Washington, D.C. is the
capital of the
United States, situated within the
District of Columbia (abbreviated as "D.C."). The city and the district are located on the banks of the
Potomac River and bordered by the
states of
Virginia (to the west) and
Maryland (to the north, east and south). The city was planned and developed in the late
18th century to serve as the permanent national capital; the
federal district was formed to keep the national capital distinct from the states. The city was named after
George Washington, the first
President of the United States.
Columbia in this context is an early poetic name for the United States, a reference to
Christopher Columbus, an early
European explorer of
the Americas. The city is commonly referred to as
Washington,
The District, or simply
D.C. In the 19th century, it was called the
Federal City or
Washington City.
The centers of all three branches of the
U.S. government are in the District. Also situated in the city are the headquarters for the
World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, the
Organization of American States, the
Inter-American Development Bank, and other national and international institutions including labor unions and professional associations. Washington is the frequent location of political
demonstrations and
protests, large and small, particularly on the
National Mall. A center of American history and culture, Washington is a popular destination for tourists, the site of numerous
national landmarks and monuments, the world's largest museum complex (the
Smithsonian Institution), galleries, universities, cathedrals, performing arts centers and institutions, and native music scenes.
The District of Columbia and the city of Washington are governed by a single municipal government and for most practical purposes, are considered to be the same entity. This hasn't always been the case - until 1871, when
Georgetown ceased to be a separate city, there were multiple jurisdictions within the District. Although there's a municipal government and a
Mayor,
Congress has the supreme authority over the city and district, which results in citizens having less self-governance than residents of the states. The District has a non-voting
at-large Congressional representative. In the financial year 2004, federal tax collections were $16.9 billion while federal spending in the District was $37.6 billion.
The population of the District of Columbia is about 581,530 persons. (The southern states had largely paid off their war debts; collectivizing debt was to northern advantage, so a southern capital was a compromise) The city's plan was largely the work of
Peter (Pierre) Charles L'Enfant, a French-born architect, engineer and city planner who first arrived in the American colonies as a military engineer with
Major General Lafayette. L'Enfant drew up a basic plan for Washington, D.C. in 1791; the city layout owed much to the
Baroque style, which was the dominant style in many North American and European
planned cities of the day. The plan incorporated broad avenues and major streets which radiate out from traffic circles, providing vistas towards important landmarks and monuments. While all of the original colonies had avenues named for them, the most prominent states received more prestigious locations under
Andrew Ellicott's later plan for the city. Massachusetts Avenue was the northernmost of three principal east-west arteries, Virginia Avenue the southernmost, and Pennsylvania Avenue was given the honor of connecting the
White House to the planned Capitol building. In the original plan, all three roads reached neighboring Georgetown.
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 that the
Patowmack Canal would transform the Potomac into a great navigable waterway leading to the Ohio and the American interior. 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, which was close to the 300th
anniversary of
Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the
Americas in 1492.
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
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 celebrations of
Columbus Day in the United States.
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
Washington Navy Yard was also burned — by American sailors — to keep ships and stores from falling into the hands of the British. 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. The Patent Office was also spared, as a result of the Superintendent of Patents pleading with British soldiers and contending that destroying the store of knowledge therein would be a disservice to mankind. 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 population 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 Commonwealth of Virginia. Congress agreed to do so on
July 9 of that year. The slave trade, though not slavery, in the capital was outlawed as part of the
Compromise of 1850.
Washington remained a small city — the
1860 Census put the population at just over 75,000 people — until the outbreak of the
American 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, as did a large influx of freed slaves. By 1870, the District population had grown to nearly 132,000.
In July 1864,
Confederate forces under
General Jubal Anderson Early made a brief raid into Washington, culminating in the
Battle of Fort Stevens. The Confederates were repelled, and Early eventually returned to the
Shenandoah Valley. The
fort is located near present day
Walter Reed Army Medical Center in northwest Washington. This 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 favor 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, with construction stalled by other priorities, finally 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,
Jefferson Memorial and other structures on the National Mall, and construction of
Potomac Park didn't begin until the early 20th century.
20th century
The many Depression relief agencies created by Franklin Roosevelt's
New Deal, followed by
World War II, brought a great increase to the city's population. Roommates doubled up in scarce apartments and competed for space on buses and trolleys, as reported in
David Brinkley's book. 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, just ahead of
Boston and close behind
St. Louis. The population declined in the following decades, mirroring the suburban emigration from many of the nation's older urban centers following
World War II and the racial integration of public schools.
