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Washington became the 42^nd state on November 11^th 1889. Washington is commonly known as the "Evergreen State" due to the abundance of lush green forests in the state.

Origin of state's name: The states name is from the US president George Washington.

Capital city: The capital city of Washington is Olympia and the state is surrounded by other states including Idaho and Oregon and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

Population: The population of Washington is in excess of 5.8 million people based on the last census in 2000.

Driving

Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, Driver's manuals and testing locations can all be found on the Washington State Department of Licensing website.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/

Economy: The economy of Washington is driven by a diverse range of industries. Due to the proximity to the Pacific Ocean fishing is a big industry in the state. Fruit, wheat potato and nursery stock are all grown in abundance and as is lumbar. Paper production, printing and publishing as well as computer hardware and chemical production are also big industries in this state.

State Bird: The state bird is the American Goldfinch which is very similar in appearance and habit to the European version of the same name. The Goldfinch is also the state bird of New Jersey and Iowa also. The American Goldfinch is known for its hardy nature and its distinctly colored plumage.

State Flower: The state flower is the Pink Rhododendron or Rhododendron macrophyllum. It has beautiful pink flowers grow in cluster and have distinct yellow stamens.

State Song: The state song is "Washington, My Home" by H. Davis which sings the praises of this beautiful state.

State Motto: The sate motto is "Bye and Bye"

Washington – Interesting Facts

• The state of Washington is named after a United States president, George Washington.
• The state of Washington is one of the biggest producer of fruit especially apple sin the US.
• The Boeing assembly plant in Washington State is considered to be the biggest building in the world.
• Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft has his home in Medina, Washington.

Washington – Famous People

Many famous people were born and raised in Washington State and many famous people call Washington their home today. This includes actors, athletes, authors, politicians and entertainers. The famous entertainer Gypsy Rose lee and the legendary Jimi Hendrix were both born in Washington State. Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana was also from Washington as was the great Bing Crosby.