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Washington Listeni/ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/ is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States located north of Oregon, west of Idaho, and south of the Canadian province of British Columbia on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Named after George Washington, the first President of the United States, the state was made out of the western part of the Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as a settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. The state of Washington is often referred to as Washington State or the State of Washington to distinguish it from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States.
Washington is the 18th largest and the 13th most populous state. Approximately 60 percent of Washington's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area, the center of transportation, business, and industry along the Puget Sound region of the Salish Sea, an inlet of the Pacific consisting of numerous islands, deep fjords, and bays carved out by glaciers. The remainder of the state consists of deep temperate rainforests in the west, mountain ranges in the west, central, northeast and far southeast, and a semi-arid basin region in the east, central, and south, given over to intensive agriculture. After California, Washington is the second most populous state on the West Coast and in the Western United States.
Washington is a leading lumber producer. Its rugged surface is rich in stands of Douglas fir, hemlock, ponderosa and white pine, spruce, larch, and cedar. The state is the biggest producer of apples, hops, pears, red raspberries, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries, and ranks high in the production of apricots, asparagus, dry edible peas, grapes, lentils, peppermint oil, and potatoes. Livestock and livestock products make important contributions to total farm revenue, and the commercial fishing of salmon, halibut, and bottomfish makes a significant contribution to the state's economy.
Manufacturing industries in Washington include aircraft and missiles, shipbuilding and other transportation equipment, lumber, food processing, metals and metal products, chemicals, and machinery. Washington has over 1,000 dams, including the Grand Coulee Dam, built for a variety of purposes including irrigation, power, flood control, and water storage.
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 Geography
2.1 Climate
2.1.1 Rain shadow effects
2.1.2 Temperatures
2.2 Flora and fauna
3 History
3.1 Early history
3.2 European exploration
3.3 Settlement
3.4 Statehood
3.5 Industrial Era
3.6 Mount St. Helens eruption, 1980
4 Demographics
4.1 Racial demographics
4.2 Areas of concentration
4.3 Largest cities
4.4 Languages
4.5 Religion
5 Economy
5.1 Taxes
5.2 Agriculture
5.3 Wine
5.4 Internet Access
6 Transportation
7 Environment
8 Government and politics
8.1 State government
8.2 U.S. Congress
8.3 Politics
8.4 Passed Bills
9 Education
9.1 Elementary and secondary
9.2 Higher education
10 Healthcare in Washington
11 Professional sports
12 Symbols, honors, and names
12.1 The Evergreen State
12.2 State symbols
13 See also
14 References
15 Further reading
16 External links
Etymology[edit]
The Washington Territory was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. The area was originally part of a region called the Columbia District after the Columbia River. Ironically, the area was renamed Washington in order to avoid confusion with the District of Columbia, which contains the city of Washington.[3][4]
Washington is the only U.S. state named after a president. To distinguish it from the U.S. capital, which is also named for George Washington, Washington is often referred to as Washington State, or in more formal contexts as "The State of Washington". Washingtonians (residents of Washington) and other residents of the Pacific Northwest normally refer to the state simply as "Washington", while instead referring to the nation's capital as "Washington, D.C." or simply "D.C."
Geography[edit]
South Eastern Washington
The Pacific Coast of Westport, Washington
See also: Geology of the Pacific Northwest
Washington is the north-western most state of the contiguous United States. Its northern border lies mostly along the 49th parallel, and then via marine boundaries through the Strait of Georgia, Haro Strait and Strait of Juan de Fuca, with the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. Washington is bordered by Oregon to the south, with the Columbia River forming the western part and the 46th parallel forming the eastern part of the southern boundary.
To the east, Washington borders Idaho, bounded mostly by the meridian running north from the confluence of the Snake River and Clearwater River (about 116°57' west), except for the southernmost section where the border follows the Snake River. To the west of Washington lies the Pacific Ocean.[5] Washington was a Union territory during the American Civil War, although it never actually participated in the war.
Cascade Pass in the North Cascades National Park
Washington is part of a region known as the Pacific Northwest, a term which always includes Washington and Oregon and may or may not include Idaho, western Montana, northern California, and Alaska, depending on the user's intent.
The high mountains of the Cascade Range run north-south, bisecting the state. From the Cascades westward, Western Washington has a mostly marine west coast climate, with mild temperatures and wet winters, autumns and springs, and relatively dry summers. The Cascade Range contains several volcanoes, which reach altitudes significantly higher than the rest of the mountains. From the north to the south these volcanoes are Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams. Mount St. Helens is currently the only Washington volcano that is actively erupting; however, all of them are considered active volcanoes. Mount Rainier, the tallest mountain in the state,[6] is 50 miles (80 km) south of the city of Seattle, from which it is prominently visible. The 14,411-foot-tall (4,392 m) Mt. Rainier is considered the most dangerous volcano in the Cascade Range,[7] due to its proximity to the Seattle metropolitan area, and most dangerous in the continental U.S. according to the Decade Volcanoes list. It is also covered with more glacial ice than any other peak in the contiguous 48 states.[8]
The Columbia River Gorge.
