Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.
National Cathedral Washington Metro Stores in Adams Morgan National Air and Space Museum White House
Seal
Nickname(s):  D.C., The District
Motto(s):  Justitia Omnibus (English: Justice for All)
Anthem: "Washington"[1]
Interactive map of Washington, D.C.
Neighborhoods of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. Show map of the United States Washington, D.C. Show map of North America
Coordinates: 38°54′17″N 77°00′59″W / 38.90472°N 77.01639°W / 38.90472; -77.01639 (District of Columbia)
Country	United States
Residence Act	July 16, 1790
Organized	February 27, 1801
Consolidated	February 21, 1871
Home Rule Act	December 24, 1973
Named for	George Washington Columbia
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
• Mayor	Muriel Bowser (D)
• D.C. Council	List Charles Allen (D), Ward 6 Vincent C. Gray (D), Ward 7 Trayon White (D), Ward 8[2]
•  Eastern Daylight Time)
ZIP Codes	20001–20098, 20201–20599, 56901–56999
Area code(s)	202 and 771[10][11]
ISO 3166 code	US-DC
Airports	Full list Dulles International Reagan National Baltimore/Washington
Railroads	Full list Washington Metro MARC Train Virginia Railway Express
Website	dc.gov

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the

The U.S. Constitution in 1789 called for the creation of a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress. As such, Washington, D.C., is not part of any state, and is not one itself. The Residence Act, adopted on July 16, 1790, approved the creation of the capital district along the Potomac River. The city was founded in 1791, and the 6th Congress held the first session in the unfinished Capitol Building in 1800 after the capital moved from Philadelphia. In 1801, the District of Columbia, formerly part of Maryland and Virginia and including the existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria, was officially recognized as the federal district; initially, the city was a separate settlement within the larger district. In 1846, Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia, including the city of Alexandria. In 1871, it created a single municipality for the remaining portion of the district. There have been several unsuccessful efforts to make the district into a state since the 1880s; a statehood bill passed the House of Representatives in 2021 but was not adopted by the U.S. Senate.

Washington, D.C. anchors the southern end of the Northeast megalopolis. As the seat of the U.S. federal government, the city is an important world political capital.^[13] The city hosts the buildings that house federal government headquarters, including the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court Building, and multiple federal departments and agencies. The city is home to many national monuments and museums, located most prominently on or around the National Mall, including the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument. It hosts 177 foreign embassies and serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of American States, and other international organizations. Home to many of the nation's largest industry associations, non-profit organizations, and think tanks, D.C. is known as a lobbying hub, with K Street as the industry center.^[14] The city had 20.7 million domestic visitors^[15] and 1.2 million international visitors, ranking seventh among U.S. cities as of 2022.^[16]

Various tribes of the Algonquian-speaking Piscataway people, also known as the Conoy, inhabited the lands around the Potomac River and present-day Washington, D.C., when Europeans first arrived and colonized the region in the early 17th century. The Nacotchtank, also called the Nacostines by Catholic missionaries, maintained settlements around the Anacostia River in present-day Washington, D.C. Conflicts with European colonists and neighboring tribes ultimately displaced the Piscataway people, some of whom established a new settlement in 1699 near Point of Rocks, Maryland.^[17]

Nine cities served as capitals to the Continental Congress and under the Articles of Confederation. New York City was the first capital upon the adoption of the Constitution, succeeded by Philadelphia, which was capital from 1790 to 1800.^[18]

On October 6, 1783, after the capital was forced by the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 to move to Princeton, Congress resolved to consider a new location for it.^[19] The following day, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts moved "that buildings for the use of Congress be erected on the banks of the Delaware near Trenton, or of the Potomac, near Georgetown, provided a suitable district can be procured on one of the rivers as aforesaid, for a federal town".^[20]

In Federalist No. 43, published January 23, 1788, James Madison argued that the new federal government would need authority over a national capital to provide for its own maintenance and safety.^[21] The Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 emphasized the need for the national government not to rely on any state for its own security.^[22]

Article One, Section Eight of the Constitution permits the establishment of a "District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States".^[23] However, the constitution does not specify a location for the capital. In the Compromise of 1790, Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson agreed that the federal government would pay each state's remaining Revolutionary War debts in exchange for establishing the new national capital in the Southern United States.^[24][a]

On July 9, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital on the Potomac River. Under the Residence Act, the exact location was to be selected by President George Washington, who signed the bill into law on July 16, 1790. Formed from land donated by Maryland and Virginia, the initial shape of the federal district was a square measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side and totaling 100 square miles (259 km²).^[25][b]

