Washington (USA)

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Washington State hosts a wide variety of opportunities for travelers, from recreation to relaxation to accommodation to adventure. The state boasts coastal regions, mountainous areas and desert environs, with each setting offering a unique charm and wide array of activities.

Seattle and the Puget Sound are rife with fishing and boating prospects, a trend that continues down the coast to the Olympic Peninsula and on towards Oregon.

Mountains rise immediately to the east of the coast, with landmarks such as Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and the Snoqualmie Pass providing hiking, biking and camping. Vancouver and Yakima are both prominent towns in this area, offering a host of amenities and attractions.

Skiing and other winter sports abound in the Cascade Mountains, beyond which lies the confluence of farms and orchards that make up the central part of Washington State.

The Cascade Loop is a well-liked area that traverses inland Washington, taking visitors through small mountain towns such as Leavenworth. Further east, the Columbia River Basin presents many chances to experience Washington, such as the Grand Coulee Dam, which is the largest concrete dam in North America and the third largest producer of electricity worldwide.

Tours of the dam are offered along with a laser light show that is projected onto the dam face during summer evenings.Spokane is the largest city in eastern Washington.

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Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
Local Times:
U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why most Americans have never bothered getting a passport.