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. doesn't have more electoral votes than the least populous state.
After the assassination of civil rights activist
Martin Luther King, Jr., in
Memphis, 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. Today the system knits together Washington and its suburbs with a network of 86 stations and of track.
In 1973, Congress enacted the District of Columbia Self-Rule and Governmental Reorganization Act, providing for an elected mayor and 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 and served three successive terms; however, after his arrest for
drug use in an
FBI sting operation on
January 18,
1990, and his sentence to a six-month jail term, he didn't seek re-election. His successor,
Sharon Pratt Kelly, became the first black woman to lead a U.S. city of Washington's size and importance. Barry, however, ran again in 1994, defeating her in the Democratic primary and once again becoming mayor. During his fourth term, 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. In 2006,
Adrian Fenty was elected mayor. Among Mayor Fenty's many promises are increased attention to every citizen of the city and a world class atmosphere in business and residence.
During the 1970s, many in the District referred to it as "Chocolate City," in honor of the city's
African-American culture and to promote cultural awareness. Popularized by two local
disk jockeys, the nickname was also a reference to the 1975 album "Chocolate City" by
Parliament-Funkadelic. While the nickname never caught on permanently, it was a poignant reminder of the contributions to the city over the years by such icons as
Duke Ellington,
Chuck Brown, and other African-American performers.
21st century
On
September 11, 2001,
American Airlines Flight 77 a
Boeing 757 was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the
Pentagon at 9:37AM, just across the
Potomac River in
Arlington, Virginia, causing a partial collapse of one side of the building.
Al-Qaeda leader
Abu Zubaydah told American officials while under interrogation that the
White House was the intended target, while
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and
Ramzi Binalshibh have said that the
United States Capitol Building was the intended target of the hijacked
United Airlines Flight 93.
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,
2004 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.
Additionally, the city has experienced tremendous growth in the areas of Massachusetts Avenue,
NoMa (North of Massachusetts), the
Southwest Waterfront, the
Shaw/
U Street Corridor and
H Street, with tens of thousands of condos, apartments and retail shops opening. This growth has been dubbed
gentrification by many, as the areas experiencing growth had been blighted for many years prior.
Geography
Topography
Washington, D.C. is located at (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's 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 center 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 Islands and
Hains Point.
Climate
Washington is in the northern periphery of the
humid subtropical climate zone. Its climate is typical of
Mid-Atlantic U.S. areas removed from bodies of water, 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 (in °
F; about 30° to 33 °
C). The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area. The combination of heat and humidity can also be reminiscent of a true
tropical climate. Spring and fall are mild with high temperatures in April and October averaging in the high 60s to low 70s (about 20 °C). Winter brings sustained cool temperatures and occasional snowfall. Average highs tend to be in the low 40s (6 to 8 °C) and lows in the mid 20s (-5 to -2 °C) from mid-December to mid-February. http://www.weather.com/outlook/homeandgarden/garden/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/21211?from=36hr_bottomnav_garden] While
tropical cyclones (or their remnants) occasionally track through the area in late summer and early fall, they've often weakened by the time they reach Washington partly because of the city's inland location. Flooding of the Potomac River, however—caused by a combination of high
tide,
storm surge, and storm
runoff—has been known to cause extensive property damage in Georgetown and Old Town
Alexandria, Virginia. 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. Temperatures of the Dulles Airport area and suburbs to the west and south are on average 6 to 7 °F (3 °C) cooler than Washington year-round.
