Washington DC

The District of Columbia, generally known as Washington DC, is a Federally controlled region in the United States, that is home to the core of the United States Government.

Originally, the District of Columbia was to be a square, 10 miles (16 km) per side, that spanned the Potomac River. But, by 1749, when all the key government buildings had been built on the Northern shore, the southern shore was returned to Virginia.

The US Congress, Supreme Court and The White House are all located within Washington DC.

Citizens of the United States, who live in Washington DC, do not get to cast votes for the US President, due to its peculiar electoral college system. They are allowed to vote for a representative in the House of Representatives, but that official is simply an observer, who has no vote.

Like Puerto Rico and Guam, some commentators argue it should be granted statehood.