abbreviation for the District of Columbia, the federal district coextensive with the
city of Washington. The city is named after George Washington, military leader of
the American Revolution and the first President of the United States. Columbia in
this context refers to Christopher Columbus.
The city is commonly referred to as The District or simply Washington. Historically,
it was called the Federal City or Washington City. To avoid confusion with the state
of Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest, the city is often called simply
D.C..
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. Washington is the frequent
location of political demonstrations and protests, large and small, particularly on
the National Mall. Furthermore, Washington is a popular destination for tourists,
the site of numerous national landmarks and monuments. It is a major American
cultural center, with a number of important museums, galleries, performing arts
centers and institutions, and native music scenes.
The District of Columbia and the city of Washington are governed by a single
municipal government, and for most practical purposes, are considered to be the same
entity. This has not always been the case. Until 1871, when Georgetown ceased to be
a separate city, there were multiple jurisdictions within the District.[3] Although
there is a municipal government and a mayor, Congress has the supreme authority over
the city and district, which results in citizens having less self-governance than
residents of the states. In addition to lacking full self-governance, the residents
of the District also lack voting representation in Congress, despite being required
to pay federal income tax.
The population of the District of Columbia, as of 2006 United States Census Bureau
estimates, is 581,530 persons.[1] 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 gross state
product