20+ Differences Between Washington And Washington DC (Explained)

Washington and Washington, DC, are the two parts of the United States of America (USA). Washington is a state in the USA with Olympia as its capital, situated on the western coast of the USA.

It has its neighbors, namely Idaho state in the east, the Pacific Ocean in the west, and Oregon state in the south. Washington, DC, on the other hand, is a city and the capital of the USA.

The “DC” in “Washington DC” means the District of Columbia. It is situated on the eastern coast of the USA and has Maryland state as its neighbors in the north, east & west, and Virginia in the south. 

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Key Differences –

Washington –

  1. Washington is a state in the United States of America (USA) with Olympia as its capital.
  2. Washington is situated on the western coast of the USA. 
  3. Neighbors of Washington state include Idaho, Oregon, and the Pacific Ocean. 
  4. Washington has an area of 71,298 sq. miles or 184,661 sq. km. 
  5. Washington has a population of 7,705,281. 

Washington DC –

  1. Washington DC is the capital of the United States of America, with “DC” meaning the District of Columbia. 
  2. Washington DC is situated on the eastern coast of the USA. 
  3. Neighbors of Washington DC include Maryland and Virginia. 
  4. Washington DC has an area of 176 sq. miles or 68 sq. km. 
  5. Washington, DC, has a population of 689,545. 

Comparison Between Washington And Washington DC

ParameterWashingtonWashington DC
AreaThe state of Washington has an area of 71,298 sq. miles. or 184,661 sq. kms.The District of Washington DC has an area of 176 sq. miles or 68 sq. kms.
PopulationWashington has a population of 689,545.Washington, DC, has a population of 689,545.
Time ZoneWashington falls under the Pacific Time Zone, which is UTC – 8.Washington DC falls under the Eastern Time Zone, which is UTC – 5.
Named AfterWashington is named after George Washington.Washington, DC is named after George Washington and Christopher Columbus.
Congress RepresentationWashington does have Congress Representation.Washington DC does not have the Congress Representation
Popular places/ persons.Bill Gates belongs to Washington.The White House and the National Geographic Society are situated in DC.

Major Differences Between Washington And Washington DC

What exactly is Washington?

Washington is a state situated on the western coast of the USA. It is surrounded by the states of Idaho & Oregon and the Pacific Ocean. Its capital is Olympia, and it has an area of 71,298 sq. miles. It has a population of 7,705,281. 

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Facts about Washington –

  1. Washington is named after the first president of the US, i.e., George Washington. 
  2. Half of Washington’s area is covered with forests, and because of it, it is also known as the “Evergreen State.”
  3. A major amount of Timber and Plywood in the USA comes from Washington. 
  4. The former richest man in the world, Bill Gates, belongs to Washington. 
  5. Washington follows the Pacific Time Zone. 

What exactly is Washington, DC?

Washington DC is a district in the USA which is also the capital of the United States of America. The DC in Washington DC means “District of “Columbia.”

It is surrounded by the states of Maryland and Virginia. It has an area of 176 sq. miles or 68 sq. km, with a population of 689,475. 

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Facts about Washington DC –

  1. Washington, DC, is neither a city nor a state. 
  2. Washington, DC, is named after two people, namely George Washington and Christopher Columbus. 
  3. The White House is situated in Washington, DC.
  4. Washington DC does not have congressional representation. 
  5. The famous Washington DC society has belonged to Washington DC since 1888. 
  6. Washington DC follows the Eastern Pacific Zone. 

The Contrast Between Washington And Washington DC

Named After

I/C – Picture of George Washington and Christopher Columbus.

Washington – Washington is named after the first president of the USA, George Washington.

Washington DC – Washington DC is named after George Washington and Christopher Columbus.

Situated In

  • Washington – Washington is situated on the western coast of the USA.
  • Washington DC – Washington DC is situated on the eastern coast of the USA. 

Neighbors

  • Washington – The neighbors of Washington include Idaho, Oregon, and the Pacific Ocean. 
  • Washington DC – The neighbors of Washington DC include Maryland and Virginia.

Capital

  • Washington – Olympia is the capital of the state of Washington. 
  • Washington DC – Washington DC does not have any capital as it’s a district. 

Time Zone

  • Washington – Washington follows Pacific Time Zone, i.e., Coordinated Universal Time – 8 hours or UTC – 8
  • Washington DC – Washington DC follows the Eastern Pacific Zone, i.e., Coordinated Universal Time – 5 hours or UTC – 5. 

Congress Representation

  • Washington – The state of Washington does have Congress Representation. 
  • Washington DC – Washington DC does not have Congress Representation. 

Area

  • Washington – Washington has more area than Washington DC, i.e., 71,298 sq. miles or 184,661 sq. km. 
  • Washington DC – Washington DC has a lesser area than Washington State, i.e., 176 sq. miles or 68 sq. k

Population

  • Washington – Washington has more population than Washington, DC, i.e., 7,705,281.
  • Washington DC – Washington DC has less population than Washington, i.e., 689,475.

Popular Places

  • Washington – Some of the popular places in Washington DC include Olympic National Park, San Juan Islands, Seattle Downtown, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, etc. 
  • Washington DC – Some of the popular places in Washington DC include The White House, Washington Monument, National Air and Space Museum, Library of Congress, Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin, National Zoological Park, etc. 

Conclusion

Washington and Washington, DC, are two locations that often confuse people. Washington and Washington, DC, are part of the United States of America.

The major difference that lies between these two locations is that the former is a state in the USA while the latter is a federal district and the capital of the USA.

Washington lies on the western coast, and Washington, DC lies on the eastern coast. Another difference between these two is that Washington falls under the Pacific Time zone while Washington DC falls under the Eastern Time Zone. 


(FAQs) Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why do Washington and Washington, DC fall under different time zones?

There are different time zones on the Earth, and they are determined with the help of an imaginary line called longitude.

Washington and Washington DC fall under different time zones because they are determined as so with the help of longitude. 

Q2. In which state does Washington DC lie?

One would be surprised to know this, but Washington, DC, does not belong to any state. It is a federal district as the “DC” means “District of Columbia.”

Q3. What are the major differences between Washington and Washington, DC?

The major differences between Washington and Washington DC are –

1. Washington is a state, and Washington DC is a district.
2. Washington has congress representation; Washington DC does not. 
3. Washington lies on the western coast, and Washington, DC lies on the eastern coast.


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