimately led to the sacking of government buildings.^[3]

During the 1830s, the District was home to one of the largest slave trading operations in the country (see Alexandria, Virginia).

In 1846, the populace of Alexandria County, who resented the loss of business with the competing port of Georgetown and feared greater impact if slavery were outlawed in the capital, voted in a referendum to ask Congress to retrocede Alexandria back to the state of Virginia. Congress agreed to do so on July 9 of that year.

Washington remained a small city—the 1860 Census put the population at just over 75,000 persons—until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. The significant expansion of the federal government to administer the war and its legacies such as veterans' pensions led to notable growth in the city's population. By 1870, the District population had grown to nearly 132,000.

In July 1864, Confederate forces under General Jubal Anderson Early made a brief raid into Washington, culminating in the Battle of Fort Stevens. The Confederates were repelled, and Early eventually returned to the Shenandoah Valley. The fort is located near present day Walter Reed Army Medical Center in northwest Washington. This was the only battle where a U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, was present and under enemy fire while in office. ^[4]

In the early 1870s, Washington was given a territorial government, but Governor Alexander Robey Shepherd's reputation for extravagance resulted in Congress abolishing his office in favor of direct rule. Congressional governance of the District would continue for a century.

In 1878, Congress passed an Organic Act that made the boundaries of the city of Washington coterminous with those of the District of Columbia. This effectively eliminated Washington County; Georgetown, technically made a part of the city, was allowed to remain nominally separate until 1895 when it was formally combined with Washington.

The Washington Monument opened in 1888. Plans were laid to further develop the monumental aspects of the city, with work contributed by such noted figures as Frederick Law Olmsted and Daniel Burnham. However, development of the Lincoln Memorial and other structures on the National Mall did not begin until the early 20th century.

[edit] 20th century

The District's population peaked in 1950, when the census for that year recorded a record population of 802,178 people.^[5] At the time, the city was the ninth-largest in the country, just ahead of Boston and close behind St. Louis. The population declined in the following decades, mirroring the suburban emigration of many of the nation's older urban centers following World War II.

The Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on March 29, 1961, allowing residents of Washington, D.C. to vote for president and have their votes count in the Electoral College as long as Washington, D.C. does not have more electoral votes than the least populous state.

After the assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis, on April 4, 1968, riots broke out in some sections of the city. The violence raged for four days, and buildings were burned. At one point, the rioters came within two blocks of the White House. President Lyndon Johnson ordered over 13,000 federal troops to occupy the city--the largest occupation of an American city since the Civil War. It took years for the city to recover.

One of the most important developments in bringing people back downtown was the building of the subway system. The first 4.6 miles (7.4 km) of the Washington Metro subway system opened on March 27, 1976.

In 1973, Congress enacted the District of Columbia Self-Rule and Governmental Reorganization Act, providing for an elected mayor and city council for the District. As a result, Walter Washington became the first elected mayor of the District in 1975. Marion Barry became mayor in 1979, but was arrested for drug use in an FBI sting operation on January 18, 1990, and served a six-month jail term. His successor, Sharon Pratt Kelly, became the first black woman to lead a city of that size and importance in the U.S. Barry, however, defeated her in the 1994 primary and was once again elected mayor for his fourth term, during which time the city nearly became insolvent and was forced to give up some home rule to a congressionally-appointed financial control board. In 1998, Anthony A. Williams was elected the city's mayor and led the city into a fiscal recovery.

[edit] 21st century

On September 11, 2001, a hijacked aircraft deliberately crashed into the Pentagon, partially damaging a side of the building.

On September 29, 2004, Major League Baseball officially relocated the Montreal Expos to Washington for the 2005 season, despite opposition from Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos. The new team was christened the Washington Nationals. Controversy between the city council and MLB threatened to scuttle the agreement until December 21, 2004 when a plan for a new stadium in Southeast D.C. was finalized. The Nationals will play at R.F.K. Stadium until the new stadium is ready on the Anacostia River waterfront in 2008.

Additionally, the city has experienced tremendous growth in the areas of Massachusetts Avenue, NOMA (north of mass.), the Southwest Waterfront, U Street and H Street, with tens of thousands of condos, apartments and retail shops opening. This growth has been dubbed gentrification by many, as the areas experiencing growth had been blighted for many years prior. Similar growth is set to occur at Poplar Point Stadium, a planned mixed use development in the long neglected southern section of Anacostia.

[edit] Geography

[edit] Topography

Main article: Geography of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is located at 38°53′42″N, 77°02′11″W (the coordinates of the Zero Milestone, on the Ellipse). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 68.3 square miles (177.0 km²). 61.4 square miles (159.0 km²) of it is land and 6.9 square miles (18.0 km²) of it (10.16%) is water.

Washington is surrounded by the states of Maryland (on its southeast, northeast and northwest sides) and Virginia (on its western side); it interrupts those states' common border, which is the Potomac River's southern shore both upstream and downstream from the District. The Potomac River as it passes Washington is virtually entirely within the District of Columbia border because of colonial riparian rights between Maryland and Virginia.

The District has three major natural flowing streams: the Potomac River, the Anacostia River and Rock Creek. The Anacostia River and Rock Creek are tributaries of the Potomac River. There are also three man-made reservoirs: Dalecarlia Reservoir, which crosses over the northwest border of the District from Maryland; McMillan Reservoir near Howard University; and Georgetown Reservoir upstream of Georgetown.

The highest point in the District of Columbia is 410 feet (125 m) above sea level at Tenleytown. The lowest point is sea level, which occurs along all of the Anacostia shore and all of the Potomac shore except the uppermost portion (the Little Falls - Chain Bridge area). The sea level Tidal Basin rose eleven feet during Hurricane Isabel on September 18, 2003.

