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Washington, D.C.

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   Washington, D.C.
   Skyline of Washington, D.C.

   Official flag of Washington, D.C.

                                    Official seal of Washington, D.C.
   Flag                             Seal
   Nickname: "DC", "The District"
   Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All)
   Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and
   Virginia.
   Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and
   Virginia.
   Coordinates: 38°53′42.4″N, 77°02′12.0″W
   Federal District District of Columbia
   Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D)
   City Council Chairperson: Linda W. Cropp ( D)

   Ward 1: Jim Graham ( D)
   Ward 2: Jack Evans ( D)
   Ward 3: Kathleen Patterson ( D)
   Ward 4: Adrian Fenty ( D)
   Ward 5: Vincent Orange ( D)
   Ward 6: Sharon Ambrose ( D)
   Ward 7: Vincent C. Gray ( D)
   Ward 8: Marion Barry ( D)
   At-Large: Carol Schwartz ( R)
   At-Large: David Catania ( I)
   At-Large: Phil Mendelson ( D)
   At-Large: Kwame R. Brown ( D)
   Area
    - City 177.0 km²  (68.3  sq mi)
    - Land 159.0 km²  (61.4 sq mi)
    - Water 18.0 km² (6.9 sq mi)
   Elevation 0-410 ft  /  0-125 m
   Population
    - City (2005) 582,049
    - Density 3,481/km² (9,015/sq mi)
    - Urban 5,214,666
    - Metro 8,026,807
   Time zone EST ( UTC-5)
    - Summer ( DST) EDT ( UTC-4)
   Website: http://www.dc.gov/

   Washington, D.C., is the capital city of the United States of America.
   "D.C." is an abbreviation for the District of Columbia, the federal
   district coextensive with the city of Washington. The city is named
   after George Washington, military leader of the American Revolution and
   the first President of the United States.

   The District of Columbia and the city of Washington are coextensive and
   are governed by a single municipal government, so for most practical
   purposes they are considered to be the same entity, though this was not
   always the case. As late as 1871, when Georgetown ceased to be a
   separate city, there were multiple jurisdictions within the District.
   Although there is a municipal government and a mayor, Congress has the
   supreme authority over the city and district, which results in citizens
   having a different status and less representation in government than
   residents of the states.

   The centers of all three branches of the U.S. federal government are in
   the District as well as the headquarters of most independent agencies.
   It serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International
   Monetary Fund, and the Organization of American States, and other
   national and international institutions. Washington is the frequent
   location of large political demonstrations and protests, particularly
   on the National Mall. Washington is the site of numerous national
   landmarks, monuments, and museums, and is a popular destination for
   tourists.

   It is commonly known as D.C., The District, or simply Washington.
   Historically, it was called the Federal City or Washington City. It is
   easily confused with the state of Washington, located in the Pacific
   Northwest — to avoid this, the capital city is often called simply
   D.C., and the state referred to as "Washington State." The population
   of the District of Columbia, as of 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates,
   is 582,049 persons. The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
   surpasses 8 million persons. If Washington, D.C. were a state, it would
   rank last in area behind Rhode Island, 50th in population ahead of
   Wyoming, first in population density ahead of New Jersey, and 35th in
   Gross State Product.

History

   The District of Columbia, founded on July 16, 1790, is a federal
   district as specified by the United States Constitution. The U.S.
   Congress has ultimate authority over the District of Columbia, though
   it has delegated limited local rule to the municipal government. The
   land forming the original District came from the states of Maryland and
   Virginia. However, the area south of the Potomac River (39 square miles
   or about 100 km²) was returned, or " retroceded", to Virginia in 1847
   and now is incorporated into Arlington County and the City of
   Alexandria. After 1847, the remaining land that formed the area now
   known as the District of Columbia was formed exclusively from land that
   once belonged to Maryland.

Planning

   L'Enfant plan for Washington
   Enlarge
   L'Enfant plan for Washington
   1888 German map of Washington, D.C.
   Enlarge
   1888 German map of Washington, D.C.

   A Southern site for the new country's capital was agreed upon at a
   dinner between James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, hosted by Thomas
   Jefferson. The city was designed by Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a Major in
   the United States Army. The initial plan for the "Federal District" was
   a diamond, measuring 10  miles (16  km) on each side, totaling
   100 square miles (256 km²). The actual site on the Potomac River was
   chosen by President Washington. Washington may have chosen the site for
   its natural scenery, believing the Potomac would become a great
   navigable waterway. The city was officially named "Washington" on
   September 9, 1791. Out of modesty, George Washington never referred to
   it as such, preferring to call it "the Federal City." Despite choosing
   the site and living nearby at Mount Vernon, he rarely visited the city.
   The federal district was named the District of Columbia because
   Columbia was a poetic name for the United States used at the time.