Western Washington also is home of the Olympic Mountains, far west on the Olympic Peninsula, which supports dense forests of conifers and areas of temperate rainforest. These deep forests, such as the Hoh Rainforest, are among the only temperate rainforests in the continental United States.[9]
In contrast, Eastern Washington, east of the Cascades, has a relatively dry climate with large areas of semiarid steppe and a few truly arid deserts lying in the rain shadow of the Cascades; the Hanford reservation receives an average annual precipitation of 6 to 7 inches (150 to 180 mm). Farther east, the climate becomes less arid, increasing as one goes east to 21.2 inches (540 mm) in Pullman.[10] The Okanogan Highlands and the rugged Kettle River Range and Selkirk Mountains cover much of the northeastern quadrant of the state. The Palouse southeast region of Washington was grassland that has been mostly converted into farmland, and extends to the Blue Mountains.
Climate[edit]
Dryland farming caused a large dust storm in arid parts of eastern Washington on October 4, 2009. Courtesy: NASA/GSFC, MODIS Rapid Response.[11]
See also: Climate change in Washington
Washington's climate varies greatly from west to east. An oceanic climate (also called "west coast marine climate") predominates in western Washington, and a much drier semi-arid climate prevails east of the Cascade Range. Major factors determining Washington's climate include the large semi-permanent high pressure and low pressure systems of the north Pacific Ocean, the continental air masses of North America, and the Olympic and Cascade mountains. In the spring and summer, a high pressure anticyclone system dominates the north Pacific Ocean, causing air to spiral out in a clockwise fashion. For Washington this means prevailing winds from the northwest bringing relatively cool air and a predictably dry season.
In the autumn and winter, a low pressure cyclone system takes over in the north Pacific Ocean, with air spiraling inward in a counter-clockwise fashion. This causes Washington's prevailing winds to come from the southwest, bringing relatively warm and moist air masses and a predictably wet season. The term "Pineapple Express" is used colloquially to describe the extreme form of this wet season pattern.[12]
Despite western Washington having a marine climate similar to those of many coastal cities of Europe, there are exceptions such as the "Big Snow" events of 1880, 1881, 1893 and 1916 and the "deep freeze" winters of 1883–84, 1915–16, 1949–50 and 1955–56, among others. During these events western Washington experienced up to 6 feet (1.8 m) of snow, sub-zero (−18 °C) temperatures, three months with snow on the ground, and lakes and rivers frozen over for weeks.[13] Seattle's lowest officially recorded temperature is 0 °F (−18 °C) set on January 31, 1950, but low-altitude areas approximately three hours away from Seattle have recorded lows as cold as −48 °F (−44 °C).[14]
Weather during the cold season is greatly influenced by the Southern Oscillation. During the El Niño phase, the jet stream enters the U.S. further south through California, therefore late fall and winter are drier than normal with less snowpack. The La Niña phase reinforces the jet stream through the Pacific Northwest, causing Washington to have even more rain and snow than average.
In 2006, the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington published The Impacts of Climate change in Washington's Economy, a preliminary assessment on the risks and opportunities presented given the possibility of a rise in global temperatures and their effects on Washington state.[15]
Rain shadow effects[edit]
Washington experiences extensive variation in rainfall.
Main article: Rain shadow
Rainfall in Washington varies dramatically going from east to west. The western side of the Olympic Peninsula receives as much as 160 inches (4,100 mm) of precipitation annually, making it the wettest area of the 48 conterminous states and a temperate rainforest. Weeks or even months may pass without a clear day. The western slopes of the Cascade Range receive some of the heaviest annual snowfall (in some places more than 200 inches or 5,100 millimetres water equivalent) in the country. In the rain shadow area east of the Cascades, the annual precipitation is only 6 inches (150 mm). Precipitation then increases again eastward toward the Rocky Mountains.