Two pre-existing settlements were included in the territory, the port of

After its survey, the new federal city was constructed on the north bank of the Potomac River, to the east of Georgetown centered on Capitol Hill. On September 9, 1791, three commissioners overseeing the capital's construction named the city in honor of President Washington. The same day, the federal district was named Columbia, a feminine form of Columbus, which was a poetic name for the United States commonly used at that time.^[32][33] Congress held its first session there on November 17, 1800.^[34]

Congress passed the

On August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces invaded and occupied the city after defeating an American force at Bladensburg. In retaliation for acts of destruction by American troops in the Canadas, the British set fire to government buildings in the city, gutting the United States Capitol, the Treasury Building, and the White House in what became known as the burning of Washington. However, a storm forced the British to evacuate the city after just 24 hours.^[37] Most government buildings were repaired quickly, but the Capitol, which was largely under construction at the time, would not be completed in its current form until 1868.^[38]

In the 1830s, the district's southern territory of Alexandria declined economically, due in part to its neglect by Congress.^[39] Alexandria was a major market in the domestic slave trade and pro-slavery residents feared that abolitionists in Congress would end slavery in the district. Alexandria's citizens petitioned Virginia to retake the land it had donated to form the district, a process known as retrocession.^[40]

The Virginia General Assembly voted in February 1846, to accept the return of Alexandria. On July 9, 1846, Congress went further, agreeing to return all territory that Virginia had ceded to the district during its formation. This left the district's area consisting only of the portion originally donated by Maryland.^[39] Confirming the fears of pro-slavery Alexandrians, the Compromise of 1850 outlawed the slave trade in the district, although not slavery itself.^[41]

The outbreak of the

By 1870, the district's population had grown 75% in a decade to nearly 132,000 people,^[44] yet the city still lacked paved roads and basic sanitation. Some members of Congress suggested moving the capital farther west, but President Ulysses S. Grant refused to consider the proposal.^[45]

In the Organic Act of 1871, Congress repealed the individual charters of the cities of Washington and Georgetown, abolished Washington County, and created a new territorial government for the whole District of Columbia.^[46] These steps made "the city of Washington...legally indistinguishable from the District of Columbia."^[47]

In 1873, President Grant appointed Alexander Robey Shepherd as Governor of the District of Columbia. Shepherd authorized large projects that modernized the city but bankrupted its government. In 1874, Congress replaced the territorial government with an appointed three-member board of commissioners.^[48]

In 1888, the city's first motorized streetcars began service. Their introduction generated growth in areas of the district beyond the City of Washington's original boundaries, leading to an expansion of the district over the next few decades.^[49] Georgetown's street grid and other administrative details were formally merged with those of the City of Washington in 1895.^[50] However, the city had poor housing and strained public works, leading it to become the first city in the nation to undergo urban renewal projects as part of the City Beautiful movement in the early 20th century.^[51]

The

Increased federal spending under the New Deal in the 1930s led to the construction of new government buildings, memorials, and museums in the district,^[52] though the chairman of the House Subcommittee on District Appropriations, Ross A. Collins of Mississippi, justified cuts to funds for welfare and education for local residents by saying that "my constituents wouldn't stand for spending money on niggers."^[53]

World War II led to an expansion of federal employees in the city;^[54] by 1950, the district's population reached its peak of 802,178 residents.^[44]

The

After the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, riots broke out in the city, primarily in the U Street, 14th Street, 7th Street, and H Street corridors, which were predominantly black residential and commercial areas. The riots raged for three days until more than 13,600 federal troops and Washington, D.C., Army National Guardsmen stopped the violence. Many stores and other buildings were burned, and rebuilding from the riots was not completed until the late 1990s.^[56]

In 1973, Congress enacted the District of Columbia Home Rule Act providing for an elected mayor and 13-member council for the district.^[57] In 1975, Walter Washington became the district's first elected and first black mayor.^[58]

Since the 1980s, the D.C. statehood movement has grown in prominence. In 2016, a referendum on D.C. statehood resulted in an 85% support among Washington, D.C., voters for it to become the nation's 51st state. In March 2017, the city's congressional delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced a bill for statehood. Reintroduced in 2019 and 2021 as the Washington, D.C., Admission Act, the U.S. House of Representatives passed it in April 2021.^{[citation needed]} After not progressing in the Senate, the statehood bill was introduced again in January 2023.^[59]

Washington, D.C., is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. East Coast. The city has a total area of 68.34 square miles (177 km²), of which 61.05 square miles (158.1 km²) is land and 7.29 square miles (18.9 km²) (10.67%) is water.^[60] The district is bordered by Montgomery County, Maryland, to the northwest; Prince George's County, Maryland, to the east; Arlington County, Virginia, to the west; and Alexandria, Virginia, to the south.