   Initially, the District of Columbia included four distinct sections, of
   which the city of Washington was only one. The others were Alexandria
   County, Georgetown, and the County of Washington. Georgetown occupied
   its current boundaries. Alexandria County included parts of the
   present-day City of Alexandria, as well as the current Arlington
   County, Virginia. Washington City occupied much of its current area but
   ended at present-day Rock Creek Park on the west and Florida Avenue and
   Benning Road on the north. Florida Avenue was then called "Boundary
   Street." The remainder of the district was Washington County.

   In 1791–92, Andrew Ellicott and the free African-American Benjamin
   Banneker surveyed the border of the District with both Maryland and
   Virginia, placing boundary stones at every mile point; many of these
   still stand.

   The cornerstone of the White House, the first newly constructed
   building of the new capital, was laid on October 13, 1792. That was the
   day after the first solemn celebrations of Columbus Day, marking its
   300th anniversary.

19th century

   On August 24, 1814, British forces burned the capital during the most
   notable raid of the War of 1812 in retaliation for the sacking and
   burning of York (modern-day Toronto) during the winter months, which
   had left many Canadians homeless. President James Madison and U.S.
   forces fled before the British forces arrived and burned public
   buildings, including the Capitol and the Treasury building. The White
   House was burned and gutted. The Navy Yard was also burned—by American
   sailors. The home of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, located at the
   Marine Barracks, was one of the few government buildings not burned by
   the raiding British soldiers out of a sign of respect and is now the
   oldest public building in continuous use in the nation's capital.
   Civilians were not directly targeted and, initially, the British had
   approached the city hoping to secure a truce. However, they were fired
   upon, triggering frustration and anger among the British, which
   ultimately led to the sacking of government buildings.

   During the 1830s the District was home to one of the largest slave
   trading operations in the country (see Alexandria, Virginia).

   In 1846, the populace of Alexandria County, who resented the loss of
   business with the competing port of Georgetown and feared greater
   impact if slavery were outlawed in the capital, voted in a referendum
   to ask Congress to retrocede Alexandria back to the state of Virginia.
   Congress agreed to do so on July 9 of that year.
   Newspaper Row, Washington, D.C., 1874.
   Enlarge
   Newspaper Row, Washington, D.C., 1874.

   Washington remained a small city—the 1860 Census put the population at
   just over 75,000 persons—until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
   The significant expansion of the federal government to administer the
   war and its legacies such as veterans' pensions led to notable growth
   in the city's population. By 1870, the District population had grown to
   nearly 132,000.

   In July 1864, Confederate forces under Jubal Anderson Early made a
   brief raid into Washington, culminating in the Battle of Fort Stevens.
   The Confederates were repulsed, and Early eventually returned to the
   Shenandoah Valley. The fort is located near present day Walter Reed
   Army Medical Centre in northwest Washington. The battle was the only
   battle where a U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, was present and under
   enemy fire while in office.

   In the early 1870s, Washington was given a territorial government, but
   Governor Alexander Robey Shepherd's reputation for extravagance
   resulted in Congress abolishing his office in favour of direct rule.
   Congressional governance of the District would continue for a century.

   In 1878, Congress passed an Organic Act that made the boundaries of the
   city of Washington coterminous with those of the District of Columbia.
   This effectively eliminated Washington County; Georgetown, technically
   made a part of the city, was allowed to remain nominally separate until
   1895 when it was formally combined with Washington.

   The Washington Monument opened in 1888. Plans were laid to further
   develop the monumental aspects of the city, with work contributed by
   such noted figures as Frederick Law Olmsted and Daniel Burnham.
   However, development of the Lincoln Memorial and other structures on
   the National Mall did not begin until the early 20th century.

20th century

   Pennsylvania Avenue in 1998
   Enlarge
   Pennsylvania Avenue in 1998

   The District's population peaked in 1950, when the census for that year
   recorded a record population of 802,178 people. At the time, the city
   was the ninth-largest in the country, ahead of Boston and behind St.
   Louis. The population declined in the following decades, mirroring the
   suburban emigration of many of the nation's older urban centers
   following World War II.

   The Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution was
   ratified on March 29, 1961, allowing residents of Washington, D.C. to
   vote for president and have their votes count in the Electoral College
   as long as Washington, D.C. does not have more electoral votes than the
   least populous state.

   After the assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King,
   Jr., in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, riots broke out in some
   sections of the city. The violence raged for four days, and buildings
   were burned. At one point, the rioters came within two blocks of the
   White House. President Lyndon Johnson ordered over 13,000 federal
   troops to occupy the city--the largest occupation of an American city
   since the Civil War. It took years for the city to recover.

   One of the most important developments in bringing people back downtown
   was the building of the subway system. The first 4.6 miles (7.4 km) of
   the Washington Metro subway system opened on March 27, 1976.

