About the Evergreen State
The Evergreen State, Washington, is a unique state in the Pacific Northwest. It features a great deal of nature, including mountains, lakes, the ocean, beaches and forests. The majority of the state enjoys a moderate climate, while other parts tend to get a bit warmer at various points throughout the year. The Evergreen State plays a vital role in the United States in regards to agriculture and the importing and exporting of goods. It also has a large cultural impact due to its population and many notable cities.
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The Facts
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The nickname for Washington is the "Evergreen State." This nickname was coined by a Realtor named C.T. Conover. He named it this because of the abundance of evergreen forests in the state. Washington's state capitol is Olympia. The state abbreviation is WA. Among the first explorers there were the Arthur Denny Party from America, Captain George Vancouver for Britain, and Bruno Heceta for Spain. The largest city in the state is Seattle. Washington entered the Union on November 11, 1889.
Features
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The state of Washington is part of the Pacific Time Zone. It is surrounded by the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. The Cascade range includes the volcanoes Mount Baker, Mount Ranier, Mount St. Helens, Glacier Peak and Mount Adams. The state contains 2.1 million acres of state forest lands and 120 state parks. The ten largest cities in Washington are Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Everett, Federal Way, Kent, Spokane Valley and Yakima. The western part enjoys a fairly moderate climate, with temperatures usually staying between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Eastern parts of the state enjoy a drier and warmer climate.
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Benefits
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The state of Washington is consistently considered among the more desirable states to live. Its largest city, Seattle, has been considered among the top 5 U.S. cities to live in at various times. Washington is also ranked among the healthiest and smartest states in which to live. Washington residents can enjoy countless outdoor activities including hiking, whale watching, kayaking, white-water rafting, boating, skiing, snowboarding, beach combing and bird watching. One of its more notable destinations is the Olympic National Park, which consists of over 70 miles of Washington's Pacific coast. In addition, many of Washington's cities contain notable museums and exhibits, such as the Experience Music Project and Seattle Art Museum, both in Seattle, as well as the Tacoma Art Museum in Tacoma.
Size
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The state of Washington is 66,544 square miles, or 172,349 square kilometers. The state colors are green and gold. The state fruit is an apple. Washington is bordered by British Columbia to the North and the state of Oregon to the south. The only state further north than Washington is Alaska.
Function
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Washington is one of the leaders in importing and exporting goods to Asia; Harbor Island in Seattle imports and exports the most tonnage to Asia than any other point in the United States, since the port of Seattle is 450 nautical miles closer to Asia than any other point by vessel in the United States. Washington is also a leading lumber processor, and develops aircraft and other metal products.
Misconceptions
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One of the most popular misconceptions about the state of Washington is the rainfall. Many consider Seattle to be the rainiest city in the United States. While Washington is a very wet state, Seattle is not the rainiest city in the United States, and the rainiest city in the United States is not even in Washington. Seattle only receives 37 inches of rain annually, which is less than New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, West Palm Beach, Miami and Houston, among others.
Risk Factors
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Many parts of Washington are extremely cloudy. Seattle averages over 226 cloudy days per year. Olympia averages 229 and Quillayute averages 240. Psychological studies have linked cloudy days to depression. The Aurora Bridge in Seattle has had over 230 successful suicides, making it the second most popular suicide bridge in the United States.
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