District of Columbia, US
District of Columbia: Capital city of the United States
About
The District of Columbia, more commonly known as Washington D.C., is the capital of the United States of America.
History and Culture
Washington D.C. was established in 1790 to serve as the nation's capital. It was named after George Washington and “Columbia” as a nickname for the U.S. Key events in history include the burning of Washington by the British in 1814 and Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.
As the capital, D.C. is deeply embedded in American history and culture. Iconic landmarks include the White House, U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, and many national museums along the National Mall. It offers a vibrant performing arts scene.
Geography
Washington D.C. covers 68 square miles on the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia. The Potomac River and adjacent Rock Creek Park provide natural beauty amidst the urban landscape.
Economy
The federal government is the main employer and foundation of Washington's economy. Many lawyers, lobbyists, contractors and more reside in D.C. Tourism, technology, education and business services also employ many residents.
Georgetown University, George Washington University and Howard University are top schools. Busy airports include Reagan National and Dulles International.
People and Lifestyle
D.C. has about 700,000 residents. It is racially and ethnically diverse with a significant African American population. D.C. has more college graduates than any other U.S. city. Many professionals live there for the thriving job market.
The cost of living is high. Traffic can be challenging but the metro system is highly used. Festivals and cultural events are plentiful.
Politics and Governance
Washington has a mayor and city council but the U.S. Congress has supreme authority over D.C. Residents lack full voting representation in Congress. The current mayor is Muriel Bowser.
Washington D.C. is the historic heart of American democracy. Monuments and federal sites symbolize its role as capital. D.C. also offers world-class museums, universities, arts and culture.
Quick Facts about District of Columbia
| Population : | 712,816 |
| Country : | United States of America |
| Different from : | District of Columbia |
| Head of government : | Mayor of the District of Columbia |
| Postal code : | 20201–20599, 20001–20098 |
| Phone Area Codes : | 202 |
| Official name : | Washington, District of Columbia |
| Water as percent of area : | 10.67% |
| Land as percent of area : | 89.33% |
| Continent : | North America |
| Northernmost point : | Point(-77.041 38.9955) |
| IATA airport code : | WAS |
| Named for : | George Washington, Christopher Columbus |
| Capital city : | District of Columbia is capital of United States of America |
| Establishment : | July 07, 1790 (234 years ago) |
| Time Zone : | UTC−04:00, UTC−05:00, America/New_York, Eastern Time Zone |
| Local time : | 10:40:22 (21st December 2024) |
Geography
District of Columbia is located at 38°55'1"N 77°0'1"W (38.9170600, -77.0002500). It has 7 neighbors: Bethesda, Montgomery County, Prince George s County, Silver Spring, Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax County.
District of Columbia map
icon to open full mode. View satellite images
The largest city of District of Columbia is Washington with a population of 712,816. . See all District of Columbia cities & populated places.
Largest Cities in District of Columbia
Cities, Towns, Villages, Neighborhoods & Other Populated Places in District of Columbia.
| City Name | Title | County | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Capital city of the United States | 712,816 |
- Official Website
Official website of District of Columbia
- Muriel Bowser , 8 2015-01-02T00:00:00Z 2018 Washington, D.C. mayoral election 2014 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Marion Barry , 4 2 January, 1999 1995-01-02T00:00:00Z 1994 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Vincent C. Gray , 7 2 January, 2015 2011-01-02T00:00:00Z 2010 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Anthony A. Williams , 5 2 January, 2007 1999-01-02T00:00:00Z 1998 Washington, D.C. mayoral election 2002 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Adrian Fenty , 6 2 January, 2011 2007-01-02T00:00:00Z 2006 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Walter Washington , 1 2 January, 1979 1975-01-02T00:00:00Z 1974 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Sharon Pratt Kelly , 3 2 January, 1995 1991-01-02T00:00:00Z 1990 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Marion Barry , 2 2 January, 1991 1979-01-02T00:00:00Z 1986 Washington, D.C. mayoral election 1982 Washington, D.C. mayoral election 1978 Washington, D.C. mayoral election Democratic Party
- Accra (2006 )
- Addis Ababa (2013 )
- Ankara (2011 )
- Athens (2000 )
- Bangkok (1962 )
- Beijing (1984 )
- Brasília (2013 )
- Brussels
- Brussels metropolitan area (1985 )
- Dakar (1980 )
- La Paz
- New Delhi
- Oslo
- Paris (2000 )
- Pretoria (2002 )
- Rome (2011 )
- San Salvador (2018 )
- Seoul (2006 )
- Sunderland (2006 )
District of Columbia has 7 neighbours.
