Washington DC & US Overview

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & ITS CAPITAL
The American flag (‘the Stars and Stripes’, ‘Old Glory’, ‘the Star-Spangled
Banner’) features 50 stars to represent each of the fifty states, and 13 stripes
(alternating red & white) to represent the original thirteen colonies.
WASHINGTON D.C.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (WASHINGTON)
AREA:
177 km²
POPULATION:
671,803 est. 2022
FOUNDED:
September 9, 1791
The District of Columbia is not part of any US state, nor is it a state itself. It is a
unique federal district, specifically created as a location for the federal
government to operate.
Washington city is the entire District of Columbia - they are the same thing.
THE CAPITAL: WASHINGTON D.C.
Named after George Washington (founding father, first president, father of

the nation), it is where the US Federal Government is located. It is a global
capital and home to many international organisations, such as NATO, the
World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.
It is a compact city, settled on the

banks of the Potomac River.
The US Capitol Building

home to the United States Congress
(the Senate & the House of Representatives)
DC: THE SIGHTS
Washington D.C. is filled with white neoclassical structures - mostly

government buildings, monuments and memorials, such as:
THE WHITE HOUSE THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
THE
WASHINGTON
THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL MONUMENT
THE WHITE HOUSE
“The White House is where the President and

First Family of the United States live and work —
but it’s also the People’s House, where we hope
all Americans feel a sense of inclusion and
belonging.” www.whitehouse.gov
In the picture above, you can see the current president of the United States,
Joe Biden standing in the Oval Office. It is possible to arrange a tour of the
White House however, it is necessary to arrange this through the Czech
Embassy far in advance - not all dates are available and there are many
restrictions as to what items you can bring.
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
“The Library of Congress is the largest

library in the world, with millions of books,
films and video, audio recordings,
photographs, newspapers, maps and
manuscripts in its collections. The Library is
the main research arm of the U.S.
Congress.” www.loc.gov
As well as being a research library for the US congress, it’s also home to
exhibitions, workshops, talks, and concerts. It’s possible to visit the library’s
spectacular buildings including the famous ‘Main Reading Room’ (pictured
above), which has been featured in many films and TV shows.
THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
"’In this temple as in the hearts of the people

for whom he saved the Union, the memory of
Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.’
Beneath these words, the 16th president of the
United States sits immortalized in marble as an
enduring symbol of unity, strength, and
wisdom.” www.nps.gov
Abraham Lincoln is a key figure in US political and cultural history. He guided

the Union/North to victory in the US Civil war and issued the Emancipation
Proclamation - granting freedom to four million slaves. He was famously
assassinated while attending the theatre.
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT
“Built to honor George Washington,

the United States' first president, the
555-foot marble obelisk towers over
Washington, D.C.” www.nps.gov
Pictured here at the end of the

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
George Washington was a leader in both a military and political sense,

taking the role of Commander in chief of the anti-British, revolutionary forces
during the War of Independence, later being voted in as the first President of
the US. He has also been immortalised in currency, on the $1.00 bill.
THE NATIONAL MALL
THE NATIONAL MALL
THE NATIONAL MALL
THE NATIONAL MALL
THE NATIONAL MALL
THE NATIONAL MALL
THE NATIONAL MALL
THE NATIONAL MALL
ALSO ALONG AND AROUND THE NATIONAL MALL…
Eisenhower Memorial Roosevelt Memorial MLK,Jr Memorial
Jefferson Memorial Korean War Veterans Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Memorial
THE TIDAL BASIN
THE TIDAL BASIN
Washington D.C. is situated on the northeast bank of the Potomac River
as it flows into Chesapeake Bay. Three Rivers played a pivotal role for
early British settlement in this region - the Potomac (Washington D.C.),
the Delaware (Philadelphia), and the Hudson (New York). Cities along
these three rivers would also go on to be power centres during and after
the American Revolutionary War.
THE TIDAL BASIN
The Tidal Basin is a man-made reservoir located off of the Potomac
River. It is near the National Mall and is a focal point of the National
Cherry Blossom Festival held each spring. The basin covers an area of
about 43 hectares and is 3 metres deep.
THE TIDAL BASIN
THE PENTAGON
Just across the Potomac from the National Mall and the Tidal Basin, you
will find the iconic, 5-sided pentagon building. Like the White House, it is
possible to visit - It’s not necessary to arrange it through an embassy but
it is necessary to apply for the tour far in advance and submit
information in order for them to conduct a background check.
SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES IN D.C.
“The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest

museum, education, and research complex, with
21 museums and the National Zoo—shaping the
future by preserving heritage, discovering new
knowledge, and sharing our resources with the
world.
The Institution was founded in 1846 with funds from the Englishman James
Smithson (1765–1829) according to his wishes ‘under the name of the
Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of
knowledge.’” www.si.edu
SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES IN D.C.
D.C. TOURIST MAPS
D.C. TOURIST MAPS
It is important to note that, while there are many political and

war-related monuments, there are also many performing arts spaces
and a thriving social calendar for the local population. There are music
festivals and cultural events held throughout the city at venues such as
the Kennedy Centre, The JFK Opera, The National Theatre DC, and you
can even still enjoy a play at Ford’s Theatre where Abraham Lincoln was
assassinated.
LOCATION & COMPOSITION
LOCATION: GENERAL
The US consists of one contiguous area of

North America bordering Canada to its north
and Mexico to its south; as well as the
Hawaiian Islands 4000 km off the west coast
in the Pacific Ocean; and Alaska, which
borders northwest Canada.
★ It has a total area of 9.834 million km2
★ The total population is approximately 332 million people.
★ The Canadian border is the longest international land at 8,891 km.
★ The ‘contiguous US’ is sometimes called the Lower 48.

