爱华网华盛顿哥伦比亚特区(Washington D.C.)，简称为华盛顿，美利坚合众国的首都，靠近弗吉尼亚州和马里兰州，位于美国的东北部、中大西洋地区，是1790年作为首都而设置、由美国国会直接管辖的特别行政区划，因此不属于美国的任何一州。
虽然纽约市及费城都曾任短暂的美国首府，但于1790年，国会选定哥伦比亚特区为永远的美国首府。乔治华盛顿也有帮忙挑选城市的位置。位于波多马克河 (Potomac River) 的华盛顿特区，开拓之初的建地是取自马里兰州及维吉尼亚州的部分土地(位在河流南部的土地，也在1846年时，归还给维吉尼亚州了)。
在法国出生的美国工程师、建筑师及郊区设计师：朗方 (Pierre-Charles L'Enfant) 规划了该市的基本蓝图，宽敞的大道以国会大厦所在的建筑物为中心，呈星状向外射出，而周围的街道则呈棋盘状，其间有着一些圆环及公园。哥伦比亚特区这个名字是为了表彰哥伦布 (Christopher Columbus) ，而着名的华盛顿特区，则是为了彰显美国的第一任总统。虽然国会大厦的第一期建设工程直到1826年才完工，国会的首次会议已于1800年在华盛顿召开。今日，华盛顿每年都涌入数以百万计的人来一睹国会大厦、白宫、国会图书馆及市内的许多博物馆及纪念 堂的风采。代表它的花朵是素有美国美人之称的玫瑰。
Although New York City and Philadelphia each served briefly as the capital of the United States, in 1790, Congress chose the District of Columbia as the permanent seat of government. George Washington helped select the site for the city. Situated on the Potomac River, Washington, D.C., was originally carved out of land transferred from Maryland and Virginia (Virginia's portion south of the river was returned to that state in 1846).
French-born American engineer, architect, and urban designer Pierre-Charles L'Enfant designed the city's basic plan, which features wide avenues radiating from the Capitol building through a grid of streets with numerous circles and parks. The name District of Columbia honors Christopher Columbus, and the city's better-known name of Washington, honors the first president. Congress first met in Washington in 1800, although construction of the first phase of the Capitol was not completed until 1826. Today, millions come to Washington, D.C. each year to see the Capitol, the White House, the Library of Congress, and the city's many museums and monuments. The flower is the American beauty rose.
华盛顿特区的樱花树想想看，到底是那些景点，让华盛顿特区每年都可以吸引数百万名的游客。您也许会想到是纪念堂、白宫、国会大厦、国会图书馆。但您可曾想过，是否活的生物也可成为主要的观光景点?
许多美国人及国际观光客会选在春天来临时造访华盛顿特区，以观赏在蓄潮湖 (Tidal Basin) 及杰佛逊纪念堂 (Jefferson Memorial) 周围开满粉红色及白色花朵的日本樱花树。这些樱花树是源自于1912年时，日本东京人民送给美国的礼物。1910年时，之前所赠送的2,000株樱花树全遭寄生虫感染，只得全部销毁。每年春天所举办的国家樱花节 (National Cherry Blossom Festival) 是一个长达两星期的庆祝活动，来自世界各地的数万名游客会涌入华盛顿特区，只为欣赏这些开满花朵的美丽树木。
您曾看过这些动人的花朵吗?
华盛顿特区英语介绍When you think about the things that attract millions of visitors to Washington, D.C., each year, you probably think about the monuments, the White House, the Capitol, the Library of Congress. But have you ever thought about the living things that are also a major tourist attraction?
Many Americans and international tourists make a special visit to Washington, D.C., in the spring to see the blooming pink and white Japanese cherry trees that circle the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial. The trees were originally planted as a gift from the people of Tokyo, Japan, in 1912. In 1910, a previous donation of 2,000 cherry trees had to be destroyed after they were infested with insects. Each spring, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, a two-week-long celebration, attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the world to see the magnificent trees in full bloom.
Have you ever seen these magnificent blossoms?
