Washington , D . C . Washington , D . C . , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington , " the District " , or simply D . C . , is the | capital ] ] of the United States . 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 . As permitted by the U . S . Constitution , the District is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Congress and 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 preexisting settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria . Named in honor of George Washington , the City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital . Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia in 1846 and created a single municipal government for the remaining portion of the District in 1871 . Washington , D . C . , had an estimated population of 632 , 323 in 2012 , the 24th most populous place in the United States . Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city ' s population to more than one million during the workweek . The Washington Metropolitan Area , of which the District is a part , has a population of 5 . 7 million , the seventh - largest metropolitan area in the country . The centers of all three branches of the federal government of the United States are in the District , including the Congress , President , and Supreme Court . Washington is home to many national monuments and museums , which are primarily situated on or around the National Mall . The city hosts 176 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of many international organizations , trade unions , non - profit organizations , lobbying groups , and professional associations . A locally elected mayor and 13 - member council have governed the District since 1973 ; however , the Congress maintains supreme authority over the city and may overturn local laws . The District has a non - voting , at - large Congressional delegate , but no senators . The Twenty - third Amendment to the United States Constitution , ratified in 1961 , grants the District three electoral votes in presidential elections . History . An Algonquian - speaking people known as the Nacotchtank inhabited the area around the Anacostia River when the first Europeans arrived in the 17th century . However , the Nacotchtank people had largely relocated from the area by the early 18th century . In his " Federalist No . 43 " , published January 23 , 1788 , James Madison argued that the new federal government would need authority over a national capital to provide for its own maintenance and safety . Five years earlier , a band of unpaid soldiers besieged Congress while its members were meeting in Philadelphia . Known as the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 , the event emphasized the need for the national government not to rely on any state for its own security . Foundation . On July 9 , 1790 , Congress passed the Residence Act , which approved the creation of a national capital on the Potomac River . The exact location was to be selected by President George Washington , who signed the bill into law on July 16 . Formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia , the initial shape of the federal district was a square measuring on each side , totaling . Two preexisting settlements were included in the territory : the port of Georgetown , Maryland , founded in 1751 , and the city of Alexandria , Virginia , founded in 1749 . During 1791 – 92 , Andrew Ellicott and several assistants , including a free African American astronomer named Benjamin Banneker , surveyed the borders of the federal district and placed boundary stones at every mile point . Many of the stones are still standing . A new " federal city " was then constructed on the north bank of the Potomac , to the east of Georgetown . On September 9 , 1791 , the three commissioners overseeing the capital ' s construction named the city in honor of President Washington . The federal district was named Columbia , which was a poetic name for the United States commonly in use at that time . Congress held its first session in Washington on November 17 , 1800 . Congress passed the Organic Act of 1801 , which officially organized the District and placed the entire territory under the exclusive control of the federal government . Further , the unincorporated area within the District was organized into two counties : the County of Washington to the east of the Potomac and the County of Alexandria to the west . After the passage of this Act , citizens living in the District were no longer considered residents of Maryland or Virginia , which therefore ended their representation in Congress . On August 24 – 25 , 1814 , in a raid known as the Burning of Washington , British forces invaded the capital during the War of 1812 . The Capitol , Treasury , and White House were burned and gutted during the attack . Most government buildings were repaired quickly ; however , the Capitol was largely under construction at the time and was not completed in its current form until 1868 . Retrocession and the Civil War . In the 1830s , the District ' s southern territory of Alexandria went into economic decline partly due to neglect by Congress . Alexandria was a major market in the American slave trade and residents feared that abolitionists in Congress would end slavery in the District , further depressing the economy . Alexandrians petitioned Virginia to take back the land it had donated to form the District ; a process known as retrocession . The state legislature voted in February 1846 to accept the return of Alexandria and on July 9 , 1846 , Congress agreed to return all the territory that had been ceded by Virginia . Therefore , the District ' s current area consists only of land donated by Maryland . Confirming the fears of pro - slavery Alexandrians , the Compromise of 1850 outlawed the slave trade in the District , although not slavery itself . The outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 led to notable growth in the District ' s population due to the expansion of the federal government