List of bus transit systems in the United States
Virginia
Table:
System	Locale	Major city ( s )

Arlington Transit	Arlington County	Arlington

CUE Bus	Fairfax , George Mason University	Fairfax

Charlottesville Area Transit	Albemarle County	Charlottesville

DASH	Alexandria	Alexandria

Fairfax Connector	Fairfax County	Fairfax

Greater Richmond Transit Company	Richmond	Richmond

Hampton Roads Transit	Cities of Chesapeake , Hampton , Newport News , Norfolk , Portsmouth , Suffolk , and Virginia Beach

Metrobus	Washington Metropolitan Area	Washington , D.C

From the provided table plus the context snippets provided.

State the answer to the question: What is the system whose locale is considered to be the second-largest `` principal city '' of the Washington metropolitan area ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

Arlington Transit ( ART ) is a bus transit system that operates in Arlington County , Virginia , and is managed by the county government . The bus system provides service within Arlington County , and connects to Metrobus , nearby Metrorail stations , Virginia Railway Express , and other local bus systems . Most ART routes serve to connect county neighborhoods to local Metrorail stations , as well as the Shirlington Bus Station during morning and evening peak periods . It includes part of the Pike Ride service along Columbia Pike , which is shared with WMATA . ART is operated by National Express Transit Corporation and currently operates 81 buses . ART provides a fixed-route bus service within Arlington County on sixteen routes and carries almost three million passengers annually . As part of the Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emission project ( AIRE ) , the entire ART bus fleet runs on clean-burning Compressed Natural Gas in order to be environmentally friendly in Arlington County . ARTs purpose is to supplement the regional rail and bus service provided by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ( WMATA ) , providing local bus service , and connecting to neighborhoods , businesses , and departments within Arlington County .
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia , often referred to simply as Arlington or Arlington , Virginia . The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia , of which it was once a part . The county is coterminous with the U.S. Census Bureau 's census-designated place of Arlington . Arlington is considered to be the second-largest principal city of the Washington metropolitan area . In 2018 , the county 's population was estimated at 237,521 , making Arlington the sixth-largest county in Virginia by population ; if it were incorporated as a city , would be the fourth-most populous city in the state . With a land area of 26 square miles ( 67 km2 ) , Arlington is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the U.S. , and by reason of state law regarding population density , it has no incorporated towns within its borders . It is the 5th highest-income county in the U.S. by median family income . Due to the county 's proximity to downtown Washington , D.C. , Arlington is home to the Pentagon , Reagan National Airport , and Arlington National Cemetery . In academia , the county contains George Mason University 's Antonin Scalia Law School , the administrative offices buildings and graduate programs for the Schar School of Policy and Government and School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution , as well as satellite campuses of the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech . It will soon house the co-headquarters of Amazon.com , Inc .
CUE Bus ( City-University-Energysaver ) is a bus service operated by the City of Fairfax , Virginia , and is completely separate from the Fairfax Connector bus service run by Fairfax County .
The City of Fairfax ( /ˈfɛərfæks/ FAIR-faks ) , colloquially known as Fairfax City , Downtown Fairfax , Old Town Fairfax , or Fairfax Courthouse , is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States . As of the 2010 census the population was 22,565 , which had risen to an estimated 24,574 as of 2018 . The City of Fairfax is an enclave surrounded by the separate political entity Fairfax County . Fairfax City also contains an exclave of Fairfax County , the Fairfax County Court Complex . The City of Fairfax and the area immediately surrounding the historical border of the City of Fairfax , collectively designated by Fairfax County as Fairfax , comprise the county seat of Fairfax County . The city is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria , DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as a part of Northern Virginia . The city is 17 miles ( 27 km ) west of Washington , D.C . The Washington Metro 's Orange Line serves Fairfax through its Vienna station , which is a mile northeast of the city limits . CUE Bus and Metrobus operate in Fairfax . Virginia Railway Express 's Burke Centre station is situated three miles southeast of the city 's boundaries . Virginia 's largest public educational institution with 35,189 students in 2017 is George Mason University , which is located in unincorporated Fairfax County , along the city 's southern border while still having a City of Fairfax address and sharing the same public transportation system .