The south bank of the

The district has 7,464 acres (30.21 km²) of parkland, about 19% of the city's total area, the second-highest among high-density U.S. cities after Philadelphia.^[70] The city's sizable parkland was a factor in the city being ranked as third in the nation for park access and quality in the 2018 ParkScore ranking of the park systems of the nation's 100 most populous cities, according to Trust for Public Land, a non-profit organization.^[71]

The

Washington's climate is humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), or oceanic (Trewartha: Do bordering Cf downtown).^[77][78] Winters are cool to cold with some snow of varying intensity, while summers are hot and humid. The district is in plant hardiness zone 8a near downtown, and zone 7b elsewhere in the city.^[79][80]

Summers are hot and humid with a July daily average of 79.8 °F (26.6 °C) and average daily relative humidity around 66%, which can cause moderate personal discomfort. Heat indices regularly approach 100 °F (38 °C) at the height of summer.^[81] The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area.^[82]

Blizzards affect Washington once every four to six years on average. The most violent storms, known as nor'easters, often impact large regions of the East Coast.^[83] From January 27 to 28, 1922, the city officially received 28 inches (71 cm) of snowfall, the largest snowstorm since official measurements began in 1885.^[84] According to notes kept at the time, the city received between 30 and 36 inches (76 and 91 cm) from a snowstorm in January 1772.^[85]

Hurricanes or their remnants occasionally impact the area in late summer and early fall. However, they usually are weak by the time they reach Washington, partly due to the city's inland location.^[86] Flooding of the Potomac River, however, caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and runoff, has been known to cause extensive property damage in the Georgetown neighborhood of the city.^[87] Precipitation occurs throughout the year.^[88]

The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on August 6, 1918, and on July 20, 1930.^[89] The lowest recorded temperature was −15 °F (−26 °C) on February 11, 1899, right before the Great Blizzard of 1899.^[83] During a typical year, the city averages about 37 days at or above 90 °F (32 °C) and 64 nights at or below the freezing mark (32 °F or 0 °C).^[90] On average, the first day with a minimum at or below freezing is November 18 and the last day is March 27.^[91][92]

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Washington, D.C., was a

By the early 20th century, however, L'Enfant's vision of a grand national capital was marred by slums and randomly placed buildings in the city, including a railroad station on the National Mall. Congress formed a special committee charged with beautifying Washington's ceremonial core.[51] What became known as the McMillan Plan was finalized in 1901 and included relandscaping the Capitol grounds and the National Mall, clearing slums, and establishing a new citywide park system. The plan is thought to have largely preserved L'Enfant's intended design for the city.^[98]

By law, the city's skyline is low and sprawling. The federal Height of Buildings Act of 1910 prohibits buildings with height exceeding the width of the adjacent street plus 20 feet (6.1 m).^[102] Despite popular belief, no law has ever limited buildings to the height of the United States Capitol or the 555-foot (169 m) Washington Monument,^[69] which remains the district's tallest structure. City leaders have cited the height restriction as a primary reason that the district has limited affordable housing and its metro area has suburban sprawl and traffic problems.^[102] Washington, D.C., still has a relatively high homelessness rate, despite its high living standard compared to many American cities.^[103]

Washington, D.C., is divided into

• Selection of neighborhoods in Washington, D.C.
• 
  Capitol Hill
• 
  Bloomingdale
• 
  Chinatown
• 
  Columbia Heights
• 
  Dupont Circle
• 
  Edgewood
• 
  Logan Circle
• 
  Navy Yard

The City of Washington was bordered on the north by Boundary Street (renamed

The architecture of Washington, D.C., varies greatly and is generally popular among tourists and locals. In 2007, six of the top ten buildings in the American Institute of Architects' ranking of America's Favorite Architecture were in the city:^[108] the White House, Washington National Cathedral, the Jefferson Memorial, the United States Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The neoclassical, Georgian, Gothic, and Modern styles are reflected among these six structures and many other prominent edifices in the city.^{[citation needed]}