and a large influx of freed slaves . President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862 , which ended slavery in the District of Columbia and freed about 3 , 100 enslaved persons , nine months prior to the Emancipation Proclamation . In 1868 , Congress granted the District ' s African American male residents the right to vote in municipal elections . Growth and redevelopment . By 1870 , the District ' s population had grown 75 % from the previous census to nearly 132 , 000 residents . Despite the city ' s growth , Washington still had dirt roads and lacked basic sanitation . Some members of Congress suggested moving the capital further west , but President Ulysses S . Grant refused to consider such a proposal . Congress passed the Organic Act of 1871 , which repealed the individual charters of the cities of Washington and Georgetown , and a created a new territorial government for the whole District of Columbia . President Grant appointed Alexander Robey Shepherd to the position of governor in 1873 . Shepherd authorized large - scale projects that greatly modernized Washington , but ultimately bankrupted the District government . In 1874 , Congress replaced the territorial government with an appointed three - member Board of Commissioners . The city ' s first motorized streetcars began service in 1888 and generated growth in areas of the District beyond the City of Washington ' s original boundaries . Washington ' s urban plan was expanded throughout the District in the following decades . Georgetown was formally annexed by the City of Washington in 1895 . However , the city had poor housing conditions and strained public works . Washington was the first city in the nation to undergo urban renewal projects as part of the " City Beautiful movement " in the early 1900s . Increased federal spending as a result of the New Deal in the 1930s led to the construction of new government buildings , memorials , and museums in Washington . World War II further increased government activity , adding to the number of federal employees in the capital ; by 1950 , the District ' s population reached its peak of 802 , 178 residents . Civil rights and home rule . The Twenty - third Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1961 , granting the District three votes in the Electoral College for the election of president and vice president , but still no voting representation in Congress . After the assassination of civil rights leader Dr . Martin Luther King , Jr . , on April 4 , 1968 , riots broke out in the District , primarily in the U Street , 14th Street , 7th Street , and H Street corridors , centers of black residential and commercial areas . The riots raged for three days until more than 13 , 600 federal troops stopped the violence . Many stores and other buildings were burned ; rebuilding was not completed until the late 1990s . In 1973 , Congress enacted the District of Columbia Home Rule Act , providing for an elected mayor and 13 - member council for the District . In 1975 , Walter Washington became the first elected and first black mayor of the District . On September 11 , 2001 , terrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 and deliberately crashed the plane into the Pentagon in nearby Arlington , Virginia . United Airlines Flight 93 , believed to be destined for Washington , D . C . , crashed in Pennsylvania when passengers tried to recover control of the plane from hijackers . Geography . Washington , D . C . , is located in the mid - Atlantic region of the U . S . East Coast . Due to the District of Columbia retrocession , the city has a total area of , of which is land and ( 10 . 16 % ) is water . The District is bordered by Montgomery County , Maryland , to the northwest ; Prince George ' s County , Maryland , to the east ; and Arlington and Alexandria , Virginia , to the south and west . The Potomac River forms the District ' s border with Virginia and has two major tributaries : the Anacostia River and Rock Creek . Tiber Creek , a natural watercourse that once passed through the National Mall , was fully enclosed underground during the 1870s . The creek also formed a portion of the now - filled Washington City Canal , which allowed passage through the city to the Anacostia River from 1815 until the 1850s . The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal starts in Georgetown and was used during the 19th century to bypass the Great Falls of the Potomac River , located upstream ( northwest ) of Washington at the Atlantic Seaboard fall line . The highest natural elevation in the District is above sea level at Fort Reno Park in upper northwest Washington . The lowest point is sea level at the Potomac River . The geographic center of Washington is near the intersection of 4th and L Streets NW . Contrary to the urban legend , Washington was not built on a reclaimed swamp , but wetlands did cover areas along the water . The District has of parkland , about 19 % of the city ' s total area and the second - highest percentage among high - density U . S . cities . The National Park Service manages most of the of city land owned by the U . S . government . Rock Creek Park is a urban forest in Northwest Washington , which extends through a stream valley that bisects the city . Established in 1890 , it is the country ' s fourth - oldest national park and is home to a variety of plant and animal species including raccoon , deer , owls , and coyotes . Other National Park Service properties include the C & O Canal National Historical Park , the National Mall and Memorial Parks , Theodore Roosevelt Island , Columbia Island , Fort Dupont Park , Meridian Hill Park , Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens , and Anacostia Park . The D . C . Department of Parks and Recreation maintains the city ' s of athletic fields and playgrounds , 40 swimming pools , and 68 recreation centers . The U . S . Department of Agriculture operates the U . S . National Arboretum in Northeast Washington . Cityscape . Washington , D . C . , is a planned