The Cascade Mountain Range divides Washington state's vast hemlock and Douglas fir forests of the west from the rich farming valleys and palouse of the east. Washington's coastal region, bordering the Pacific Ocean, stretches from Cape Flattery and the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula to the mighty Columbia River and its southern boundary with Oregon state. Eastern Washington's wide-open spaces vary from high desert plateau and pine-covered buttes to deep canyons and water-carved gorges. The valleys sport farms and ranches known for hay and other agricultural products such as apples, cherries, and grapes for award-winning wines.

Seattle and Tacoma are the largest cities. Along with their surrounding communities, they dominate the western valley between the magnificent Mt. Rainier and Puget Sound and Pacific Ocean. Western Washington residents joke about the seemingly constant rain, yet they do not let the dampness prevent them from outdoor activity. They may say that Seattle has more umbrellas per capita than anywhere else in the U.S., but they pack water-proof gear to walk, hike, bike, ski, beach comb, sailboard, and just about anything else they can do out of doors.

Washington's earliest inhabitants, the Northwest coastal tribes and the inland tribes of the palouse and upland region of the Yakima left a unique history. Today nearly three dozen Indian bands, tribes, and nations reside within Washington state. Several cultural centers across the state welcome non-natives to share in their art, traditions, and history.

The earliest Europeans to the Pacific Northwest, Spanish and British explorers claimed the region for their own. The area became part of the Oregon Territory of the U.S. with the Treaty of 1846. Washington became the 42nd state in 1889. Like much of the West, Washington residents survived the boom and bust times of the gold rushes a century ago. Timber, marine, and agriculture riches blessed the state although it is perhaps best known today for both aerospace manufacturing and as a computer-industry headquarters.