The Olympic mountains and Cascades compound this climatic pattern by causing orographic lift of the air masses blown inland from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the windward side of the mountains receiving high levels of precipitation and the leeward side receiving low levels. This occurs most dramatically around the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range. In both cases the windward slopes facing southwest receive high precipitation and mild, cool temperatures. While the Puget Sound lowlands are known for clouds and rain in the winter, the western slopes of the Cascades receive larger amounts of precipitation, often falling as snow at higher elevations. (Mount Baker, near the state's northern border, is one of the snowiest places in the world: in 1999, it set the world record for snowfall in a single season: 1,140 inches (95 ft; 29 m).)[16]
East of the Cascades, a large region experiences strong rain shadow effects. Semi-arid conditions occur in much of eastern Washington with the strongest rain shadow effects at the relatively low elevations of the central Columbia Plateau—especially the region just east of the Columbia River from about the Snake River to the Okanagan Highland. Thus instead of rain forests much of eastern Washington is covered with grassland and shrub-steppe.
Temperatures[edit]
The average annual temperature ranges from 51 °F (11 °C) on the Pacific coast to 40 °F (4 °C) in the northeast. The lowest temperature recorded in the state was −48 °F (−44 °C) in Winthrop and Mazama. The highest recorded temperature in the state was 118 °F (48 °C) at Ice Harbor Dam. Both records were set east of the Cascades. Western Washington is known for its mild climate, considerable fog, frequent cloud cover and long-lasting drizzles in the winter, and warm, temperate summers. The Eastern region occasionally experiences extreme climate. Arctic cold fronts in the winter and heat waves in the summer are not uncommon. In the Western region, temperatures have reached as high as 112 °F (44 °C) in Marietta.[17] and as low as −20 °F (−29 °C) in Longview.[18]
High and low average temperatures in various cities in Washington
expressed in Fahrenheit and (Celsius) degrees
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Seattle 46/36
(8/2) 50/37
(10/3) 53/39
(12/4) 58/42
(14/6) 64/47
(18/8) 70/52
(21/11) 75/55
(24/13) 76/56
(24/13) 70/52
(21/11) 60/46
(16/8) 51/40
(11/4) 46/36
(8/2)
Flora and fauna[edit]
Black-tailed deer graze at Deer Park in Olympic National Park
See also: List of flora of Washington (state), List of fauna of Washington (state) and List of federal lands in Washington (state)
Forests cover 52% of the state's land area, mostly west of the North Cascades. Approximately two-thirds of Washington's forested area is publicly owned, including 64% of federal land.[19] Other common trees and plants in the region are camassia, Douglas fir, hemlock, penstemon, ponderosa pine, western red cedar, and many species of ferns.[20] The state's various areas of wilderness offer sanctuary, with substantially large populations of shorebirds and marine mammals. The Pacific shore surrounding the San Juan Islands are heavily inhabited with killer, gray and humpback whales.[21]
Washington is the 18th largest and the 13th most populous state. Approximately 60 percent of Washington's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area, the center of transportation, business, and industry along the Puget Sound region of the Salish Sea, an inlet of the Pacific consisting of numerous islands, deep fjords, and bays carved out by glaciers. The remainder of the state consists of deep temperate rainforests in the west, mountain ranges in the west, central, northeast and far southeast, and a semi-arid basin region in the east, central, and south, given over to intensive agriculture. After California, Washington is the second most populous state on the West Coast and in the Western United States.
Washington is a leading lumber producer. Its rugged surface is rich in stands of Douglas fir, hemlock, ponderosa and white pine, spruce, larch, and cedar. The state is the biggest producer of apples, hops, pears, red raspberries, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries, and ranks high in the production of apricots, asparagus, dry edible peas, grapes, lentils, peppermint oil, and potatoes. Livestock and livestock products make important contributions to total farm revenue, and the commercial fishing of salmon, halibut, and bottomfish makes a significant contribution to the state's economy.
Manufacturing industries in Washington include aircraft and missiles, shipbuilding and other transportation equipment, lumber, food processing, metals and metal products, chemicals, and machinery. Washington has over 1,000 dams, including the Grand Coulee Dam, built for a variety of purposes including irrigation, power, flood control, and water storage.
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 Geography
2.1 Climate
2.1.1 Rain shadow effects
2.1.2 Temperatures
2.2 Flora and fauna
3 History
3.1 Early history
3.2 European exploration
3.3 Settlement
3.4 Statehood
3.5 Industrial Era
3.6 Mount St. Helens eruption, 1980
4 Demographics
4.1 Racial demographics
4.2 Areas of concentration
4.3 Largest cities
4.4 Languages
4.5 Religion
5 Economy
5.1 Taxes
5.2 Agriculture
5.3 Wine
5.4 Internet Access
6 Transportation
7 Environment
8 Government and politics
8.1 State government
8.2 U.S. Congress
8.3 Politics
8.4 Passed Bills
9 Education
9.1 Elementary and secondary
9.2 Higher education
10 Healthcare in Washington
11 Professional sports
12 Symbols, honors, and names
12.1 The Evergreen State
12.2 State symbols
13 See also
14 References
15 Further reading
16 External links
Etymology[edit]
The Washington Territory was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. The area was originally part of a region called the Columbia District after the Columbia River. Ironically, the area was renamed Washington in order to avoid confusion with the District of Columbia, which contains the city of Washington.[3][4]
Washington is the only U.S. state named after a president. To distinguish it from the U.S. capital, which is also named for George Washington, Washington is often referred to as Washington State, or in more formal contexts as "The State of Washington". Washingtonians (residents of Washington) and other residents of the Pacific Northwest normally refer to the state simply as "Washington", while instead referring to the nation's capital as "Washington, D.C." or simply "D.C."