- Bethesda A census-designated place (CDP) in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located in the Washington metropolitan area. Bethesda is known for its many parks and green spaces, its many historical sites, and its many attractions, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Bethesda Naval Hospital.
- Montgomery County county in Maryland, United States
- Prince George's County county in Maryland, United States
- Silver Spring A city in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located in the Washington metropolitan area. Silver Spring is known for its many parks and green spaces, its many historical sites, and its many attractions, such as the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. and the Silver Spring International Film Festival.
- Arlington The third most populous city in Texas and the center of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. It is located in northeastern Texas. Arlington is known for its sports teams, such as the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers, and its many attractions, such as the Globe Life Field and the Six Flags Over Texas.
- Alexandria A city in Virginia. It is located across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Alexandria is known for its many historic buildings, its many parks and green spaces, and its many attractions, such as the Torpedo Factory Art Center and the Alexandria Museum of Art.
- Fairfax County county in Virginia, United States
Demographics
| Year | Population | % Change | Method |
| 1800 | 8,144 | - | estimation process |
| 1810 | 15,471 | 47.36% | estimation process |
| 1820 | 23,336 | 33.7% | estimation process |
| 1830 | 30,261 | 22.88% | census |
| 1840 | 33,745 | 10.32% | census |
| 1850 | 51,687 | 34.71% | estimation process |
| 1860 | 75,080 | 31.16% | estimation process |
| 1870 | 131,700 | 42.99% | estimation process |
| 1880 | 177,624 | 25.85% | census |
| 1890 | 230,392 | 22.9% | census |
| 1900 | 278,718 | 17.34% | census |
| 1908 | 321,000 | 13.17% | census |
| 1910 | 331,069 | 3.04% | census |
| 1918 | 418,000 | 20.8% | census |
| 1920 | 437,571 | 4.47% | census |
| 1930 | 486,869 | 10.13% | census |
| 1940 | 663,091 | 26.58% | 1940 United States Census |
| 1950 | 802,178 | 17.34% | census |
| 1960 | 763,956 | -5% | census |
| 1970 | 756,510 | -0.98% | census |
| 1980 | 638,333 | -18.51% | census |
| 1990 | 606,900 | -5.18% | census |
| 2000 | 572,059 | -6.09% | census |
| 2010 | 601,723 | 4.93% | census |
| 2011 | 619,800 | 2.92% | estimation process |
| 2012 | 634,924 | 2.38% | estimation process |
| 2013 | 650,581 | 2.41% | estimation process |
| 2014 | 662,328 | 1.77% | estimation process |
| 2015 | 675,400 | 1.94% | estimation process |
| 2016 | 685,815 | 1.52% | estimation process |
| 2017 | 694,906 | 1.31% | estimation process |
| 2018 | 701,547 | 0.95% | estimation process |
| 2019 | 705,749 | 0.6% | estimation process |
| 2020 | 712,816 | 0.99% | estimation process |
People born in District of Columbia (200)
People born in District of Columbia, including philosopher Tim Maudlin, diplomat Charles W. Freeman, computer scientist Butler Lampson, .
List
- William Warren Tunnicliffe (Canadian computer pioneer) he was born in 22/04/1922
- Maynard Olson (American scientist) he was born in 02/10/1943
- Alonzo Church (American mathematician) he was born in 14/06/1903
- Eric Schmidt (software engineer, businessman, former Google CEO) he was born in 27/04/1955
- John Vlissides (American Software scientist) he was born in 02/08/1961
- Dan Ingalls (American computer scientist) he was born in 01/01/1944
- Ron Jeffries (American computer scientist) he was born in 26/12/1939
- David S. Johnson (American computer scientist) he was born in 09/12/1945
- Jack Edmonds (Canadian mathematician and computer scientist) he was born in 05/04/1934
- Arleen Sorkin (American actress) she was born in 14/10/1955
- William Hurt (American actor and filmmaker) he was born in 20/03/1950
- Adam Riess (American Nobel laureate) he was born in 16/12/1969
- Norman Foster Ramsey (American physicist) he was born in 27/08/1915
- Christopher A. Sims (American time-series statistician and econometrician, developer of vector auto-regressive models, Bayesian statistician, President of the Econometric Society, 2011 winner of the Nobel Prize) he was born in 21/10/1942
- Dominique Caillat (writer) she was born in 01/01/1956
- Andy Razaf (Malagasy-American poet, composer and lyricist) he was born in 16/12/1895
- Martin O'Malley (American politician) he was born in 18/01/1963
- Markus Dröge (German bishop) he was born in 16/10/1954
District of Columbia Counties
| County Name | Population |
|---|
