Seattle, founded on December 2, 1869, was named after the Chief of Seattle. Located on the Pacific coast in the northwest of Washington state, between Puget Bay and Lake Washington, the city is bordered to the west by the Olympic Mountains and to the east by Lake Washington. It is approximately 174 kilometers away from the border between Canada and the United States. The total area is 369.2 square kilometers, which includes five regions: Tacoma, Olympia, Spokane, Bellevue, and Auburn. The city has a wide range of rivers, forests, and lakes, and belongs to a temperate marine climate.
Seattle holds a leading position in aerospace, computer software, bioinformatics, genetic science, electronic devices, medical equipment, environmental engineering, and more. Seattle is a center for performing arts. The Seattle Symphony Orchestra has a history of over a hundred years and is one of the symphony orchestras in the world with the most published albums; Seattle is considered the birthplace of junk music and also the birthplace of oil stained rock. There are many well-known figures in this area, such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates. In 2016, the city’s regional gross domestic product reached $300.8 billion. One of the 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Historical evolution
Archaeological excavations indicate that Native Americans settled in the Seattle area at least 4000 years ago. When European colonizers first arrived, the local indigenous people (later known as Duwamish) had established at least seventeen villages near the Ilyat Bay in Puget Sound.
In May 1792, George Vancouver arrived in the Seattle area on an adventure journey, marking the first time a European had come to the Seattle area.
In 1851, a large team led by Luther M. Collins arrived at the mouth of the Duwamish River in Seattle and officially declared their ownership on September 14 of the same year; On September 27th of the same year, some members of the Collins team met three detectives from the Danny team while on their way to the land they declared occupied; On September 28th, another exploration team, the Danny team, announced the occupation of the Alki Point; After some members of the Danny team occupied Alkey Point, the remaining members rowed from Portland, Oregon on a stormy day on November 13 of the same year.
In April 1852, white immigrants moved their settlement to Elliott Bay.
On May 23, 1853, the first map of the city was drawn.
From 1865 to 1867, Seattle was a town.
On December 2, 1869, it officially became a city.
On November 11, 1889, Washington State joined the Union and became the 42nd state of the United States. From then on, Seattle became part of the state of Washington and became the largest city in the state.
At the end of the 19th century, the gold rush brought a brief and small development to Seattle.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the shipbuilding industry brought prosperity to Seattle.
After World War II, Seattle’s economy benefited from the flourishing development brought by Boeing’s aviation industry business.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Seattle aviation industry experienced a downturn.
Administrative division
As of 2017, Seattle has six regions under its jurisdiction: Tacoma, Olympia, Spokane, Bellevue, Auburn, and Kent.
Geographical environment
Location domain
Seattle is located in the northwest corner of Washington State, between Puget Bay and Lake Washington. To the west of the bay is the Olympic Mountains, to the east is Lake Washington, and to the east are Lake Sammames, Issa Cross Heights, and Tiger Mountain. To the southeast are the famous Rainier Snow Mountains and the Cascada Mountains. The city center coordinates are 47 ° 37’35 “N and 122 ° 19’59” W. Seattle has an area of 369.2 square kilometers, including 217.2 square kilometers of land and 152 square kilometers of water, with a water coverage rate of 41.16%.
Topographic features
The city of Seattle is built on a hilly terrain, with some of the highest points directly near the city center. Rivers, forests, lakes, and fields are widely distributed within the city. A canal connects Lake Washington and Puget Sound.
Climate
The climate in Seattle is deeply influenced by the ocean and belongs to a temperate marine climate, with mild and humid weather throughout the year. The rainy season in Seattle runs from November to March each year, while the dry season runs from April to October each year. The coldest month in Seattle (February) has temperatures above 4 ℃, while the hottest month (August) has temperatures below 22 ℃, with a relatively small annual temperature range. But the daily temperature range is large, up to 10 ℃ or above. The climate in Seattle is mild and the air is very humid.
Seattle occasionally snows, but rarely stays for a long time. The average number of cloudy days in Seattle is 226 days per year, and sunny weather usually starts late and ends early from mid July to mid September, compared to Portland in the south.
In the years when the El Ni ñ o phenomenon occurs, the precipitation in Seattle decreases, causing water scarcity in summer.
Natural resources
Forestry resources
The forest area in Seattle accounts for approximately 36% of the city’s total area. The commercial exploitation of forest resources has a history of approximately 120 years. The average annual timber harvesting in Seattle is 2000 square kilometers, which is less than 1% of the mature forest area. The forest area that is cut down each year only accounts for 0.33% of the forest area.
land resource
Agricultural and urban development land only accounts for approximately 2% of Seattle’s forest area, with the remaining 98% still covered by trees.
