Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States. To the people of the United States it is a place of symbol and power like no other. It is the seat of the U.S. government where decisions are made that affect not only the country but the world. It is a magnet for tourists, who come to see its splendid monuments and museums, and home to 589,000 ordinary citizens.

Washington ranks among the world’s great capital cities but life in the District is not everywhere so grand. From a high of more than 800,000 people in the 1950s, population has declined, as many have chosen to leave the high costs, congestion, and crime of District life. Hundreds of thousands of commuters work in the city but live in surrounding states.

The United States Capitol anchors the District of Columbia and the nation. Atop its dome, the imposing Statue of Freedom stands nearly 94 m above ground level. The west entrance overlooks the National Mall, with its monuments and museums, and the White House, where the President lives.