Washington DC is the capital of the United States of America. It borders the states of Maryland and Virginia. However, it does not belong to any of these states and is considered as an independent district, which is home to centers of legislative, executive and judicial sectors of the federal government. The key difference between Washington DC and Maryland is that Maryland is a state whereas Washington DC is a federal district.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. Washington DC
3. Maryland
4. Side by Side Comparison – Washington DC vs Maryland in Tabular Form
5. Summary
Washington DC
Washington DC, located along the Potomac River on the East Coast, is the capital of the United States of America. The state of Virginia borders it on the southern shore of the Potomac River and the state of Maryland borders it to the north, east, and west. The abbreviation DC stands for District of Columbia. Washington DC was founded in 1791 and was named after George Washington, the first US president. This region does not belong to any state. However, the federal district was created with lands donated by states of Virginia and Maryland.
Figure 01: Location of Washington DC
Washington DC is home to centers of all three segments (legislative, executive and judicial) of the federal government, i.e., Congress, President and Supreme Court. Most familiar US landmarks such as Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian Washington monument and White House are situated in Washington DC. Furthermore, it is also home to many embassies, museums headquarters of trade unions, international organizations and professional associations.
Maryland
Maryland is a state in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is one of the thirteen original states of US. Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia are its neighboring states. Maryland’s capital is Annapolis, but the largest city is Baltimore. In terms of area, Maryland is one of the smallest capitals in the US; however, it is also one of the most densely populated states. Maryland as 23 counties.
Figure 02: Maryland
It is said that this state was named after Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I of England. This was founded by George Calvert in the early 17th century. This state played a major role in the founding of Washington DC. However, it is important to note that Washington DC is not located in the state of Maryland. In fact, Washington DC does not belong to any state as mentioned in the previous section.
What is the Difference Between Washington DC and Maryland?
Washington DC vs Maryland |
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| Washington DC is the capital of the USA. | Maryland is one of the fifty states of USA. |
| Location | |
| Washington DC is located along the Potomac River on the East Coast, bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. | Maryland is located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States and borders states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. |
| Area | |
| 177 km² | 32,133 km² |
| State | |
| Washington DC doesn’t belong to any state. | Maryland is a neighboring state of Washington DC. |
Summary – Washington DC vs Maryland
The main difference between Washington DC and Maryland is that Washington DC is a federal district whereas Maryland is a state. Washington DC does not belong to either the state of Maryland or Virginia. It is an independent region which acts the capital of the country.
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Image Courtesy:
1. “Washington, D.C. locator map” By Peter Fitzgerald – Own work based on the US Geo survey map, map of Maryland, and map of Virginia (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Maryland regions map” By Peter Fitzgerald – Own work based on the US Geo survey map, map of Maryland, and map of Virginia (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia