Vancouver : Washington

Named after explorer, Capt. George Vancouver, Vancouver, Washington sits on the north bank of the Columbia River directly across from Portland, Oregon. The city which was incorporated on January 23, 1857 has a a total area of 119.5 km² (46.1 mi²). 110.8 km² (42.8 mi²) of it is land and 8.7 km² (3.3 mi²) of it is water.

The Cascade Mountain Range rises on the east. Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and Mt. Hood are less than two hours away.

Because of its proxiity to Portland, much of Vancouver's growth is due to Portlanders moving across the river but keeping their old jobs in Portland. In 2003, 70% of workers in Vancouver worked in Clark County. Also, many people who live in Vancouver shop in Portland to take advantage of a wider variety of shopping choices and the fact that Oregon has no sales tax. Vancouver enjoys mild weather with an average annual rainfall of 41.3 inches, less than Boston, Washington, D.C. or Atlanta. It has four distinct seasons with summer temperatures generally climbing into the 80s. Winter nights rarely fall below 30 degrees F

Elevation: 150 feet

Land area: 42.8 square miles

Latitude: 45.63 N

Longitude: 122.60 W

Population: 157,493 as on 2005

Local festivals include:

    * Old Apple Tree Celebration
    * Sausage Festival
    * WinterFaire

Attractions:

    * Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
    *  Clark County Historical Museum