   In 1973, Congress enacted the District of Columbia Self-Rule and
   Governmental Reorganization Act, providing for an elected mayor and
   city council for the District. As a result, Walter Washington became
   the first elected mayor of the District in 1975. Marion Barry became
   mayor in 1979, but was arrested for drug use in an FBI sting operation
   on January 18, 1990, and served a six-month jail term. His successor,
   Sharon Pratt Kelly, became the first black woman to lead a city of that
   size and importance in the U.S. Barry, however, defeated her in the
   1994 primary and was once again elected mayor for his fourth term,
   during which time the city nearly became insolvent and was forced to
   give up some home rule to a congressionally-appointed financial control
   board. In 1998, Anthony A. Williams was elected the city's mayor and
   led the city into a fiscal recovery, which made him a popular figure.
   Williams was reelected in 2002.

21st century

   On September 29, 2004, Major League Baseball officially relocated the
   Montreal Expos to Washington for the 2005 season, despite opposition
   from Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos. The new team was christened
   the Washington Nationals. Controversy between the city council and MLB
   threatened to scuttle the agreement until December 21, when a plan for
   a new stadium in Southeast D.C. was finalized. The Nationals will play
   at R.F.K. Stadium until the new stadium is ready on the Anacostia River
   waterfront in 2008.

Geography

   Washington, D.C. is divided into four quadrants: Northwest, Northeast,
   Southeast, and Southwest. The axes bounding the quadrants radiate from
   the U.S. Capitol building.
   Enlarge
   Washington, D.C. is divided into four quadrants: Northwest, Northeast,
   Southeast, and Southwest. The axes bounding the quadrants radiate from
   the U.S. Capitol building.

   Washington, D.C. is located at 38°53′42″N, 77°02′11″W (the coordinates
   of the Zero Milestone, on The Ellipse). According to the United States
   Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 68.3  square miles (177.0
   km²). 61.4 square miles (159.0 km²) of it is land and 6.9 square miles
   (18.0 km²) of it (10.16%) is water.

   Washington is surrounded by the states of Maryland (on its southeast,
   northeast, and northwest sides) and Virginia (on its western side); it
   interrupts those states' common border, which is the Potomac River's
   southern shore both upstream and downstream from the District. The
   Potomac River as it passes Washington is virtually entirely within the
   District of Columbia border because of colonial riparian rights between
   Maryland and Virginia.

   The District has three major natural flowing streams: the Potomac
   River, the Anacostia River, and Rock Creek. The Anacostia River and
   Rock Creek are tributaries of the Potomac River. There are also three
   man-made reservoirs: Dalecarlia Reservoir, which crosses over the
   northwest border of the District from Maryland; McMillan Reservoir near
   Howard University; and Georgetown Reservoir upstream of Georgetown.

   The highest point in the District of Columbia is 410 feet (125 m) above
   sea level at Tenleytown. The lowest point is sea level, which occurs
   along all of the Anacostia shore and all of the Potomac shore except
   the uppermost portion (the Little Falls - Chain Bridge area). The sea
   level Tidal Basin rose eleven feet during Hurricane Isabel on September
   18, 2003.

   The geographic centre of the District of Columbia is located near 4th
   Street NW, L Street NW, and New York Avenue NW (not under the Capitol
   Dome, as is sometimes said.)

   Geographical features of Washington, D.C. include Theodore Roosevelt
   Island, Columbia Island, the Three Sisters, and Hains Point.
   Washington Monument.
   Enlarge
   Washington Monument.

Climate

   Washington has a humid subtropical climate typical of the Mid-Atlantic
   U.S., with four distinct seasons. Summer tends to be hot and humid with
   daily high temperatures in July and August averaging in the high 80s°
   to low 90s° F (about 30° to 33° C). The combination of heat and
   humidity makes thunderstorms very frequent in the summer, some of which
   occasionally produce tornadoes in the area. Spring and fall are mild
   with high temperatures in April and October averaging in the high 60s°
   Fahrenheit (about 20 °C). Winter brings cool temperatures and
   occasional snowfall. Average highs tend to be in the 40s (4 to 8 °C)
   and lows in the 20s (-6 to -2 °C) from mid December to mid February.
   While hurricanes (or the remnants of them) occasionally track through
   the area in the late summer and early fall, they have often weakened by
   the time they reach Washington. Spring is generally the most favorable
   time of year, with low humidity, mild temperatures and blooming
   foliage. This period generally lasts from late March until mid May.

   The average annual snowfall is 15  inches (381  mm) and the average
   high temperature in January is 43 °F (6 °C); the average low for
   January is 27 °F (-3 °C). The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F
   (41 °C) on July 20, 1930 and August 6, 1918 and the lowest recorded
   temperature was -15 °F (-26 °C) on February 11, 1899.

Demographics

   The 2005 Census estimate of the city's population was 582,049, After
   the city government questioned the original results—an estimate of
   550,521—the Census admitted it had made a mistake. The corrected figure
   marked the biggest increase in the city's population since 1950.

   As of the 2000 census, there were 572,059 people, 248,338 households,
   and 114,235 families residing in the city. The population density was
   9,316.4 per square mile (3,597.3/km²). There were 274,845 housing units
   at an average density of 1,728.3/km² (4,476.1/mi²).

   CAPTION: Historical population
   of Washington, D.C.


