page_title: Outline of Washington, D.C.
section_title: Government and politics of Washington, D.C.
hierarchical_section_title: Outline of Washington, D.C. / Government and politics of Washington, D.C.
caption_attribution_description: English: DC Council wards map 2012–2022
context_page_description: The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Washington, D.C.:
  Washington, D.C., legally named the District of Columbia, is the federal capital of the United States of America, and was founded on July 16, 1790. The area given to Washington, D.C., was originally 100 square miles ceded by the states of Maryland and Virginia in accordance with the Residence Act; however, in 1846, the retrocession of Washington, D.C., meant that the area of 31 square miles which was ceded by Virginia was returned, leaving 69 square miles of territory originally ceded by Maryland as the current area of the District in its entirety.
  The City of Washington was originally a separate municipality within the Territory of Columbia until the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871 effectively merged the City and the Territory into a single entity. It is for this reason that the city, while legally named the District of Columbia, is known as Washington, D.C.
context_section_description: Elections in the District of Columbia
  List of District of Columbia symbols
caption: The District of Columbia is divided into 8 wards to elect councilmembers.
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