 Washington
Information
Capital
City: Richmond
Economy:
Population: 7,187,734
Time Zone: 5 hours behind Greenwich
Mean Time (-5 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the first
Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October
Capital City: Olympia
Economy: Aerospace, manufacturing,
agriculture, fishing, timber and tourism.
Population: 5,894,121
Time Zone: 8 hours behind Greenwich
Mean Time (-8 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the first
Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October
Washington's
Flag:
The state flag and the state seal are similar. Passed in
1923, Washington state law describes the flag as having dark green
bunting with a state seal in the center. It is the only state flag
that is green. It is also the only state flag with a picture of
a president. From 50states.com .
History of Washington:
As part of the vast Oregon Country, Washington territory was visited
by Spanish, American, and British explorers—Bruno Heceta for
Spain in 1775, the American Capt. Robert Gray in 1792, and Capt.
George Vancouver for Britain in 1792–1794. Lewis and Clark
explored the Columbia River region and coastal areas for the U.S.
in 1805–1806. Rival American and British settlers and conflicting
territorial claims threatened war in the early 1840s. However, in
1846 the Oregon Treaty set the boundary at the 49th parallel and
war was averted. 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 holds first place
in apples, lentils, dry edible peas, hops, pears, red raspberries,
spearmint oil, and sweet cherries, and ranks high in apricots, asparagus,
grapes, peppermint oil, and potatoes. Livestock and livestock products
make important contributions to total farm revenue and the commercial
fishing catch 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. The Columbia River contains
one-third of the potential water power in the U.S., harnessed by
such dams as the Grand Coulee, one of the greatest power producers
in the world. Washington has over 1,000 dams built for a variety
of purposes including irrigation, power, flood control, and water
storage. Its abundance of electrical power makes Washington one
of the nation's major producers of refined aluminum. Among the major
points of interest: Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades. In
1980, Mount St. Helens, a peak in the Cascade Range in Southwestern
Washington, erupted on May 18th. Also of interest are National Parks;
Whitman Mission and Fort Vancouver National Historic Sites; and
the Pacific Science Center and the Space Needle, in Seattle. Copyright
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Other Washington Links:
Find-It! Washington
Association of Washington Business
Association of Washington
Cities
Community, Trade and Economic
Development (CTED)
Office of the Superintendent of
Public Instruction
Washington Chamber of Commerce Executives
Washington State Convention and
Trade Center
Washington State Ferries
Washington State Lodging
Association
Washington State Tourism Home
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