George Mason University ( GMU , Mason , or George Mason ) is a public research university located on the Fairfax City-Fairfax County border in Virginia . In 1956 , the Commonwealth of Virginia authorized the establishment of a Northern Virginia branch of the University of Virginia and the institution that is now named George Mason University opened in September of 1957 . It became an independent institution in 1972 . It has since grown to become the largest four-year public university in the Commonwealth of Virginia . The university is named after the founding father George Mason , a Virginia planter and politician who authored the Virginia Declaration of Rights that later influenced the future Bill of Right of the United States Constitution . Mason operates four campuses in Virginia ( Fairfax , Arlington , Front Royal , and Prince William ) , as well as a fifth campus in South Korea . The university is classified among R1 : Doctoral Universities - Very high research activity . The university is particularly well known in the fields of economics and law and economics . Two Mason economics professors have won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics : James M. Buchanan in 1986 and Vernon L. Smith in 2002 . EagleBank Arena ( formerly the Patriot Center ) , a 10,000-seat arena and concert venue operated by the university , is located on the main Fairfax campus . The university recognizes 500 student groups as well as 41 fraternities and sororities .
Charlottesville Area Transit ( formerly Charlottesville Transit Service ) is the provider of mass transportation in Charlottesville , Virginia . The organization was formed in 1975 when the city bought out Yellow Transit Company , which held a private monopoly on city busing . In 1999 , the agency took a big leap in terms of providing better service and gaining more ridership , as it established a free shuttle route ( which is officially called a trolley , using green-painted trolley-style buses ) connected downtown with the University of Virginia . In 2007 , the University Transit Service and Charlottesville Area Transit entered into an open ridership agreement that allows UVA students , faculty , and staff ride CAT for free by showing a valid UVA ID card . Eleven routes are offered Monday through Saturday from the early morning until the late evening . Sunday service is only available on the Free Trolley and Routes 2 , 9 , and 12 .
Albemarle County is a county located in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia . Its county seat is Charlottesville , which is an independent city and enclave entirely surrounded by the county . Albemarle County is part of the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2010 census , the population was 98,970 , in 2018 , it was estimated at 108,718 . Albemarle County was created in 1744 from the western portion of Goochland County , though portions of Albemarle were later carved out to create other counties . Albemarle County was named in honor of Willem Anne van Keppel , 2nd Earl of Albemarle . However , its most famous inhabitant was Thomas Jefferson , who built his estate home , Monticello , in the county .
Charlottesville , colloquially known as C'ville and officially named the City of Charlottesville , is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia . It is the county seat of Albemarle County , which surrounds the city , though the two are separate legal entities . It is named after the British Queen consort ( and Electress of Hanover ) Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , who as the wife of George III was Virginia 's last Queen . In 2018 , an estimated 48,117 people lived within the city limits . The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Charlottesville with Albemarle County for statistical purposes , bringing its population to approximately 150,000 . Charlottesville is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area , which includes Albemarle , Buckingham , Fluvanna , Greene , and Nelson counties . Charlottesville was the home of two Presidents , Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe . During their terms as Governor of Virginia , they lived in Charlottesville , and traveled to and from Richmond , along the 71-mile ( 114 km ) historic Three Notch 'd Road . Orange , located 26 miles ( 42 km ) northeast of the city , was the hometown of President James Madison . The University of Virginia , founded by Jefferson and one of the original Public Ivies , straddles the city 's southwestern border . Monticello , 3 miles ( 4.8 km ) southeast of the city , is , along with the University of Virginia , a UNESCO World Heritage Site , attracting thousands of tourists every year .
Driving Alexandria Safely Home ( DASH ) is the public bus system for the city of Alexandria , Virginia , operated by the Alexandria Transit Company . The Alexandria Transit Company 's DASH system provides safe , reliable , and courteous bus service within the City of Alexandria , and connects with Metrobus , Metrorail , Virginia Railway Express , and all local bus systems . DASH serves all of the Alexandria Metrorail Stations and the Pentagon Metrorail station during morning and evening peak periods . Alexandria Transit Company ( ATC ) is a non-profit service corporation wholly owned by the City of Alexandria and currently operates 124 buses , which also consists of the King Street Trolleys . ATC provides a fixed-route bus service within the City of Alexandria on nine routes and carries more than four million passengers annually . ATC operates transit services within portions of the City of Alexandria and between the City and the Pentagon Metrorail Station . ATC 's purpose is to supplement the regional rail and bus service provided by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ( WMATA ) and to provide a local bus service to the City of Alexandria .