   Year Population
   1800      8,144
   1810     15,471
   1820     23,336
   1830     30,261
   1840     33,745
   1850     51,687
   1860     75,080
   1870    131,700
   1880    177,624
   1890    230,392
   1900    278,718

                      Year      Population
                  1910             331,069
                  1920             437,571
                  1930             486,869
                  1940             663,091
                  1950             802,178
                  1960             763,956
                  1970             756,510
                  1980             638,333
                  1990             606,900
                  2000             572,059
                  2005 estimate    582,049
   Demographics of District of Columbia (csv)
   By race White Black AIAN Asian NHPI
   [AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native
   Hawaiian or Pacific Islander]
   2000 (total population) 35.34% 61.96% 0.86% 3.17% 0.14%
   2000 (Hispanic only) 6.43% 1.34% 0.17% 0.09% 0.03%
   2005 (total population) 39.02% 58.04% 0.92% 3.59% 0.14%
   2005 (Hispanic only) 7.05% 1.48% 0.17% 0.10% 0.02%
   Growth 2000-2005 (total population) 6.25% -9.85% 2.84% 9.05% -2.22%
   Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only) 6.41% -10.22% 4.41% 9.25% 6.78%
   Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only) 5.52% 6.98% -3.49% 2.58% -34.66%

   The largest Hispanic group is Salvadoran, and a plurality of whites are
   of British ancestry.

   There were 248,338 households, out of which 19.8% had children under
   the age of 18 living with them, 22.8% were married couples living
   together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and
   54.0% were non-families. 43.8% of all households were made up of
   individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age
   or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family
   size was 3.07.

   In the city, the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of
   18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and
   12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years.
   For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age
   18 and over, there were 86.1 males.
   Mount Pleasant Farmer's Market
   Enlarge
   Mount Pleasant Farmer's Market

   The median income for a household in the city was $40,127, and the
   median income for a family was $46,283. Males had a median income of
   $40,513 versus $36,361 for females. The per capita income for the city
   was $28,659. About 16.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were
   below the poverty line, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 16.4%
   of those over age 65.

   As of 2000, 83.2% of Washington, D.C. residents age 5 and older speak
   only English at home and 9.2% speak Spanish. French is the third most
   spoken language at 1.8%, followed by African languages at 1.0% and
   Chinese at 0.5%.

   According to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey, nearly
   three out of four District residents identified themselves as
   Christian. This breaks down to 72% Christian (27% Catholic, 19%
   Baptist, and 26% other Protestant churches), 13% stating no religion,
   4% Buddhist, 2% Muslim, and 1% Jewish.
   "Friendship Arch" in Chinatown
   Enlarge
   "Friendship Arch" in Chinatown

   According to the Census Bureau, the District's daytime population is
   estimated at 982,853. The influx of over 410,000 workers into
   Washington on a normal business day comprises a 72% increase of the
   capital's normal population. That is the largest increase
   percentage-wise of any city studied and the second-largest net
   increase, behind only New York City.

   The Greater Washington metropolitan area, including contiguous areas of
   Maryland and Virginia, had an estimated population of 5.8 million in
   2003, according to the estimates of the Greater Washington Initiative.

   As host to over 180 embassies and hundreds of international
   organizations, Washington, D.C. has a substantial population of foreign
   residents. There are also many students from abroad studying at the
   local universities and colleges. This adds a cosmopolitan flavor to the
   city.

Landmarks and museums

   Jefferson Memorial
   Enlarge
   Jefferson Memorial

   Washington is home to numerous national landmarks and is one of the
   most popular tourist destinations in the United States. The National
   Mall is a large, open area in the center of the city featuring many
   monuments to American leaders; it also serves to connect the White
   House and the United States Capitol buildings. Located prominently in
   the centre of the Mall is the Washington Monument. Other notable points
   of interest near the Mall include the Jefferson Memorial (see right),
   Lincoln Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, National World
   War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans
   Memorial, the District of Columbia War Memorial and the Albert Einstein
   Memorial.
   National Museum of the American Indian
   Enlarge
   National Museum of the American Indian

   The world famous Smithsonian Institution is located in the District.
   The Smithsonian today is a collection of museums that includes the
   Anacostia Museum, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Hirshhorn Museum, National
   Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History, National
   Museum of the American Indian, National Museum of Natural History,
   National Portrait Gallery, National Postal Museum, Smithsonian American
   Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, and the National Zoo.

   There are many art museums in D.C., in addition to those that are part
   of the Smithsonian, including the National Gallery of Art, National
   Museum of Women in the Arts, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the
   Phillips Collection.
   National Archives
   Enlarge
   National Archives

   The Library of Congress and the National Archives house thousands of
   documents covering every period in American history. Some of the more
   notable documents in the National Archives include the Declaration of
   Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.

   The District of Columbia operates its own public library system with 27
   branches throughout the city. The main branch — which occupies a
   multi-story glass and steel-framed building at the intersection of 9th
   and G Streets, N.W., designed by modernist architect Ludwig Mies van
   der Rohe — is known as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. It
   has a large mural in its mail hall depicting the civil rights leader.