city . In 1791 , President Washington commissioned Pierre ( Peter ) Charles L ’ Enfant , a French - born architect and city planner , to design the new capital . The L ' Enfant Plan featured broad streets and avenues radiating out from rectangles , providing room for open space and landscaping . He based his design on plans of cities such as Paris , Amsterdam , Karlsruhe , and Milan brought from Europe by Thomas Jefferson in 1788 . L ' Enfant ' s design also envisioned a garden - lined " grand avenue " approximately in length and wide in the area that is now the National Mall . President Washington dismissed L ' Enfant in March 1792 due to conflicts with the three commissioners appointed to supervise the capital ' s construction . Andrew Ellicott , who had worked with L ' Enfant surveying the city , was then tasked with completing the design . Though Ellicott made revisions to the original plans , including changes to some street patterns , L ' Enfant is still credited with the overall design of the city . By the early 1900s , L ' Enfant ' s vision of a grand national capital had become marred by slums and randomly placed buildings , including a railroad station on the National Mall . Congress formed a special committee charged with beautifying Washington ' s ceremonial core . What became known as the McMillan Plan was finalized in 1901 and included re - landscaping the Capitol grounds and the National Mall , clearing slums , and establishing a new city - wide park system . The plan is thought to have largely preserved L ' Enfant ' s intended design . By law , Washington ' s skyline is low and sprawling . The federal Heights of Buildings Act of 1910 allows buildings that are no taller than the width of the adjacent street , plus . Despite popular belief , no law has ever limited buildings to the height of the United States Capitol or the Washington Monument , which remains the District ' s tallest structure . City leaders have criticized the height restriction as a primary reason why the District has limited affordable housing and traffic problems caused by urban sprawl . The District is divided into four quadrants of unequal area : Northwest ( NW ) , Northeast ( NE ) , Southeast ( SE ) , and Southwest ( SW ) . The axes bounding the quadrants radiate from the U . S . Capitol building . All road names include the quadrant abbreviation to indicate their location and house numbers generally correspond with the number of blocks away from the Capitol . Most streets are set out in a grid pattern with east – west streets named with letters ( " e . g . " , C Street SW ) and north – south streets with numbers ( " e . g . " , 4th Street NW ) . The City of Washington was bordered by Boundary Street to the north ( renamed Florida Avenue in 1890 ) , Rock Creek to the west , and the Anacostia River to the east . Washington ' s street grid was extended , where possible , throughout the District starting in 1888 . Georgetown ' s streets were renamed in 1895 . Some streets are particularly noteworthy , such as Pennsylvania Avenue , which connects the White House to the U . S . Capitol and K Street , which houses the offices of many lobbying groups . Washington hosts 297 foreign embassies and related buildings , many of which are on a section of Massachusetts Avenue informally known as Embassy Row . Architecture . The architecture of Washington varies greatly . Six of the top 10 buildings in the American Institute of Architects ' 2007 ranking of " America ' s Favorite Architecture " are in the District of Columbia : the White House ; the Washington National Cathedral ; the Thomas Jefferson Memorial ; the United States Capitol ; the Lincoln Memorial ; and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial . The neoclassical , Georgian , gothic , and modern architectural styles are all reflected among those six structures and many other prominent edifices in Washington . Notable exceptions include buildings constructed in the French Second Empire style such as the Eisenhower Executive Office Building . Outside downtown Washington , architectural styles are even more varied . Historic buildings are designed primarily in the Queen Anne , Châteauesque , Richardsonian Romanesque , Georgian revival , Beaux - Arts , and a variety of Victorian styles . Rowhouses are especially prominent in areas developed after the Civil War and typically follow Federalist and late Victorian designs . Georgetown ' s Old Stone House was built in 1765 , making it the oldest - standing original building in the city . Founded in 1789 , Georgetown University features a mix of Romanesque and Gothic Revival architecture . The Ronald Reagan Building is the largest building in the District with a total area of approximately 3 . 1 million square feet ( 288 , 000 m ) . Demographics . The U . S . Census Bureau estimates that the District ' s population was 632 , 323 on July 1 , 2012 , a 5 . 1 % increase since the 2010 United States Census . The increase continues a growth trend since 2000 , following a half - century of population decline . The city was the 24th most populous place in the United States as of 2010 . According to data from 2010 , commuters from the suburbs increase the District ' s daytime population to over one million people . If the District were a state it would rank 49th in population , ahead of Vermont and Wyoming . The Washington Metropolitan Area , which includes the District and surrounding suburbs , is the seventh - largest metropolitan area in the United States with an estimated 5 . 7 million residents in 2011 . When the Washington area is included with Baltimore and its suburbs , the Baltimore – Washington Metropolitan Area had a population exceeding 8 . 5 million residents in 2010 , the fourth - largest combined statistical area in the country . According to 2012 U . S . Census Bureau data , the population of Washington , D . C . , was 50 . 1 % Black or African American , 42 . 9 % White ( 35 . 5 % non - Hispanic White ) , 3 . 8 % Asian , and 0 . 