Geography[edit]
South Eastern Washington
The Pacific Coast of Westport, Washington
See also: Geology of the Pacific Northwest
Washington is the north-western most state of the contiguous United States. Its northern border lies mostly along the 49th parallel, and then via marine boundaries through the Strait of Georgia, Haro Strait and Strait of Juan de Fuca, with the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. Washington is bordered by Oregon to the south, with the Columbia River forming the western part and the 46th parallel forming the eastern part of the southern boundary.
To the east, Washington borders Idaho, bounded mostly by the meridian running north from the confluence of the Snake River and Clearwater River (about 116°57' west), except for the southernmost section where the border follows the Snake River. To the west of Washington lies the Pacific Ocean.[5] Washington was a Union territory during the American Civil War, although it never actually participated in the war.
Cascade Pass in the North Cascades National Park
Washington is part of a region known as the Pacific Northwest, a term which always includes Washington and Oregon and may or may not include Idaho, western Montana, northern California, and Alaska, depending on the user's intent.
The high mountains of the Cascade Range run north-south, bisecting the state. From the Cascades westward, Western Washington has a mostly marine west coast climate, with mild temperatures and wet winters, autumns and springs, and relatively dry summers. The Cascade Range contains several volcanoes, which reach altitudes significantly higher than the rest of the mountains. From the north to the south these volcanoes are Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams. Mount St. Helens is currently the only Washington volcano that is actively erupting; however, all of them are considered active volcanoes. Mount Rainier, the tallest mountain in the state,[6] is 50 miles (80 km) south of the city of Seattle, from which it is prominently visible. The 14,411-foot-tall (4,392 m) Mt. Rainier is considered the most dangerous volcano in the Cascade Range,[7] due to its proximity to the Seattle metropolitan area, and most dangerous in the continental U.S. according to the Decade Volcanoes list. It is also covered with more glacial ice than any other peak in the contiguous 48 states.[8]
The Columbia River Gorge.
Western Washington also is home of the Olympic Mountains, far west on the Olympic Peninsula, which supports dense forests of conifers and areas of temperate rainforest. These deep forests, such as the Hoh Rainforest, are among the only temperate rainforests in the continental United States.[9]
In contrast, Eastern Washington, east of the Cascades, has a relatively dry climate with large areas of semiarid steppe and a few truly arid deserts lying in the rain shadow of the Cascades; the Hanford reservation receives an average annual precipitation of 6 to 7 inches (150 to 180 mm). Farther east, the climate becomes less arid, increasing as one goes east to 21.2 inches (540 mm) in Pullman.[10] The Okanogan Highlands and the rugged Kettle River Range and Selkirk Mountains cover much of the northeastern quadrant of the state. The Palouse southeast region of Washington was grassland that has been mostly converted into farmland, and extends to the Blue Mountains.
Climate[edit]
Dryland farming caused a large dust storm in arid parts of eastern Washington on October 4, 2009. Courtesy: NASA/GSFC, MODIS Rapid Response.[11]
See also: Climate change in Washington
Washington's climate varies greatly from west to east. An oceanic climate (also called "west coast marine climate") predominates in western Washington, and a much drier semi-arid climate prevails east of the Cascade Range. Major factors determining Washington's climate include the large semi-permanent high pressure and low pressure systems of the north Pacific Ocean, the continental air masses of North America, and the Olympic and Cascade mountains. In the spring and summer, a high pressure anticyclone system dominates the north Pacific Ocean, causing air to spiral out in a clockwise fashion. For Washington this means prevailing winds from the northwest bringing relatively cool air and a predictably dry season.