   Other points of interest in the District include Arena Stage,
   Chinatown, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
   Conception, Blair House, Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Folger
   Shakespeare Library, Ford's Theatre, Frederick Douglass National
   Historic Site, International Spy Museum, National Building Museum, the
   Awakening at Hains Point, Old Post Office Building, Theodore Roosevelt
   Island, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Washington
   National Cathedral. —

Economy

   Unemployment in the District Columbia, ranging from 1.5% in Upper
   Northwest to 16.3% in Ward 8, reflects economic disparity that exists
   across the city.
   Enlarge
   Unemployment in the District Columbia, ranging from 1.5% in Upper
   Northwest to 16.3% in Ward 8, reflects economic disparity that exists
   across the city.

   As of 2002, the federal government accounts for 27% of Washington,
   D.C.'s jobs. The presence of many major government agencies, including
   the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and the Food
   and Drug Administration, has led to business development both in the
   District itself as well as in the National Capital Region of Maryland
   and northern Virginia. These businesses include federal contractors
   (defense and civilian), numerous nonprofit organizations, law firms and
   lobbying firms, catering and administrative services companies, and
   several other industries that are sustained by the economic presence of
   the federal government. This arrangement makes the Washington economy
   virtually recession-proof relative to the rest of the country, because
   the federal government will still operate no matter the state of the
   general economy, and it often grows during recessions.

   The gross state product of the District in 2004 was $75.264 billion,
   ranking it #36 when compared with the fifty states. In 2006, Expansion
   Magazine ranked DC among the top 10 metropolitan areas in the nation
   for climates favorable to business expansion. In terms of commercial
   office space, Washington, D.C. has the 3rd largest downtown in America
   behind New York and Chicago.

   Of non-government employers, Washington, D.C.'s major universities and
   hospitals are among the top employers with George Washington
   University, Georgetown University and Washington Hospital Centre as the
   top three. Howard University and Fannie Mae round out the top five
   employers in Washington, D.C.

   Washington is also a global media centre. Most major news outlets have
   bureaus in the city and Washington is home to Black Entertainment
   Television, C-SPAN, the Washington Post Company, and XM Satellite
   Radio. Washington's unique scenery makes it a popular location for film
   and television production.

Law and government

Local government

   The U.S. Capitol, seat of the Legislative Branch of the U.S. Federal
   Government, sits prominently east of the National Mall in Washington,
   D.C.
   Enlarge
   The U.S. Capitol, seat of the Legislative Branch of the U.S. Federal
   Government, sits prominently east of the National Mall in Washington,
   D.C.

   The city is run by an elected mayor (currently Anthony A. Williams,
   Adrian Fenty will take over when inaugurated in January) and a city
   council. The city council is composed of 13 members — a representative
   elected from each of the eight wards and five members, including the
   chairman, elected at large. The council conducts its work through
   standing committees and special committees established as needed.
   District schools are administered by a school board that has both
   elected and appointed members. There are 37 elected Advisory
   Neighbourhood Commissions that provide the most direct access for
   residents to their local government. The commissions serve as local
   councils, and their suggestions are required to be given "great weight"
   by the D.C. Council. However, the U.S. Congress has the ultimate
   plenary power over the district. It has the right to review and
   overrule laws created locally and has often done so. The Tenth
   Amendment to the United States Constitution does not apply to the
   District of Columbia.

   D.C. residents pay federal taxes, such as income tax, as well as local
   taxes. The mayor and council adopt a budget of local money with
   Congress reserving the right to make any changes. Much of the valuable
   property in the District is federally owned and hence exempt from local
   property taxes; at the same time, the city is burdened with the
   extraordinary expenses related to its role as the capital, such as
   police overtime and street cleaning for D.C.'s frequent parades and
   festivals. These factors are often used to explain why the city's
   budget is frequently overstretched. However, the federal government
   also appropriates funds for the city. For instance, according to Public
   Law 108-7, the federal government provided, among other funds, an
   estimated 25% of the District's operating budget in 2003.

   Historically, the city's local government has earned somewhat of a
   reputation for mismanagement and waste, particularly during the
   mayoralty of Marion Barry, who was re-elected despite serving jail time
   for smoking crack cocaine. A front page story in the July 21, 1997
   Washington Post reported that Washington had some of the highest cost,
   lowest quality services in the region. Prosperity in the late 1990s and
   early 2000s has lessened public pressure on Mayor Williams, who still
   faces daunting urban renewal, public health, and public education
   challenges.

Representation in federal government

   The U.S. Constitution gives Congress direct jurisdiction for
   Washington, D.C. While Congress has delegated various amounts of this
   authority to local government, including an elected mayor and city
   council, Congress still intervenes, from time to time, in local affairs
   relating to schools, gun control policy, and other issues.