8 % Native American Indian , Alaskan , Hawaiian , or Pacific Islander . Individuals from two or more races made up 2 . 5 % of the population . Hispanics of any race made up 9 . 9 % of the District ' s population . Washington has had a significant African American population since the city ' s foundation . African American residents composed about 30 % of the District ' s total population between 1800 and 1940 . The black population reached a peak of 70 % by 1970 , but has since steadily declined due to many African Americans moving to the surrounding suburbs . Partly as a result of gentrification , there was a 31 . 4 % increase in the non - Hispanic white population and an 11 . 5 % decrease in the black population between 2000 and 2010 . About 17 % of D . C . residents were age 18 or younger in 2010 ; lower than the U . S . average of 24 % . However , at 34 years old , the District had the lowest median age compared to the 50 states . As of 2010 , there were an estimated 81 , 734 foreign immigrants living in Washington , D . C . Major sources of immigration include individuals from El Salvador , Vietnam , and Ethiopia , with a concentration of Salvadorans in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood . Researchers found that there were 4 , 822 same - sex couples in the District of Columbia in 2010 ; about 2 % of total households . Legislation authorizing same - sex marriage passed in 2009 and the District began issuing marriage licenses to same - sex couples in March 2010 . A 2007 report found that about one - third of District residents were functionally illiterate , compared to a national rate of about one in five . This is attributed in part to immigrants who are not proficient in English . As of 2011 , 85 % of D . C . residents age 5 and older spoke English at home as a primary language . Half of residents had at least a four - year college degree in 2006 . D . C . residents had a personal income per capita of $ 55 , 755 ; higher than any of the 50 U . S . states . However , 19 % of residents were below the poverty level in 2005 ; higher than any state except Mississippi . According to data from 2008 , 28 % of residents are Baptists , 13 % are Roman Catholic , and 31 % are members of other Christian denominations . Residents who practice other faiths make up 6 % of the population and 18 % do not adhere to a religion . Over 90 % of D . C . residents have health insurance coverage ; the second - highest rate in the nation . This is due in part to city programs that help provide insurance to low - income individuals who do not qualify for other types of coverage . A 2009 report found that at least 3 % of District residents have HIV or AIDS , which the U . S . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) characterizes as a " generalized and severe " epidemic . Crime . Crime in Washington , D . C . , is concentrated in areas associated with poverty , drug abuse , and gangs . A 2010 study found that 5 % of city blocks contributed to over one - quarter of the District ' s total crime . The more affluent neighborhoods of Northwest Washington are typically safe , but reports of violent crime increase in poorer neighborhoods generally concentrated in the eastern portion of the city . Approximately 60 , 000 residents are ex - convicts . Washington was often described as the " murder capital " of the United States during the early 1990s . The number of murders peaked in 1991 at 479 , but the level of violence then began to decline significantly . By 2012 , Washington ' s annual murder count dropped to 88 , the lowest total since 1961 . Many neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights and Logan Circle are becoming safer and vibrant . However , incidents of robberies and thefts have remained higher in these areas due to increased nightlife activity and greater numbers of affluent residents . Even still , citywide reports of both property and violent crimes have declined by nearly half since their most recent highs in the mid - 1990s . On June 26 , 2008 , the Supreme Court of the United States held in " District of Columbia v . Heller " that the city ' s 1976 handgun ban violated the Second Amendment right to gun ownership . However , the ruling does not prohibit all forms of gun control ; laws requiring firearm registration remain in place , as does the city ' s assault weapon ban . In addition to the District ' s own Metropolitan Police Department , many federal law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction in the city as well ; most visibly the U . S . Park Police , founded in 1791 . Economy . Washington has a growing , diversified economy with an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs . The gross state product of the District in 2010 was $ 103 . 3 billion , which would rank it No . 34 compared to the 50 U . S . states . The gross product of the Washington Metropolitan Area was $ 425 billion in 2010 , making it the fourth - largest metropolitan economy in the United States . As of June 2011 , the Washington Metropolitan Area had an unemployment rate of 6 . 2 % ; the second - lowest rate among the 49 largest metro areas in the nation . The District of Columbia itself had an unemployment rate of 9 . 8 % during the same time period . In 2012 , the federal government accounted for about 29 % of the jobs in Washington , D . C . This is thought to immunize Washington to national economic downturns because the federal government continues operations even during recessions . Many organizations such as law firms , independent contractors ( both defense and civilian ) , non - profit organizations , lobbying firms , trade unions , industry trade groups , and professional associations have their headquarters in or near D . C . to be close to the federal government . Tourism is Washington ' s second largest industry . Approximately 18 . 9 million visitors contributed an estimated $ 4 . 8 billion to the local economy in 2012 . The District also hosts nearly 200 foreign embassies and international organizations such as the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) , the Organization of American States , the Inter - American Development Bank , and the Pan American Health Organization . In 2008 , the foreign diplomatic corps in Washington employed about 10 , 000 people and contributed an estimated $ 400 million annually to the local economy . The District has growing industries not directly related to government , especially in the areas of education , finance , public policy , and scientific research . Georgetown University , George Washington University , Washington Hospital Center , Children ' s National Medical Center and Howard University are the top five non - government - related employers in the city as of 2009 . According to statistics compiled in 2011 , four of the largest 500 companies in the country were headquartered in the District . Culture . Historic sites and museums . The National Mall is a large , open park in downtown Washington between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol . Given its prominence , the mall is often the location of political protests , concerts , festivals , and presidential inaugurations . The Washington Monument and the Jefferson Pier are near the center of the mall , south of the White House . Also on the mall are the National World War II Memorial at the east end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool , the Korean War Veterans Memorial , and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial . Directly south of the mall , the Tidal Basin features rows of Japanese cherry blossom trees that originated as gifts from the nation of Japan . The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial , George Mason Memorial , Jefferson Memorial , Martin Luther King , Jr . Memorial , and the District of Columbia War Memorial are around the Tidal Basin . The National Archives houses thousands of documents important to American history including the Declaration of Independence , the United States Constitution , and the Bill of Rights . Located in three buildings on Capitol Hill , the Library of Congress is the largest library complex in the world with a collection of over 147 million books , manuscripts , and other materials . The United States Supreme Court Building was completed in 1935 ; before then , the court held sessions in the Old Senate Chamber of the Capitol . The Smithsonian Institution is an educational foundation chartered by Congress in 1846 that maintains most of the nation ' s official museums and galleries in Washington , D . C . The U . S . government partially funds the Smithsonian , thus making its collections open to the public free of charge . The most visited of the Smithsonian museums in 2012 was the National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall . Other Smithsonian Institution museums and galleries on the mall are : the National Air and Space Museum ; the National Museum of African Art ; the National Museum of American History ; the National Museum of the American Indian ; the Sackler and Freer galleries , which both focus on Asian art and culture ; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden ; the Arts and Industries Building ; the S . Dillon Ripley Center ; and the Smithsonian Institution Building ( also known as " The Castle " ) , which serves as the institution ' s headquarters . The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery are housed in the Old Patent Office Building , near Washington ' s Chinatown . The Renwick Gallery is officially part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum but is in a separate building near the White House . Other Smithsonian museums and galleries include : the Anacostia Community Museum in Southeast Washington ; the National Postal Museum near Union Station ; and the National Zoo in Woodley Park . The National Gallery of Art is on the National Mall near the Capitol and features works of American and European art . The gallery and its collections are owned by the U . S . government but are not a part of the Smithsonian Institution . The National Building Museum , which occupies the former Pension Building near Judiciary Square , was chartered by Congress and hosts exhibits on architecture , urban planning , and design . There are many private art museums in the District of Columbia , which house major collections and exhibits open to the public such as the National Museum of Women in the Arts ; the Corcoran Gallery of Art , the largest private museum in Washington ; and The Phillips Collection in Dupont Circle , the first museum of modern art in the United States . Other private museums in Washington include the Newseum , the O Street Museum Foundation , the International Spy Museum , the National Geographic Society Museum , and the Marian Koshland Science Museum . The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum near the National Mall maintains exhibits , documentation , and artifacts related to the Holocaust . Arts . Washington , D . C . , is a national center for the arts . The John F . Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is home to the National Symphony Orchestra , the Washington National Opera , and the Washington Ballet . The Kennedy Center Honors are awarded each year to those in the performing arts who have contributed greatly to the cultural life of the United States . The historic Ford ' s Theatre , site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln , continues to operate as a functioning performance space as well as museum . The Marine Barracks near Capitol Hill houses the United States Marine Band ; founded in 1798 , it is the country ' s oldest professional musical organization . American march composer and Washington - native John Philip Sousa led the Marine Band from 1880 until 1892 . Founded in 1925 , the United States Navy Band has its headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard and performs at official events and public concerts around the city . Washington has a strong local theater tradition . Founded in 1950 , Arena Stage achieved national attention and spurred growth in