Animal resources
There are land creatures in Seattle, including grizzly bears, Komod bears, elk, moose, reindeer, goats, marmots, beavers, muskrats, coyotes, minks, cougars, eagles, eagles, swans, divers, eagles, owls, crows, ugly ducks, ducks, mockingbirds, sparrows, tits, starlings, earwigs, rodents, squirrels, longhorned beetles, ivy, and mice. Marine organisms include salmon, trout, left mouthed fish, rainbow trout, seals, otters, killer whales, gray whales, porpoises, Pacific spotted dolphins, and minke whales.
Mineral resources
Seattle has mineral resources such as gold, silver, copper, coal, oil, and natural gas.
Population
In 2020, the total population of Seattle city reached 3.433 million.
Economic
The Seattle region has leading economic groups such as aerospace, information technology, life sciences and biotechnology engineering, clean technology and environmental industry, logistics, and international trade, but agriculture is relatively backward. In 2016, the city’s regional gross domestic product reached $300.8 billion.
In 2018, the gross domestic product of Seattle reached 355.7 billion US dollars.
primary industry
Agriculture in Seattle is relatively backward, mainly growing common agricultural products such as wheat and vegetables. In 2016, the economic output value brought by agriculture was approximately 30 billion US dollars.
Secondary industry
Seattle’s industry is mainly manufacturing, and it is the main industrial center in the northwest of the United States. Manufacturing is the pillar industry of its economy, along with other industries such as chemical and steelmaking. In 2016, the economic output value brought by industry was approximately 180 billion US dollars.
The tertiary industry
The service industry in Seattle is very developed, with a large number of mid to high end institutions such as lawyers and audit firms, management and technical consulting firms, and human resources service agencies. In 2016, the economic output value brought by the service industry was approximately $110 billion.
Transportation
Sea freight
Washington State has the largest ferry fleet in the United States. Starting from the pier located at Pier 52, people can take a boat to Bremerton Island and Bainbridge Island, and this route allows passengers to check in transportation. There is also a route to Vashon Island that only provides passenger transportation services.
railway
Three different Amtrak trains depart from the historic King Street Station, offering many routes including those to Vancouver, Tacoma, Portland Island, and Spokane. The King Street Station is located between the International District and Pioneer Square, north of Qwest Field. Passengers can choose to purchase tickets online or at the station. The station also sells tickets for Greyhound long-distance bus companies in the United States. Sounder is a train that operates during peak commuting hours, with two routes from Seattle to Everett and from Seattle to Tacoma. The station is located at King Street Station. Monorail has a route from downtown Seattle to Westlake Mall in the city center.
aviation
The Seattle Tacoma/Sea Tac International Airport (IATA: SEA, ICAO: KSEA) is a major airport in the Greater Seattle area of Washington, USA. It is located 19 kilometers (12 miles) from downtown Seattle and is approximately a 30 minute drive away. Sita International Airport is the largest airport in the northwest of the United States and the 17th busiest airport in the country, mainly serving Seattle, Tacoma City, the Greater Seattle metropolitan area, and its affiliated areas.
highway
The main highway running through the north and south of Seattle during the 1919 Seattle Strike was the I-5 interstate highway, while the main highways running between the neighboring city of Bellevue were the SR-520 and I-90 interstate highways. Seattle was the starting point on the west bank of the 90 interstate highway, and heading east would lead directly to Boston. There is also an Alaskan Way Viaduct in downtown Seattle that runs along the seaside.
Social undertakings
Education
The average education level of residents in Seattle is very high. Besides schools, adult training classes and home school education in Seattle are also very strong. Among the adult population aged 25 and above, 91.9% have received high school education or above. 53.8% of the population holds a bachelor’s degree or above. 36% of the population has a master’s degree or above, and 93% of the population has graduated from high school. Besides school, adult training classes and home school education in Seattle are also very strong. Like most other public schools in major cities in the United States, public schools in Seattle are often the cause of debate. Although schools in Seattle abolished the practice of racial segregation without the need for a court ruling, achieving racial equality in each school in a city where different races are separated is not easy. Although some schools have better grades than others, there are differences in their residential areas, parents’ education of their children, and school practices.
In addition to public schools, Seattle also has some private schools: four Catholic schools, one Protestant school, and six non religious schools.
The universities in Seattle mainly include University of Washington, City University of Seattle, University of Seattle, Pacific University of Seattle, Community College, and Seattle College of Arts.