The average annual snowfall is 15
inches (381
mm) and the average high temperature in January is 41 °F (5 °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.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Rec High °F | 75 |
79 |
89 |
93 |
97 |
100 |
104 |
104 |
99 |
90 |
84 |
79
|
| Norm High °F | 41.4 |
45.5 |
55 |
65.9 |
74.6 |
82.8 |
87.4 |
85.9 |
78.9 |
67.7 |
56.5 |
45.9
|
| Norm Low °F | 21.9 |
24.1 |
31.8 |
40.2 |
49.9 |
59 |
64 |
62.8 |
55.6 |
42.3 |
33.8 |
26
|
| Rec Low °F | -18 |
-14 |
-1 |
17 |
28 |
36 |
41 |
38 |
30 |
15 |
9 |
-4
|
| Precip (in) | 3.05 |
2.77 |
3.55 |
3.22 |
4.22 |
4.07 |
3.57 |
3.78 |
3.82 |
3.37 |
3.31 |
3.07
|
Source: USTravelWeather.com Historical Washington Weather Data |
Nature
Washington, D.C. has many natural areas and
birdwatching spots inside the city. D.C.'s parks and natural areas include
Anacostia Park, the
United States National Arboretum, the very large
Rock Creek Park, the
Smithsonian National Zoological Park,
Theodore Roosevelt Island, the
C&O Canal, the Potomac River and the Anacostia River. The ubiquitous Federal presence and land management responsibilities in Washington, D.C. make the area a crucible for applied research and adaptive management for urban ecosystems such as the restoration of Kenilworth Marsh, a remnant of the original tidal marshes of Washington, D.C. on the Anacostia River. Despite its intensely urbanized landscape, the District of Columbia is a center for research on urban wildlife management, urban stream restoration, and the aquatic ecology of urban streams. The National Park Service's Center For Urban Ecology is a regional source of expertise and applied science on "land use change and urban development, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity and maintenance of ecosystem processes" for the region.
The Potomac River, flowing through Washington, D.C., has been called one of the wildest urban rivers in the Nation. The Potomac Gorge once surveyed by George Washington for a
"Pawtomack" Canal that would allow barge traffic to bypass the
"Great Falls" (at the boundary between the Piedmont and coastal plain) is considered one of the most significant natural areas in the entire National Park System. The river, once called a national disgrace by President Lyndon Johnson, is now home to a vibrant warm water fishery. Professional bass tournaments have been held within view of the Jefferson Memorial, and naturally reproducing
Bald Eagles have returned to its banks.
Culture
Tourism
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 park 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 center 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,
District of Columbia War Memorial,
Albert Einstein Memorial, and
United States Navy Memorial.
The world famous
Smithsonian Institution is located in the District. The Smithsonian today is a collection of free 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
National Zoo.
There are many art museums in D.C., in addition to those that are part of the Smithsonian, including the free
National Gallery of Art,
National Museum of Women in the Arts,
Corcoran Gallery of Art and
Phillips Collection.
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 main 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, the
Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family (across the street from the Basilica Shrine),
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,
National Geographic Society,
the Awakening at Hains Point,
Old Post Office Building,
Theodore Roosevelt Island,
Franciscan Monastery,
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the
Washington National Cathedral.
Performing arts
Washington is a major national center for the arts, with many venues for the performing arts in the city.
Arena Stage, one of the first non-profit regional theaters in the nation, is rich with history and produces an eight-show season ranging from classics to world premieres, dedicated to the American canon of theater. The
Shakespeare Theatre Company is regarded as one of the world's great Shakespeare troupes. Numerous other professional theaters, such as
The Studio Theatre and Woolly Mammoth, and venues such as the
National Theatre, make the city a major theater center. The
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts the
National Symphony Orchestra, the
Washington National Opera, the
Washington Ballet, and a variety of other musical and stage performances.
The
Lincoln Theatre hosted the likes of
Duke Ellington and
Ella Fitzgerald on
U Street (known as "Washington's Black Broadway") prior to the 1968 riots. Notable local music clubs include
Madam's Organ Blues Bar in
Adams Morgan; Blues Alley in Georgetown; the
Eighteenth Street Lounge in the
Dupont Circle district; and the
Black Cat, the, the
Bohemian Caverns jazz club, the Twins jazz clubs, all in the
U Street NW area. The U Street area actually contains more than two dozen bars, clubs, and restaurants that feature jazz either nightly or several times a week.
Notable Washingtonians in the entertainment industry include singer-songwriter
Marvin Gaye, film actress
Merle Oberon, comedian
David Chappelle, musician
Duke Ellington, filmmaker
Ted Salins and two members of the rock group
Jefferson Airplane: guitarist
Jorma Kaukonen and bass player
Jack Cassidy.
Music
D.C. has its own native music genre, called
go-go, a post-funk, percussion-driven flavor of
R&B that blends live sets with relentless dance rhythms, so-called because they "go and go and go." The most accomplished practitioner of go-go was D.C. band leader
Chuck Brown, who brought go-go to the brink of national recognition with his 1979 LP
Bustin' Loose. Go-Go band and Washington natives
Experience Unlimited (E.U.) hit the American pop charts in 1988 with their memorable dance tune "
Da Butt" Other notable go-go bands include
Rare Essence,
Trouble Funk,
Junkyard Band,
Backyard Band, and the
Northeast Groovers.