LOCATION: GENERAL
The US is approximately 125 times bigger than the Czech republic

(including Alaska and Hawaii - not pictured).
LOCATION: STATES
The US is a federation of 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii.
States have a great deal of autonomy with regards to such things as

schools, policing, welfare, judiciary, land management, etc.
LOCATION: STATES
LOCATION: TERRITORIES
The US also has a number of

territories which do not have the
same political independence as
states, those with inhabitants are:
★ American Samoa
★ Guam
★ Northern Mariana Islands
★ Puerto Rico
★ United States Virgin Islands
There are also 9 uninhabited territories: Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston
Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island.
Serranilla Bank and Bajo Nuevo Bank are 2 disputed, uninhabited territories.
COMPOSITION: CLIMATE
The contiguous US is divided quite strikingly in climate from east to west.

While the east receives a decent amount of rainfall and maintains a
more humid climate, the west is much more arid.
COMPOSITION: CLIMATE
The trade off for this warmer wetter climate is that it also brings tropical
cyclones - hurricanes. These cause flooding, destruction and death.
COMPOSITION: MOUNTAINS
The US has 4 main mountainous regions:
★ The Rockies, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada in the west.

★ The Appalachian mountains in the east.
★ The Alaskan mountain ranges.
★ The volcanic mountains of Hawaii.
COMPOSITION: DESERTS
There are four main regions of desert and arid land in the US:
★ The cold desert basins and plateaus in the west and northwest.
★ The warm deserts in the southwest (Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan).
★ The arctic tundra and polar desert of Alaska
★ he small Ka‘ū lava desert of Hawaii.)
COMPOSITION: THE GREAT PLAINS
Down the centre of the contiguous US, lies an area of semi-arid,

relatively flat grasslands, prairies, and forests known as the Great Plains.
COMPOSITION: WATER
The US has a large connected system of waterways across the entire
country. Some of the most notable rivers are:
★ The Missouri ★ The Colorado
★ The Mississippi ★ The Columbia
★ The Rio Grande ★ The Yukon
COMPOSITION: WATER
“Hydropower currently accounts for 28.7% of total U.S. renewable
electricity generation and about 6.2% of total U.S. electricity
generation.”2023 www.energy.gov
COMPOSITION: WATER
The 6 most notable lakes in the US are the five Great Lakes; Superior,
Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario; and the Great Salt Lake.
COMPOSITION: WATER
COMPOSITION: FORESTS
The US has many forested areas, often found on or around mountains,
near major rivers and lakes. There are 154 protected national forests.
COMPOSITION: COASTS
The east and west coasts represent a large area of wetlands. These
marshes, swamps, mangroves, and bogs add up to around 16 million ha.
COMPOSITION: COASTS
COMPOSITION: COASTS
Due to the length of the US coastline, there are many different types of
beaches to choose from.
COMPOSITION: COASTS
Here are the 25 largest US water ports:
COMPOSITION: AGRICULTURE & EXPORT
The US uses its land in the following ways, the majority of arable
agriculture is devoted to corn, soybean, wheat, and cotton farming.
A large majority of the land in the US is used for cattle and other
livestock.
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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & ITS CAPITAL

Named after George Washington (founding father, first president, father of

It is a compact city, settled on the

The US Capitol Building

Washington D.C. is filled with white neoclassical structures - mostly

THE WHITE HOUSE THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

“The White House is where the President and

“The Library of Congress is the largest

"’In this temple as in the hearts of the people

Abraham Lincoln is a key figure in US political and cultural history. He guided

“Built to honor George Washington,

Pictured here at the end of the

George Washington was a leader in both a military and political sense,

Eisenhower Memorial Roosevelt Memorial MLK,Jr Memorial

Jefferson Memorial Korean War Veterans Vietnam Veterans Memorial

“The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest

It is important to note that, while there are many political and

The US consists of one contiguous area of

★ It has a total area of 9.834 million km2

★ The total population is approximately 332 million people.

★ The Canadian border is the longest international land at 8,891 km.

★ The ‘contiguous US’ is sometimes called the Lower 48.

The US is approximately 125 times bigger than the Czech republic

The US is a federation of 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii.

States have a great deal of autonomy with regards to such things as

The US also has a number of

The contiguous US is divided quite strikingly in climate from east to west.

The US has 4 main mountainous regions:

★ The Rockies, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada in the west.

Down the centre of the contiguous US, lies an area of semi-arid,

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