Washington map, USA

Washington – a state with an interesting and unique history and the base of the world ‘s IT giants – is located in the extreme northwest of the United States. The territory of the state covers an area of 184 thousand sq. km (71,362 sq mi) and ranks 18th among other states, located between the two Dakotas . Washington State has  7.7 million inhabitants. The capital of the Olympia region – a small city with a population of 40 thousand people – is located on the map of Washington in the northeast of the state at the mouth of the Deschutes River near Puget Bay .

The geographical position of the state of Washington on the map of the USA

The state of Washington on the map borders on the 49th parallel of northern latitude with the Canadian province of British Columbia. The eastern border with the state of Idaho is defined along the meridian W 117^o . In the south along N 46^o. and along the Columbia River, Washington borders Oregon. The western coast of the state is washed by the Pacific Ocean.

Location map of Washington in the US.

The ridge of the Cascade Mountains, passing through the state, divides it into two parts, contrastingly different in climate. The highest point of the mountain range is located 88 km (54,68 miles) from the state capital. This is the Rainier stratovolcano with a height of 4392 meters (14409,45 ft) above sea level, which showed little activity in the middle of the 19th century. West of the Cascades, more than 65% of the population of Washington state lives in mild climates. This part of the region is moderately humid and warm, with winter temperatures rarely falling below freezing.

Eastern Washington is hotter and drier. High mountains trap most of the ocean moisture and do not allow precipitation to pass to the east. At the same time, they serve as protection against adverse environmental conditions. Hurricanes and tornadoes are rare in Washington state. But seismic activity is not uncommon in the region. Major earthquakes in Washington state occurred in 2001, 1965 and 1949. The 1949 earthquake caused severe damage to cities on the west coast, including the state capital, Olympia.

The western slopes of the Cascade Mountains, which take on the bulk of the moisture from the Pacific Ocean, are covered with dense rainforests typical of a tropical climate. In the northeastern highlands of Washington state, the forests correspond to the geographic location and consist mainly of conifers. The vast plateau in the east of the state is separated from the Cascade Mountains by the Columbia, the largest river in the western United States. Here the landscape is represented by grassy hills and shrubs along a few rivers.

Major cities of Washington on the map

There are just over three hundred settlements on the map of Washington . The largest of them:

• The largest city of the state is located 80 km (49,71 miles) from Olympia on the isthmus between Lake Washington and the Puget Sound Bay of the Salish Sea, covering an area of more than 1.3 thousand square kilometers. Seattle is located in a seismically dangerous zone, the last earthquake of magnitude 6.8 hit the city in 2001. The climate is determined by the proximity of the Pacific Ocean. Summer is humid with moderate temperatures up to +26°C. In winter, the city is protected from the arctic cold by mountain ranges, thanks to which the winter is mild, with an average January minimum of 2.7°C.
• Spokane . The largest city in the eastern part of the state of Washington is 514 km (319,38 mi) away from the capital and is located on the river of the same name at an altitude of 580 meters above sea level. The city is located in a valley between the Rocky and Cascade Mountains, which do not let rainfall through. Therefore, summers in Spokane are dry and hot, with temperatures in July reaching 36°C. Winter is moderately snowy with average temperatures down to -5°C, while the annual minimum can reach -38°C.
• Tacoma . The city is located 50 km (31,07 mi) from the state capital on the south shore of the Puget Sound. It is the closest major city to the state’s highest peak, Mount Rainier . The climate of the city, like Seattle, is influenced by the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains.
• The city is located 170 km from Olympia near the border with Oregon on the banks of the Columbia River. The river shares Vancouver with the largest city in the neighboring region , Portland . In the west of the city is one of the largest lakes in the state – Vancouver. Vancouver lies in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, which results in a humid and cool climate throughout the year.
• Bellevue. It is located 100 km (62,14 miles) from Olympia on the opposite shore of Lake Washington from Seattle. The eastern part of the city is adjacent to another large lake in the state – Sammamish . To the south of the city are large and picturesque national parks and reserves in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.