   Citizens of the District have no voting representation in Congress.
   They are represented in the House of Representatives by a non-voting
   delegate (currently Eleanor Holmes Norton (D- DC At-Large)) who sits on
   committees and participates in debate but cannot vote. D.C. has no
   representation at all in the Senate. Attempts to change this situation,
   including the proposed District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment,
   have been unsuccessful.

   Citizens of Washington, D.C. are not unique in having diminished
   representation in their federal legislature, although they are unique
   in having no voting representation at all. Some nations that have built
   capital cities from scratch, including Nigeria, have diminished
   representation for a federal district. Washington's situation can also
   be compared to the historical status of U.S. territories, which had
   only non-voting delegates to the House. However, unlike U.S.
   territories today (such as American Samoa and Guam), citizens of the
   District of Columbia are fully taxed and subject to all U.S. laws, just
   as the citizens of the fifty states. In recent years, "Taxation Without
   Representation" has been the ironic motto featured on D.C. license
   plates.

   With the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961, citizens of the
   District became eligible to vote for President. The District has three
   electoral votes--the same number as states with the smallest
   populations, such as Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

Education

Public schools

   The public school system in the city is operated by District of
   Columbia Public Schools and consists of 167 schools and learning
   centers, which consist of 101 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, 9
   junior high schools, 20 senior high schools, 6 education centers, and
   20 special schools. The District of Columbia Public Charter School
   Board monitors 34 charter schools in Washington, D.C.

Private schools

   Private schools in the city include the British School of Washington,
   Emerson Preparatory School, Georgetown Day School, St. Patrick's
   Episcopal Day School, Holy Trinity School, Georgetown Visitation
   Preparatory School, Gonzaga College High School, Edmund Burke School,
   Field School, German School, The Maret School, The Model Secondary
   School, National Cathedral School, Our Lady of Victory, Sheridan
   School, Sidwell Friends School, St. Albans School, St. Anselm's Abbey
   School, St. John's College High School, Archbishop Carroll High School,
   St.Augustine Catholic School, Parkmont School and the Washington
   International School. Many DC students attend nearby schools in
   Virginia and Maryland, these schools include The Potomac School, Landon
   School, Holton-Arms School, The St. Andrew's Episcopal School, and The
   Bullis School.

Colleges and universities

   Georgetown University's Healy Hall
   Enlarge
   Georgetown University's Healy Hall

   The city is home to several universities, colleges, and other
   institutes of higher education, both public and private. The University
   of the District of Columbia is the city's public university; it is the
   nation's only urban land-grant university and is counted among the
   historically black colleges. The Department of Agriculture's Graduate
   School offers continuing education and graduate-level classes in many
   disciplines. The Department of Defense maintains the National Defense
   University at Fort McNair.

   Among private institutions, Georgetown University is older than the
   District itself, having been founded in 1789 by John Carroll. It is the
   nation's oldest Roman Catholic affiliated body of higher education. The
   nation's first African-American university president was at Georgetown.
   The university is especially well-known for the Edmund Walsh School of
   Foreign Service and the Georgetown University Law Centre. It also is
   home to a medical school.
   George Washington University
   Enlarge
   George Washington University

   The George Washington University, founded by an act of Congress in
   1821, is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's
   capital with its main campus in Foggy Bottom and its Mount Vernon
   campus in the Foxhall neighbourhood of Northwest Washington. It is the
   second-largest landholder and employer in the District, second only to
   the Federal government.

   The Catholic University of America (CUA), in the Northeast quadrant of
   the District is unique as the national university of the Roman Catholic
   Church and as the only higher education institution founded by U.S.
   Roman Catholic bishops. Established in 1887 following approval by Pope
   Leo XIII as a graduate and research centre, the university began
   offering undergraduate education in 1904. In April of 2004, CUA
   purchased 49 acres (20 ha) of land from the Armed Forces Retirement
   Home. The parcel is the largest plot of open space in the District and
   makes CUA the largest university in D.C. by land area. Trinity
   University, a female-only Roman Catholic affiliated institution, is
   located near CUA.

   American University, a private institution chartered by an act of
   Congress in 1893, is situated on an 84 acre (34 ha) campus in upper
   Northwest Washington and is well known for the Washington College of
   Law, the Kogod School of Business, the School of International Service,
   the School of Public Affairs, and the School of Communication.

   Other notable private colleges in the District include Gallaudet
   University, the first liberal arts college for the deaf and
   hard-of-hearing; Howard University, a historically black university
   dating to the nineteenth century; and Southeastern University. Both
   were signed into being by Lincoln.
   Howard University's Founders Library
   Enlarge
   Howard University's Founders Library

   Furthermore, The Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of
   Advanced International Studies (SAIS), dedicated to the graduate study
   of international relations and international economics, is located near
   Dupont Circle, on Massachusetts Avenue's Embassy Row.

   The US military's National Defense University is located in Washington
   on Fort McNair. The Corcoran College of Art and Design has an arts
   program attached to the Corcoran Museum of Art, adjacent to the White
   House Complex. The Reformed Theological Seminary and the Washington
   Theological Union have graduate programs in theology. Strayer
   University, a for-profit career school, has a campus in Washington,
   D.C.

