Learn about what Washington, DC
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| Top US 10 Cities and Regions - Washington, D.C. |
| Washington, District of Columbia (commonly referred to simply as "D.C." or "the District") is the capital of the United States of America. D.C. is bordered by Virginia and Maryland, and was founded in 1790. It was named Washington in honor of George Washington and Columbia in honor of Christopher Columbus. D.C. encompasses 68.3 square miles, of which 6.9 square miles are water. |
| Based on the 2010 census, D.C. has a population of 601,657 residents. |
| D.C. is known for having some of the worst traffic congestion in the United States. Many people take advantage of the city's rapid transit system, the Metrorail (referred to as the Metro), which is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The Metrorail is the nation's second busiest rapid transit system, topped only in ridership by the New York City subway. |
| The federal government accounts for a good percentage of the jobs in D.C. Other businesses include law firms, independent contractors (defense and civilian), lobbying firms, trade unions, and nonprofit organizations, which are in D.C. to be located close to federal government offices. D.C. is also home to 172 offices of foreign embassies. |
| Tourism is a major industry for D.C. as well, with people coming to see the White House, presidential monuments, the Pentagon, the War Memorial, congressional buildings, the Supreme Court, Arlington National Cemetery, the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception, and the National Zoo. This city is also famous for its music, culture, and museums, which include the Smithsonian Institute, National Gallery of Art, Air &Space Museum, Ford's Theatre, Lincoln Museum, and The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, among others. |
| D.C. is also home to eleven colleges and universities, which host over twenty thousand international students. These universities include American University, Catholic University of America, George Washington University, Georgetown University, and Howard University, among others. |
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