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WAWashington Map
Washington on the US map
Washington sits in the West region of the United States — specifically the pacific subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #18 of 50, Washington is mid-sized for the United States. The map above highlights Washington in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.
Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where Washington is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.
Capital and largest city
The capital of Washington is Olympia. The largest city by population, however, is Seattle — not Olympia. This pattern (capital ≠ largest city) holds for about 33 of the 50 US states, including most of the famous mismatches like California (Sacramento, not LA), Florida (Tallahassee, not Miami), and New York (Albany, not NYC).
The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.
Borders and neighbors
Washington shares land borders with 2 other US states: Idaho, Oregon. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.
Washington also shares an international border with Canada — part of the 5,525-mile US-Canada border, the longest international border in the world.
Geographic features at a glance
- Total area rank: #18 of 50
- Population: 5 to 10 million
- Coastline: pacific
- Mountain ranges: cascades
- Time zone: Pacific
- Region: West — pacific subregion
Major highways and transportation
Washington is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). Major airports serve Seattle and Olympia, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of Washington to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.
Washington notable firsts
- Washington has a unique place among the 50 states — discoverable across its geography, history, and culture
🌟 Washington trivia
- Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft are all HQ'd in Washington — Pike Place, Seattle, Redmond respectively.
- The state grows over 2/3 of US apples and is the leading producer of cherries, raspberries, and pears.
- Mt. Rainier (14,411 ft) is technically an active volcano — last eruption was in 1894.
- Olympic National Park contains three distinct ecosystems (rainforest, alpine, coast) within a single park.
Washington vs similar states
How does Washington compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?
| State | Capital | Pop | Area rank | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Olympia | 5 to 10 million | #18 | 1889 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | 5 to 10 million | #6 | 1912 |
| Colorado | Denver | 5 to 10 million | #8 | 1876 |
| Idaho | Boise | 1 to 5 million | #14 | 1890 |
Bordering states (2)
Washington shares borders with 2 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.
Practice US geography daily — free
Statedoku is a 3×3 daily geography puzzle. Washington appears as an answer or constraint clue on most days that match its region, borders, time zone, or quirks. Five minutes a day.
Play today's puzzle →Similar states to Washington
If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share Washington's region (West) and similar size category: