For travel information purposes we have divided the state into
more than simply geographic regions. However, in fact,
Washington can be divided into 3 geographic regions: the
Washington's Cascade Mountains running down the center of the
state, Seattle/King County Basin and the Olympic and Kitsap
Peninsulas on the west, and the Rocky Mountain Gateway in the
interior. Puget Sound Basin is the economic and demographic
nucleus of Washington. It contains the Seattle Metropolitan Area
and further south, the state capital of Olympia. North of Puget
Sound lie the Emerald Coast and the San Juan Islands. The San
Juans, which are accessible by ferry, are known for their
unspoiled beauty and their wildlife, particularly orcas. On the
west lies the Olympic Peninsula, whose rain forests see as much
as 150 inches of annual precipitation. Olympic National Park is
remote and difficult to access, but it is heaven for backcountry
enthusiasts willing to make the effort. The peninsula is
sparsely populated save for coastal cities