Washington was an important center in the genesis of
punk rock in the United States. Punk bands of note from Washington include
Tru Fax & the Insaniacs, the Slickee Boys,
Fugazi,
Bad Brains,
the Dismemberment Plan,
Government Issue, and
Minor Threat. Washingtonians continue to support punk bands, long after the punk movement's popularity peaked. The region also has a significant
indie rock history and was home to
TeenBeat,
Dischord Records and
Simple Machines, among other indie record labels.
Television shows
There have been several television series that have featured the District. Most of these have been related to government (
The West Wing and Commander in Chief) or security organizations (
The District,
Get Smart, and, most famously,
The X-Files). Other programs had the nation's capital as a secondary focus, using it merely as a city setting. For instance,
Murphy Brown focused on the lives of the reporters of the (fictional) Washington-based television newsmagazine,
FYI. The soap opera
Capitol allowed for stories about political intrigue alongside the traditional class struggle sagas. The sitcom
227 portrayed the life of the
African American majority as seen through the eyes of residents in a Washington apartment building.
Cory in the House on
The Disney Channel uses Washington, D.C. as a backdrop. There are also many movies shot and filmed in the city yearly.
Sports
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-
20th 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 Center 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, having replaced the old
Capital Centre. Since its opening in 1997, the arena has served as a catalyst of prosperity in Chinatown. Office buildings, high-end condominiums, restaurant chains, movie theatres, and other luxuries have sprung up around Chinatown.
The city's soccer team, DC United, is the most successful franchise in MLS history, with 4 league championships and 10 total tournament victories, both league highs. Washington will host the 2007 edition of MLS Cup at RFK Stadium. Washington hosts the annual
Legg Mason Tennis Classic tennis tournament that takes place at the
Carter Barron Tennis Center on 17th Street. The
Marine Corps Marathon and the
National Marathon are both held annually in Washington.
Media
Newspapers
The Washington Post is the oldest and most-read daily
newspaper in Washington, and it has developed into one of the most reputable daily newspapers in the U.S. It is most notable for exposing the
Watergate scandal, among other achievements.
The Washington Post also has a daily free newspaper called the
Express, summarizing events, sports, and entertainment. The more conservative daily
The Washington Times and the free weekly
Washington City Paper also have substantial readership in the District. On
February 1,
2005 the free daily
tabloid Washington Examiner debuted, having been formed from a chain of suburban newspapers known as the
Journal Newspapers.
The weekly
Washington Blade and
Metro Weekly focus on
gay issues, and the
Washington Informer on African American issues as well as the
Washington Afro-American. Bi-weekly
Street Sense focuses on issues of
homelessness and poverty.
Many neighborhoods in the District have their own community newspapers. Some of these include
The Current Newspapers, which has editions serving
Dupont Circle,
Foggy Bottom, Georgetown,
Chevy Chase and Upper Northwest, and a
Capitol Hill paper called
The Capitol Hill Current/Voice of the Hill. Additional papers include
In-Towner (Dupont Circle,
Logan Circle and
Adams Morgan),
Hill Rag (Capitol Hill),
East of the River (
Anacostia) and
D.C. North (Northeast D.C.). In addition, several specialty newspapers serve the U.S. Congress; most notable are
Roll Call and
The Hill.
Television
The metro area is served by several local broadcast
television stations and is the ninth largest
designated market area in the U.S., with 2,308,290 homes (2.05% of the U.S. population). Major television network affiliates include
WRC 4 (
NBC),
WTTG 5 (
Fox),
WJLA 7 (
ABC),
WUSA 9 (
CBS),
WDCW 50 (
The CW),
WDCA 20 (
MyNetwork TV), as well as
WETA 26 and
WHUT 32 (
PBS) stations. Channels 4 and 5 are network
owned-and-operated stations.
Public access on cable television is provided by the
Public Access Corporation of the District of Columbia on two channels simulcast to both local cable TV systems. One channel is devoted to religious programming and the other channel provides a diversity of offerings. A regional news station,
News Channel 8, is carried on Channel 8 on all cable systems in Washington, D.C. and surrounding communities. Additionally, most
Baltimore area television stations can be seen in the Washington region. Besides being viewed clearly in the District, they can especially be seen in the suburbs of the
Interstate 95 corridor between both cities. They are:
WMAR 2 (
ABC)
WBAL 11 (
NBC)
WJZ 13 (
CBS)
WMJF 16 (Ind/MTV2)
WMPT 22 /
WMPB 67 (PBS/MPB)
WUTB 24 (
MyNetwork TV)
WBFF 45 (
FOX)
WNUV 54 (The
CW)
The WTTG Television Tower, built in 1963, is a 214.8 metre high guyed TV mast; it's only 17.2 meters shorter than the
Hughes Memorial Tower.