the city ' s independent theater movement that now includes organizations such as the Shakespeare Theatre Company , Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company , and the Studio Theatre . Arena Stage opened its newly renovated home in the city ' s emerging Southwest waterfront area in 2010 . The GALA Hispanic Theatre , now housed in the historic Tivoli Theatre in Columbia Heights , was founded in 1976 and is a National Center for the Latino Performing Arts . The U Street Corridor in Northwest D . C . , known as " Washington ' s Black Broadway " , is home to institutions like the Howard Theatre , Bohemian Caverns , and the Lincoln Theatre , which hosted music legends such as Washington - native Duke Ellington , John Coltrane , and Miles Davis . Washington has its own native music genre called go - go ; a post - funk , percussion - driven flavor of R & B that was popularized in the late 1970s by D . C . band leader Chuck Brown . The District is an important center for indie culture and music in the United States . The label Dischord Records , formed by Ian MacKaye , was one of the most crucial independent labels in the genesis of 1980s punk and eventually indie rock in the 1990s . Modern alternative and indie music venues like The Black Cat and the bring popular acts to the U Street area . Sports . Washington is one of 12 cities in the United States with teams from all four major professional men ' s sports and is home to one major professional women ' s team . The Washington Wizards ( National Basketball Association ) , the Washington Capitals ( National Hockey League ) , and the Washington Mystics ( Women ' s National Basketball Association ) , play at the Verizon Center in Chinatown . Nationals Park , which opened in Southeast D . C . in 2008 , is home to the Washington Nationals ( Major League Baseball ) . D . C . United ( Major League Soccer ) plays at RFK Stadium . The Washington Redskins ( National Football League ) play at nearby FedExField in Landover , Maryland . Current D . C . teams have won a combined ten professional league championships : the Washington Redskins has won five ; D . C . United has won four ( the most in MLS history ) ; and the Washington Wizards ( then the Washington Bullets ) has won a single championship . Other professional and semi - professional teams in Washington include : the Washington Kastles ( World TeamTennis ) ; the Washington D . C . Slayers ( American National Rugby League ) ; the Baltimore Washington Eagles ( USAFL ) ; the D . C . Divas ( Independent Women ' s Football League ) ; and the Potomac Athletic Club RFC ( Rugby Super League ) . The William H . G . FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park hosts the Citi Open . Washington is also home to two major annual marathon races : the Marine Corps Marathon , which is held every autumn , and the Rock ' n ' Roll USA Marathon held in the spring . The Marine Corps Marathon began in 1976 and is sometimes called " The People ' s Marathon " because it is the largest marathon that does not offer prize money to participants . The District ' s four NCAA Division I teams have a broad following . The Georgetown Hoyas men ' s basketball team is the most notable and also plays at the Verizon Center . Since 2008 , the District has hosted an annual college football bowl game at RFK Stadium , now called the Military Bowl . The D . C . area is home to one regional sports television network , Comcast SportsNet ( CSN ) , based in Bethesda , Maryland . Media . Washington , D . C . is a prominent center for national and international media . " The Washington Post " , founded in 1877 , is the oldest and most - read local daily newspaper in Washington . It is probably most notable for its coverage of national and international politics and for exposing the Watergate scandal . " The Post " , as it is popularly called , had the sixth - highest readership of all news dailies in the country in 2011 . The Washington Post Company has a daily free commuter newspaper called the " Express " , which summarizes events , sports and entertainment , as well as the Spanish - language paper " El Tiempo Latino " . Local dailies " The Washington Times " and " The Washington Examiner " as well as the alternative weekly " Washington City Paper " also have substantial readership in the Washington area . Some community and specialty papers focus on neighborhood and cultural issues , including the weekly " Washington Blade " and " Metro Weekly " , which focus on LGBT issues ; the " Washington Informer " and " The Washington Afro American " , which highlight topics of interest to the black community ; and neighborhood newspapers published by The Current Newspapers . " Congressional Quarterly " , " The Hill " , " Politico " and " Roll Call " newspapers focus exclusively on issues related to Congress and the federal government . Other publications based in Washington include the " National Geographic " magazine and political publications such as " The New Republic " and " Washington Monthly " . The Washington Metropolitan Area is the ninth - largest television media market in the U . S . with two million homes , approximately 2 % of the U . S . population . Several media companies and cable television channels have their headquarters in the area , including C - SPAN ; Black Entertainment Television ( BET ) ; Radio One ; the National Geographic Channel ; Smithsonian Networks ; National Public Radio ( NPR ) ; Travel Channel ( in Chevy Chase , Maryland ) ; Discovery Communications ( in Silver Spring , Maryland ) ; and the Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS ) ( in Arlington , Virginia ) . The headquarters of Voice of America , the U . S . government ' s international news service , is near the Capitol in Southwest Washington . Government . Article One , Section Eight of the United States Constitution grants the U . S . Congress " exclusive jurisdiction " over the city . The District did not have an elected local government until the passage of the 1973 Home Rule Act . The Act