About Washington
The State of Washington is known equally well for its beautiful environment and quality of life as for its famous products, from Boeing airplanes to Microsoft software to Starbuck's coffee to Washington apples. Health care and biotechnology are also influential sectors of the economy. The export industry is also important, given Washington's position on the Pacific Rim.
The state's population is 6,375,600 this year, according to the annual estimate from the state's Office of Financial Management. This is up 8.2 percent from the 5,894,121 figure in the 2000 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Due to a healthy economy, net in-migration in 2005 was at the highest level since 1997.
Washington has two top-tier research universities as classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching -- Washington State University and the University of Washington. Washington is the only state in the greater Northwest with this distinction. WSU and UW each have several regional campuses. The state's public higher education system also has three comprehensive universities, a state college, and 34 community and technical colleges.
Resources about the State of Washington
Office of the Governor and Washington Government
Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board
Washington Universities and Colleges
Washington 's Economy and Population in 2006
State of Washington Map with WSU Campuses