Washington DC

United States of America COUNTRY

702,455 CITY POPULATION

Federalism GOVERNMENT TYPE

Introduction

Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. "D.C." is an abbreviation for the District of Columbia, the federal district coextensive with the city of Washington. The city is located on the northern shore of the Potomac River and is one of the most visited cities in the world, with more than 20 million tourists annually.

The city of Washington, commonly referred only as DC, has a total area of 177 square kilometres and is surrounded by the states of Maryland and Virginia. Washington's climate is typical of the Mid-Atlantic states, with four distinct seasons. Summer tends to be hot and humid and winter brings sustained cool temperatures and occasional heavy snow.

Washington DC is important both politically and historically. First of all, the city is the seat of the Federal Government and several international organizations. The city was founded after the American Revolution and its name was coined after George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Data and Facts

The estimated population of Washington DC is 702,455 according to the data of July 2018.
It is the 20th most populous city in the United States.
The urban area of Washington DC is in the sixth position in the US in terms of population with 6.2 million residents.
Head of State: President Donald Trump, since 2017.
Language: English
Country motto: In God We Trust.
Currency: US Dollar ($)
Median age: 38.2 years
Life expectancy: 80.1 years
Religion: 75.5% Christianity, 1.1% Islam, 18.6% Unaffiliated, 1.7% Judaism, 1.2% Buddhism, 0.7% Hinduism, 1.1% Others.

Administration

All three branches of the US Federal Government are located in Washington DC. These three branches are Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court.

The U.S. Constitution gives the Congress direct jurisdiction over Washington, D.C. While Congress has delegated various amounts of this authority to local government, including an elected mayor and city council, the congress still intervenes in local affairs relating to schools, gun control policy, and other issues.

Citizens of the District have no voting representation in the Congress. They are represented in the House of Representatives by a non-voting delegate who sits on committees. D.C. has no representation in the Senate.

The city is also the home of many attractive historical monuments and museums. In Washington DC, there are around 177 Foreign Embassies. The headquarters of most of the international organizations of the world are in the city, including the IMF, AARP, NGS, HRC, and IFC.

Economy

Washington has the sixth-largest economy in the country. Its position on the Pacific Ocean and the harbour of Puget Sound give the state a leading role in maritime trade with Alaska, Canada, and Asia.

In the second quarter of 2018, the gross state product of Washington DC was $141 Billion.

The city's economy is dominated by the service sector as a result of Washington’s abundance of federal civil service jobs and its status as a major tourist destination.

Most businesses are linked in some way to the federal government but there is also significant businesses that include the design and manufacture of jet aircraft, computer software development (Microsoft, Amazon, Nintendo), biotechnology, aluminium production and wood products. The state also has significant amounts of hydroelectric power generation.

Washington is also a leading agricultural state. It has been ranked the first in the nation producing a variety of fruit and vegetables like raspberries, peas, pears, carrots, blueberries, grapes, lentils and potatoes.

At the time of this writing—the 2021 tax year—Washington D.C. has a 6% sales tax rate, as well as the eighth-lowest property tax rate among all U.S. states. Furthermore, Washington D.C. imposes 5 tax brackets from which it levies income taxes. Although this sounds complicated, there are specific types of tax calculators available online that simplify the process.

Finally, it is noted that, even though Washington is not specially known as a manufacturing centre, a number of useful natural resources found in the area are processed and used locally. For example the sandstone and granite used in the construction of the Capitol and the White House.

Business environment

Washington is a business-friendly city that offers many opportunities for people. It is noted that the state of Washington has the most regressive tax structure in the U.S and it is one of the 7 states that does not levy a personal income tax. The state also does not collect a corporate income tax which makes the market operate at highly competitive rates.

According to a Fortune magazine survey, 4 out of 20 Most Admired Companies in the US are based in Washington: Starbucks, Microsoft, Costco and Nordstrom.

Washington has also been a banking centre since the arrival of the Congress. The city’s financial district contains many private institutions including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Infrastructure

Washington DC has almost 1500 miles of streets, avenues, and parkways. However, the proposed highway system through the middle of the city was never started. The metro network in this city is also very robust. It has around 91 stations with around 117 miles of track. The city is also known for having the nation’s fifth-largest bus system.

The metropolitan area is served by three major airports; one in Maryland and two in Virginia. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is the closest and is accessible by the Washington Metro. Most major international flights arrive and depart from Washington Dulles International Airport, located 26.3 miles west of the city in Virginia. Dulles is the second busiest international gateway on the East Coast. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is located 31.7 miles (51.0 km) northeast of the city near Baltimore, Maryland.

Technology

Washington D.C. is transforming into a hub for high-tech entrepreneurs and startups. With its competitive workforce, substantial government resources and friendly ecosystem, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metropolitan area has shaped itself into one of the most attractive places for investment and entrepreneurship.

According to Matt Caywood, who moved his company TransitScreen from Silicon Valley, better access to high-tech talent in D.C. provides massive support for the growth of high-tech companies. As an increasingly wired city, D.C is home for more than 1,000 tech startups.

Some of the most praised startups in 2019 were Covoy, Remitly, Rover, Offer up, Outreach, Qumulo and Flyhomes.

Social Wellness and Human Resources

The level of social wellness and human resources is really high in Washington DC. Most people are educated and well-settled in this city.

Education

There are around 123 Public Schools in this city. The government is also determined for the good quality education in this city. The colleges in the city are also popular around the world for higher education.

Health

Washington DC is a national center for patient care and medical research. The District has 16 medical centers and hospitals including Washington Hospital Center (WHC), the largest hospital campus and the largest private hospital in the Washington area. Immediately adjacent to it is the Children's National Medical Center, among the highest-ranked pediatric hospitals in the country.

Media

There is no doubt that Washington DC is known as a major national and international media center. The oldest and highly read local daily newspaper Washington Post was founded in 1877. The more conservative daily, The Washington Times, also has substantial readership.

Music

The national center for the arts in Washington DC is the ideal place to make a career in the music industry as well. The Marine Barracks near Capitol Hill houses the United States Marine Band. It is a musical organization that was founded in the year 1798. This is the oldest professional musical organization in the country.

Museums

The responsibility to maintain the museums of the state is borne by the Smithsonian Institution. It is an educational foundation chartered by Congress in 1846. The top visited museum of the city is the National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall. The other famous museums of this city are the National Air and Space Museum; the National Museum of African Art; the National Museum of American.

Sports

Washington is one of 13 cities in the United States with teams from all four major professional men's sports and is home to one major professional women's team. The city is famous for its sports opportunities for the players. Some popular sports leagues of the city are Washington Wizards (National Basketball Association) and the Washington Capitals (National Hockey League).