devolved certain Congressional powers to an elected mayor , currently Vincent C . Gray , and the thirteen - member Council of the District of Columbia . However , Congress retains the right to review and overturn laws created by the council and intervene in local affairs . Each of the city ' s eight wards elects a single member of the council and residents elect four at - large members to represent the District as a whole . The council chair is also elected at - large . There are 37 Advisory Neighborhood Commission s ( ANCs ) elected by small neighborhood districts . ANCs can issue recommendations on all issues that affect residents ; government agencies take their advice under careful consideration . The mayor and council set local taxes and a budget , which must be approved by the Congress . The Government Accountability Office and other analysts have estimated that the city ' s high percentage of tax - exempt property and the inability to set a commuter tax create a structural deficit in the District ' s local budget of anywhere between $ 470 million and over $ 1 billion per year . Congress typically provides additional grants for federal programs such as Medicaid and the operation of the local justice system ; however , analysts claim that the payments do not fully resolve the imbalance . The city ' s local government , particularly during the mayoralty of Marion Barry , was criticized for mismanagement and waste . During his administration in 1989 , " The Washington Monthly " magazine claimed that the District had " the worst city government in America . " In 1995 , at the start of Barry ' s fourth term , Congress created the District of Columbia Financial Control Board to oversee all municipal spending . Mayor Anthony Williams won election in 1998 and oversaw a period of urban renewal and budget surpluses . The District regained control over its finances in 2001 and the oversight board ' s operations were suspended . Washington , D . C . , observes all federal holidays and also celebrates Emancipation Day on April 16 , which commemorates the end of slavery in the District . The flag of Washington , D . C . , was adopted in 1938 and is a variation on George Washington ' s family coat of arms . Voting rights debate . The District is not a U . S . state and therefore has no voting representation in the Congress . D . C . residents elect a non - voting delegate to the House of Representatives , currently Eleanor Holmes Norton ( D - D . C . At - Large ) , who may sit on committees , participate in debate , and introduce legislation , but cannot vote on the House floor . The District has no official representation in the United States Senate . Neither chamber seats the District ' s elected " shadow " representative or senators . Unlike residents of U . S . territories such as Puerto Rico or Guam , which also have non - voting delegates , D . C . residents are subject to all U . S . federal taxes . In the financial year 2012 , D . C . residents and businesses paid $ 20 . 7 billion in federal taxes ; more than the taxes collected from 19 states and the highest federal taxes per capita . A 2005 poll found that 78 % of Americans did not know that residents of the District of Columbia have less representation in Congress than residents of the 50 states . Efforts to raise awareness about the issue have included campaigns by grassroots organizations and featuring the city ' s unofficial motto , " Taxation Without Representation " , on D . C . vehicle license plates . There is evidence of nationwide approval for D . C . voting rights ; various polls indicate that 61 to 82 % of Americans believe that D . C . should have voting representation in Congress . Despite public support , attempts to grant the District voting representation , including the D . C . statehood movement and the proposed District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment , have been unsuccessful . Opponents of D . C . voting rights propose that the Founding Fathers never intended for District residents to have a vote in Congress since the Constitution makes clear that representation must come from the states . Those opposed to making D . C . a state claim that such a move would destroy the notion of a separate national capital and that statehood would unfairly grant Senate representation to a single city . Sister cities . Washington , D . C . , has thirteen official sister city agreements . Listed in the order each agreement was first established , they are : Bangkok , Thailand ( 1962 , renewed 2002 ) ; Dakar , Senegal ( 1980 , renewed 2006 ) ; Beijing , China ( 1984 , renewed 2004 ) ; Brussels , Belgium ( 1985 , renewed 2002 ) ; Athens , Greece ( 2000 ) ; Paris , France ( 2000 , renewed 2005 ) ; Pretoria , South Africa ( 2002 , renewed 2008 ) ; Seoul , South Korea ( 2006 ) ; Accra , Ghana ( 2006 ) ; Sunderland , United Kingdom ( 2006 ) ; Rome , Italy ( 2011 ) ; Ankara , Turkey ( 2011 ) ; and Brasília , Brazil ( 2013 ) . Each of the listed cities is a national capital except for Sunderland , which includes the town of Washington , the ancestral home of George Washington ' s family . Paris and Rome are each formally recognized as a " partner city " due to their special one sister city policy . Education . District of Columbia Public Schools ( DCPS ) operates the city ' s 123 public schools . The number of students in DCPS steadily decreased for 39 years until 2009 . In the 2010 – 11 school year , 46 , 191 students were enrolled in the public school system . DCPS has one of the highest - cost yet lowest - performing school systems in the country , both in terms of infrastructure and student achievement . Mayor Adrian Fenty ' s administration made sweeping changes to the system by closing schools , replacing teachers , firing principals , and using private education firms to aid curriculum development . The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board monitors the 52 public charter schools in the city . Due to the perceived problems with the traditional public school system , enrollment