Washington D.C., founded in 1790, is the capital of the United States and home to all three branches of the federal government. While legally named the District of Columbia, it is known as Washington, D.C. or simply DC. The city is located on the Potomac River, surrounded by Virginia and Maryland. The District population is almost 600,000 but swells to over one million by virtue of weekday commuters from the surrounding areas. DC is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area, with a population of 5.3 million making it the 8th largest metro area in the U.S.
Washington, D.C. is known for its grand national monuments, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the United States Capitol, the White House, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. DC is also overflowing with historically important buildings and museums, including the Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History, National Gallery of Art, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives, which houses the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. Washington D.C. has 174 foreign embassies.
The District is divided into 4 areas – Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and 8 Wards. All street names include the quadrant abbreviation of their location. The avenues are primarily named after the 50 states.
DC has 127 neighborhoods, including Adams Morgan, Buena Vista, Capitol Hill, Columbia Heights, Chevy Chase, Cathedral Heights, Crestwood, Hillcrest, Kent (which has some of the most expensive homes), Foggy Bottom, NoMa, Mount Pleasant, Takoma, and Georgetown. Georgetown, founded in 1751, has the oldest standing building in Washington called the "Old Stone House".
Colleges and universities include Georgetown University, Howard University, the George Washington University, American University, the Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and the University of the District of Columbia. The district is also known for its quality medical schools and centers such as the Children's National Medical Center, one of the highest ranked pediatric hospitals in the country.
