American Pie ( song ) - wikipedia American Pie ( song ) Jump to : navigation , search `` American Pie '' Picture sleeve for U.S. vinyl single . Artwork is also used as the front cover for the album of the same name and many other international releases of the single . Single by Don McLean from the album American Pie B - side `` Empty Chairs '' ( promo ) `` American Pie part 2 '' ( first release ) Released November 1971 ( original ) November 1991 ( re-release ) Format Vinyl ( original ) CD , cassette , vinyl ( reissue ) Recorded May 26 , 1971 Genre Folk rock Length 8 : 33 ( LP ) 4 : 11 ( single part 1 ) 4 : 31 ( single part 2 ) Label United Artists Songwriter ( s ) Don McLean Producer ( s ) Ed Freeman for The Rainbow Collection , Ltd . Don McLean singles chronology `` Castles in the Air '' ( 1971 ) `` American Pie '' ( 1971 ) `` Vincent '' ( 1972 ) `` Castles in the Air '' ( 1971 ) `` American Pie '' ( 1971 ) `` Vincent '' ( 1972 ) Audio sample file help `` American Pie '' is a song by American singer and songwriter Don McLean . Recorded and released on the American Pie album in 1971 , the single was a number - one US hit for four weeks in 1972 and also topped the charts in Australia , Canada , and New Zealand . In the UK , the single reached No. 2 on its original 1972 release while a reissue in 1991 reached No. 12 . The song was listed as the No. 5 song on the RIAA project Songs of the Century . A truncated version of the song was covered by Madonna in 2000 and reached No. 1 in several countries , including the United Kingdom , Canada and Australia . The repeatedly mentioned phrase `` the day the music died '' refers to the plane crash in 1959 which killed early rock and roll performers Buddy Holly , The Big Bopper , and Ritchie Valens . ( The crash was not known by that name until after McLean 's song became a hit . ) The meaning of the other lyrics has long been debated , and for decades , McLean declined to explain the symbolism behind the many characters and events mentioned . However , the overall theme of the song is the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation as symbolized by the plane crash which claimed the lives of three of its heroes . In 2017 , McLean 's original recording was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or artistically significant '' . Contents ( hide ) 1 Background 1.1 Interpretations 2 Personnel 3 Charts 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year - end charts 4 Parodies , revisions , and uses 5 Madonna version 5.1 Background 5.2 Reception 5.3 Music video 5.4 Credits and personnel 5.5 Charts 5.5. 1 Weekly charts 5.5. 2 Year - end charts 5.6 Certifications 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External links Background ( edit ) While it has been claimed that Don McLean began writing the song in upstate Saratoga Springs , New York , at Caffe Lena , a 2011 New York Times article quotes Don McLean as disputing this claim . Some employees at Caffe Lena claim that he started writing the song there , and then continued to write the song in both Cold Spring , New York , and Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . McLean claims that the song was only written in Cold Spring and Philadelphia . Tin & Lint , a bar on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs , claims the song was written there , and a plaque marks the table . While some have said that other places , such as Saint Joseph 's University , as where the song was first performed , McLean insists that the song made its debut in Philadelphia at Temple University when he opened for Laura Nyro on March 14 , 1971 . Interpretations ( edit ) Except to acknowledge that he first learned about Buddy Holly 's death on February 3 , 1959 -- McLean was age 13 -- when he was folding newspapers for his paper route on the morning of February 4 , 1959 ( the line `` February made me shiver / with every paper I 'd deliver '' ) , McLean has generally avoided responding to direct questions about the song 's lyrics ; he has said : `` They 're beyond analysis . They 're poetry . '' He also stated in an editorial published in 2009 , on the 50th anniversary of the crash that killed Holly , Ritchie Valens , and J.P. `` The Big Bopper '' Richardson , that writing the first verse of the song exorcised his long - running grief over Holly 's death and that he considers the song to be `` a big song ... that summed up the world known as America '' . McLean dedicated the American Pie album to Holly . It was also speculated that the song contains numerous references to post-World War II American events ( such as the murders of civil rights workers Chaney , Goodman , and Schwerner ) , and elements of culture , including 1960s culture ( e.g. sock hops , cruising , Bob Dylan , The Beatles , Charles Manson , and much more ) . When asked what `` American Pie '' meant , McLean jokingly replied , `` It means I do n't ever have to work again if I do n't want to . '' Later , he stated , `` You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me ... Sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on , maintaining a dignified silence . '' He also commented on the popularity of his music , `` I did n't write songs that were just catchy , but with a point of view , or songs about the environment . '' In February 2015 , McLean announced he would reveal the meaning of the lyrics to the song when the original manuscript went for auction in New York City , in April 2015 . The lyrics and notes were auctioned on April 7 , and sold for $1.2 million . In the sale catalogue notes , McLean revealed the meaning in the song 's lyrics : `` Basically in American Pie things are heading in the wrong direction ... It ( life ) is becoming less idyllic . I do n't know whether you consider that wrong or right but it is a morality song in a sense . '' The catalogue confirmed some of the better known references in the song 's lyrics , including mentions of Elvis Presley ( `` the king '' ) and Bob Dylan ( `` the jester '' ) , and confirmed that the song culminates with a near - verbatim description of the death of Meredith Hunter at the Altamont Free Concert , ten years after the plane crash that killed Holly , Valens , and Richardson . Mike Mills of R.E.M. reflected : `` American Pie just made perfect sense to me as a song and that 's what impressed me the most . I could say to people this is how to write songs . When you 've written at least three songs that can be considered classic that is a very high batting average and if one of those songs happens to be something that a great many people think is one of the greatest songs ever written you 've not only hit the top of the mountain but you 've stayed high on the mountain for a long time . '' In 2017 , Bob Dylan was asked about how he was referenced in the song . `` A jester ? Sure , the jester writes songs like ' Masters of War , ' ' A Hard Rain 's a-Gonna Fall , ' ' It 's Alright , Ma ' -- some jester . I have to think he 's talking about somebody else . Ask him . '' Personnel ( edit ) Don McLean -- vocals , acoustic guitar Paul Griffin -- piano David Spinozza -- electric guitar Bob Rothstein -- bass Roy Markowitz -- drums , tambourine West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir -- chorus Charts ( edit ) Weekly charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1971 -- 1972 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 26 Canadian RPM Top Singles Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Germany ( Official German Charts ) 9 Ireland ( IRMA ) 7 New Zealand Singles Chart Norway ( VG - lista ) 9 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) Year - end charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1972 ) Position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 11 US Billboard Hot 100 Parodies , revisions , and uses ( edit ) In 1999 , `` Weird Al '' Yankovic wrote and recorded a parody of `` American Pie '' . Titled `` The Saga Begins '' , the song recounts the plot of Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace from Obi - Wan Kenobi 's point of view . While McLean gave permission for the parody , he did not make a cameo appearance in its video , despite popular rumor . McLean himself praised the parody , even admitting to almost singing Yankovic 's lyrics during his own live performances because his children played the song so often . The City of Grand Rapids , Michigan created a lip dub video to `` American Pie '' in response to a Newsweek article that stated the city was `` dying '' . The video was hailed as a fantastic performance by many including Roger Ebert , who said it was `` the greatest music video ever made . '' On March 21 , 2013 , Harmonix announced that `` American Pie '' would be the final downloadable track made available for the Rock Band series of music video games . On March 14 , 2015 , the National Museum of Mathematics announced that one of two winners of its songwriting contest was `` American Pi '' by mathematics education professor Dr. Lawrence M. Lesser . The contest was in honor of `` Pi Day of the Century '' because `` 3 / 14 / 15 '' would be the only day in the 21st - century showing the first five digits of π ( pi ) . Madonna version ( edit ) `` American Pie '' Single by Madonna from the album The Next Best Thing ( Music from the Motion Picture ) Released March 3 , 2000 Format CD single Recorded September 1999 ( New York City , New York ) Genre Dance - pop Length 4 : 33 Label Maverick Warner Bros . Songwriter ( s ) Don McLean Producer ( s ) Madonna William Orbit Madonna singles chronology `` Beautiful Stranger '' ( 1999 ) `` American Pie '' ( 2000 ) `` Music '' ( 2000 ) `` Beautiful Stranger '' ( 1999 ) `` American Pie '' ( 2000 ) `` Music '' ( 2000 ) Music video `` American Pie '' on YouTube Background ( edit ) American singer Madonna released a cover version of the song in March 2000 to promote the soundtrack of her film The Next Best