You know Washington, DC as where the U.S. government is located and where the U.S. President lives in the White House.
But you may not know much about DC itself.
For instance, you may want to know what state Washington DC is located in.
But Washington, DC is not a city. So, it is not in any of the states because it is a federal district that spans over 68 square miles.
That’s what the DC stands for – District of Columbia.
Keep reading and we’ll give you all the details on Washington DC.
Is Washington, DC A U.S. Territory?
Once you know that Washington, DC is not a state and not located in a state, the confusion starts to set in.
You may wonder if DC is really just a U.S. territory – but is it?
No, Washington, DC is not a U.S. Territory because it is a federal district that was created by congress on July 16th, 1790.
Though the U.S. does have some territories, none of those territories are located within the borders of the continental United States.
And while Washington, DC is controlled by the federal government of the U.S., it is still not a U.S. territory.
What Does The DC Stand For In Washington, DC?
Now that you know that Washington, DC is not located in any of the U.S. states, and that it is not a U.S. territory, you likely have another question.
The DC – what the heck does that abbreviation stand for in Washington, DC?
The DC in Washington, DC stands for District of Columbia.
So, why does it also have the name Washington in it when it could just go by District of Columbia?
Because our founding fathers wanted to name the district after both George Washington and Christopher Columbus.
Why Was Washington, DC Established?
With all of the cities located nearby and surrounding Washington, DC, you might be curious as to why the founding fathers even founded and established Washington, DC as its own district.
Washington, DC was founded for one purpose – to be the nation’s capital.
George Washington himself selected the location for Washington, DC and the city was designed by Pierre Charles L’Enfant.
Washington, DC was never intended to be a state, territory, or anything else. It was always just supposed to be the location of the the nation’s capital.
Which States Border Washington, DC?
Since you know that Washington, DC is not located in any of the states, then you may want to know which states surround Washington, DC’s borders.
There are only two states that touch the borders of Washington, DC.
The states that border Washington, DC are Virginia and Maryland.
And the Potomac River runs through Washington, DC.
Does Washington, DC Have A Capital?
While Washington, DC is its own distinct district, there is no capital of the area because it is not a state.
Only U.S. states have capitals.
However, Washington, DC does have its own mayor and its own public services, including its own police force.
There are also hundreds of thousands of people who call Washington, DC and who are considered residents of Washington, DC.
And I know what you’re thinking next – since all of these people live in Washington, DC and it is not a state, are the residents of Washington, DC allowed to vote in federal elections?
Yes, residents of Washington, DC are allowed to vote in Federal elections, but they did not get that right until 1961.
Will Washington, DC Become A State?
Though Washington, DC has always been just a federal district, there have been attempts in the past to give DC statehood.
The residents of Washington, DC have overwhelmingly voted to petition for statehood, but it is not up to them.
No one really knows if we’ll ever see Washington, DC becoming a full-fledged state or not.
Final Word
As you can see, Washington, DC is more than just a state. In fact, it’s not a state at all.
Washington, DC was never created to be a state, though who knows if it was intended to have residents like it does today.
Either way, it’s a cool place to visit if you’ve never been to the nation’s capital.