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Eastern Washington facts for kids

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This page is about the geographic region. For the university, see Eastern Washington University.
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Eastern Washington
Geographic region
Nickname(s): 
Eastside
Location of Eastern Washington
Country United States
State Washington
Area
 • Total 46,620 sq mi (120,700 km2)
Highest elevation 12,276 ft (3,742 m)
Lowest elevation 79 ft (24 m)
Population
 (2019)
 1,641,900

Eastern Washington is a large area in the state of Washington, located in the United States. It is found east of the Cascade Range mountains. This region is home to important cities like Spokane (the state's second-largest city) and the Tri-Cities.

You'll also find the mighty Columbia River and the huge Grand Coulee Dam here. The Yakima Valley and the Palouse area are known for their rich farmlands. Unlike the western part of Washington, Eastern Washington has a very dry climate, with some areas even being deserts!

Climate in Eastern Washington

Eastern Washington Köppen
Different climate types in Eastern Washington

The weather in Eastern Washington is quite different from the western part of the state. Western Washington gets a lot of rain because it's close to the ocean. But Eastern Washington gets much less rain. This is because of something called a rain shadow. The tall Cascade Mountains block most of the rain clouds coming from the Pacific Ocean.

Since Eastern Washington is farther from the sea, it has hotter summers and colder winters. Many towns here get a good amount of snow every year. In contrast, snowfall is rare in Western Washington.

Even with these differences, both sides of the state share some weather patterns. They both get more rain in winter than in summer. They also don't have many severe storms. Temperatures are generally milder than in places much farther inland.

The climate can also change within Eastern Washington itself. Lower areas are usually hotter and drier. Higher areas tend to be cooler and get more rain. For example, Richland is at a lower elevation and is hotter. Spokane is higher up and is cooler.

Geography of Eastern Washington

Other Names for the Region

People sometimes use different names for Eastern Washington or parts of it. These names include:

  • Columbia Basin
  • Eastside or east side of the state
  • Inland Empire or Inland Northwest (this name also includes part of Idaho)

Major Cities

SpokaneFromPalisades 20070614
Spokane is the biggest city in Eastern Washington.

Eastern Washington has many cities and towns. Here are some of the largest ones, with over 10,000 people:

Protected Natural Areas

Goat Peak, Cascades
Goat Peak in the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest

Eastern Washington has many beautiful natural areas that are protected. These include:

There are also several National Forests and Wildlife Refuges:

Counties in Eastern Washington

Eastern Washington is made up of many counties. These include: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima counties. Some people also include a small part of Skamania County that is east of the Cascade Mountains.

Population

Eastern Washington is about twice as big in land area as Western Washington. However, it has only about one-fifth of the population. In July 2019, about 1,641,900 people lived in Eastern Washington. The number of people growing in both Eastern and Western Washington is about the same.

Education

Bryan Hall
Bryan Hall at Washington State University

Eastern Washington is home to many colleges and universities. This includes three of the five public universities in the state.

Public Universities and Colleges

  • Central Washington University
  • Eastern Washington University
  • Washington State University
  • Several local community colleges, such as:
    • Big Bend Community College
    • Columbia Basin College
    • Spokane Community College
    • Spokane Falls Community College
    • Walla Walla Community College
    • Wenatchee Valley College
    • Yakima Valley College

Private Universities and Colleges

  • Gonzaga University
  • Heritage University
  • Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
  • Walla Walla University
  • Whitman College
  • Whitworth University

Research Centers

  • Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  • Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute at Central Washington University

Idea for a New State

Map of Liberty
A map showing the proposed State of Liberty in Eastern Washington.     Washington     Liberty

Sometimes, people in Eastern Washington have talked about creating a new state. This new state would be made by splitting Washington state down the Cascade Mountains. This idea has been brought up in the state government several times, but it hasn't happened yet.

Some suggested names for this new state include Lincoln, Columbia, or Liberty. The idea behind this is that Eastern Washington often votes for the Republican Party. Western Washington usually votes for the Democratic Party. However, Spokane, the largest city in Eastern Washington, tends to vote more for the Democratic Party. Whitman County also tends to vote Democratic.

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