Thing ( 2000 ) , with the song being serviced to radio on February 2 . Her cover is much shorter than the original ( it contains only the beginning of the first verse and all of the second and sixth verses ) and was recorded as a dance - pop song . It was co-produced by Madonna and William Orbit and released on the singer 's Maverick label , after Rupert Everett ( Madonna 's co-star in The Next Best Thing ) had convinced her to cover the song for the film 's soundtrack . Reception ( edit ) Released in March 2000 , the song was a worldwide hit , reaching No. 1 in many countries , including the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , Italy , Germany ( her first since `` La Isla Bonita '' , in 1987 ) , Switzerland , Austria , and Finland . The song was the 19th best selling of 2000 in the UK and the 9th best selling of 2000 in Italy . The single was not released commercially in the United States , but it reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 due to strong radio airplay . NME gave it a negative review , saying that it was `` sub-karaoke fluff '' and that `` it 's a blessing she did n't bother recording the whole thing . '' Chuck Taylor from Billboard , on the other hand , was impressed by the recording and commented , `` Applause to Madonna for not pandering to today 's temporary trends and for challenging programmers to broaden their playlists ... In all , a fine preview of the forthcoming soundtrack to The Next Best Thing . '' Don McLean himself praised the cover , saying it was `` a gift from a goddess '' , and that her version is `` mystical and sensual . '' He also jokingly said , `` It means that if I do n't want to , I do n't have to work again . '' In 2017 , the Official Charts Company stated the song had sold 385,000 copies in the United Kingdom and was her 16th best selling single to date in the nation . Music video ( edit ) Madonna in the `` American Pie '' music video . The music video , filmed in the Southern USA and in London and directed by Philipp Stölzl , depicts a diverse array of ordinary Americans , including scenes showing same - sex couples kissing . Throughout the music video Madonna , who is wearing a tiara on her head , dances and sings in front of a large American flag . Two official versions of the video were produced , the first of which now appears on Madonna 's greatest - hits DVD compilation , Celebration , and was released as the official video worldwide . The second version was issued along with the `` Humpty Remix '' , a more upbeat and dance - friendly version of the song . This video was aired on MTV 's dance channel in the United States to promote the film The Next Best Thing , starring Madonna and Rupert Everett ; it contains totally different footage and new outtakes of the original and omits the lesbian kiss . Everett , who provides backing vocals in the song , is also featured in the video . Credits and personnel ( edit ) Madonna -- vocals , producer William Orbit -- producer , guitars , drums and keyboards Don McLean -- writer Mark `` Spike '' Stent -- mixing Rupert Everett -- backup vocals Mark Endert -- engineering Sean Spuehler -- engineering , programming Jake Davies -- engineering Rico Conning -- sequencer programming Dah Len -- photography Credits and personnel adapted from American Pie single liner notes . Charts ( edit ) Weekly charts ( edit ) Chart ( 2000 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 6 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) 7 Canadian Singles ( Nielsen ) European Hot 100 Singles Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista ) France ( SNEP ) 8 Germany ( Official German Charts ) Ireland ( IRMA ) Italy ( FIMI ) Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 6 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) Norway ( VG - lista ) Romania ( Romanian Top 100 ) Scotland ( Official Charts Company ) Spain ( PROMUSICAE ) Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 29 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) 21 US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) 20 US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) 16 Year - end charts ( edit ) Chart ( 2000 ) Position Australia ( ARIA ) 66 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 32 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 46 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) 44 France ( SNEP ) 44 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 16 Italy ( FIMI ) 9 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 46 Romania ( Romanian Top 100 ) 50 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 9 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 11 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 19 Certifications ( edit ) Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) Gold 35,000 Austria ( IFPI Austria ) Gold 25,000 France ( SNEP ) Silver 125,000 Sweden ( GLF ) Platinum 30,000 Switzerland ( IFPI Switzerland ) Platinum 50,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Gold 385,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone References ( edit ) Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Understanding American Pie -- Interpretation of Don Mclean 's epic anthem to the passing of an era '' . UnderstandingAmericanPie.com . Archived from the original on September 6 , 2003 . Retrieved March 30 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` National Recording Registry Picks Are `` Over the Rainbow '' `` . Library of Congress . March 29 , 2017 . Retrieved March 29 , 2017 . ^ Jump up to : Don McLean 's ' American Pie ' fetches $1.2 M Telegram & Gazette ( Worcester , Mass ) 8 April 2015 : A. 2 . ^ Jump up to : `` ' American Pie ' Still Homemade , but With a New Twist '' . The New York Times . November 30 , 2011 . Retrieved March 30 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Release : Don Mclean 's Original Manuscript For `` American Pie '' To Be Sold At Christie 's New York , 7 April 2015 `` . Christie's.com . February 13 , 2015 . Retrieved February 14 , 2015 . ^ Jump up to : `` Memory Bank 's a Little Off , But Sentiment Still Holds '' . August 12 , 2012 . Retrieved August 14 , 2012 . Jump up ^ McDonald , Shannon ( November 28 , 2011 ) . `` Don McLean : ' American Pie ' was written in Philly and first performed at Saint Joseph 's University '' . Newsworks.org . Retrieved December 19 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` American Pie '' . Don McLean.com . p. 68 . Jump up ^ McLean , Don ( February 1 , 2009 ) . `` Commentary : Buddy Holly , rock music genius '' . CNN . Retrieved November 28 , 2011 . Jump up ^ O'Brien , P. ( March 3 , 1999 ) . `` Understanding the lyrics of American Pie : The analysis and interpretation of Don McLean 's song lyrics '' . The Octopus 's Garden . Archived from the original on April 7 , 2013 . Retrieved July 20 , 2013 . CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` American Pie '' . Edlis.org . Retrieved March 30 , 2017 . Jump up ^ A2267173 Jump up ^ McLean , Don ( January 2005 ) . Recording Notes : Classic Tracks : Don McLean 's ' American Pie ' . Jackson , Blair , Mix29. 1 . pp. 126 , 128 , 130 . Jump up ^ `` Don McLean explains why he wo n't reveal the meaning of `` American Pie '' -- CBS News `` . CBSNews.com . CBS Interactive Inc . March 29 , 2017 . Retrieved March 30 , 2017 . `` But the quartet practicing in the park , that 's not the Beatles ? '' Axelrod asked . `` No , '' McLean replied . Jump up ^ Howard , Dr. Alan . `` The Don McLean Story : 1970 -- 1976 '' . Don-McLean.com . Archived from the original on July 11 , 2007 . Retrieved June 3 , 2007 . Jump up ^ `` What is Don McLean 's song `` American Pie '' all about ? `` . The Straight Dope . May 14 , 1993 . Archived from the original on May 28 , 2007 . Retrieved June 3 , 2007 . Jump up ^ Howell , Dave ( Special to The Morning Call -- Freelance ) ( May 24 , 2001 ) . `` Singer Don McLean 's As American as Apple Pie * * Mayfair 2001 * * Popular '' . Morning Call ( First ed . ) . Allentown , Pa . Jump up ^ `` Don McLean to reveal meaning of American Pie lyrics '' . BBC News . February 13 , 2015 . Retrieved February 13 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` American Pie lyrics sell for $1.2 m '' . BBC News . April 7 , 2015 . ^ Jump up to : Hawksley , Rupert ( April 7 , 2015 ) . `` American Pie : 6 crazy conspiracy theories '' . The Daily Telegraph . Jump up ^ Don McLean : An American Troubadour ( Television production ) . UK : Sky Arts 1 . 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Bob Dylan 's Surprise New Interview : 9 Things We Learned '' . Retrieved March 26 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Hasted , Nick . `` The Making Of ... Don McLean 's `` American Pie '' `` . uncut.co.uk . Retrieved 14 December 2017 . Jump up ^ Hepworth , Paul ( 2016 ) . 1971 - Never a Dull Moment : Rock 's Best Year . Bantam Press . p. 330 . ISBN 978 - 059307486 - 2 . ^ Jump up to : Kent , David ( 1993 ) . Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992 ( doc ) . Australian Chart Book , St Ives , N.S.W. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6 . Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Don McLean -- American Pie '' ( in Dutch ) . Ultratop 50 . Retrieved November 15 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Don McLean -- American Pie '' . GfK Entertainment Charts . Retrieved November 15 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- American Pie '' . Irish Singles Chart . Retrieved November 15 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Don McLean -- American Pie '' . VG - lista . Retrieved December 19 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Don McLean : Artist Chart History '' . Official Charts Company . Retrieved March 3 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Don McLean Chart History ( Hot 100 ) '' . Billboard . Retrieved March 3 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Don McLean Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) '' . Billboard . Retrieved March 3 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Top Selling Singles for 1972 '' . Sounds . London , England : Spotlight Publications . January 1973 . Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1972 '' . Archived from the original on 2016 - 02 - 16 . Retrieved 2011 - 01 - 02 . Jump up ^ ( 2 ) Jump up ^ `` '' Ask Al '' Q&As for September , 1999 `` . Archived from the original on September 2 , 2006 . Retrieved October 29 , 2006 . Jump up ^ `` Jedi Council -- Interviews Weird Al Yankovic '' . TheForce.Net . September 14 , 1980 . Retrieved May 20 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` The Grand Rapids Lip Dub '' . NPR . Retrieved October 29 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Ebert , Roger . `` The greatest music video ever made '' . Chicago Sun - Times . Archived from the original on September 2 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Rock Band 's final song will be Don McLean 's ' American Pie ' '' . Polygon . Retrieved April 1 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` 2015 Pi Day Contest Winners '' . National Museum of Mathematics . Retrieved April 8 , 2015 . Jump up ^ Kaufman , Gil ( September 24 , 1999 ) . `` Madonna and William Orbit take another spin in studio '' . MTV News . Retrieved December 31 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` American Pie Hits Radio '' . Madonna.com . Retrieved December 19 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Madonna 's piece of American Pie '' . BBC News . 3 February 2000 . Retrieved 4 May 2015 . Jump up ^ ( 3 ) Jump up ^ `` NME Track Reviews -- American Pie '' . NME . February 26 , 2000 . Retrieved October 29 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Taylor , Chuck ( February 12 , 2000 ) . `` Spotlight : Madonna `` American Pie '' `` . Billboard . ISSN 0006 - 2510 . Retrieved April 28 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Don McLean Praises Madonna 's ' American Pie ' '' . MTV . February 2 , 2000 . Retrieved May 3 , 2015 . Jump up ^ What do you think of Madonna 's version of your song American Pie will never ever have to work again -- Don McLean : ( Final 1 Edition ) Spanton , Tim . The Sun ( London ( UK ) ) 27 Dec 2000 : 8 . ^ Jump up to : Myers , Justin ( August 16 , 2017 ) . `` Open your chart to me ... Madonna 's Official 40 Biggest Selling Singles '' . Official Charts Company . Retrieved January 15 , 2018 . Jump up ^ Ciccone , Christopher ( 2008 ) Life with my Sister Madonna , Simon & Schuster : New York , p. 278 . Jump up ^ American Pie ( Liner notes ) . Madonna . Maverick Records . 2000 . 9362448372 . Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . ARIA Top 50 Singles . Retrieved December 20 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Madonna -- American Pie '' ( in German ) . Ö3 Austria Top 40 . Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Madonna -- American Pie '' ( in Dutch ) . Ultratop 50 . Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Madonna -- American Pie '' ( in French ) . Ultratop 50 . Jump up ^ `` Allmusic '' . AllMusic . August 16 , 1958 . Retrieved May 20 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Craig David Storms U.K. Singles Chart '' . Billboard . Archived from the original on October 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Madonna : American Pie '' ( in Finnish ) . Musiikkituottajat -- IFPI Finland . Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Madonna -- American Pie '' ( in French ) . Les classement single . Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . GfK Entertainment Charts . Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- American Pie '' . Irish Singles Chart . Jump up ^ `` Italiancharts.com -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . Top Digital Download . Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Madonna '' ( in Dutch ) . Dutch Top 40 . Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Madonna -- American Pie '' ( in Dutch ) . Single Top 100 . Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . Top 40 Singles . Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . VG - lista . ^ Jump up to : `` Romanian Top 100 : Top of the Year 2000 '' ( in Romanian ) . Romanian Top 100 . Archived from the original on January 22 , 2005 . Jump up ^ `` Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 '' . Official Charts Company . Jump up ^ Salaverri , Fernando ( September 2005 ) . Sólo éxitos : año a año , 1959 -- 2002 ( 1st ed . ) . Spain : Fundación Autor - SGAE . ISBN 978 - 84 - 8048 - 639 - 2 . Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . Singles Top 100 . Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . Swiss Singles Chart . Jump up ^ `` Madonna : Artist Chart History '' . Official Charts Company . Jump up ^ `` Madonna Chart History ( Hot 100 ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` Madonna Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` Madonna Chart History ( Adult Pop Songs ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` Madonna Chart History ( Dance Club Songs ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` Madonna Chart History ( Pop Songs ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- End Of Year Charts -- Top 100 Singles 2000 '' . ARIA Charts . Retrieved December 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ Hung , Steffen . `` Austria Top 40 -- Hitparade Österreich '' . austriancharts.at . Archived from the original on December 18 , 2012 . Retrieved October 29 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten 2000 '' ( in Dutch ) . Retrieved December 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Rapports Annuels 2000 '' ( in French ) . Retrieved December 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Classement Singles -- année 2000 '' ( in French ) . Disque en France . Archived from the original on March 8 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Single - Jahrescharts '' ( in German ) . GfK Entertainment . Retrieved December 5 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` I singoli più venduti del 2000 '' ( in Italian ) . Archived from the original on March 27 , 2014 . Retrieved December 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten -- Single 2000 '' ( in Dutch ) . Retrieved January 24 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Årslista Singlar -- År 2000 '' ( in Swedish ) . Archived from the original on July 13 , 2015 . Retrieved December 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Swiss Year - End Charts 2000 '' ( in German ) . Retrieved December 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 2000 Singles '' . Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 12 . Jump up ^ `` Austrian single certifications -- Madonna -- American Pie '' ( in German ) . IFPI Austria . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 12 . Enter Madonna in the field Interpret . Enter American Pie in the field Titel . Select single in the field Format . Click Suchen Jump up ^ `` French single certifications -- Madonna -- American Pie '' ( in French ) . InfoDisc . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 12 . Select MADONNA and click OK Jump up ^ `` Guld - och Platinacertifikat − År 2000 '' ( PDF ) ( in Swedish ) . IFPI Sweden . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 12 . Jump up ^ `` The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community : Awards ( Madonna ; ' American Pie ' ) '' . IFPI Switzerland . Hung Medien . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 12 . Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Madonna -- American Pie '' . British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 12 . Enter American Pie in the search field and then press Enter . Further reading ( edit ) Adams , Cecil ( May 15 , 1993 ) . `` What is Don McLean 's song `` American Pie '' all about ? `` . The Straight Dope . Chicago Reader , Inc . Retrieved June 8 , 2009 . An interpretation of the lyrics based on a supposed interview of McLean by DJ Casey Kasem . McLean later confirmed the Buddy Holly reference in a letter to Adams but denied ever speaking to Kasem . Roteman , Jeff ( August 10 , 2002 ) . `` Bob Dearborn 's Original Analysis of Don McLean 's 1971 Classic ' American Pie ' '' . This article correlates McLean 's biography with the historic events in the song . McLean pointed to WCFL ( Chicago , Illinois ) radio disc jockey Bob Dearborn as the partial basis for most mainstream interpretations of `` American Pie '' . Dearborn 's analysis , mailed to listeners on request , bears the date January 7 , 1972 . Roteman 's reprinting added photos but replaced the date January 7 , 1972 , by an audio link bearing the date February 28 , 1972 , the date Dearborn aired his interpretation on WCFL ( http://user.pa.net/~ejjeff/bobpie.ram ( Bob Dearborn 's American Pie Analysis original broadcast February 28 , 1972 ) ) Fann , Jim . `` Understanding American Pie '' . Archived from the original on September 6 , 2003 . Historically oriented interpretation of `` American Pie '' . The interpretation was specifically noted on in an archived version of McLean 's website page on `` American Pie '' . The material , dated November 2002 , includes a recording of Dinah Shore singing `` See The USA In Your Chevrolet '' and a photograph of Mick Jagger in costume at the Altamont Free Concert with a Hells Angel member in the background . Full `` See the USA in Your Chevrolet '' lyrics for Dinah Shore on `` The Dinah Shore Chevy Show '' ( 1956 -- 1961 ) Kulawiec , Rich ( August 26 , 2001 ) . `` FAQ : The Annotated ' American Pie ' '' . Archived from the original on April 19 , 2003 . Retrieved September 19 , 2007 . FAQ maintained by Rich Kulawiec , started in 1992 and essentially completed in 1997 . `` American Pie -- A Rock Epic '' A multi-media presentation