Many of the government buildings, monuments, and museums along the

Notable contemporary residential buildings, restaurants, shops, and office buildings in the city include the Wharf on the Southwest Waterfront, Navy Yard along the Anacostia River, and CityCenterDC in Downtown. The Wharf has seen the construction of several high-rise office and residential buildings overlooking the Potomac River. Additionally, restaurants, bars, and shops have been opened at street level. Many of these buildings have a modern glass exterior and heavy curvature.^[117][118] CityCenterDC is home to Palmer Alley, a pedestrian-only walkway, and houses several apartment buildings, restaurants, and luxury-brand storefronts with streamlined glass and metal facades.^[119]

Outside Downtown D.C., architectural styles are more varied. Historic buildings are designed primarily in the

The

The

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 4,410 homeless people in Washington, D.C.^[136][137]

According to 2020 Census Bureau data, the population of Washington, D.C., was 41.4% Black or African American, 39.6% White (37.9% non-Hispanic White), 4.9%

Washington, D.C. has had a relatively large

As of 2010, there were 4,822 same-sex couples in the city, about 2% of total households, according to Williams Institute.^[144] Legislation authorizing same-sex marriage passed in 2009, and the district began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in March 2010.^[145]

Notable religious buildings in Washington, D.C.

Left to right from the top: The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; the Islamic Center of Washington; the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue; St. John's Episcopal Church

As of 2007, about one-third of Washington, D.C., residents were

As of 2010[update], more than 90% of Washington, D.C., residents had health insurance coverage, the second-highest rate in the nation. This is due in part to city programs that help provide insurance to low-income individuals who do not qualify for other types of coverage.

As of 2023, the

Between 2009 and 2016, gross domestic product per capita in Washington, D.C., consistently ranked at the very top among U.S. states.^[159] In 2016, at $160,472, its GDP per capita was almost three times greater than that of Massachusetts, which was ranked second in the nation (see List of U.S. states and territories by GDP).^[159] As of 2022^[update], the metropolitan statistical area's unemployment rate was 3.1%, ranking 171 out of the 389 metropolitan areas as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.^[160] The District of Columbia itself had an unemployment rate of 4.6% during the same time period.^[161] In 2019, Washington, D.C., had the highest median household income in the U.S. at $92,266.^[162]

According to the District's

As of July 2022, 25% of people employed in Washington, D.C., were employed by the federal government.

As the national capital, Washington, D.C. hosts about 185 foreign missions, including embassies, ambassador's residences, and international cultural centers.^[165] Many are concentrated along a stretch of Massachusetts Avenue known informally as Embassy Row.^[166] D.C. is consequently one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world; it hosts a number of internationally themed festivals and events, often in collaboration with foreign missions or delegations.^{[citation needed]} The city government maintains an Office of International Affairs to liaise with the diplomatic community and foreign delegations.^[167]

Washington, D.C., is a leading center for national and international research organizations, especially think tanks engaged in public policy.^[168] As of 2020, 8% of the country's think tanks are headquartered in the city, including many of the largest and most widely cited;^[169] these include the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Peterson Institute for International Economics, The Heritage Foundation, and Urban Institute.^[170]

D.C. is home to many non-profit organizations that engage with issues of domestic and global importance by conducting advanced research, running programs, or public advocacy. Among these organizations are the

The city is the country's primary location for international development firms, many of which contract with the D.C.-based United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. federal government's aid agency. The American Red Cross, a humanitarian agency focused on emergency relief, is also headquartered in the city.^[173]

According to statistics compiled in 2011, four of the

Tourism is the city's second-largest industry, after the federal government. In 2012, some 18.9 million visitors contributed an estimated $4.8 billion to the local economy.[177] In 2019, the city saw 24.6 million tourists, including 1.8 million from foreign countries, who collectively spent $8.15 billion during their stay.^[178] Tourism helps many of the region's other industries, such as lodging, food and beverage, entertainment, shopping, and transportation.^[178]

The city and wider Washington region has a diverse array of attractions for tourists, such as monuments, memorials, museums, sports events, and trails. Within the city, the National Mall serves as the center of the tourism industry. It is there that many of the city's museums and monuments are located. Adjacent to the mall sits the Tidal Basin, where several additional memorials and monuments lie, including the popular Jefferson Memorial. Washington Union Station is a popular tourist spot with its multitude of restaurants and shops.^{[citation needed]}

Symbols of District of Columbia

Potomac bluestone
Route marker
State quarter
Released in 2009

Washington, D.C., is a national center for the arts, home to several concert halls and theaters. The

The historic Ford's Theatre, site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, continues to function as a theatre and as a museum.^[186]