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States . As of the 2010 census , the population was 139,966 , and in 2018 , the population was estimated to be 160,530 . Located along the western bank of the Potomac River , Alexandria is approximately 7 miles ( 11 km ) south of downtown Washington , D.C. Like the rest of Northern Virginia , as well as Central Maryland , modern Alexandria has been influenced by its proximity to the U.S. capital . It is largely populated by professionals working in the federal civil service , in the U.S. military , or for one of the many private companies which contract to provide services to the federal government . One of Alexandria 's largest employers is the U.S. Department of Defense . Another is the Institute for Defense Analyses . In 2005 , the United States Patent and Trademark Office moved to Alexandria , and in 2017 , so did the headquarters of the National Science Foundation . The historic center of Alexandria is known as Old Town . With its concentration of boutiques , restaurants , antique shops and theaters , it is a major draw for all who live in Alexandria as well for visitors . Like Old Town , many Alexandria neighborhoods are compact and walkable . It is the 7th largest and highest-income independent city in Virginia . A large portion of adjacent Fairfax County , mostly south but also west of the city , is also referred to as Alexandria , and has Alexandria , Virginia , mailing addresses , but it is under the jurisdiction of Fairfax County 's government and separate from the independent city .
Fairfax Connector is a public bus service provided by Fairfax County , Virginia , United States , and is managed by the county government . The bus system provides service within Fairfax County , and connects to Metrobus , Metrorail stations , Virginia Railway Express , and other local bus systems . Fairfax Connector serves all of Fairfax Metrorail Stations , the city of Alexandria , the city of Fairfax , the Washington Dulles International Airport , and the Pentagon Metrorail station during morning and evening peak periods . Fairfax Connector , or simply The Connector , is operated under contract by Transdev , and is the third largest bus fleet in the D.C. area . The Connector provides a fixed-route bus service within Fairfax County on 93 routes and carries about nine million passengers annually . The Connector 's goals is to supplement the regional rail and bus service provided by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ( WMATA ) , providing reliable local bus service , and to improves the safety of the community of Fairfax County .
Fairfax County , officially the County of Fairfax is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States . Part of Northern Virginia , Fairfax County borders both the City of Alexandria and Arlington County and forms part of the suburban ring of Washington , D.C . The county is thus predominantly suburban in character , with some urban and rural pockets . As of the 2010 census , the population was 1,081,726 , in 2018 , it was estimated at 1,150,795 , making it the Commonwealth 's most populous jurisdiction , with around 13% of Virginia 's population . The county is also the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria , DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area , with around 20% of the MSA population , as well as the larger Washington-Baltimore-Arlington , DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area , with around 13% of the CSA population . The county seat is the City of Fairfax , though because it is an independent city under Virginia law , the city of Fairfax is not part of Fairfax County . Fairfax was the first U.S. county to reach a six-figure median household income and has the second-highest median household income of any county-level local jurisdiction in the United States after neighbor Loudoun County . The county is home to the headquarters of intelligence agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency , National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency , and National Reconnaissance Office , as well as the National Counterterrorism Center and Office of the Director of National Intelligence . The county is also home to seven Fortune 500 companies , including three with Falls Church addresses ; although Falls Church is its own independent municipality .
The Greater Richmond Transit Company , known locally as GRTC Transit System , is a local government-owned public service company which operates an urban-suburban bus line based in Richmond , Virginia . GRTC primarily serves the independent city of Richmond and a very small portion of the adjacent counties of Henrico , Hanover , and Chesterfield with a fleet of over 175 diesel-powered and CNG-powered transit buses operating approximately 46 routes . GRTC uses government-funded equipment and resources principally provided by the Federal Transit Administration ( FTA ) , Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation ( VDRPT ) , and local funds . It also maintains equipment and has other affiliations with Petersburg Area Transit , a similar agency which also serves a portion of Chesterfield County .