The geographic center of the District of Columbia is located near 4th Street NW, L Street NW and New York Avenue NW (not under the Capitol Dome, as is sometimes said).

Geographical features of Washington, D.C. include Theodore Roosevelt Island, Columbia Island, the Three Sisters, and Hains Point.

[edit] 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 warm and humid with daily high temperatures in July and August averaging in the high 80s to low 90s °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. Spring and fall are mild with high temperatures in April and October averaging in the high 60s °F (about 20 °C). Winter brings cool temperatures and occasional snowfall. Average highs tend to be in the 40s (4 to 8 °C) and lows in the 20s (-6 to -2 °C) from mid December to mid February. While tropical cyclones (or their remnants) occasionally track through the area in late summer and early fall, they have often weakened by the time they reach Washington partly because of the city's inland location. Flooding of the Potomac River, however—caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and storm runoff—has been known to cause extensive property damage in Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.^[6][7] Spring is generally the most favorable time of year, with low humidity, mild temperatures and blooming foliage. This period generally lasts from late March until mid May.

The average annual snowfall is 15 inches (381 mm) and the average high temperature in January is 41 °F (5 °C); the average low for January is 27 °F (-3 °C). The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on July 20, 1930 and August 6, 1918 and the lowest recorded temperature was -15 °F (-26 °C) on February 11, 1899.^[8]

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rec High °F	75	79	89	93	97	100	104	104	99	90	84	79
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
Rec Low °F	-18	-14	-1	17	28	36	41	38	30	15	9	-4
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 [1]

[edit] Nature

Washington, D.C. has many natural areas and birdwatching spots inside the city. D.C.'s parks and natural areas include Anacostia Park, the United States National Arboretum, Rock Creek Park, the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island, the C&O Canal, the Potomac River and the Anacostia River. The ubiquitous Federal presence and land management responsibilities in Washington, D.C. make the area a crucible for applied research and adaptive management for urban ecosystems such as the restoration of Kenilworth Marsh, a remnant of the original tidal marshes of Washington, D.C. on the Anacostia River. Despite its intensely urbanized landscape, the District of Columbia is a center for research on urban wildlife management, urban stream restoration, and the aquatic ecology of urban streams. The National Park Service's Center For Urban Ecology is a regional source of expertise and applied science on "land use change and urban development, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity and maintenance of ecosystem processes" for the region.

The Potomac River, flowing through Washington, D.C. has been called one of the wildest urban rivers in the Nation. The Potomac Gorge once surveyed by George Washington for a "Pawtomack" canal that would allow barge traffic to bypass the "Great Falls" (at the boundary between the piedmont and coastal plain) is considered one of the most significant natural areas in the entire National Park System. The River, once called a national disgrace by President Lyndon Johnson, is now home to a vibrant warm water fishery. Professional bass tournaments have been held within view of the Jefferson Memorial, and naturally reproducing Bald Eagles have returned to the banks of the nation's River.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Washington, D.C.

[edit] Tourism

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, the District of Columbia War Memorial and the Albert Einstein 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 the 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, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Phillips Collection.

The Library of Congress and the National Archives house thousands of documents covering every period in American history. Some of the more notable documents in the National Archives include the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The District of Columbia operates its own public library system with 27 branches throughout the city. The main branch — which occupies a multi-story glass and steel-framed building at the intersection of 9th and G Streets, N.W., designed by modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe — is known as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.^[9] It has a large mural in its main hall depicting the civil rights leader.

Other points of interest in the District include Arena Stage, Chinatown, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Blair House, Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Folger Shakespeare Library, Ford's Theatre, Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, International Spy Museum, National Building Museum, National Geographic Society, the Awakening at Hains Point, Old Post Office Building, Theodore Roosevelt Island, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Washington National Cathedral.

[edit] Performing arts

Washington is a major national center for the arts, with many venues for the performing arts in the city. Arena Stage, one of the first non-profit regional theaters in the nation, is rich with history and produces an eight-show season ranging from classics to world premieres, dedicated to the American canon of theater. The Shakespeare Theatre Company is regarded as one of the world's great Shakespeare troupes. Numerous other professional theaters, such as the Studio Theatre and Woolly Mammoth, and venues such as the National Theatre, make the city a major theater center. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, the Washington Ballet, and a variety of other musical and stage performances.

The Lincoln Theatre hosted the likes of Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald on U Street (known as "Washington's Black Broadway") prior to the 1968 riots.^[10] Notable local music clubs include Madam's Organ Blues Bar in Adams Morgan; Blues Alley in Georgetown; the Eighteenth Street Lounge in the Dupont Circle district; and the Black Cat, the 9:30 Club, the Bohemian Caverns jazz club, the Twins jazz clubs, all in the U Street NW area. The U Street area actually contains more than two dozen bars, clubs, and restaurants that feature jazz either nightly or several times a week.

Notable Washingtonians in the entertainment industry include singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye, film actress Merle Oberon, comedian David Chappelle, musician Duke Ellington, filmmaker Ted Salins and two members of The Jefferson Airplane: guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bass player Jack Cassidy.

[edit] Music

Main article: Music of Washington, D.C.

D.C. has its own native music genre, called go-go, a post-funk, percussion-driven flavor of R&B that blends live sets with relentless dance rhythms, so-called because they "go and go and go." The most accomplished practitioner of go-go was D.C. bandleader Chuck Brown, who brought go-go to the brink of national recognition with his 1979 LP Bustin' Loose. Go-Go band and Washington natives Experience Unlimited (E.U.) hit the American pop charts in 1988 with their memorable dance tune "Da Butt" Other notable go-go bands include Rare Essence, Trouble Funk, Junkyard Band, Backyard Band, and the Northeast Groovers.

