Washington State is commonly mistaken as Washington D.C. in casual conversation. However, the two places are very different. Washington State is located in the upper northwest region of the United States. As part of the Pacific Northwest, Washington is no stranger to near-constant rainfall and cloudy weather. With the Pacific Ocean to the west, Washington is surrounded by two other states and one other country. Oregon is south of Washington while Idaho is to the east. Just north of Washington State is the border between the United States and Canada.
Washington has a latitude of 47.7511° N and a longitude of 120.7401° W. From the Puget Sound to the Cascade Mountain Range, Washington spans a diverse range of landscape. The most central point in Washington is located at the coordinates of 120°16.1' W and 47°20' N. Just outside of the city of Wenatchee, the centermost point of Washington is situated in Chelan County.
Washington State has a width of 240 miles and a length of 360 miles. With a total area of 71,303 square miles, Washington is comprised of 66,582 square miles of land and 4,721 miles of water areas. In percentages, the Evergreen State is 93.4% land and 6.6% water. Washington is the eighteenth largest state in the country in terms of total area.
When it comes to population, Washington State is thirteenth most populous state in the U.S. With a population of 7,530,552 people, Washington is home to approximately 106 people per square mile of land. Western Washington is more bustling with higher concentrations of people in one area, but Eastern Washington still has its fair share of residents. Many people interested in agriculture and water are drawn to Washington State for its rainy seasons, cold-water coastlines, and terrain suitable for growing plenty of various crops.
The highest level of elevation in Washington is atop Mount Rainier with an altitude of 14,410 feet above sea level. Mount Rainier is one of the most eye-catching natural beauties in Washington State. On a clear day, the mountain pokes out from behind the clouds and can be seen from cities miles away. The lowest point of elevation in Washington State is along the West Coast, where the land becomes the Pacific Ocean. This is a point at sea level, so the elevation is 0 feet. On average, the elevation of Washington is 1,700 feet above sea level.