District of Columbia, Federal district in United States.
The District of Columbia is a federal district in the United States between Maryland and Virginia along the Potomac. It encompasses the capital city Washington with its four city quadrants and stretches along the riverbank over an area of 177 square kilometers (68 square miles).
Congress created the district in 1790 as neutral federal territory outside any individual state authority to house the national government. The area was formed from land cessions by Maryland and Virginia, with the Virginia portion later returned.
The name derives from Columbus and reflects the early hope of creating an independent seat of government. Today residents here experience their city as a distinct community while living at the center of federal politics.
The Metro system connects the four city quadrants through six color-coded lines with 91 stations allowing easy orientation. Visitors should note that the city is organized by a grid system with numbered and named streets, which simplifies navigation.
Residents elect a mayor and city council but have no voting representation in Congress despite paying federal taxes. Their license plates carry the slogan "Taxation without representation" as a reference to this political peculiarity.
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