New Columbia
New Columbia | |
|---|---|
| State of New Columbia | |
| Nickname(s): D.C., The District | |
| Motto(s): "Justitia Omnibus" (English: Justice for All) | |
| Anthem: "Washington" | |
 Map of the United States with New Columbia highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | District of Columbia |
| Admitted to the Union | January 3, 1959 (49th) |
| Capital (and largest city) | Washington, D.C. |
| Largest county or equivalent | Washington, D.C. |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Washington-Arlington |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Muriel Bowser (D) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Phil Mendelson (D) |
| Legislature | New Columbia Legislature |
| • Upper house | {{{Upperhouse}}} |
| • Lower house | {{{Lowerhouse}}} |
| U.S. senators | Frank Smith (D) Mary Cheh (D) |
| U.S. House delegation | Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) (list) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 68.35 sq mi (177.0 km2) |
| • Rank | 50th |
| Highest elevation | 409 ft (125 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 689,545 |
| • Rank | 48th |
| • Density | 11,280.71/sq mi (4,355.39/km2) |
| • Median household income | $90,088 |
| • Income rank | 1st |
| Demonym(s) | Washingtonian, New Columbian |
| Language | |
| • Official language | English |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (UTC) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (UTC) |
| ISO 3166 code | US-DC |
New Columbia, officially the State of New Columbia and commonly called Washington or D.C., is a state encompassing the entirety of Washington, D.C., the national capital of the United States. Separated to the west from Virginia by the Potomac River, New Columbia is otherwise almost surrounded by Maryland to its north, east, and south. With a population of 689,545 as of 2020, New Columbia is the third-least-populous state while its area of 68.35 square miles makes it the smallest state in the union. Its capital is Washington, D.C., a city that also serves as the nation's capital and where the country's executive, legislative, and judicial branches are all located.
Originally coming into being as the District of Columbia via the Residence Act in 1790, New Columbia first gained prominence in 1800 as the host of the 6th United States Congress which convened at the unfinished Capitol Building as the capital was moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The following year, the "District of Columbia" was officially recognised while the United States Congress returned parts of its land that included the city of Alexandria in 1846 which were previously ceded by Virginia, thereby leading to its modern-day borders. In 1871, a single municipality was created for the portion of the district that remained. In January 1959, just several months prior to the admission of Hawaii as the 50th state, the District of Columbia was admitted as the 49th state by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, thereby bringing to an end a longstanding and divisive debate over the district's representation at the federal level. In line with its admission as a state, the district was officially renamed to the "State of New Columbia" although the names "Washington" and "D.C." are still commonly used to refer to it given its previous past.
As a state, New Columbia has a unicameral legislative body, being one of only two states alongside Nebraska to do so, with a governor serving as the head of government. In a unique trait not seen in any other US state, since its admission, New Columbia has always voted for Democratic presidential candidates while the offices of governor and lieutenant governor have always been held by a Democratic politician, thereby effectively making it a one-party dominant state. In line with this, New Columbia is one of the few states with a non-white majority, being made up of a plurality of African-Americans, while its median age of 34.4 years makes it the youngest state on average. Together with Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming, New Columbia is one of the few US states treated as at-large congressional districts with the state's sole representative to the United States Congress currently being Eleanor Holmes Norton of the Democratic Party.
Despite its small size, a high concentration of lawyers and lobbyists working in the state has led to New Columbia traditionally possessing the highest GDP per capita in the United States at approximately $90,088 as of 2020, an amount higher than the national average. Likewise, its human development index is ranked sixth nationally, among the highest in the nation.