Medical hygiene
The Seattle area is a healthcare center located along the northwest Pacific coast of the United States. We have leading medical organizations, including the Swedish Medical Center, University of Washington Hospital and its affiliated medical schools, Port View Medical Center, Public Health Cooperative Hospital, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Northwest Hospital, Valley General Hospital, Children’s Hospital, and the Hachison Cancer Research Center (which has the world’s largest cancer control and prevention research project). Medical researchers in Seattle have won three Nobel Prizes in Medicine over the past five years.
News media
The most important newspapers in Seattle are The Seattle Times and The Seattle Post, both sharing their advertising and business departments. Important weekly magazines include Seattle Weekly and Stranger, both of which are free weekly magazines. The former is an informal newspaper in the Seattle area, often reporting on the dark side of the country or the city that formal newspapers cannot cover. The latter targets some alternative readers and reports on non mainstream news such as homosexuality. There are also many television and radio stations in Seattle.
Infrastructure
Religious venues
In the Greater Seattle area, all major religions have their representatives. In addition to various Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox religions, there are also many Jewish synagogues, Buddhist temples, and mosques.
Public facilities
In Seattle, water and electricity are provided by public facilities. Private Puget Bay Energy Company provides natural gas, Seattle Steam Company provides steam, Quist provides telephone service, and Comcast provides cable television.
Entertainment facilities
As of 2017, Seattle has 14 museums, 50 parks, 9 attractions, 12 beaches, 24 community centers, 5 golf courses, 151 tennis courts, 27 performance centers, 10 swimming pools, 38 entertainment venues, 42 sports clubs, and 27 public libraries.
Infrastructure
Religious venues
In the Greater Seattle area, all major religions have their representatives. In addition to various Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox religions, there are also many Jewish synagogues, Buddhist temples, and mosques.
Public facilities
In Seattle, water and electricity are provided by public facilities. Private Puget Bay Energy Company provides natural gas, Seattle Steam Company provides steam, Quist provides telephone service, and Comcast provides cable television.
Entertainment facilities
As of 2017, Seattle has 14 museums, 50 parks, 9 attractions, 12 beaches, 24 community centers, 5 golf courses, 151 tennis courts, 27 performance centers, 10 swimming pools, 38 entertainment venues, 42 sports clubs, and 27 public libraries.
The Henry Art Gallery, opened in 1927, was the first museum in Washington State. The Seattle Museum of Art was opened in 1933. The Frye Art Museum, Center on Contemporary Art, and Seattle Asian Art Museum also hold art collections.
The Seattle Public Library Central Library
The Satan Seattle Central Library is the flagship building of the Seattle Public Library System in the United States and is a famous deconstructionist building. It is located in the city center and is a building consisting of 11 floors (56 meters high) of glass and steel. The museum was opened to the public on May 24, 2004.
This 34000 square meter public library houses approximately 1.45 million books and other materials, including over 500 computers open to the public and an underground public parking lot. The usage rate in the first year exceeded 2 million people. The library has a unique and prominent appearance, forming several discrete “floating platforms”, like being in a large spider web.
The Queen Anne Branch of the Seattle Public Library is dignified, beautiful, and practical. This building, founded in 1914, exudes the classical charm of the Tudor dynasty, a crucial period of transition from feudal society to capitalism, and stands quietly on the mountaintop of Queen Anne.
People’s Lives
The Greater Seattle region is superior in its mild and suitable climate, diverse living options, rich artistic and cultural, sports, entertainment activities, numerous shops and restaurants, and year-round outdoor entertainment activities. In 2005, Seattle was named the best city in terms of wireless network connectivity in the United States; On a per capita basis, it is also a top tier city in the United States in terms of art centered commerce and organization (according to a 2005 survey by The Artist of America, Seattle has 3721 art related businesses and organizations); In 2001, Seattle was selected as the second child friendly city in the United States by Resident Friendly magazine.
Sports
The first modern professional team in Seattle was the Seattle SuperSonics. In 1969, the baseball team Seattle Pilots joined. The names of both teams are related to the local aircraft industry. The pilot team moved to Milwaukee one year later. The rugby team Seattle Seahawks was founded in 1976, and the baseball team Seattle Mariners was founded in 1977. The first team to win a national championship for Seattle was the ice hockey team Seattle City, which won the US championship in 1917. In addition, the University of Washington, University of Seattle, and Seattle Pacific University also have teams such as rugby and basketball. In 2016, the Seattle Baymen football team won the MLS championship in the American Professional Football League. One of the 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Historical and Cultural
Major events
The major events in Seattle included the Great Fire of 1889 (the destruction of the central business district but no one died), the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition of 1909 (now the University of Washington was established at the site of the Exposition), the Seattle General Strike of 1919 (the first general strike in the United States), the 21st Century Exposition of 1962, the Friendship Movement of 1990, and the 1999 World Trade Organization Conference, but were forced to close due to protests from the anti globalization movement. In February 2001, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake occurred in the Seattle area, which did not cause serious damage to the city.
