
- U.S. State: Washington
- Abbreviation: WA
- Joined the USA: November 11th, 1889 (42nd State)
- Located: Western United States
- Capital City: Olympia, WA
- Most Populated City: Seattle, WA
38 Washington Facts for Kids
- Washington is a state in the United States of America.
- Washington is in the western region of the United States.
- Washington became a U.S. state on Monday, November 11th, 1889.
- Washington was the 42nd state to join the United States.
- The U.S. state of Washington covers 71,362 square miles.
- Washington is the 18th largest state by area in the United States.
- In 2019, the population of Washington was estimated to be 7,615,000 residents by the U.S. Census Bureau.
- In 2019, Washington was the 13th most populated state in the United States.
- A person who is from or lives in Washington is called a Washingtonian.
- The capital city of Washington is Olympia.
- The four largest cities in Washington are Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver.
- The largest city in by population in Washington is Seattle.
- The largest metropolitan area in Washington is the Greater Seattle area.
- The U.S. state of Washington has 39 counties.
- The most populated county in Washington is King County with 2,253,000 residents (2019, U.S. Census Bureau).
- The largest county by area in Washington is Okanogan County with 5,268 square miles.
- The highest elevation point in Washington is Mount Rainer at 14,411 feet above sea level.
- The lowest elevation point in Washington is the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean at sea level.
- The average precipitation (rain and snow) in Washington is 38.6 inches.
- Washington is the 29th wettest state by precipitation (rain and snow) in the United States.
- The average temperature in Washington is 50.4 °F.
- Washington is the 29th warmest state in the United States.
- The warmest temperature ever recorded in Washington was 118 °F on August 5th, 1961.
- The coldest temperature ever recorded in Washington was -48 °F on December 30th, 1968.
- A few natural disasters that can affect Washington are earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and wildfires.
- Washington is in one time zone, Pacific Time Zone (PT).
- The USPS abbreviation for Washington is WA.
- Washington is also known as the Evergreen State.
- The U.S. state of Washington was named after the first United States President George Washington.
- The motto of the U.S. state of Washington is “bye and bye”.
- The official state insect of Washington is the blue darner dragonfly (Aeshna multicolor).
- The official state fish of Washington is the steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
- The official state bird of Washington is the willow goldfinch (Spinus tristis).
- The official state grass of Washington is the bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata).
- The official state flower of Washington is the coast rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum).
- The official state tree of Washington is the western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla).
- The official state fruit of Washington is the apple.
- The official state gemstone of Washington is petrified wood.
Pictures of Washington

A picture of the flag for the U.S. state of Washington.

A picture of Olympia, the capital city of Washington.

A picture of Washington, the most populated city in Washington.
Additional Resources on Washington
- About Washington – Find more information about Washington on the History Link website.
- The History of Washington – Learn about the history of the U.S. state of Washington on the Washington State Historical Society website.
- Facts About Washington – Discover some awesome facts about Washington on the History Channel website.
- Washington – Britannica – Read the Washington entry on the Britannica website to learn more about it.