In the autumn and winter, a low pressure cyclone system takes over in the north Pacific Ocean, with air spiraling inward in a counter-clockwise fashion. This causes Washington's prevailing winds to come from the southwest, bringing relatively warm and moist air masses and a predictably wet season. The term "Pineapple Express" is used colloquially to describe the extreme form of this wet season pattern.[12]
Despite western Washington having a marine climate similar to those of many coastal cities of Europe, there are exceptions such as the "Big Snow" events of 1880, 1881, 1893 and 1916 and the "deep freeze" winters of 1883–84, 1915–16, 1949–50 and 1955–56, among others. During these events western Washington experienced up to 6 feet (1.8 m) of snow, sub-zero (−18 °C) temperatures, three months with snow on the ground, and lakes and rivers frozen over for weeks.[13] Seattle's lowest officially recorded temperature is 0 °F (−18 °C) set on January 31, 1950, but low-altitude areas approximately three hours away from Seattle have recorded lows as cold as −48 °F (−44 °C).[14]
Weather during the cold season is greatly influenced by the Southern Oscillation. During the El Niño phase, the jet stream enters the U.S. further south through California, therefore late fall and winter are drier than normal with less snowpack. The La Niña phase reinforces the jet stream through the Pacific Northwest, causing Washington to have even more rain and snow than average.
In 2006, the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington published The Impacts of Climate change in Washington's Economy, a preliminary assessment on the risks and opportunities presented given the possibility of a rise in global temperatures and their effects on Washington state.[15]
Rain shadow effects[edit]
Washington experiences extensive variation in rainfall.
Main article: Rain shadow
Rainfall in Washington varies dramatically going from east to west. The western side of the Olympic Peninsula receives as much as 160 inches (4,100 mm) of precipitation annually, making it the wettest area of the 48 conterminous states and a temperate rainforest. Weeks or even months may pass without a clear day. The western slopes of the Cascade Range receive some of the heaviest annual snowfall (in some places more than 200 inches or 5,100 millimetres water equivalent) in the country. In the rain shadow area east of the Cascades, the annual precipitation is only 6 inches (150 mm). Precipitation then increases again eastward toward the Rocky Mountains.
The Olympic mountains and Cascades compound this climatic pattern by causing orographic lift of the air masses blown inland from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the windward side of the mountains receiving high levels of precipitation and the leeward side receiving low levels. This occurs most dramatically around the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range. In both cases the windward slopes facing southwest receive high precipitation and mild, cool temperatures. While the Puget Sound lowlands are known for clouds and rain in the winter, the western slopes of the Cascades receive larger amounts of precipitation, often falling as snow at higher elevations. (Mount Baker, near the state's northern border, is one of the snowiest places in the world: in 1999, it set the world record for snowfall in a single season: 1,140 inches (95 ft; 29 m).)[16]
East of the Cascades, a large region experiences strong rain shadow effects. Semi-arid conditions occur in much of eastern Washington with the strongest rain shadow effects at the relatively low elevations of the central Columbia Plateau—especially the region just east of the Columbia River from about the Snake River to the Okanagan Highland. Thus instead of rain forests much of eastern Washington is covered with grassland and shrub-steppe.
Temperatures[edit]
The average annual temperature ranges from 51 °F (11 °C) on the Pacific coast to 40 °F (4 °C) in the northeast. The lowest temperature recorded in the state was −48 °F (−44 °C) in Winthrop and Mazama. The highest recorded temperature in the state was 118 °F (48 °C) at Ice Harbor Dam. Both records were set east of the Cascades. Western Washington is known for its mild climate, considerable fog, frequent cloud cover and long-lasting drizzles in the winter, and warm, temperate summers. The Eastern region occasionally experiences extreme climate. Arctic cold fronts in the winter and heat waves in the summer are not uncommon. In the Western region, temperatures have reached as high as 112 °F (44 °C) in Marietta.[17] and as low as −20 °F (−29 °C) in Longview.[18]
High and low average temperatures in various cities in Washington
expressed in Fahrenheit and (Celsius) degrees
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Seattle 46/36
(8/2) 50/37
(10/3) 53/39
(12/4) 58/42
(14/6) 64/47
(18/8) 70/52
(21/11) 75/55
(24/13) 76/56
(24/13) 70/52
(21/11) 60/46
(16/8) 51/40
(11/4) 46/36
(8/2)
Flora and fauna[edit]
Black-tailed deer graze at Deer Park in Olympic National Park
See also: List of flora of Washington (state), List of fauna of Washington (state) and List of federal lands in Washington (state)
Forests cover 52% of the state's land area, mostly west of the North Cascades. Approximately two-thirds of Washington's forested area is publicly owned, including 64% of federal land.[19] Other common trees and plants in the region are camassia, Douglas fir, hemlock, penstemon, ponderosa pine, western red cedar, and many species of ferns.[20] The state's various areas of wilderness offer sanctuary, with substantially large populations of shorebirds and marine mammals. The Pacific shore surrounding the San Juan Islands are heavily inhabited with killer, gray and humpback whales.[21]
Comments
Washington es un importante productor de maderas. Su superficie rugosa es rico en bosques de abeto de Douglas, abeto, ponderosa y pino blanco, abeto, alerce y cedro. El Estado es el mayor productor de manzanas, el lúpulo, peras, frambuesas rojas, aceite de menta verde, y las cerezas dulces, y ocupa un lugar destacado en la producción de albaricoques, espárragos, guisantes comestibles secos, uvas, lentejas, aceite de menta y papas. Animales y productos animales hacen importantes contribuciones a los ingresos totales de granja y la pesca comercial del salmón, mero, y de Fondo hace una contribución significativa a la economía del estado.