Local specialties
Due to its proximity to fishing grounds in Alaska and Canada, as well as frequent loading and unloading of fishing goods from Chile, Japan, and other countries, Seattle’s cuisine is dominated by seafood. Including oysters, big crabs, salmon, trout, cod, and scallops. In addition, there is grilled steak from the prairies of Washington State. There are as many as 2000 restaurants in Seattle, and in the international area (Chinatown), there are restaurants in China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand; The Ballard region maintains traditional Scandinavian cuisine. Specialty cuisine: Crab, oysters, salmon, seafood chowder soup.
Seattle is a paradise for coffee enthusiasts, with 230 coffee stalls selling espresso, and it continues to increase every week; Seattle people enjoy drinking coffee and consume 250000 cups in a week, with Starbucks and SBC being the two major coffee companies contributing the most. Starbucks has 150 stores that are shipped to fifty states across the country. Today, there are also stores in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, and other cities. SBC Coffee (Seattle’s Best Coffee) is sold through restaurants and espresso coffee stands. Similarly, it is the historic site of the internationally renowned coffee chain Starbucks, and the first Starbucks located in the Pike Market has also attracted many tourists.
Scenic spots
Seattle burned down the entire wooden city in 1889 due to a painter’s glue pot catching fire. Seattle quickly rebuilt after the fire, using more stones, iron, and cement as building materials. By 1893, the first railway spanning the American continent was connected to Seattle, and maritime transportation was also formed, connecting major ports in Asia and ports in the eastern United States. The Crondick Gold Rush of 1897 brought faster growth to Seattle, with the city’s population growing sixfold from 1890 to 1910. Seattle also hosted the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exhibition for the first time, and the University of Washington campus was the site of the exhibition that year. Buy a City Pass in Seattle, which includes tickets to the Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Flight, Pacific Science Center, I-MAX, Space Needle, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, and Woodland Park Zoo. Buying the entire book together is more than half cheaper than buying individual tickets separately. Self guided travelers should not miss it. Other world-class tourist cities in the United States have City Passes for sale, and the cooperating institutions in the city passport may change at times. Therefore, it is best to check which institutions have tickets in the city passport before making a purchase.
Space Needle Tower
The Space Needle is a major landmark in the Northwest Pacific region of the United States, located in the city center of Seattle and featuring fireworks displays during the New Year. It was designed for the 1962 World Expo and offers a 360 degree view of Seattle from a 520 foot observation deck and revolving restaurant. It also includes Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, and Puget Sound.
Parker Market
Pike Place Market was founded in 1907 and was originally a farmer’s market. Nowadays, farmers and fish vendors are only a small part of the attraction here. Here, you can find over 200 shops that supply various fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as handicrafts from various local customs; In addition, exotic restaurants also stand along the street.
Pike Market has a world-renowned fish market called Pike Place Fish Stall, which has become a must visit attraction for tourists. Victor Steinbrueck Park is located at the northernmost end of Park Market and is a vast expanse of lush green space. And the “chewing gum wall” is because there is a small cinema next to it. Every time people queue up to buy tickets to enter, they stick their chewing gum on the wall. Over time, it actually creates a scenery.
Smith Tower
The Smith Tower was designed and built by Gaggin&Gaggin Architects in 1914. This neoclassical architectural style quickly became popular in Seattle, becoming the most popular architectural style in the city. Since its completion, Smith Tower has been honored as the tallest building in the area west of the Mississippi River for many consecutive years. On the third floor of Smith Tower, there is a gift from the last feudal dynasty of China, the Qing Dynasty, to Mr. Smith, the owner of Smith Tower: China House. The famous wishing chair is placed in the house of China. Legend has it that a single woman sitting on the chair and making a sincere wish will find her ideal husband.