Spanish-language television is also represented by
Telemundo WZDC-LP 25 and
TeleFutura affiliate
WMDO-CA 47, but these are
low-power television stations limited to within the
Capital Beltway area. Univision's
WFDC 14, however, transmits as a full power station and can be received as far north as Baltimore.
On
April 10,
2007,
Telemundo WZDC-LP switched channel locations from 64 to 25, as the higher band of UHF channels is to be eliminated in the digital switchover of 2009. The channel switchover was also supposed to increase coverage over a larger portion of the metropolitan area. However, viewers still report an inability to see its broadcasts in upper Montgomery County (Burtonsville and Laurel) and Howard County (Columbia/Ellicott City).
Incidentally, D.C's
Univision and
Telefutura stations (owned by Entravision) switched call letters on
January 1,
2006; meaning that now Univision is the only Spanish station which can be seen at full power over the whole Washington metropolitan area. The Univision network moved from low-powered Channel 47/
WMDO to full-powered Channel 14/
WFDC; Univision's youth-oriented TeleFutura network moved from 14 to 47. The change caused Univision and TeleFutura to exchange channel locations on D.C. area cable TV systems, too.
Azteca America announced they'd start transmitting from a new full powered Spanish-language broadcast affiliate in the region, Channel 69/
WQAW on
October 6,
2006, as well as its addition to local channel lineups for
Comcast Cable. However it hasn't been seen on the air as of yet. Earliest reports from viewers don't indicate availability of its broadcasts inside the District, as far south as
Prince William County, Virginia, or as far north as the Columbia/Baltimore area. According to the FCC, WQAW has filed a license application to move their transmitter to
Lake Shore, Maryland, thereby rendering better coverage to the area between Baltimore and Washington, and moving to Channel 8.
Several
cable television networks have their headquarters in the Washington area, including
C-SPAN on Capitol Hill,
Black Entertainment Television (BET) in Northeast D.C.,
National Geographic Channel in Downtown D.C., and
Discovery Communications in
Silver Spring, Maryland, as well as the
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in
Alexandria, Virginia. Major national broadcasters and cable outlets including
NBC,
ABC,
CBS,
FOX, and
CNN maintain a significant presence in Washington, as do those from around the world including the
BBC,
CBC, and
Al Jazeera.
America's Most Wanted is the only network primetime program produced in Washington.
Radio
There are several major
radio stations serving the metro area, with a wide variety of musical interests. The
Contemporary music station is
WIHT 99.5 FM (Hot 99.5) located in
Rockville, Maryland.
Rock stations include
WTGB 94.7 FM (The Globe - Triple A) and
WWDC 101.1 FM (DC 101 - active/alternative rock).
Urban stations include
WPGC 95.5 FM (
rhythmic top 40/urban contemporary),
WHUR 96.3 FM (Howard University
urban adult contemporary station),
WMMJ 102.3 FM (urban adult contemporary),
WKYS 93.9 FM (urban contemporary) and
Radio CPR 97.5 FM (a popular
pirate radio station broadcasting in the area around
Mount Pleasant,
Adams Morgan and
Columbia Heights). Two major
contemporary Christian music stations in the region are
WGTS 91.9 FM (of
Takoma Park) and
WPER 89.9 (of
Warrenton, Virginia).
Stations that concentrate on talk and sports include
WJFK 106.7 FM (FM talk),
WMAL 630 AM (
conservative talk),
WWRC 1260 AM (
progressive talk),
WOL 1450 AM (urban talk),
WTEM 980 AM (sports talk),
Triple X ESPN Radio 92.7 FM/94.3 FM/730 AM (
sports talk station controlled by
Washington Redskins owner
Daniel Snyder),
WAVA 105.1 FM and
780 AM (Christian
talk radio),
WTOP 103.5 FM (news) and
WWWT 1500 AM/107.7 FM (3WT-talk). Radio duos
Don and Mike and
Ron and Fez both had great success on WJFK, although the latter now broadcast on D.C.-based
XM Satellite Radio via the network's New York studio.