in public charter school s has steadily increased . As of fall 2010 , D . C . charter schools had a total enrollment of about 32 , 000 , a 9 % increase from the prior year . The District is also home to 92 private schools , which enrolled approximately 18 , 000 students in 2008 . The District of Columbia Public Library operates 25 neighborhood locations including the landmark Martin Luther King Jr . Memorial Library . Private universities include American University ( AU ) , the Catholic University of America ( CUA ) , Gallaudet University , George Washington University ( GW ) , Georgetown University ( GU ) , Howard University , and the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies ( SAIS ) . The Corcoran College of Art and Design provides specialized arts instruction and other higher - education institutions offer continuing , distance and adult education . The University of the District of Columbia ( UDC ) is a public university providing undergraduate and graduate education . D . C . residents may also be eligible for a grant of up to $ 10 , 000 per year to offset the cost of tuition at any public university in the country . The District is known for its medical research institutions such as Washington Hospital Center and the Children ' s National Medical Center , as well as the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda , Maryland . In addition , the city is home to three medical schools and associated teaching hospitals at George Washington , Georgetown , and Howard universities . Transportation . According to a 2010 study , Washington - area commuters spent 70 hours a year in traffic delays , which tied with Chicago for having the nation ' s worst road congestion . However , 37 % of Washington - area commuters take public transportation to work , the second - highest rate in the country . An additional 12 % of D . C . commuters walked to work , 6 % carpooled , and 3 % traveled by bicycle in 2010 . A 2011 study by Walk Score found that Washington was the seventh - most walkable city in the country with 80 % of residents living in neighborhoods that are not car dependent . There are of streets , parkways , and avenues in the District . Due to the freeway revolts of the 1960s , much of the proposed interstate highway system through the middle of Washington was never built . Interstate 95 , the nation ' s major east coast highway , therefore bends around the District to form the eastern portion of the Capital Beltway . A portion of the proposed highway funding was directed to the region ' s public transportation infrastructure instead . The interstate highways that do continue into Washington , including Interstate 66 and Interstate 395 , both terminate shortly after entering the city . The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ( WMATA ) operates the Washington Metro , the city ' s rapid transit system , as well as Metrobus . Both systems serve the District and its suburbs . Metro opened on March 27 , 1976 and presently consists of 86 stations and of track . With an average of about one million trips each weekday , Metro is the second - busiest rapid transit system in the country . Metrobus serves over 400 , 000 riders each weekday and is the nation ' s sixth - largest bus system . The city also operates its own DC Circulator bus system , which connects commercial areas within central Washington . Union Station is the city ' s main train station and services approximately 70 , 000 people each day . It is Amtrak ' s second - busiest station with 4 . 6 million passengers annually and is the southern terminus for the Northeast Corridor and Acela Express routes . Maryland ' s MARC and Virginia ' s VRE commuter trains and the Metrorail Red Line also provide service into Union Station . Following renovations in 2011 , Union Station became Washington ' s primary intercity bus transit center . Three major airports serve the District . Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is across the Potomac River from downtown Washington in Arlington , Virginia and primarily handles domestic flights . Major international flights arrive and depart from Washington Dulles International Airport , west of the District in Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia . Baltimore - Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is northeast of the District in Anne Arundel County , Maryland . An expected 32 % increase in transit usage within the District by 2030 has spurred construction of a new DC Streetcar system to interconnect the city ' s neighborhoods . Construction has also started on an additional Metro line that will connect Washington to Dulles airport . The District is part of the regional Capital Bikeshare program . Started in 2010 , it is currently one of the largest bicycle sharing system s in the country with over 1 , 800 bicycles and 200 stations . The city is expanding a network of marked bicycle lanes which currently exist on of streets . Notes . By 1790 , the Southern states had largely repaid their overseas debts from the Revolutionary War . The Northern states had not , and wanted the federal government to take over their outstanding liabilities . Southern Congressmen agreed to the plan in return for establishing the new national capital at their preferred site on the Potomac River . The Residence Act allowed the President to select a location within Maryland as far east as the Anacostia River . However , Washington shifted the federal territory ' s borders to the southeast in order to include the city of Alexandria at the District ' s southern tip . In 1791 , Congress amended the Residence Act to approve the new site , including territory ceded by Virginia . Until 1890 , the U . S . Census Bureau counted the City of Washington , Georgetown , and unincorporated portions of Washington County as three separate areas . The data provided in this article from before 1890 are calculated as if the District of Columbia were a single municipality as it is today . Population data for each city prior to 1890 are available .