Pacific Science Center
The Pacific Science Center is a multi arched Gothic style building with a beautiful fountain, featuring laser theaters, sound and sound cinemas, planetariums, children’s theaters, and various displays including seven dinosaur models from the movie Jurassic Park. The main purpose of this center is to teach children scientific knowledge and gradually guide their interest in science. In order to achieve this goal, a robot dinosaur of the same size as a physical object, a butterfly pavilion, and an insect village (containing giant robot insects) are set up here. In the study area, children can also play virtual reality football, challenge robots with tic tac toe, and many other interesting exhibitions.
Famous figures
Bill Gates
Bill Gates, full name William Henry Gates (October 28, 1955~), was the Chairman of Microsoft Corporation in the United States. He co founded Microsoft with Paul Allen and served as its CEO and Chief Software Designer. He holds over 8% of the company’s common stock and is also the largest individual shareholder. In the Forbes Global Billionaires List from 1995 to 2007, Bill Gates remained the world’s richest person for 13 consecutive years. He officially retired on June 27, 2008, but still served as the chairman of Microsoft to ensure the operation of the company, and donated all of his $58 billion personal assets to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. On February 4, 2014, Gates stepped down from his position as Chairman of Microsoft, but at the request of the new CEO Nadella, he will serve on the board as a founder and technical advisor. In March 2012, the Forbes Global Rich List was released, and Bill Gates ranked second with $61 billion. (In the latest Forbes Global Rich List, Bill Gates regained the world’s richest man by surpassing Mexican telecommunications giant Carlos Slim Elu)
Paul Allen
Paul Allen, born on January 21, 1953, was an American entrepreneur who co founded the predecessor of Microsoft with Bill Gates. The current founder and chairman of Vulcan Inc. He is one of the wealthiest people in the world. By 2006, he ranked sixth on Forbes magazine with assets of approximately $22.7 billion, of which $5 billion was in Microsoft stock. At the same time, he is the Chairman of Charter Communications, a shareholder of DreamWorks, and also owns the Seattle Hawks in the NFL and the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA.
Spencer Hoyce
Spencer Hoyce (born April 28, 1988~) was born in Seattle, Washington, USA. He is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center and plays for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. He was selected by the Sacramento Kings at the 2007 NBA Draft and is also the nephew of retired NBA player Steve Hawes.
Brandon Roy
Brandon Roy (born July 23, 1984~) is a professional basketball player from Seattle, Washington, USA. He plays as a shooting guard and plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA.
Mattel Webster
Matt Webster (born December 4, 1986~) is an American professional basketball player who plays as a shooting guard/small forward for the Washington Wizards in the NBA. He was born in Edmonds, Washington, USA.
chief seattle
Chief Seattle (1786-June 7, 1866) was an Native American, of the yellow race, and the oldest resident in the Americas. He is the leader of a Native American tribe within the state of Washington, USA. According to Maynard’s suggestion, Seattle was named after the Chief of Seattle. In the 1850s, white leaders in Washington D.C. wanted to purchase Native American territories in the northwest of the United States. Seattle is the author of “This Land is Holy” (the article “This Land is Holy” was revised and included in Lesson 15 of the sixth grade textbook of the People’s Education Press’s Elementary School Chinese Language), which was published in a book for the sixth grade of elementary school. This article was compiled based on a reply from the then Native American chief Seattle. Seattle is very friendly to white people, and white residents have also built a monument on his cemetery. After the Native American territories in Seattle were forcibly acquired by white people, the land was named after this great Native American chieftain, the city of Seattle.
Michael Moore
Macklemore, originally named Ben Haggerty, is a West Coast rapper from Seattle, USA. The combination with Ryan Lewis was formed at the end of 2008, with the famous album “The Heist” released under the name of Macklemore&Ryan Lewis at the end of 2012, which also won the Best Rap Album award at the 56th Grammy Awards. Representative works include Thrift Shop, Can’t Hold Us, and Same Love.
kurt cobain
The late American rock superstar, his band Nirvana, pioneered the Grunge music era in America. Published excellent rock albums such as “Never Mind” and “In Utero”. Koben is also the first spiritual leader that most Chinese rock musicians come into contact with. In 2014, he and other members of Nirvana entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on their 25th anniversary of debut.
City Honors
In 1995, Seattle was named the “Best Place to Live in America” by Currency magazine.
In 1996, it was named the “Best Living and Working City” by Fortune magazine.
In 1998, it was recognized as the city with the highest quality of life in the United States.
On December 26, 2019, it ranked 64th on the 2019 Global Cities 500 list.
In April 2020, it was selected for the “2020 Global Summer Resort Cities List”.
In July 2022, the 2022 Fitness City Rankings in the United States were released, with Seattle ranking fifth.
