Seattle

Seattle-Travel-Guide-Travel-S-Helper

Sitting on the United States’ West Coast, Seattle is a vibrant seaport city. With a population of 755,078 in 2023, Seattle is the most populous city in the Pacific Northwest region of North America and the state of Washington. King County, Washington finds its seat here. Among American cities, it ranks as the 18th most populous. Comprising a population of 4.02 million, the Seattle metropolitan area ranks as the fifteenth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Among the fastest-growing big cities in the country, Seattle boasts an amazing 21.1% increase between 2010 and 2020.

Seattle’s unique geography is on an isthmus linking Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, with Lake Washington. About 100 miles (160km) south of the Canadian border, this is the northernmost big city in the United States. The city’s strategic position has made it an important trade gateway for East Asia. A major participant in this regard, the Port of Seattle ranks fourth in North America based on container handling as of 2021.

Deeply ingrained in Seattle’s past is its indigenous past. Before European colonists arrived, the Duwamish tribe and other Native Americans had lived in the area for at least 4,000 years. The Duwamish had built at least 17 villages near Elliott Bay. Arriving at Alki Point on November 13, 1851, via Portland, Oregon, on the schooner Exact from Illinois, the first permanent European immigrants were the Denny Party. Renaming the settlement “Seattle” in honor of Chief Seattle, a well-known leader of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, the settlement was moved further eastward in 1852. Currently, Seattle’s population is varied; there are many Native Americans as well as those of Asian, African, European, and Scandinavian ancestry. As of 2015, Seattle hosts also the fifth-largest LGBT community in the United States.

The development of Seattle from a logging town to a major commercial and shipbuilding center defines its economic past. The city helped Alaska grow by acting as a gateway during the late 19th century Klondike Gold Rush. The Boeing company’s presence in Seattle, which established it as a center for aircraft manufacture, greatly helped the city to keep developing after World War II.

The technological explosion of the 1980s made Seattle a major center of activity. Microsoft set its headquarters in Seattle when Amazon, the now-international online retailer, opened its doors in 1994. Moreover, Alaska Airlines flies to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, the international gateway for the city, from SeaTac, Washington. The flood of new software, biotechnology, and internet businesses, which spurred an economic rebirth, almost 50,000 more people lived in the city between 1990 and 2000.

The great musical legacy of Seattle largely defines its cultural profile. From the present Chinatown/International District to the Central District, the city housed almost 24 jazz clubs along Jackson Street between 1918 and 1951. Renowned musicians including Ernestine Anderson, Ray Charles, and Quincy Jones developed their careers in great part on this vibrant jazz scene. Late 20th and early 21st century Seattle was the birthplace of many legendary rock bands including Jimi Hendrix, Heart, and Foo Fighters. Among the bands that sprang from the music scene of the city are Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, so helping to pioneer the grunge music subgenre.

Seattle is a vibrant city with a rich history, varied population, and thriving cultural and economic scene. Because of its strategic location, historical relevance, and contributions to music and technology, this unique and powerful city is rather prominent in the United States.

US Dollar (USD)

Currency

November 13, 1851

Founded

206

Area code

755,078

Population

142.07 sq mi (367.97 km2)

Area

Austrian German

Official language

175 ft (53 m)

Elevation

UTC−8 (PST)

Time zone

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