Washington was an important center in the genesis of punk rock in the United States. Punk bands of note from Washington include Tru Fax & the Insaniacs, Fugazi, Bad Brains, and Minor Threat. Washingtonians continue to support punk bands, long after the punk movement's popularity peaked. The region also has a significant indie rock history and was home to TeenBeat, Dischord Records and Simple Machines, among other indie record labels.

[edit] Television shows

There have been several television series that have featured the District. Most of these have been related to government (The West Wing and Commander in Chief) or security organizations (The District, Get Smart). Other programs had the nation's capital as a secondary focus, telling stories on their own that were not always tied to the infrastructure of the government either in the district or for the country. For instance, Murphy Brown focused on the lives of the reporters of the (fictional) Washington-based television newsmagazine, FYI. The soap opera Capitol allowed for stories about political intrigue alongside the traditional class struggle sagas. The sitcom 227 portrayed the life of the African American majority as seen through the eyes of residents in a Washington apartment building. There are also many movies shot and filmed in the city yearly. Cory in the House on The Disney Channel uses Washington, D.C. as a backdrop.

See also: List of television shows set in Washington, D.C.

[edit] Sports

Club	Sport	League	Venue
D.C. United	Soccer	Major League Soccer, Eastern Conference	RFK Stadium
Washington Bayhawks	Lacrosse	Major League Lacrosse	Multi-Sport Field
Washington Capitals	Hockey	NHL, Eastern Conference, Southeast Division	Verizon Center
Washington Mystics	Basketball	WNBA, Eastern Conference	Verizon Center
Washington Nationals	Baseball	Major League Baseball; NL, East Division	RFK Stadium
Washington Redskins	Football	National Football League; NFC, East Division	FedExField (Landover, Maryland)
Washington Wizards	Basketball	NBA; Eastern Conference, Southeast Division	Verizon Center

Other professional and semi-professional teams based in D.C. include the USAFL Baltimore Washington Eagles, the NWFA D.C. Divas, the Minor League Football D.C. Explosion, the Washington RFC rugby union team of the Rugby Super League, as well as a host of others playing in the Potomac Rugby Union and the Washington Cricket League. It was also home to the WUSA Washington Freedom, from 1987 to 1989 home of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League's Washington Wave, and during the 2000–2002 NLL seasons, the Washington Power was based in the city. In rugby league, the Washington D.C. Slayers play in the American National Rugby League.

There were two Major League Baseball teams named the Washington Senators in the early and mid-20^th century, which left to become respectively the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers. In the 19th century, the town was home to teams called the Washington Nationals, Washington Statesmen, and Washington Senators on and off from the 1870s to the turn of the century.

Washington was home to several Negro League baseball teams, including the Homestead Grays, Washington Black Senators, Washington Elite Giants, Washington Pilots, and Washington Potomacs.

The Verizon Center in Chinatown, home to the Capitals, Mystics, Wizards and the Georgetown Hoyas, is also a major venue for concerts, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) professional wrestling, and other events, having replaced the old Capital Centre. Since its opening in 1997, the arena has served as a catalyst of prosperity in Chinatown. Office buildings, high-end condominiums, restaraunt chains, movie theatres, and other luxuries have sprung up around Chinatown. On the downside, the growth has forced out many Chinatown landmarks, and only a fraction of Chinatown remains "chinese".^{[citation needed]}

The city's soccer team, DC United, is the most successful franchise in MLS history, with 4 league championships and 10 total tournament victories, both league highs. The city is also considered the most passionate soccer market, with a list of people including MLS Commissioner Don Garber and TV Commentator (and former US National team and MLS star) Eric Wynalda outright declaring Washington the country's best soccer market. Washington will host the 2007 edition of MLS Cup at RFK Stadium.

Washington hosts the annual Legg Mason Tennis Classic tennis tournament that takes place at the Carter Barron Tennis Center on 17th Street.

The Marine Corps Marathon and the National Marathon are both held annually in Washington.

See also: U.S. cities with teams from four major sports

[edit] Media

[edit] Newspapers

The Washington Post is the oldest and most-read daily newspaper in Washington, and it has developed into one of the most reputable daily newspapers in the U.S. It is most notable for exposing the Watergate scandal, among other achievements. The Washington Post also has a daily free newspaper called the Express, summarizing events, sports, and entertainment. The daily Washington Times and the free weekly Washington City Paper also have substantial readership in the District. On February 1, 2005 the free daily tabloid Washington Examiner debuted, having been formed from a chain of suburban newspapers known as the Journal Newspapers.

The weekly Washington Blade and Metro Weekly focus on gay issues, and the Washington Informer on African American issues. Bi-weekly Street Sense focuses on issues of homelessness and poverty.

Many neighborhoods in the District have their own community newspapers, usually published on a weekly basis. Some of these include The Current Newspapers, which has editions serving Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Chevy Chase, Upper Northwest and a Capitol Hill paper called The Capitol Hill Current/Voice of the Hill. Additional papers include In-Towner (Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, and Adams Morgan), Hill Rag (Capitol Hill), East of the River (Anacostia), and DC North (Northeast DC). In addition, several specialty newspapers serve the U.S. Congress; most notable are Roll Call and The Hill.