Richmond ( /ˈrɪtʃmənd/ ) is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Virginia . It is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) and the Greater Richmond Region . Richmond was incorporated in 1742 and has been an independent city since 1871 . As of the 2010 census , the city 's population was 204,214 ; in 2018 , the population was estimated to be 228,783 , making Richmond the fourth-most populous city in Virginia . The Richmond Metropolitan Area has a population of 1,260,029 , the third-most populous metro in the state . Richmond is at the fall line of the James River , 44 miles ( 71 km ) west of Williamsburg , 66 miles ( 106 km ) east of Charlottesville , 91 miles ( 146 km ) east of Lynchburg and 92 miles ( 148 km ) south of Washington , D.C . Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties , the city is at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 and encircled by Interstate 295 , Virginia State Route 150 and Virginia State Route 288 . Major suburbs include Midlothian to the southwest , Chesterfield to the south , Varina to the southeast , Sandston to the east , Glen Allen to the north and west , Short Pump to the west and Mechanicsville to the northeast . The site of Richmond had been an important village of the Powhatan Confederacy , and was briefly settled by English colonists from Jamestown from 1609 to 1611 . The present city of Richmond was founded in 1737 . It became the capital of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia in 1780 , replacing Williamsburg . During the Revolutionary War period , several notable events occurred in the city , including Patrick Henry 's Give me liberty or give me death speech in 1775 at St. John 's Church , and the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom written by Thomas Jefferson .
Hampton Roads Transit ( HRT ) , incorporated on October 1 , 1999 , began through the voluntary merger of PENTRAN ( Peninsula Transportation District Commission ) on the Virginia Peninsula and TRT ( Tidewater Regional Transit a.k.a . Tidewater Transit District Commission ) in South Hampton Roads and currently serves over 22 million annual passengers within its 369-square-mile ( 960 km2 ) service area around Hampton Roads . The purpose of the HRT is to provide reliable and efficient transportation service and facilities to the Hampton Roads community . Hampton Roads is located in southeastern Virginia . The Hampton Roads metropolitan area has a population of 1.6 million . Its service area consists of the cities of Norfolk , Virginia Beach , Chesapeake , Portsmouth , Hampton , Newport News , Williamsburg ( Colonial Williamsburg ) and the town of Smithfield . The entire service area population is 1.3 million . HRT also serves the area 's major college campuses of Christopher Newport University , Hampton University , Norfolk State University , Old Dominion University , Thomas Nelson Community College , and Tidewater Community College .
Chesapeake is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia . As of the 2010 census , the population was 222,209 ; in 2018 , the population was estimated to be 242,634 , making it the third-most populous city in Virginia . Chesapeake is included in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News , VA-NC MSA . One of the cities in the South Hampton Roads , Chesapeake was organized in 1963 by voter referendums approving the political consolidation of the city of South Norfolk with the remnants of the former Norfolk County , which dated to 1691 . ( Much of the territory of the county had been annexed by other cities . ) Chesapeake is the second-largest city by land area in the Commonwealth of Virginia , and the 17th-largest in the United States . Chesapeake is a diverse city in which a few urban areas are located ; it also has many square miles of protected farmland , forests , and wetlands , including a substantial portion of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge . Extending from the rural border with North Carolina to the harbor area of Hampton Roads adjacent to the cities of Norfolk , Portsmouth , Suffolk , and Virginia Beach , Chesapeake is located on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway . It has miles of waterfront industrial , commercial and residential property . In 2011 , Chesapeake was named the 21st best city in the United States by Bloomberg Businessweek . Chesapeake is home to the international Headquarters for Dollar Tree .
