Washington, D.C.Capital
United States · Country profile
Washington, D.C., is the grand federal capital of the United States, the planned city of the wide avenues, the neoclassical monuments, the museums and the memorials that has stood as the seat of the American government for more than two centuries, spread along the banks of the Potomac between the green hills and the flat coast of the mid-Atlantic. Designed on a monumental scale with the great mall at its spine, it pairs the white marble of the Capitol, the White House and the memorials with the intellectual life of the Smithsonian, the galleries, the universities and the think tanks, and the rocking neighbourhoods of the city with their rowhouses, their markets and their legendary dining. The cherry blossoms, the boulevards named for the states and the endless free museums make it one of the most walkable and museum-rich capital cities of the world. Grand, powerful and surprisingly intimate, the federal city is a place of ceremony, history and great everyday appetite.
About Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. is the capital of United States. The city's documented population is around 702,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the US Dollar (USD) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +1.
The Mall of the National and the Memorials of the Lincoln
The city is built for the civic visit: the great Mall with its lawns, its pools and the rank of the museums and the memorials between the Capitol and the memorial of the Lincoln anchors the essential days, with the White House, the monuments, the archives and the galleries of the centre around it. Beyond the monumental core, the neighbourhoods of the city with their brick rowhouses, their markets, their murals and their restaurants, and the waterfront quarter with its piers and its events, give the modern, living city. The whole centre works on foot and by the metro, and the suburbs of Virginia and Maryland, with their historic towns and their parks, lie a short ride beyond the district line.
The Capitol of the Union and the Museums of the Smithsonian
The climate is the four-season of the mid-Atlantic, with the hot and humid summers, the mild and lovely springs and autumns and the occasional snows of the winter, while the spring displays of the cherry blossom around the tidal basin are the great seasonal spectacle of the capital. The metro trains, the buses and the bicycle lanes move the visitor well, and nearly all the great museums and the monuments of the federal core are free and open throughout the week. Comfortable shoes for the very long walks of the Mall and the security lines at the great public buildings, and advance bookings for the White House tours and the popular galleries, complete the preparation for this grand, busy city.
The Wharf of the District and the Neighborhoods of the City
The Mall, the great green spine of the capital between the Capitol and the memorial of the Lincoln, manages the museums of the Smithsonian, from the immense collections of the natural history and the American history to the airliner-crammed aviation museum, all free of charge, and frames the memorials of the Washington, the many wars and the presidents along its pools and its trees. The White House of the Presidents and the Capitol of the Congress anchor the working government around the centre, while the neighborhoods of the city, from the rowhouse streets and the jazz halls of the northern districts to the murals and the market halls of the east, hold the real local life. The wharf of the District with its piers, its restaurants and its river views, and the waterfront evenings of the capital, carry the modern pleasure, while the great hall of the Library of Congress and the cathedrals of the town add the hidden wonders. The gateway there is complete for the visitor to the monuments, the museums and the marble ceremony of the nation, and the friendly modern city that has grown up around them. Grand, walkable and endlessly storied, Washington of the District remains the monumental heart of the United States.
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- Country
- United States
- Population
- 702,000
- Coordinates
- 38.8951, -77.0364
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Region
- North America
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +1
- Country code
- US
Entry requirements for United States
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting United States for tourism.
Getting to Washington, D.C.
The nearest airports we list:
- Washington Dulles International AirportIAD≈ 37 km from Washington, D.C.
- Philadelphia International AirportPHL≈ 189 km from Washington, D.C.
- Newark Liberty International AirportEWR≈ 316 km from Washington, D.C.
- John F. Kennedy International AirportJFK≈ 339 km from Washington, D.C.
- LaGuardia AirportLGA≈ 342 km from Washington, D.C.
Cities in United States
Other cities we cover in United States:
Frequently asked questions
Is Washington, D.C. the capital of United States?
Yes — Washington, D.C. is the capital of United States.
What currency do I need in Washington, D.C.?
The local currency is the US Dollar (USD). Languages spoken in United States include English.
What is the dialling code for United States?
The international dialling code for United States is +1.
Which airport is nearest to Washington, D.C.?
The nearest airport we list is Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), about 37 km away.
How far is Washington, D.C. from the nearest airport?
Washington, D.C. is about 37 km from Washington Dulles International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit United States?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Argentina (visa required), Japan (e-visa), Morocco (visa required), Singapore (e-visa) and South Korea (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Washington, D.C.? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.