The Marine Barracks near Capitol Hill houses the United States Marine Band; founded in 1798, it is the country's oldest professional musical organization.^[187] American march composer and Washington-native John Philip Sousa led the Marine Band from 1880 until 1892.^[188] Founded in 1925, the United States Navy Band has its headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard and performs at official events and public concerts around the city.^[189]

Founded in 1950,

The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), a group of more than 65 film critics, holds an annual awards ceremony.^[195]

Columbia Records, a major music record label in the US, was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1889.^[196]: 105

The city grew into being one of America's most important music cities in the early

Washington has its own native music genre called go-go; a post-funk, percussion-driven flavor of rhythm and blues that was popularized in the late 1970s by D.C. band leader Chuck Brown.^[198]

The district is an important center for

Among the city's signature restaurants is

As of 2024, 25 restaurants (including one in Virginia, The Inn at Little Washington) have received stars in the D.C. Michelin Guide.^[214] This represents the most starred restaurants per capita for any U.S. city, and the third-most in the world.^[215] Several celebrity chefs have opened restaurants in the city, including José Andrés,^[216] Kwame Onwuachi,^[217] Gordon Ramsay,^[218][219] and previously Michel Richard.^[220]

Washington, D.C. is home to many of the country's most visited museums and some of the most visited museums in the world. In 2022, the National Museum of Natural History and the National Gallery of Art were the two most visited museums in the country. Overall, Washington had eight of the 28 most visited museums in the U.S. in 2022. That year, the National Museum of Natural History was the fifth-most-visited museum in the world; the National Gallery of Art was the eleventh.^[221]

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational foundation chartered by Congress in 1846 that maintains most of the nation's official museums and galleries in Washington, D.C. It is the world's largest research and museum complex.^[222] The U.S. government partially funds the Smithsonian, and its collections are open to the public free of charge.^[223] The Smithsonian's locations had a combined total of 30 million visits in 2013. The most visited museum is the National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall.^[224] Other Smithsonian Institution museums and galleries on the Mall include the National Air and Space Museum; the National Museum of African Art; the National Museum of American History; the National Museum of the American Indian; the Sackler and Freer galleries, which focus on Asian art and culture; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; the Arts and Industries Building; the S. Dillon Ripley Center; and the Smithsonian Institution Building, which serves as the institution's headquarters.^[225]

The

The

The

Numerous historic landmarks are located outside the

The Southwest Waterfront along the Potomac River has been redeveloped in recent years and now serves as a popular cultural center. The Wharf, as it is called, contains the city's historic Maine Avenue Fish Market. This is the oldest fish market currently in operation in the entire United States.^[250] The Wharf also has many hotels, residential buildings, restaurants, shops, parks, piers, docks and marinas, and live music venues.^[117][118]

As a result of its central role in United States history, the District of Columbia has many sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^{[citation needed]}

There are many parks, gardens, squares, and circles throughout Washington. The city has 683 parks and greenspaces, comprising almost a quarter of its land area.^[251] Consequently, 99% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.^[252] According to the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, Washington ranked first among the 100 largest U.S. cities for its public parks, based on indicators such as accessibility, the share of land reserved for parks, and the amount invested in green spaces.^[252]

There are several river islands in Washington, D.C., including Theodore Roosevelt Island in the Potomac River, which hosts the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial and a number of trails.^[256] Columbia Island, also in the Potomac, is home to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, the Navy – Merchant Marine Memorial, and a marina. Kingman Island, in the Anacostia River, is home to Langston Golf Course and a public park with trails.^[257]

Other parks, gardens, and squares include

The United States National Arboretum is a dense arboretum in Northeast D.C. filled with gardens and trails. Its most notable landmark is the National Capitol Columns monument.^[259]

Washington, D.C. is one of 13 cities in the United States with teams from the

The city's teams have won a combined 14 professional league championships over their respective histories. The Washington Commanders (named the Washington Redskins until 2020), have won two NFL Championships and three Super Bowls;^[263] D.C. United has won four;^[264] and the Washington Wizards, then named the Washington Bullets, Washington Capitals, Washington Mystics, Washington Nationals, and Washington Spirit have each won a single championship.^[265][266]

Other professional and semi-professional teams in Washington, D.C. include

Article One, Section Eight of the United States Constitution grants the United States Congress "exclusive jurisdiction" over the city. The district did not have an elected local government until the passage of the 1973 Home Rule Act. The Act devolved certain Congressional powers to an elected mayor and the thirteen-member Council of the District of Columbia. However, Congress retains the right to review and overturn laws created by the council and intervene in local affairs.^[269] Washington, D.C., is overwhelmingly Democratic, having voted for the Democratic presidential candidate solidly since it was granted electoral votes in 1964.^[270]