Sports

   Club Sport League Venue
   Washington Redskins Football National Football League; NFC, East
   Division FedExField ( Landover, Maryland)
   Washington Nationals Baseball Major League Baseball; NL, East Division
   RFK Stadium
   Washington Capitals Ice Hockey NHL, Eastern Conference, Southeast
   Division Verizon Centre
   D.C. United Soccer Major League Soccer, Eastern Conference RFK Stadium
   Washington Wizards Basketball NBA; Eastern Conference, Southeast
   Division Verizon Centre
   Washington Mystics Basketball WNBA, Eastern Conference Verizon Centre
   Verizon Center, home of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals
   Enlarge
   Verizon Centre, home of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals

   Other professional and semi-professional teams based in D.C. include
   the USAFL Baltimore Washington Eagles, the NWFA D.C. Divas, the Minor
   League Football D.C. Explosion, the Washington RFC rugby union team of
   the Rugby Super League, as well as a host of others playing in the
   Potomac Rugby Union, and the Washington Cricket League. It was also
   home to the WUSA Washington Freedom, from 1987 to 1989 home of the
   Major Indoor Lacrosse League's Washington Wave, and during the 2000–
   2002 NLL seasons, the Washington Power was based in the city. In rugby
   league, the Washington D.C. Slayers play in the American National Rugby
   League.

   There were two Major League Baseball teams named the Washington
   Senators in the early and mid-20^th century, which left to become
   respectively the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers. In the 19th
   century, the town was home to teams called the Washington Nationals,
   Washington Statesmen, and Washington Senators on and off from the 1870s
   to the turn of the century.

   Washington was home to several Negro League baseball teams, including
   the Homestead Grays, Washington Black Senators, Washington Elite
   Giants, Washington Pilots, and Washington Potomacs.

   The Verizon Centre in Chinatown, home to the Capitals, Mystics,
   Wizards, and the Georgetown Hoyas, is also a major venue for concerts,
   World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) professional wrestling, and other
   events.

   Washington hosts the annual Legg Mason Tennis Classic tennis tournament
   that takes place at the Carter Barron Tennis Centre on 17th Street.

   The Marine Corps Marathon and the National Marathon are both held
   annually in Washington.

Transportation

   Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the city provided for a grid of
   streets and a diagonal array of avenues, all centered on the Capitol
   building. The north-south streets are primarily named with numbers and
   the east-west streets with letters. With the Capitol as the centre, one
   set of numbered streets sweeps eastward from it (1st Street, 2nd
   Street, etc.) and another set sweeps westward (1st Street, 2nd Street,
   etc.) Similarly, sets of lettered streets sweep northward from the
   Capitol (A Street, C Street, etc.) and southward. The diagonal avenues
   in L'Enfant's plan are chiefly named after states (e.g., Pennsylvania
   Avenue). Street addresses are identified by their location in one of
   the four quadrants of the city, centered on the Capitol building:
   Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Southeast (SE), and Southwest (SW).
   Addresses end with a quadrant suffix to indicate whether the location
   is, for example, on 4th Street NE, 4th Street NW, 4th Street SE or 4th
   Street SW. Outside the original city boundaries, street layout and
   naming practices are less regular. However, the alphabetic order of
   east-west streets, ending with W Street, is in some areas succeeded by
   an alphabetic progression of two-syllable names (e.g., Adams, Bryant,
   Channing), followed by a three-syllable progression (e.g., Allison,
   Buchanan, Crittenden)

   Major interstates running through the area include the Capital Beltway
   (I-495), I-66, I-95, I-395, I-295, and I-270 (which does not reach
   D.C., terminating at I-495). Other major highways include the
   Whitehurst Freeway, and Anacostia Freeway in D.C., the George
   Washington Parkway in D.C. and Virginia, the Suitland Parkway in D.C.
   and Maryland, US Route 50, the Clara Barton Parkway, and the
   Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Maryland, and the Dulles Toll Road in
   Virginia.
   Columbia Heights Metro station.
   Enlarge
   Columbia Heights Metro station.
   The Federal Center SW metro station in Washington DC
   Enlarge
   The Federal Centre SW metro station in Washington DC

   The Washington area is served by the Washington Metro public
   transportation system, which operates public buses ( Metrobus) and the
   region's subway system ( Metrorail). A public-private partnership
   operates the DC Circulator buses downtown. Many of the jurisdictions
   around the region run public buses that interconnect with the
   Metrobus/Metrorail system. Union Station is served by MARC and Virginia
   Railway Express commuter trains, and Amtrak intercity rail. Intercity
   bus service is available from the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Northeast
   and from dragon buses leaving from Chinatown.

