Higher Education  

Washington, D. C., has thirteen colleges and universities. The city is the home of the American Association of Community Colleges, but until recently it had no community colleges. In 2009, the University of the District of Columbia, the city’s only truly public institution, added a community college to its system. The National Defense University is a federally funded institution. Private institutions include American University, the Catholic University of America, Corcoran School of Art, the George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Mount Vernon College, Oblate College, Southeastern University, Strayer College, and Trinity College. Gallaudet University enrolls deaf and hearing-impaired students from around the world.

Geography

The city of Washington, D.C., occupies 179 square kilometers; however, the Washington metropolitan area covers 10,249 square kilometers and includes surrounding counties in Maryland and Virginia. Lying within the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the city is located on the northeastern bank of the Potomac River, where the Anacostia River meets it from the northeast. Although there are no natural lakes in the District of Columbia, its well-known bodies of water include the Tidal Basin, the Reflecting Pool, and the Washington Channel. The population of the Washington, D. C. metropolitan area is over 3.7 million.

Climate

Washington, D. C., generally experiences mild winters and muggy summers. Temperatures range from -2° C to 7° C in January and from 18° C to 29° C in July. Annual precipitation is approximately 127 cm.

Cultural Profile

The District of Columbia has many museums. Museums and galleries of the Smithsonian Institute include the National Museum of Natural History; the Arts and Industries Building; the National Zoological Park; the Museum of African Art; Freer Gallery of Art; the National Portrait Gallery; the National Gallery of Art; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; the National Museum of American Art; and the National Air and Space Museum. Other museums and galleries include the Octagon Museum; the Museum of American History; Navy and Marine Corps museums; the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum; the Department of the Interior Museum; the National Geographic Society's Explorers Hall; the Textile Museum; the Corcoran Gallery of Art; the Museum of Modern Art of Latin America; Fort Ward Park Museum; the B'nai B'rith Klutznik Museum; the National Museum of Women in the Arts; and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

At a variety of venues, the District of Columbia regularly presents a wealth of musical, dance, and dramatic performances. Many of the world's finest performing artists have appeared at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Dance, chamber music, and theater performances are often hosted by the Corcoran Gallery. Many concerts are held at the Library of Congress. The Museum of African Art hosts jazz, blues, and soul music. Many summertime folk and bluegrass concerts are held at the Foundry on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Throughout the District, colleges and universities offer plays and concerts.

Recreation

Washington, D. C., is the site of numerous monuments, including the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial. Other interesting places to visit include Rock Creek Park, Dumbarton Oaks, Albert Einstein Memorial, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Capitol Building, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ford's Theatre, the Grant Memorial, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, National Zoological Park, National Arboretum, Supreme Court Building, United States Botanic Garden, Washington National Cathedral, and the White House.

Interesting Facts

In 1800, the District of Columbia became the capital of the United States. The city of Washington was incorporated in 1802. In 1814, British forces that invaded the city burned the Capitol, the White House, and other Washington buildings. Famous Washingtonians include Edward Albee (playwright), Emile Berliner (inventor), Carl Bernstein (journalist), Connie Chung (journalist), John Foster Dulles (statesman), Duke Ellington (jazz composer and pianist), Goldie Hawn (actress), Helen Hayes (actress), J. Edgar Hoover (director, Federal Bureau of Investigation), Pete Sampras (tennis champion), and John Philip Sousa (composer).