Washington State is located in the northwest corner of the United States.

The state takes its name from George Washington, the first president of the United states. Washington is called the “Evergreen State”. The nickname came from its large forests of beautiful evergreen trees. Washington is covered in parks and national forests (forests cover more than half the state). Their diversity is unparalleled, from Pacific Ocean beaches and temperate rain forests to glacier-clad peaks, deserts, and river gorges. Wildlife is abundant and the scenery is breathtaking.

Washington is also known for its snow-capped mountains. Washington also has about 600 islands and about 1,000 natural lakes. Washington has about 3,000 miles of shoreline. A big arm of the Pacific Ocean cuts deep into northwest Washington. This is Puget Sound. Harbors along the sound are important for shipping. Washington is famous for its salmon fishing.

By 1990 Washington’s fast growing population had nearly reached five million. Large number of people continue to move there. Washington residents and visitors enjoy hiking, fishing, boating, skiing, and camping in the state and national parks. Nearly one out of every five workers in Washington work in factories that manufacture a variety of products. Most of these people make airplanes, ships, and other transportation equipment. At the Boeing Company, the largest business in the state, thousands of workers produce airplanes and spacecraft. Boeing makes more commercial airplanes than any other company in the country. Microsoft Corporation  produces computer software. Bill Gates was born and lives in Seattle. The state is leader in many fields. Washington also ranks first in growing apples and sweet cherries.

Climate. The Pacific Ocean warms western Washington in the winter and cools it in the summer. Seattle’s temperatures are about 40 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. About 70 degrees Fahrenheit is common in summer. Coastal Washington receives rain on more than 182 days of the year. Wet air off the ocean causes this. The wet air falls as rain before crossing the mountains. That is why parts of eastern Washington receive little rain. Those areas are almost like deserts. Winter snowfall is only a few inches near the coast. But it can be 50 to 500 inches in the mountains.

These images came from: “From Sea to Shining Sea Washington” by Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin; Washington by the Capstone Press; Washington by E.S. Powell

Links:

http://www.travel-in-wa.com/OUTDOOR/parks.html

http://www.tourism.wa.gov/About.asp

http://www.leg.wa.gov/legis/symbols/symbols.htm