of Rich Kulawiec 's The Annotated `` American Pie '' . Levitt , Saul ( May 26 , 1971 ) . `` Interpretation of American Pie -- analysis , news , Don McLean , Buddy Holly , Ritchie Valens , Rock & Roll '' . Missamericanpie.co.uk . Retrieved May 20 , 2010 . External links ( edit ) The Official Website of Don McLean and American Pie provides the songwriter 's own biography , lyrics and clues to the song 's meaning . Preceded by `` Brand New Key '' by Melanie US Billboard Hot 100 number - one single ( Don McLean version ) January 15 , 1972 ( four weeks ) Succeeded by `` Let 's Stay Together '' by Al Green Preceded by `` Cherish '' by David Cassidy Billboard Easy Listening Singles number - one single ( Don McLean version ) January 15 , 1972 ( three weeks ) Succeeded by `` Hurting Each Other '' by The Carpenters Preceded by `` Brand New Key '' by Melanie Australian Kent Music Report number - one single ( Don McLean version ) March 6 , 1972 ( five weeks ) Succeeded by `` Without You '' by Nilsson Preceded by `` Pure Shores '' by All Saints UK Singles Chart number - one single ( Madonna version ) March 5 , 2000 -- March 11 , 2000 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` Do n't Give Up '' by Chicane featuring Bryan Adams Preceded by `` My Heart Goes Boom ( La Di Da Da ) '' by French Affair German Singles Chart number - one single ( Madonna version ) March 10 , 2000 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` Maria Maria '' by Santana featuring The Product G&B Preceded by `` Freestyler '' by Bomfunk MC 's Swedish Singles Chart number - one single ( Madonna version ) March 23 , 2000 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` Never Be the Same Again '' by Melanie C featuring Lisa `` Left Eye '' Lopes Preceded by `` Chase '' by Giorgio Moroder vs. Jam & Spoon Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number - one single ( Madonna version ) April 1 , 2000 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` Think It Over '' by Jennifer Holliday Don McLean Studio albums Tapestry American Pie Don McLean Playin ' Favorites Homeless Brother Prime Time Chain Lightning Believers Love Tracks For the Memories Vols I & II And I Love You So Headroom Christmas The River of Love Christmas Dreams Sings Marty Robbins You 've Got to Share Songs for Children The Western Album Rearview Mirror : An American Musical Journey Addicted to Black Live albums Solo Dominion Starry , Starry Night Compilation albums The Very Best of Don McLean Favorites and Rarities Legendary Songs of Don McLean Christmastime ! Singles `` Castles in the Air '' `` American Pie '' `` Vincent '' `` Wonderful Baby '' `` Crying '' `` Since I Do n't Have You '' `` He 's Got You '' `` You Ca n't Blame the Train '' Related articles Discography `` The Saga Begins '' Carol Sauvion Madonna songs Singles Covers Unreleased songs 1980s singles `` Everybody '' `` Burning Up '' `` Holiday '' `` Lucky Star '' `` Borderline '' `` Like a Virgin '' `` Material Girl '' `` Crazy for You '' `` Angel '' `` Into the Groove '' `` Dress You Up '' `` Gambler '' `` Live to Tell '' `` Papa Do n't Preach '' `` True Blue '' `` Open Your Heart '' `` La Isla Bonita '' `` Who 's That Girl '' `` Causing a Commotion '' `` The Look of Love '' `` Spotlight '' `` Like a Prayer '' `` Express Yourself '' `` Cherish '' `` Oh Father '' `` Dear Jessie '' 1990s singles `` Keep It Together '' `` Vogue '' `` Hanky Panky '' `` Justify My Love '' `` Rescue Me '' `` This Used to Be My Playground '' `` Erotica '' `` Deeper and Deeper '' `` Bad Girl '' `` Fever '' `` Rain '' `` Bye Bye Baby '' `` I 'll Remember '' `` Secret '' `` Take a Bow '' `` Bedtime Story '' `` Human Nature '' `` You 'll See '' `` One More Chance '' `` Love Do n't Live Here Anymore '' `` You Must Love Me '' `` Do n't Cry for Me Argentina '' `` Another Suitcase in Another Hall '' `` Frozen '' `` Ray of Light '' `` Drowned World ( Substitute for Love ) '' `` The Power of Good - Bye '' `` Nothing Really Matters '' `` Beautiful Stranger '' 2000s singles `` American Pie '' `` Music '' `` Do n't Tell Me '' `` What It Feels Like for a Girl '' `` Die Another Day '' `` American Life '' `` Hollywood '' `` Me Against the Music '' `` Nothing Fails '' `` Love Profusion '' `` Hung Up '' `` Sorry '' `` Get Together '' `` Jump '' `` Hey You '' `` 4 Minutes '' `` Give It 2 Me '' `` Miles Away '' `` Celebration '' `` Revolver '' 2010s singles `` Give Me All Your Luvin ' '' `` Girl Gone Wild '' `` Masterpiece '' `` Turn Up the Radio '' `` Living for Love '' `` Ghosttown '' `` Bitch I 'm Madonna '' `` Hold Tight '' Promotional singles `` You Can Dance ( LP Cuts ) '' `` Erotic '' `` I Want You '' `` Sky Fits Heaven '' `` Impressive Instant '' `` GHV2 Megamix '' `` Into the Hollywood Groove '' `` Nobody Knows Me '' `` Imagine '' ( Live ) `` Superstar '' Other songs recorded `` Santa Baby '' `` I Surrender Dear '' `` Sooner or Later '' `` Oh What a Circus '' `` Sing '' `` Candy Shop '' `` Beat Goes On '' `` Gang Bang '' `` I Do n't Give A '' `` Devil Pray '' `` Unapologetic Bitch '' `` Illuminati '' `` Joan of Arc '' `` Iconic '' `` Holy Water '' `` Wash All Over Me '' `` Rebel Heart '' Other songs written `` Sidewalk Talk '' `` Each Time You Break My Heart '' `` Just a Dream '' `` Love Wo n't Wait '' `` The Greatest Hit '' `` Do n't Wanna Lose This Feeling '' `` Who 's That Chick ? '' Book Portal Template Jump up ^ archived version of McLean 's website page on `` American Pie '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Pie_(song)&oldid=838450768 '' Categories : 1970s ballads 1971 singles 1971 songs 2000 singles Don McLean songs Madonna ( entertainer ) songs Song recordings produced by Madonna ( entertainer ) Song recordings produced by William Orbit Number - one singles in Australia Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Billboard Dance Club Songs number - one singles European Hot 100 Singles number - one singles Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Irish Singles Chart number - one singles Maverick Records singles Number - one singles in Finland Number - one singles in Italy Number - one singles in Germany Number - one singles in Romania Number - one singles in Scotland Number - one singles in Spain Number - one singles in Sweden Number - one singles in Switzerland Rock ballads RPM Adult Contemporary number - one singles Songs about death Songs about music Songs based on actual events Songs in memory of deceased persons Cultural depictions of Buddy Holly Songs written by Don McLean UK Singles Chart number - one singles United Artists Records singles United States National Recording Registry recordings Warner Bros. Records singles Debut singles Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from October 2016 CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown CS1 Romanian - language sources ( ro ) CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) CS1 German - language sources ( de ) CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Swedish - language sources ( sv ) Use mdy dates from December 2015 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for Finland Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Italy Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Scotland Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for Billboardadultpopsongs Singlechart usages for Billboarddanceclubplay Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for Austria Certification Table Entry usages for France Certification Table Entry usages for Sweden Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Čeština Deutsch Eesti Español فارسی Français Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog Türkçe Tiếng Việt 中文 17 more Edit links This page was last edited on 27 April 2018 , at 02 : 46 . Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply . By using this site , you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation , Inc. , a non-profit organization . About Wikipedia

Question: don mclean's popular 1971 song american pie was inspired by what event

the plane crash in 1959 which killed early rock and roll performers Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens


Washington metropolitan area - wikipedia Washington metropolitan area Jump to : navigation , search This article is about the metropolitan area encompassing the capital of the United States . For other uses , see Washington metropolitan area ( disambiguation ) . Washington metropolitan area ( Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria ) Metropolitan statistical area Old Town in Alexandria , Virginia ; Rosslyn in Arlington , Virginia ; National Mall in Washington , D.C. Nickname ( s ) : DMV ( D.C. , Maryland , Virginia ) Calvert Charles Frederick Montgomery Prince George 's Alexandria Arlington Clarke Fairfax Fairfax County Falls Church Fauquier Loudoun Manassas Manassas Park Prince William Spotsylvania Stafford Fredericksburg Warren Washington Jefferson Country United States of America U.S. state / federal district District of Columbia Virginia Maryland West Virginia Principal municipalities Washington , Arlington , Alexandria Area ( 2010 ) Urban 1,407.0 sq mi ( 3,644.2 km ) Metro 5,564.6 sq mi ( 14,412 km ) Elevation 0 -- 2,350 ft ( 0 -- 716 m ) Population ( 2014 ) Metropolitan statistical area 6,131,977 ( 6th ) Density 1,084 / sq mi ( 418.7 / km ) Urban 4,586,770 ( 8th ) CSA 9,546,579 ( 4th ) MSA = 2014 , CSA = 2014 , Urban & Densities = 2010 Time zone ET ( UTC - 5 ) Summer ( DST ) EST ( UTC - 4 ) The Washington metropolitan area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington , D.C. , the capital of the United States . The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S. states of Maryland and Virginia , along with a small portion of West Virginia . While not a part of the Washington metropolitan area , St. Mary 's County is part of the Baltimore -- Washington metropolitan area . The Washington metropolitan area is one of the most educated and most affluent metropolitan areas in the United States . The metro area anchors the southern end of the densely populated Northeast megalopolis , with an estimated total population of 6,131,977 as of the 2016 U.S. Census Bureau estimate , making it the sixth - largest metropolitan area in the country and largest metropolitan area in the Census Bureau 's Southeast region . Contents ( hide ) 1 Nomenclature 2 Composition 2.1 Political subdivisions 2.1. 