Each of the city's eight

Washington, D.C., observes all federal holidays and also celebrates Emancipation Day on April 16, which commemorates the end of slavery in the district.^[43] The flag of Washington, D.C., was adopted in 1938 and is a variation on George Washington's family coat of arms.^[274]

Washington, D.C., has been a member state of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) since 2015.^[275]

The idiom "Inside the Beltway" is a reference used by media to describe discussions of national political issues inside of Washington, by way of geographical demarcation regarding the region within the Capital's Beltway, Interstate 495, the city's highway loop (beltway) constructed in 1964. The phrase is used as a title for a number of political columns and news items by publications like The Washington Times.^[276]

The mayor and council set local taxes and a budget, which Congress must approve. The Government Accountability Office and other analysts have estimated that the city's high percentage of tax-exempt property and the Congressional prohibition of commuter taxes create a structural deficit in the district's local budget of anywhere between $470 million and over $1 billion per year. Congress typically provides additional grants for federal programs such as Medicaid and the operation of the local justice system; however, analysts claim that the payments do not fully resolve the imbalance.^[277][278]

The city's local government, particularly during the mayoralty of Marion Barry, has been criticized for mismanagement and waste.^[279] During his administration in 1989, Washington Monthly magazine labeled the district "the worst city government in America".^[280] In 1995, at the start of Barry's fourth term, Congress created the District of Columbia Financial Control Board to oversee all municipal spending.^[281] Mayor Anthony Williams won election in 1998 and oversaw a period of urban renewal and budget surpluses.^{[citation needed]}

The district regained control over its finances in 2001 and the oversight board's operations were suspended.^[282]

The district has a federally funded "Emergency Planning and Security Fund" to cover security related to visits by foreign leaders and diplomats, presidential inaugurations, protests, and terrorism concerns. During the Trump administration, the fund has run with a deficit. Trump's January 2017 inauguration cost the city $27 million; of that, $7 million was never repaid to the fund. Trump's 2019 Independence Day event, "A Salute to America", cost six times more than Independence Day events in past years.^[283]

Washington, D.C. is not a state and therefore has no federal voting representation in

A 2005 poll found that 78% of Americans did not know residents of Washington, D.C., have less representation in Congress than residents of the 50 states.[286] Efforts to raise awareness about the issue have included campaigns by grassroots organizations and featuring the city's unofficial motto, "End Taxation Without Representation", on D.C. vehicle license plates.^[287] There is evidence of nationwide approval for D.C. voting rights; various polls indicate that 61 to 82% of Americans believe D.C. should have voting representation in Congress.^[286][288]

Opponents to federal voting rights for Washington, D.C., propose that the Founding Fathers never intended for district residents to have a vote in Congress since the Constitution makes clear that representation must come from the states. Those opposed to making District of Columbia a state claim such a move would destroy the notion of a separate national capital and that statehood would unfairly grant Senate representation to a single city.^[289]

The city passed a law that requires shelter to be provided to everyone in need when the temperature drops below freezing.^[290] Since D.C. does not have enough shelter units available, every winter it books hotel rooms in the suburbs with an average cost around $100 for a night. According to the D.C. Department of Human Services, during the winter of 2012 the city spent $2,544,454 on putting homeless families in hotels,^[291] and budgeted $3.2 million on hotel beds in 2013.^[292]

District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), the sole public school district in the city,^[293] operates the city's 123 public schools.^[294] The number of students in DCPS steadily decreased for 39 years until 2009. In the 2010–11 school year, 46,191 students were enrolled in the public school system.^[295] DCPS has one of the highest-cost, yet lowest-performing school systems in the country, in terms of both infrastructure and student achievement.^[296] Mayor Adrian Fenty's administration made sweeping changes to the system by closing schools, replacing teachers, firing principals, and using private education firms to aid curriculum development.^[297]

The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board monitors the 52 public charter schools in the city.^[298] Due to the perceived problems with the traditional public school system, enrollment in public charter schools had by 2007 steadily increased.^[299] As of 2010, D.C., charter schools had a total enrollment of about 32,000, a 9% increase from the prior year.^[295] The district is also home to 92 private schools, which enrolled approximately 18,000 students in 2008.^[300]

The

Washington, D.C., has dozens of public and private libraries and library systems, including the District of Columbia Public Library system.^{[citation needed]} Folger Shakespeare Library, a research library and museum located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, houses the world's largest collection of material related to William Shakespeare.^[304]

The Library of Congress is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is a complex of three buildings: Thomas Jefferson Building, John Adams Building and James Madison Memorial Building, all located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The Jefferson Building houses the library's reading room, a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, Thomas Jefferson's original library, and several museum exhibits.^{[citation needed]}

The District of Columbia Public Library operates 26 neighborhood locations including the landmark Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.^[306]

Washington, D.C., is a prominent center for national and international media.