Las industrias manufactureras en Washington incluyen aviones y misiles, la construcción naval y otros equipos de transporte, madera de construcción, procesamiento de alimentos, metales y productos metálicos, productos químicos y maquinaria. Washington cuenta con más de 1.000 presas, como la Grand Coulee Dam, construido para una variedad de propósitos, incluyendo el riego, el poder, el control de inundaciones, y el almacenamiento de agua.
Contenido [ocultar]
1 Etimología
2 Geografía
2.1 Clima
2.1.1 efectos de sombra de lluvia
2.1.2 Temperaturas
2.2 flora y fauna
3 Historia
3.1 Historia temprana
3.2 exploración europea
3.3 Liquidación
3.4 La estadidad
3.5 Era Industrial
3.6 Mount St. Erupción Helens, 1980
4 Demografía
4.1 demografía racial
4.2 Áreas de concentración
4.3 Las ciudades más grandes
4.4 Idiomas
4.5 Religión
5 Economía
5.1 Impuestos
5.2 Agricultura
5.3 Vino
Acceso a Internet 5.4
6 Transporte
7 Ambiente
8 Gobierno y política
Gobierno 8.1 Estado
8.2 Congreso EE.UU.
8.3 Política
8.4 proyectos de ley aprobados
9 Educación
9.1 Primaria y secundaria
9.2 La educación superior
10 Salud en Washington
11 El deporte profesional
12 Símbolos, honores, y nombres
12.1 El Estado Evergreen
12.2 símbolos estatales
13 Véase también
14 Referencias
15 Lectura adicional
16 Enlaces externos
Etimología [editar]
El territorio de Washington fue nombrado después de George Washington, el primer presidente de los Estados Unidos. El área fue originalmente parte de una región llamada el Distrito de Columbia después de que el río Columbia. Irónicamente, la zona pasó a llamarse de Washington con el fin de evitar la confusión con el Distrito de Columbia, que contiene la ciudad de Washington. [3] [4]
Washington es el único estado de Estados Unidos lleva el nombre de un presidente. Para distinguirla de la capital de Estados Unidos, que también lleva el nombre de George Washington, Washington se refiere a menudo como el estado de Washington, o en contextos más formales como "El Estado de Washington". Washingtonianos (residentes de Washington) y otros residentes del noroeste del Pacífico, normalmente se refieren al estado simplemente como "Washington", mientras que en cambio se refiere a la capital del país como "Washington, DC" o simplemente "DC"
Geografía [editar]
Sur Este de Washington
La costa del Pacífico de Westport, Washington
Ver también: Geología del noroeste del Pacífico
Washington es el noroccidental estado de la mayoría de los estados contiguos de Estados Unidos. Limita al norte se encuentra en su mayoría a lo largo del paralelo 49, y luego a través de las fronteras marítimas a través del estrecho de Georgia, el estrecho de Haro y estrecho de Juan de Fuca, con la provincia canadiense de Columbia Británica, al norte. Washington está bordeado por Oregon al sur, con el río de Colombia que forma la parte occidental y la formación de la parte oriental de la frontera sur paralelo 46o.
Hacia el este, limita con Washington Idaho, delimitada en su mayoría por el meridiano de norte de la confluencia del río Snake y el río Clearwater (alrededor de 116 ° 57 'de longitud oeste), a excepción de la sección sur, donde la frontera sigue el río Snake. Al oeste de Washington se encuentra el Océano Pacífico. [5] de Washington era un territorio de la Unión durante la guerra civil americana, aunque en realidad nunca participó en la guerra.
Cascade Pass en el Parque Nacional North Cascades
Washington es parte de una región conocida como el noroeste del Pacífico, un término que siempre incluye Washington y Oregon y puede o no incluir Idaho, Montana occidental, el norte de California y Alaska, en función de la intención del usuario.