1 District of Columbia 2.1. 2 Maryland 2.1. 3 Virginia 2.1. 4 West Virginia 3 Regional organizations 3.1 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments 4 Principal cities 5 Demographics 5.1 Politics 5.2 Racial composition 5.3 Social indicators 6 Economy 6.1 Real estate and housing market 6.2 Net worth , wealth disparities , and business ownership 6.3 Primary industries 6.4 Largest companies 6.5 History 7 Transportation 7.1 Major airports 7.2 Rail transit systems 7.3 Bus transit systems 7.4 Major roads 7.5 Bicycle sharing 8 Culture 8.1 Sports teams 8.2 Media 9 Area codes 10 Sister cities 11 See also 12 References 13 External links Nomenclature ( edit ) The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the area as the Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria , DC -- VA -- MD -- WV metropolitan statistical area , a metropolitan statistical area used for statistical purposes by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies . The region 's three largest cities are the federal territory of Washington , D.C. , the county ( and census - designated place ) of Arlington , and the independent city of Alexandria . The Office of Management and Budget also includes the metropolitan statistical area as part of the larger Baltimore -- Washington metropolitan area , which has a population of 9,546,579 as of the 2014 Census Estimate . The area is also sometimes referred to as the National Capital Region , particularly by federal agencies such as the military Department of Homeland Security . Another term used to describe the region is the D.C. Area . The area in the region that is surrounded by Interstate 495 is also referred to as being `` inside the Beltway '' . The city of Washington , which is at the center of the area , is referred to as `` the District '' because it is the federal District of Columbia , and is not part of any state . The Virginian portion of the region is known as Northern Virginia . Composition ( edit ) Satellite photo of the Washington metropolitan area Map highlighting labor patterns of regional counties Washington , D.C. metropolitan area map The U.S. Census Bureau divides the Washington statistical metropolitan area into two metropolitan divisions : Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria , DC -- VA -- MD -- WV Metropolitan Division , comprising the majority of the metropolitan area Silver Spring -- Frederick -- Rockville , MD Metropolitan Division , consisting of Montgomery and Frederick counties Political subdivisions ( edit ) The area includes the following counties , districts , and independent cities : District of Columbia ( edit ) Washington Maryland ( edit ) Calvert County Charles County Frederick County Montgomery County Prince George 's County Virginia ( edit ) Alexandria Arlington County Clarke County Culpeper County Fairfax County Fairfax Falls Church Fauquier County Fredericksburg Loudoun County Manassas Manassas Park Prince William County Rappahannock County Spotsylvania County Stafford County Warren County West Virginia ( edit ) Jefferson County Historical populations - Washington Metropolitan Area Census Pop . % ± 1950 1,464,089 -- 1960 2,001,897 36.7 % 1970 2,861,123 42.9 % 1980 3,060,922 7.0 % 3,923,574 28.2 % 2000 4,923,153 25.5 % 5,636,232 14.5 % U.S. Decennial Census 2011 estimate Regional organizations ( edit ) Metropolitan Washington Council of governments ( edit ) Founded in 1957 , the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments ( MWCOG ) is a regional organization of 21 Washington - area local governments , as well as area members of the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures , the U.S. Senate , and the U.S. House of Representatives . MWCOG provides a forum for discussion and the development of regional responses to issues regarding the environment , transportation , public safety , homeland security , affordable housing , community planning , and economic development . The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board , a component of MWCOG , is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the metropolitan Washington area . Principal cities ( edit ) View of downtown Washington , with the skylines of Arlington and Tysons Corner in the distance . The metropolitan area includes the following principal cities ( not all of which are incorporated as cities ; one , Arlington , is actually a county , and another , Bethesda , is not a city , simply a census - designated unincorporated area . Washington , D.C. Arlington , Virginia Alexandria , Virginia Bethesda , Maryland Frederick , Maryland Gaithersburg , Maryland Reston , Virginia Rockville , Maryland Silver Spring , Maryland Demographics ( edit ) Presidential election results Year DEM GOP Others 2016 69.0 % 1,860,678 25.7 % 692,743 5.4 % 145,269 2012 67.5 % 1,813,963 30.9 % 829,567 1.7 % 44,708 2008 68.0 % 1,603,902 31.0 % 728,916 1.0 % 25,288 61.0 % 1,258,743 38.0 % 785,144 1.4 % 19,735 2000 58.5 % 1,023,089 37.9 % 663,590 3.6 % 62,437 57.0 % 861,881 37.0 % 558,830 6.0 % 89,259 53.0 % 859,889 34.1 % 553.369 12.9 % 209,651 50.4 % 684,453 48.6 % 659,344 1.0 % 14,219 1984 51.0 % 653,568 48.5 % 621,377 0.4 % 5,656 1980 44.7 % 484,590 44.6 % 482,506 11.1 % 115,797 1976 54.2 % 590,481 44.9 % 488,995 1.0 % 10,654 1972 44.2 % 431,257 54.8 % 534,235 1.1 % 10,825 1968 49.4 % 414,345 39.1 % 327,662 11.5 % 96,701 1964 69.8 % 495,490 30.2 % 214,293 0.1 % 462 1960 52.5 % 204,614 47.3 % 184,499 0.1 % 593 The southern portion of the Capital Beltway along the Potomac River , featuring portions of Washington , D.C. , Maryland , and Virginia . Old Town Alexandria , Joint Base Anacostia - Bolling , and National Harbor , Maryland are visible . Politics ( edit ) The relative strength of the major political parties within the region is shown by the presidential election results since 1960 , as presented in the adjacent table . Racial composition ( edit ) The area has been a magnet for international immigration since the late 1960s . It is also a magnet for internal migration ( persons moving from one region of the U.S. to another ) . Racial composition of the Washington , D.C. area : 2011 American Community Survey Non-Hispanic White : 48.2 % Black or African American : 25.3 % Hispanic or Latino : 14.1 % Asian : 9.3 % Mixed and Other : 3.1 % 2010 U.S. Census White : 54.8 % Black : 25.8 % Asian : 9.3 % Hispanic : 13.8 % ( 4.1 % Salvadoran , 2.1 % Mexican , 1.1 % Colombian , 0.9 % Guatemalan , 0.9 % Puerto Rican , 0.8 % Peruvian , 0.7 % Honduran , 0.7 % Bolivian ) Mixed and Other : 3.7 % 2006 White : 51.7 % Black : 26.3 % Asian : 8.4 % Hispanic : 11.6 % Mixed and Other : 2.0 % 1980 White : 67.8 % Black : 26.0 % Asian : 2.5 % Hispanic : 2.8 % Mixed and Other : 0.9 % Social indicators ( edit ) The Washington metropolitan area has ranked as the highest - educated metropolitan area in the nation for four decades . As of the 2006 -- 2008 American Community Survey , the three most educated places with 200,000 people or more in Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria by bachelor 's degree attainment ( population 25 and over ) are Arlington , Virginia ( 68.0 % ) , Fairfax County , Virginia ( 58.8 % ) , and Montgomery County , Maryland ( 56.4 % ) . Forbes magazine stated in its 2008 `` America 's Best - And Worst - Educated Cities '' report : `` The D.C. area is less than half the size of L.A. , but both cities have around 100,000 Ph. D. 's . '' The Washington , D.C. metro area has held the top spot in the American College of Sports Medicine 's annual American Fitness Index ranking of the United States ' 50 most populous metropolitan areas for two years running . The report cites , among other things , the high average fitness level and healthy eating habits of residents , the widespread availability of health care and facilities such as swimming pools , tennis courts , and parks , low rates of obesity and tobacco use relative to the national average , and the high median household income as contributors to the city 's community health . The average household income within a 5 - mile ( 8 km ) radius of Tysons Corner Center is $174,809 . In the 21st century , the Washington metropolitan area has overtaken the San Francisco Bay Area as the highest - income metropolitan area in the nation . The median household income of the region is US $72,800 . The two highest median household income counties in the nation -- Loudoun and Fairfax County , Virginia -- are components of the MSA ( and # 3 is Howard County , officially in Baltimore 's sphere but strongly connected with Washington 's ) ; measured in this way , Alexandria ranks 10th among municipalities in the region -- 11th if Howard is included -- and 23rd in the entire United States . 