The Washington Times is a general interest daily newspaper and popular among conservatives.^[310] The alternative weekly Washington City Paper, with a circulation of 47,000, is also based in the city and has a substantial readership in the Washington area.^[311][312]

The Atlantic magazine, which has covered politics, international affairs, and cultural issues since 1857, was previously headquartered at the Watergate complex but is now headquartered in a building at the Wharf in Washington.^[313]

Several community and specialty papers focus on neighborhood and cultural issues, including the weekly

The Washington Examiner, The New Republic, and Washington Monthly.^[314] USA Today, which is the largest newspaper in the country as measured by circulation, is headquartered in nearby Tysons, Virginia.^[315][316]

2016 U.S. presidential election

The

National Public Radio (NPR), Travel Channel (in Chevy Chase, Maryland), Discovery Communications (in Silver Spring, Maryland), and PBS (in Arlington County, Virginia). The headquarters of Voice of America, the U.S. government's international news service, is near the Capitol in Southwest Washington, D.C.^[318]

The city is served by two local NPR affiliates, WAMU and WETA.^[319]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Washington, D.C.

Streets and highways

Main article: Streets and highways of Washington, D.C.

See also:

List of circles in Washington, D.C.

There are 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of streets, parkways, and avenues in the district.

Capital Beltway. A portion of the proposed highway funding was directed to the region's public transportation infrastructure instead.^[321] The interstate highways that continue into Washington, including I-66 and I-395, both terminate shortly after entering the city.^[322]

According to a 2010 study, Washington-area commuters spent 70 hours a year in traffic delays, which tied with Chicago for having the nation's worst road congestion.[323] However, 37% of Washington-area commuters take public transportation to work, the second-highest rate in the country.^[324] An additional 12% of D.C. commuters walked to work, 6% carpooled, and 3% traveled by bicycle in 2010.^[325]

Cycling

In May 2022, the city celebrated the expansion of its

bike trails.^[326] As of March 2023^[update], the city has 108 miles (174 km) of bike lanes, with 30 miles (48 km) of them protected bike lanes.^[327]

D.C. is part of the regional

bicycle sharing systems in the country. As of February 2024^[update], the program had 6,372 bicycles and 395 stations.^[328] A preceding SmartBike DC pilot program had begun in 2008.^[329]

Walkability

A 2021 study by

Washington Metropolitan Area had the eighth lowest percentage of workers who commuted by private automobile (75.7 percent), with 8 percent of area workers traveling via rail transit.^[331]

River crossings

See also: List of crossings of the Potomac River and List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.

There are multiple transportation methods to cross the city's two rivers, the

Frederick Douglass Bridge.^[332]

There are also ferries and water cruises that cross the Potomac River. One of these is the Potomac Water Taxi, operated by

National Harbor.^[333]

Rail

See also: List of railroads in Washington, D.C.

second-busiest

rapid rail system in the U.S. based on average weekday ridership, is known for its iconic vaulted ceilings

The

brutalist-style vaulted ceilings in the interior stations. It is also known for having long escalators in some of its underground stations. The longest single-tier escalator in the Western Hemisphere, spanning 230 feet (70 m), is located at Metro's Wheaton station in Maryland.^[336]

New York Penn Station and points in New England. As of 2023, Union Station is the ninth-busiest rail station in the nation and tenth-busiest in North America.^{[citation needed}

]

Maryland's

intercity bus transit center.^[338]

Although Washington, D.C. was known throughout the 19th and early- to mid-20th centuries for its streetcars, these lines were dismantled in the 1960s. In 2016, however, the city brought back a streetcar line, DC Streetcar, which is a single line system in Northeast Washington, D.C., along H Street and Benning Road, known as the H Street/Benning Road Line.^[339]

Bus

Main article: Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)

Two main public bus systems operate in Washington, D.C.

