Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. "D.C." is an abbreviation for the District of Columbia, the federal district coextensive with the city of Washington. Washington is surrounded by the states of Maryland (on its southeast, northeast and northwest sides) and Virginia (on its western side); According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 68.3 square miles. The population of the District of Columbia, as of 2006 United States Census Bureau estimates, is 581,530 persons. The Washington Metropolitan Area is the eighth largest in the United States with more than five million residents, and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area has a population exceeding eight million. If Washington, D.C. were a state, it would rank last in area behind Rhode Island, 50th in population ahead of Wyoming, first in population density, and 35th in product. The centers of all three branches of the U.S. federal government are in the District. It also serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and other national and international institutions. ...more

Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. "D.C." is an abbreviation for the District of Columbia, the federal district coextensive with the city of Washington. Washington is surrounded by the states of Maryland (on its southeast, northeast and northwest sides) and Virginia (on its western side); According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 68.3 square miles. The population of the District of Columbia, as of 2006 United States Census Bureau estimates, is 581,530 persons. The Washington Metropolitan Area is the eighth largest in the United States with more than five million residents, and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area has a population exceeding eight million. If Washington, D.C. were a state, it would rank last in area behind Rhode Island, 50th in population ahead of Wyoming, first in population density, and 35th in product. The centers of all three branches of the U.S. federal government are in the District. It also serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and other national and international institutions.
The climate of the nation's capital is characterized by chilly, damp winters and hot, humid summers. The normal daily mean temperature is 58°F, ranging from 35°F in January to 80°F in July. The record low, –15°F, was set on 11 February 1899; the all-time high, 106°F, on 20 July 1930. Precipitation averaged 39.4 in yearly during 1971–2000; snowfall, 17 in.
Washington is home to numerous national landmarks and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. The National Mall is a large, open area in the center of the city featuring many monuments to American leaders; it also serves to connect the White House and the United States Capitol buildings. Located prominently in the center of the Mall is the Washington Monument. Other notable points of interest near the Mall include the Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, District of Columbia War Memorial, Albert Einstein Memorial, and United States Navy Memorial.

... less