Las altas montañas de la Cordillera de las Cascadas corren de norte a sur, que divide en dos el estado. Desde las cascadas hacia el oeste, el oeste de Washington tiene un clima costa oeste en su mayoría marinos, con temperaturas suaves y húmedos inviernos, otoños y primaveras y veranos relativamente secos. La gama de la cascada contiene varios volcanes, que alcanzan alturas significativamente más altos que el resto de las montañas. Desde el norte hasta el sur estos volcanes son el Monte Baker, pico del glaciar, el Monte Rainier, Monte St. Helens, y el Monte Adams. Mount St. Helens es actualmente el único volcán de Washington que está en erupción de forma activa; sin embargo, todos ellos se consideran volcanes activos. Mount Rainier, la montaña más alta en el estado, [6] se encuentra al sur de la ciudad de Seattle, de la que es prominente visible 50 millas (80 km). El 14.411 pies de altura (4.392 m) Mt. Rainiero es considerado el volcán más peligroso en el Cascade Range, [7] debido a su proximidad a la zona metropolitana de Seattle, y el más peligroso de los EE.UU. continental de acuerdo a la lista de Volcanes de la Década. También se cubre con más hielo glacial que cualquier otro pico en los 48 estados contiguos. [8]
La garganta del río Columbia.
Western Washington es también el hogar de las Montañas Olímpicas, hacia el oeste en la Península Olímpica, que apoya densos bosques de coníferas y áreas de bosque templado lluvioso. Estos bosques profundos, como la selva tropical de Hoh, se encuentran entre los únicos bosques templados en el territorio continental de Estados Unidos. [9]
En contraste, el este de Washington, al este de las Cascadas, tiene un clima relativamente seco, con grandes áreas de estepa semiárida y algunos desiertos áridos verdad que yacen en la sombra de la lluvia de las cascadas; la reserva de Hanford recibe una precipitación media anual de 6 a 7 pulgadas (150 a 180 mm). Más hacia el este, el clima se vuelve menos árido, aumentando a medida que se va hacia el este hasta 21.2 pulgadas (540 mm) de Pullman. [10] Las tierras altas Okanogan y la robusta gama del río Caldera y montañas de Selkirk cubren gran parte del cuadrante noreste del estado. La región sureste de Palouse de Washington fue pastizales que se ha convertido sobre todo en tierras de cultivo, y se extiende hasta las montañas azules.
Clima [editar]
La agricultura de secano causó una gran tormenta de polvo en las partes áridas del este de Washington el 4 de octubre de 2009. Cortesía:. NASA / GSFC, MODIS Rapid Response [11]
Ver también: El cambio climático en Washington
El clima de Washington varía mucho de oeste a este. Un clima oceánico (también llamado "clima marino costa oeste") predomina en el oeste de Washington, y un clima semiárido mucho más seco prevalece este de la Cordillera de las Cascadas. Los principales factores que determinan el clima de Washington incluyen el gran sistemas de baja presión del Océano Pacífico norte alta presión semipermanente y, las masas de aire continentales de América del Norte, y las montañas Olympic y Cascade. En la primavera y el verano, un sistema anticiclón de alta presión domina el norte del Océano Pacífico, haciendo que el aire a una espiral fuera de forma en sentido horario. Para Washington, esto significa que prevalecen los vientos del noroeste que traen aire relativamente fresco y una temporada seca predecible.
En el otoño y el invierno, un sistema de baja presión se hace cargo de los ciclones en el norte del Océano Pacífico, con el aire en espiral hacia el interior de una forma hacia la izquierda. Esto hace que los vientos dominantes de Washington para venir desde el suroeste, con lo relativamente cálidos y húmedos masas de aire y una temporada previsiblemente mojado. El término "Pineapple Express" se utiliza coloquialmente para describir la forma extrema de este patrón estación húmeda. [12]
A pesar de el oeste de Washington que tiene un clima marino similares a los de muchas ciudades costeras de Europa, hay excepciones, como los eventos de "gran nevada" de 1880, 1881, 1893 y 1916 y los inviernos "congelación profunda" de 1883-1884, 1915- 16, 1949-1950 y 1955 hasta 1956, entre otros. Durante estos eventos oeste de Washington experimentó hasta 6 pies (1,8 m) de nieve, bajo cero (-18 ° C) temperaturas, tres meses con nieve en el suelo, y los lagos y ríos congelados durante varias semanas. [13] de más bajo Seattle temperatura registrada oficialmente es de 0 ° F (-18 ° C) conjunto el 31 de enero de 1950, pero las zonas de baja altitud de aproximadamente tres horas de distancia de Seattle han registrado mínimos tan frío como -48 ° F (-44 ° C). [14 ]
Tiempo durante la estación fría está fuertemente influenciado por la Oscilación del Sur. Durante la fase de El Niño, la corriente en chorro entra en los EE.UU., más al sur a través de California, por lo tanto, a finales del otoño y el invierno son más seco de lo normal con menor acumulación de nieve. La fase de La Niña refuerza la corriente en chorro a través del noroeste del Pacífico, causando Washington para tener aún más la lluvia y la nieve que el promedio.