12.2 % of Northern Virginia 's 881,136 households , 8.5 % of suburban Maryland 's 799,300 households , and 8.2 % of Washington 's 249,805 households have an annual income in excess of $200,000 , compared to 3.7 % nationally . According to a report by the American Human Development Project , women in the Washington metropolitan area are ranked as having the highest income and educational attainment among the 25 most populous metropolitan areas in the nation , while Asian American women in the region had the highest life expectancy , at 92.3 years . Economy ( edit ) Rosslyn is home to the tallest high - rises in the region , partly due to the District 's height restrictions . As a result , many of the region 's tallest buildings are outside the city proper . The Washington , D.C. area has the largest science and engineering work force of any metropolitan area in the nation in 2006 according to the Greater Washington Initiative at 324,530 , ahead of the combined San Francisco Bay Area work force of 214,500 , and Chicago metropolitan area at 203,090 , citing data from U.S. Census Bureau , the Bureau of Labor Statistics , Claritas Inc. , and other sources . The Washington , D.C. area was ranked as the second best High - Tech Center in a statistical analysis of the top 100 Metropolitan areas in the United States by American City Business Journals in May 2009 , behind the Silicon Valley and ahead of the Boston metropolitan area . Fueling the metropolitan area 's ranking was the reported 241,264 tech jobs in the region , a total eclipsed only by New York , Los Angeles , and the San Francisco Bay Area , as well as the highest master 's or doctoral degree attainment among the 100 ranked metropolitan areas . A Dice.com report showed that the Washington -- Baltimore area had the second - highest number of tech jobs listed : 8,289 , after the New York metro area with 9,195 jobs . Real estate and housing market ( edit ) Changes in house prices for the D.C. area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case -- Shiller index ; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor 's and is also a component of S&P 's 10 - city composite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market . McLean ZIP code 22102 had the highest median home prices among ZIP codes within the Washington metropolitan area as of 2013 . Net worth , wealth disparities , and Business ownership ( edit ) The economy of the Washington metropolitan region is characterized by significant wealth disparities , which were heightened by the Great Recession and the 2007 -- 09 housing crisis , which adversely affected black and Hispanic households more than other households . A 2016 Urban Institute report found that the median net worth ( i.e. , assets minus debt ) for white households in the D.C. region was $284,000 , while the median net worth for Hispanic / Latino households was $13,000 , and for African American households as $3,500 . Asian Americans had the highest median net worth in the Washington area ( $220,000 for Chinese American households , $430,000 for Vietnamese American households , $496,000 for Korean American households , and $573,000 for Indian American households ) . Although the median net worth for white D.C. - area households was 81 times that of black D.C. - area households , the two groups had comparable rates of business ownership ( about 9 % ) . The Urban Institute report suggests that this `` may be driven by the presence of a large federal government and a local district government whose membership and constituents have been largely Black , coupled with government policies designed to increase contracting opportunities for minority - owned businesses . '' Primary industries ( edit ) NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda . See also : List of federal installations in Maryland and List of federal agencies in Northern Virginia Biotechnology The Washington metropolitan area has a significant biotechnology industry ; companies with a major presence in the region as of 2011 include Merck , Pfizer , Human Genome Sciences , Martek Biosciences , MedImmune and Qiagen . Defense contracting Many defense contractors are based in the region to be close to the Pentagon in Arlington . Local defense contractors include Lockheed Martin , the largest , as well as Raytheon , General Dynamics , BAE Systems , Northrup Grumman , Computer Sciences Corporation ( CSC ) , Science Applications International Corporation ( SAIC ) , CACI , and Orbital Sciences Corporation . Tourism Tourism is a significant industry in the Washington metropolitan region . In 2015 , more than 74,000 tourism - sector jobs existed in the District of Columbia , a record - setting 19.3 million domestic tourists visited the city , and domestic and international tourists combined spent $7.1 billion . The convention industry is also significant ; in 2016 , D.C. hosted fifteen `` city - wide conventions '' with an estimated total economic impact of $277.9 million . Tourism is also significant outside the District of Columbia ; in 2015 , a record - setting $3.06 billion in tourism spending was reported in Arlington , Virginia , and $2.9 million in Fairfax County , Virginia . A 2016 National Park Service report estimated that there were 56 million visitors to national parks in the National Capital Region , sustaining 16,917 and generating close to $1.6 billion in economy impact . Largest companies ( edit ) See also : List of companies headquartered in Northern Virginia 1812 N Moore in Arlington , currently the tallest office building in the region and home to the U.S. operations of Nestlé . Largest public companies ( Fortune 500 2016 ) Company Industry Headquarters National rank AES Corporation Energy Arlington , Virginia 190 Booz Allen Hamilton Defense McLean , Virginia 487 Capital One Finance McLean , Virginia 112 Computer Sciences Corporation Defense Falls Church , Virginia 233 Danaher Corporation Conglomerate Washington , D.C. 133 Discovery Communications Mass Media Silver Spring , Maryland 406 Fannie Mae Finance Washington , D.C. 16 Freddie Mac Finance McLean , Virginia 43 General Dynamics Defense Falls Church , Virginia 88 Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc . Hospitality McLean , Virginia 254 Host Hotels and Resorts Hospitality Bethesda , Maryland 472 Lockheed Martin Defense Bethesda , Maryland 60 Marriott International Hospitality Bethesda , Maryland 195 Northrop Grumman Defense Falls Church , Virginia 118 NVR , Inc . Construction Reston , Virginia 498 Largest private companies ( Forbes America 's Largest Private Companies 2016 ) Company Industry Headquarters National rank BrightView Landscaping Rockville , Maryland 220 Carahsoft Defense Reston , Virginia 161 Clark Construction Construction Bethesda , Maryland 102 Mars , Incorporated Food processing McLean , Virginia 7 History ( edit ) NGA headquarters in Fort Belvoir . This section needs expansion . You can help by adding to it . ( January 2013 ) The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure resulted in a significant shuffling of military , civilian , and defense contractor employees in the Washington D.C. area . The largest individual site impacts of the time are as follows : Fort Belvoir gained 11,858 employees , primarily as a result of the relocation of the National Geospatial - Intelligence Agency ( NGA ) into a massive new headquarters within the fort . Fort Meade gained 5,361 employees , primarily as a result of the expansion of the National Security Agency . Walter Reed Army Medical Center lost 5,630 employees as part of its realignment . It was later closed and consolidated into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center . BRAC 2005 was the largest infrastructure expansion by the Army Corps of Engineers since World War II , resulting in the Mark Center , tallest building they have ever constructed , as well as National Geospatial - Intelligence Agency Campus East , which at 2.4 million square feet is the largest building the Corps have constructed since the Pentagon . Transportation ( edit ) Main article : Transportation in Washington , D.C. Washington Dulles International Airport The Metro Center station on the Washington Metro ' WMATA ' - indicated systems are run by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and always accept Washington Metro fare cards , others may or may not . Major airports ( edit ) Washington Dulles International Airport ( IAD ) , located in Dulles , Virginia -- the busiest in the region Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport ( DCA ) , located in Arlington County , Virginia -- the closest to Washington Baltimore -- Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport ( BWI ) , located in Linthicum , Maryland -- in the Baltimore metropolitan area Rail transit systems ( edit ) Washington Metro -- DC , MD , VA ( rapid transit ) ( WMATA ) MARC Train -- DC , MD , WV ( commuter rail ) Virginia Railway Express -- DC , VA ( commuter rail ) Amtrak -- US ( commuter rail , inter-city rail ) Bus transit systems ( edit ) DC Circulator -- Washington , D.C. ( DDoT , WMATA ) Metrobus -- Washington metropolitan area ( WMATA ) Metroway -- Arlington County , Virginia and Alexandria , Virginia ( bus rapid transit ) ( WMATA ) Ride On -- Montgomery County , Maryland TheBus -- Prince George 's County , Maryland ART -- Arlington County , Virginia DASH -- Alexandria , Virginia Fairfax Connector -- Fairfax County , Virginia CUE Bus -- Fairfax , Virginia Loudoun County Transit -- Loudoun County , Virginia PRTC -- Prince William County , Manassas and Manassas Park TransIT -- Frederick County , Maryland Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland -- Howard County , Anne Arundel County , Prince George 's County , Laurel , Maryland Maryland Transit Administration -- Washington , D.C. , Montgomery County , Maryland , Prince George 's County , Frederick County , Maryland , Charles County , Maryland , Calvert County , Maryland , Howard County , Anne Arundel County , Saint Mary 's County , Maryland Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority -- Jefferson County , West Virginia , Berkeley County , West Virginia Virginia Regional Transit -- Loudoun County , Virginia , Fauquier County , Virginia , Warren County , Virginia Fredericksburg Regional Transit -- Fredericksburg , Spotsylvania County and Stafford County Major roads ( edit ) Capital Beltway -- Maryland and Virginia Bicycle sharing ( edit ) Capital Bikeshare -- Washington , D.C. , Arlington , Virginia , Alexandria , Virginia , Fairfax County , Virginia , and Montgomery County , Maryland Culture ( edit ) Sports teams ( edit ) Further information : Sports