Washington

About Washington

It should not be confused with the state of Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest. To avoid confusion the state may be called Washington State. The District of Columbia is a federal district as specified by the United States Constitution with limited—and sometimes contentious—local rule. Similar to the position of the 13 American colonies under the British Parliament, the District is ruled "in all cases whatsoever" by the US national legislature, while nevertheless going unrepresented in that body. The land was taken from both the states of Virginia and Maryland, though only the Maryland portion remains part of the district. The population of the District of Columbia, as of 2003 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, is 563,384. If Washington, D.C. were considered as a state, it would rank last in area behind Rhode Island, and 50th in population ahead of only Wyoming.

The centers of all three branches of the U.S. federal government are in Washington, as well as the headquarters of most federal agencies. Washington also serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Organization of American States, among other international (and national) institutions. All of this has made Washington the frequent focal point of massive political demonstrations and protests, particularly on the National Mall. Washington is also the site of numerous national landmarks, museums, and sports teams, and is a popular destination for tourists.

"Washington" or "Washington, D.C."' is also used as a metonym for the federal government. Politicians and candidates for office sometimes use these terms pejoratively to convey a sense of solidarity with their constituents by distancing themselves from the negative image of an out-of-touch centralized government.

Several major companies are based in Washington, including the Carlyle Group and Marriott International, Inc. America Online and Orbital Sciences Corporation are based in nearby Dulles, Virginia. MCI is based in nearby Ashburn, Virginia. Nextel and Unisys are based in Reston, Virginia. US Airways is based in Arlington County, Virginia. Colgan Air is based in (not quite so) nearby Manassas, Virginia. Lockheed Martin is based in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Alhurra is based in Springfield, Virginia. Independence Air is based at nearby Dulles International Airport. The Gannett Company, a media conglomerate that publishes USA Today, is based in McLean in Fairfax County, Virginia.

The American genomics industry is largely centered around the Maryland suburbs of Washington. Prominent players are Celera, The Institute for Genomic Research (also known as "TIGR"), and Human Genome Sciences (all of which are in the city of Rockville, Maryland).

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Opera, the Washington Ballet, and other musical and stage performances. Notable local music clubs include Madam's Organ Blues Bar in Adams Morgan, and the Black Cat, the 9:30 Club, and the historic Bohemian Caverns jazz club, all in the U Street NW area.

The only native DC music genre is go-go, a post-funk, percussion-driven flavor of R&B that blends live sets with relentless dance rhythms (that "go and go and go.") The most accomplished practitioner of go-go was DC bandleader Chuck Brown, who brought go-go to the brink of national recognition with his 1979 LP Bustin' Loose.

Washington was also an important center in the genesis of punk rock in the United States. Punk bands of note from Washington include Fugazi, Bad Brains, and Minor Threat. Native Washingtonians continue to support punk bands, long after the punk movement's peak in popularity. The region also has a storied indie rock history and was home to TeenBeat and Simple Machines, among other indie record labels. DC has also historically been a center for bluegrass.

Washington is home to several professional sports teams: the MLS D.C. United, the NHL Washington Capitals, the WNBA Washington Mystics, the NBA Washington Wizards, and the MLB Washington Nationals. Washington also hosts the annual Legg Mason Tennis Classic tennis tournament.

Other professional and semi-professional teams based in DC include the USAFL Baltimore Washington Eagles, the NWFA D.C. Divas, the Minor League Football DC Explosion, and the Washington Cricket League. It was also home to the WUSA Washington Freedom, and, during the 2000–2002 NLL seasons, the Washington Power was based in the city.

The NFL Washington Redskins formerly played at R.F.K. Stadium in the District, but, although still named for the city, are now based at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. On September 29, 2004, Major League Baseball announced plans to relocate the Montreal Expos to Washington for the 2005 season; on November 22, a new name was announced for the team — the Washington Nationals. A very public back-and-forth between the city council and MLB threatened to scuttle the agreement until December 21, when a plan for a new stadium in Southeast DC was finalized. The Nationals will play at R.F.K. Stadium for the 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons, with the new stadium slated to be ready for 2008. The market is also home to many fans of the Baltimore Orioles whose owner opposed the move of the Expos to DC.

There were two Major League Baseball teams named the Washington Senators in the early and mid-20th century, which left to become respectively the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers. In the 19th century, the town was home to teams called the Washington Nationals, Washington Statesmen, and Washington Senators on and off from the 1870s to the turn of the century. Washington was also home to several Negro League teams, including the Homestead Grays, Washington Black Senators, Washington Elite Giants, Washington Pilots, and Washington Potomacs.

The MCI Center in Chinatown, home to the Capitals, Mystics, Wizards, and the Georgetown Hoyas, is also a major venue for concerts, WWE professional wrestling, and other events.

Landmarks and museums
Blair House
Catholic University of America, whose grounds house the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Corcoran Museum of Art
Albert Einstein Memorial
Folger Shakespeare Library
Ford's Theatre
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
International Spy Museum
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Library of Congress
Lincoln Memorial
National Archives
National Building Museum
National Gallery of Art
National Mall
National Museum of Women in the Arts
National World War II Memorial
Old Post Office Building
The Phillips Collection
Smithsonian Institution, a collection of museums including:
American Art Museum
Anacostia Museum
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Hirshhorn Museum
National Air and Space Museum
National Museum of American History
National Museum of the American Indian
National Museum of Natural History
National Portrait Gallery
National Postal Museum
National Zoo
Theodore Roosevelt Island
United States Capitol
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Washington Monument
Washington National Cathedral
White House