   Washington, D.C. is served by three major airports, one in Maryland and
   two in Virginia. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport ( IATA:
   DCA,  ICAO: KDCA) is the closest — located in Arlington County,
   Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Hains Point, and
   accessible via Washington Metro. The airport is conveniently located to
   the downtown area; however it has somewhat restricted flights to
   airports within the United States because of noise and security
   concerns. Most major international flights arrive and depart from
   Washington Dulles International Airport ( IATA: IAD,  ICAO: KIAD),
   located 26.3 miles (42.3 km) west of the city in Fairfax and Loudoun
   counties in Virginia. Dulles is the second busiest international
   gateway on the Eastern Seaboard. Dulles offers service from several
   low-cost carriers including JetBlue, although the low-cost selection
   decreased greatly when Independence Air (which was headquartered at
   Dulles) folded in January 2006. Baltimore-Washington International
   Thurgood Marshall Airport ( IATA: BWI,  ICAO: KBWI), is located 31.7
   miles (51.0 km) northeast of the city in Anne Arundel County, Maryland,
   near Baltimore. BWI has had the highest passenger volume of the three
   major airports in the Baltimore-Washington Metroplex for several
   months.

   General aviation is additionally available at several smaller
   airfields, including Montgomery County Airpark ( Gaithersburg,
   Maryland), College Park Airport ( College Park, Maryland), Potomac
   Airfield ( Friendly CDP of Prince George's County, Maryland), and
   Manassas Regional Airport ( Manassas, Virginia). Since 2003, the
   general aviation airports closest to Washington, D.C. have had their
   access strictly limited by the implementation of the Air Defense
   Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Crime

   During the violent crime wave of the early 1990s, Washington, D.C. was
   known as the murder capital of the United States, and often rivaled New
   Orleans as the nation's most murderous city. Murders peaked in 1991 at
   482, with violence declining drastically since then: murders declined
   to 198 in 2004, with a slight decline to 195 in 2005. Once plagued with
   violent crime, many D.C. neighborhoods, such as Columbia Heights, are
   becoming safe and vibrant areas as a result of gentrification. While
   not as intensely violent, crime hot spots have since displaced farther
   into the eastern sections of Washington, D.C. and across the border
   into Maryland. Although the southeastern side of the city has developed
   a reputation for being unsafe, these crime hot spots are generally
   concentrated in very specific areas that are associated with drugs and
   gangs. Other areas east of the U.S. Capitol, as well as the city's
   wealthier Northwest neighborhoods, experience low levels of crime.
   Despite the declining trends, Washington D.C. crime rates (2005) remain
   among the highest of U.S. cities, and it was most recently ranked as
   the 13th most dangerous city in the nation. Washington D.C. surpasses
   L.A. and New York in crime.

   On July 11, 2006, Metropolitan Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey declared
   a "crime emergency" in the city in response to a rising homicide rate
   (the city had logged 13 murders since July 1st, most notably the
   killing of a prominent British political activist in Georgetown. While
   the declaration allowed for more flexible and increased policing in
   high-crime neighborhoods, it was temporary and scheduled to be
   revisited following a 30-day trial period.

Nature

   A ring-billed gull flying in front of the Capital
   Enlarge
   A ring-billed gull flying in front of the Capital

   DC has many natural areas and birdwatching spots inside the city. DC's
   parks and natural areas include Anacostia Park, the National Arboretum,
   Rock Creek Park, The Arlington Cemetery, The National Zoological Park,
   Langley Oaks Park, Roosevelt Island, the C&O Canal, the Potomac River
   and Anacostia River. The American Forests Report found that "The region
   Washington DC Metro area is comprised of 187,767 acres of tree canopy
   (46%), 110,300 acres of impervious surfaces (27%), 70,747 acres of open
   space (17%), 27,072 acres of bare soil area (7%), and 11,036 acres of
   water (3%). The total storm water retention capacity of the urban
   forest on these lands is 949 million cubic feet in avoided storage of
   water and is valued at $4.7 billion (based on construction costs
   estimated at $5 per cubic foot to build equivalent retention
   facilities). The urban forest provides air quality benefits by removing
   nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide ozone and particulate
   matter 10 microns or less. The Metro DC areas urban forest removes 20
   million pounds of pollutants from the air each year, a benefit worth
   $49.8 million annually."

Sister cities

   Washington, D.C.'s sister cities are:
     * Greece Athens, Greece
     * Thailand Bangkok, Thailand
     * People's Republic of China Beijing, China
     * Republic of the Congo Brazzaville, Congo
     * Belgium Brussels, Belgium
     * People's Republic of China Chongqing, China

     * Senegal Dakar, Senegal
     * France Paris, France
     * South Africa Pretoria, South Africa
     * South Korea Seoul, South Korea
     * United Kingdom Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
     * United Kingdom Sunderland, England, United Kingdom

   Ten of these cities are designated by Sister Cities International.

   In June, 2006, the city signed an Agreement of Friendship with the
   British city of Sunderland, signalling the start of increased economic
   and cultural cooperation between the two cities. Washington Old Hall,
   on the outskirts of Sunderland, is the ancestral home of George
   Washington. Both these cities participate in town twinning instead of
   sister cities.
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