in Washington , D.C. Listing of the professional sports teams in the Washington metropolitan area : National Basketball Association ( NBA ) Washington Wizards Major League Baseball ( MLB ) Washington Nationals National Football League ( NFL ) Washington Redskins National Hockey League ( NHL ) Washington Capitals Major League Soccer ( MLS ) D.C. United Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) Washington Mystics Atlantic League of Professional Baseball ( ALPB ) Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Arena Football League ( AFL ) Washington Valor National Women 's Soccer League ( NWSL ) Washington Spirit Media ( edit ) Main article : Media in Washington , D.C. The Washington metropolitan area is home to USA Today , C - SPAN , PBS , NPR , POLITICO , BET , TV One and Discovery Communications . The two main newspapers are The Washington Post and The Washington Times . Local television channels include WRC - TV 4 ( NBC ) , WTTG 5 ( FOX ) , WJLA 7 ( ABC ) , WUSA 9 ( CBS ) , WDCA 20 ( MyNetworkTV ) , WETA - TV 26 ( PBS ) , WDCW 50 ( CW ) , and WPXW 66 ( Ion ) . NewsChannel 8 is a 24 / 7 local news provider available only to cable subscribers . Radio stations serving the area include : WETA - FM , WIHT , WMAL - AM , and WTOP . Area codes ( edit ) 202 -- Washington , D.C. 571 / 703 -- Northern Virginia including the cities of Alexandria , Fairfax , and Falls Church as well as Arlington , Fairfax , and Loudoun counties ( 571 created 1 March 2000 ; 703 in October 1947 ) . 240 / 301 -- portions of Maryland in the Greater Washington , D.C. metro area , southern Maryland , and western Maryland 540 -- Fredericksburg / Spotsylvania / Warrenton 304 -- Jefferson County , West Virginia Sister cities ( edit ) City Country Year Washington , D.C. Bangkok Thailand 1962 , renewed 2002 Dakar Senegal 1980 , renewed 2006 Beijing China 1984 , renewed 2004 Brussels Belgium 1985 , renewed 2012 Athens Greece 2000 Paris France 2000 , renewed 2005 Pretoria South Africa 2002 , renewed 2008 Seoul South Korea 2006 Accra Ghana 2006 Sunderland United Kingdom 2006 Alexandria , Virginia Gyumri Armenia Helsingborg Sweden Dundee United Kingdom Caen France Arlington County , Virginia Aachen Germany Reims France San Miguel El Salvador Coyoacán Mexico Ivano - Frankivsk Ukraine Herndon , Virginia Runnymede United Kingdom Fairfax County , Virginia Harbin China 2009 Songpa - gu South Korea 2009 Falls Church , Virginia Kokolopori Congo District Heights , Maryland Mbuji - Mayi Congo Frederick , Maryland Aquiraz Brazil Moerzheim Germany Schifferstadt Germany La Plata , Maryland Jogeva County Estonia Walldorf Germany Rockville , Maryland Pinneberg Germany Jump up ^ Paris is a `` Partner City '' due to the one Sister City policy of that commune. ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Historic Alexandria City of Alexandria , VA '' . Oha.alexandriava.gov . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Exploration phase Jump up ^ Town twin ( 2 ) Jump up ^ Rejected by Washington due to not being a national capital. ( 3 ) Jump up ^ `` Sisterhood Partnerships '' . Fairfaxcounty.gov . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . See also ( edit ) District of Columbia portal Virginia portal Maryland portal West Virginia portal United States portal List of people from the Washington , D.C. metropolitan area List of U.S. metropolitan statistical areas in Virginia Potomac primary Northeast megalopolis References ( edit ) Jump up ^ `` After initial obscurity , ' The DMV ' nickname for Washington area picks up speed '' . Washington Post . July 30 , 2010 . Jump up ^ Yager , Jane ( July 30 , 2010 ) . `` Nation 's Capitol Now Known as ' the DMV ' '' . Newser . Retrieved March 11 , 2016 . Jump up ^ ( Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas ) ^ Jump up to : `` Washington area richest , most educated in US : report '' . Washingtonpost.com . June 8 , 2006 . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Four Texas Metro Areas Collectively Add More Than 400,000 People in the Last Year , Census Bureau Reports '' . United States Census Bureau . Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' . Archived from the original on 2016 - 04 - 17 . Retrieved 2015 - 03 - 26 . Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' . Archived from the original on 2016 - 05 - 10 . Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 30 . Jump up ^ `` National Capital Region -- Office of National Capital Region Coordination '' . Department of Homeland Security . December 21 , 2005 . Archived from the original on December 12 , 2007 . Retrieved January 9 , 2008 . ^ Jump up to : `` Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas , Micropolitan Statistical Areas , and Combined Statistical Areas , and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas '' ( PDF ) . Office of Management and Budget . February 20 , 2013 . Retrieved May 9 , 2013 . Jump up ^ `` About Us '' . MWCOG.org . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` -- Transportation -- TPB '' . Mwcog.org . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` OMB Bulletin No. 13 - 01 : Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas , Micropolitan Statistical Areas , and Combined Statistical Areas , and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas '' ( PDF ) . U.S. Office of Management and Budget . February 28 , 2013 . Retrieved May 14 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Metro Magnets for Minorities and Whites : Melting Pots , the New Sunbelt , and the Heartland '' ( PDF ) . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex , Race Alone and Hispanic or Latino Origin for Counties : April 1 , 2000 to July 1 , 2006 '' . Archived from the original on June 10 , 2010 . Retrieved January 12 , 2016 . Jump up ^ de Vise , Daniel ( July 15 , 2010 ) . `` Washington region ranks as the best - educated in the country '' . Washingtonpost.com . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` 2006 -- 2008 American Community Survey 3 - Year Estimates '' . United States Census Bureau . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Zumbrun , Joshua ( November 24 , 2008 ) . `` America 's Best - And Worst - Educated Cities '' . Forbes.com . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Washington , DC ( Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria , DC -- VA -- MD -- WV MSA ) 2010 AFI Report '' ( PDF ) . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on August 12 , 2011 . Retrieved May 26 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Macerich Tysons Corner Center Market Profile '' ( PDF ) . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2013 - 09 - 03 . Jump up ^ `` ACS 2005 -- 2007 '' . United States Census Bureau . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Women 'S Well - Being '' ( PDF ) . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Downey , Kirstin ( May 6 , 2007 ) . `` High - Rises Approved That Would Dwarf D.C '' . Washingtonpost.com . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` List of tallest buildings in DC , MD , VA , WV '' . Skyscraperpage.com . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . ^ Jump up to : `` The top 100 tech centers '' . Bizjournals . May 11 , 2009 . Archived from the original on February 16 , 2010 . Retrieved March 3 , 2010 . Jump up ^ Nathan Eddy ( March 13 , 2012 ) . `` Tech Jobs Flourish in Silicon Valley , but Other Regions Offer Opportunities : Dice Report '' . Eweek.com . Retrieved November 19 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Brennan , Morgan . `` America 's Most Expensive Zip Codes In 2013 : The Complete List '' . Forbes . Archived from the original on March 4 , 2016 . ^ Jump up to : Perry Stein , Net worth of white households in D.C. region is 81 times that of black households , Washington Post ( November 2 , 2016 ) . ^ Jump up to : Kilolo Kijakazi et al. , The Color of Wealth in the Nation 's Capital , Urban Institute ( October 31 , 2016 ) . Jump up ^ Renee Winsky & Mark Herzog , Maryland , Virginia biotech industries take center stage in D.C. , Washington Business Journal ( June 28 , 2011 ) . Jump up ^ Censer , Marjorie ( July 30 , 2010 ) . `` Defense firm Northrop Grumman 's second - quarter profit rose nearly 81 percent '' . The Washington Post . ^ Jump up to : Perry Stein , D.C. breaks tourist record in 2015 with visitors spending $7.1 billion , Washington Post ( May 3 , 2016 ) . Jump up ^ Ben Nuckols , DC sets record with more than 2 million foreign tourists , Associated Press ( August 24 , 2016 ) . Jump up ^ Arlington County Sets Tourism Spending Record with $3 Billion , CBS Washington ( September 19 , 2016 ) . Jump up ^ Tourism at national parks in the Greater Washington area generates almost $1.6 billion in economic benefit ( press release ) , National Park Service ( April 21 , 2016 ) . Jump up ^ `` Fortune 500 '' . Fortune.com . Retrieved June 21 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` America 's Largest Private Companies '' . Forbes . Retrieved June 24 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Appendix C BRAC 2005 Closure and Realignment Impacts by State Jump up ^ Justin Matthew Ward ( September 14 , 2011 ) . `` BRAC 2005 : on time , on budget in Northeast '' . army.mil . External links ( edit ) Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Washington , D.C. area . OMB Bulletin No. 05 - 02 Urban Areas of Virginia May 2006 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates ; Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria , DC -- VA -- MD -- WV Metropolitan Division May 2005 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates ; Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria , DC -- VA -- MD -- WV Metropolitan Division Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria , DC -- VA -- MD -- WV MSA Population and Components of Change Washington -- Arlington -- Alexandria , DC -- VA -- MD -- WV metropolitan