What State Is Washington D.C. In?

What state is Washington D.C. in?

Washington D.C.’s role in the U.S. can be confusing. How exactly does it fit in with the 50 states? If you got here by searching “what state is Washington D.C. in?”, here’s your answer:

Washington D.C. is not in any of the 50 states because it is not a city but a 68 square mile federal district created by congress on July 16th, 1790.

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Is Washington D.C. a U.S. Territory?

Washington D.C. is not a U.S. territory in the way that Puerto Rico is (complete list of the U.S. territories). It is a federal district, as we mentioned.

In fact, no United States territory is located within the borders of the U.S. They are all found outside of the country. 

In the simplest form of the word “territory”, meaning “an area of land under the jurisdiction of a ruler or state”, yes D.C. is controlled by the federal government of the U.S. But again, D.C. is not an official United States territory.

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What does District of Columbia mean?

The D.C. in Washington D.C. stands for “District of Columbia”. Columbia is the feminine form of Columbus, referring to Christopher Columbus, the founder of North America. So, Washington D.C. was named after George Washington and Christopher Columbus. 

Why was D.C. founded?

Washington D.C. was established in 1790 by the constitution to be the nation’s capital and was never meant to be a state. George Washington chose the location personally and had it designed by Pierre Charles L’Enfant to be a modern city.

What states border Washington D.C.?

D.C. is bordered by 2 states, Virginia and Maryland. Virginia borders D.C. to the Southwest and Maryland to the Southeast, Northeast, and Northwest. The Potomac runs through Washington D.C. an Virginia to the West and Southwest separating the Pentagon in Virginia and the Lincoln Memorial.

Does Washington D.C. have a capital?

Washington D.C. is not a state therefore it does not have a capitol. However D.C. does have a mayor and a governing body since over 700,000 thousand people live there as of 2018. It is the Nation’s capital and is home to the capitol building, or United States Capitol.

Will Washington D.C. ever become a state?

On July 10, 2016, the DC council voted on whether not D.C. should become the 51st state, they unanimously voted in favor. Even though 79 percent of voters voted in favor of becoming a state, Washington D.C. can’t just vote themselves into statehood. There’s much more red tape involved before they reach that point in the statehood movement and many think the chances of it actually happening are slim to none. 

Interesting facts about Washington D.C.

• D.C. residents couldn’t vote in presidential elections until 1961.
• Washington D.C. is wetter than Seattle with 39.74 inches of yearly rainfall.
• Until 1901, the White House was called the President’s Palace or the President’s House.

For more fun facts about DC, check out our full guide to what Washington D.C. is known for.

👉 Read Next: What is Maryland Known For?

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Now you know what state Washington D.C. is in (or, more precisely, not in!). Next, can you guess which states are part of the East Coast?

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