Washington, D.C.: Difference between revisions

'''Washington, D.C.''' (formally the District of Columbia) is the capital city of the [[United States]], a federal district independent of any state, known for its planned urban design by Pierre Charles L'Enfant, iconic monuments, government institutions, and diverse population. Covering approximately 177 km² (68 square miles), it has an estimated population of around 693,000–702,000 (as of recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2024–2025, with slight variations across sources due to revisions and projections). Catholicism, introduced in the late 18th century through immigrant workers and early parishes, is a significant minority religion, with the [[Archdiocese of Washington]] serving the District and surrounding Maryland counties, reporting over 667,000 Catholics (approximately 20–22% in the broader archdiocesan territory, though city-specific figures vary; older data from Catholic-Hierarchy.org noted around 21.7% in 2004 for the archdiocese). The archdiocese, established as a diocese in 1939 and elevated to archdiocese in 1965, is a metropolitan see with the [[Diocese of Saint Thomas]] (U.S. Virgin Islands) as its sole suffragan, and is home to major national Catholic institutions including the [[Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception]]—the largest Roman Catholic church in North America—and the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.<ref name="cath-hier-wash">{{Cite web |title=Washington (Archdiocese) |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dwash.html |publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |access-date=2026-01-27}}</ref><ref name="adw-facts">{{Cite web |title=The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington Facts |url=https://adw.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/ADW-Fast-facts-2024.pdf |publisher=Archdiocese of Washington |access-date=2026-01-27}}</ref>