D.C. Washington

Washington, D.C. (pop. 3,923,574), capital of the United States, coextensive with the federal District of Columbia, which is the seat of the U.S. federal government. (The “D.C.” in the city's name stand for District of Columbia.) It lies in the eastern United States on the west-central edge of Maryland on the Potomac River, with Virginia on the river's opposite side.

Important sites

The city's focal point is the domed Capitol, home of the Congress of the United States. The Capitol lies on a small rise; for this reason the area is referred to as Capitol Hill. To the northwest lies the White House, official office and residence of the President. Other important buildings are the headquarters of government departments and agencies, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Library of Congress. Also a cultural and educational center, Washington, D.C, is the site of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Archives, and the Folger Shakespeare Library. Among the city's famous monuments, parks, and memorials are the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Economy

The city's economy is based largely on the federal government and related services; many important organizations also have offices there. There is little industry.

Government

The city's present system of government was established in 1973 by an act of Congress and approved by the people in 1974. Washington, D.C., is run by an elected mayor and city council. However, the federal government has final authority over all the city's government concerns. The mayor serves a 4-year term. The city council consists of 13 members serving 4-year terms. Washington, D.C., is represented in the U.S. Congress by 1 nonvoting representative.

History

In 1783 the Continental Congress voted for a federal city. In 1791 President George Washington chose the present site as a compromise between North and South. Washington, D.C., is one of the few cities to be planned before being built. In 1800 Congress moved to Washington, which replaced Philadelphia as the national capital. In 1814, during the War of 1812, the government buildings were burned down by British troops; new and more splendid plans were made and carried out. Since then, the city's population has risen steadily. Washington has long served as a gateway for blacks emigrating north; since the 1950s, blacks have made up a majority of the city's population. Since the 1970s, there has been a growing call among Washingtonians for statehood for the District of Columbia, but the U.S. Congress would have to vote approval of statehood and the proposed state constitution written by a 1982 constitutional convention. As the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., is a focal point for tourism, government, and political demonstrations.