[edit] Television

The metro area is served by several local broadcast television stations and is the eighth largest designated market area in the U.S., with 2,252,550 homes (2.04% of the U.S. population). Major television network affiliates include WUSA 9 (CBS), WJLA 7 (ABC), WRC 4, (NBC), WTTG 5 (Fox), WDCW 50 (The CW), WDCA 20 (MyNetwork TV), as well as WETA 26 and WHUT 32 (PBS) stations. Channels 4 and 5 are Owned-and-operated stations. Public Access on Cable Television is provided by the Public Access Corporation of the District of Columbia on two channels simulcast to both local cable TV Systems. One channel is devoted to religious programming and the other channel provides a diversity of offerings. A regional news station, News Channel 8, is carried on Channel 8 on all cable systems in Washington, D.C. and surrounding communities. Additionally, most Baltimore area television stations can be seen in the Washington region. Besides being viewed clearly in the District, they can especially be seen in the suburbs of the Interstate 95 corridor between both cities. They are:

WMAR 2 (ABC) - WBAL 11 (NBC) - WJZ 13 (CBS) - WMJF 16 (Ind/MTV2) - WMPT 22 / WMPB 67 (PBS/MPB) - WUTB 24 (MyNetwork TV) - WBFF 45 (FOX) - WNUV 54 (The CW)(The Tube on DT2)

The WTTG Television Tower, built in 1963, is a 214.8 metre high guyed TV mast; it is only 17.2 meters shorter than the Hughes Memorial Tower: the tallest structure in Washington D.C.^{[citation needed]}

Spanish-language television is also represented by Telefutura affiliate WMDO-CA 47 and Telemundo WZDC-LP 64, but these are low-power television stations limited to within the Capital Beltway area. Univision's WFDC 14, however, transmits as a full power station and can be received as far north as Baltimore.

Incidentally, D.C's Univision and Telefutura stations (owned by Entravision) switched call letters on January 1, 2006; meaning that now Univision is the only Spanish station which can be seen at full power over the whole Washington metropolitan area. The Univision network moved from low-powered Channel 47/WMDO to full-powered Channel 14/WFDC; Univision's youth-oriented Telefutura network moved from 14 to 47. The change caused Univision and Telefutura to exchange channel locations on D.C. area cable TV systems, too.

Azteca America announced they would start transmitting from a new full powered Spanish-language broadcast affiliate in the region, Channel 69/WQAW on October 6, 2006, as well as its addition to local channel lineups for Comcast Cable. However it has not been seen on the air as of yet. Earliest reports from viewers do not indicate availability of its broadcasts inside the District, as far south as Prince William County, Virginia, or as far north as the Columbia/Baltimore area.

Several cable television networks have their headquarters in the Washington area including C-SPAN on Capitol Hill, Black Entertainment Television (BET) in Northeast Washington, and Discovery Communications in Silver Spring, Maryland, as well as the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in Alexandria, Virginia. Major national broadcasters and cable outlets including NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and CNN maintain a significant presence in Washington, as do those from around the world including the BBC, CBC, and Al Jazeera. America's Most Wanted is the only network primetime program produced in Washington.

[edit] Radio

There are several major radio stations serving the metro area, with a wide variety of musical interests. Contemporary music Station (and arguably the most popular) is WIHT 99.5 FM (Hot 99.5) located in Rockville, Maryland. Rock stations include WARW 94.7 FM (classic rock)and WWDC 101.1 FM (alternative rock/pop). Urban stations include WPGC 95.5 FM (rhythmic top 40/urban contemporary), WHUR 96.3 FM (Howard University urban adult contemporary station), WMMJ 102.3FM (urban adult contemporary), WKYS 93.9 FM (urban contemporary) and Radio CPR 97.5 FM (a popular pirate radio station broadcasting in the area around Mount Pleasant, Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights). Two major contemporary Christian music stations in the region are WGTS 91.9 FM (of Takoma Park) and WPER 89.9 (of Warrenton, Virginia). Stations that concentrate on talk and sports include WJFK 106.7 FM, WMAL 630 AM (conservative), WWRC 1260 AM (progressive talk), WOL 1450 AM, WPGC 1580 AM (gospel), WTEM 980 AM (sports talk), WAVA 105.1 FM (Christian talk radio), WTOP 820 AM/103.5 FM (news) and WTWP 1500 AM/107.7 FM (Washington Post Radio/talk). Radio duos Don and Mike and Ron and Fez both had great success on WJFK, although the latter now broadcast on D.C.-based XM Satellite Radio via the network's New York studio.

WOL 1450 AM, WKYS 93.9 FM, and WMMJ 102.3 are owned by Washington's Radio One, the largest African American media conglomerate in the country. It was founded by Cathy Hughes, a prominent figure in Washington radio since her days at Howard University's WHUR.

There are two National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates: WAMU 88.5 FM (NPR and Public Radio International programming, community programming, and BBC news), broadcast from the American University, and WETA 90.9 FM (around-the-clock classical music). Other stations include WASH 97.1 FM (adult contemporary), WMZQ 98.7 FM (country music), WBZS/WBPS 92.7 Mega Clasica (Latin Adult Contemporary), Triple X ESPN Radio 94.3 (sports talk station controlled by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder), WLZL El Zol 99.1 FM (Latin/Tropical), WXGG George 104.1/103.9 FM (classic hits), WPFW 89.3 FM (jazz and progressive talk), WJZW 105.9 FM (smooth jazz), and WRQX 107.3 FM (adult contemporary). Additionally, most major radio stations from Baltimore can be heard in the Washington metropolitan area.

XM Satellite Radio and NPR are based in Washington. The Voice of America, the U.S. government's international broadcasting service, is headquartered in Washington.

