Welcome to Washington
"The Evergreen State" Nearly 60 percent of Washingtonians live in the Seattle metro area, so it's no surprise that the city exercises an economic hold on the state as a whole. Nearby Redmond is home to the computer behemoth Microsoft, and Seattle, that coffee Mecca, boasts the headquarters of several large coffee companies including the massive Starbucks. Defense subcontractor Boeing's relocation to Chicago didn't help matters, but the city's highly educated residents are in a great position to weather economic storms—the U.S. Census Bureau has ranked Seattle as the most educated city in the country, with 52.5 percent of adults over 25 possessing bachelor's degrees. As in much of the Pacific Northwest, rainfall and cloudy days are a constant in much of Washington, not just its urban center. In rural areas, this leads to lush farmland and bumper crops, particularly fruit. In 2004, the state led production in raspberries, apples, cherries, grapes and more. Washington's Puget Sound and long coastline enable plentiful maritime trade and shipping (not to mention the largest ferry fleet in the country). East of the Cascade Range, however, one finds a much drier semi-arid climate—and a major political shift. While the western half of the state is typically liberal, the eastern half is generally much more conservative. State Name: Washington State Nickname: "The Evergreen State"  State Motto: Alki (Chinook for "Eventually" or "By and By") Name for Residents: Washingtonian Abbreviation: WA Time Zone: Pacific, GMT/UTC -8 / -7 (Daylight Savings Time) Capital City: Olympia Date of Statehood: November 11, 1889 Statehood Rank: 42nd State Area: 71,342 square miles (184,827 km²) Area Rank: 18 of 50 Number of Counties: 39 State Population: 6,549,224 (2008 estimate) Largest Cities:     Seattle - 602,000 (2009)     Spokane - 205,500 (2009)     Tacoma - 203,400 (2009) Major Rivers:     Columbia River - Length: 1,243 mi (2,000 km)     Skagit River - Length: 150 mi (240 km)     Spokane River - Length: 111 mi (179 km) Highest Point: Mount Rainier, 14,410 ft (4,365 m) Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean (sea level) Bordering States and Countries:     Canada (North)     Idaho (East)     Oregon (South) Record High Temperature:     118°F (48°C)     August 5, 1961 at Ice Harbor Dam  Record Low Temperature:     -48°F (-44°C)     December 30, 1968 at Mazama and Winthrop
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	Author: World Trade Press