area Principal cities Maryland Silver Spring Frederick Rockville Bethesda Gaithersburg Virginia Arlington County Alexandria Reston District of Columbia Washington Counties and county equivalents * Maryland Calvert Charles Frederick Montgomery Prince George 's Virginia Arlington Alexandria city Clarke Culpeper Fairfax Fairfax city Falls Church city Fauquier Loudoun Prince William Manassas city Manassas Park city Rappahannock Spotsylvania Fredericksburg city Stafford Warren Other District of Columbia Jefferson County , West Virginia The District of Columbia itself , and Virginia 's incorporated cities , are county equivalents . Virginia 's incorporated cities are listed under their surrounding county . The incorporated cities bordering more than one county ( Alexandria , Falls Church and Fredericksburg ) are listed under the county they were part of before incorporation as a city . District of Columbia Capital of the United States Book Topics History Timeline Geography Media Music Sports Symbols Tourist attractions Emancipation Day Politics Elections Government Home rule Retrocession Statehood movement Voting rights Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Government Fire Libraries Mayors Police Public Schools Transportation Commonwealth of Virginia Richmond ( capital ) Topics Administrative divisions Climate Colleges and universities Colony Congressional Districts Delegations Environment Furniture Geography Government History Historic Landmarks Law Homes Music People Rights Rivers Scouting Slogan Sports teams State Fair State parks Symbols Tourist attractions Transportation Tribes Seal of Virginia Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Media Newspapers Radio TV Politics Regions Allegheny Mountains Atlantic Coastal Plain Blue Ridge Chesapeake Bay Cumberland Mountains Delmarva Peninsula Eastern Shore Hampton Roads Middle Peninsula Northern Neck Northern Virginia Piedmont Ridge - and - Valley Appalachians Shenandoah Valley South Hampton Roads Southside Southwest Virginia Tennessee Valley Tidewater Tri-Cities Virginia Peninsula Metro areas Blacksburg - Christiansburg - Radford Bluefield Bristol Charlottesville Danville Harrisonburg Lynchburg Martinsville Richmond Roanoke Staunton - Waynesboro Norfolk - Virginia Beach Washington - Arlington - Alexandria Winchester Counties Accomack Albemarle Alleghany Amelia Amherst Appomattox Arlington Augusta Bath Bedford Bland Botetourt Brunswick Buchanan Buckingham Campbell Caroline Carroll Charles City Charlotte Chesterfield Clarke Craig Culpeper Cumberland Dickenson Dinwiddie Essex Fairfax Fauquier Floyd Fluvanna Franklin Frederick Giles Gloucester Goochland Grayson Greene Greensville Halifax Hanover Henrico Henry Highland Isle of Wight James City King and Queen King George King William Lancaster Lee Loudoun Louisa Lunenburg Madison Mathews Mecklenburg Middlesex Montgomery Nelson New Kent Northampton Northumberland Nottoway Orange Page Patrick Pittsylvania Powhatan Prince Edward Prince George Prince William Pulaski Rappahannock Richmond Roanoke Rockbridge Rockingham Russell Scott Shenandoah Smyth Southampton Spotsylvania Stafford Surry Sussex Tazewell Warren Washington Westmoreland Wise Wythe York Independent cities Alexandria Bristol Buena Vista Charlottesville Chesapeake Colonial Heights Covington Danville Emporia Fairfax Falls Church Franklin Fredericksburg Galax Hampton Harrisonburg Hopewell Lexington Lynchburg Manassas Manassas Park Martinsville Newport News Norfolk Norton Petersburg Poquoson Portsmouth Radford Richmond Roanoke Salem Staunton Suffolk Virginia Beach Waynesboro Williamsburg Winchester State of Maryland Annapolis ( capital ) Topics Index Cities Government History Media Newspapers Radio TV People Congressional delegations Congressional maps Tourist attractions Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics Sports Regions Allegheny Mountains Atlantic coastal plain Baltimore -- Washington metro area Blue Ridge Chesapeake Cumberland Valley Delaware Valley Delmarva Peninsula Eastern Shore Piedmont Ridge and Valley Southern Maryland Western Maryland Western Shore Cities Aberdeen Annapolis Baltimore Bowie Brunswick Cambridge College Park Cumberland Frederick Gaithersburg Greenbelt Hagerstown Havre de Grace Laurel Rockville Salisbury Takoma Park Westminster Towns Bel Air Denton Easton Elkton Ocean City Port Deposit CDPs Arbutus Arnold Aspen Hill Baltimore Highlands Bethesda Camp Springs Carney Catonsville Chillum Clinton Cockeysville - Hunt Valley Colesville Columbia Crofton Dundalk Edgewood Eldersburg Elkridge Ellicott City Essex Fairland Ferndale Fort Washington Germantown Glen Burnie Green Haven Hillcrest Heights Landover Langley Park Lanham Lansdowne Lochearn Lutherville Middle River Milford Mill Montgomery Village Odenton Olney Owings Mills Oxon Hill Parkville Perry Hall Pikesville Potomac Randallstown Redland Reisterstown Rosedale St. Charles Severn Severna Park Silver Spring South Gate Suitland Timonium Towson Urbana Waldorf Wheaton - Glenmont White Oak Woodlawn Counties Allegany Anne Arundel Baltimore Calvert Caroline Carroll Cecil Charles Dorchester Frederick Garrett Harford Howard Kent Montgomery Prince George 's Queen Anne 's St. Mary 's Somerset Talbot Washington Wicomico Worcester State of West Virginia Charleston ( capital ) Topics Cities Towns Villages Census - designated places History Environment People Government Governors Delegations Colleges and universities Tourist attractions Seal of West Virginia Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Elections Media Newspapers Radio TV Insignia Coat of arms Flag Motto Seal Regions Allegheny Mountains Allegheny Plateau Baltimore - Washington Metropolitan Area Blue Ridge Charleston Metropolitan Area Cumberland Plateau Cumberland Mountains Eastern Panhandle Huntington Metropolitan Area North - Central West Virginia Northern Panhandle Potomac Highlands Ridge - and - Valley Appalachians Shenandoah Valley Southern West Virginia Western West Virginia Metro areas Charleston Huntington Morgantown Martinsburg Parkersburg - Vienna Wheeling Winchester Weirton Largest cities Beckley Charleston Fairmont Huntington Martinsburg Morgantown Parkersburg Wheeling Weirton Counties Barbour Berkeley Boone Braxton Brooke Cabell Calhoun Clay Doddridge Fayette Gilmer Grant Greenbrier Hampshire Hancock Hardy Harrison Jackson Jefferson Kanawha Lewis Lincoln Logan Marion Marshall Mason McDowell Mercer Mineral Mingo Monongalia Monroe Morgan Nicholas Ohio Pendleton Pleasants Pocahontas Preston Putnam Raleigh Randolph Ritchie Roane Summers Taylor Tucker Tyler Upshur Wayne Webster Wetzel Wirt Wood Wyoming The 100 most populous metropolitan statistical areas of the United States of America New York , NY Los Angeles , CA Chicago , IL Dallas , TX Houston , TX Washington , DC Philadelphia , PA Miami , FL Atlanta , GA Boston , MA San Francisco , CA Phoenix , AZ Riverside - San Bernardino , CA Detroit , MI Seattle , WA Minneapolis , MN San Diego , CA Tampa , FL Denver , CO St. Louis , MO Baltimore , MD Charlotte , NC San Juan , PR Orlando , FL San Antonio , TX Portland , OR Pittsburgh , PA Sacramento , CA Cincinnati , OH Las Vegas , NV Kansas City , MO Austin , TX Columbus , OH Cleveland , OH Indianapolis , IN San Jose , CA Nashville , TN Virginia Beach , VA Providence , RI Milwaukee , WI Jacksonville , FL Memphis , TN Oklahoma City , OK Louisville , KY Richmond , VA New Orleans , LA Hartford , CT Raleigh , NC Birmingham , AL Buffalo , NY Salt Lake City , UT Rochester , NY Grand Rapids , MI Tucson , AZ Honolulu , HI Tulsa , OK Fresno , CA Bridgeport , CT Worcester , MA Albuquerque , NM Omaha , NE Albany , NY New Haven , CT Bakersfield , CA Knoxville , TN Greenville , SC Oxnard , CA El Paso , TX Allentown , PA Baton Rouge , LA McAllen , TX Dayton , OH Columbia , SC Greensboro , NC Sarasota , FL Little Rock , AR Stockton , CA Akron , OH Charleston , SC Colorado Springs , CO Syracuse , NY Winston - Salem , NC Cape Coral , FL Boise , ID Wichita , KS Springfield , MA Madison , WI Lakeland , FL Ogden , UT Toledo , OH Deltona , FL Des Moines , IA Jackson , MS Augusta , GA Scranton , PA Youngstown , OH Harrisburg , PA Provo , UT Palm Bay , FL Chattanooga , TN United States Census Bureau population estimates for July 1 , 2012 Northeast megalopolis Major metropolitan areas ( over 1,000,000 ) New York city Philadelphia city Washington city Boston city Baltimore city Providence city Hartford city Other cities ( over 100,000 ) Newark Jersey City Yonkers Worcester Springfield Alexandria Paterson Bridgeport Elizabeth New Haven Stamford Allentown Manchester Waterbury Cambridge Lowell Coordinates : 38 ° 53 ′ 12.33 '' N 77 ° 2 ′ 29.85 '' W  /  38.8867583 ° N 77.0416250 ° W  / 38.8867583 ; - 77.0416250 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Washington_metropolitan_area&oldid=822055432 '' Categories : Washington , D.C. Washington metropolitan area Baltimore -- Washington metropolitan area Metropolitan areas of Maryland Metropolitan areas of Virginia Metropolitan areas of West Virginia Regions of Maryland Regions of Virginia Regions of West Virginia Hidden categories : Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2016 All articles containing potentially dated statements All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2009 All accuracy disputes Articles with disputed statements from February 2009 Articles to be expanded from January 2013 All articles to be expanded Articles using small message boxes Coordinates on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Deutsch Español Esperanto فارسی Français Italiano Русский Scots Svenska ไทย اردو Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 24 January 2018 , at 03 : 45 . Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply . By using this site , you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation , Inc. , a non-profit organization . About Wikipedia

Question: what part of maryland is close to washington dc