[edit] Economy

As of 2002, the federal government accounts for 27% of Washington, D.C.'s jobs.^[11] 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 2004 was $75.264 billion, ranking it #36 when compared with the fifty states.^[12] In 2006, Expansion Magazine ranked DC among the top 10 metropolitan areas in the nation for climates favorable to business expansion.^[13] In terms of commercial office space, Washington, D.C. has the 3rd largest downtown in America, only behind New York City and Chicago respectively.^{[citation needed]}

Of non-government employers, Washington, D.C.'s major universities and hospitals are among the top employers with 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. ^[14]

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.

See also: Category:Companies based in Washington, D.C.

[edit] Demographics

Historical population
of Washington, D.C.

Year Population 1800 8,144 1810 15,471 1820 23,336 1830 30,261 1840 33,745 1850 51,687 1860 75,080 1870 131,700 1880 177,624 1890 230,392 1900 278,718 1910 331,069 1920 437,571 1930 486,869 1940 663,091 1950 802,178 1960 763,956 1970 756,510 1980 638,333 1990 606,900 2000 572,059 2005 est 582,049

Demographics of District of Columbia (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN	Asian	NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population)	35.34%	61.96%	0.86%	3.17%	0.14%
2000 (Hispanic only)	6.43%	1.34%	0.17%	0.09%	0.03%
2005 (total population)	39.02%	58.04%	0.92%	3.59%	0.14%
2005 (Hispanic only)	7.05%	1.48%	0.17%	0.10%	0.02%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population)	6.25%	-9.85%	2.84%	9.05%	-2.22%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only)	6.41%	-10.22%	4.41%	9.25%	6.78%
Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only)	5.52%	6.98%	-3.49%	2.58%	-34.66%

The 2005 Census estimate of the city's population was 582,049. After the city government questioned the original results—an estimate of 550,521—the Census admitted it had made a mistake. ^[15] The corrected figure marked the biggest increase in the city's population since 1950.

As of the 2000 census, there were 572,059 people, 248,338 households, and 114,235 families residing in the city. The population density was 9,316.4 per square mile (3,597.3/km²). There were 274,845 housing units at an average density of 1,728.3/km² (4,476.1/mi²). The largest Hispanic group is Salvadoran, and a plurality of whites are of British ancestry. D.C. has a steadily declining African American population, due to many middle-class and professional African Americans moving to the suburbs, mostly in Maryland (for example, the African American majority in wealthy Prince George's County) and Northern Virginia.

There were 248,338 households, out of which 19.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.8% were married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.0% were non-families. 43.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city, the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,127, and the median income for a family was $46,283. Males had a median income of $40,513 versus $36,361 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,659. About 16.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those over age 65. According to Forbes Magazine it is also the 9th wealthiest city in the country based on a median household income, with over half of its residents having an income of $46,500 a year, and the average home price being at $429,900.^[16]

A 2007 report found that approximately one third of the population in Washington, D.C. is functionally illiterate, compared to a rate of about one fifth nationally.^[17] One of the primary reasons attributed to this is the growing number of hispanic and ethiopian immigrants in the city that are not proficient in English.^[17] This shows huge disparities in the city because over 45% of residents have a college degree or higher and it ranks 4th in the nation with that educational attainment.^[18] A 2000 study shows that 83.42% of Washington, D.C. residents age 5 and older speak only English at home and 9.18% speak Spanish. French is the third most spoken language at 1.67%.^[19]

According to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey, nearly three out of four District residents identified themselves as Christian.^[20] This breaks down to 72% Christian (27% Catholic, 19% Baptist, and 26% other Protestant churches), 13% stating no religion, 4% Buddhist, 2% Muslim and 1% Jewish.

According to the Census Bureau, the District's daytime population is estimated at 982,853.^[21] The influx of over 410,000 workers into Washington on a normal business day comprises a 72% increase of the capital's normal population. That is the largest increase percentage-wise of any city studied and the second-largest net increase, behind only New York City.

The Greater Washington metropolitan area, including contiguous areas of Maryland and Virginia, had an estimated population of 5.8 million in 2003, according to the estimates of the Greater Washington Initiative.

As host to over 180 embassies and hundreds of international organizations, Washington, D.C. has a substantial population of foreign residents. There are also many students from abroad studying at the local universities and colleges. This adds a cosmopolitan flavor to the city.

[edit] Law and government

[edit] Local government

See also: District of Columbia home rule

The city is run by an elected mayor (Adrian Fenty) and a city council. The city council is composed of 13 members: one elected from each of the eight wards and five members, including the chairman, elected at large. The council conducts its work through standing committees and special committees established as needed. District schools are administered by a school board that has both elected and appointed members. There are 37 elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissions that provide the most direct access for residents to their local government. The commissions serve as local councils, and their suggestions are required to be given "great weight" by the D.C. Council. However, the U.S. Congress has the ultimate plenary power over the district. It has the right to review and overrule laws created locally and has often done so. The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution does not apply to the District of Columbia.

D.C. residents pay federal taxes, such as income tax, as well as local taxes. The mayor and council adopt a budget of local money with Congress reserving the right to make any changes. Much of the valuable property in the District is federally owned and hence exempt from local property taxes; at the same time, the city is burdened with the extraordinary expenses related to its role as the capital, such as police overtime and street cleaning for D.C.'s frequent parades and festivals. These factors are often used to explain why the city's budget is frequently overstretched. However, the federal government also appropriates funds for the city. For instance, according to Public Law 108-7, the federal government provided, among other funds, an estimated 25% of the District's operating budget in 2003.