WOL 1450 AM, WKYS 93.9 FM, and WMMJ 102.3 are owned by Washington's
Radio One, the largest African American media conglomerate in the country. It was founded by Cathy Hughes, a prominent figure in Washington radio since her days at Howard University's WHUR.
There are two
National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates:
WAMU 88.5 FM (NPR and
Public Radio International programming, community programming, and
BBC news), broadcast from the
American University, and
WETA 90.9 FM (around-the-clock
classical music). Other stations include
WASH 97.1 FM (
adult contemporary),
WMZQ 98.7 FM (
country music),
WLZL El Zol 99.1 FM (Latin/Tropical),
WBIG 100.3 FM (
classic hits),
WPRS Praise 104.1 FM (
gospel),
WPGC 1580 AM (
gospel),
WPFW 89.3 FM (
jazz and progressive talk),
WJZW 105.9 FM (
smooth jazz), and
WRQX 107.3 FM (hot adult contemporary). In some parts of the city and suburban Maryland, listeners can hear
WMUC 88.1 FM (
freeform) the only remaining FM college radio station in the area. Additionally, most major radio stations from Baltimore can be heard in the Washington metropolitan area.
XM Satellite Radio and NPR are based in Washington. The
Voice of America, the U.S. government's
international broadcasting service, is headquartered in Washington.
Economy
Washington, D.C. has a growing economy that's also diversifying with a decreasing percentage of federal government jobs over the current and next decade and an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs over the same period. With five Fortune 1000 companies (two of which are also Fortune 500 companies), and a large support infrastructure of professional services, including
law,
public relations, and
architecture, Washington, D.C. is one of the Gamma World Cities. Washington, D.C. is also a leading city for global real estate investment, behind London, New York City, and Paris.
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 especially
northern Virginia(External Link). These businesses include federal
contractors (defense and civilian), numerous nonprofit organizations, law firms and lobbying firms, national associations of labor and professional groups, 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 2006 was
$87.664 billion, ranking it #35 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, only behind
New York City and
Chicago respectively.
Of non-government employers, Washington, D.C.'s major universities and hospitals are among the top employers with the
George Washington University,
Georgetown University and
Washington Hospital Center 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 center. Most major news outlets have bureaus in the city and Washington is home to
Black Entertainment Television,
C-SPAN,
National Public Radio, the
Washington Post Company and
XM Satellite Radio. Washington's unique scenery makes it a popular location for film and television production.
Insurance and banking
Washington, D.C.'s financial regulatory environment is adapting and becoming more competitive as a jurisdiction for
captive insurance companies and financial institutions to locate and do business. This increasingly popular form of alternative insurance allows large corporations and industry associations to create independent insurance companies to insure their own risks. Since 2001, Washington, D.C.'s Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking has licensed over 70 companies, including captive insurance companies owned by the American Society of Association Executives, General Motors, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.As of 2006, Washington, D.C. is the world's fifteenth-largest and the USA's sixth-largest domicile for captive insurance companies, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Demographics
The 2005 Census Bureau estimate of the city's population was 582,049. After the city government questioned the original results – an estimate of 550,521 – the Census Bureau revised the estimate. The revised figure marked the first 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). The largest Hispanic group is
Salvadoran, accounting for an estimated 18,505 of Washington's 45,901 Hispanic population. D.C. has a steadily declining African American population, due to many middle-class and professional African Americans moving to the suburbs, mostly in Maryland (for example, the African American majority in wealthy
Prince George's County) and Northern Virginia,
Baltimore,
Richmond, and
Hampton Roads area of
Virginia aggravated by the rising cost of living in the area.
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.
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. According to
Forbes magazine it's also the 9th wealthiest city in the country based on a median household income, with over half of its residents having an income of $46,500 a year, and the average home price being at $429,900.
A 2007 report found that approximately one third of the population in Washington, D.C. is
functionally illiterate, compared to a rate of about one fifth nationally. One of the primary reasons attributed to this is the high growing number of
Hispanic and
Ethiopian immigrants who number 170,000 people in the city. Many tend to not be proficient in English. A 2000 study shows that 83.42% of Washington, D.C. residents age 5 and older speak only
English at home and 9.18% speak
Spanish.
French is the third most spoken language at 1.67%.
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.
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.
Law and government
Local government
The city is run by an elected mayor (
Adrian Fenty) and a
district council. The council is composed of 13 members: one 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 Neighborhood 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
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