General Information
Nickname
Evergreen State
State bird
Willow Goldfinch
State flower
Coast Rhododendron
Capital
Olympia
Date of admission to the Union
November 11 1889
Population
6,203,788 (official estimate 2004)
Population density
33.6 per sq km
2003 total overseas arrivals/US ranking
342,000/15
Time
Pacific (GMT - 8). Daylight Saving Time is observed.
The State
Washington State, bordering Canada and the Pacific Ocean, offers some of the nation’s finest scenery for outdoor recreation. It has the second-highest population of any western State, yet visitors can travel from any city centre to peaceful countryside within minutes. The Snake and Columbia rivers flow through eastern Washington before joining to cut a passage through the Cascades, the north–south mountain range that dominates the centre of the State, rising to 4392m (14,411ft) at Mount Rainier. There are many fine beaches and small resorts on the Pacific coast. Much of the State is covered by coniferous forest. Holiday highlights include yachting on Puget Sound, hiking along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and mountain climbing in the Cascades and the Olympic Mountains.
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