Historically, the city's local government has earned somewhat of a reputation for mismanagement and waste, particularly during the mayoralty of Marion Barry, who was re-elected despite serving jail time for smoking crack cocaine. A front-page story in the July 21, 1997 Washington Post reported that Washington had some of the highest-cost lowest-quality services in the entire region. Prosperity in the late 1990s and early 2000s lessened public pressure on Mayor Williams, but he still faced daunting urban renewal, public health and public education challenges.

[edit] Representation in federal government

The U.S. Constitution gives Congress direct jurisdiction over Washington, D.C. While Congress has delegated various amounts of this authority to local government, including an elected mayor and city council, Congress still intervenes, from time to time, in local affairs relating to schools, gun control policy, and other issues.

Citizens of the District have no voting representation in Congress. They are represented in the House of Representatives by a non-voting delegate (Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC At-Large)) who sits on committees and participates in debate, but cannot vote. D.C. has no representation at all in the Senate. Attempts to change this situation, including the proposed District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment, have been unsuccessful.

Citizens of Washington, D.C. are not unique in having diminished representation in their federal legislature, although they are unique in having no voting representation at all. Some nations that have built capital cities from scratch, including Nigeria, have diminished representation for a federal district. Washington's situation can also be compared to the historical status of U.S. territories, which had only non-voting delegates to the House. However, unlike U.S. territories today (such as American Samoa and Guam), citizens of the District of Columbia are fully taxed and subject to all U.S. laws, just as the citizens of the fifty states. In recent years, "Taxation Without Representation" has been the ironic motto featured on D.C. license plates.

With the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961, citizens of the District became eligible to vote for President. The District has three electoral votes--the same number as states with the smallest populations, such as Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

See also: United States presidential election, 2004, in D.C., D.C. Statehood, District of Columbia voting rights, and No taxation without representation

[edit] Domestic partnerships

The District of Columbia has recognized domestic partnerships since 1992, but Congress withheld funding to implement recognition until 2002. Both same-sex and mixed-sex couples may register. Under the Domestic Partnership Equality Amendment Act of 2006, D.C. Law 16-79, which came into effect on April 4, 2006, in almost all cases a domestic partner will have the same rights as a spouse regarding inheritance, probate, guardianship, and other rights traditionally accorded to spouses. Employees of the District government and their domestic partners are eligible for healthcare coverage and family leave benefits, the same as married couples.

Main article: Domestic partnerships in District of Columbia

[edit] Crime

Main article: Crime in Washington, D.C.

During the violent crime wave of the early 1990s, Washington, D.C. was known as the "murder capital" of the United States^[22], and often rivaled New Orleans in the high number of homicides. Homicides peaked in 1991 at 482, with violence declining drastically since then: homicides declined to 198 in 2004, with a slight decline to 195 in 2005. Once plagued with violent crime, many D.C. neighborhoods, such as Columbia Heights, are becoming safe and vibrant areas as a result of gentrification. While not as intensely violent, crime hot spots have since displaced farther into the eastern sections of Washington, D.C. and across the border into Maryland. Although the southeastern side of the city has developed a reputation for being unsafe, these crime hot spots are generally concentrated in very specific areas that are associated with drugs and gangs. Other areas east of the U.S. Capitol, as well as the city's wealthier Northwest neighborhoods, experience low levels of crime. Despite the declining trends, Washington D.C. crime rates (2005) remain among the highest of U.S. cities, and it was most recently ranked as the 13th most dangerous city in the nation. Washington, D.C.'s crime rate surpasses the rates of L.A. and New York.^[23]

On July 11, 2006, Metropolitan Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey declared a "crime emergency" in the city in response to a rising homicide rate (the city had logged 13 murders since July 1, most notably the killing of a prominent British political activist in Georgetown. While the declaration allowed for more flexible and increased policing in high-crime neighborhoods, it was temporary and scheduled to be revisited following a 30-day trial period. ^[24]

[edit] Education

[edit] Public schools

See also: District of Columbia Public Schools

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.^[25] The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board monitors 34 charter schools in Washington, D.C. [2]

[edit] Private schools

Private schools in the city include:

[edit] Parochial Schools

• Archbishop Carroll High School
• Holy Trinity School
• Our Lady of Victory School
• St. Augustine Roman Catholic School
• St. Francis de Sales Catholic School

[edit] Other Private Schools

• British School of Washington
• Edmund Burke School
• Emerson Preparatory School
• The Field School
• Georgetown Day School
• Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
• German School, Washington, D.C. [3]
• Gonzaga College High School
• Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation's Capital [4]
• The Maret School
• The Model Secondary School
• National Cathedral School
• Parkmont School
• Sheridan School
• Sidwell Friends School
• St. Albans School
• St. Anselm's Abbey School
• St. John's College High School
• St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School
• Washington International School

[edit] Colleges and universities

Further information: List of colleges and universities in the District of Columbia

The city is home to several universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education, both public and private. The University of the District of Columbia is the city's public university; it is the nation's only urban land-grant university and is counted among the historically black colleges and universities. The Department of Agriculture's Graduate School offers continuing education and graduate-level classes in many disciplines. The Department of Defense maintains the National Defense University at Fort McNair.

Among private institutions, Georgetown University is older than the District itself, having been founded in 1789 by John Carroll. It is the nation's oldest Roman Catholic affiliated body of higher education. The nation's first African American university president was at Georgetown. The university is especially well-known for the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service and the Georgetown University Law Center. It also is home to a School of Medicine and the McDonough School of Business.

The George Washington University, founded by an act of Congress in 1821, is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's capital with its main campus in Foggy Bottom and its Mount Vernon campus in the Foxhall neighborhood of Northwest Washington. It is the second-largest landholder and employer in the District, second only to the Federal government.

