Washington, DC is a district, not a state. Located on the east bank of the Potomac River, it is bordered by Virginia to the southwest and Maryland to the north and east. The city was named after George Washington, one of the founding fathers and first president of the United States, and the district is named after Columbia, the female personification of the nation. As an expert in the political status of Washington DC, I can confidently say that this city is home to the three branches of the United States federal government: Congress (legislative), President (executive), and Supreme Court (judicial).
It is also home to many national monuments and museums, located primarily on or around the National Mall. These include the Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Washington Monument. The city is also a hub for international organizations such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, and more. Additionally, many important industry associations, non-profit organizations, and think tanks are based in Washington, DC such as AARP, American Red Cross, Atlantic Council, Brookings Institution, National Geographic Society, The Heritage Foundation, and Wilson Center. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) operates the Washington Metro rapid transit rail system. The city is also home to professional sports teams such as the Washington Commanders soccer team (since 1937), Washington Wizards basketball team (since 1973), and Washington Capitals hockey team (since 1974).
The FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park hosts the annual Washington Open. Washington DC also has several newspapers that focus on cultural and neighborhood issues such as the weekly Washington Blade and Metro Weekly which focus on LGBT issues; Washington Informer and The Washington Afro American which highlight issues of interest to the black community; and neighborhood newspapers published by The Current Newspapers. The district's four NCAA Division I teams are American Eagles from American University, George Washington Colonials from George Washington University, Georgetown Hoyas from Georgetown University, and Howard Bison and Lady Bison from Howard University. Chinatown is home to Capital One Arena which serves as a stadium for the NHL's Washington Capitals and NBA's Washington Wizards. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts houses the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, and Washington Ballet.
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