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Washington Almanac: State Facts and Figures
Browse the state's symbols; state animal, state bird, state flower, state flag, state fossil, state insect, state motto, state seal, state tree, color, dance, fish, mammal, music, nut, reptile seal, and miscellaneous designations, emblems, and mascot of each state with pictures. Find origin of the state name. View the state almanacs, state timelines and peruse state facts and stats such as the capitol, location, and date admitted to the union.
Washington Almanac
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| Official Name |
Washington |
| Capital |
Olympia |
| Nick Name |
Evergreen State |
| Motto |
Al-ki (By and by) |
| Location & Region |
47.04191 N, 122.89376 W |
Pacific Northwest |
| Constitution Ratified |
1889 |
| Statehood |
November 11, 1899 |
42nd state |
| Population |
5,894,121 |
88.52 sq mi. |
15th |
Largest City
(by population) |
Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue |
| Bordering States |
Idaho - Oregon - Coastline: 157 mi. |
| Number of Counties |
39 Counties in Washington |
Largest County
(by population) |
King County |
1,737,034 |
2,126 sq mi. |
| Time Zone |
Pacific Standard Time |
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Washington Climate and Weather |
Washington's climate varies greatly from west to east.
The west is mild and humid, while east of the Cascades a cooler dry climate prevails.
The average annual temperature ranges from 51 degrees on the Pacific coast to 40 degrees in the northeast.
The climate in western Washington is mild because of the warm currents coming off of the North Pacific. This area has frequent cloud cover, considerable fog, and long-lasting drizzles. Summer is much sunnier, yet still mild. Average high temperatures here approach 70 degrees.
The western side of the Olympic Peninsula receives up to 160 inches of precipitation annually, making it the wettest area of the 48 continental states. Weeks or even months may pass without a clear day.
Portions of the Puget Sound area, on the eastern side of the Olympic Mountains, are less wet, although still humid.
The western slopes of the Cascade Range receive some of the heaviest annual snowfall in the country (over 200 inches annually) |
| Highest Temperature |
118 degrees
August 5, 1961 - Ice Harbor Dam |
| Lowest Temperature |
-48 degrees
December 30, 1968 - Mazama and Winthrop |
| Avg Temp: High - Low |
84.0 degrees |
20.0 degrees |
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Washington Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations (Feet) |
| Mean Elevation |
1,700 |
| Highest Point |
Mt. Rainier |
14,410 |
| Lowest Point |
Pacific Ocean |
Sea level |
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Washington Land Area (Square Miles) |
| Geographic Center |
10 miles WSW of Wenatchee |
| Total Area |
71,299.64 |
18th |
| Land Area1 |
66,544.06 |
93.34% |
| Water Area2 |
4,755.58 |
6.66% |
| Forested Land Area3 |
51.4% |
Dimensions
(Length - Width) |
360 miles |
240 miles |
Source: (U.S. Census, April 1, 2000)
1. Dry land and land temporarily or partially covered by water, such as marshland, swamps, etc.; streams and canals under one-eighth statute mile wide; and lakes, reservoirs, and ponds under 40 acres.
2. Permanent inland water surface, such as lakes, reservoirs, and ponds having an area of 40 acres or more; streams, sloughs, estuaries, and canals one-eighth statute mile or more in width; deeply indented embayments and sounds, and other coastal waters behind or sheltered by headlands or islands separated by less than 1 nautical mile of water, and islands under 40 acres in area. Excludes areas of oceans, bays, sounds, etc. lying within U.S. jurisdiction but not defined as inland water.
3. 1997 |
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Almanac Provided by SHG Resources |
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