The Catholic University of America (CUA), in the Northeast quadrant of the District is unique as the national university of the Roman Catholic Church and as the only higher education institution founded by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops. Established in 1887 following approval by Pope Leo XIII as a graduate and research center, the university began offering undergraduate education in 1904. In April of 2004, CUA purchased 49 acres (20 ha) of land from the Armed Forces Retirement Home. The parcel is the largest plot of open space in the District and makes CUA the largest university in D.C. by land area.

The Trinity Washington University, located near CUA, was founded in 1897 by the Sisters of Notre Dame as a Catholic liberal arts college for women. Trinity educates women in its College of Arts and Sciences, and both women and men in the School of Education and School of Professional Studies.

The American University, a private institution chartered by an act of Congress in 1893, is situated on an 84 acre (34 ha) campus in upper Northwest Washington and is well known for the Washington College of Law, the Kogod School of Business, the School of International Service, the School of Public Affairs, and the School of Communication.

Other notable private colleges in the District include Gallaudet University, the first liberal arts college for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, Howard University, a historically black university dating to the nineteenth century, and Southeastern University.

Furthermore, The Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), dedicated to the graduate study of international relations and international economics, is located near Dupont Circle, on Massachusetts Avenue's Embassy Row.

The US military's National Defense University is located in Washington on Fort McNair. The Corcoran College of Art and Design has an arts program attached to the Corcoran Museum of Art, adjacent to the White House Complex. The Reformed Theological Seminary and the Washington Theological Union have graduate programs in theology. Strayer University, a for-profit career school, has a campus in Washington, D.C.

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Health systems

A prominent hospital in Washington, D.C. is Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the U.S. Army's premier medical center on the east coast. The 5,500-bed Walter Reed provides care for active-duty and retired personnel from all branches of the armed forces, as well as the President, Vice President, and Congressmen. The hospital, however, is scheduled to move to a newer and larger facility in nearby Bethesda, Maryland, forcing its closure in 2011.

Armed Forces veterans also receive care at the Veterans' Affairs Medical Center on the grounds of the Old Soldier's Home.

Washington Hospital Center is the largest hospital campus in the District, and both the largest private and largest non-profit hospital in the Metropolitan Area. It is consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the United States, notably by HCIA [5] and U.S. News and World Report. [6]

Immediately adjacent to the Washington Hospital Center campus in central Washington are the National Rehabilitation Hospital and Children's National Medical Center (although Children's has satellite centers scattered across the city). Both, like WHC, are among the highest-ranked hospitals in the nation.

The Specialty Hospital of Washington is a long-term acute care facility, established in 1995 in Northeast D.C.

Three of the universities in Washington have associated medical schools — and, subsequently, hospitals: George Washington, Georgetown and Howard University. All three are teaching hospitals and are highly regarded institutions. In particular, George Washington University Medical Center is noteworthy as the medical center whose doctors saved the life of President Ronald Reagan when he was shot in 1981. The GWU Emergency Room facility, in fact, is named for Reagan. [7] Georgetown University Medical Center is home to the Lombardi Cancer Center, which is the sole comprehensive cancer center in the Washington, D.C. region.

The oldest continuously operating hospital in the city is Providence Hospital in Northeast D.C., chartered by Abraham Lincoln in 1861. There are three additional private, non-profit community hospitals in Washington: Sibley Memorial Hospital in upper Northwest;Hadley Memorial, a long-term acute care facility in lower Southwest; and Greater Southeast Community Hospital in Southeast, which generally serves the population east of the Anacostia River.

Until 2001, D.C. General Hospital operated near Capitol Hill as the city's only public health-care facility. Mayor Anthony A. Williams had the hospital (which lost several million dollars a year) shut down in an attempt to manage the city's recovery from bankruptcy. The majority of its patient base has since been picked up by Greater Southeast and Prince George's Hospital in Maryland. Mayor Williams in 2005 proposed a new state-of-the-art facility, the National Capital Medical Center, be built on the D.C. General campus as a joint project of the city and Howard University. However, higher-than-expected cost analyses and questions about the proposed hospital's public-health-care capacity caused support for the project to dwindle rapidly. In 2006, the Mayor instead announced support for a $72 million "healthplex" on the D.C. General grounds. [8]

In addition, there are three psychiatric hospitals in Washington, D.C.: Riverside Hospital, Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, and the Psychiatric Institute of Washington.

[edit] Transportation

Main articles: Transportation in Washington, D.C. and Streets and highways of Washington, D.C.

Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the city provided for a grid of streets and a diagonal array of avenues, all centered on the Capitol building. The north-south streets are primarily named with numbers and the east-west streets with letters. With the Capitol as the center, one set of numbered streets sweeps eastward from it (1st Street, 2nd Street, etc.) and another set sweeps westward (1st Street, 2nd Street, etc.) Similarly, sets of lettered streets sweep northward from the Capitol (A Street, C Street, etc.) and southward. The diagonal avenues in L'Enfant's plan are chiefly named after states (e.g. Pennsylvania Avenue). Street addresses are identified by their location in one of the four quadrants of the city, centered on the Capitol building: Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Southeast (SE) and Southwest (SW). Addresses end with a quadrant suffix to indicate whether the location is, for example, on 4th Street NE, 4th Street NW, 4th Street SE or 4th Street SW. Outside the original city boundaries, street layout and naming practices are less regular. However, the alphabetic order of east-west streets, ending with W Street, is in some areas succeeded by an alphabetic progression of two-syllable names (e.g. Adams, Bryant, Channing), followed by a three-syllable progression (e.g. Allison, Buchanan, Crittenden), and then a progression of botanical names (e.g. Aspen, Butternut, Cedar).

