Washington

Washington is a Pacific Northwest state known for its evergreen forests, tech industry and the city of Seattle. Its capital is Olympia, while Seattle is by far the largest city and home to global companies like Amazon, Microsoft (in nearby Redmond) and Boeing's roots. Nicknamed the Evergreen State, it offers dramatic natural contrasts.

Washington is split by the Cascade Range into a wet, green, forested west, with Seattle on Puget Sound and the volcanic Mount Rainier, and a drier, agricultural east beyond the mountains. The Columbia River and Olympic rainforest add to its diversity. The western climate is mild and rainy.

Washington culture combines a thriving technology and aerospace economy with coffee culture born in Seattle, the grunge music legacy, and a strong outdoor and environmental ethos. Wine, seafood and innovation are central to its identity.

Home to Coast Salish and other peoples, the territory was settled along Puget Sound and became the 42nd state in 1889. Boeing made it an aerospace center, and Microsoft and Amazon later turned the Seattle region into a global technology hub.