Washington DC

City Information

Explore city history, fast facts, climate and practical visitor information for Washington DC.

Showing 1–8 of 8 articles

City Information

Annual Temperature

City Information

Fast Facts

Location: Eastern Coast of USA on the north bank of the Potomac River within the District of Columbia, an area bordering the state of Maryland. Country Dialing Code: +1 City code: 202 Emergency Numbers: 911- This number that can be dialed for free from any phone (even a pay phone) to obtain assistance . Telephone Directory services: 411 is the number for directory assistance, though a charge will apply; 1-800-Free-411 is the number for free. Directory assistance (though callers will listen to ads). Population 572,059 Languages spoken: English Time Zones: GMT/UTC -5 (Eastern Time) Washington DC observes Daylight Saving Time, April – October. Average January Temperature: -4 º C Average July Temperature: 30 º C Annual Rainfall: 110 mm Electrical Plugs: 120 volts, 60Hz. Plugs are mainly the two, flat-pin type, though three-pin plugs are also widely used. European appliances without dual-voltage capabilities will require an adapter, which can be purchased in most major Weights & Measures: Imperial Currency: US Dollar, Code: USD, Symbol: US $, currently, 1US $ = 3.673 UAE dirhams

Read full article

City Information

National Holidays

New Year’s Day - January 1 Martin Luther King Jr. Day - the third Monday in January Inauguration Day 20 Jan 2009 - (every four years) President’s Day - the third Monday in February Memorial Day - the last Monday in May Independence Day - July 4 Labor Day - the first Monday in September Thanksgiving Day - the fourth Thursday in November Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - December 24 and 25 New Year’s Eve - December 31

Read full article

City Information

When to go

The official tourist season starts from April through September but if comfort is a priority then the best time to visit the US capital is in Spring ( March to May) and Fall (September to November). A word of advice is to buy advance tickets to popular attractions beforehand because the queues can be very long.

Read full article

City Information

Washington DC Residents

In 2006, the population distribution was 55.5% African American, 34.5% Caucasian, 8.2% Hispanic (of any race), 5.1% other (including Native Americans, Alaskans, Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders), 3.4% Asian and 1.5% mixed (two or more races).[53] Even though they comprise the city's largest ethnic group, Washington has a steadily declining black population due to many African Americans leaving the city for suburbs. At the same time, the city's white population has steadily increased, in part due to effects of gentrification in many of Washington's traditionally black neighborhoods. A 2007 report found that about one-third of Washington residents are functionally illiterate, compared to a national rate of about one in five. However, while one-third are functionally illiterate, 45% of D.C. residents have at least a four-year college degree, the fourth-highest rate in the nation, which further illustrates the social divide present in the city. Residents who practice Islam make up 10.6% of the population.

Read full article

City Information

Visa Information

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides both nonimmigrant and Immigrant visa services only to the citizens and residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and certain citizens of Iran, citizens and residents of Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah, Fujairah, Ajman, and Umm al Quwain. For questions related to visa and consular issues at the Consulate General in Dubai, please send an email to [email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit the Consulate General web site at http://dubai.usconsulate.gov.

Read full article

City Information

Washington DC History

Originally designed by the French architect Pierre L’Enfant in 1791, it is hard to believe that its stately buildings once stood on a marshy swamp. George Washington created this special district as a federal power hub to avoid the problem of establishing the capital city in any one state, but it was a further six decades before it took on the shape of a capital city. Pierre Charles L’Enfant, a French-born architect, engineer, and city planner first arrived in the American colonies as a military engineer with Major General Lafayette. On August 23, 1814, British forces burned the capital during the war of 1812. Initially, the British approached the city hoping to secure a truce, but were fired upon, which ultimately led to the sacking of government buildings. The Capitol, Treasure, and the White House were gutted. The town’s ailing infrastructure was overhauled in the 1870’s by territorial governor Alexander “Boss” Shepherd, but it took another century to fulfill L’Enfant’s original vision of a world-class capital.

Read full article

City Information

Washington DC Today

The capital of the United States of America, Washington, is located in the District of Columbia and strategically bound on one side by the Potomac River ( giving it access to the sea) and bordered by the states of Virginia to the southwest and Maryland to the northwest, northeast, and southeast. Washington DC is a city of green parks, wide tree lined streets and very few skyscrapers, giving it a European air. It is also a city of museums and national monuments. The city is divided into four quadrants- northwest (NW), northeast (NE), southeast (SE) and southwest (SW).The federal district was named the District of Columbia, Columbia being named after Christopher Columbus. Washington DC is also called the city of neighborhoods, as each neighborhood has its own cultural identity. The Adam Morgan neighborhood stands out as an eclectic mix of international restaurants, sidewalk cafes, ethnic stores and late-night entertainment. This area boasts the largest display of expressive art in the city. Walk through this neighborhood and you will be assaulted with sights, sounds and aromas from across the globe. The most tragic of events in the nation’s capital occurred on 11 September 2001, when a hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon. Since then, barricades, police and security checks have changed the city’s façade. After the federal government, tourism is the capital’s primary industry with over 15 million tourists exploring the city each year, mostly during autumn, spring and summer. Winter is best avoided due to bitter cold and wet weather. Back in the 1990s, Washington DC was known as the “murder capital” of the United States with the number of murders reaching a peak in 1991, but the level of violence declined drastically in the 1990s.

Read full article