Hampton is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States . As of the 2010 census , the population was 137,438 . As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area , it is on the southeastern side of the Virginia Peninsula . Hampton traces its history to the city 's Old Point Comfort , the home of Fort Monroe for almost 400 years , which was named by the 1607 voyagers , led by Captain Christopher Newport , who first established Jamestown as an English colonial settlement . Since consolidation in 1952 , Hampton has included the former Elizabeth City County and the incorporated town of Phoebus , consolidated by a mutual agreement . After the end of the American Civil War , historic Hampton University was established opposite from the town on the Hampton River , providing an education for many newly-freed former slaves and for area Native Americans . In the 20th century , the area became the location of Langley Air Force Base , NASA Langley Research Center , and the Virginia Air and Space Center . Hampton features many miles of waterfront and beaches . The city features a wide array of business and industrial enterprises , retail and residential areas , and historical sites . The new Peninsula Town Center development opened in May 2010 on the site of the former Coliseum Mall . Located in the area adjacent to the Hampton Coliseum and the Convention Center , the new urbanism-type project features a wide mix of retail stores , housing and other attractions . New residential development and additional public facilities ( such as the new fishing pier recently [ when ? ]
Newport News is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia . As of the 2010 census , the population was 180,719 . In 2018 , the population was estimated to be 178,626 , making it the fifth-most populous city in Virginia . Newport News is included in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area . It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula , on the northern shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe 's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river 's mouth at Newport News Point on the harbor of Hampton Roads . The area now known as Newport News was once a part of Warwick County . Warwick County was one of the eight original shires of Virginia , formed by the House of Burgesses in the British Colony of Virginia by order of King Charles I in 1634 . The county was largely composed of farms and undeveloped land until almost 250 years later . [ citation needed ] In 1881 , fifteen years of rapid development began under the leadership of Collis P. Huntington , whose new Peninsula Extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway from Richmond opened up means of transportation along the Peninsula and provided a new pathway for the railroad to bring West Virginia bituminous coal to port for coastal shipping and worldwide export . With the new railroad came a terminal and coal piers where the colliers were loaded . Within a few years , Huntington and his associates also built a large shipyard . In 1896 , the new incorporated town of Newport News , which had briefly replaced Denbigh as the county seat of Warwick County , had a population of 9,000 .
Norfolk ( /ˈnɔːrfʊk/ ( listen ) NOR-fuuk ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States . At the 2010 census , the population was 242,803 ; in 2018 , the population was estimated to be 244,076 making it the second-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Beach and the 91st largest city in the nation . Norfolk is located at the core of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area , named for the large natural harbor of the same name located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay . It is one of nine cities and seven counties that constitute the Hampton Roads metro area , officially known as the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News , VA-NC MSA . The city is bordered to the west by the Elizabeth River and to the north by the Chesapeake Bay . It also shares land borders with the independent cities of Chesapeake to its south and Virginia Beach to its east . Norfolk is one of the oldest cities in Hampton Roads , and is considered to be the historic , urban , financial , and cultural center of the region . The city has a long history as a strategic military and transportation point . The largest naval base in the world , Naval Station Norfolk , is located in Norfolk along with one of NATO 's two Strategic Command headquarters . The city also has the corporate headquarters of Norfolk Southern Railway , one of North America 's principal Class I railroads , however the company is currently in the process of relocating their headquarters to Atlanta , Georgia . Norfolk is also home to Maersk Line , Limited , which manages the world 's largest fleet of US-flag vessels . As the city is bordered by multiple bodies of water , Norfolk has many miles of riverfront and bayfront property , including beaches on the Chesapeake Bay .
Portsmouth is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia . As of the 2010 census , the population was 95,535 . It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area . The Norfolk Naval Shipyard , often called the Norfolk Navy Yard , is a historic and active U.S. Navy facility that is located in Portsmouth . The shipyard 's original name , Gosport , was changed to reflect its location in what once had been Norfolk County , Virginia . It constructs , refits and remodels ships of the US Navy , and is one of the few facilities in the world with a dry dock large enough to accommodate an aircraft carrier . Both Norfolk and the city of Portsmouth have miles of waterfront land on opposite sides of the Elizabeth River as part of the harbor of Hampton Roads . Its three Elizabeth River ferries transport pedestrians between the Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District and downtown Norfolk .
Suffolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia . As of the 2017 census , the estimated population was 90,237 . It is the largest city in Virginia by boundary land area as well as the 14th largest in the country . Suffolk is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area . This also includes the independent cities of Chesapeake , Hampton , Newport News , Norfolk , Portsmouth , and Virginia Beach , and smaller cities , counties , and towns of Hampton Roads . With miles of waterfront property on the Nansemond and James rivers , present-day Suffolk was formed in 1974 after consolidating with Nansemond County and the towns of Holland and Whaleyville . The current mayor ( as of 2014 ) is Linda T. Johnson .
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States . As of the 2010 census , the population was 437,994 ; in 2018 , it was estimated to be 450,138 . Although mostly suburban in character , it is the most populous city in Virginia and the 44th most populous city in the nation . Located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay , Virginia Beach is included in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area . This area , known as America 's First Region , also includes the independent cities of Chesapeake , Hampton , Newport News , Norfolk , Portsmouth , and Suffolk , as well as other smaller cities , counties , and towns of Hampton Roads . Virginia Beach is a resort city with miles of beaches and hundreds of hotels , motels , and restaurants along its oceanfront . Every year the city hosts the East Coast Surfing Championships as well as the North American Sand Soccer Championship , a beach soccer tournament . It is also home to several state parks , several long-protected beach areas , three military bases , a number of large corporations , Virginia Wesleyan University and Regent University , International headquarters and site of the television broadcast studios for Pat Robertson 's Christian Broadcasting Network ( CBN ) , Edgar Cayce 's Association for Research and Enlightenment , and numerous historic sites . Near the point where the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet , Cape Henry was the site of the first landing of the English colonists , who eventually settled in Jamestown , on April 26 , 1607 . The city is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world . It is located at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel , the longest bridge-tunnel complex in the world .
Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ( WMATA ) . Its fleet consists of 1,595 buses covering an area of 1,500 square miles ( 3,900 km2 ) in Washington , D.C. , Maryland and Virginia . There are 269 bus routes serving 11,129 stops , including 2,554 bus shelters . In 2016 , Metrobus provided approximately 123.6 million trips . On a typical weekday in June 2017 , it provided more than 390,000 trips .
The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington , D.C. , the capital of the United States . The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S. states of Maryland , Virginia and West Virginia . It is part of the larger Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area . The Washington D.C. metropolitan area is one of the most educated and most affluent metropolitan areas in the US . The metro area anchors the southern end of the densely populated Northeast megalopolis with an estimated total population of 6,216,589 as of the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau estimate [ update ] , making it the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the nation and the largest metropolitan area in the Census Bureau 's South Atlantic division .
Washington , D.C. , ( /ˈwɑːʃɪŋtən ˌdiːˈsiː/ ) formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as D.C. , Washington , or The District , is the capital of the United States . Founded after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country , Washington was named after George Washington , the first president of the United States and a Founding Father . As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations , Washington is an important world political capital . The city , located on the Potomac River bordering Maryland and Virginia , is one of the most visited cities in the world , with more than 20 million tourists annually . The signing of the Residence Act on July 16 , 1790 , approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country 's East Coast . The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress , and the District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state . The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district , which included the pre-existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria . The City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital . In 1846 , Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia , including the city of Alexandria ; in 1871 , it created a single municipal government for the remaining portion of the District . Washington had an estimated population of 702,455 as of July 2018 [ update ] , making it the 20th most populous city in the United States . Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city 's daytime population to more than one million during the workweek . Washington 's metropolitan area , the country 's sixth largest ( including parts of Maryland , Virginia and West Virginia ) , had a 2017 estimated population of 6.2 million residents .