District of Columbia Department of Transportation, WMATA, and DC Surface Transit, Inc. (DCST). The bus system services each stop approximately every 10 minutes.^[342]

Many other public bus systems operate in the various jurisdictions of the Washington region outside of the city in suburban Maryland and Virginia. Among these are the Fairfax Connector in Fairfax County, Virginia; DASH in Alexandria, Virginia; and TheBus in Prince George's County, Maryland.^[343] There are also numerous commuter buses that residents of the wider Washington region take to commute into the city for work or other events. Among these are the Loudoun County Transit Commuter Bus and the Maryland Transit Administration Commuter Bus.^[344]

The city also has several bus lines used by tourists and others visiting the city, including Big Bus Tours, Old Town Trolley Tours, and DC Trails. The city also has many charter buses used in carrying young students and other tourists from across the country to the city and region's historic sites.^{[citation needed]}

Air

See also: Aviation in Washington, D.C.; List of airports serving Washington, D.C.; and List of heliports in Washington, D.C.

Three major airports serve the district, though none are within the city's borders. Two of these major airports are located in suburban

Washington-Baltimore region.^[347] Each of these three airports also serves as a hub for a major American airline: Reagan National Airport is a hub for American Airlines,^[348] Dulles is a major hub for United Airlines and Star Alliance partners,^[349] and BWI is an operating base for Southwest Airlines.^[350] In 2018, the Washington, D.C. area was the 18th-busiest airport system in the world by passenger traffic, accumulating over 74 million passengers between its three main commercial airports; by 2022 it had climbed to 13th-busiest for passenger traffic, even though passenger numbers decreased to less than 69 million.^{[citation needed}

]

The President of the United States does not use any of these airports for travel. Instead, the U.S. president typically travels by Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House to Joint Base Andrews in suburban Maryland. From there, he takes Air Force One to his destination.^[351]

Utilities

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, also known as WASA or D.C. Water, is an independent authority of the Washington, D.C., government that provides drinking water and wastewater collection in the city. WASA purchases water from the historic Washington Aqueduct, which is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The water, sourced from the Potomac River, is treated and stored in the city's Dalecarlia, Georgetown, and McMillan reservoirs. The aqueduct provides drinking water for a total of 1.1 million people in the district and Virginia, including Arlington, Falls Church, and a portion of Fairfax County.^[353] The authority also provides sewage treatment services for an additional 1.6 million people in four surrounding Maryland and Virginia counties.^[354]

Pepco is the city's electric utility and services 793,000 customers in the district and suburban Maryland.^[355] An 1889 law prohibits overhead wires within much of the historic City of Washington. As a result, all power lines and telecommunication cables are located underground in downtown Washington, and traffic signals are placed at the edge of the street.^[356] A 2013 plan would bury an additional 60 miles (97 km) of primary power lines throughout the district.^[357]

Washington Gas is the city's natural gas utility and serves more than a million customers in the district and its suburbs. Incorporated by Congress in 1848, the company installed the city's first gas lights in the Capitol, White House, and along Pennsylvania Avenue.^[358]

Crime

Main article: Crime in Washington, D.C.

See also: List of law enforcement agencies in the District of Columbia

Washington has historically endured high crime, particularly violent offenses. The city was once described as the "murder capital" of the United States during the early 1990s.

Many D.C. residents began to press the city government for refusing to prosecute nearly 70% of arrested offenders in 2022. After months of criticism, the rate of unprosecuted cases dropped to 56% by October 2023—albeit still higher than nine of the past 10 years and almost twice what it was in 2013.[366] In February 2024, the Council of the District of Columbia passed a major bill meant to reduce crime in the city by introducing harsher penalties for arrested offenders.^[367] Rising crime and gang activities contributed to some local businesses leaving the city.^[368][369]

According to a 2018 report, 67,000 residents, or about 10% of the population, are ex-convicts.^[370] An estimated 2,000–2,500 offenders return to the city from prison every year.^[371]

On June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court of the United States held in District of Columbia v. Heller that the city's 1976 handgun ban violated the right to keep and bear arms as protected under the Second Amendment.^[372] However, the ruling does not prohibit all forms of gun control; laws requiring firearm registration remain in place, as does the city's assault weapon ban.^[373]

In addition to the Metropolitan Police Department, several federal law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction in the city, including the U.S. Park Police, founded in 1791.^[374]

Washington, D.C., has fifteen official sister city agreements. Each of the listed cities is a national capital except for Sunderland, which includes the town of Washington, the ancestral home of George Washington's family.^[375] Paris and Rome are each formally recognized as a partner city due to their special one sister city policy.^[376] Listed in the order each agreement was first established, they are:

• List of people from Washington, D.C.
• Index of Washington, D.C.–related articles
• Outline of Washington, D.C.
• USS District of Columbia