The District of Columbia - identical with the City of Washington - is the capital of the United States. It is located between Virginia and Maryland on the Potomac River. The district was built on and named after the Territory of Columbia in honor of Christopher Columbus.

DC history began in 1790 when Congress directed selection of a new capital site, 100 sq mi, along the Potomac. When the site was determined, it included 30.75 sq mi on the Virginia side of the river. In 1846, however, Congress returned that area to Virginia, leaving the 68.25 sq mi ceded by Maryland in 1788.

The seat of government was transferred from Philadelphia to Washington on Dec. 1, 1800, and President John Adams became the first resident in the White House.

D.C. offers residents unique benefits that can't be matched by any other city. Where else can you pass the White House on your walk to work, spend hours in world-class museums every weekend for free, attend an evening reception at a foreign embassy, and catch top-notch theater on your evenings out? D.C.'s thriving economy is attracting more and more people to the city than ever before.