Washington

People. Population (2003 est.); 6,131,445; rank: 15; net change (2002-2003); 1.1%. Pop. density: 92.1 per sq mi. Racial distribution (2000): 81.8% white; 3.2% black; 5.5% Asian; 1.6% Native American/Nat. AK; 0.4% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 3.9% other race; 2 or more races, 3.6%. Hispanic pop. (any race): 7.5%.

Geography. Total area: 71,300 sq mi; rank: 18. Land area: 66,544 sq mi; rank: 20. Acres forested: 21.8 mil. Location: Pacific state bordered by Canada on the N; Idaho on the E; Oregoh on the S; and the Pacific Ocean on the W. Climate: mild, dominated by the Pacific Ocean and protected by the Cascades. Topography: Olympic Mts. on NW peninsula; open land along coast to Columbia R.; flat terrain of Puget Sound Lowland; Cascade Mts. region's high peaks to the E; Columbia Basin in central portion; highlands to the NE; mountains to the SE. Capital: Olympia.

Economy. Chief Industries: advanced technology, aerospace, biotechnology, intl. trade, forestry, tourism, recycling, agriculture & food processing. Chief manuf. goods: computer software, aircraft, pulp & paper, lumber and plywood, aluminum, processed fruits and vegetables, machinery,

electronics. Chief crops: apples, potatoes, hay, farm forest products. Livestock (Jan. 2004) 1.12 mil. cattle/calves; 46,000 sheep/lambs: (Jan. 2003): 24,000 hogs/pigs; (Dec. 2003): 6.2 mil. chickens (excl. broilers). 'I'lmber/lumber (est. 2002): 4.9 mil bd. ft.; Douglas fir, hemlock, cedar, pine. Nonfuel minerals (est. 2003): $430 mil.; sand and gravel (construction), cement (Portland), stone (crushed), diatomite, lime, Commercial fishing (2002): $145.0 mil. Chief ports: Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver, Kelso-Longview. Principal internat. airports at: Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane, Boeing Field. New private housing (2003): 43,580 units/$6.3 bil. Gross state product (2001): $223.0 bil. Employment distrib. (May 2004): 19.8% govt.; 19.1% trade/trans./util.; 9.6% mfg.; 11.8% ed./health serv.; 11.1% prof./bus serv.; 9.3% leisure/hosp.; 5.8% finance; 6% oonstr.; 3.5% info. Per cap. pers. income (2003): $33,332. Sales tax (2004): 6.5%. Unemployment (2003): 7.5%. Tourism expends. (2002): $8.4 bil. Lottery (2003): total sales; $460,4 mil; net income: $98.5 mil. Finance. FDIC-Insured commercial banks (2003): 78. Deposits: $20.6 bil. FDIC-insured savings Institutions (2003): 22. Assets: $52.1 bil.

Federal govt. Fed. civ. employees (Mar. 2003): 45,767. Avg. salary: $55,498.Notable fed. faclities: Bonneville Power Admin.; Ft. Lewis; McChord AFB; Hanford Nuclear Reservation Bremerton Naval Shipyards Naval Sub Base, Bangor; Naval Sta., Everett: Pacific Northwest Natl. Lab.

Energy. Electricity production (est. 2003, kWh by source): Petroleum: 8 mil; Gas: 2.2 bil; Hydroelectric: 70.1 bil; Nuclear: 7.6 bil; Other: 490 mil.

State data. Motto: Alki (By and by). Flower: Western rhhdodendron. Bird: Willow goldfinch. Tree: Western hemlock. Song: Washington, My Home. Entered union Nov. 11, 1889; rank, 42nd. State fairs: 5 area fairs, in Aug. and Sept.; no state fair.

History. At the time of European contact, many Native American tribes lived in the area, including the Nez Perce, Spokan, Yakima, Cayuse, Okanogan, Walla Walla, and Colville peoples, who lived in the interior region, and the Nooksak, Chinook, Nisqually. Clallam, Makah, Quinault, and Puyallup peoples, who inhabited the coastal area. Spain's Bruno Hezeta sailed the coast. 1775. In 1792, British naval officer George Vancouver mapped Puget Sound area, and that same year, American Capt. Robert Gray sailed up the Columbia River. Canadian fur traders set up Spokane House, 1810. Americans under John Jacob Astor established a post at Ft. Okanagan, 1811, and missionary Marcus Whitman settled near Walla Walla, 1836. Final agreement on the border of Washington and Canada was made with Britain, 1846, and Washington became part of the Oregon Territory. 1848. Gold was discovered. 1855.

Tourist attractions. Seattle Waterfront. Seattle Center and Space Needle, Museum of Flight, Underground Tour, all Seattle; Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades natl. parks; Mt. St. Helens; Puget Sound; San Juan Islands: Grand Coulee Dam; Columbia R. Gorge Natl. Scenic Area; Spokane's River front Park.

Famous Washingtonians. Raymond Carver, Kurt Cobain, Bing Crosby, William O. Douglas, Bill Gates, Jimi Hendrix, Henry M. Jackson, Gary Larson, Mary McCarthy, Robert Motherwell, Edward R. Murrow. Theodore Roethke, Ann Rule, Hilary Swank, Julia Sweeney, Adam West, Marcus Whitman, Minoru Yamasaki.

Tourist Information. WA State Tourism, 128 10^th Ave. SW. Olympia, WA 98504; 1-800-544-1800. Website: www.tourism.wa.gov

Website. access.wa.gov