En 2006, el Grupo de Impactos Climáticos de la Universidad de Washington publicó los impactos del cambio climático en la economía de Washington, una evaluación preliminar de los riesgos y oportunidades que se presentan dada la posibilidad de un aumento de las temperaturas globales y sus efectos sobre el estado de Washington. [15]
Efectos de sombra de lluvia [editar]
Washington experimenta amplia variación en las precipitaciones.
Artículo principal: la sombra de lluvia
Las precipitaciones en Washington varía ir dramáticamente de este a oeste. La parte occidental de la Península Olímpica recibe hasta 160 pulgadas (4100 mm) de precipitación al año, por lo que es la zona más húmeda de los 48 estados limítrofes y un bosque templado lluvioso. Semanas o incluso meses pueden pasar sin un día claro. Las laderas occidentales de la Cordillera de las Cascadas reciben algunas de las nevadas anuales más pesada (en algunos lugares más de 200 pulgadas o 5.100 milímetros equivalentes de agua) en el país. En la zona de sombra de lluvia al este de las Cascadas, la precipitación anual es de sólo 6 pulgadas (150 mm). Precipitación luego aumenta de nuevo hacia el este, hacia las Montañas Rocosas.
La montañas y cascadas compuesto Olímpico este patrón climático provocando la elevación orográfica de las masas de aire soplado hacia el interior desde el océano Pacífico, lo que resulta en el lado de barlovento de las montañas que reciben altos niveles de precipitación y el lado de sotavento de recibir bajos niveles. Esto ocurre más dramáticamente alrededor de las Montañas Olímpicas y la Cordillera de las Cascadas. En ambos casos, las laderas de barlovento frente suroeste reciben altas precipitaciones y temperaturas frescas, suaves. Mientras que las tierras bajas de Puget Sound son conocidos por las nubes y la lluvia en el invierno, las laderas occidentales de las Cascadas reciben grandes cantidades de precipitación, a menudo cae en forma de nieve en las elevaciones más altas. (Monte Baker, cerca de la frontera norte del estado, es uno de los lugares con más nieve en el mundo: en 1999, estableció el récord mundial de caída de nieve en una sola temporada:. 1.140 pulgadas (95 pies; 29 m)) [16]
Al este de las Cascadas, una gran región experimenta fuertes efectos de sombra de lluvia. Condiciones semiáridas se producen en gran parte del este de Washington con los efectos más fuertes de sombra de lluvia en las relativamente bajas elevaciones del centro de Columbia Plateau-especialmente la región al este del río Columbia desde aproximadamente el río Snake en el Highland Okanagan. Así, en lugar de las selvas tropicales gran parte del este de Washington está cubierta de pastizales y arbustos-estepa.
Temperaturas [editar]
La temperatura media anual oscila entre 51 ° F (11 ° C) en la costa del Pacífico a 40 ° F (4 ° C) en el noreste. La temperatura más baja registrada en el estado fue -48 ° F (-44 ° C) en Winthrop y Mazama. La temperatura más alta registrada en el estado fue de 118 ° F (48 ° C) en el Ice Harbor Dam. Ambos registros se establecieron al este de las Cascadas. Western Washington es conocida por su clima suave, bastante niebla, nubosidad frecuente y lloviznas de larga duración en el invierno y veranos cálidos y templados. La región oriental de vez en cuando experimenta clima extremo. Frentes fríos árticos en las olas de invierno y calor en verano no son infrecuentes. En la región occidental, las temperaturas han alcanzado tan alto como 112 ° F (44 ° C) en Marietta. [17] y tan bajas como -20 ° F (-29 ° C) en Longview. [18]
Temperaturas medias altas y bajas en varias ciudades en Washington
expresado en grados Fahrenheit y Celsius) (grados
Ciudad Ene Feb Mar Abr May Jun Jul Ago Sep Oct Nov Dic
Seattle 46/36
(8/2) 50/37
(10/03) 53/39
(4/12) 58/42
(14/6) 64/47
(18/8) 70/52
(21/11) 75/55
(24/13) 76/56
(24/13) 70/52
(21/11) 60/46
(16/8) 51/40
(04/11) 46/36
(8/2)
Flora y fauna [editar]