Major interstates running through the area include the Capital Beltway (I-495), I-66, I-95, I-395, I-295 and I-270 (which does not reach D.C., terminating at I-495). Other major highways include the Whitehurst Freeway and Anacostia Freeway in D.C., the George Washington Parkway in D.C. and Virginia, the Suitland Parkway in D.C. and Maryland, the US Route 50, the Clara Barton Parkway and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Maryland, and the Dulles Toll Road in Virginia.

The Washington area is served by the Washington Metro public transportation system, which operates public buses (Metrobus) and the region's subway system (Metrorail). A public-private partnership operates the DC Circulator buses downtown. Many of the jurisdictions around the region run public buses that interconnect with the Metrobus/Metrorail system. Union Station is the second busiest train station in the United States after New York's Penn Station. It is the southern terminus of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor service, and served by MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter trains. Intercity bus service is available from the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Northeast and from dragon buses leaving from Chinatown.

See also: WMATA

Washington, D.C. is served by three major airports, one in Maryland and two in Virginia. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (IATA: DCA, ICAO: KDCA) is the closest — located in Arlington County, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Hains Point, and accessible via Washington Metro. The airport is conveniently located to the downtown area; however it has somewhat restricted flights to airports within the United States because of noise and security concerns. Most major international flights arrive and depart from Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA: IAD, ICAO: KIAD), located 26.3 miles (42.3 km) west of the city in Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia. Dulles is the second busiest international gateway on the Eastern Seaboard. Dulles offers service from several low-cost carriers including JetBlue and Southwest, although the low-cost selection decreased greatly when Independence Air (which was headquartered at Dulles) folded in January 2006. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (IATA: BWI, ICAO: KBWI), is located 31.7 miles (51.0 km) northeast of the city in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, near Baltimore. BWI has had the highest passenger volume of the three major airports in the Baltimore-Washington Metroplex for several months.

General aviation is additionally available at several smaller airfields, including Montgomery County Airpark (Gaithersburg, Maryland), College Park Airport (College Park, Maryland), Potomac Airfield (Friendly CDP of Prince George's County, Maryland) and Manassas Regional Airport (Manassas, Virginia). Since 2003, the general aviation airports closest to Washington, D.C. have had their access strictly limited by the implementation of the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

[edit] Sister cities

Washington, D.C.'s sister cities are:

Athens, Greece New Delhi, India Bangkok, Thailand Beijing, China Brazzaville, Congo Brussels, Belgium Chongqing, China

Dakar, Senegal Paris, France Pretoria, South Africa Seoul, South Korea Glasgow, Scotland Sunderland, England Algiers, Algeria

Ten of these cities are designated by Sister Cities International^[26].

In June, 2006, the city signed an Agreement of Friendship with the British city of Sunderland, signalling the start of increased economic and cultural cooperation between the two cities.^[27] Washington Old Hall, on the outskirts of Sunderland, is the ancestral home of George Washington. Both these cities participate in town twinning instead of sister cities.

[edit] See also

• List of Famous People from the Washington Metropolitan Area
• List of neighborhoods of the District of Columbia by ward
• List of parks in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
• Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Find more information on Washington, D.C. by searching Wikipedia's sister projects
	Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
	Textbooks from Wikibooks
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Images and media from Commons
	News stories from Wikinews
	Learning resources from Wikiversity

• Official Website
• Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation
• Listing of Washington D.C. services
• Memorials and Monuments
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Washington, D.C.
• The L'Enfant and MacMillan city plans for Washington DC
• Washington DC architecture
• Washington D.C. travel guide from Wikitravel

[edit] Webcams

• Washington Monument Capitol Building Webcam
• Washington Monument Capitol Building Potomac River Webcam

[edit] Maps

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 38.89° -77.03°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
• Locations of boundary stones
• Washington, D.C. Crime Map
• Washington, D.C. School map

	District of Columbia Capital of the United States
Topics	History | Geography | Economy | Demographics | Media | Transportation
Government	Home rule | Voting rights | Former Mayors | Current Mayor | Statehood movement | Retrocession

v • d • e Neighborhoods of the District of Columbia
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v • d • e Location of the capital of the United States
1774                First Continental Congress	Philadelphia
1775 – 1781    Second Continental Congress	Philadelphia → Baltimore → Lancaster → York
1781 – 1789    Congress of the Confederation	Philadelphia → Princeton → Annapolis → Trenton → New York
1789 to date    United States Congress	New York → Philadelphia → Washington

v • d • e Political divisions of the United States
States	Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
Federal District	Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)
Territories	American Samoa · Guam · Northern Mariana Islands · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands
Outlying Islands	Baker Island · Howland Island · Jarvis Island · Johnston Atoll · Kingman Reef · Midway Atoll · Navassa Island · Palmyra Atoll · Wake Island

v • d • e 50 largest cities of the United States by population

New York · Los Angeles · Chicago · Houston · Philadelphia · Phoenix · San Antonio · San Diego · Dallas · San Jose · Detroit · Indianapolis · Jacksonville · San Francisco · Columbus · Austin · Memphis · Baltimore · Fort Worth · Charlotte · Nashville · El Paso · Milwaukee · Seattle · Boston · Denver · Washington · Louisville · Las Vegas · Portland · Oklahoma City · Tucson · Albuquerque · Long Beach · Atlanta · Fresno · Sacramento · New Orleans · Cleveland · Kansas City · Mesa · Virginia Beach · Omaha · Oakland · Tulsa · Miami · Honolulu · Minneapolis · Colorado Springs · Arlington