Chapter 1: Regions and Themes

Here's a table I found that summarizes the geography of Washington:

Longitude / Latitude	Longitude: 116° 57'W to 124° 48'W Latitude: 45° 32'N to 49°N
Length x Width	Washington is about 360 miles long and 240 miles wide.
Geographic Center Explanation	The geographic center of Washington is located in Chelan County, 10 miles WSW of Wenatchee. Longitude: 120° 16.1'W Latitude: 47° 20.0' N
Borders	Washington is bordered by Canada in the north and Oregon in the south. On the east, Washington is bordered by Idaho and, on the west, Washington is bordered by the Pacific Ocean.
Total Area	Washington covers 71,303 square miles, making it the 18th largest of the 50 states.
Land Area	66,582 square miles of Washington are land areas.
Water Area	4,721 square miles of Washington are covered by water.
Highest Point	The highest point in Washington is Mt. Rainier at 14,410 feet above sea level.
Lowest Point	The lowest point in Washington is sea level where Washington meets the Pacific Ocean in the west.
Mean Elevation	The Mean Elevation of the state of Washington is 1,700 feet above sea level.
Major Rivers	Columbia River, Snake River, Yakima River
Major Lakes	Lake Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lake Washington

Washington, also known as the Evergreen State, is the only state named after a president. It is the 18th largest state and can be divided in 6 geographic land areas:

The state was visited by Spanish, American, and British explorers - Bruno Heceta for Spain in 1775, the American Capt. Robert Gray in 1792, and Capt. George Vancouver for Britain in 1792–1794.

Averange temperatures range from 84 degrees to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. "Washington's climate varies greatly from west to east. A mild, humid climate predominates in the western part of the state, and a cooler dry climate prevails east of the Cascade Range."  

The state is a leading producer of lumber as evident by its vast forests. "Its rugged surface is rich in stands of Douglas fir, hemlock, ponderosa and white pine, spruce, larch, and cedar."

Cows transporting lumber



Train transporting lumber



"The state holds first place in apples, lentils, dry edible peas, hops, pears, red raspberries, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries, and ranks high in apricots, asparagus, grapes, peppermint oil, and potatoes. Livestock and livestock products make important contributions to total farm revenue and the commercial fishing catch of salmon, halibut, and bottomfish makes a significant contribution to the state's economy."



"Customer Selecting Produce with Vendor Help at Pike Street Public Market in Seattle"



There are also several manufacturing industries in the state including aircraft and missiles, shipbuilding and other transportation equipment, lumber, food processing, metals and metal products, chemicals, and machinery.

Washington also has over 1,000 dams for purposes of irrigation, flood control, power, and water storage.

Dam on the Columbia river in Washington state

Sources:

"Washington Geography from NETSTATE." 50 States - Capitals, Maps, Geography, State Symbols, State Facts, Songs, History, Famous People from NETSTATE.COM. Web. 01 Feb. 2011. http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/wa_geography.htm.

Washington: History, Geography, Population, and State Facts — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108286.html#ixzz1ClMXepFv