Washington, the most north-western state of the American Union, lies south of British Columbia, is bounded by Idaho on the E., Oregon on the S., and borders upon the Pacific Ocean on the W. From east to west it measures about 350 miles, and its width from north to south is about 200 miles. Its area is 69,180 sq. m., of which the water-surface occupies 2300 sq. m. It ranks eighteenth in area and thirty-fourth in population of all the states and territories.
The Cascade Range (q.v.) traverses the state from north to south, forming a natural topographical division. For convenience the region between the Cascades and the Columbia River is described as Central Washington, and the portion east of the river as Eastern Washington. The summits of several of the volcanic cones are covered with perpetual snow, and the glaciers which fill their upper slopes rival in beauty the Alpine ice-rivers of Switzerland. Western Washington, which comprises about one-third of the state, is a mountainous region interspersed with numerous fertile valleys. The Coast Range to the west of the Cascades extends in broken and disorderly masses from the southern border of the state along the Pacific coast to Cape Flattery at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The mountains of this range increase in height toward the north, where they are known as the Olympic Mountains. Mount Olympus, the loftiest summit, is 8138 feet high. The coast is abrupt, except at Shoalwater Bay and Gray's Harbour, and many short and rapid streams flow down the western slopes directly into the ocean. The tide-water basin at the mouth of the Columbia River and the Chelalis valley, farther north, are the most important indentations of the coast south of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This body of water, together with the extensive inland sea known as Puget Sound, affords some of the best harbours in the world, and is of great commercial importance. Puget Sound has a coastline of more than 1000 miles, and receives the waters of numerous rivers. Central Washington is a lofty plateau region, its surface, like that of Eastern Washington, largely covered with lava and other volcanic products. It is traversed by spurs of the Cascade Mountains, and exhibits many abrupt changes of elevation. The Yakima River and other tributaries of the Columbia have carved deep valleys in the plateau. The streams are broken by falls and rapids, presenting a succession of varied and picturesque scenery. East of the Columbia the plateaus and plains are cut by the valleys of Clark's Fork and the Spokane and Snake rivers. In the north-east the surface is diversified by spurs of the Pend d'Oreille Mountains, and in the south-east the highest elevations belong to the Blue Mountains, which extend into the state from Oregon. The whole of the eastern part of the state and a portion of the region west of the Cascades are drained by the Columbia River, which for a distance of nearly 300 miles forms the boundary between this state and Oregon. In Western Washington, especially in the vicinity of Puget Sound, the winters are very mild. The rainfall is heavier than in any other portion of the United States. East of the Cascades the winters are colder and the rainfall lighter. The warm ocean current which bathes its western shores gives, however, to the whole state a climate much milder than that prevailing in sections to the east which have the same latitude. Lumbering is one of the leading pursuits. Western Washington is heavily wooded. Many of the trees are of enormous size, and in the density of their growth some of the forests are scarcely surpassed by those of the tropics. The soil is exceedingly fertile in many sections of the state. Portions of Central and Eastern Washington are well adapted for wheat-growing and grazing. There are extensive coalfields around Puget Sound, and coal-mining is an important industry. The fisheries along the coast, and the salmon-canneries on the Columbia River, are of considerable value.
Washington was first organised as a territory in 1853, with an area much greater than that of the present state. It was reduced to its present limits in 1863, and was admitted to the Union as a state in 1889. The state has thirty-six counties. Olympia, the capital, is situated at the head of Puget Sound. Seattle and Tacoma farther north on the eastern shore of Puget Sound, and Spokane Falls on the Spokane River, are the largest towns. Other places of importance are Walla Walla, Port Townsend, and Fairhaven. Pop. (1870) 23,955; (1880) 75,116; (1890) 349,390; (1900) 517,674.